used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A DIRECT HIT The letter which the Marquis of Truckleford wrote to the general who was a peg above "Duggy" gave Phil an early introduction to Flanders mud.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading A DIRECT HIT The letter which the Marquis of Truckleford wrote to the general who was a peg above "Duggy" gave Phil an early introduction to Flanders mud.
Aisne
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Fresh from the retreat of Mons and the fighting on the Aisne, he had been brought home to mould human clay into gunners.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading Then there was Jaffers, the regular sergeant, who regarded all recruits as children of his strict parenthood.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading A DIRECT HIT The letter which the Marquis of Truckleford wrote to the general who was a peg above "Duggy" gave Phil an early introduction to Flanders mud.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Fresh from the retreat of Mons and the fighting on the Aisne, he had been brought home to mould human clay into gunners.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Then there was Jaffers, the regular sergeant, who regarded all recruits as children of his strict parenthood.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Treating fledgling young officers with the respect due to their rank, he would whisper to them the right thing to do, the while he stood stiff at the salute.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Fresh from the retreat of Mons and the fighting on the Aisne, he had been brought home to mould human clay into gunners.
inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading Fresh from the retreat of Mons and the fighting on the Aisne, he had been brought home to mould human clay into gunners.
plural of “child” — a young person of either sex
From this reading Then there was Jaffers, the regular sergeant, who regarded all recruits as children of his strict parenthood.
claynounUS /kleɪ/
a very fine-grained soil that is plastic when moist but hard when fired
From this reading Fresh from the retreat of Mons and the fighting on the Aisne, he had been brought home to mould human clay into gunners.
command with authority
From this reading A DIRECT HIT The letter which the Marquis of Truckleford wrote to the general who was a peg above "Duggy" gave Phil an early introduction to Flanders mud.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading Treating fledgling young officers with the respect due to their rank, he would whisper to them the right thing to do, the while he stood stiff at the salute.
owed and payable immediately or on demand
From this reading Treating fledgling young officers with the respect due to their rank, he would whisper to them the right thing to do, the while he stood stiff at the salute.
Duggy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A DIRECT HIT The letter which the Marquis of Truckleford wrote to the general who was a peg above "Duggy" gave Phil an early introduction to Flanders mud.
earlyadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrli/
at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time
From this reading A DIRECT HIT The letter which the Marquis of Truckleford wrote to the general who was a peg above "Duggy" gave Phil an early introduction to Flanders mud.
the act of fighting; any contest or struggle
From this reading Fresh from the retreat of Mons and the fighting on the Aisne, he had been brought home to mould human clay into gunners.
FlandersnounUS /ˈflændərz/
a medieval country in northern Europe that included regions now parts of northern France and Belgium and southwestern Netherlands
From this reading A DIRECT HIT The letter which the Marquis of Truckleford wrote to the general who was a peg above "Duggy" gave Phil an early introduction to Flanders mud.
fledglingadjectiveUS /ˈfledʒlɪŋ/
(of a young bird) having acquired its flight feathers
From this reading Treating fledgling young officers with the respect due to their rank, he would whisper to them the right thing to do, the while he stood stiff at the salute.
recently made, produced, or harvested
From this reading Fresh from the retreat of Mons and the fighting on the Aisne, he had been brought home to mould human clay into gunners.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Fresh from the retreat of Mons and the fighting on the Aisne, he had been brought home to mould human clay into gunners.
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading A DIRECT HIT The letter which the Marquis of Truckleford wrote to the general who was a peg above "Duggy" gave Phil an early introduction to Flanders mud.
applying to all or most members of a category or group
From this reading A DIRECT HIT The letter which the Marquis of Truckleford wrote to the general who was a peg above "Duggy" gave Phil an early introduction to Flanders mud.
gunnersnounUS /ˈɡʌnərz/
plural of “gunner” — a serviceman in the artillery
From this reading Fresh from the retreat of Mons and the fighting on the Aisne, he had been brought home to mould human clay into gunners.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Fresh from the retreat of Mons and the fighting on the Aisne, he had been brought home to mould human clay into gunners.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading An upstanding man the major to whom he reported.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Then there was Jaffers, the regular sergeant, who regarded all recruits as children of his strict parenthood.
cause to move by striking
From this reading A DIRECT HIT The letter which the Marquis of Truckleford wrote to the general who was a peg above "Duggy" gave Phil an early introduction to Flanders mud.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading Fresh from the retreat of Mons and the fighting on the Aisne, he had been brought home to mould human clay into gunners.
humanadjectiveUS /ˈhjuːmən/
characteristic of humanity
From this reading Fresh from the retreat of Mons and the fighting on the Aisne, he had been brought home to mould human clay into gunners.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Fresh from the retreat of Mons and the fighting on the Aisne, he had been brought home to mould human clay into gunners.
introductionnounUS /ˌɪntrəˈdʌkʃən/
the act of beginning something new
From this reading A DIRECT HIT The letter which the Marquis of Truckleford wrote to the general who was a peg above "Duggy" gave Phil an early introduction to Flanders mud.
Jaffers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then there was Jaffers, the regular sergeant, who regarded all recruits as children of his strict parenthood.
a written message addressed to a person or organization
From this reading A DIRECT HIT The letter which the Marquis of Truckleford wrote to the general who was a peg above "Duggy" gave Phil an early introduction to Flanders mud.
majoradjectiveUS /ˈmeɪdʒər/
of greater importance or stature or rank
From this reading An upstanding man the major to whom he reported.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading An upstanding man the major to whom he reported.
MarquisnounUS /ˌmɑːrˈkiː/
humorist who wrote about the imaginary life of cockroaches (1878-1937)
From this reading A DIRECT HIT The letter which the Marquis of Truckleford wrote to the general who was a peg above "Duggy" gave Phil an early introduction to Flanders mud.
Monsnoun
a mound of fatty tissue covering the pubic area in women
From this reading Fresh from the retreat of Mons and the fighting on the Aisne, he had been brought home to mould human clay into gunners.
mouldverbUS /moʊld/
form in clay, wax, etc
From this reading Fresh from the retreat of Mons and the fighting on the Aisne, he had been brought home to mould human clay into gunners.
water soaked soil; soft wet earth
From this reading A DIRECT HIT The letter which the Marquis of Truckleford wrote to the general who was a peg above "Duggy" gave Phil an early introduction to Flanders mud.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A DIRECT HIT The letter which the Marquis of Truckleford wrote to the general who was a peg above "Duggy" gave Phil an early introduction to Flanders mud.
plural of “officer” — any person in the armed services who holds a position of authority or command
From this reading Treating fledgling young officers with the respect due to their rank, he would whisper to them the right thing to do, the while he stood stiff at the salute.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Fresh from the retreat of Mons and the fighting on the Aisne, he had been brought home to mould human clay into gunners.
parenthoodnounUS /ˈperənthʊd/
the state of being a parent
From this reading Then there was Jaffers, the regular sergeant, who regarded all recruits as children of his strict parenthood.
pegnounUS /peɡ/
a wooden pin pushed or driven into a surface
From this reading A DIRECT HIT The letter which the Marquis of Truckleford wrote to the general who was a peg above "Duggy" gave Phil an early introduction to Flanders mud.
Phil
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A DIRECT HIT The letter which the Marquis of Truckleford wrote to the general who was a peg above "Duggy" gave Phil an early introduction to Flanders mud.
a row or line of people (especially soldiers or police) standing abreast of one another
From this reading Treating fledgling young officers with the respect due to their rank, he would whisper to them the right thing to do, the while he stood stiff at the salute.
recruitsnounUS /rəˈkruːts/
plural of “recruit” — a recently enlisted soldier
From this reading Then there was Jaffers, the regular sergeant, who regarded all recruits as children of his strict parenthood.
past form of “regard” — deem to be
From this reading Then there was Jaffers, the regular sergeant, who regarded all recruits as children of his strict parenthood.
in accordance with fixed order or procedure or principle
From this reading Then there was Jaffers, the regular sergeant, who regarded all recruits as children of his strict parenthood.
made known or told about; especially presented in a formal account
From this reading An upstanding man the major to whom he reported.
(usually preceded by “in”) a detail or point
From this reading Treating fledgling young officers with the respect due to their rank, he would whisper to them the right thing to do, the while he stood stiff at the salute.
(military) withdrawal of troops to a more favorable position to escape the enemy's superior forces or after a defeat
From this reading Fresh from the retreat of Mons and the fighting on the Aisne, he had been brought home to mould human clay into gunners.
precisely, exactly
From this reading Treating fledgling young officers with the respect due to their rank, he would whisper to them the right thing to do, the while he stood stiff at the salute.
saluteverbUS /səˈluːt/
propose a toast to
From this reading Treating fledgling young officers with the respect due to their rank, he would whisper to them the right thing to do, the while he stood stiff at the salute.
any of several noncommissioned officer ranks in the Army or Air Force or Marines ranking above a corporal
From this reading Then there was Jaffers, the regular sergeant, who regarded all recruits as children of his strict parenthood.
not moving or operating freely
From this reading Treating fledgling young officers with the respect due to their rank, he would whisper to them the right thing to do, the while he stood stiff at the salute.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading Treating fledgling young officers with the respect due to their rank, he would whisper to them the right thing to do, the while he stood stiff at the salute.
strictadjectiveUS /strɪkt/
rigidly accurate; allowing no deviation from a standard
From this reading Then there was Jaffers, the regular sergeant, who regarded all recruits as children of his strict parenthood.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A DIRECT HIT The letter which the Marquis of Truckleford wrote to the general who was a peg above "Duggy" gave Phil an early introduction to Flanders mud.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Treating fledgling young officers with the respect due to their rank, he would whisper to them the right thing to do, the while he stood stiff at the salute.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Treating fledgling young officers with the respect due to their rank, he would whisper to them the right thing to do, the while he stood stiff at the salute.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then there was Jaffers, the regular sergeant, who regarded all recruits as children of his strict parenthood.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Then there was Jaffers, the regular sergeant, who regarded all recruits as children of his strict parenthood.
a special situation
From this reading Treating fledgling young officers with the respect due to their rank, he would whisper to them the right thing to do, the while he stood stiff at the salute.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading A DIRECT HIT The letter which the Marquis of Truckleford wrote to the general who was a peg above "Duggy" gave Phil an early introduction to Flanders mud.
TreatingverbUS /ˈtriːtɪŋ/
-ing form of “treat” — interact in a certain way
From this reading Treating fledgling young officers with the respect due to their rank, he would whisper to them the right thing to do, the while he stood stiff at the salute.
Truckleford
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A DIRECT HIT The letter which the Marquis of Truckleford wrote to the general who was a peg above "Duggy" gave Phil an early introduction to Flanders mud.
upstandingadjectiveUS /ˈʌpstændɪŋ/
meriting respect or esteem
From this reading An upstanding man the major to whom he reported.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading A DIRECT HIT The letter which the Marquis of Truckleford wrote to the general who was a peg above "Duggy" gave Phil an early introduction to Flanders mud.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading A DIRECT HIT The letter which the Marquis of Truckleford wrote to the general who was a peg above "Duggy" gave Phil an early introduction to Flanders mud.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading Treating fledgling young officers with the respect due to their rank, he would whisper to them the right thing to do, the while he stood stiff at the salute.
speaking softly without vibration of the vocal cords
From this reading Treating fledgling young officers with the respect due to their rank, he would whisper to them the right thing to do, the while he stood stiff at the salute.
which person or people
From this reading A DIRECT HIT The letter which the Marquis of Truckleford wrote to the general who was a peg above "Duggy" gave Phil an early introduction to Flanders mud.
the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading An upstanding man the major to whom he reported.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Treating fledgling young officers with the respect due to their rank, he would whisper to them the right thing to do, the while he stood stiff at the salute.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Treating fledgling young officers with the respect due to their rank, he would whisper to them the right thing to do, the while he stood stiff at the salute.
inflected form of “write” — produce a literary work
From this reading A DIRECT HIT The letter which the Marquis of Truckleford wrote to the general who was a peg above "Duggy" gave Phil an early introduction to Flanders mud.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading Treating fledgling young officers with the respect due to their rank, he would whisper to them the right thing to do, the while he stood stiff at the salute.
