used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A TARGET FOR ARROWS AND BULLETS "LIE down, everybody!"
on a ship, train, plane or other vehicle
From this reading Arrows also struck the cabin, to remain imbedded there as evidence of the muscular arms that sent them aboard.
having companions or an escort
From this reading It was the voice of Mr. Armstrong that uttered these words; and hardly had the men who manned the sweeps and poles thrown themselves flat, than there came flashes of flame from the border of the trees, accompanied by the crash of firearms and the thud of striking bullets in the stout bulwark, behind which they had sought shelter.
in addition
From this reading Arrows also struck the cabin, to remain imbedded there as evidence of the muscular arms that sent them aboard.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A TARGET FOR ARROWS AND BULLETS "LIE down, everybody!"
weapons considered collectively
From this reading Arrows also struck the cabin, to remain imbedded there as evidence of the muscular arms that sent them aboard.
ArmstrongnounUS /ˈɑːrmstrɑːŋ/
United States astronaut; the first man to set foot on the Moon (July 20, 1969) (1930-)
From this reading It was the voice of Mr. Armstrong that uttered these words; and hardly had the men who manned the sweeps and poles thrown themselves flat, than there came flashes of flame from the border of the trees, accompanied by the crash of firearms and the thud of striking bullets in the stout bulwark, behind which they had sought shelter.
ARROWSnounUS /ˈæroʊz/
plural of “arrow” — a mark to indicate a direction or relation
From this reading A TARGET FOR ARROWS AND BULLETS "LIE down, everybody!"
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Arrows also struck the cabin, to remain imbedded there as evidence of the muscular arms that sent them aboard.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading It was the voice of Mr. Armstrong that uttered these words; and hardly had the men who manned the sweeps and poles thrown themselves flat, than there came flashes of flame from the border of the trees, accompanied by the crash of firearms and the thud of striking bullets in the stout bulwark, behind which they had sought shelter.
on the far side of; further than
From this reading Other missiles splashed in the water, falling short, or passing beyond the boat.
a small vessel for travel on water
From this reading Other missiles splashed in the water, falling short, or passing beyond the boat.
bordernounUS /ˈbɔːrdər/
a line that indicates a boundary
From this reading It was the voice of Mr. Armstrong that uttered these words; and hardly had the men who manned the sweeps and poles thrown themselves flat, than there came flashes of flame from the border of the trees, accompanied by the crash of firearms and the thud of striking bullets in the stout bulwark, behind which they had sought shelter.
BULLETSnounUS /ˈbʊləts/
plural of “bullet” — a projectile that is fired from a gun
From this reading A TARGET FOR ARROWS AND BULLETS "LIE down, everybody!"
bulwarknounUS /ˈbʊlwərk/
an embankment built around a space for defensive purposes
From this reading It was the voice of Mr. Armstrong that uttered these words; and hardly had the men who manned the sweeps and poles thrown themselves flat, than there came flashes of flame from the border of the trees, accompanied by the crash of firearms and the thud of striking bullets in the stout bulwark, behind which they had sought shelter.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But there was a way of working the sweeps from behind shelter; and so, by slow degrees, the imperilled pioneers were carried further and further from the shore.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading It was the voice of Mr. Armstrong that uttered these words; and hardly had the men who manned the sweeps and poles thrown themselves flat, than there came flashes of flame from the border of the trees, accompanied by the crash of firearms and the thud of striking bullets in the stout bulwark, behind which they had sought shelter.
small room on a ship or boat where people sleep
From this reading Arrows also struck the cabin, to remain imbedded there as evidence of the muscular arms that sent them aboard.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading It was the voice of Mr. Armstrong that uttered these words; and hardly had the men who manned the sweeps and poles thrown themselves flat, than there came flashes of flame from the border of the trees, accompanied by the crash of firearms and the thud of striking bullets in the stout bulwark, behind which they had sought shelter.
inflected form of “carry” — move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body
From this reading But there was a way of working the sweeps from behind shelter; and so, by slow degrees, the imperilled pioneers were carried further and further from the shore.
crashverbUS /kræʃ/
fall or come down violently
From this reading It was the voice of Mr. Armstrong that uttered these words; and hardly had the men who manned the sweeps and poles thrown themselves flat, than there came flashes of flame from the border of the trees, accompanied by the crash of firearms and the thud of striking bullets in the stout bulwark, behind which they had sought shelter.
degreesnounUS /dɪˈɡriːz/
plural of “degree” — a position on a scale of intensity or amount or quality
From this reading But there was a way of working the sweeps from behind shelter; and so, by slow degrees, the imperilled pioneers were carried further and further from the shore.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading A TARGET FOR ARROWS AND BULLETS "LIE down, everybody!"
every person
From this reading A TARGET FOR ARROWS AND BULLETS "LIE down, everybody!"
your basis for belief or disbelief; knowledge on which to base belief
From this reading Arrows also struck the cabin, to remain imbedded there as evidence of the muscular arms that sent them aboard.
decreasing in amount or degree
From this reading Other missiles splashed in the water, falling short, or passing beyond the boat.
firearmsnounUS /ˈfaɪərɑːrmz/
plural of “firearm” — a portable gun
From this reading It was the voice of Mr. Armstrong that uttered these words; and hardly had the men who manned the sweeps and poles thrown themselves flat, than there came flashes of flame from the border of the trees, accompanied by the crash of firearms and the thud of striking bullets in the stout bulwark, behind which they had sought shelter.
A hot glowing body of ignited gas produced by fire.
From this reading It was the voice of Mr. Armstrong that uttered these words; and hardly had the men who manned the sweeps and poles thrown themselves flat, than there came flashes of flame from the border of the trees, accompanied by the crash of firearms and the thud of striking bullets in the stout bulwark, behind which they had sought shelter.
flashesnounUS /ˈflæʃɪz/
plural of “flash” — a sudden intense burst of radiant energy
From this reading It was the voice of Mr. Armstrong that uttered these words; and hardly had the men who manned the sweeps and poles thrown themselves flat, than there came flashes of flame from the border of the trees, accompanied by the crash of firearms and the thud of striking bullets in the stout bulwark, behind which they had sought shelter.
having a surface without slope, tilt in which no part is higher or lower than another
From this reading It was the voice of Mr. Armstrong that uttered these words; and hardly had the men who manned the sweeps and poles thrown themselves flat, than there came flashes of flame from the border of the trees, accompanied by the crash of firearms and the thud of striking bullets in the stout bulwark, behind which they had sought shelter.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading A TARGET FOR ARROWS AND BULLETS "LIE down, everybody!"
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading It was the voice of Mr. Armstrong that uttered these words; and hardly had the men who manned the sweeps and poles thrown themselves flat, than there came flashes of flame from the border of the trees, accompanied by the crash of firearms and the thud of striking bullets in the stout bulwark, behind which they had sought shelter.
to or at a greater extent or degree or a more advanced stage (“further” is used more often than “farther” in this abstract sense)
From this reading But there was a way of working the sweeps from behind shelter; and so, by slow degrees, the imperilled pioneers were carried further and further from the shore.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading It was the voice of Mr. Armstrong that uttered these words; and hardly had the men who manned the sweeps and poles thrown themselves flat, than there came flashes of flame from the border of the trees, accompanied by the crash of firearms and the thud of striking bullets in the stout bulwark, behind which they had sought shelter.
only a very short time before
From this reading It was the voice of Mr. Armstrong that uttered these words; and hardly had the men who manned the sweeps and poles thrown themselves flat, than there came flashes of flame from the border of the trees, accompanied by the crash of firearms and the thud of striking bullets in the stout bulwark, behind which they had sought shelter.
imbeddedverbUS /ɪmˈbedɪd/
inflected form of “imbed” — fix or set securely or deeply
From this reading Arrows also struck the cabin, to remain imbedded there as evidence of the muscular arms that sent them aboard.
imperilled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But there was a way of working the sweeps from behind shelter; and so, by slow degrees, the imperilled pioneers were carried further and further from the shore.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It was the voice of Mr. Armstrong that uttered these words; and hardly had the men who manned the sweeps and poles thrown themselves flat, than there came flashes of flame from the border of the trees, accompanied by the crash of firearms and the thud of striking bullets in the stout bulwark, behind which they had sought shelter.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was the voice of Mr. Armstrong that uttered these words; and hardly had the men who manned the sweeps and poles thrown themselves flat, than there came flashes of flame from the border of the trees, accompanied by the crash of firearms and the thud of striking bullets in the stout bulwark, behind which they had sought shelter.
be located or situated somewhere; occupy a certain position
From this reading A TARGET FOR ARROWS AND BULLETS "LIE down, everybody!"
mannedadjectiveUS /mænd/
having a crew
From this reading It was the voice of Mr. Armstrong that uttered these words; and hardly had the men who manned the sweeps and poles thrown themselves flat, than there came flashes of flame from the border of the trees, accompanied by the crash of firearms and the thud of striking bullets in the stout bulwark, behind which they had sought shelter.
the force of workers available
From this reading It was the voice of Mr. Armstrong that uttered these words; and hardly had the men who manned the sweeps and poles thrown themselves flat, than there came flashes of flame from the border of the trees, accompanied by the crash of firearms and the thud of striking bullets in the stout bulwark, behind which they had sought shelter.
missilesnounUS /ˈmɪsəlz/
plural of “missile” — a rocket carrying a warhead of conventional or nuclear explosives; may be ballistic or directed by remote control
From this reading Other missiles splashed in the water, falling short, or passing beyond the boat.
a form of address for a man
From this reading It was the voice of Mr. Armstrong that uttered these words; and hardly had the men who manned the sweeps and poles thrown themselves flat, than there came flashes of flame from the border of the trees, accompanied by the crash of firearms and the thud of striking bullets in the stout bulwark, behind which they had sought shelter.
muscularadjectiveUS /ˈmʌskjələr/
of or relating to or consisting of muscle
From this reading Arrows also struck the cabin, to remain imbedded there as evidence of the muscular arms that sent them aboard.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It was the voice of Mr. Armstrong that uttered these words; and hardly had the men who manned the sweeps and poles thrown themselves flat, than there came flashes of flame from the border of the trees, accompanied by the crash of firearms and the thud of striking bullets in the stout bulwark, behind which they had sought shelter.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Other missiles splashed in the water, falling short, or passing beyond the boat.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading Other missiles splashed in the water, falling short, or passing beyond the boat.
(American football) a play that involves one player throwing the ball to a teammate
From this reading Other missiles splashed in the water, falling short, or passing beyond the boat.
pioneersnounUS /ˌpaɪəˈnɪrz/
plural of “pioneer” — someone who helps to open up a new line of research or technology or art
From this reading But there was a way of working the sweeps from behind shelter; and so, by slow degrees, the imperilled pioneers were carried further and further from the shore.
polesnounUS /poʊlz/
plural of “pole” — a long (usually round) rod of wood or metal or plastic
From this reading It was the voice of Mr. Armstrong that uttered these words; and hardly had the men who manned the sweeps and poles thrown themselves flat, than there came flashes of flame from the border of the trees, accompanied by the crash of firearms and the thud of striking bullets in the stout bulwark, behind which they had sought shelter.
stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading Arrows also struck the cabin, to remain imbedded there as evidence of the muscular arms that sent them aboard.
100 senti equal 1 kroon in Estonia
From this reading Arrows also struck the cabin, to remain imbedded there as evidence of the muscular arms that sent them aboard.
a structure that provides privacy and protection from danger
From this reading It was the voice of Mr. Armstrong that uttered these words; and hardly had the men who manned the sweeps and poles thrown themselves flat, than there came flashes of flame from the border of the trees, accompanied by the crash of firearms and the thud of striking bullets in the stout bulwark, behind which they had sought shelter.
the land along the edge of a body of water
From this reading But there was a way of working the sweeps from behind shelter; and so, by slow degrees, the imperilled pioneers were carried further and further from the shore.
primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration
From this reading Other missiles splashed in the water, falling short, or passing beyond the boat.
not moving quickly; taking a comparatively long time
From this reading But there was a way of working the sweeps from behind shelter; and so, by slow degrees, the imperilled pioneers were carried further and further from the shore.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading But there was a way of working the sweeps from behind shelter; and so, by slow degrees, the imperilled pioneers were carried further and further from the shore.
that is looked for
From this reading It was the voice of Mr. Armstrong that uttered these words; and hardly had the men who manned the sweeps and poles thrown themselves flat, than there came flashes of flame from the border of the trees, accompanied by the crash of firearms and the thud of striking bullets in the stout bulwark, behind which they had sought shelter.
splashedadjectiveUS /splæʃt/
(of a fluid) having been propelled about in flying drops or masses
From this reading Other missiles splashed in the water, falling short, or passing beyond the boat.
dependable
From this reading It was the voice of Mr. Armstrong that uttered these words; and hardly had the men who manned the sweeps and poles thrown themselves flat, than there came flashes of flame from the border of the trees, accompanied by the crash of firearms and the thud of striking bullets in the stout bulwark, behind which they had sought shelter.
sensational in appearance or thrilling in effect
From this reading It was the voice of Mr. Armstrong that uttered these words; and hardly had the men who manned the sweeps and poles thrown themselves flat, than there came flashes of flame from the border of the trees, accompanied by the crash of firearms and the thud of striking bullets in the stout bulwark, behind which they had sought shelter.
(used in combination) affected by something overwhelming
From this reading Arrows also struck the cabin, to remain imbedded there as evidence of the muscular arms that sent them aboard.
sweepsnounUS /swiːps/
plural of “sweep” — a wide scope
From this reading It was the voice of Mr. Armstrong that uttered these words; and hardly had the men who manned the sweeps and poles thrown themselves flat, than there came flashes of flame from the border of the trees, accompanied by the crash of firearms and the thud of striking bullets in the stout bulwark, behind which they had sought shelter.
TARGETnounUS /ˈtɑːrɡət/
a reference point to shoot at
From this reading A TARGET FOR ARROWS AND BULLETS "LIE down, everybody!"
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading It was the voice of Mr. Armstrong that uttered these words; and hardly had the men who manned the sweeps and poles thrown themselves flat, than there came flashes of flame from the border of the trees, accompanied by the crash of firearms and the thud of striking bullets in the stout bulwark, behind which they had sought shelter.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was the voice of Mr. Armstrong that uttered these words; and hardly had the men who manned the sweeps and poles thrown themselves flat, than there came flashes of flame from the border of the trees, accompanied by the crash of firearms and the thud of striking bullets in the stout bulwark, behind which they had sought shelter.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It was the voice of Mr. Armstrong that uttered these words; and hardly had the men who manned the sweeps and poles thrown themselves flat, than there came flashes of flame from the border of the trees, accompanied by the crash of firearms and the thud of striking bullets in the stout bulwark, behind which they had sought shelter.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Arrows also struck the cabin, to remain imbedded there as evidence of the muscular arms that sent them aboard.
used when the people doing the action are also its object
From this reading It was the voice of Mr. Armstrong that uttered these words; and hardly had the men who manned the sweeps and poles thrown themselves flat, than there came flashes of flame from the border of the trees, accompanied by the crash of firearms and the thud of striking bullets in the stout bulwark, behind which they had sought shelter.
in or at that place or location
From this reading It was the voice of Mr. Armstrong that uttered these words; and hardly had the men who manned the sweeps and poles thrown themselves flat, than there came flashes of flame from the border of the trees, accompanied by the crash of firearms and the thud of striking bullets in the stout bulwark, behind which they had sought shelter.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading It was the voice of Mr. Armstrong that uttered these words; and hardly had the men who manned the sweeps and poles thrown themselves flat, than there came flashes of flame from the border of the trees, accompanied by the crash of firearms and the thud of striking bullets in the stout bulwark, behind which they had sought shelter.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It was the voice of Mr. Armstrong that uttered these words; and hardly had the men who manned the sweeps and poles thrown themselves flat, than there came flashes of flame from the border of the trees, accompanied by the crash of firearms and the thud of striking bullets in the stout bulwark, behind which they had sought shelter.
caused to fall to the ground
From this reading It was the voice of Mr. Armstrong that uttered these words; and hardly had the men who manned the sweeps and poles thrown themselves flat, than there came flashes of flame from the border of the trees, accompanied by the crash of firearms and the thud of striking bullets in the stout bulwark, behind which they had sought shelter.
thudverbUS /θʌd/
make a dull sound
From this reading It was the voice of Mr. Armstrong that uttered these words; and hardly had the men who manned the sweeps and poles thrown themselves flat, than there came flashes of flame from the border of the trees, accompanied by the crash of firearms and the thud of striking bullets in the stout bulwark, behind which they had sought shelter.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Arrows also struck the cabin, to remain imbedded there as evidence of the muscular arms that sent them aboard.
plural of “tree” — a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
From this reading It was the voice of Mr. Armstrong that uttered these words; and hardly had the men who manned the sweeps and poles thrown themselves flat, than there came flashes of flame from the border of the trees, accompanied by the crash of firearms and the thud of striking bullets in the stout bulwark, behind which they had sought shelter.
communicated in words
From this reading It was the voice of Mr. Armstrong that uttered these words; and hardly had the men who manned the sweeps and poles thrown themselves flat, than there came flashes of flame from the border of the trees, accompanied by the crash of firearms and the thud of striking bullets in the stout bulwark, behind which they had sought shelter.
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading It was the voice of Mr. Armstrong that uttered these words; and hardly had the men who manned the sweeps and poles thrown themselves flat, than there came flashes of flame from the border of the trees, accompanied by the crash of firearms and the thud of striking bullets in the stout bulwark, behind which they had sought shelter.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was the voice of Mr. Armstrong that uttered these words; and hardly had the men who manned the sweeps and poles thrown themselves flat, than there came flashes of flame from the border of the trees, accompanied by the crash of firearms and the thud of striking bullets in the stout bulwark, behind which they had sought shelter.
binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent
From this reading Other missiles splashed in the water, falling short, or passing beyond the boat.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading But there was a way of working the sweeps from behind shelter; and so, by slow degrees, the imperilled pioneers were carried further and further from the shore.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading But there was a way of working the sweeps from behind shelter; and so, by slow degrees, the imperilled pioneers were carried further and further from the shore.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading It was the voice of Mr. Armstrong that uttered these words; and hardly had the men who manned the sweeps and poles thrown themselves flat, than there came flashes of flame from the border of the trees, accompanied by the crash of firearms and the thud of striking bullets in the stout bulwark, behind which they had sought shelter.
which person or people
From this reading It was the voice of Mr. Armstrong that uttered these words; and hardly had the men who manned the sweeps and poles thrown themselves flat, than there came flashes of flame from the border of the trees, accompanied by the crash of firearms and the thud of striking bullets in the stout bulwark, behind which they had sought shelter.
the words that are spoken
From this reading It was the voice of Mr. Armstrong that uttered these words; and hardly had the men who manned the sweeps and poles thrown themselves flat, than there came flashes of flame from the border of the trees, accompanied by the crash of firearms and the thud of striking bullets in the stout bulwark, behind which they had sought shelter.
actively engaged in paid work
From this reading But there was a way of working the sweeps from behind shelter; and so, by slow degrees, the imperilled pioneers were carried further and further from the shore.
