adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The childish struggle against misrule had come to a childish end.
againstprepositionUS /əˈɡenst/
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading The childish struggle against misrule had come to a childish end.
alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/
(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 The little toy loyalists had been broken all to pieces.
ancientadjectiveUS /ˈeɪn.ʃənt/
Belonging to the very distant past and no longer in existence or deeply revered.
From this reading Obeying the instincts of blood, religion, race, and language, they had made a haphazard, sidelong charge upon their ancient conquerors, had spluttered and kicked a little, and had then turned tail upon disaster and defeat.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Obeying the instincts of blood, religion, race, and language, they had made a haphazard, sidelong charge upon their ancient conquerors, had spluttered and kicked a little, and had then turned tail upon disaster and defeat.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading A few thousand Frenchmen, with a vague patriotism, had shied some harmless stones at the British flag-staff on the citadel: that was all.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The little toy loyalists had been broken all to pieces.
bloodnounUS /blʌd/
The red fluid that circulates in the heart and blood vessels.
From this reading Obeying the instincts of blood, religion, race, and language, they had made a haphazard, sidelong charge upon their ancient conquerors, had spluttered and kicked a little, and had then turned tail upon disaster and defeat.
BritishnounUS /ˈbrɪtɪʃ/
the people of Great Britain
From this reading A few thousand Frenchmen, with a vague patriotism, had shied some harmless stones at the British flag-staff on the citadel: that was all.
brokenadjectiveUS /ˈbroʊkən/
physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split
From this reading The little toy loyalists had been broken all to pieces.
chargeverbUS /tʃɑːrdʒ/
to make a rush at or sudden attack upon, as in battle
From this reading Obeying the instincts of blood, religion, race, and language, they had made a haphazard, sidelong charge upon their ancient conquerors, had spluttered and kicked a little, and had then turned tail upon disaster and defeat.
childishadjectiveUS /ˈtʃaɪldɪʃ/
indicating a lack of maturity
From this reading The childish struggle against misrule had come to a childish end.
citadelnounUS /ˈsɪt.ə.del/
A fortress protecting a city, metaphorically representing the invincible inner sanctuary of the rational mind.
From this reading A few thousand Frenchmen, with a vague patriotism, had shied some harmless stones at the British flag-staff on the citadel: that was all.
comeverbUS /kʌm/
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading The childish struggle against misrule had come to a childish end.
conquerorsnounUS /ˈkɑːŋkərərz/
plural of “conqueror” — someone who is victorious by force of arms
From this reading Obeying the instincts of blood, religion, race, and language, they had made a haphazard, sidelong charge upon their ancient conquerors, had spluttered and kicked a little, and had then turned tail upon disaster and defeat.
defeatnounUS /dɪˈfiːt/
an unsuccessful ending to a struggle or contest
From this reading Obeying the instincts of blood, religion, race, and language, they had made a haphazard, sidelong charge upon their ancient conquerors, had spluttered and kicked a little, and had then turned tail upon disaster and defeat.
disasternounUS /dɪˈzæstər/
a state of extreme (usually irremediable) ruin and misfortune
From this reading Obeying the instincts of blood, religion, race, and language, they had made a haphazard, sidelong charge upon their ancient conquerors, had spluttered and kicked a little, and had then turned tail upon disaster and defeat.
endnounUS /end/
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading The childish struggle against misrule had come to a childish end.
fewadjectiveUS /fjuː/
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading A few thousand Frenchmen, with a vague patriotism, had shied some harmless stones at the British flag-staff on the citadel: that was all.
fightverbUS /faɪt/
be engaged in a fight; carry on a fight
From this reading The fight was over.
flag-staff
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A few thousand Frenchmen, with a vague patriotism, had shied some harmless stones at the British flag-staff on the citadel: that was all.
FrenchmennounUS /ˈfrentʃmen/
plural of “frenchman” — a person of French nationality
From this reading A few thousand Frenchmen, with a vague patriotism, had shied some harmless stones at the British flag-staff on the citadel: that was all.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The childish struggle against misrule had come to a childish end.
haphazardadjectiveUS /hæpˈhæzərd/
dependent upon or characterized by chance
From this reading Obeying the instincts of blood, religion, race, and language, they had made a haphazard, sidelong charge upon their ancient conquerors, had spluttered and kicked a little, and had then turned tail upon disaster and defeat.
harmlessadjectiveUS /ˈhɑːrmləs/
not causing or capable of causing harm
From this reading A few thousand Frenchmen, with a vague patriotism, had shied some harmless stones at the British flag-staff on the citadel: that was all.
instinctsnounUS /ˈɪnstɪŋkts/
plural of “instinct” — inborn pattern of behavior often responsive to specific stimuli
From this reading Obeying the instincts of blood, religion, race, and language, they had made a haphazard, sidelong charge upon their ancient conquerors, had spluttered and kicked a little, and had then turned tail upon disaster and defeat.
kickedverbUS /kɪkt/
past form of “kick” — drive or propel with the foot
From this reading Obeying the instincts of blood, religion, race, and language, they had made a haphazard, sidelong charge upon their ancient conquerors, had spluttered and kicked a little, and had then turned tail upon disaster and defeat.
languagenounUS /ˈlæŋɡwədʒ/
a systematic means of communicating by the use of sounds or conventional symbols
From this reading Obeying the instincts of blood, religion, race, and language, they had made a haphazard, sidelong charge upon their ancient conquerors, had spluttered and kicked a little, and had then turned tail upon disaster and defeat.
littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The little toy loyalists had been broken all to pieces.
loyalistsnounUS /ˈlɔɪəlɪsts/
plural of “loyalist” — a person who is loyal to their allegiance (especially in times of revolt)
From this reading The little toy loyalists had been broken all to pieces.
madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading Obeying the instincts of blood, religion, race, and language, they had made a haphazard, sidelong charge upon their ancient conquerors, had spluttered and kicked a little, and had then turned tail upon disaster and defeat.
misrulenounUS /mɪsˈruːl/
government that is inefficient or dishonest
From this reading The childish struggle against misrule had come to a childish end.
ObeyingverbUS /oʊˈbeɪɪŋ/
-ing form of “obey” — be obedient to
From this reading Obeying the instincts of blood, religion, race, and language, they had made a haphazard, sidelong charge upon their ancient conquerors, had spluttered and kicked a little, and had then turned tail upon disaster and defeat.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Obeying the instincts of blood, religion, race, and language, they had made a haphazard, sidelong charge upon their ancient conquerors, had spluttered and kicked a little, and had then turned tail upon disaster and defeat.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading A few thousand Frenchmen, with a vague patriotism, had shied some harmless stones at the British flag-staff on the citadel: that was all.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading The fight was over.
patriotismnounUS /ˈpeɪtriətɪzəm/
love of country and willingness to sacrifice for it
From this reading A few thousand Frenchmen, with a vague patriotism, had shied some harmless stones at the British flag-staff on the citadel: that was all.
piecesnounUS /ˈpiːsəz/
plural of “piece” — a separate part of a whole
From this reading The little toy loyalists had been broken all to pieces.
racenounUS /reɪs/
any competition
From this reading Obeying the instincts of blood, religion, race, and language, they had made a haphazard, sidelong charge upon their ancient conquerors, had spluttered and kicked a little, and had then turned tail upon disaster and defeat.
religionnounUS /rɪˈlɪdʒən/
a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny
From this reading Obeying the instincts of blood, religion, race, and language, they had made a haphazard, sidelong charge upon their ancient conquerors, had spluttered and kicked a little, and had then turned tail upon disaster and defeat.
shiedverbUS /ʃaɪd/
inflected form of “shy” — start suddenly, as from fright
From this reading A few thousand Frenchmen, with a vague patriotism, had shied some harmless stones at the British flag-staff on the citadel: that was all.
sidelongadjective
(used especially of glances) directed to one side with or as if with doubt or suspicion or envy
From this reading Obeying the instincts of blood, religion, race, and language, they had made a haphazard, sidelong charge upon their ancient conquerors, had spluttered and kicked a little, and had then turned tail upon disaster and defeat.
someadjectiveUS /sʌm/
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading A few thousand Frenchmen, with a vague patriotism, had shied some harmless stones at the British flag-staff on the citadel: that was all.
spluttered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Obeying the instincts of blood, religion, race, and language, they had made a haphazard, sidelong charge upon their ancient conquerors, had spluttered and kicked a little, and had then turned tail upon disaster and defeat.
stonesnounUS /stoʊnz/
plural of “stone” — a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading A few thousand Frenchmen, with a vague patriotism, had shied some harmless stones at the British flag-staff on the citadel: that was all.
struggleverbUS /ˈstrʌɡəl/
make a strenuous or labored effort
From this reading The childish struggle against misrule had come to a childish end.
tailnounUS /teɪl/
the posterior part of the body of a vertebrate especially when elongated and extending beyond the trunk or main part of the body
From this reading Obeying the instincts of blood, religion, race, and language, they had made a haphazard, sidelong charge upon their ancient conquerors, had spluttered and kicked a little, and had then turned tail upon disaster and defeat.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading A few thousand Frenchmen, with a vague patriotism, had shied some harmless stones at the British flag-staff on the citadel: that was all.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The fight was over.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Obeying the instincts of blood, religion, race, and language, they had made a haphazard, sidelong charge upon their ancient conquerors, had spluttered and kicked a little, and had then turned tail upon disaster and defeat.
thenadverbUS /ðen/
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Obeying the instincts of blood, religion, race, and language, they had made a haphazard, sidelong charge upon their ancient conquerors, had spluttered and kicked a little, and had then turned tail upon disaster and defeat.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Obeying the instincts of blood, religion, race, and language, they had made a haphazard, sidelong charge upon their ancient conquerors, had spluttered and kicked a little, and had then turned tail upon disaster and defeat.
thousandnounUS /ˈθaʊzənd/
the cardinal number that is the product of 10 and 100
From this reading A few thousand Frenchmen, with a vague patriotism, had shied some harmless stones at the British flag-staff on the citadel: that was all.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The childish struggle against misrule had come to a childish end.
toynounUS /tɔɪ/
an artifact designed to be played with
From this reading The little toy loyalists had been broken all to pieces.
turnedadjectiveUS /tɜːrnd/
moved around an axis or center
From this reading Obeying the instincts of blood, religion, race, and language, they had made a haphazard, sidelong charge upon their ancient conquerors, had spluttered and kicked a little, and had then turned tail upon disaster and defeat.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Obeying the instincts of blood, religion, race, and language, they had made a haphazard, sidelong charge upon their ancient conquerors, had spluttered and kicked a little, and had then turned tail upon disaster and defeat.
vagueadjectiveUS /veɪɡ/
not clearly expressed or understood
From this reading A few thousand Frenchmen, with a vague patriotism, had shied some harmless stones at the British flag-staff on the citadel: that was all.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The fight was over.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading A few thousand Frenchmen, with a vague patriotism, had shied some harmless stones at the British flag-staff on the citadel: that was all.
