used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading _A Russian Church_ One afternoon, after Nona had been nursing her friend, Sonya Valesky, for some time, Mildred Thornton went alone into a little Russian church.
aeroplanists
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Certainly it afforded an easy target for the enemy's guns, and more than this would aid German aeroplanists in making observations of the geography of the surrounding neighborhood.
affordedverbUS /əˈfɔːrdəd/
past form of “afford” — be able to spare or give up
From this reading Certainly it afforded an easy target for the enemy's guns, and more than this would aid German aeroplanists in making observations of the geography of the surrounding neighborhood.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading _A Russian Church_ One afternoon, after Nona had been nursing her friend, Sonya Valesky, for some time, Mildred Thornton went alone into a little Russian church.
the part of the day between noon and evening
From this reading _A Russian Church_ One afternoon, after Nona had been nursing her friend, Sonya Valesky, for some time, Mildred Thornton went alone into a little Russian church.
a person or thing that is a resource that helps make something easier or possible to do
From this reading Certainly it afforded an easy target for the enemy's guns, and more than this would aid German aeroplanists in making observations of the geography of the surrounding neighborhood.
(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 Yet the church had the golden dome of all Russian churches, glittering like a ball of fire in the sun.
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/
Having no one else present.
From this reading _A Russian Church_ One afternoon, after Nona had been nursing her friend, Sonya Valesky, for some time, Mildred Thornton went alone into a little Russian church.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Certainly it afforded an easy target for the enemy's guns, and more than this would aid German aeroplanists in making observations of the geography of the surrounding neighborhood.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Many years before it had been erected, and now it did not occur to the Russian officers that it stood in especial peril.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The church was situated behind the line of the fortifications at Grovno.
round object that is hit or thrown or kicked in games
From this reading Yet the church had the golden dome of all Russian churches, glittering like a ball of fire in the sun.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading _A Russian Church_ One afternoon, after Nona had been nursing her friend, Sonya Valesky, for some time, Mildred Thornton went alone into a little Russian church.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Many years before it had been erected, and now it did not occur to the Russian officers that it stood in especial peril.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading The church was situated behind the line of the fortifications at Grovno.
definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)
From this reading Certainly it afforded an easy target for the enemy's guns, and more than this would aid German aeroplanists in making observations of the geography of the surrounding neighborhood.
one of the groups of Christians who have their own beliefs and forms of worship
From this reading _A Russian Church_ One afternoon, after Nona had been nursing her friend, Sonya Valesky, for some time, Mildred Thornton went alone into a little Russian church.
churchesnounUS /ˈtʃɜːrtʃɪz/
plural of “church” — one of the groups of Christians who have their own beliefs and forms of worship
From this reading Yet the church had the golden dome of all Russian churches, glittering like a ball of fire in the sun.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading Many years before it had been erected, and now it did not occur to the Russian officers that it stood in especial peril.
domenounUS /doʊm/
a concave shape whose distinguishing characteristic is that the concavity faces downward
From this reading Yet the church had the golden dome of all Russian churches, glittering like a ball of fire in the sun.
posing no difficulty; requiring little effort
From this reading Certainly it afforded an easy target for the enemy's guns, and more than this would aid German aeroplanists in making observations of the geography of the surrounding neighborhood.
enemy'snounUS /ˈenəmiz/
possessive form of “enemy” — an opposing military force
From this reading Certainly it afforded an easy target for the enemy's guns, and more than this would aid German aeroplanists in making observations of the geography of the surrounding neighborhood.
erectedverbUS /ɪˈrektəd/
past form of “erect” — construct, build, or erect
From this reading Many years before it had been erected, and now it did not occur to the Russian officers that it stood in especial peril.
especialadjectiveUS /əˈspeʃəl/
surpassing what is common or usual or expected
From this reading Many years before it had been erected, and now it did not occur to the Russian officers that it stood in especial peril.
start firing a weapon
From this reading Yet the church had the golden dome of all Russian churches, glittering like a ball of fire in the sun.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading _A Russian Church_ One afternoon, after Nona had been nursing her friend, Sonya Valesky, for some time, Mildred Thornton went alone into a little Russian church.
fortificationsnounUS /ˌfɔːrtəfəˈkeɪʃənz/
plural of “fortification” — defensive structure consisting of walls or mounds built around a stronghold to strengthen it
From this reading The church was situated behind the line of the fortifications at Grovno.
a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading _A Russian Church_ One afternoon, after Nona had been nursing her friend, Sonya Valesky, for some time, Mildred Thornton went alone into a little Russian church.
geographynounUS /dʒiˈɑːɡrəfi/
study of the earth's surface; includes people's responses to topography and climate and soil and vegetation
From this reading Certainly it afforded an easy target for the enemy's guns, and more than this would aid German aeroplanists in making observations of the geography of the surrounding neighborhood.
a person of German nationality
From this reading Certainly it afforded an easy target for the enemy's guns, and more than this would aid German aeroplanists in making observations of the geography of the surrounding neighborhood.
glitteringadjectiveUS /ˈɡlɪtərɪŋ/
having brief brilliant points or flashes of light
From this reading Yet the church had the golden dome of all Russian churches, glittering like a ball of fire in the sun.
having the deep slightly brownish color of gold
From this reading Yet the church had the golden dome of all Russian churches, glittering like a ball of fire in the sun.
Grovno
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The church was situated behind the line of the fortifications at Grovno.
plural of “gun” — a weapon that discharges a missile at high velocity (especially from a metal tube or barrel)
From this reading Certainly it afforded an easy target for the enemy's guns, and more than this would aid German aeroplanists in making observations of the geography of the surrounding neighborhood.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading _A Russian Church_ One afternoon, after Nona had been nursing her friend, Sonya Valesky, for some time, Mildred Thornton went alone into a little Russian church.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading _A Russian Church_ One afternoon, after Nona had been nursing her friend, Sonya Valesky, for some time, Mildred Thornton went alone into a little Russian church.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Many years before it had been erected, and now it did not occur to the Russian officers that it stood in especial peril.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading _A Russian Church_ One afternoon, after Nona had been nursing her friend, Sonya Valesky, for some time, Mildred Thornton went alone into a little Russian church.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Many years before it had been erected, and now it did not occur to the Russian officers that it stood in especial peril.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Yet the church had the golden dome of all Russian churches, glittering like a ball of fire in the sun.
a formation of people or things one beside another
From this reading The church was situated behind the line of the fortifications at Grovno.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading _A Russian Church_ One afternoon, after Nona had been nursing her friend, Sonya Valesky, for some time, Mildred Thornton went alone into a little Russian church.
the act that results in something coming to be
From this reading Certainly it afforded an easy target for the enemy's guns, and more than this would aid German aeroplanists in making observations of the geography of the surrounding neighborhood.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading Many years before it had been erected, and now it did not occur to the Russian officers that it stood in especial peril.
Mildred
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _A Russian Church_ One afternoon, after Nona had been nursing her friend, Sonya Valesky, for some time, Mildred Thornton went alone into a little Russian church.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading Certainly it afforded an easy target for the enemy's guns, and more than this would aid German aeroplanists in making observations of the geography of the surrounding neighborhood.
neighborhoodnounUS /ˈneɪbərhʊd/
a surrounding or nearby region
From this reading Certainly it afforded an easy target for the enemy's guns, and more than this would aid German aeroplanists in making observations of the geography of the surrounding neighborhood.
Nona
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _A Russian Church_ One afternoon, after Nona had been nursing her friend, Sonya Valesky, for some time, Mildred Thornton went alone into a little Russian church.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Many years before it had been erected, and now it did not occur to the Russian officers that it stood in especial peril.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Many years before it had been erected, and now it did not occur to the Russian officers that it stood in especial peril.
nursingnounUS /ˈnɜːrsɪŋ/
the work of caring for the sick or injured or infirm
From this reading _A Russian Church_ One afternoon, after Nona had been nursing her friend, Sonya Valesky, for some time, Mildred Thornton went alone into a little Russian church.
observationsnounUS /ˌɑːbzərˈveɪʃənz/
plural of “observation” — the act of making and recording a measurement
From this reading Certainly it afforded an easy target for the enemy's guns, and more than this would aid German aeroplanists in making observations of the geography of the surrounding neighborhood.
occurverbUS /əˈkɜːr/
come to pass
From this reading Many years before it had been erected, and now it did not occur to the Russian officers that it stood in especial peril.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The church was situated behind the line of the fortifications at Grovno.
plural of “officer” — any person in the armed services who holds a position of authority or command
From this reading Many years before it had been erected, and now it did not occur to the Russian officers that it stood in especial peril.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading _A Russian Church_ One afternoon, after Nona had been nursing her friend, Sonya Valesky, for some time, Mildred Thornton went alone into a little Russian church.
perilnounUS /ˈperəl/
a source of danger; a possibility of incurring loss or misfortune
From this reading Many years before it had been erected, and now it did not occur to the Russian officers that it stood in especial peril.
a native or inhabitant of Russia
From this reading _A Russian Church_ One afternoon, after Nona had been nursing her friend, Sonya Valesky, for some time, Mildred Thornton went alone into a little Russian church.
situatedadjectiveUS /ˈsɪtʃuːeɪtɪd/
situated in a particular spot or position
From this reading The church was situated behind the line of the fortifications at Grovno.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading _A Russian Church_ One afternoon, after Nona had been nursing her friend, Sonya Valesky, for some time, Mildred Thornton went alone into a little Russian church.
Sonya
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _A Russian Church_ One afternoon, after Nona had been nursing her friend, Sonya Valesky, for some time, Mildred Thornton went alone into a little Russian church.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading Many years before it had been erected, and now it did not occur to the Russian officers that it stood in especial peril.
the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system
From this reading Yet the church had the golden dome of all Russian churches, glittering like a ball of fire in the sun.
surroundingadjectiveUS /sərˈaʊndɪŋ/
closely encircling
From this reading Certainly it afforded an easy target for the enemy's guns, and more than this would aid German aeroplanists in making observations of the geography of the surrounding neighborhood.
targetnounUS /ˈtɑːrɡət/
a reference point to shoot at
From this reading Certainly it afforded an easy target for the enemy's guns, and more than this would aid German aeroplanists in making observations of the geography of the surrounding neighborhood.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Certainly it afforded an easy target for the enemy's guns, and more than this would aid German aeroplanists in making observations of the geography of the surrounding neighborhood.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Many years before it had been erected, and now it did not occur to the Russian officers that it stood in especial peril.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The church was situated behind the line of the fortifications at Grovno.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Certainly it afforded an easy target for the enemy's guns, and more than this would aid German aeroplanists in making observations of the geography of the surrounding neighborhood.
ThorntonnounUS /ˈθɔːrntən/
American architect (1759-1828)
From this reading _A Russian Church_ One afternoon, after Nona had been nursing her friend, Sonya Valesky, for some time, Mildred Thornton went alone into a little Russian church.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading _A Russian Church_ One afternoon, after Nona had been nursing her friend, Sonya Valesky, for some time, Mildred Thornton went alone into a little Russian church.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Many years before it had been erected, and now it did not occur to the Russian officers that it stood in especial peril.
Valesky
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _A Russian Church_ One afternoon, after Nona had been nursing her friend, Sonya Valesky, for some time, Mildred Thornton went alone into a little Russian church.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The church was situated behind the line of the fortifications at Grovno.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading _A Russian Church_ One afternoon, after Nona had been nursing her friend, Sonya Valesky, for some time, Mildred Thornton went alone into a little Russian church.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Certainly it afforded an easy target for the enemy's guns, and more than this would aid German aeroplanists in making observations of the geography of the surrounding neighborhood.
a late time of life
From this reading Many years before it had been erected, and now it did not occur to the Russian officers that it stood in especial peril.
but in spite of that
From this reading Yet the church had the golden dome of all Russian churches, glittering like a ball of fire in the sun.
