used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He was a very tall, majestic figure of a soldier who had fought through the Spanish and Boer wars and now, in times of peace, was reduced to teaching the manual of arms and simple drill formations to young sons of the rich.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He was a very tall, majestic figure of a soldier who had fought through the Spanish and Boer wars and now, in times of peace, was reduced to teaching the manual of arms and simple drill formations to young sons of the rich.
weapons considered collectively
From this reading He was a very tall, majestic figure of a soldier who had fought through the Spanish and Boer wars and now, in times of peace, was reduced to teaching the manual of arms and simple drill formations to young sons of the rich.
BoernounUS /bɔːr/
a white native of Cape Province who is a descendant of Dutch settlers and who speaks Afrikaans
From this reading He was a very tall, majestic figure of a soldier who had fought through the Spanish and Boer wars and now, in times of peace, was reduced to teaching the manual of arms and simple drill formations to young sons of the rich.
commandantnounUS /ˌkɑːmənˈdɑːnt/
an officer in command of a military unit
From this reading The next day I screwed up my courage to complain to the commandant.
complainverbUS /kəmˈpleɪn/
express complaints, discontent, displeasure, or unhappiness
From this reading The next day I screwed up my courage to complain to the commandant.
complaintnounUS /kəmˈpleɪnt/
an often persistent bodily disorder or disease; a cause for complaining
From this reading He heard my complaint through.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading One could see it on his handsome face.
a quality of spirit that enables you to face danger or pain without showing fear
From this reading The next day I screwed up my courage to complain to the commandant.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading The next day I screwed up my courage to complain to the commandant.
drillverbUS /drɪl/
make a hole, especially with a pointed power or hand tool
From this reading He was a very tall, majestic figure of a soldier who had fought through the Spanish and Boer wars and now, in times of peace, was reduced to teaching the manual of arms and simple drill formations to young sons of the rich.
at any time
From this reading He was the most pompous, mean and utterly selfish man I ever met.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading One could see it on his handsome face.
a diagram or picture illustrating textual material
From this reading He was a very tall, majestic figure of a soldier who had fought through the Spanish and Boer wars and now, in times of peace, was reduced to teaching the manual of arms and simple drill formations to young sons of the rich.
formationsnounUS /fɔːrˈmeɪʃənz/
plural of “formation” — an arrangement of people or things acting as a unit
From this reading He was a very tall, majestic figure of a soldier who had fought through the Spanish and Boer wars and now, in times of peace, was reduced to teaching the manual of arms and simple drill formations to young sons of the rich.
inflected form of “fight” — be engaged in a fight; carry on a fight
From this reading He was a very tall, majestic figure of a soldier who had fought through the Spanish and Boer wars and now, in times of peace, was reduced to teaching the manual of arms and simple drill formations to young sons of the rich.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He was a very tall, majestic figure of a soldier who had fought through the Spanish and Boer wars and now, in times of peace, was reduced to teaching the manual of arms and simple drill formations to young sons of the rich.
pleasing in appearance especially by reason of conformity to ideals of form and proportion
From this reading One could see it on his handsome face.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He was a very tall, majestic figure of a soldier who had fought through the Spanish and Boer wars and now, in times of peace, was reduced to teaching the manual of arms and simple drill formations to young sons of the rich.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading He heard my complaint through.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading One could see it on his handsome face.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading The next day I screwed up my courage to complain to the commandant.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He was a very tall, majestic figure of a soldier who had fought through the Spanish and Boer wars and now, in times of peace, was reduced to teaching the manual of arms and simple drill formations to young sons of the rich.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading One could see it on his handsome face.
majesticadjectiveUS /məˈdʒestɪk/
majestic in manner or bearing; superior to mundane matters
From this reading He was a very tall, majestic figure of a soldier who had fought through the Spanish and Boer wars and now, in times of peace, was reduced to teaching the manual of arms and simple drill formations to young sons of the rich.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading He was the most pompous, mean and utterly selfish man I ever met.
manualnounUS /ˈmænjuːəl/
a small handbook
From this reading He was a very tall, majestic figure of a soldier who had fought through the Spanish and Boer wars and now, in times of peace, was reduced to teaching the manual of arms and simple drill formations to young sons of the rich.
mean or intend to express or convey
From this reading He was the most pompous, mean and utterly selfish man I ever met.
inflected form of “meet” — come together
From this reading He was the most pompous, mean and utterly selfish man I ever met.
used to form the superlative
From this reading He was the most pompous, mean and utterly selfish man I ever met.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading The next day I screwed up my courage to complain to the commandant.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading The next day I screwed up my courage to complain to the commandant.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading He was a very tall, majestic figure of a soldier who had fought through the Spanish and Boer wars and now, in times of peace, was reduced to teaching the manual of arms and simple drill formations to young sons of the rich.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He was a very tall, majestic figure of a soldier who had fought through the Spanish and Boer wars and now, in times of peace, was reduced to teaching the manual of arms and simple drill formations to young sons of the rich.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading One could see it on his handsome face.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading One could see it on his handsome face.
the state prevailing during the absence of war
From this reading He was a very tall, majestic figure of a soldier who had fought through the Spanish and Boer wars and now, in times of peace, was reduced to teaching the manual of arms and simple drill formations to young sons of the rich.
pompousadjectiveUS /ˈpɑːmpəs/
puffed up with vanity
From this reading He was the most pompous, mean and utterly selfish man I ever met.
reducedadjectiveUS /rəˈduːst/
made less in size or amount or degree
From this reading He was a very tall, majestic figure of a soldier who had fought through the Spanish and Boer wars and now, in times of peace, was reduced to teaching the manual of arms and simple drill formations to young sons of the rich.
possessing material wealth
From this reading He was a very tall, majestic figure of a soldier who had fought through the Spanish and Boer wars and now, in times of peace, was reduced to teaching the manual of arms and simple drill formations to young sons of the rich.
screwedverbUS /skruːd/
past form of “screw” — have sexual intercourse with
From this reading The next day I screwed up my courage to complain to the commandant.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading One could see it on his handsome face.
selfishadjectiveUS /ˈselfɪʃ/
concerned chiefly or only with yourself and your advantage to the exclusion of others
From this reading He was the most pompous, mean and utterly selfish man I ever met.
having few parts; not complex or complicated or involved
From this reading He was a very tall, majestic figure of a soldier who had fought through the Spanish and Boer wars and now, in times of peace, was reduced to teaching the manual of arms and simple drill formations to young sons of the rich.
an enlisted man or woman who serves in an army
From this reading He was a very tall, majestic figure of a soldier who had fought through the Spanish and Boer wars and now, in times of peace, was reduced to teaching the manual of arms and simple drill formations to young sons of the rich.
plural of “son” — a male human offspring
From this reading He was a very tall, majestic figure of a soldier who had fought through the Spanish and Boer wars and now, in times of peace, was reduced to teaching the manual of arms and simple drill formations to young sons of the rich.
the Romance language spoken in most of Spain and the countries colonized by Spain
From this reading He was a very tall, majestic figure of a soldier who had fought through the Spanish and Boer wars and now, in times of peace, was reduced to teaching the manual of arms and simple drill formations to young sons of the rich.
great in vertical dimension; high in stature
From this reading He was a very tall, majestic figure of a soldier who had fought through the Spanish and Boer wars and now, in times of peace, was reduced to teaching the manual of arms and simple drill formations to young sons of the rich.
teachingnounUS /ˈtiːtʃɪŋ/
the profession of a teacher
From this reading He was a very tall, majestic figure of a soldier who had fought through the Spanish and Boer wars and now, in times of peace, was reduced to teaching the manual of arms and simple drill formations to young sons of the rich.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The next day I screwed up my courage to complain to the commandant.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading He was a very tall, majestic figure of a soldier who had fought through the Spanish and Boer wars and now, in times of peace, was reduced to teaching the manual of arms and simple drill formations to young sons of the rich.
a more or less definite period of time now or previously present
From this reading He was a very tall, majestic figure of a soldier who had fought through the Spanish and Boer wars and now, in times of peace, was reduced to teaching the manual of arms and simple drill formations to young sons of the rich.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The next day I screwed up my courage to complain to the commandant.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading The next day I screwed up my courage to complain to the commandant.
completely and without qualification; used informally as intensifiers
From this reading He was the most pompous, mean and utterly selfish man I ever met.
precisely as stated
From this reading He was a very tall, majestic figure of a soldier who had fought through the Spanish and Boer wars and now, in times of peace, was reduced to teaching the manual of arms and simple drill formations to young sons of the rich.
warsnounUS /wɔːrz/
plural of “war” — the waging of armed conflict against an enemy
From this reading He was a very tall, majestic figure of a soldier who had fought through the Spanish and Boer wars and now, in times of peace, was reduced to teaching the manual of arms and simple drill formations to young sons of the rich.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He was a very tall, majestic figure of a soldier who had fought through the Spanish and Boer wars and now, in times of peace, was reduced to teaching the manual of arms and simple drill formations to young sons of the rich.
which person or people
From this reading He was a very tall, majestic figure of a soldier who had fought through the Spanish and Boer wars and now, in times of peace, was reduced to teaching the manual of arms and simple drill formations to young sons of the rich.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading He was a very tall, majestic figure of a soldier who had fought through the Spanish and Boer wars and now, in times of peace, was reduced to teaching the manual of arms and simple drill formations to young sons of the rich.
