adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Across the frontier in the northwest was gathering the third army of invasion, some sixty thousand strong, commanded by Marshal Massena, Prince of Esslingen, the most skilful and fortunate of all Napoleon’s generals, a leader who, because he had never known defeat, had come to be surnamed by his Emperor “the dear child of Victory.”
AcrossprepositionUS /əˈkrɔːs/
from one side of something to the other
From this reading Across the frontier in the northwest was gathering the third army of invasion, some sixty thousand strong, commanded by Marshal Massena, Prince of Esslingen, the most skilful and fortunate of all Napoleon’s generals, a leader who, because he had never known defeat, had come to be surnamed by his Emperor “the dear child of Victory.”
Alhandra
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Behind the British army and immediately to the north of Lisbon, in an arc some thirty miles long, following the inflection of the hills from the sea at the mouth of the Zizandre to the broad waters of the Tagus at Alhandra, the lines of Torres Vedras were being constructed under the direction of Colonel Fletcher and this so secretly and with such careful measures as to remain unknown to British and Portuguese alike.
alikeadverbUS /əˈlaɪk/
equally
From this reading Behind the British army and immediately to the north of Lisbon, in an arc some thirty miles long, following the inflection of the hills from the sea at the mouth of the Zizandre to the broad waters of the Tagus at Alhandra, the lines of Torres Vedras were being constructed under the direction of Colonel Fletcher and this so secretly and with such careful measures as to remain unknown to British and Portuguese alike.
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 Across the frontier in the northwest was gathering the third army of invasion, some sixty thousand strong, commanded by Marshal Massena, Prince of Esslingen, the most skilful and fortunate of all Napoleon’s generals, a leader who, because he had never known defeat, had come to be surnamed by his Emperor “the dear child of Victory.”
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading That plan was inspired by and based upon the Emperor’s maxim that war should support itself; that an army on the march must not be hampered and immobilised by its commissariat, but that it must draw its supplies from the country it is invading; that it must, in short, live upon that country.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Across the frontier in the northwest was gathering the third army of invasion, some sixty thousand strong, commanded by Marshal Massena, Prince of Esslingen, the most skilful and fortunate of all Napoleon’s generals, a leader who, because he had never known defeat, had come to be surnamed by his Emperor “the dear child of Victory.”
arcnounUS /ɑːrk/
electrical conduction through a gas in an applied electric field
From this reading Behind the British army and immediately to the north of Lisbon, in an arc some thirty miles long, following the inflection of the hills from the sea at the mouth of the Zizandre to the broad waters of the Tagus at Alhandra, the lines of Torres Vedras were being constructed under the direction of Colonel Fletcher and this so secretly and with such careful measures as to remain unknown to British and Portuguese alike.
armynounUS /ˈɑːrmi/
a permanent organization of the military land forces of a nation or state
From this reading Across the frontier in the northwest was gathering the third army of invasion, some sixty thousand strong, commanded by Marshal Massena, Prince of Esslingen, the most skilful and fortunate of all Napoleon’s generals, a leader who, because he had never known defeat, had come to be surnamed by his Emperor “the dear child of Victory.”
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Behind the British army and immediately to the north of Lisbon, in an arc some thirty miles long, following the inflection of the hills from the sea at the mouth of the Zizandre to the broad waters of the Tagus at Alhandra, the lines of Torres Vedras were being constructed under the direction of Colonel Fletcher and this so secretly and with such careful measures as to remain unknown to British and Portuguese alike.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Wellington, at the head of a British force of little more than one third of the French host, watched and waited, maturing his stupendous strategic plan, which those in whose interests it had been conceived had done so much to thwart.
basedadjectiveUS /beɪst/
having a base
From this reading That plan was inspired by and based upon the Emperor’s maxim that war should support itself; that an army on the march must not be hampered and immobilised by its commissariat, but that it must draw its supplies from the country it is invading; that it must, in short, live upon that country.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Across the frontier in the northwest was gathering the third army of invasion, some sixty thousand strong, commanded by Marshal Massena, Prince of Esslingen, the most skilful and fortunate of all Napoleon’s generals, a leader who, because he had never known defeat, had come to be surnamed by his Emperor “the dear child of Victory.”
becauseconjunctionUS /bɪˈkɔːz/
for the reason that
From this reading Across the frontier in the northwest was gathering the third army of invasion, some sixty thousand strong, commanded by Marshal Massena, Prince of Esslingen, the most skilful and fortunate of all Napoleon’s generals, a leader who, because he had never known defeat, had come to be surnamed by his Emperor “the dear child of Victory.”
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Wellington, at the head of a British force of little more than one third of the French host, watched and waited, maturing his stupendous strategic plan, which those in whose interests it had been conceived had done so much to thwart.
BehindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading Behind the British army and immediately to the north of Lisbon, in an arc some thirty miles long, following the inflection of the hills from the sea at the mouth of the Zizandre to the broad waters of the Tagus at Alhandra, the lines of Torres Vedras were being constructed under the direction of Colonel Fletcher and this so secretly and with such careful measures as to remain unknown to British and Portuguese alike.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading Behind the British army and immediately to the north of Lisbon, in an arc some thirty miles long, following the inflection of the hills from the sea at the mouth of the Zizandre to the broad waters of the Tagus at Alhandra, the lines of Torres Vedras were being constructed under the direction of Colonel Fletcher and this so secretly and with such careful measures as to remain unknown to British and Portuguese alike.
BritishnounUS /ˈbrɪtɪʃ/
the people of Great Britain
From this reading Wellington, at the head of a British force of little more than one third of the French host, watched and waited, maturing his stupendous strategic plan, which those in whose interests it had been conceived had done so much to thwart.
broadadjectiveUS /brɔːd/
having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading Behind the British army and immediately to the north of Lisbon, in an arc some thirty miles long, following the inflection of the hills from the sea at the mouth of the Zizandre to the broad waters of the Tagus at Alhandra, the lines of Torres Vedras were being constructed under the direction of Colonel Fletcher and this so secretly and with such careful measures as to remain unknown to British and Portuguese alike.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading That plan was inspired by and based upon the Emperor’s maxim that war should support itself; that an army on the march must not be hampered and immobilised by its commissariat, but that it must draw its supplies from the country it is invading; that it must, in short, live upon that country.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Across the frontier in the northwest was gathering the third army of invasion, some sixty thousand strong, commanded by Marshal Massena, Prince of Esslingen, the most skilful and fortunate of all Napoleon’s generals, a leader who, because he had never known defeat, had come to be surnamed by his Emperor “the dear child of Victory.”
carefuladjectiveUS /ˈkerfəl/
exercising caution or showing care or attention
From this reading Behind the British army and immediately to the north of Lisbon, in an arc some thirty miles long, following the inflection of the hills from the sea at the mouth of the Zizandre to the broad waters of the Tagus at Alhandra, the lines of Torres Vedras were being constructed under the direction of Colonel Fletcher and this so secretly and with such careful measures as to remain unknown to British and Portuguese alike.
childnounUS /tʃaɪld/
a young person of either sex
From this reading Across the frontier in the northwest was gathering the third army of invasion, some sixty thousand strong, commanded by Marshal Massena, Prince of Esslingen, the most skilful and fortunate of all Napoleon’s generals, a leader who, because he had never known defeat, had come to be surnamed by his Emperor “the dear child of Victory.”
ColonelnounUS /ˈkɜːrnəl/
a commissioned military officer in the United States Army or Air Force or Marines who ranks above a lieutenant colonel and below a brigadier general
From this reading Behind the British army and immediately to the north of Lisbon, in an arc some thirty miles long, following the inflection of the hills from the sea at the mouth of the Zizandre to the broad waters of the Tagus at Alhandra, the lines of Torres Vedras were being constructed under the direction of Colonel Fletcher and this so secretly and with such careful measures as to remain unknown to British and Portuguese alike.
comeverbUS /kʌm/
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Across the frontier in the northwest was gathering the third army of invasion, some sixty thousand strong, commanded by Marshal Massena, Prince of Esslingen, the most skilful and fortunate of all Napoleon’s generals, a leader who, because he had never known defeat, had come to be surnamed by his Emperor “the dear child of Victory.”
commandedverbUS /kəˈmændɪd/
past form of “command” — be in command of
From this reading Across the frontier in the northwest was gathering the third army of invasion, some sixty thousand strong, commanded by Marshal Massena, Prince of Esslingen, the most skilful and fortunate of all Napoleon’s generals, a leader who, because he had never known defeat, had come to be surnamed by his Emperor “the dear child of Victory.”
commissariatnoun
a stock or supply of foods
From this reading That plan was inspired by and based upon the Emperor’s maxim that war should support itself; that an army on the march must not be hampered and immobilised by its commissariat, but that it must draw its supplies from the country it is invading; that it must, in short, live upon that country.
conceivedverbUS /kənˈsiːvd/
past form of “conceive” — have the idea for
From this reading Wellington, at the head of a British force of little more than one third of the French host, watched and waited, maturing his stupendous strategic plan, which those in whose interests it had been conceived had done so much to thwart.
conceptionnounUS /kənˈsepʃən/
an abstract or general idea inferred or derived from specific instances
From this reading Even those employed upon the works knew of nothing save the section upon which they happened to be engaged, and had no conception of the stupendous and impregnable whole that was preparing.
constructedverbUS /kənˈstrʌktəd/
past form of “construct” — make by combining materials and parts
From this reading Behind the British army and immediately to the north of Lisbon, in an arc some thirty miles long, following the inflection of the hills from the sea at the mouth of the Zizandre to the broad waters of the Tagus at Alhandra, the lines of Torres Vedras were being constructed under the direction of Colonel Fletcher and this so secretly and with such careful measures as to remain unknown to British and Portuguese alike.
countrynounUS /ˈkʌntri/
a politically organized body of people under a single government
From this reading That plan was inspired by and based upon the Emperor’s maxim that war should support itself; that an army on the march must not be hampered and immobilised by its commissariat, but that it must draw its supplies from the country it is invading; that it must, in short, live upon that country.
dearadjectiveUS /dɪr/
dearly loved
From this reading Across the frontier in the northwest was gathering the third army of invasion, some sixty thousand strong, commanded by Marshal Massena, Prince of Esslingen, the most skilful and fortunate of all Napoleon’s generals, a leader who, because he had never known defeat, had come to be surnamed by his Emperor “the dear child of Victory.”
defeatnounUS /dɪˈfiːt/
an unsuccessful ending to a struggle or contest
From this reading Across the frontier in the northwest was gathering the third army of invasion, some sixty thousand strong, commanded by Marshal Massena, Prince of Esslingen, the most skilful and fortunate of all Napoleon’s generals, a leader who, because he had never known defeat, had come to be surnamed by his Emperor “the dear child of Victory.”
directionnounUS /dərˈekʃən/
a line leading to a place or point
From this reading Behind the British army and immediately to the north of Lisbon, in an arc some thirty miles long, following the inflection of the hills from the sea at the mouth of the Zizandre to the broad waters of the Tagus at Alhandra, the lines of Torres Vedras were being constructed under the direction of Colonel Fletcher and this so secretly and with such careful measures as to remain unknown to British and Portuguese alike.
doneadjectiveUS /dʌn/
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading Wellington, at the head of a British force of little more than one third of the French host, watched and waited, maturing his stupendous strategic plan, which those in whose interests it had been conceived had done so much to thwart.
drawverbUS /drɔː/
cause to move by pulling
From this reading That plan was inspired by and based upon the Emperor’s maxim that war should support itself; that an army on the march must not be hampered and immobilised by its commissariat, but that it must draw its supplies from the country it is invading; that it must, in short, live upon that country.
EmperornounUS /ˈempərər/
the male ruler of an empire
From this reading Across the frontier in the northwest was gathering the third army of invasion, some sixty thousand strong, commanded by Marshal Massena, Prince of Esslingen, the most skilful and fortunate of all Napoleon’s generals, a leader who, because he had never known defeat, had come to be surnamed by his Emperor “the dear child of Victory.”
Emperor'snounUS /ˈempərərz/
possessive form of “emperor” — the male ruler of an empire
From this reading That plan was inspired by and based upon the Emperor’s maxim that war should support itself; that an army on the march must not be hampered and immobilised by its commissariat, but that it must draw its supplies from the country it is invading; that it must, in short, live upon that country.
employedadjectiveUS /emˈplɔɪd/
having your services engaged for; or having a job especially one that pays wages or a salary
From this reading Even those employed upon the works knew of nothing save the section upon which they happened to be engaged, and had no conception of the stupendous and impregnable whole that was preparing.
engagedadjectiveUS /enˈɡeɪdʒd/
having ones attention or mind or energy engaged
From this reading Even those employed upon the works knew of nothing save the section upon which they happened to be engaged, and had no conception of the stupendous and impregnable whole that was preparing.
Esslingen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Across the frontier in the northwest was gathering the third army of invasion, some sixty thousand strong, commanded by Marshal Massena, Prince of Esslingen, the most skilful and fortunate of all Napoleon’s generals, a leader who, because he had never known defeat, had come to be surnamed by his Emperor “the dear child of Victory.”
EvenadjectiveUS /ˈiːvɪn/
divisible by two
From this reading Even those employed upon the works knew of nothing save the section upon which they happened to be engaged, and had no conception of the stupendous and impregnable whole that was preparing.
FletchernounUS /ˈfletʃər/
prolific English dramatist who collaborated with Francis Beaumont and many other dramatists (1579-1625)
From this reading Behind the British army and immediately to the north of Lisbon, in an arc some thirty miles long, following the inflection of the hills from the sea at the mouth of the Zizandre to the broad waters of the Tagus at Alhandra, the lines of Torres Vedras were being constructed under the direction of Colonel Fletcher and this so secretly and with such careful measures as to remain unknown to British and Portuguese alike.
followingadjectiveUS /ˈfɑːloʊɪŋ/
about to be mentioned or specified
From this reading Behind the British army and immediately to the north of Lisbon, in an arc some thirty miles long, following the inflection of the hills from the sea at the mouth of the Zizandre to the broad waters of the Tagus at Alhandra, the lines of Torres Vedras were being constructed under the direction of Colonel Fletcher and this so secretly and with such careful measures as to remain unknown to British and Portuguese alike.
forcenounUS /fɔːrs/
a powerful effect or influence
From this reading Wellington, at the head of a British force of little more than one third of the French host, watched and waited, maturing his stupendous strategic plan, which those in whose interests it had been conceived had done so much to thwart.
fortunateadjectiveUS /ˈfɔːrtʃənət/
having unexpected good fortune
From this reading Across the frontier in the northwest was gathering the third army of invasion, some sixty thousand strong, commanded by Marshal Massena, Prince of Esslingen, the most skilful and fortunate of all Napoleon’s generals, a leader who, because he had never known defeat, had come to be surnamed by his Emperor “the dear child of Victory.”
FrenchnounUS /frentʃ/
the Romance language spoken in France and in countries colonized by France
From this reading Wellington, at the head of a British force of little more than one third of the French host, watched and waited, maturing his stupendous strategic plan, which those in whose interests it had been conceived had done so much to thwart.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading That plan was inspired by and based upon the Emperor’s maxim that war should support itself; that an army on the march must not be hampered and immobilised by its commissariat, but that it must draw its supplies from the country it is invading; that it must, in short, live upon that country.
frontiernounUS /frənˈtɪr/
a wilderness at the edge of a settled area of a country
From this reading Across the frontier in the northwest was gathering the third army of invasion, some sixty thousand strong, commanded by Marshal Massena, Prince of Esslingen, the most skilful and fortunate of all Napoleon’s generals, a leader who, because he had never known defeat, had come to be surnamed by his Emperor “the dear child of Victory.”
gatheringnounUS /ˈɡæðərɪŋ/
a group of persons together in one place
From this reading Across the frontier in the northwest was gathering the third army of invasion, some sixty thousand strong, commanded by Marshal Massena, Prince of Esslingen, the most skilful and fortunate of all Napoleon’s generals, a leader who, because he had never known defeat, had come to be surnamed by his Emperor “the dear child of Victory.”
generalsnounUS /ˈdʒenərəlz/
plural of “general” — a general officer of the highest rank
From this reading Across the frontier in the northwest was gathering the third army of invasion, some sixty thousand strong, commanded by Marshal Massena, Prince of Esslingen, the most skilful and fortunate of all Napoleon’s generals, a leader who, because he had never known defeat, had come to be surnamed by his Emperor “the dear child of Victory.”
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Across the frontier in the northwest was gathering the third army of invasion, some sixty thousand strong, commanded by Marshal Massena, Prince of Esslingen, the most skilful and fortunate of all Napoleon’s generals, a leader who, because he had never known defeat, had come to be surnamed by his Emperor “the dear child of Victory.”
hamperedverbUS /ˈhæmpərd/
past form of “hamper” — prevent the progress or free movement of
From this reading That plan was inspired by and based upon the Emperor’s maxim that war should support itself; that an army on the march must not be hampered and immobilised by its commissariat, but that it must draw its supplies from the country it is invading; that it must, in short, live upon that country.
happenedverbUS /ˈhæpənd/
past form of “happen” — come to pass
From this reading Even those employed upon the works knew of nothing save the section upon which they happened to be engaged, and had no conception of the stupendous and impregnable whole that was preparing.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Across the frontier in the northwest was gathering the third army of invasion, some sixty thousand strong, commanded by Marshal Massena, Prince of Esslingen, the most skilful and fortunate of all Napoleon’s generals, a leader who, because he had never known defeat, had come to be surnamed by his Emperor “the dear child of Victory.”
headnounUS /hed/
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading Wellington, at the head of a British force of little more than one third of the French host, watched and waited, maturing his stupendous strategic plan, which those in whose interests it had been conceived had done so much to thwart.
hillsnounUS /hɪlz/
plural of “hill” — a local and well-defined elevation of the land
From this reading Behind the British army and immediately to the north of Lisbon, in an arc some thirty miles long, following the inflection of the hills from the sea at the mouth of the Zizandre to the broad waters of the Tagus at Alhandra, the lines of Torres Vedras were being constructed under the direction of Colonel Fletcher and this so secretly and with such careful measures as to remain unknown to British and Portuguese alike.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Across the frontier in the northwest was gathering the third army of invasion, some sixty thousand strong, commanded by Marshal Massena, Prince of Esslingen, the most skilful and fortunate of all Napoleon’s generals, a leader who, because he had never known defeat, had come to be surnamed by his Emperor “the dear child of Victory.”
hostnounUS /hoʊst/
a person who invites guests to a social event (such as a party in his or her own home) and who is responsible for them while they are there
From this reading Wellington, at the head of a British force of little more than one third of the French host, watched and waited, maturing his stupendous strategic plan, which those in whose interests it had been conceived had done so much to thwart.
immediatelyadverbUS /ˌɪˈmiːdiːətli/
without delay or hesitation; with no time intervening
From this reading Behind the British army and immediately to the north of Lisbon, in an arc some thirty miles long, following the inflection of the hills from the sea at the mouth of the Zizandre to the broad waters of the Tagus at Alhandra, the lines of Torres Vedras were being constructed under the direction of Colonel Fletcher and this so secretly and with such careful measures as to remain unknown to British and Portuguese alike.
immobilised
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That plan was inspired by and based upon the Emperor’s maxim that war should support itself; that an army on the march must not be hampered and immobilised by its commissariat, but that it must draw its supplies from the country it is invading; that it must, in short, live upon that country.
impregnableadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈpreɡnəbəl/
immune to attack; incapable of being tampered with
From this reading Even those employed upon the works knew of nothing save the section upon which they happened to be engaged, and had no conception of the stupendous and impregnable whole that was preparing.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Across the frontier in the northwest was gathering the third army of invasion, some sixty thousand strong, commanded by Marshal Massena, Prince of Esslingen, the most skilful and fortunate of all Napoleon’s generals, a leader who, because he had never known defeat, had come to be surnamed by his Emperor “the dear child of Victory.”
inflectionnounUS /ˌɪnˈflekʃən/
a change in the form of a word (usually by adding a suffix) to indicate a change in its grammatical function
From this reading Behind the British army and immediately to the north of Lisbon, in an arc some thirty miles long, following the inflection of the hills from the sea at the mouth of the Zizandre to the broad waters of the Tagus at Alhandra, the lines of Torres Vedras were being constructed under the direction of Colonel Fletcher and this so secretly and with such careful measures as to remain unknown to British and Portuguese alike.
inspiredadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈspaɪərd/
being of such surpassing excellence as to suggest inspiration by the gods
From this reading That plan was inspired by and based upon the Emperor’s maxim that war should support itself; that an army on the march must not be hampered and immobilised by its commissariat, but that it must draw its supplies from the country it is invading; that it must, in short, live upon that country.
interestsnounUS /ˈɪntrəsts/
plural of “interest” — a sense of concern with and curiosity about someone or something
From this reading Wellington, at the head of a British force of little more than one third of the French host, watched and waited, maturing his stupendous strategic plan, which those in whose interests it had been conceived had done so much to thwart.
invadingadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈveɪdɪŋ/
involving invasion or aggressive attack
From this reading That plan was inspired by and based upon the Emperor’s maxim that war should support itself; that an army on the march must not be hampered and immobilised by its commissariat, but that it must draw its supplies from the country it is invading; that it must, in short, live upon that country.
invasionnounUS /ˌɪnˈveɪʒən/
the act of invading; the act of an army that invades for conquest or plunder
From this reading Across the frontier in the northwest was gathering the third army of invasion, some sixty thousand strong, commanded by Marshal Massena, Prince of Esslingen, the most skilful and fortunate of all Napoleon’s generals, a leader who, because he had never known defeat, had come to be surnamed by his Emperor “the dear child of Victory.”
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading That plan was inspired by and based upon the Emperor’s maxim that war should support itself; that an army on the march must not be hampered and immobilised by its commissariat, but that it must draw its supplies from the country it is invading; that it must, in short, live upon that country.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Wellington, at the head of a British force of little more than one third of the French host, watched and waited, maturing his stupendous strategic plan, which those in whose interests it had been conceived had done so much to thwart.
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading That plan was inspired by and based upon the Emperor’s maxim that war should support itself; that an army on the march must not be hampered and immobilised by its commissariat, but that it must draw its supplies from the country it is invading; that it must, in short, live upon that country.
itselfpronounUS /ˌɪtˈself/
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading That plan was inspired by and based upon the Emperor’s maxim that war should support itself; that an army on the march must not be hampered and immobilised by its commissariat, but that it must draw its supplies from the country it is invading; that it must, in short, live upon that country.
knewverbUS /nuː/
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading Even those employed upon the works knew of nothing save the section upon which they happened to be engaged, and had no conception of the stupendous and impregnable whole that was preparing.
knownadjectiveUS /noʊn/
apprehended with certainty
From this reading Across the frontier in the northwest was gathering the third army of invasion, some sixty thousand strong, commanded by Marshal Massena, Prince of Esslingen, the most skilful and fortunate of all Napoleon’s generals, a leader who, because he had never known defeat, had come to be surnamed by his Emperor “the dear child of Victory.”
leadernounUS /ˈliːdər/
a person who rules or guides or inspires others
From this reading Across the frontier in the northwest was gathering the third army of invasion, some sixty thousand strong, commanded by Marshal Massena, Prince of Esslingen, the most skilful and fortunate of all Napoleon’s generals, a leader who, because he had never known defeat, had come to be surnamed by his Emperor “the dear child of Victory.”
linesnounUS /laɪnz/
plural of “line” — a formation of people or things one beside another
From this reading Behind the British army and immediately to the north of Lisbon, in an arc some thirty miles long, following the inflection of the hills from the sea at the mouth of the Zizandre to the broad waters of the Tagus at Alhandra, the lines of Torres Vedras were being constructed under the direction of Colonel Fletcher and this so secretly and with such careful measures as to remain unknown to British and Portuguese alike.
LisbonnounUS /ˈlɪzbən/
capital and largest city and economic and cultural center of Portugal; a major port in western Portugal on Tagus River where it broadens and empties into the Atlantic
From this reading Behind the British army and immediately to the north of Lisbon, in an arc some thirty miles long, following the inflection of the hills from the sea at the mouth of the Zizandre to the broad waters of the Tagus at Alhandra, the lines of Torres Vedras were being constructed under the direction of Colonel Fletcher and this so secretly and with such careful measures as to remain unknown to British and Portuguese alike.
littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Wellington, at the head of a British force of little more than one third of the French host, watched and waited, maturing his stupendous strategic plan, which those in whose interests it had been conceived had done so much to thwart.
liveverbUS /laɪv/
be an inhabitant of or reside in
From this reading That plan was inspired by and based upon the Emperor’s maxim that war should support itself; that an army on the march must not be hampered and immobilised by its commissariat, but that it must draw its supplies from the country it is invading; that it must, in short, live upon that country.
longadjectiveUS /lɔːŋ/
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading Behind the British army and immediately to the north of Lisbon, in an arc some thirty miles long, following the inflection of the hills from the sea at the mouth of the Zizandre to the broad waters of the Tagus at Alhandra, the lines of Torres Vedras were being constructed under the direction of Colonel Fletcher and this so secretly and with such careful measures as to remain unknown to British and Portuguese alike.
marchverbUS /mɑːrtʃ/
march in a procession
From this reading That plan was inspired by and based upon the Emperor’s maxim that war should support itself; that an army on the march must not be hampered and immobilised by its commissariat, but that it must draw its supplies from the country it is invading; that it must, in short, live upon that country.
MarshalverbUS /ˈmɑːrʃəl/
place in proper rank
From this reading Across the frontier in the northwest was gathering the third army of invasion, some sixty thousand strong, commanded by Marshal Massena, Prince of Esslingen, the most skilful and fortunate of all Napoleon’s generals, a leader who, because he had never known defeat, had come to be surnamed by his Emperor “the dear child of Victory.”
Massena
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Across the frontier in the northwest was gathering the third army of invasion, some sixty thousand strong, commanded by Marshal Massena, Prince of Esslingen, the most skilful and fortunate of all Napoleon’s generals, a leader who, because he had never known defeat, had come to be surnamed by his Emperor “the dear child of Victory.”
maturingverbUS /məˈtʃʊrɪŋ/
-ing form of “mature” — develop and reach maturity; undergo maturation
From this reading Wellington, at the head of a British force of little more than one third of the French host, watched and waited, maturing his stupendous strategic plan, which those in whose interests it had been conceived had done so much to thwart.
maximnounUS /ˈmæksəm/
a saying that is widely accepted on its own merits
From this reading That plan was inspired by and based upon the Emperor’s maxim that war should support itself; that an army on the march must not be hampered and immobilised by its commissariat, but that it must draw its supplies from the country it is invading; that it must, in short, live upon that country.
measuresnounUS /ˈmeʒərz/
plural of “measure” — any maneuver made as part of progress toward a goal
From this reading Behind the British army and immediately to the north of Lisbon, in an arc some thirty miles long, following the inflection of the hills from the sea at the mouth of the Zizandre to the broad waters of the Tagus at Alhandra, the lines of Torres Vedras were being constructed under the direction of Colonel Fletcher and this so secretly and with such careful measures as to remain unknown to British and Portuguese alike.
milesnounUS /maɪlz/
plural of “mile” — a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters
From this reading Behind the British army and immediately to the north of Lisbon, in an arc some thirty miles long, following the inflection of the hills from the sea at the mouth of the Zizandre to the broad waters of the Tagus at Alhandra, the lines of Torres Vedras were being constructed under the direction of Colonel Fletcher and this so secretly and with such careful measures as to remain unknown to British and Portuguese alike.
moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading Wellington, at the head of a British force of little more than one third of the French host, watched and waited, maturing his stupendous strategic plan, which those in whose interests it had been conceived had done so much to thwart.
mostadverbUS /moʊst/
used to form the superlative
From this reading Across the frontier in the northwest was gathering the third army of invasion, some sixty thousand strong, commanded by Marshal Massena, Prince of Esslingen, the most skilful and fortunate of all Napoleon’s generals, a leader who, because he had never known defeat, had come to be surnamed by his Emperor “the dear child of Victory.”
mouthnounUS /maʊθ/
the opening through which food is taken in and vocalizations emerge
From this reading Behind the British army and immediately to the north of Lisbon, in an arc some thirty miles long, following the inflection of the hills from the sea at the mouth of the Zizandre to the broad waters of the Tagus at Alhandra, the lines of Torres Vedras were being constructed under the direction of Colonel Fletcher and this so secretly and with such careful measures as to remain unknown to British and Portuguese alike.
muchadverbUS /mʌtʃ/
to a great degree or extent
From this reading Wellington, at the head of a British force of little more than one third of the French host, watched and waited, maturing his stupendous strategic plan, which those in whose interests it had been conceived had done so much to thwart.
mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading That plan was inspired by and based upon the Emperor’s maxim that war should support itself; that an army on the march must not be hampered and immobilised by its commissariat, but that it must draw its supplies from the country it is invading; that it must, in short, live upon that country.
Napoleon'snounUS /nəˈpoʊliənz/
possessive form of “napoleon” — French general who became emperor of the French (1769-1821)
From this reading Across the frontier in the northwest was gathering the third army of invasion, some sixty thousand strong, commanded by Marshal Massena, Prince of Esslingen, the most skilful and fortunate of all Napoleon’s generals, a leader who, because he had never known defeat, had come to be surnamed by his Emperor “the dear child of Victory.”
neveradverbUS /ˈnevər/
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading Across the frontier in the northwest was gathering the third army of invasion, some sixty thousand strong, commanded by Marshal Massena, Prince of Esslingen, the most skilful and fortunate of all Napoleon’s generals, a leader who, because he had never known defeat, had come to be surnamed by his Emperor “the dear child of Victory.”
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading Even those employed upon the works knew of nothing save the section upon which they happened to be engaged, and had no conception of the stupendous and impregnable whole that was preparing.
northnounUS /nɔːrθ/
the region of the United States lying to the north of the Mason-Dixon line
From this reading Behind the British army and immediately to the north of Lisbon, in an arc some thirty miles long, following the inflection of the hills from the sea at the mouth of the Zizandre to the broad waters of the Tagus at Alhandra, the lines of Torres Vedras were being constructed under the direction of Colonel Fletcher and this so secretly and with such careful measures as to remain unknown to British and Portuguese alike.
northwestnounUS /ˌnɔːrˈθwest/
the northwestern region of the United States
From this reading Across the frontier in the northwest was gathering the third army of invasion, some sixty thousand strong, commanded by Marshal Massena, Prince of Esslingen, the most skilful and fortunate of all Napoleon’s generals, a leader who, because he had never known defeat, had come to be surnamed by his Emperor “the dear child of Victory.”
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading That plan was inspired by and based upon the Emperor’s maxim that war should support itself; that an army on the march must not be hampered and immobilised by its commissariat, but that it must draw its supplies from the country it is invading; that it must, in short, live upon that country.
nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/
not one thing; not anything
From this reading Even those employed upon the works knew of nothing save the section upon which they happened to be engaged, and had no conception of the stupendous and impregnable whole that was preparing.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Across the frontier in the northwest was gathering the third army of invasion, some sixty thousand strong, commanded by Marshal Massena, Prince of Esslingen, the most skilful and fortunate of all Napoleon’s generals, a leader who, because he had never known defeat, had come to be surnamed by his Emperor “the dear child of Victory.”
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading That plan was inspired by and based upon the Emperor’s maxim that war should support itself; that an army on the march must not be hampered and immobilised by its commissariat, but that it must draw its supplies from the country it is invading; that it must, in short, live upon that country.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Wellington, at the head of a British force of little more than one third of the French host, watched and waited, maturing his stupendous strategic plan, which those in whose interests it had been conceived had done so much to thwart.
planverbUS /plæn/
have the will and intention to carry out some action
From this reading Wellington, at the head of a British force of little more than one third of the French host, watched and waited, maturing his stupendous strategic plan, which those in whose interests it had been conceived had done so much to thwart.
PortuguesenounUS /ˈpɔːrtʃəɡiːz/
the Romance language spoken in Portugal and Brazil
From this reading Behind the British army and immediately to the north of Lisbon, in an arc some thirty miles long, following the inflection of the hills from the sea at the mouth of the Zizandre to the broad waters of the Tagus at Alhandra, the lines of Torres Vedras were being constructed under the direction of Colonel Fletcher and this so secretly and with such careful measures as to remain unknown to British and Portuguese alike.
preparingverbUS /priˈperɪŋ/
-ing form of “prepare” — make ready or suitable or equip in advance for a particular purpose or for some use, event, etc
From this reading Even those employed upon the works knew of nothing save the section upon which they happened to be engaged, and had no conception of the stupendous and impregnable whole that was preparing.
PrincenounUS /prɪns/
a male member of a royal family other than the sovereign (especially the son of a sovereign)
From this reading Across the frontier in the northwest was gathering the third army of invasion, some sixty thousand strong, commanded by Marshal Massena, Prince of Esslingen, the most skilful and fortunate of all Napoleon’s generals, a leader who, because he had never known defeat, had come to be surnamed by his Emperor “the dear child of Victory.”
remainverbUS /rɪˈmeɪn/
stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading Behind the British army and immediately to the north of Lisbon, in an arc some thirty miles long, following the inflection of the hills from the sea at the mouth of the Zizandre to the broad waters of the Tagus at Alhandra, the lines of Torres Vedras were being constructed under the direction of Colonel Fletcher and this so secretly and with such careful measures as to remain unknown to British and Portuguese alike.
saveprepositionUS /seɪv/
except for; apart from
From this reading Even those employed upon the works knew of nothing save the section upon which they happened to be engaged, and had no conception of the stupendous and impregnable whole that was preparing.
seanounUS /siː/
a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
From this reading Behind the British army and immediately to the north of Lisbon, in an arc some thirty miles long, following the inflection of the hills from the sea at the mouth of the Zizandre to the broad waters of the Tagus at Alhandra, the lines of Torres Vedras were being constructed under the direction of Colonel Fletcher and this so secretly and with such careful measures as to remain unknown to British and Portuguese alike.
secretlyadverbUS /ˈsiːkrɪtli/
in secrecy; not openly
From this reading Behind the British army and immediately to the north of Lisbon, in an arc some thirty miles long, following the inflection of the hills from the sea at the mouth of the Zizandre to the broad waters of the Tagus at Alhandra, the lines of Torres Vedras were being constructed under the direction of Colonel Fletcher and this so secretly and with such careful measures as to remain unknown to British and Portuguese alike.
sectionnounUS /ˈsekʃən/
a self-contained part of a larger composition (written or musical)
From this reading Even those employed upon the works knew of nothing save the section upon which they happened to be engaged, and had no conception of the stupendous and impregnable whole that was preparing.
shortadjectiveUS /ʃɔːrt/
primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration
From this reading That plan was inspired by and based upon the Emperor’s maxim that war should support itself; that an army on the march must not be hampered and immobilised by its commissariat, but that it must draw its supplies from the country it is invading; that it must, in short, live upon that country.
shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading That plan was inspired by and based upon the Emperor’s maxim that war should support itself; that an army on the march must not be hampered and immobilised by its commissariat, but that it must draw its supplies from the country it is invading; that it must, in short, live upon that country.
sixtyadjectiveUS /ˈsɪksti/
being ten more than fifty
From this reading Across the frontier in the northwest was gathering the third army of invasion, some sixty thousand strong, commanded by Marshal Massena, Prince of Esslingen, the most skilful and fortunate of all Napoleon’s generals, a leader who, because he had never known defeat, had come to be surnamed by his Emperor “the dear child of Victory.”
skilfuladjective
having or showing knowledge and skill and aptitude
From this reading Across the frontier in the northwest was gathering the third army of invasion, some sixty thousand strong, commanded by Marshal Massena, Prince of Esslingen, the most skilful and fortunate of all Napoleon’s generals, a leader who, because he had never known defeat, had come to be surnamed by his Emperor “the dear child of Victory.”
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Wellington, at the head of a British force of little more than one third of the French host, watched and waited, maturing his stupendous strategic plan, which those in whose interests it had been conceived had done so much to thwart.
someadjectiveUS /sʌm/
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Across the frontier in the northwest was gathering the third army of invasion, some sixty thousand strong, commanded by Marshal Massena, Prince of Esslingen, the most skilful and fortunate of all Napoleon’s generals, a leader who, because he had never known defeat, had come to be surnamed by his Emperor “the dear child of Victory.”
strategicadjectiveUS /strəˈtiːdʒɪk/
relating to or concerned with strategy
From this reading Wellington, at the head of a British force of little more than one third of the French host, watched and waited, maturing his stupendous strategic plan, which those in whose interests it had been conceived had done so much to thwart.
strongadjectiveUS /strɔːŋ/
having strength or power greater than average or expected
From this reading Across the frontier in the northwest was gathering the third army of invasion, some sixty thousand strong, commanded by Marshal Massena, Prince of Esslingen, the most skilful and fortunate of all Napoleon’s generals, a leader who, because he had never known defeat, had come to be surnamed by his Emperor “the dear child of Victory.”
stupendousadjectiveUS /stuːˈpendəs/
so great in size or force or extent as to elicit awe
From this reading Wellington, at the head of a British force of little more than one third of the French host, watched and waited, maturing his stupendous strategic plan, which those in whose interests it had been conceived had done so much to thwart.
suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading Behind the British army and immediately to the north of Lisbon, in an arc some thirty miles long, following the inflection of the hills from the sea at the mouth of the Zizandre to the broad waters of the Tagus at Alhandra, the lines of Torres Vedras were being constructed under the direction of Colonel Fletcher and this so secretly and with such careful measures as to remain unknown to British and Portuguese alike.
suppliesnounUS /səˈplaɪz/
plural of “supply” — an amount of something available for use
From this reading That plan was inspired by and based upon the Emperor’s maxim that war should support itself; that an army on the march must not be hampered and immobilised by its commissariat, but that it must draw its supplies from the country it is invading; that it must, in short, live upon that country.
supportnounUS /səˈpɔːrt/
the activity of providing for or maintaining by supplying with money or necessities
From this reading That plan was inspired by and based upon the Emperor’s maxim that war should support itself; that an army on the march must not be hampered and immobilised by its commissariat, but that it must draw its supplies from the country it is invading; that it must, in short, live upon that country.
surnamed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Across the frontier in the northwest was gathering the third army of invasion, some sixty thousand strong, commanded by Marshal Massena, Prince of Esslingen, the most skilful and fortunate of all Napoleon’s generals, a leader who, because he had never known defeat, had come to be surnamed by his Emperor “the dear child of Victory.”
Tagusnoun
a European river; flows into the North Atlantic
From this reading Behind the British army and immediately to the north of Lisbon, in an arc some thirty miles long, following the inflection of the hills from the sea at the mouth of the Zizandre to the broad waters of the Tagus at Alhandra, the lines of Torres Vedras were being constructed under the direction of Colonel Fletcher and this so secretly and with such careful measures as to remain unknown to British and Portuguese alike.
thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Wellington, at the head of a British force of little more than one third of the French host, watched and waited, maturing his stupendous strategic plan, which those in whose interests it had been conceived had done so much to thwart.
ThatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading That plan was inspired by and based upon the Emperor’s maxim that war should support itself; that an army on the march must not be hampered and immobilised by its commissariat, but that it must draw its supplies from the country it is invading; that it must, in short, live upon that country.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Across the frontier in the northwest was gathering the third army of invasion, some sixty thousand strong, commanded by Marshal Massena, Prince of Esslingen, the most skilful and fortunate of all Napoleon’s generals, a leader who, because he had never known defeat, had come to be surnamed by his Emperor “the dear child of Victory.”
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Even those employed upon the works knew of nothing save the section upon which they happened to be engaged, and had no conception of the stupendous and impregnable whole that was preparing.
thirdnounUS /θɜːrd/
one of three equal parts of a divisible whole
From this reading Across the frontier in the northwest was gathering the third army of invasion, some sixty thousand strong, commanded by Marshal Massena, Prince of Esslingen, the most skilful and fortunate of all Napoleon’s generals, a leader who, because he had never known defeat, had come to be surnamed by his Emperor “the dear child of Victory.”
thirtynounUS /ˈθɜːrdiː/
the cardinal number that is the product of ten and three
From this reading Behind the British army and immediately to the north of Lisbon, in an arc some thirty miles long, following the inflection of the hills from the sea at the mouth of the Zizandre to the broad waters of the Tagus at Alhandra, the lines of Torres Vedras were being constructed under the direction of Colonel Fletcher and this so secretly and with such careful measures as to remain unknown to British and Portuguese alike.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Behind the British army and immediately to the north of Lisbon, in an arc some thirty miles long, following the inflection of the hills from the sea at the mouth of the Zizandre to the broad waters of the Tagus at Alhandra, the lines of Torres Vedras were being constructed under the direction of Colonel Fletcher and this so secretly and with such careful measures as to remain unknown to British and Portuguese alike.
thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading Wellington, at the head of a British force of little more than one third of the French host, watched and waited, maturing his stupendous strategic plan, which those in whose interests it had been conceived had done so much to thwart.
thousandnounUS /ˈθaʊzənd/
the cardinal number that is the product of 10 and 100
From this reading Across the frontier in the northwest was gathering the third army of invasion, some sixty thousand strong, commanded by Marshal Massena, Prince of Esslingen, the most skilful and fortunate of all Napoleon’s generals, a leader who, because he had never known defeat, had come to be surnamed by his Emperor “the dear child of Victory.”
thwartnounUS /θwɔːrt/
a crosspiece spreading the gunnels of a boat; used as a seat in a rowboat
From this reading Wellington, at the head of a British force of little more than one third of the French host, watched and waited, maturing his stupendous strategic plan, which those in whose interests it had been conceived had done so much to thwart.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Across the frontier in the northwest was gathering the third army of invasion, some sixty thousand strong, commanded by Marshal Massena, Prince of Esslingen, the most skilful and fortunate of all Napoleon’s generals, a leader who, because he had never known defeat, had come to be surnamed by his Emperor “the dear child of Victory.”
Torres
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Behind the British army and immediately to the north of Lisbon, in an arc some thirty miles long, following the inflection of the hills from the sea at the mouth of the Zizandre to the broad waters of the Tagus at Alhandra, the lines of Torres Vedras were being constructed under the direction of Colonel Fletcher and this so secretly and with such careful measures as to remain unknown to British and Portuguese alike.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading Behind the British army and immediately to the north of Lisbon, in an arc some thirty miles long, following the inflection of the hills from the sea at the mouth of the Zizandre to the broad waters of the Tagus at Alhandra, the lines of Torres Vedras were being constructed under the direction of Colonel Fletcher and this so secretly and with such careful measures as to remain unknown to British and Portuguese alike.
unknownadjectiveUS /ənˈnoʊn/
not known
From this reading Behind the British army and immediately to the north of Lisbon, in an arc some thirty miles long, following the inflection of the hills from the sea at the mouth of the Zizandre to the broad waters of the Tagus at Alhandra, the lines of Torres Vedras were being constructed under the direction of Colonel Fletcher and this so secretly and with such careful measures as to remain unknown to British and Portuguese alike.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading That plan was inspired by and based upon the Emperor’s maxim that war should support itself; that an army on the march must not be hampered and immobilised by its commissariat, but that it must draw its supplies from the country it is invading; that it must, in short, live upon that country.
Vedras
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Behind the British army and immediately to the north of Lisbon, in an arc some thirty miles long, following the inflection of the hills from the sea at the mouth of the Zizandre to the broad waters of the Tagus at Alhandra, the lines of Torres Vedras were being constructed under the direction of Colonel Fletcher and this so secretly and with such careful measures as to remain unknown to British and Portuguese alike.
VictorynounUS /ˈvɪktəri/
a successful ending of a struggle or contest
From this reading Across the frontier in the northwest was gathering the third army of invasion, some sixty thousand strong, commanded by Marshal Massena, Prince of Esslingen, the most skilful and fortunate of all Napoleon’s generals, a leader who, because he had never known defeat, had come to be surnamed by his Emperor “the dear child of Victory.”
waitedverbUS /ˈweɪtɪd/
past form of “wait” — stay in one place and anticipate or expect something
From this reading Wellington, at the head of a British force of little more than one third of the French host, watched and waited, maturing his stupendous strategic plan, which those in whose interests it had been conceived had done so much to thwart.
warnounUS /wɔːr/
the waging of armed conflict against an enemy
From this reading That plan was inspired by and based upon the Emperor’s maxim that war should support itself; that an army on the march must not be hampered and immobilised by its commissariat, but that it must draw its supplies from the country it is invading; that it must, in short, live upon that country.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Across the frontier in the northwest was gathering the third army of invasion, some sixty thousand strong, commanded by Marshal Massena, Prince of Esslingen, the most skilful and fortunate of all Napoleon’s generals, a leader who, because he had never known defeat, had come to be surnamed by his Emperor “the dear child of Victory.”
watchedverbUS /wɑːtʃt/
past form of “watch” — look attentively
From this reading Wellington, at the head of a British force of little more than one third of the French host, watched and waited, maturing his stupendous strategic plan, which those in whose interests it had been conceived had done so much to thwart.
watersnounUS /ˈwɔːtərz/
United States actress and singer (1896-1977)
From this reading Behind the British army and immediately to the north of Lisbon, in an arc some thirty miles long, following the inflection of the hills from the sea at the mouth of the Zizandre to the broad waters of the Tagus at Alhandra, the lines of Torres Vedras were being constructed under the direction of Colonel Fletcher and this so secretly and with such careful measures as to remain unknown to British and Portuguese alike.
WellingtonnounUS /ˈwelɪŋtən/
British general and statesman; he defeated Napoleon at Waterloo; subsequently served as Prime Minister (1769-1852)
From this reading Wellington, at the head of a British force of little more than one third of the French host, watched and waited, maturing his stupendous strategic plan, which those in whose interests it had been conceived had done so much to thwart.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Behind the British army and immediately to the north of Lisbon, in an arc some thirty miles long, following the inflection of the hills from the sea at the mouth of the Zizandre to the broad waters of the Tagus at Alhandra, the lines of Torres Vedras were being constructed under the direction of Colonel Fletcher and this so secretly and with such careful measures as to remain unknown to British and Portuguese alike.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Wellington, at the head of a British force of little more than one third of the French host, watched and waited, maturing his stupendous strategic plan, which those in whose interests it had been conceived had done so much to thwart.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading Across the frontier in the northwest was gathering the third army of invasion, some sixty thousand strong, commanded by Marshal Massena, Prince of Esslingen, the most skilful and fortunate of all Napoleon’s generals, a leader who, because he had never known defeat, had come to be surnamed by his Emperor “the dear child of Victory.”
wholeadjectiveUS /hoʊl/
including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete
From this reading Even those employed upon the works knew of nothing save the section upon which they happened to be engaged, and had no conception of the stupendous and impregnable whole that was preparing.
whosedeterminerUS /huːz/
belonging to which person
From this reading Wellington, at the head of a British force of little more than one third of the French host, watched and waited, maturing his stupendous strategic plan, which those in whose interests it had been conceived had done so much to thwart.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading Behind the British army and immediately to the north of Lisbon, in an arc some thirty miles long, following the inflection of the hills from the sea at the mouth of the Zizandre to the broad waters of the Tagus at Alhandra, the lines of Torres Vedras were being constructed under the direction of Colonel Fletcher and this so secretly and with such careful measures as to remain unknown to British and Portuguese alike.
worksnounUS /wɜːrks/
buildings for carrying on industrial labor
From this reading Even those employed upon the works knew of nothing save the section upon which they happened to be engaged, and had no conception of the stupendous and impregnable whole that was preparing.
Zizandre
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Behind the British army and immediately to the north of Lisbon, in an arc some thirty miles long, following the inflection of the hills from the sea at the mouth of the Zizandre to the broad waters of the Tagus at Alhandra, the lines of Torres Vedras were being constructed under the direction of Colonel Fletcher and this so secretly and with such careful measures as to remain unknown to British and Portuguese alike.
