used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading They were gone, and they still existed as a fighting power.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading APPOMATTOX The morning after Lee's retreat the Winchester regiment rode into Petersburg and looked curiously at the smoldering fires and what was left of the town.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading They had been before it so long it seemed almost incredible to Dick Mason that they were in it now.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading APPOMATTOX The morning after Lee's retreat the Winchester regiment rode into Petersburg and looked curiously at the smoldering fires and what was left of the town.
APPOMATTOX
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading APPOMATTOX The morning after Lee's retreat the Winchester regiment rode into Petersburg and looked curiously at the smoldering fires and what was left of the town.
a permanent organization of the military land forces of a nation or state
From this reading But the Southern leader and his army were not yet taken.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading They were gone, and they still existed as a fighting power.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading APPOMATTOX The morning after Lee's retreat the Winchester regiment rode into Petersburg and looked curiously at the smoldering fires and what was left of the town.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading They had been before it so long it seemed almost incredible to Dick Mason that they were in it now.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading They had been before it so long it seemed almost incredible to Dick Mason that they were in it now.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But the Southern leader and his army were not yet taken.
curiouslyadverbUS /ˈkjʊriəsli/
in a manner differing from the usual or expected
From this reading APPOMATTOX The morning after Lee's retreat the Winchester regiment rode into Petersburg and looked curiously at the smoldering fires and what was left of the town.
someone who is a detective
From this reading They had been before it so long it seemed almost incredible to Dick Mason that they were in it now.
make void or empty of contents
From this reading "We have Petersburg at last," he said, "but it's only a scorched and empty shell."
existedverbUS /ɪɡˈzɪstəd/
past form of “exist” — have an existence, be extant
From this reading They were gone, and they still existed as a fighting power.
the act of fighting; any contest or struggle
From this reading They were gone, and they still existed as a fighting power.
firesnounUS /ˈfaɪərz/
plural of “fire” — the event of something burning (often destructive)
From this reading APPOMATTOX The morning after Lee's retreat the Winchester regiment rode into Petersburg and looked curiously at the smoldering fires and what was left of the town.
destroyed or killed
From this reading They were gone, and they still existed as a fighting power.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading They had been before it so long it seemed almost incredible to Dick Mason that they were in it now.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading "We have Petersburg at last," he said, "but it's only a scorched and empty shell."
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "We have Petersburg at last," he said, "but it's only a scorched and empty shell."
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading But the Southern leader and his army were not yet taken.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading They had been before it so long it seemed almost incredible to Dick Mason that they were in it now.
incredibleadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈkredəbəl/
beyond belief or understanding
From this reading They had been before it so long it seemed almost incredible to Dick Mason that they were in it now.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading APPOMATTOX The morning after Lee's retreat the Winchester regiment rode into Petersburg and looked curiously at the smoldering fires and what was left of the town.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading They had been before it so long it seemed almost incredible to Dick Mason that they were in it now.
it's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "We have Petersburg at last," he said, "but it's only a scorched and empty shell."
immediately past
From this reading "We have Petersburg at last," he said, "but it's only a scorched and empty shell."
a person who rules or guides or inspires others
From this reading But the Southern leader and his army were not yet taken.
Lee'snounUS /liːz/
possessive form of “lee” — United States filmmaker whose works explore the richness of black culture in America (born in 1957)
From this reading APPOMATTOX The morning after Lee's retreat the Winchester regiment rode into Petersburg and looked curiously at the smoldering fires and what was left of the town.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading APPOMATTOX The morning after Lee's retreat the Winchester regiment rode into Petersburg and looked curiously at the smoldering fires and what was left of the town.
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 They had been before it so long it seemed almost incredible to Dick Mason that they were in it now.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading APPOMATTOX The morning after Lee's retreat the Winchester regiment rode into Petersburg and looked curiously at the smoldering fires and what was left of the town.
MasonnounUS /ˈmeɪsən/
American Revolutionary leader from Virginia whose objections led to the drafting of the Bill of Rights (1725-1792)
From this reading They had been before it so long it seemed almost incredible to Dick Mason that they were in it now.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading APPOMATTOX The morning after Lee's retreat the Winchester regiment rode into Petersburg and looked curiously at the smoldering fires and what was left of the town.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading But the Southern leader and his army were not yet taken.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading They had been before it so long it seemed almost incredible to Dick Mason that they were in it now.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading APPOMATTOX The morning after Lee's retreat the Winchester regiment rode into Petersburg and looked curiously at the smoldering fires and what was left of the town.
and nothing more
From this reading "We have Petersburg at last," he said, "but it's only a scorched and empty shell."
PetersburgnounUS /ˈpiːtərzbərɡ/
a town in southeastern Virginia (south of Richmond); scene of heavy fighting during the American Civil War
From this reading APPOMATTOX The morning after Lee's retreat the Winchester regiment rode into Petersburg and looked curiously at the smoldering fires and what was left of the town.
possession of controlling influence
From this reading They were gone, and they still existed as a fighting power.
regimentverbUS /ˈredʒəmənt/
subject to rigid discipline, order, and systematization
From this reading APPOMATTOX The morning after Lee's retreat the Winchester regiment rode into Petersburg and looked curiously at the smoldering fires and what was left of the town.
(military) withdrawal of troops to a more favorable position to escape the enemy's superior forces or after a defeat
From this reading APPOMATTOX The morning after Lee's retreat the Winchester regiment rode into Petersburg and looked curiously at the smoldering fires and what was left of the town.
inflected form of “ride” — sit and travel on the back of animal, usually while controlling its motions
From this reading APPOMATTOX The morning after Lee's retreat the Winchester regiment rode into Petersburg and looked curiously at the smoldering fires and what was left of the town.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "We have Petersburg at last," he said, "but it's only a scorched and empty shell."
scorchedadjectiveUS /skɔːrtʃt/
Burned by flames or heat; blackened by intense magical or physical fire.
From this reading "We have Petersburg at last," he said, "but it's only a scorched and empty shell."
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading They had been before it so long it seemed almost incredible to Dick Mason that they were in it now.
shellnounUS /ʃel/
ammunition consisting of a cylindrical metal casing containing an explosive charge and a projectile; fired from a large gun
From this reading "We have Petersburg at last," he said, "but it's only a scorched and empty shell."
smolderingadjectiveUS /ˈsmoʊldərɪŋ/
showing scarcely suppressed anger
From this reading APPOMATTOX The morning after Lee's retreat the Winchester regiment rode into Petersburg and looked curiously at the smoldering fires and what was left of the town.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading They had been before it so long it seemed almost incredible to Dick Mason that they were in it now.
in or characteristic of a region of the United States south of (approximately) the Mason-Dixon line
From this reading But the Southern leader and his army were not yet taken.
not in physical motion
From this reading They were gone, and they still existed as a fighting power.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading But the Southern leader and his army were not yet taken.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading They had been before it so long it seemed almost incredible to Dick Mason that they were in it now.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading APPOMATTOX The morning after Lee's retreat the Winchester regiment rode into Petersburg and looked curiously at the smoldering fires and what was left of the town.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They had been before it so long it seemed almost incredible to Dick Mason that they were in it now.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading They had been before it so long it seemed almost incredible to Dick Mason that they were in it now.
an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city
From this reading APPOMATTOX The morning after Lee's retreat the Winchester regiment rode into Petersburg and looked curiously at the smoldering fires and what was left of the town.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading APPOMATTOX The morning after Lee's retreat the Winchester regiment rode into Petersburg and looked curiously at the smoldering fires and what was left of the town.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading "We have Petersburg at last," he said, "but it's only a scorched and empty shell."
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading They had been before it so long it seemed almost incredible to Dick Mason that they were in it now.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading APPOMATTOX The morning after Lee's retreat the Winchester regiment rode into Petersburg and looked curiously at the smoldering fires and what was left of the town.
WinchesternounUS /ˈwɪntʃestər/
a city in southern England; administrative center of Hampshire
From this reading APPOMATTOX The morning after Lee's retreat the Winchester regiment rode into Petersburg and looked curiously at the smoldering fires and what was left of the town.
but in spite of that
From this reading But the Southern leader and his army were not yet taken.
