used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading IT was with difficulty that she reached the little French town, and it was with infinitely more difficulty that she overcame military obstacles and penetrated into the poor little whitewashed school that did duty as a hospital.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Here and there an ominous screen shut off a bed.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading IT was with difficulty that she reached the little French town, and it was with infinitely more difficulty that she overcame military obstacles and penetrated into the poor little whitewashed school that did duty as a hospital.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading IT was with difficulty that she reached the little French town, and it was with infinitely more difficulty that she overcame military obstacles and penetrated into the poor little whitewashed school that did duty as a hospital.
bandagedadjectiveUS /ˈbændədʒd/
covered or wrapped with a bandage
From this reading A few bandaged men half dressed were sitting up smoking and playing cards.
completely unclothed
From this reading It was a great bare room with a double row of iron bedsteads, a gangway between them.
a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading Here and there an ominous screen shut off a bed.
bedsteads
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a great bare room with a double row of iron bedsteads, a gangway between them.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading It was a great bare room with a double row of iron bedsteads, a gangway between them.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading An odour of disinfectant caught her by the throat.
a game played with playing cards
From this reading A few bandaged men half dressed were sitting up smoking and playing cards.
inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading An odour of disinfectant caught her by the throat.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading IT was with difficulty that she reached the little French town, and it was with infinitely more difficulty that she overcame military obstacles and penetrated into the poor little whitewashed school that did duty as a hospital.
an effort that is inconvenient
From this reading IT was with difficulty that she reached the little French town, and it was with infinitely more difficulty that she overcame military obstacles and penetrated into the poor little whitewashed school that did duty as a hospital.
disinfectantnounUS /dɪsɪnˈfektənt/
an agent (as heat or radiation or a chemical) that destroys microorganisms that might carry disease
From this reading An odour of disinfectant caught her by the throat.
increase twofold
From this reading It was a great bare room with a double row of iron bedsteads, a gangway between them.
dressed or clothed especially in fine attire; often used in combination
From this reading A few bandaged men half dressed were sitting up smoking and playing cards.
the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force
From this reading IT was with difficulty that she reached the little French town, and it was with infinitely more difficulty that she overcame military obstacles and penetrated into the poor little whitewashed school that did duty as a hospital.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading A few bandaged men half dressed were sitting up smoking and playing cards.
the Romance language spoken in France and in countries colonized by France
From this reading IT was with difficulty that she reached the little French town, and it was with infinitely more difficulty that she overcame military obstacles and penetrated into the poor little whitewashed school that did duty as a hospital.
gangwaynoun
a temporary passageway of planks (as over mud on a building site)
From this reading It was a great bare room with a double row of iron bedsteads, a gangway between them.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading It was a great bare room with a double row of iron bedsteads, a gangway between them.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading A few bandaged men half dressed were sitting up smoking and playing cards.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading An odour of disinfectant caught her by the throat.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading Here and there an ominous screen shut off a bed.
a health facility where patients receive treatment
From this reading IT was with difficulty that she reached the little French town, and it was with infinitely more difficulty that she overcame military obstacles and penetrated into the poor little whitewashed school that did duty as a hospital.
infinitelyadverbUS /ˈɪnfənətli/
without bounds
From this reading IT was with difficulty that she reached the little French town, and it was with infinitely more difficulty that she overcame military obstacles and penetrated into the poor little whitewashed school that did duty as a hospital.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading IT was with difficulty that she reached the little French town, and it was with infinitely more difficulty that she overcame military obstacles and penetrated into the poor little whitewashed school that did duty as a hospital.
a heavy ductile magnetic metallic element; is silver-white in pure form but readily rusts; used in construction and tools and armament; plays a role in the transport of oxygen by the blood
From this reading It was a great bare room with a double row of iron bedsteads, a gangway between them.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading IT was with difficulty that she reached the little French town, and it was with infinitely more difficulty that she overcame military obstacles and penetrated into the poor little whitewashed school that did duty as a hospital.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading IT was with difficulty that she reached the little French town, and it was with infinitely more difficulty that she overcame military obstacles and penetrated into the poor little whitewashed school that did duty as a hospital.
the force of workers available
From this reading A few bandaged men half dressed were sitting up smoking and playing cards.
of or relating to the study of the principles of warfare
From this reading IT was with difficulty that she reached the little French town, and it was with infinitely more difficulty that she overcame military obstacles and penetrated into the poor little whitewashed school that did duty as a hospital.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading IT was with difficulty that she reached the little French town, and it was with infinitely more difficulty that she overcame military obstacles and penetrated into the poor little whitewashed school that did duty as a hospital.
obstaclesnounUS /ˈɑːbstəkəlz/
plural of “obstacle” — something immaterial that stands in the way and must be circumvented or surmounted
From this reading IT was with difficulty that she reached the little French town, and it was with infinitely more difficulty that she overcame military obstacles and penetrated into the poor little whitewashed school that did duty as a hospital.
odournounUS /ˈoʊdər/
the sensation that results when olfactory receptors in the nose are stimulated by particular chemicals in gaseous form
From this reading An odour of disinfectant caught her by the throat.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It was a great bare room with a double row of iron bedsteads, a gangway between them.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Here and there an ominous screen shut off a bed.
ominousadjectiveUS /ˈɑːmənəs/
threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments
From this reading Here and there an ominous screen shut off a bed.
overcameverbUS /ˈoʊvərˈkeɪm/
inflected form of “overcome” — win a victory over
From this reading IT was with difficulty that she reached the little French town, and it was with infinitely more difficulty that she overcame military obstacles and penetrated into the poor little whitewashed school that did duty as a hospital.
penetratedverbUS /ˈpenətreɪtɪd/
past form of “penetrate” — pass into or through, often by overcoming resistance
From this reading IT was with difficulty that she reached the little French town, and it was with infinitely more difficulty that she overcame military obstacles and penetrated into the poor little whitewashed school that did duty as a hospital.
the act of playing a musical instrument
From this reading A few bandaged men half dressed were sitting up smoking and playing cards.
deserving or inciting pity
From this reading IT was with difficulty that she reached the little French town, and it was with infinitely more difficulty that she overcame military obstacles and penetrated into the poor little whitewashed school that did duty as a hospital.
past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading IT was with difficulty that she reached the little French town, and it was with infinitely more difficulty that she overcame military obstacles and penetrated into the poor little whitewashed school that did duty as a hospital.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading It was a great bare room with a double row of iron bedsteads, a gangway between them.
an arrangement of objects or people side by side in a line
From this reading It was a great bare room with a double row of iron bedsteads, a gangway between them.
an educational institution
From this reading IT was with difficulty that she reached the little French town, and it was with infinitely more difficulty that she overcame military obstacles and penetrated into the poor little whitewashed school that did duty as a hospital.
screennounUS /skriːn/
a white or silvered surface where pictures can be projected for viewing
From this reading Here and there an ominous screen shut off a bed.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading IT was with difficulty that she reached the little French town, and it was with infinitely more difficulty that she overcame military obstacles and penetrated into the poor little whitewashed school that did duty as a hospital.
move so that an opening or passage is obstructed; make shut
From this reading Here and there an ominous screen shut off a bed.
(photography) the act of assuming a certain position (as for a photograph or portrait)
From this reading A few bandaged men half dressed were sitting up smoking and playing cards.
the act of smoking tobacco or other substances
From this reading A few bandaged men half dressed were sitting up smoking and playing cards.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading IT was with difficulty that she reached the little French town, and it was with infinitely more difficulty that she overcame military obstacles and penetrated into the poor little whitewashed school that did duty as a hospital.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading IT was with difficulty that she reached the little French town, and it was with infinitely more difficulty that she overcame military obstacles and penetrated into the poor little whitewashed school that did duty as a hospital.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading It was a great bare room with a double row of iron bedsteads, a gangway between them.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Here and there an ominous screen shut off a bed.
The passage at the back of the mouth.
From this reading An odour of disinfectant caught her by the throat.
an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city
From this reading IT was with difficulty that she reached the little French town, and it was with infinitely more difficulty that she overcame military obstacles and penetrated into the poor little whitewashed school that did duty as a hospital.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading A few bandaged men half dressed were sitting up smoking and playing cards.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading IT was with difficulty that she reached the little French town, and it was with infinitely more difficulty that she overcame military obstacles and penetrated into the poor little whitewashed school that did duty as a hospital.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading A few bandaged men half dressed were sitting up smoking and playing cards.
whitewashedadjectiveUS /ˈwaɪtwɑːʃt/
coated with whitewash
From this reading IT was with difficulty that she reached the little French town, and it was with infinitely more difficulty that she overcame military obstacles and penetrated into the poor little whitewashed school that did duty as a hospital.
in the company of; together with
From this reading IT was with difficulty that she reached the little French town, and it was with infinitely more difficulty that she overcame military obstacles and penetrated into the poor little whitewashed school that did duty as a hospital.
