used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading "Yes, there was a whole band of them, and that is why I disobeyed orders, captain, and fired on them, for they would have killed you all, so I preferred to stop them.
(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 "Yes, there was a whole band of them, and that is why I disobeyed orders, captain, and fired on them, for they would have killed you all, so I preferred to stop them.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "Yes, there was a whole band of them, and that is why I disobeyed orders, captain, and fired on them, for they would have killed you all, so I preferred to stop them.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Four of them shot at me at twenty yards, as if I had been a target, and then they slashed me with their swords.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Four of them shot at me at twenty yards, as if I had been a target, and then they slashed me with their swords.
an unofficial association of people or groups
From this reading "Yes, there was a whole band of them, and that is why I disobeyed orders, captain, and fired on them, for they would have killed you all, so I preferred to stop them.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Four of them shot at me at twenty yards, as if I had been a target, and then they slashed me with their swords.
an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant
From this reading "Yes, there was a whole band of them, and that is why I disobeyed orders, captain, and fired on them, for they would have killed you all, so I preferred to stop them.
cowardsnounUS /ˈkaʊərdz/
plural of “coward” — a person who shows fear or timidity
From this reading They were such cowards.
cross-roads
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That frightened them, and they did not venture to go further than the cross-roads.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading That frightened them, and they did not venture to go further than the cross-roads.
disobeyedverbUS /ˌdɪsoʊˈbeɪd/
past form of “disobey” — refuse to go along with; refuse to follow; be disobedient
From this reading "Yes, there was a whole band of them, and that is why I disobeyed orders, captain, and fired on them, for they would have killed you all, so I preferred to stop them.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading "Twenty, do you say?"
firedadjectiveUS /ˈfaɪərd/
having lost your job
From this reading "Yes, there was a whole band of them, and that is why I disobeyed orders, captain, and fired on them, for they would have killed you all, so I preferred to stop them.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading "Yes, there was a whole band of them, and that is why I disobeyed orders, captain, and fired on them, for they would have killed you all, so I preferred to stop them.
the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one
From this reading Four of them shot at me at twenty yards, as if I had been a target, and then they slashed me with their swords.
made afraid
From this reading That frightened them, and they did not venture to go further than the cross-roads.
to or at a greater extent or degree or a more advanced stage (“further” is used more often than “farther” in this abstract sense)
From this reading That frightened them, and they did not venture to go further than the cross-roads.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading That frightened them, and they did not venture to go further than the cross-roads.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Four of them shot at me at twenty yards, as if I had been a target, and then they slashed me with their swords.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading "Yes, there was a whole band of them, and that is why I disobeyed orders, captain, and fired on them, for they would have killed you all, so I preferred to stop them.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "Yes, there was a whole band of them, and that is why I disobeyed orders, captain, and fired on them, for they would have killed you all, so I preferred to stop them.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading Four of them shot at me at twenty yards, as if I had been a target, and then they slashed me with their swords.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "Yes, there was a whole band of them, and that is why I disobeyed orders, captain, and fired on them, for they would have killed you all, so I preferred to stop them.
past form of “kill” — cause to die; put to death, usually intentionally or knowingly
From this reading "Yes, there was a whole band of them, and that is why I disobeyed orders, captain, and fired on them, for they would have killed you all, so I preferred to stop them.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Four of them shot at me at twenty yards, as if I had been a target, and then they slashed me with their swords.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading That frightened them, and they did not venture to go further than the cross-roads.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "Yes, there was a whole band of them, and that is why I disobeyed orders, captain, and fired on them, for they would have killed you all, so I preferred to stop them.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading "Yes, there was a whole band of them, and that is why I disobeyed orders, captain, and fired on them, for they would have killed you all, so I preferred to stop them.
plural of “order” — (often plural) a command given by a superior (e.g., a military or law enforcement officer) that must be obeyed
From this reading "Yes, there was a whole band of them, and that is why I disobeyed orders, captain, and fired on them, for they would have killed you all, so I preferred to stop them.
more desirable than another
From this reading "Yes, there was a whole band of them, and that is why I disobeyed orders, captain, and fired on them, for they would have killed you all, so I preferred to stop them.
express in words
From this reading "Twenty, do you say?"
the act of firing a projectile
From this reading Four of them shot at me at twenty yards, as if I had been a target, and then they slashed me with their swords.
slashedadjectiveUS /slæʃt/
patterned by having color applied with sweeping strokes
From this reading Four of them shot at me at twenty yards, as if I had been a target, and then they slashed me with their swords.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading "Yes, there was a whole band of them, and that is why I disobeyed orders, captain, and fired on them, for they would have killed you all, so I preferred to stop them.
come to a halt, stop moving
From this reading "Yes, there was a whole band of them, and that is why I disobeyed orders, captain, and fired on them, for they would have killed you all, so I preferred to stop them.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading They were such cowards.
swordsnounUS /sɔːrdz/
plural of “sword” — a cutting or thrusting weapon that has a long metal blade and a hilt with a hand guard
From this reading Four of them shot at me at twenty yards, as if I had been a target, and then they slashed me with their swords.
targetnounUS /ˈtɑːrɡət/
a reference point to shoot at
From this reading Four of them shot at me at twenty yards, as if I had been a target, and then they slashed me with their swords.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading That frightened them, and they did not venture to go further than the cross-roads.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "Yes, there was a whole band of them, and that is why I disobeyed orders, captain, and fired on them, for they would have killed you all, so I preferred to stop them.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading That frightened them, and they did not venture to go further than the cross-roads.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Four of them shot at me at twenty yards, as if I had been a target, and then they slashed me with their swords.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading "Yes, there was a whole band of them, and that is why I disobeyed orders, captain, and fired on them, for they would have killed you all, so I preferred to stop them.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Four of them shot at me at twenty yards, as if I had been a target, and then they slashed me with their swords.
in or at that place or location
From this reading "Yes, there was a whole band of them, and that is why I disobeyed orders, captain, and fired on them, for they would have killed you all, so I preferred to stop them.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Yes, there was a whole band of them, and that is why I disobeyed orders, captain, and fired on them, for they would have killed you all, so I preferred to stop them.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "Yes, there was a whole band of them, and that is why I disobeyed orders, captain, and fired on them, for they would have killed you all, so I preferred to stop them.
the cardinal number that is the sum of nineteen and one
From this reading "Twenty, do you say?"
any venturesome undertaking especially one with an uncertain outcome
From this reading That frightened them, and they did not venture to go further than the cross-roads.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "Yes, there was a whole band of them, and that is why I disobeyed orders, captain, and fired on them, for they would have killed you all, so I preferred to stop them.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading They were such cowards.
including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete
From this reading "Yes, there was a whole band of them, and that is why I disobeyed orders, captain, and fired on them, for they would have killed you all, so I preferred to stop them.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading "Yes, there was a whole band of them, and that is why I disobeyed orders, captain, and fired on them, for they would have killed you all, so I preferred to stop them.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Four of them shot at me at twenty yards, as if I had been a target, and then they slashed me with their swords.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading "Yes, there was a whole band of them, and that is why I disobeyed orders, captain, and fired on them, for they would have killed you all, so I preferred to stop them.
plural of “yard” — a unit of length equal to 3 feet; defined as 91.44 centimeters; originally taken to be the average length of a stride
From this reading Four of them shot at me at twenty yards, as if I had been a target, and then they slashed me with their swords.
an affirmative
From this reading "Yes, there was a whole band of them, and that is why I disobeyed orders, captain, and fired on them, for they would have killed you all, so I preferred to stop them.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Twenty, do you say?"
