used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading THE BATTLE OF SHOREBY The whole distance to be crossed was not above a quarter of a mile.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading THE BATTLE OF SHOREBY The whole distance to be crossed was not above a quarter of a mile.
fear resulting from the awareness of danger
From this reading By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet half-way to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading But they had no sooner debouched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.
ariseverbUS /ərˈaɪz/
come into existence; take on form or shape
From this reading Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet half-way to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet half-way to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.
(sometimes followed by “of”) having or showing knowledge or understanding or realization or perception
From this reading But they had no sooner debouched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.
backwardadverbUS /ˈbækwərd/
at or to or toward the back or rear
From this reading Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet half-way to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.
a hostile meeting of opposing military forces in the course of a war
From this reading THE BATTLE OF SHOREBY The whole distance to be crossed was not above a quarter of a mile.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading THE BATTLE OF SHOREBY The whole distance to be crossed was not above a quarter of a mile.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet half-way to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet half-way to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.
bellsnounUS /belz/
plural of “bell” — a hollow device made of metal that makes a ringing sound when struck
From this reading Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet half-way to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.
on the far side of; further than
From this reading But they had no sooner debouched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.
physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split
From this reading By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But they had no sooner debouched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.
seemingly without interruption
From this reading Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet half-way to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.
provide with a covering or cause to be covered
From this reading But they had no sooner debouched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.
placed crosswise
From this reading THE BATTLE OF SHOREBY The whole distance to be crossed was not above a quarter of a mile.
debouched
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But they had no sooner debouched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.
the property created by the space between two objects or points
From this reading THE BATTLE OF SHOREBY The whole distance to be crossed was not above a quarter of a mile.
a British peer of the highest rank
From this reading The young duke ground his teeth together.
earlyadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrli/
at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time
From this reading By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.
one or the other of two
From this reading But they had no sooner debouched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.
plural of “enemy” — an opposing military force
From this reading By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.
exterminatedadjectiveUS /ɪkˈstɜːrməneɪtɪd/
destroyed completely
From this reading By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.
past form of “fail” — fail to do something; leave something undone
From this reading By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.
past form of “fear” — be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event
From this reading By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.
fleeingverbUS /ˈfliːɪŋ/
-ing form of “flee” — run away quickly
From this reading But they had no sooner debouched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.
footingnounUS /ˈfʊtɪŋ/
status with respect to the relations between people or groups
From this reading By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet half-way to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.
obtain
From this reading By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet half-way to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading The young duke ground his teeth together.
pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet half-way to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading But they had no sooner debouched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.
half-way
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet half-way to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading But they had no sooner debouched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The young duke ground his teeth together.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet half-way to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading But they had no sooner debouched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.
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 By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.
louderadjectiveUS /ˈlaʊdər/
comparative of “loud” — characterized by or producing sound of great volume or intensity
From this reading Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet half-way to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.
meadowsnounUS /ˈmedoʊz/
plural of “meadow” — a field where grass or alfalfa are grown to be made into hay
From this reading But they had no sooner debouched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.
a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters
From this reading THE BATTLE OF SHOREBY The whole distance to be crossed was not above a quarter of a mile.
a particular point in time
From this reading Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet half-way to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.
(superlative of “near” or “close”) within the shortest distance
From this reading Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet half-way to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.
not any; not one
From this reading But they had no sooner debouched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading THE BATTLE OF SHOREBY The whole distance to be crossed was not above a quarter of a mile.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE BATTLE OF SHOREBY The whole distance to be crossed was not above a quarter of a mile.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.
an organization to gain political power
From this reading By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading But they had no sooner debouched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.
made ready or fit or suitable beforehand
From this reading By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.
one of four equal parts
From this reading THE BATTLE OF SHOREBY The whole distance to be crossed was not above a quarter of a mile.
sound loudly and sonorously
From this reading Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet half-way to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.
rumournounUS /ˈruːmər/
gossip (usually a mixture of truth and untruth) passed around by word of mouth
From this reading Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet half-way to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.
Identical; not different.
From this reading Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet half-way to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.
screamingadjectiveUS /ˈskriːmɪŋ/
so extremely intense as to evoke screams
From this reading But they had no sooner debouched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.
SHOREBY
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE BATTLE OF SHOREBY The whole distance to be crossed was not above a quarter of a mile.
signalsnounUS /ˈsɪɡnəlz/
plural of “signal” — any nonverbal action or gesture that encodes a message
From this reading By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.
snowyadjectiveUS /ˈsnoʊi/
marked by the presence of snow
From this reading But they had no sooner debouched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.
in the near future
From this reading By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.
comparatives of “soon” or “early”
From this reading But they had no sooner debouched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.
distribute or disperse widely
From this reading Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet half-way to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.
steeplenounUS /ˈstiːpəl/
a tall tower that forms the superstructure of a building (usually a church or temple) and that tapers to a point at the top
From this reading Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet half-way to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.
the kind and number and arrangement of teeth (collectively) in a person or animal
From this reading The young duke ground his teeth together.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading But they had no sooner debouched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE BATTLE OF SHOREBY The whole distance to be crossed was not above a quarter of a mile.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading But they had no sooner debouched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE BATTLE OF SHOREBY The whole distance to be crossed was not above a quarter of a mile.
in contact with each other or in proximity
From this reading The young duke ground his teeth together.
an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city
From this reading Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet half-way to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.
plural of “tree” — a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
From this reading But they had no sooner debouched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading But they had no sooner debouched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading THE BATTLE OF SHOREBY The whole distance to be crossed was not above a quarter of a mile.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading But they had no sooner debouched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.
including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete
From this reading THE BATTLE OF SHOREBY The whole distance to be crossed was not above a quarter of a mile.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.
but in spite of that
From this reading Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet half-way to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading The young duke ground his teeth together.
