Chapter XXI

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading NAT BREWSTER MARCHES WITH PITCAIRN TO LEXINGTON It was about the time that Revere and the Porcupine first sighted the troops on the Common that Nat Brewster heard a rattling at his prison door; lifting his head he saw it open and admit the guards, bearing lighted candles.

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading NAT BREWSTER MARCHES WITH PITCAIRN TO LEXINGTON It was about the time that Revere and the Porcupine first sighted the troops on the Common that Nat Brewster heard a rattling at his prison door; lifting his head he saw it open and admit the guards, bearing lighted candles.

declare to be true or admit the existence or reality or truth of

From this reading NAT BREWSTER MARCHES WITH PITCAIRN TO LEXINGTON It was about the time that Revere and the Porcupine first sighted the troops on the Common that Nat Brewster heard a rattling at his prison door; lifting his head he saw it open and admit the guards, bearing lighted candles.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading NAT BREWSTER MARCHES WITH PITCAIRN TO LEXINGTON It was about the time that Revere and the Porcupine first sighted the troops on the Common that Nat Brewster heard a rattling at his prison door; lifting his head he saw it open and admit the guards, bearing lighted candles.

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading “I suppose you’ll not make any objection to that.”

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading “I’m to be removed from here, then,” spoke Nat, as the soldiers began unlocking the steel band that encircled him.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading NAT BREWSTER MARCHES WITH PITCAIRN TO LEXINGTON It was about the time that Revere and the Porcupine first sighted the troops on the Common that Nat Brewster heard a rattling at his prison door; lifting his head he saw it open and admit the guards, bearing lighted candles.

an unofficial association of people or groups

From this reading “I’m to be removed from here, then,” spoke Nat, as the soldiers began unlocking the steel band that encircled him.

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading “We’ll take that little girdle off you, my lad,” said a grizzled sergeant of infantry who seemed to be in command.

relevant relation or interconnection

From this reading NAT BREWSTER MARCHES WITH PITCAIRN TO LEXINGTON It was about the time that Revere and the Porcupine first sighted the troops on the Common that Nat Brewster heard a rattling at his prison door; lifting his head he saw it open and admit the guards, bearing lighted candles.

inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

From this reading “I’m to be removed from here, then,” spoke Nat, as the soldiers began unlocking the steel band that encircled him.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading NAT BREWSTER MARCHES WITH PITCAIRN TO LEXINGTON It was about the time that Revere and the Porcupine first sighted the troops on the Common that Nat Brewster heard a rattling at his prison door; lifting his head he saw it open and admit the guards, bearing lighted candles.

plural of “candle” — stick of wax with a wick in the middle

From this reading NAT BREWSTER MARCHES WITH PITCAIRN TO LEXINGTON It was about the time that Revere and the Porcupine first sighted the troops on the Common that Nat Brewster heard a rattling at his prison door; lifting his head he saw it open and admit the guards, bearing lighted candles.

an authoritative direction or instruction to do something

From this reading “We’ll take that little girdle off you, my lad,” said a grizzled sergeant of infantry who seemed to be in command.

belonging to or participated in by a community as a whole; public

From this reading NAT BREWSTER MARCHES WITH PITCAIRN TO LEXINGTON It was about the time that Revere and the Porcupine first sighted the troops on the Common that Nat Brewster heard a rattling at his prison door; lifting his head he saw it open and admit the guards, bearing lighted candles.

a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle

From this reading NAT BREWSTER MARCHES WITH PITCAIRN TO LEXINGTON It was about the time that Revere and the Porcupine first sighted the troops on the Common that Nat Brewster heard a rattling at his prison door; lifting his head he saw it open and admit the guards, bearing lighted candles.

confined on all sides

From this reading “I’m to be removed from here, then,” spoke Nat, as the soldiers began unlocking the steel band that encircled him.

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading NAT BREWSTER MARCHES WITH PITCAIRN TO LEXINGTON It was about the time that Revere and the Porcupine first sighted the troops on the Common that Nat Brewster heard a rattling at his prison door; lifting his head he saw it open and admit the guards, bearing lighted candles.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading “I’m to be removed from here, then,” spoke Nat, as the soldiers began unlocking the steel band that encircled him.

an encircling or ringlike structure

From this reading “We’ll take that little girdle off you, my lad,” said a grizzled sergeant of infantry who seemed to be in command.

having dark hairs mixed with grey or white

From this reading “We’ll take that little girdle off you, my lad,” said a grizzled sergeant of infantry who seemed to be in command.

plural of “guard” — a person who keeps watch over something or someone

From this reading NAT BREWSTER MARCHES WITH PITCAIRN TO LEXINGTON It was about the time that Revere and the Porcupine first sighted the troops on the Common that Nat Brewster heard a rattling at his prison door; lifting his head he saw it open and admit the guards, bearing lighted candles.

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading NAT BREWSTER MARCHES WITH PITCAIRN TO LEXINGTON It was about the time that Revere and the Porcupine first sighted the troops on the Common that Nat Brewster heard a rattling at his prison door; lifting his head he saw it open and admit the guards, bearing lighted candles.

the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains

From this reading NAT BREWSTER MARCHES WITH PITCAIRN TO LEXINGTON It was about the time that Revere and the Porcupine first sighted the troops on the Common that Nat Brewster heard a rattling at his prison door; lifting his head he saw it open and admit the guards, bearing lighted candles.

detected or perceived by the sense of hearing

From this reading NAT BREWSTER MARCHES WITH PITCAIRN TO LEXINGTON It was about the time that Revere and the Porcupine first sighted the troops on the Common that Nat Brewster heard a rattling at his prison door; lifting his head he saw it open and admit the guards, bearing lighted candles.

in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is

From this reading “I’m to be removed from here, then,” spoke Nat, as the soldiers began unlocking the steel band that encircled him.

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading “I’m to be removed from here, then,” spoke Nat, as the soldiers began unlocking the steel band that encircled him.

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading NAT BREWSTER MARCHES WITH PITCAIRN TO LEXINGTON It was about the time that Revere and the Porcupine first sighted the troops on the Common that Nat Brewster heard a rattling at his prison door; lifting his head he saw it open and admit the guards, bearing lighted candles.

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading “I suppose you’ll not make any objection to that.”

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading “I’m to be removed from here, then,” spoke Nat, as the soldiers began unlocking the steel band that encircled him.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading “We’ll take that little girdle off you, my lad,” said a grizzled sergeant of infantry who seemed to be in command.

an army unit consisting of soldiers who fight on foot

From this reading “We’ll take that little girdle off you, my lad,” said a grizzled sergeant of infantry who seemed to be in command.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading NAT BREWSTER MARCHES WITH PITCAIRN TO LEXINGTON It was about the time that Revere and the Porcupine first sighted the troops on the Common that Nat Brewster heard a rattling at his prison door; lifting his head he saw it open and admit the guards, bearing lighted candles.

a boy or man

From this reading “We’ll take that little girdle off you, my lad,” said a grizzled sergeant of infantry who seemed to be in command.

the sound of laughing

From this reading “Yes,” replied the sergeant with a laugh.

town in eastern Massachusetts near Boston where the first battle of the American Revolution was fought

From this reading NAT BREWSTER MARCHES WITH PITCAIRN TO LEXINGTON It was about the time that Revere and the Porcupine first sighted the troops on the Common that Nat Brewster heard a rattling at his prison door; lifting his head he saw it open and admit the guards, bearing lighted candles.

-ing form of “lift” — raise from a lower to a higher position

From this reading NAT BREWSTER MARCHES WITH PITCAIRN TO LEXINGTON It was about the time that Revere and the Porcupine first sighted the troops on the Common that Nat Brewster heard a rattling at his prison door; lifting his head he saw it open and admit the guards, bearing lighted candles.

set afire or burning

From this reading NAT BREWSTER MARCHES WITH PITCAIRN TO LEXINGTON It was about the time that Revere and the Porcupine first sighted the troops on the Common that Nat Brewster heard a rattling at his prison door; lifting his head he saw it open and admit the guards, bearing lighted candles.

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading “We’ll take that little girdle off you, my lad,” said a grizzled sergeant of infantry who seemed to be in command.

engage in

From this reading “I suppose you’ll not make any objection to that.”

a region in central Italy

From this reading NAT BREWSTER MARCHES WITH PITCAIRN TO LEXINGTON It was about the time that Revere and the Porcupine first sighted the troops on the Common that Nat Brewster heard a rattling at his prison door; lifting his head he saw it open and admit the guards, bearing lighted candles.

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading “We’ll take that little girdle off you, my lad,” said a grizzled sergeant of infantry who seemed to be in command.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading NAT BREWSTER MARCHES WITH PITCAIRN TO LEXINGTON It was about the time that Revere and the Porcupine first sighted the troops on the Common that Nat Brewster heard a rattling at his prison door; lifting his head he saw it open and admit the guards, bearing lighted candles.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading “I suppose you’ll not make any objection to that.”

the act of expressing earnest opposition or protest

From this reading “I suppose you’ll not make any objection to that.”

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading “We’ll take that little girdle off you, my lad,” said a grizzled sergeant of infantry who seemed to be in command.

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading “We’ll take that little girdle off you, my lad,” said a grizzled sergeant of infantry who seemed to be in command.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading NAT BREWSTER MARCHES WITH PITCAIRN TO LEXINGTON It was about the time that Revere and the Porcupine first sighted the troops on the Common that Nat Brewster heard a rattling at his prison door; lifting his head he saw it open and admit the guards, bearing lighted candles.

To move from a closed position.

From this reading NAT BREWSTER MARCHES WITH PITCAIRN TO LEXINGTON It was about the time that Revere and the Porcupine first sighted the troops on the Common that Nat Brewster heard a rattling at his prison door; lifting his head he saw it open and admit the guards, bearing lighted candles.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading NAT BREWSTER MARCHES WITH PITCAIRN TO LEXINGTON It was about the time that Revere and the Porcupine first sighted the troops on the Common that Nat Brewster heard a rattling at his prison door; lifting his head he saw it open and admit the guards, bearing lighted candles.

relatively large rodents with sharp erectile bristles mingled with the fur

From this reading NAT BREWSTER MARCHES WITH PITCAIRN TO LEXINGTON It was about the time that Revere and the Porcupine first sighted the troops on the Common that Nat Brewster heard a rattling at his prison door; lifting his head he saw it open and admit the guards, bearing lighted candles.

a correctional institution where persons are confined while on trial or for punishment

From this reading NAT BREWSTER MARCHES WITH PITCAIRN TO LEXINGTON It was about the time that Revere and the Porcupine first sighted the troops on the Common that Nat Brewster heard a rattling at his prison door; lifting his head he saw it open and admit the guards, bearing lighted candles.

a rapid series of short loud sounds (as might be heard with a stethoscope in some types of respiratory disorders)

From this reading NAT BREWSTER MARCHES WITH PITCAIRN TO LEXINGTON It was about the time that Revere and the Porcupine first sighted the troops on the Common that Nat Brewster heard a rattling at his prison door; lifting his head he saw it open and admit the guards, bearing lighted candles.

separated in relationship by a given degree of descent

From this reading “I’m to be removed from here, then,” spoke Nat, as the soldiers began unlocking the steel band that encircled him.

inflected form of “reply” — react verbally

From this reading “Yes,” replied the sergeant with a laugh.

love unquestioningly and uncritically or to excess; venerate as an idol

From this reading NAT BREWSTER MARCHES WITH PITCAIRN TO LEXINGTON It was about the time that Revere and the Porcupine first sighted the troops on the Common that Nat Brewster heard a rattling at his prison door; lifting his head he saw it open and admit the guards, bearing lighted candles.

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading “We’ll take that little girdle off you, my lad,” said a grizzled sergeant of infantry who seemed to be in command.

cut with a saw

From this reading NAT BREWSTER MARCHES WITH PITCAIRN TO LEXINGTON It was about the time that Revere and the Porcupine first sighted the troops on the Common that Nat Brewster heard a rattling at his prison door; lifting his head he saw it open and admit the guards, bearing lighted candles.

past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading “We’ll take that little girdle off you, my lad,” said a grizzled sergeant of infantry who seemed to be in command.

any of several noncommissioned officer ranks in the Army or Air Force or Marines ranking above a corporal

From this reading “We’ll take that little girdle off you, my lad,” said a grizzled sergeant of infantry who seemed to be in command.

able to see

From this reading NAT BREWSTER MARCHES WITH PITCAIRN TO LEXINGTON It was about the time that Revere and the Porcupine first sighted the troops on the Common that Nat Brewster heard a rattling at his prison door; lifting his head he saw it open and admit the guards, bearing lighted candles.

plural of “soldier” — an enlisted man or woman who serves in an army

From this reading “I’m to be removed from here, then,” spoke Nat, as the soldiers began unlocking the steel band that encircled him.

support consisting of a radial member of a wheel joining the hub to the rim

From this reading “I’m to be removed from here, then,” spoke Nat, as the soldiers began unlocking the steel band that encircled him.

an alloy of iron with small amounts of carbon; widely used in construction; mechanical properties can be varied over a wide range

From this reading “I’m to be removed from here, then,” spoke Nat, as the soldiers began unlocking the steel band that encircled him.

express a supposition

From this reading “I suppose you’ll not make any objection to that.”

carry out

From this reading “We’ll take that little girdle off you, my lad,” said a grizzled sergeant of infantry who seemed to be in command.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading NAT BREWSTER MARCHES WITH PITCAIRN TO LEXINGTON It was about the time that Revere and the Porcupine first sighted the troops on the Common that Nat Brewster heard a rattling at his prison door; lifting his head he saw it open and admit the guards, bearing lighted candles.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading NAT BREWSTER MARCHES WITH PITCAIRN TO LEXINGTON It was about the time that Revere and the Porcupine first sighted the troops on the Common that Nat Brewster heard a rattling at his prison door; lifting his head he saw it open and admit the guards, bearing lighted candles.

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading “I’m to be removed from here, then,” spoke Nat, as the soldiers began unlocking the steel band that encircled him.

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading NAT BREWSTER MARCHES WITH PITCAIRN TO LEXINGTON It was about the time that Revere and the Porcupine first sighted the troops on the Common that Nat Brewster heard a rattling at his prison door; lifting his head he saw it open and admit the guards, bearing lighted candles.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading NAT BREWSTER MARCHES WITH PITCAIRN TO LEXINGTON It was about the time that Revere and the Porcupine first sighted the troops on the Common that Nat Brewster heard a rattling at his prison door; lifting his head he saw it open and admit the guards, bearing lighted candles.

soldiers collectively

From this reading NAT BREWSTER MARCHES WITH PITCAIRN TO LEXINGTON It was about the time that Revere and the Porcupine first sighted the troops on the Common that Nat Brewster heard a rattling at his prison door; lifting his head he saw it open and admit the guards, bearing lighted candles.

-ing form of “unlock” — open the lock of

From this reading “I’m to be removed from here, then,” spoke Nat, as the soldiers began unlocking the steel band that encircled him.

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading NAT BREWSTER MARCHES WITH PITCAIRN TO LEXINGTON It was about the time that Revere and the Porcupine first sighted the troops on the Common that Nat Brewster heard a rattling at his prison door; lifting his head he saw it open and admit the guards, bearing lighted candles.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading “We’ll take that little girdle off you, my lad,” said a grizzled sergeant of infantry who seemed to be in command.

which person or people

From this reading “We’ll take that little girdle off you, my lad,” said a grizzled sergeant of infantry who seemed to be in command.

in the company of; together with

From this reading NAT BREWSTER MARCHES WITH PITCAIRN TO LEXINGTON It was about the time that Revere and the Porcupine first sighted the troops on the Common that Nat Brewster heard a rattling at his prison door; lifting his head he saw it open and admit the guards, bearing lighted candles.

an affirmative

From this reading “Yes,” replied the sergeant with a laugh.

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading “We’ll take that little girdle off you, my lad,” said a grizzled sergeant of infantry who seemed to be in command.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading “I suppose you’ll not make any objection to that.”