used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading For a moment he was tempted to turn and bid Dennis join him in his flight; but his uncertainty as to the exact direction in which to return to the old well, and his confidence that somehow the young Irish soldier would be able to make his way through the surrounding difficulties caused him to decide to continue his own flight.
(usually followed by “to”) having the necessary means or skill or know-how or authority to do something
From this reading For a moment he was tempted to turn and bid Dennis join him in his flight; but his uncertainty as to the exact direction in which to return to the old well, and his confidence that somehow the young Irish soldier would be able to make his way through the surrounding difficulties caused him to decide to continue his own flight.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading There was one spot of dull red yet to be seen against the dark horizon, but the flames had ceased.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading For a moment he was tempted to turn and bid Dennis join him in his flight; but his uncertainty as to the exact direction in which to return to the old well, and his confidence that somehow the young Irish soldier would be able to make his way through the surrounding difficulties caused him to decide to continue his own flight.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As he looked behind him he saw that the fire on the plantation manifestly was dying down.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading AT THE FORK Noel ran swiftly forward in the darkness until at last he was compelled to stop to recover his breath.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading There was one spot of dull red yet to be seen against the dark horizon, but the flames had ceased.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading As he looked behind him he saw that the fire on the plantation manifestly was dying down.
propose a payment
From this reading For a moment he was tempted to turn and bid Dennis join him in his flight; but his uncertainty as to the exact direction in which to return to the old well, and his confidence that somehow the young Irish soldier would be able to make his way through the surrounding difficulties caused him to decide to continue his own flight.
the process of taking in and expelling air during breathing
From this reading AT THE FORK Noel ran swiftly forward in the darkness until at last he was compelled to stop to recover his breath.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading There was one spot of dull red yet to be seen against the dark horizon, but the flames had ceased.
past form of “cause” — give rise to; cause to happen or occur, not always intentionally
From this reading For a moment he was tempted to turn and bid Dennis join him in his flight; but his uncertainty as to the exact direction in which to return to the old well, and his confidence that somehow the young Irish soldier would be able to make his way through the surrounding difficulties caused him to decide to continue his own flight.
past form of “cease” — put an end to a state or an activity
From this reading There was one spot of dull red yet to be seen against the dark horizon, but the flames had ceased.
inflected form of “compel” — force somebody to do something
From this reading AT THE FORK Noel ran swiftly forward in the darkness until at last he was compelled to stop to recover his breath.
freedom from doubt; belief in yourself and your abilities
From this reading For a moment he was tempted to turn and bid Dennis join him in his flight; but his uncertainty as to the exact direction in which to return to the old well, and his confidence that somehow the young Irish soldier would be able to make his way through the surrounding difficulties caused him to decide to continue his own flight.
continue a certain state, condition, or activity
From this reading For a moment he was tempted to turn and bid Dennis join him in his flight; but his uncertainty as to the exact direction in which to return to the old well, and his confidence that somehow the young Irish soldier would be able to make his way through the surrounding difficulties caused him to decide to continue his own flight.
education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings
From this reading The young soldier soon found himself in a road with which he was, of course, unfamiliar.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading There was one spot of dull red yet to be seen against the dark horizon, but the flames had ceased.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading AT THE FORK Noel ran swiftly forward in the darkness until at last he was compelled to stop to recover his breath.
reach, make, or come to a decision about something
From this reading For a moment he was tempted to turn and bid Dennis join him in his flight; but his uncertainty as to the exact direction in which to return to the old well, and his confidence that somehow the young Irish soldier would be able to make his way through the surrounding difficulties caused him to decide to continue his own flight.
Dennis
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For a moment he was tempted to turn and bid Dennis join him in his flight; but his uncertainty as to the exact direction in which to return to the old well, and his confidence that somehow the young Irish soldier would be able to make his way through the surrounding difficulties caused him to decide to continue his own flight.
plural of “difficulty” — an effort that is inconvenient
From this reading For a moment he was tempted to turn and bid Dennis join him in his flight; but his uncertainty as to the exact direction in which to return to the old well, and his confidence that somehow the young Irish soldier would be able to make his way through the surrounding difficulties caused him to decide to continue his own flight.
a line leading to a place or point
From this reading For a moment he was tempted to turn and bid Dennis join him in his flight; but his uncertainty as to the exact direction in which to return to the old well, and his confidence that somehow the young Irish soldier would be able to make his way through the surrounding difficulties caused him to decide to continue his own flight.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading As he looked behind him he saw that the fire on the plantation manifestly was dying down.
lacking in liveliness or animation
From this reading There was one spot of dull red yet to be seen against the dark horizon, but the flames had ceased.
dyingadjectiveUS /ˈdaɪɪŋ/
in or associated with the process of passing from life or ceasing to be
From this reading As he looked behind him he saw that the fire on the plantation manifestly was dying down.
exactadjectiveUS /ɪɡˈzækt/
Strictly particular and correct.
From this reading For a moment he was tempted to turn and bid Dennis join him in his flight; but his uncertainty as to the exact direction in which to return to the old well, and his confidence that somehow the young Irish soldier would be able to make his way through the surrounding difficulties caused him to decide to continue his own flight.
start firing a weapon
From this reading As he looked behind him he saw that the fire on the plantation manifestly was dying down.
plural of “flame” — the process of combustion of inflammable materials producing heat and light and (often) smoke
From this reading There was one spot of dull red yet to be seen against the dark horizon, but the flames had ceased.
a formation of aircraft in flight
From this reading For a moment he was tempted to turn and bid Dennis join him in his flight; but his uncertainty as to the exact direction in which to return to the old well, and his confidence that somehow the young Irish soldier would be able to make his way through the surrounding difficulties caused him to decide to continue his own flight.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For a moment he was tempted to turn and bid Dennis join him in his flight; but his uncertainty as to the exact direction in which to return to the old well, and his confidence that somehow the young Irish soldier would be able to make his way through the surrounding difficulties caused him to decide to continue his own flight.
FORKnounUS /fɔːrk/
cutlery used for serving and eating food
From this reading AT THE FORK Noel ran swiftly forward in the darkness until at last he was compelled to stop to recover his breath.
at or to or toward the front
From this reading AT THE FORK Noel ran swiftly forward in the darkness until at last he was compelled to stop to recover his breath.
set up or found
From this reading The young soldier soon found himself in a road with which he was, of course, unfamiliar.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading There was one spot of dull red yet to be seen against the dark horizon, but the flames had ceased.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading AT THE FORK Noel ran swiftly forward in the darkness until at last he was compelled to stop to recover his breath.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading As he looked behind him he saw that the fire on the plantation manifestly was dying down.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading The young soldier soon found himself in a road with which he was, of course, unfamiliar.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading AT THE FORK Noel ran swiftly forward in the darkness until at last he was compelled to stop to recover his breath.
the line at which the sky and Earth appear to meet
From this reading There was one spot of dull red yet to be seen against the dark horizon, but the flames had ceased.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading AT THE FORK Noel ran swiftly forward in the darkness until at last he was compelled to stop to recover his breath.
people of Ireland or of Irish extraction
From this reading For a moment he was tempted to turn and bid Dennis join him in his flight; but his uncertainty as to the exact direction in which to return to the old well, and his confidence that somehow the young Irish soldier would be able to make his way through the surrounding difficulties caused him to decide to continue his own flight.
become part of; become a member of a group or organization
From this reading For a moment he was tempted to turn and bid Dennis join him in his flight; but his uncertainty as to the exact direction in which to return to the old well, and his confidence that somehow the young Irish soldier would be able to make his way through the surrounding difficulties caused him to decide to continue his own flight.
immediately past
From this reading AT THE FORK Noel ran swiftly forward in the darkness until at last he was compelled to stop to recover his breath.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading As he looked behind him he saw that the fire on the plantation manifestly was dying down.
engage in
From this reading For a moment he was tempted to turn and bid Dennis join him in his flight; but his uncertainty as to the exact direction in which to return to the old well, and his confidence that somehow the young Irish soldier would be able to make his way through the surrounding difficulties caused him to decide to continue his own flight.
manifestlyadverbUS /ˈmænəfestli/
unmistakably (“plain” is often used informally for “plainly”)
From this reading As he looked behind him he saw that the fire on the plantation manifestly was dying down.
a particular point in time
From this reading For a moment he was tempted to turn and bid Dennis join him in his flight; but his uncertainty as to the exact direction in which to return to the old well, and his confidence that somehow the young Irish soldier would be able to make his way through the surrounding difficulties caused him to decide to continue his own flight.
NoelnounUS /noʊˈel/
period extending from Dec. 24 to Jan. 6
From this reading AT THE FORK Noel ran swiftly forward in the darkness until at last he was compelled to stop to recover his breath.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading There was one spot of dull red yet to be seen against the dark horizon, but the flames had ceased.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading For a moment he was tempted to turn and bid Dennis join him in his flight; but his uncertainty as to the exact direction in which to return to the old well, and his confidence that somehow the young Irish soldier would be able to make his way through the surrounding difficulties caused him to decide to continue his own flight.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading As he looked behind him he saw that the fire on the plantation manifestly was dying down.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading There was one spot of dull red yet to be seen against the dark horizon, but the flames had ceased.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading For a moment he was tempted to turn and bid Dennis join him in his flight; but his uncertainty as to the exact direction in which to return to the old well, and his confidence that somehow the young Irish soldier would be able to make his way through the surrounding difficulties caused him to decide to continue his own flight.
plantationnounUS /ˌplænˈteɪʃən/
an estate where cash crops are grown on a large scale (especially in tropical areas)
From this reading As he looked behind him he saw that the fire on the plantation manifestly was dying down.
inflected form of “run” — move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time
From this reading AT THE FORK Noel ran swiftly forward in the darkness until at last he was compelled to stop to recover his breath.
recoververbUS /rɪˈkʌvər/
get or find back; recover the use of
From this reading AT THE FORK Noel ran swiftly forward in the darkness until at last he was compelled to stop to recover his breath.
red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood
From this reading There was one spot of dull red yet to be seen against the dark horizon, but the flames had ceased.
go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading For a moment he was tempted to turn and bid Dennis join him in his flight; but his uncertainty as to the exact direction in which to return to the old well, and his confidence that somehow the young Irish soldier would be able to make his way through the surrounding difficulties caused him to decide to continue his own flight.
an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation
From this reading The young soldier soon found himself in a road with which he was, of course, unfamiliar.
cut with a saw
From this reading As he looked behind him he saw that the fire on the plantation manifestly was dying down.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading There was one spot of dull red yet to be seen against the dark horizon, but the flames had ceased.
an enlisted man or woman who serves in an army
From this reading For a moment he was tempted to turn and bid Dennis join him in his flight; but his uncertainty as to the exact direction in which to return to the old well, and his confidence that somehow the young Irish soldier would be able to make his way through the surrounding difficulties caused him to decide to continue his own flight.
in some unspecified way or manner; or by some unspecified means
From this reading For a moment he was tempted to turn and bid Dennis join him in his flight; but his uncertainty as to the exact direction in which to return to the old well, and his confidence that somehow the young Irish soldier would be able to make his way through the surrounding difficulties caused him to decide to continue his own flight.
in the near future
From this reading The young soldier soon found himself in a road with which he was, of course, unfamiliar.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading There was one spot of dull red yet to be seen against the dark horizon, but the flames had ceased.
come to a halt, stop moving
From this reading AT THE FORK Noel ran swiftly forward in the darkness until at last he was compelled to stop to recover his breath.
surroundingadjectiveUS /sərˈaʊndɪŋ/
closely encircling
From this reading For a moment he was tempted to turn and bid Dennis join him in his flight; but his uncertainty as to the exact direction in which to return to the old well, and his confidence that somehow the young Irish soldier would be able to make his way through the surrounding difficulties caused him to decide to continue his own flight.
in a swift manner
From this reading AT THE FORK Noel ran swiftly forward in the darkness until at last he was compelled to stop to recover his breath.
temptedverbUS /ˈtemptɪd/
past form of “tempt” — dispose or incline or entice to
From this reading For a moment he was tempted to turn and bid Dennis join him in his flight; but his uncertainty as to the exact direction in which to return to the old well, and his confidence that somehow the young Irish soldier would be able to make his way through the surrounding difficulties caused him to decide to continue his own flight.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading As he looked behind him he saw that the fire on the plantation manifestly was dying down.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading AT THE FORK Noel ran swiftly forward in the darkness until at last he was compelled to stop to recover his breath.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was one spot of dull red yet to be seen against the dark horizon, but the flames had ceased.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading For a moment he was tempted to turn and bid Dennis join him in his flight; but his uncertainty as to the exact direction in which to return to the old well, and his confidence that somehow the young Irish soldier would be able to make his way through the surrounding difficulties caused him to decide to continue his own flight.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading AT THE FORK Noel ran swiftly forward in the darkness until at last he was compelled to stop to recover his breath.
change orientation or direction, also in the abstract sense
From this reading For a moment he was tempted to turn and bid Dennis join him in his flight; but his uncertainty as to the exact direction in which to return to the old well, and his confidence that somehow the young Irish soldier would be able to make his way through the surrounding difficulties caused him to decide to continue his own flight.
uncertaintynounUS /ənˈsɜːrtənti/
being unsettled or in doubt or dependent on chance
From this reading For a moment he was tempted to turn and bid Dennis join him in his flight; but his uncertainty as to the exact direction in which to return to the old well, and his confidence that somehow the young Irish soldier would be able to make his way through the surrounding difficulties caused him to decide to continue his own flight.
unfamiliaradjectiveUS /ˌʌnfəˈmɪljər/
not known or well known
From this reading The young soldier soon found himself in a road with which he was, of course, unfamiliar.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading AT THE FORK Noel ran swiftly forward in the darkness until at last he was compelled to stop to recover his breath.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading AT THE FORK Noel ran swiftly forward in the darkness until at last he was compelled to stop to recover his breath.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading For a moment he was tempted to turn and bid Dennis join him in his flight; but his uncertainty as to the exact direction in which to return to the old well, and his confidence that somehow the young Irish soldier would be able to make his way through the surrounding difficulties caused him to decide to continue his own flight.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading For a moment he was tempted to turn and bid Dennis join him in his flight; but his uncertainty as to the exact direction in which to return to the old well, and his confidence that somehow the young Irish soldier would be able to make his way through the surrounding difficulties caused him to decide to continue his own flight.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading For a moment he was tempted to turn and bid Dennis join him in his flight; but his uncertainty as to the exact direction in which to return to the old well, and his confidence that somehow the young Irish soldier would be able to make his way through the surrounding difficulties caused him to decide to continue his own flight.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The young soldier soon found himself in a road with which he was, of course, unfamiliar.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading For a moment he was tempted to turn and bid Dennis join him in his flight; but his uncertainty as to the exact direction in which to return to the old well, and his confidence that somehow the young Irish soldier would be able to make his way through the surrounding difficulties caused him to decide to continue his own flight.
but in spite of that
From this reading There was one spot of dull red yet to be seen against the dark horizon, but the flames had ceased.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading For a moment he was tempted to turn and bid Dennis join him in his flight; but his uncertainty as to the exact direction in which to return to the old well, and his confidence that somehow the young Irish soldier would be able to make his way through the surrounding difficulties caused him to decide to continue his own flight.
