used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The future’s gain Is certain as God’s truth; but, meanwhile, pain Is bitter, and tears are salt: our voices take A sober tone; our very household songs Are heavy with a nation’s griefs and wrongs; And innocent mirth is chastened for the sake Of the brave hearts that never more shall beat, The eyes that smile no more, the unreturning feet.
prior to a specified or implied time
From this reading You will remember I told you that long before this great war Belgium had already been called for hundreds of years “the Cockpit of Europe.”
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading This vivid phrase comes down to us from the time when cock-fighting was a favourite sport among Englishmen.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The future’s gain Is certain as God’s truth; but, meanwhile, pain Is bitter, and tears are salt: our voices take A sober tone; our very household songs Are heavy with a nation’s griefs and wrongs; And innocent mirth is chastened for the sake Of the brave hearts that never more shall beat, The eyes that smile no more, the unreturning feet.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The future’s gain Is certain as God’s truth; but, meanwhile, pain Is bitter, and tears are salt: our voices take A sober tone; our very household songs Are heavy with a nation’s griefs and wrongs; And innocent mirth is chastened for the sake Of the brave hearts that never more shall beat, The eyes that smile no more, the unreturning feet.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The future’s gain Is certain as God’s truth; but, meanwhile, pain Is bitter, and tears are salt: our voices take A sober tone; our very household songs Are heavy with a nation’s griefs and wrongs; And innocent mirth is chastened for the sake Of the brave hearts that never more shall beat, The eyes that smile no more, the unreturning feet.
battledverbUS /ˈbætəld/
past form of “battle” — battle or contend against in or as if in a battle
From this reading Belgium was indeed the pit in which the gamecocks of many nations—the Flemings, the Dutch, the Spanish, the English, and the French—battled furiously.
come out better in a competition, race, or conflict
From this reading The future’s gain Is certain as God’s truth; but, meanwhile, pain Is bitter, and tears are salt: our voices take A sober tone; our very household songs Are heavy with a nation’s griefs and wrongs; And innocent mirth is chastened for the sake Of the brave hearts that never more shall beat, The eyes that smile no more, the unreturning feet.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading You will remember I told you that long before this great war Belgium had already been called for hundreds of years “the Cockpit of Europe.”
earlier than; in front of
From this reading You will remember I told you that long before this great war Belgium had already been called for hundreds of years “the Cockpit of Europe.”
BelgiumnounUS /ˈbeldʒəm/
a monarchy in northwestern Europe; headquarters for the European Union and for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization
From this reading You will remember I told you that long before this great war Belgium had already been called for hundreds of years “the Cockpit of Europe.”
marked by strong resentment or cynicism
From this reading The future’s gain Is certain as God’s truth; but, meanwhile, pain Is bitter, and tears are salt: our voices take A sober tone; our very household songs Are heavy with a nation’s griefs and wrongs; And innocent mirth is chastened for the sake Of the brave hearts that never more shall beat, The eyes that smile no more, the unreturning feet.
possessing or displaying courage; able to face and deal with danger or fear without flinching
From this reading The future’s gain Is certain as God’s truth; but, meanwhile, pain Is bitter, and tears are salt: our voices take A sober tone; our very household songs Are heavy with a nation’s griefs and wrongs; And innocent mirth is chastened for the sake Of the brave hearts that never more shall beat, The eyes that smile no more, the unreturning feet.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The future’s gain Is certain as God’s truth; but, meanwhile, pain Is bitter, and tears are salt: our voices take A sober tone; our very household songs Are heavy with a nation’s griefs and wrongs; And innocent mirth is chastened for the sake Of the brave hearts that never more shall beat, The eyes that smile no more, the unreturning feet.
past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading You will remember I told you that long before this great war Belgium had already been called for hundreds of years “the Cockpit of Europe.”
definite but not specified or identified
From this reading The future’s gain Is certain as God’s truth; but, meanwhile, pain Is bitter, and tears are salt: our voices take A sober tone; our very household songs Are heavy with a nation’s griefs and wrongs; And innocent mirth is chastened for the sake Of the brave hearts that never more shall beat, The eyes that smile no more, the unreturning feet.
chastenedverbUS /ˈtʃeɪsənd/
past form of “chasten” — censure severely
From this reading The future’s gain Is certain as God’s truth; but, meanwhile, pain Is bitter, and tears are salt: our voices take A sober tone; our very household songs Are heavy with a nation’s griefs and wrongs; And innocent mirth is chastened for the sake Of the brave hearts that never more shall beat, The eyes that smile no more, the unreturning feet.
cock-fighting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This vivid phrase comes down to us from the time when cock-fighting was a favourite sport among Englishmen.
CockpitnounUS /ˈkɑːkpɪt/
compartment where the pilot sits while flying the aircraft
From this reading You will remember I told you that long before this great war Belgium had already been called for hundreds of years “the Cockpit of Europe.”
plural of “come” — the thick white fluid containing spermatozoa that is ejaculated by the male genital tract
From this reading This vivid phrase comes down to us from the time when cock-fighting was a favourite sport among Englishmen.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading This vivid phrase comes down to us from the time when cock-fighting was a favourite sport among Englishmen.
DutchadjectiveUS /dʌtʃ/
of or relating to the Netherlands or its people or culture
From this reading Belgium was indeed the pit in which the gamecocks of many nations—the Flemings, the Dutch, the Spanish, the English, and the French—battled furiously.
an Indo-European language belonging to the West Germanic branch; the official language of Britain and the United States and most of the commonwealth countries
From this reading Belgium was indeed the pit in which the gamecocks of many nations—the Flemings, the Dutch, the Spanish, the English, and the French—battled furiously.
EnglishmennounUS /ˌeŋˈlɪʃmən/
plural of “englishman” — a man who is a native or inhabitant of England
From this reading This vivid phrase comes down to us from the time when cock-fighting was a favourite sport among Englishmen.
the 2nd smallest continent (actually a vast peninsula of Eurasia); the British use “Europe” to refer to all of the continent except the British Isles
From this reading You will remember I told you that long before this great war Belgium had already been called for hundreds of years “the Cockpit of Europe.”
opinion or judgment
From this reading The future’s gain Is certain as God’s truth; but, meanwhile, pain Is bitter, and tears are salt: our voices take A sober tone; our very household songs Are heavy with a nation’s griefs and wrongs; And innocent mirth is chastened for the sake Of the brave hearts that never more shall beat, The eyes that smile no more, the unreturning feet.
a competitor thought likely to win
From this reading This vivid phrase comes down to us from the time when cock-fighting was a favourite sport among Englishmen.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading The future’s gain Is certain as God’s truth; but, meanwhile, pain Is bitter, and tears are salt: our voices take A sober tone; our very household songs Are heavy with a nation’s griefs and wrongs; And innocent mirth is chastened for the sake Of the brave hearts that never more shall beat, The eyes that smile no more, the unreturning feet.
FlemingsnounUS /ˈflemɪŋz/
plural of “fleming” — British writer famous for writing spy novels about secret agent James Bond (1908-1964)
From this reading Belgium was indeed the pit in which the gamecocks of many nations—the Flemings, the Dutch, the Spanish, the English, and the French—battled furiously.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The future’s gain Is certain as God’s truth; but, meanwhile, pain Is bitter, and tears are salt: our voices take A sober tone; our very household songs Are heavy with a nation’s griefs and wrongs; And innocent mirth is chastened for the sake Of the brave hearts that never more shall beat, The eyes that smile no more, the unreturning feet.
the Romance language spoken in France and in countries colonized by France
From this reading Belgium was indeed the pit in which the gamecocks of many nations—the Flemings, the Dutch, the Spanish, the English, and the French—battled furiously.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading This vivid phrase comes down to us from the time when cock-fighting was a favourite sport among Englishmen.
furiouslyadverbUS /ˈfjʊriəsli/
(of the elements) in a wild and stormy manner
From this reading Belgium was indeed the pit in which the gamecocks of many nations—the Flemings, the Dutch, the Spanish, the English, and the French—battled furiously.
future'snounUS /ˈfjuːtʃərz/
possessive form of “future” — the time yet to come
From this reading The future’s gain Is certain as God’s truth; but, meanwhile, pain Is bitter, and tears are salt: our voices take A sober tone; our very household songs Are heavy with a nation’s griefs and wrongs; And innocent mirth is chastened for the sake Of the brave hearts that never more shall beat, The eyes that smile no more, the unreturning feet.
obtain
From this reading The future’s gain Is certain as God’s truth; but, meanwhile, pain Is bitter, and tears are salt: our voices take A sober tone; our very household songs Are heavy with a nation’s griefs and wrongs; And innocent mirth is chastened for the sake Of the brave hearts that never more shall beat, The eyes that smile no more, the unreturning feet.
gamecocksnounUS /ˈɡeɪmkɔːks/
plural of “gamecock” — a cock bred and trained for fighting
From this reading Belgium was indeed the pit in which the gamecocks of many nations—the Flemings, the Dutch, the Spanish, the English, and the French—battled furiously.
God'snounUS /ɡɑːdz/
possessive form of “god” — the supernatural being conceived as the perfect and omnipotent and omniscient originator and ruler of the universe; the object of worship in monotheistic religions
From this reading The future’s gain Is certain as God’s truth; but, meanwhile, pain Is bitter, and tears are salt: our voices take A sober tone; our very household songs Are heavy with a nation’s griefs and wrongs; And innocent mirth is chastened for the sake Of the brave hearts that never more shall beat, The eyes that smile no more, the unreturning feet.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading You will remember I told you that long before this great war Belgium had already been called for hundreds of years “the Cockpit of Europe.”
griefs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The future’s gain Is certain as God’s truth; but, meanwhile, pain Is bitter, and tears are salt: our voices take A sober tone; our very household songs Are heavy with a nation’s griefs and wrongs; And innocent mirth is chastened for the sake Of the brave hearts that never more shall beat, The eyes that smile no more, the unreturning feet.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading You will remember I told you that long before this great war Belgium had already been called for hundreds of years “the Cockpit of Europe.”
a form of whist in which players avoid winning tricks containing hearts or the queen of spades
From this reading The future’s gain Is certain as God’s truth; but, meanwhile, pain Is bitter, and tears are salt: our voices take A sober tone; our very household songs Are heavy with a nation’s griefs and wrongs; And innocent mirth is chastened for the sake Of the brave hearts that never more shall beat, The eyes that smile no more, the unreturning feet.
of comparatively great physical weight or density
From this reading The future’s gain Is certain as God’s truth; but, meanwhile, pain Is bitter, and tears are salt: our voices take A sober tone; our very household songs Are heavy with a nation’s griefs and wrongs; And innocent mirth is chastened for the sake Of the brave hearts that never more shall beat, The eyes that smile no more, the unreturning feet.
a social unit living together
From this reading The future’s gain Is certain as God’s truth; but, meanwhile, pain Is bitter, and tears are salt: our voices take A sober tone; our very household songs Are heavy with a nation’s griefs and wrongs; And innocent mirth is chastened for the sake Of the brave hearts that never more shall beat, The eyes that smile no more, the unreturning feet.
plural of “hundred” — ten 10s
From this reading You will remember I told you that long before this great war Belgium had already been called for hundreds of years “the Cockpit of Europe.”
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading You will remember I told you that long before this great war Belgium had already been called for hundreds of years “the Cockpit of Europe.”
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Belgium was indeed the pit in which the gamecocks of many nations—the Flemings, the Dutch, the Spanish, the English, and the French—battled furiously.
in truth (often tends to intensify)
From this reading Belgium was indeed the pit in which the gamecocks of many nations—the Flemings, the Dutch, the Spanish, the English, and the French—battled furiously.
free from evil or guilt
From this reading The future’s gain Is certain as God’s truth; but, meanwhile, pain Is bitter, and tears are salt: our voices take A sober tone; our very household songs Are heavy with a nation’s griefs and wrongs; And innocent mirth is chastened for the sake Of the brave hearts that never more shall beat, The eyes that smile no more, the unreturning feet.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The future’s gain Is certain as God’s truth; but, meanwhile, pain Is bitter, and tears are salt: our voices take A sober tone; our very household songs Are heavy with a nation’s griefs and wrongs; And innocent mirth is chastened for the sake Of the brave hearts that never more shall beat, The eyes that smile no more, the unreturning feet.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading You will remember I told you that long before this great war Belgium had already been called for hundreds of years “the Cockpit of Europe.”
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading Belgium was indeed the pit in which the gamecocks of many nations—the Flemings, the Dutch, the Spanish, the English, and the French—battled furiously.
at the same time but in another place
From this reading The future’s gain Is certain as God’s truth; but, meanwhile, pain Is bitter, and tears are salt: our voices take A sober tone; our very household songs Are heavy with a nation’s griefs and wrongs; And innocent mirth is chastened for the sake Of the brave hearts that never more shall beat, The eyes that smile no more, the unreturning feet.
mirthnounUS /mɜːrθ/
great merriment
From this reading The future’s gain Is certain as God’s truth; but, meanwhile, pain Is bitter, and tears are salt: our voices take A sober tone; our very household songs Are heavy with a nation’s griefs and wrongs; And innocent mirth is chastened for the sake Of the brave hearts that never more shall beat, The eyes that smile no more, the unreturning feet.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading The future’s gain Is certain as God’s truth; but, meanwhile, pain Is bitter, and tears are salt: our voices take A sober tone; our very household songs Are heavy with a nation’s griefs and wrongs; And innocent mirth is chastened for the sake Of the brave hearts that never more shall beat, The eyes that smile no more, the unreturning feet.
nation'snounUS /ˈneɪʃənz/
possessive form of “nation” — a politically organized body of people under a single government
From this reading The future’s gain Is certain as God’s truth; but, meanwhile, pain Is bitter, and tears are salt: our voices take A sober tone; our very household songs Are heavy with a nation’s griefs and wrongs; And innocent mirth is chastened for the sake Of the brave hearts that never more shall beat, The eyes that smile no more, the unreturning feet.
nationsnounUS /ˈneɪʃənz/
plural of “nation” — a politically organized body of people under a single government
From this reading Belgium was indeed the pit in which the gamecocks of many nations—the Flemings, the Dutch, the Spanish, the English, and the French—battled furiously.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading The future’s gain Is certain as God’s truth; but, meanwhile, pain Is bitter, and tears are salt: our voices take A sober tone; our very household songs Are heavy with a nation’s griefs and wrongs; And innocent mirth is chastened for the sake Of the brave hearts that never more shall beat, The eyes that smile no more, the unreturning feet.
not any; not one
From this reading The future’s gain Is certain as God’s truth; but, meanwhile, pain Is bitter, and tears are salt: our voices take A sober tone; our very household songs Are heavy with a nation’s griefs and wrongs; And innocent mirth is chastened for the sake Of the brave hearts that never more shall beat, The eyes that smile no more, the unreturning feet.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The future’s gain Is certain as God’s truth; but, meanwhile, pain Is bitter, and tears are salt: our voices take A sober tone; our very household songs Are heavy with a nation’s griefs and wrongs; And innocent mirth is chastened for the sake Of the brave hearts that never more shall beat, The eyes that smile no more, the unreturning feet.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading The future’s gain Is certain as God’s truth; but, meanwhile, pain Is bitter, and tears are salt: our voices take A sober tone; our very household songs Are heavy with a nation’s griefs and wrongs; And innocent mirth is chastened for the sake Of the brave hearts that never more shall beat, The eyes that smile no more, the unreturning feet.
a symptom of some physical hurt or disorder
From this reading The future’s gain Is certain as God’s truth; but, meanwhile, pain Is bitter, and tears are salt: our voices take A sober tone; our very household songs Are heavy with a nation’s griefs and wrongs; And innocent mirth is chastened for the sake Of the brave hearts that never more shall beat, The eyes that smile no more, the unreturning feet.
phrasenounUS /freɪz/
an expression consisting of one or more words forming a grammatical constituent of a sentence
From this reading This vivid phrase comes down to us from the time when cock-fighting was a favourite sport among Englishmen.
pitnounUS /pɪt/
A large hole in the ground, or an abyss of darkness and peril.
From this reading Belgium was indeed the pit in which the gamecocks of many nations—the Flemings, the Dutch, the Spanish, the English, and the French—battled furiously.
To recall to mind.
From this reading You will remember I told you that long before this great war Belgium had already been called for hundreds of years “the Cockpit of Europe.”
a reason for wanting something done
From this reading The future’s gain Is certain as God’s truth; but, meanwhile, pain Is bitter, and tears are salt: our voices take A sober tone; our very household songs Are heavy with a nation’s griefs and wrongs; And innocent mirth is chastened for the sake Of the brave hearts that never more shall beat, The eyes that smile no more, the unreturning feet.
a compound formed by replacing hydrogen in an acid by a metal (or a radical that acts like a metal)
From this reading The future’s gain Is certain as God’s truth; but, meanwhile, pain Is bitter, and tears are salt: our voices take A sober tone; our very household songs Are heavy with a nation’s griefs and wrongs; And innocent mirth is chastened for the sake Of the brave hearts that never more shall beat, The eyes that smile no more, the unreturning feet.
used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest
From this reading The future’s gain Is certain as God’s truth; but, meanwhile, pain Is bitter, and tears are salt: our voices take A sober tone; our very household songs Are heavy with a nation’s griefs and wrongs; And innocent mirth is chastened for the sake Of the brave hearts that never more shall beat, The eyes that smile no more, the unreturning feet.
change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure
From this reading The future’s gain Is certain as God’s truth; but, meanwhile, pain Is bitter, and tears are salt: our voices take A sober tone; our very household songs Are heavy with a nation’s griefs and wrongs; And innocent mirth is chastened for the sake Of the brave hearts that never more shall beat, The eyes that smile no more, the unreturning feet.
soberadjectiveUS /ˈsoʊbər/
not affected by a chemical substance (especially alcohol)
From this reading The future’s gain Is certain as God’s truth; but, meanwhile, pain Is bitter, and tears are salt: our voices take A sober tone; our very household songs Are heavy with a nation’s griefs and wrongs; And innocent mirth is chastened for the sake Of the brave hearts that never more shall beat, The eyes that smile no more, the unreturning feet.
plural of “song” — a short musical composition with words
From this reading The future’s gain Is certain as God’s truth; but, meanwhile, pain Is bitter, and tears are salt: our voices take A sober tone; our very household songs Are heavy with a nation’s griefs and wrongs; And innocent mirth is chastened for the sake Of the brave hearts that never more shall beat, The eyes that smile no more, the unreturning feet.
the Romance language spoken in most of Spain and the countries colonized by Spain
From this reading Belgium was indeed the pit in which the gamecocks of many nations—the Flemings, the Dutch, the Spanish, the English, and the French—battled furiously.
an active diversion requiring physical exertion and competition
From this reading This vivid phrase comes down to us from the time when cock-fighting was a favourite sport among Englishmen.
carry out
From this reading The future’s gain Is certain as God’s truth; but, meanwhile, pain Is bitter, and tears are salt: our voices take A sober tone; our very household songs Are heavy with a nation’s griefs and wrongs; And innocent mirth is chastened for the sake Of the brave hearts that never more shall beat, The eyes that smile no more, the unreturning feet.
the process of shedding tears (usually accompanied by sobs or other inarticulate sounds)
From this reading The future’s gain Is certain as God’s truth; but, meanwhile, pain Is bitter, and tears are salt: our voices take A sober tone; our very household songs Are heavy with a nation’s griefs and wrongs; And innocent mirth is chastened for the sake Of the brave hearts that never more shall beat, The eyes that smile no more, the unreturning feet.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The future’s gain Is certain as God’s truth; but, meanwhile, pain Is bitter, and tears are salt: our voices take A sober tone; our very household songs Are heavy with a nation’s griefs and wrongs; And innocent mirth is chastened for the sake Of the brave hearts that never more shall beat, The eyes that smile no more, the unreturning feet.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The future’s gain Is certain as God’s truth; but, meanwhile, pain Is bitter, and tears are salt: our voices take A sober tone; our very household songs Are heavy with a nation’s griefs and wrongs; And innocent mirth is chastened for the sake Of the brave hearts that never more shall beat, The eyes that smile no more, the unreturning feet.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading You will remember I told you that long before this great war Belgium had already been called for hundreds of years “the Cockpit of Europe.”
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading This vivid phrase comes down to us from the time when cock-fighting was a favourite sport among Englishmen.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading This vivid phrase comes down to us from the time when cock-fighting was a favourite sport among Englishmen.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading You will remember I told you that long before this great war Belgium had already been called for hundreds of years “the Cockpit of Europe.”
the quality of a person's voice
From this reading The future’s gain Is certain as God’s truth; but, meanwhile, pain Is bitter, and tears are salt: our voices take A sober tone; our very household songs Are heavy with a nation’s griefs and wrongs; And innocent mirth is chastened for the sake Of the brave hearts that never more shall beat, The eyes that smile no more, the unreturning feet.
a fact that has been verified
From this reading The future’s gain Is certain as God’s truth; but, meanwhile, pain Is bitter, and tears are salt: our voices take A sober tone; our very household songs Are heavy with a nation’s griefs and wrongs; And innocent mirth is chastened for the sake Of the brave hearts that never more shall beat, The eyes that smile no more, the unreturning feet.
unreturning
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The future’s gain Is certain as God’s truth; but, meanwhile, pain Is bitter, and tears are salt: our voices take A sober tone; our very household songs Are heavy with a nation’s griefs and wrongs; And innocent mirth is chastened for the sake Of the brave hearts that never more shall beat, The eyes that smile no more, the unreturning feet.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading This vivid phrase comes down to us from the time when cock-fighting was a favourite sport among Englishmen.
precisely as stated
From this reading The future’s gain Is certain as God’s truth; but, meanwhile, pain Is bitter, and tears are salt: our voices take A sober tone; our very household songs Are heavy with a nation’s griefs and wrongs; And innocent mirth is chastened for the sake Of the brave hearts that never more shall beat, The eyes that smile no more, the unreturning feet.
vividadjectiveUS /ˈvɪvəd/
evoking lifelike images within the mind
From this reading This vivid phrase comes down to us from the time when cock-fighting was a favourite sport among Englishmen.
plural of “voice” — the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading The future’s gain Is certain as God’s truth; but, meanwhile, pain Is bitter, and tears are salt: our voices take A sober tone; our very household songs Are heavy with a nation’s griefs and wrongs; And innocent mirth is chastened for the sake Of the brave hearts that never more shall beat, The eyes that smile no more, the unreturning feet.
the waging of armed conflict against an enemy
From this reading You will remember I told you that long before this great war Belgium had already been called for hundreds of years “the Cockpit of Europe.”
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading This vivid phrase comes down to us from the time when cock-fighting was a favourite sport among Englishmen.
at the time that
From this reading This vivid phrase comes down to us from the time when cock-fighting was a favourite sport among Englishmen.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Belgium was indeed the pit in which the gamecocks of many nations—the Flemings, the Dutch, the Spanish, the English, and the French—battled furiously.
WHITTIERnounUS /ˈwɪtiər/
United States poet best known for his nostalgic poems about New England (1807-1892)
From this reading WHITTIER.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading You will remember I told you that long before this great war Belgium had already been called for hundreds of years “the Cockpit of Europe.”
in the company of; together with
From this reading The future’s gain Is certain as God’s truth; but, meanwhile, pain Is bitter, and tears are salt: our voices take A sober tone; our very household songs Are heavy with a nation’s griefs and wrongs; And innocent mirth is chastened for the sake Of the brave hearts that never more shall beat, The eyes that smile no more, the unreturning feet.
wrongsnounUS /rɔːŋz/
plural of “wrong” — that which is contrary to the principles of justice or law
From this reading The future’s gain Is certain as God’s truth; but, meanwhile, pain Is bitter, and tears are salt: our voices take A sober tone; our very household songs Are heavy with a nation’s griefs and wrongs; And innocent mirth is chastened for the sake Of the brave hearts that never more shall beat, The eyes that smile no more, the unreturning feet.
a late time of life
From this reading You will remember I told you that long before this great war Belgium had already been called for hundreds of years “the Cockpit of Europe.”
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading You will remember I told you that long before this great war Belgium had already been called for hundreds of years “the Cockpit of Europe.”
