used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading HOLDING UP A CAMP GUARD HALF an hour before daylight was due everyone in the camp was stirring.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading HOLDING UP A CAMP GUARD HALF an hour before daylight was due everyone in the camp was stirring.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Other soldiers busied themselves with hauling wood and water.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Then, too, the four horses belonging to the transport wagons had to be curried, watered and fed.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading HOLDING UP A CAMP GUARD HALF an hour before daylight was due everyone in the camp was stirring.
belongingnounUS /bɪˈlɔːŋɪŋ/
happiness felt in a secure relationship
From this reading Then, too, the four horses belonging to the transport wagons had to be curried, watered and fed.
eat an early morning meal
From this reading By the time these first duties were out of the way broad daylight had come and breakfast was ready.
having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading By the time these first duties were out of the way broad daylight had come and breakfast was ready.
busiedverbUS /ˈbɪzid/
inflected form of “busy” — keep busy with
From this reading Other soldiers busied themselves with hauling wood and water.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading By the time these first duties were out of the way broad daylight had come and breakfast was ready.
temporary living quarters specially built by the army for soldiers
From this reading HOLDING UP A CAMP GUARD HALF an hour before daylight was due everyone in the camp was stirring.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading By the time these first duties were out of the way broad daylight had come and breakfast was ready.
cooksnounUS /kʊks/
plural of “cook” — someone who cooks food
From this reading The two new cooks for the day had their work cut out for them.
curriedverbUS /ˈkɜːrid/
inflected form of “curry” — season with a mixture of spices; typical of Indian cooking
From this reading Then, too, the four horses belonging to the transport wagons had to be curried, watered and fed.
separate with or as if with an instrument
From this reading The two new cooks for the day had their work cut out for them.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading The two new cooks for the day had their work cut out for them.
the time after sunrise and before sunset while it is light outside
From this reading HOLDING UP A CAMP GUARD HALF an hour before daylight was due everyone in the camp was stirring.
owed and payable immediately or on demand
From this reading HOLDING UP A CAMP GUARD HALF an hour before daylight was due everyone in the camp was stirring.
plural of “duty” — the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force
From this reading By the time these first duties were out of the way broad daylight had come and breakfast was ready.
every person
From this reading HOLDING UP A CAMP GUARD HALF an hour before daylight was due everyone in the camp was stirring.
fednounUS /fed/
any federal law-enforcement officer
From this reading Then, too, the four horses belonging to the transport wagons had to be curried, watered and fed.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading By the time these first duties were out of the way broad daylight had come and breakfast was ready.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The two new cooks for the day had their work cut out for them.
the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one
From this reading Then, too, the four horses belonging to the transport wagons had to be curried, watered and fed.
a person who keeps watch over something or someone
From this reading HOLDING UP A CAMP GUARD HALF an hour before daylight was due everyone in the camp was stirring.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The two new cooks for the day had their work cut out for them.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading HOLDING UP A CAMP GUARD HALF an hour before daylight was due everyone in the camp was stirring.
haulingnounUS /ˈhɔːlɪŋ/
the activity of transporting goods by truck
From this reading Other soldiers busied themselves with hauling wood and water.
the act of retaining something
From this reading HOLDING UP A CAMP GUARD HALF an hour before daylight was due everyone in the camp was stirring.
plural of “horse” — solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times
From this reading Then, too, the four horses belonging to the transport wagons had to be curried, watered and fed.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading HOLDING UP A CAMP GUARD HALF an hour before daylight was due everyone in the camp was stirring.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading HOLDING UP A CAMP GUARD HALF an hour before daylight was due everyone in the camp was stirring.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading The two new cooks for the day had their work cut out for them.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading By the time these first duties were out of the way broad daylight had come and breakfast was ready.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading Other soldiers busied themselves with hauling wood and water.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading The two new cooks for the day had their work cut out for them.
completely prepared or in condition for immediate action or use or progress
From this reading By the time these first duties were out of the way broad daylight had come and breakfast was ready.
plural of “soldier” — an enlisted man or woman who serves in an army
From this reading Other soldiers busied themselves with hauling wood and water.
stirringnounUS /ˈstɜːrɪŋ/
agitating a liquid with an implement
From this reading HOLDING UP A CAMP GUARD HALF an hour before daylight was due everyone in the camp was stirring.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading HOLDING UP A CAMP GUARD HALF an hour before daylight was due everyone in the camp was stirring.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The two new cooks for the day had their work cut out for them.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading The two new cooks for the day had their work cut out for them.
used when the people doing the action are also its object
From this reading Other soldiers busied themselves with hauling wood and water.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then, too, the four horses belonging to the transport wagons had to be curried, watered and fed.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading By the time these first duties were out of the way broad daylight had come and breakfast was ready.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading By the time these first duties were out of the way broad daylight had come and breakfast was ready.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Then, too, the four horses belonging to the transport wagons had to be curried, watered and fed.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading Then, too, the four horses belonging to the transport wagons had to be curried, watered and fed.
transportnounUS /trænˈspɔːrt/
something that serves as a means of transportation
From this reading Then, too, the four horses belonging to the transport wagons had to be curried, watered and fed.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading The two new cooks for the day had their work cut out for them.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading HOLDING UP A CAMP GUARD HALF an hour before daylight was due everyone in the camp was stirring.
wagonsnounUS /ˈwæɡənz/
plural of “wagon” — any of various kinds of wheeled vehicles drawn by an animal or a tractor
From this reading Then, too, the four horses belonging to the transport wagons had to be curried, watered and fed.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading HOLDING UP A CAMP GUARD HALF an hour before daylight was due everyone in the camp was stirring.
binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent
From this reading Other soldiers busied themselves with hauling wood and water.
wateredadjectiveUS /ˈwɔːtərd/
(of silk fabric) having a wavelike pattern
From this reading Then, too, the four horses belonging to the transport wagons had to be curried, watered and fed.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading By the time these first duties were out of the way broad daylight had come and breakfast was ready.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading By the time these first duties were out of the way broad daylight had come and breakfast was ready.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Other soldiers busied themselves with hauling wood and water.
the hard fibrous lignified substance under the bark of trees
From this reading Other soldiers busied themselves with hauling wood and water.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading The two new cooks for the day had their work cut out for them.
