used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It was with a feeling of triumph, indeed, that the negroes, after gaining their own fastness, looked back at the sky, lighted by the distant conflagration.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading It was with a feeling of triumph, indeed, that the negroes, after gaining their own fastness, looked back at the sky, lighted by the distant conflagration.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading They felt themselves to be really free; and knew that they, in their turn, had struck terror into the hearts of the Spaniards.
plural of “article” — nonfictional prose forming an independent part of a publication
From this reading Sheep, fowls, and other articles of provision, which had been brought back, were killed and prepared.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading They had now, for the first time, inflicted such a lesson upon their oppressors as would make a deep mark.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading It was with a feeling of triumph, indeed, that the negroes, after gaining their own fastness, looked back at the sky, lighted by the distant conflagration.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading It was with a feeling of triumph, indeed, that the negroes, after gaining their own fastness, looked back at the sky, lighted by the distant conflagration.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading They felt themselves to be really free; and knew that they, in their turn, had struck terror into the hearts of the Spaniards.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Sheep, fowls, and other articles of provision, which had been brought back, were killed and prepared.
inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading Sheep, fowls, and other articles of provision, which had been brought back, were killed and prepared.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading It was with a feeling of triumph, indeed, that the negroes, after gaining their own fastness, looked back at the sky, lighted by the distant conflagration.
conflagrationnounUS /ˌkɑːnfləˈɡreɪʃən/
a very intense and uncontrolled fire
From this reading It was with a feeling of triumph, indeed, that the negroes, after gaining their own fastness, looked back at the sky, lighted by the distant conflagration.
relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply
From this reading They had now, for the first time, inflicted such a lesson upon their oppressors as would make a deep mark.
(plural) the deepest and most remote part
From this reading Retiring to the depths of the forest, great fires were made.
separated in space or coming from or going to a distance
From this reading It was with a feeling of triumph, indeed, that the negroes, after gaining their own fastness, looked back at the sky, lighted by the distant conflagration.
fastnessnounUS /ˈfæstnəs/
a rate (usually rapid) at which something happens
From this reading It was with a feeling of triumph, indeed, that the negroes, after gaining their own fastness, looked back at the sky, lighted by the distant conflagration.
the experiencing of affective and emotional states
From this reading It was with a feeling of triumph, indeed, that the negroes, after gaining their own fastness, looked back at the sky, lighted by the distant conflagration.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading They felt themselves to be really free; and knew that they, in their turn, had struck terror into the hearts of the Spaniards.
firesnounUS /ˈfaɪərz/
plural of “fire” — the event of something burning (often destructive)
From this reading Retiring to the depths of the forest, great fires were made.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading They had now, for the first time, inflicted such a lesson upon their oppressors as would make a deep mark.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading They had now, for the first time, inflicted such a lesson upon their oppressors as would make a deep mark.
the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area
From this reading Retiring to the depths of the forest, great fires were made.
fowls
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sheep, fowls, and other articles of provision, which had been brought back, were killed and prepared.
grant freedom to; free from confinement
From this reading They felt themselves to be really free; and knew that they, in their turn, had struck terror into the hearts of the Spaniards.
gainingverbUS /ˈɡeɪnɪŋ/
-ing form of “gain” — obtain
From this reading It was with a feeling of triumph, indeed, that the negroes, after gaining their own fastness, looked back at the sky, lighted by the distant conflagration.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading Retiring to the depths of the forest, great fires were made.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading They had now, for the first time, inflicted such a lesson upon their oppressors as would make a deep mark.
a form of whist in which players avoid winning tricks containing hearts or the queen of spades
From this reading They felt themselves to be really free; and knew that they, in their turn, had struck terror into the hearts of the Spaniards.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading They felt themselves to be really free; and knew that they, in their turn, had struck terror into the hearts of the Spaniards.
in truth (often tends to intensify)
From this reading It was with a feeling of triumph, indeed, that the negroes, after gaining their own fastness, looked back at the sky, lighted by the distant conflagration.
inflictedverbUS /ˌɪnˈflɪktɪd/
past form of “inflict” — impose something unpleasant
From this reading They had now, for the first time, inflicted such a lesson upon their oppressors as would make a deep mark.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading They felt themselves to be really free; and knew that they, in their turn, had struck terror into the hearts of the Spaniards.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was with a feeling of triumph, indeed, that the negroes, after gaining their own fastness, looked back at the sky, lighted by the distant conflagration.
past form of “kill” — cause to die; put to death, usually intentionally or knowingly
From this reading Sheep, fowls, and other articles of provision, which had been brought back, were killed and prepared.
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 They felt themselves to be really free; and knew that they, in their turn, had struck terror into the hearts of the Spaniards.
a unit of instruction
From this reading They had now, for the first time, inflicted such a lesson upon their oppressors as would make a deep mark.
set afire or burning
From this reading It was with a feeling of triumph, indeed, that the negroes, after gaining their own fastness, looked back at the sky, lighted by the distant conflagration.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading It was with a feeling of triumph, indeed, that the negroes, after gaining their own fastness, looked back at the sky, lighted by the distant conflagration.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading Retiring to the depths of the forest, great fires were made.
engage in
From this reading They had now, for the first time, inflicted such a lesson upon their oppressors as would make a deep mark.
attach a tag or label to
From this reading They had now, for the first time, inflicted such a lesson upon their oppressors as would make a deep mark.
negroesnounUS /ˈniːɡroʊz/
plural of “negro” — a person with African ancestry, "Negro" and "Negroid" are archaic and pejorative today
From this reading It was with a feeling of triumph, indeed, that the negroes, after gaining their own fastness, looked back at the sky, lighted by the distant conflagration.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading They had now, for the first time, inflicted such a lesson upon their oppressors as would make a deep mark.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It was with a feeling of triumph, indeed, that the negroes, after gaining their own fastness, looked back at the sky, lighted by the distant conflagration.
oppressorsnounUS /əˈpresərz/
plural of “oppressor” — a person of authority who subjects others to undue pressures
From this reading They had now, for the first time, inflicted such a lesson upon their oppressors as would make a deep mark.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading Sheep, fowls, and other articles of provision, which had been brought back, were killed and prepared.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading It was with a feeling of triumph, indeed, that the negroes, after gaining their own fastness, looked back at the sky, lighted by the distant conflagration.
made ready or fit or suitable beforehand
From this reading Sheep, fowls, and other articles of provision, which had been brought back, were killed and prepared.
provisionnounUS /prəˈvɪʒən/
a stipulated condition
From this reading Sheep, fowls, and other articles of provision, which had been brought back, were killed and prepared.
in accordance with truth or fact or reality
From this reading They felt themselves to be really free; and knew that they, in their turn, had struck terror into the hearts of the Spaniards.
RetiringadjectiveUS /rɪˈtaɪrɪŋ/
not arrogant or presuming
From this reading Retiring to the depths of the forest, great fires were made.
woolly usually horned ruminant mammal related to the goat
From this reading Sheep, fowls, and other articles of provision, which had been brought back, were killed and prepared.
the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading It was with a feeling of triumph, indeed, that the negroes, after gaining their own fastness, looked back at the sky, lighted by the distant conflagration.
SpaniardsnounUS /ˈspænjərdz/
plural of “spaniard” — a native or inhabitant of Spain
From this reading They felt themselves to be really free; and knew that they, in their turn, had struck terror into the hearts of the Spaniards.
(used in combination) affected by something overwhelming
From this reading They felt themselves to be really free; and knew that they, in their turn, had struck terror into the hearts of the Spaniards.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading They had now, for the first time, inflicted such a lesson upon their oppressors as would make a deep mark.
an overwhelming feeling of fear and anxiety
From this reading They felt themselves to be really free; and knew that they, in their turn, had struck terror into the hearts of the Spaniards.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was with a feeling of triumph, indeed, that the negroes, after gaining their own fastness, looked back at the sky, lighted by the distant conflagration.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It was with a feeling of triumph, indeed, that the negroes, after gaining their own fastness, looked back at the sky, lighted by the distant conflagration.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading It was with a feeling of triumph, indeed, that the negroes, after gaining their own fastness, looked back at the sky, lighted by the distant conflagration.
used when the people doing the action are also its object
From this reading They felt themselves to be really free; and knew that they, in their turn, had struck terror into the hearts of the Spaniards.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They had now, for the first time, inflicted such a lesson upon their oppressors as would make a deep mark.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading They had now, for the first time, inflicted such a lesson upon their oppressors as would make a deep mark.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading They felt themselves to be really free; and knew that they, in their turn, had struck terror into the hearts of the Spaniards.
a successful ending of a struggle or contest
From this reading It was with a feeling of triumph, indeed, that the negroes, after gaining their own fastness, looked back at the sky, lighted by the distant conflagration.
change orientation or direction, also in the abstract sense
From this reading They felt themselves to be really free; and knew that they, in their turn, had struck terror into the hearts of the Spaniards.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading They had now, for the first time, inflicted such a lesson upon their oppressors as would make a deep mark.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was with a feeling of triumph, indeed, that the negroes, after gaining their own fastness, looked back at the sky, lighted by the distant conflagration.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Retiring to the depths of the forest, great fires were made.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Sheep, fowls, and other articles of provision, which had been brought back, were killed and prepared.
in the company of; together with
From this reading It was with a feeling of triumph, indeed, that the negroes, after gaining their own fastness, looked back at the sky, lighted by the distant conflagration.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading They had now, for the first time, inflicted such a lesson upon their oppressors as would make a deep mark.
