used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A WINTER DRIFT The month of March was the last intrenchment in the wintry siege.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading If it could be weathered, victory would crown the first good fight of the boys, rewarding their courage in the present struggle and fortifying against future ones.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading The brothers had cast their lot with the plains, the occupation had almost forced itself on them, and having tasted the spice of battle, they buckled on their armor and rode forth.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading If it could be weathered, victory would crown the first good fight of the boys, rewarding their courage in the present struggle and fortifying against future ones.
armornounUS /ˈɑːrmər/
protective covering made of metal and used in combat
From this reading The brothers had cast their lot with the plains, the occupation had almost forced itself on them, and having tasted the spice of battle, they buckled on their armor and rode forth.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The general thaw came as a welcome relief.
a hostile meeting of opposing military forces in the course of a war
From this reading The brothers had cast their lot with the plains, the occupation had almost forced itself on them, and having tasted the spice of battle, they buckled on their armor and rode forth.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading If it could be weathered, victory would crown the first good fight of the boys, rewarding their courage in the present struggle and fortifying against future ones.
plural of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading If it could be weathered, victory would crown the first good fight of the boys, rewarding their courage in the present struggle and fortifying against future ones.
plural of “brother” — a male with the same parents as someone else
From this reading The brothers had cast their lot with the plains, the occupation had almost forced itself on them, and having tasted the spice of battle, they buckled on their armor and rode forth.
buckledverbUS /ˈbʌkəld/
past form of “buckle” — fasten with a buckle or buckles
From this reading The brothers had cast their lot with the plains, the occupation had almost forced itself on them, and having tasted the spice of battle, they buckled on their armor and rode forth.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading The general thaw came as a welcome relief.
put or send forth
From this reading The brothers had cast their lot with the plains, the occupation had almost forced itself on them, and having tasted the spice of battle, they buckled on their armor and rode forth.
contestnounUS /ˈkɑːntest/
an occasion on which a winner is selected from among two or more contestants
From this reading Without struggle or contest, the worthy pleasures of life lose their nectar.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading If it could be weathered, victory would crown the first good fight of the boys, rewarding their courage in the present struggle and fortifying against future ones.
a quality of spirit that enables you to face danger or pain without showing fear
From this reading If it could be weathered, victory would crown the first good fight of the boys, rewarding their courage in the present struggle and fortifying against future ones.
the Crown (or the reigning monarch) as the symbol of the power and authority of a monarchy
From this reading If it could be weathered, victory would crown the first good fight of the boys, rewarding their courage in the present struggle and fortifying against future ones.
DRIFTverbUS /drɪft/
be in motion due to some air or water current
From this reading A WINTER DRIFT The month of March was the last intrenchment in the wintry siege.
be engaged in a fight; carry on a fight
From this reading If it could be weathered, victory would crown the first good fight of the boys, rewarding their courage in the present struggle and fortifying against future ones.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading If it could be weathered, victory would crown the first good fight of the boys, rewarding their courage in the present struggle and fortifying against future ones.
produced by or subjected to forcing
From this reading The brothers had cast their lot with the plains, the occupation had almost forced itself on them, and having tasted the spice of battle, they buckled on their armor and rode forth.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading The brothers had cast their lot with the plains, the occupation had almost forced itself on them, and having tasted the spice of battle, they buckled on their armor and rode forth.
fortifyingverbUS /ˈfɔːrtɪfaɪɪŋ/
-ing form of “fortify” — make strong or stronger
From this reading If it could be weathered, victory would crown the first good fight of the boys, rewarding their courage in the present struggle and fortifying against future ones.
yet to be or coming
From this reading If it could be weathered, victory would crown the first good fight of the boys, rewarding their courage in the present struggle and fortifying against future ones.
applying to all or most members of a category or group
From this reading The general thaw came as a welcome relief.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading If it could be weathered, victory would crown the first good fight of the boys, rewarding their courage in the present struggle and fortifying against future ones.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The brothers had cast their lot with the plains, the occupation had almost forced itself on them, and having tasted the spice of battle, they buckled on their armor and rode forth.
havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading The brothers had cast their lot with the plains, the occupation had almost forced itself on them, and having tasted the spice of battle, they buckled on their armor and rode forth.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If it could be weathered, victory would crown the first good fight of the boys, rewarding their courage in the present struggle and fortifying against future ones.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading A WINTER DRIFT The month of March was the last intrenchment in the wintry siege.
intrenchmentnoun
an entrenched fortification; a position protected by trenches
From this reading A WINTER DRIFT The month of March was the last intrenchment in the wintry siege.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading If it could be weathered, victory would crown the first good fight of the boys, rewarding their courage in the present struggle and fortifying against future ones.
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading The brothers had cast their lot with the plains, the occupation had almost forced itself on them, and having tasted the spice of battle, they buckled on their armor and rode forth.
immediately past
From this reading A WINTER DRIFT The month of March was the last intrenchment in the wintry siege.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading Without struggle or contest, the worthy pleasures of life lose their nectar.
fail to keep or to maintain; cease to have, either physically or in an abstract sense
From this reading Without struggle or contest, the worthy pleasures of life lose their nectar.
(often followed by “of”) a large number or amount or extent
From this reading The brothers had cast their lot with the plains, the occupation had almost forced itself on them, and having tasted the spice of battle, they buckled on their armor and rode forth.
march in a procession
From this reading A WINTER DRIFT The month of March was the last intrenchment in the wintry siege.
one of the twelve divisions of the calendar year
From this reading A WINTER DRIFT The month of March was the last intrenchment in the wintry siege.
nectarnounUS /ˈnektər/
a sweet liquid secretion that is attractive to pollinators
From this reading Without struggle or contest, the worthy pleasures of life lose their nectar.
occupationnounUS /ˌɑːkjəˈpeɪʃən/
the principal activity in your life that you do to earn money
From this reading The brothers had cast their lot with the plains, the occupation had almost forced itself on them, and having tasted the spice of battle, they buckled on their armor and rode forth.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A WINTER DRIFT The month of March was the last intrenchment in the wintry siege.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The brothers had cast their lot with the plains, the occupation had almost forced itself on them, and having tasted the spice of battle, they buckled on their armor and rode forth.
plural of “one” — the smallest whole number or a numeral representing this number
From this reading If it could be weathered, victory would crown the first good fight of the boys, rewarding their courage in the present struggle and fortifying against future ones.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Without struggle or contest, the worthy pleasures of life lose their nectar.
plainsnounUS /pleɪnz/
plural of “plain” — extensive tract of level open land
From this reading The brothers had cast their lot with the plains, the occupation had almost forced itself on them, and having tasted the spice of battle, they buckled on their armor and rode forth.
pleasuresnounUS /ˈpleʒərz/
plural of “pleasure” — a fundamental feeling that is hard to define but that people desire to experience
From this reading Without struggle or contest, the worthy pleasures of life lose their nectar.
give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading If it could be weathered, victory would crown the first good fight of the boys, rewarding their courage in the present struggle and fortifying against future ones.
the feeling that comes when something burdensome is removed or reduced
From this reading The general thaw came as a welcome relief.
rewardingadjectiveUS /rɪˈwɔːrdɪŋ/
providing personal satisfaction
From this reading If it could be weathered, victory would crown the first good fight of the boys, rewarding their courage in the present struggle and fortifying against future ones.
inflected form of “ride” — sit and travel on the back of animal, usually while controlling its motions
From this reading The brothers had cast their lot with the plains, the occupation had almost forced itself on them, and having tasted the spice of battle, they buckled on their armor and rode forth.
siegenounUS /siːdʒ/
the action of an armed force that surrounds a fortified place and isolates it while continuing to attack
From this reading A WINTER DRIFT The month of March was the last intrenchment in the wintry siege.
spicenounUS /spaɪs/
aromatic substances of vegetable origin used as a preservative
From this reading The brothers had cast their lot with the plains, the occupation had almost forced itself on them, and having tasted the spice of battle, they buckled on their armor and rode forth.
make a strenuous or labored effort
From this reading If it could be weathered, victory would crown the first good fight of the boys, rewarding their courage in the present struggle and fortifying against future ones.
tastedverbUS /ˈteɪstɪd/
past form of “taste” — have flavor; taste of something
From this reading The brothers had cast their lot with the plains, the occupation had almost forced itself on them, and having tasted the spice of battle, they buckled on their armor and rode forth.
thawnounUS /θɔː/
the process whereby heat changes something from a solid to a liquid
From this reading The general thaw came as a welcome relief.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A WINTER DRIFT The month of March was the last intrenchment in the wintry siege.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading If it could be weathered, victory would crown the first good fight of the boys, rewarding their courage in the present struggle and fortifying against future ones.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading The brothers had cast their lot with the plains, the occupation had almost forced itself on them, and having tasted the spice of battle, they buckled on their armor and rode forth.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The brothers had cast their lot with the plains, the occupation had almost forced itself on them, and having tasted the spice of battle, they buckled on their armor and rode forth.
a successful ending of a struggle or contest
From this reading If it could be weathered, victory would crown the first good fight of the boys, rewarding their courage in the present struggle and fortifying against future ones.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading A WINTER DRIFT The month of March was the last intrenchment in the wintry siege.
weatheredadjectiveUS /ˈweðərd/
worn by exposure to the weather
From this reading If it could be weathered, victory would crown the first good fight of the boys, rewarding their courage in the present struggle and fortifying against future ones.
accept gladly
From this reading The general thaw came as a welcome relief.
the coldest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the winter solstice to the vernal equinox
From this reading A WINTER DRIFT The month of March was the last intrenchment in the wintry siege.
wintryadjectiveUS /ˈwɪntri/
characteristic of or occurring in winter
From this reading A WINTER DRIFT The month of March was the last intrenchment in the wintry siege.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The brothers had cast their lot with the plains, the occupation had almost forced itself on them, and having tasted the spice of battle, they buckled on their armor and rode forth.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading Without struggle or contest, the worthy pleasures of life lose their nectar.
Having or showing the qualities or abilities that merit recognition in character or magic.
From this reading Without struggle or contest, the worthy pleasures of life lose their nectar.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading If it could be weathered, victory would crown the first good fight of the boys, rewarding their courage in the present struggle and fortifying against future ones.
