used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A SHOT FROM THE LONG GUN Christy Passford, as soon as he found that all the other preparations for the decisive event had been made, turned his attention to the aiming of the long gun.
aimingverbUS /ˈeɪmɪŋ/
-ing form of “aim” — point or cause to go (blows, weapons, or objects such as photographic equipment) towards
From this reading A SHOT FROM THE LONG GUN Christy Passford, as soon as he found that all the other preparations for the decisive event had been made, turned his attention to the aiming of the long gun.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading A SHOT FROM THE LONG GUN Christy Passford, as soon as he found that all the other preparations for the decisive event had been made, turned his attention to the aiming of the long gun.
ambitiousadjectiveUS /æmˈbɪʃəs/
having a strong desire for success or achievement
From this reading He had practised with it somewhat before; and in the ambitious spirit of a boy, he had often amused himself by sighting over the top of the piece.
pleasantly occupied
From this reading He had practised with it somewhat before; and in the ambitious spirit of a boy, he had often amused himself by sighting over the top of the piece.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading He had done duty as an engineer, and even as a fireman.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He had practised with it somewhat before; and in the ambitious spirit of a boy, he had often amused himself by sighting over the top of the piece.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading A SHOT FROM THE LONG GUN Christy Passford, as soon as he found that all the other preparations for the decisive event had been made, turned his attention to the aiming of the long gun.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He had taken his trick at the wheel as a quartermaster, and there was nothing he had not done, unless it was to command a vessel, and he had done that on a small scale.
the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others
From this reading A SHOT FROM THE LONG GUN Christy Passford, as soon as he found that all the other preparations for the decisive event had been made, turned his attention to the aiming of the long gun.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading A SHOT FROM THE LONG GUN Christy Passford, as soon as he found that all the other preparations for the decisive event had been made, turned his attention to the aiming of the long gun.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading He had practised with it somewhat before; and in the ambitious spirit of a boy, he had often amused himself by sighting over the top of the piece.
the supreme effort one can make
From this reading There was no sort of duty on board of a vessel, even a war steamer, in which he had not done his best to make himself a proficient.
a committee having supervisory powers
From this reading There was no sort of duty on board of a vessel, even a war steamer, in which he had not done his best to make himself a proficient.
a youthful male person
From this reading He had practised with it somewhat before; and in the ambitious spirit of a boy, he had often amused himself by sighting over the top of the piece.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading He had practised with it somewhat before; and in the ambitious spirit of a boy, he had often amused himself by sighting over the top of the piece.
Christy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A SHOT FROM THE LONG GUN Christy Passford, as soon as he found that all the other preparations for the decisive event had been made, turned his attention to the aiming of the long gun.
an authoritative direction or instruction to do something
From this reading He had taken his trick at the wheel as a quartermaster, and there was nothing he had not done, unless it was to command a vessel, and he had done that on a small scale.
decisiveadjectiveUS /dɪˈsaɪsɪv/
determining or having the power to determine an outcome
From this reading A SHOT FROM THE LONG GUN Christy Passford, as soon as he found that all the other preparations for the decisive event had been made, turned his attention to the aiming of the long gun.
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading There was no sort of duty on board of a vessel, even a war steamer, in which he had not done his best to make himself a proficient.
the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force
From this reading There was no sort of duty on board of a vessel, even a war steamer, in which he had not done his best to make himself a proficient.
engineernounUS /ˈendʒəˈnɪr/
a person who uses scientific knowledge to solve practical problems
From this reading He had done duty as an engineer, and even as a fireman.
divisible by two
From this reading There was no sort of duty on board of a vessel, even a war steamer, in which he had not done his best to make himself a proficient.
something that happens at a given place and time
From this reading A SHOT FROM THE LONG GUN Christy Passford, as soon as he found that all the other preparations for the decisive event had been made, turned his attention to the aiming of the long gun.
firemannounUS /ˈfaɪrmən/
play in which children pretend to put out a fire
From this reading He had done duty as an engineer, and even as a fireman.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading A SHOT FROM THE LONG GUN Christy Passford, as soon as he found that all the other preparations for the decisive event had been made, turned his attention to the aiming of the long gun.
set up or found
From this reading A SHOT FROM THE LONG GUN Christy Passford, as soon as he found that all the other preparations for the decisive event had been made, turned his attention to the aiming of the long gun.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading A SHOT FROM THE LONG GUN Christy Passford, as soon as he found that all the other preparations for the decisive event had been made, turned his attention to the aiming of the long gun.
a weapon that discharges a missile at high velocity (especially from a metal tube or barrel)
From this reading A SHOT FROM THE LONG GUN Christy Passford, as soon as he found that all the other preparations for the decisive event had been made, turned his attention to the aiming of the long gun.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading A SHOT FROM THE LONG GUN Christy Passford, as soon as he found that all the other preparations for the decisive event had been made, turned his attention to the aiming of the long gun.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading A SHOT FROM THE LONG GUN Christy Passford, as soon as he found that all the other preparations for the decisive event had been made, turned his attention to the aiming of the long gun.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading He had practised with it somewhat before; and in the ambitious spirit of a boy, he had often amused himself by sighting over the top of the piece.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading A SHOT FROM THE LONG GUN Christy Passford, as soon as he found that all the other preparations for the decisive event had been made, turned his attention to the aiming of the long gun.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He had practised with it somewhat before; and in the ambitious spirit of a boy, he had often amused himself by sighting over the top of the piece.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He had practised with it somewhat before; and in the ambitious spirit of a boy, he had often amused himself by sighting over the top of the piece.
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 A SHOT FROM THE LONG GUN Christy Passford, as soon as he found that all the other preparations for the decisive event had been made, turned his attention to the aiming of the long gun.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading A SHOT FROM THE LONG GUN Christy Passford, as soon as he found that all the other preparations for the decisive event had been made, turned his attention to the aiming of the long gun.
engage in
From this reading There was no sort of duty on board of a vessel, even a war steamer, in which he had not done his best to make himself a proficient.
not any; not one
From this reading There was no sort of duty on board of a vessel, even a war steamer, in which he had not done his best to make himself a proficient.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading There was no sort of duty on board of a vessel, even a war steamer, in which he had not done his best to make himself a proficient.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading He had taken his trick at the wheel as a quartermaster, and there was nothing he had not done, unless it was to command a vessel, and he had done that on a small scale.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A SHOT FROM THE LONG GUN Christy Passford, as soon as he found that all the other preparations for the decisive event had been made, turned his attention to the aiming of the long gun.
many times at short intervals
From this reading He had practised with it somewhat before; and in the ambitious spirit of a boy, he had often amused himself by sighting over the top of the piece.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading There was no sort of duty on board of a vessel, even a war steamer, in which he had not done his best to make himself a proficient.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading A SHOT FROM THE LONG GUN Christy Passford, as soon as he found that all the other preparations for the decisive event had been made, turned his attention to the aiming of the long gun.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading He had practised with it somewhat before; and in the ambitious spirit of a boy, he had often amused himself by sighting over the top of the piece.
Passford
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A SHOT FROM THE LONG GUN Christy Passford, as soon as he found that all the other preparations for the decisive event had been made, turned his attention to the aiming of the long gun.
a separate part of a whole
From this reading He had practised with it somewhat before; and in the ambitious spirit of a boy, he had often amused himself by sighting over the top of the piece.
practisedadjectiveUS /ˈpræktɪst/
skillful after much practice
From this reading He had practised with it somewhat before; and in the ambitious spirit of a boy, he had often amused himself by sighting over the top of the piece.
preparationsnounUS /ˌprepərˈeɪʃənz/
plural of “preparation” — the activity of putting or setting in order in advance of some act or purpose
From this reading A SHOT FROM THE LONG GUN Christy Passford, as soon as he found that all the other preparations for the decisive event had been made, turned his attention to the aiming of the long gun.
proficientadjectiveUS /prɑːˈfɪʃənt/
having or showing knowledge and skill and aptitude
From this reading There was no sort of duty on board of a vessel, even a war steamer, in which he had not done his best to make himself a proficient.
quartermasternounUS /ˈkwɔːrtərmæstər/
an army officer who provides clothing and subsistence for troops
From this reading He had taken his trick at the wheel as a quartermaster, and there was nothing he had not done, unless it was to command a vessel, and he had done that on a small scale.
scalenounUS /skeɪl/
an ordered reference standard
From this reading He had taken his trick at the wheel as a quartermaster, and there was nothing he had not done, unless it was to command a vessel, and he had done that on a small scale.
the act of firing a projectile
From this reading A SHOT FROM THE LONG GUN Christy Passford, as soon as he found that all the other preparations for the decisive event had been made, turned his attention to the aiming of the long gun.
sightingnounUS /ˈsaɪtɪŋ/
the act of observing
From this reading He had practised with it somewhat before; and in the ambitious spirit of a boy, he had often amused himself by sighting over the top of the piece.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading He had taken his trick at the wheel as a quartermaster, and there was nothing he had not done, unless it was to command a vessel, and he had done that on a small scale.
to a small degree or extent
From this reading He had practised with it somewhat before; and in the ambitious spirit of a boy, he had often amused himself by sighting over the top of the piece.
in the near future
From this reading A SHOT FROM THE LONG GUN Christy Passford, as soon as he found that all the other preparations for the decisive event had been made, turned his attention to the aiming of the long gun.
a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality
From this reading There was no sort of duty on board of a vessel, even a war steamer, in which he had not done his best to make himself a proficient.
the vital principle or animating force within living things
From this reading He had practised with it somewhat before; and in the ambitious spirit of a boy, he had often amused himself by sighting over the top of the piece.
steamernounUS /ˈstiːmər/
a clam that is usually steamed in the shell
From this reading There was no sort of duty on board of a vessel, even a war steamer, in which he had not done his best to make himself a proficient.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading He had taken his trick at the wheel as a quartermaster, and there was nothing he had not done, unless it was to command a vessel, and he had done that on a small scale.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading A SHOT FROM THE LONG GUN Christy Passford, as soon as he found that all the other preparations for the decisive event had been made, turned his attention to the aiming of the long gun.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A SHOT FROM THE LONG GUN Christy Passford, as soon as he found that all the other preparations for the decisive event had been made, turned his attention to the aiming of the long gun.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was no sort of duty on board of a vessel, even a war steamer, in which he had not done his best to make himself a proficient.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading A SHOT FROM THE LONG GUN Christy Passford, as soon as he found that all the other preparations for the decisive event had been made, turned his attention to the aiming of the long gun.
the upper part of anything
From this reading He had practised with it somewhat before; and in the ambitious spirit of a boy, he had often amused himself by sighting over the top of the piece.
a cunning or deceitful action or device
From this reading He had taken his trick at the wheel as a quartermaster, and there was nothing he had not done, unless it was to command a vessel, and he had done that on a small scale.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading A SHOT FROM THE LONG GUN Christy Passford, as soon as he found that all the other preparations for the decisive event had been made, turned his attention to the aiming of the long gun.
except if; if not
From this reading He had taken his trick at the wheel as a quartermaster, and there was nothing he had not done, unless it was to command a vessel, and he had done that on a small scale.
a tube in which a body fluid circulates
From this reading There was no sort of duty on board of a vessel, even a war steamer, in which he had not done his best to make himself a proficient.
the waging of armed conflict against an enemy
From this reading There was no sort of duty on board of a vessel, even a war steamer, in which he had not done his best to make himself a proficient.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There was no sort of duty on board of a vessel, even a war steamer, in which he had not done his best to make himself a proficient.
change directions as if revolving on a pivot
From this reading He had taken his trick at the wheel as a quartermaster, and there was nothing he had not done, unless it was to command a vessel, and he had done that on a small scale.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading There was no sort of duty on board of a vessel, even a war steamer, in which he had not done his best to make himself a proficient.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He had practised with it somewhat before; and in the ambitious spirit of a boy, he had often amused himself by sighting over the top of the piece.
