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Chapter XVI
_First Lord._ A pox on't, let it go; 'tis but a drum. 40 _Par._ 'But a drum'! is't 'but a drum'? A drum so lost! There was excellent command,--to charge in with our horse upon our own wings, and to rend our own soldiers! _First Lord._ That was not to be blamed in the command of the service: it was a disaster of war that Cæsar 45 himself could not have prevented, if he had been there to command.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
the past participle of “be”
From this reading “_First Lord._ That was not to be blamed in the command of the service: it was a disaster of war that Cæsar 45 himself could not have prevented, if he had been there to command.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “_First Lord._ That was not to be blamed in the command of the service: it was a disaster of war that Cæsar 45 himself could not have prevented, if he had been there to command.”
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading “_First Lord._ That was not to be blamed in the command of the service: it was a disaster of war that Cæsar 45 himself could not have prevented, if he had been there to command.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “_First Lord._ That was not to be blamed in the command of the service: it was a disaster of war that Cæsar 45 himself could not have prevented, if he had been there to command.”
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading “_First Lord._ That was not to be blamed in the command of the service: it was a disaster of war that Cæsar 45 himself could not have prevented, if he had been there to command.”
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading “_First Lord._ A pox on't, let it go; 'tis but a drum.”
a formal word for “on”
From this reading “There was excellent command,--to charge in with our horse upon our own wings, and to rend our own soldiers!”
Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 40 _Par._ 'But a drum'! is't 'but a drum'?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _First Lord._ That was not to be blamed in the command of the service: it was a disaster of war that Cæsar 45 himself could not have prevented, if he had been there to command.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading _First Lord._ A pox on't, let it go; 'tis but a drum.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading There was excellent command,--to charge in with our horse upon our own wings, and to rend our own soldiers!
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading _First Lord._ That was not to be blamed in the command of the service: it was a disaster of war that Cæsar 45 himself could not have prevented, if he had been there to command.
the past participle of “be”
From this reading _First Lord._ That was not to be blamed in the command of the service: it was a disaster of war that Cæsar 45 himself could not have prevented, if he had been there to command.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading _First Lord._ That was not to be blamed in the command of the service: it was a disaster of war that Cæsar 45 himself could not have prevented, if he had been there to command.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading _First Lord._ A pox on't, let it go; 'tis but a drum.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was excellent command,--to charge in with our horse upon our own wings, and to rend our own soldiers!
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was excellent command,--to charge in with our horse upon our own wings, and to rend our own soldiers!
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading _First Lord._ That was not to be blamed in the command of the service: it was a disaster of war that Cæsar 45 himself could not have prevented, if he had been there to command.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _First Lord._ That was not to be blamed in the command of the service: it was a disaster of war that Cæsar 45 himself could not have prevented, if he had been there to command.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _First Lord._ That was not to be blamed in the command of the service: it was a disaster of war that Cæsar 45 himself could not have prevented, if he had been there to command.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _First Lord._ A pox on't, let it go; 'tis but a drum.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was excellent command,--to charge in with our horse upon our own wings, and to rend our own soldiers!
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading _First Lord._ A pox on't, let it go; 'tis but a drum.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _First Lord._ A pox on't, let it go; 'tis but a drum.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading _First Lord._ That was not to be blamed in the command of the service: it was a disaster of war that Cæsar 45 himself could not have prevented, if he had been there to command.
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading _First Lord._ That was not to be blamed in the command of the service: it was a disaster of war that Cæsar 45 himself could not have prevented, if he had been there to command.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading _First Lord._ That was not to be blamed in the command of the service: it was a disaster of war that Cæsar 45 himself could not have prevented, if he had been there to command.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading _First Lord._ That was not to be blamed in the command of the service: it was a disaster of war that Cæsar 45 himself could not have prevented, if he had been there to command.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was excellent command,--to charge in with our horse upon our own wings, and to rend our own soldiers!
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading _First Lord._ That was not to be blamed in the command of the service: it was a disaster of war that Cæsar 45 himself could not have prevented, if he had been there to command.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading There was excellent command,--to charge in with our horse upon our own wings, and to rend our own soldiers!
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 40 _Par._ 'But a drum'! is't 'but a drum'?
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading _First Lord._ A pox on't, let it go; 'tis but a drum.
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading _First Lord._ A pox on't, let it go; 'tis but a drum.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _First Lord._ A pox on't, let it go; 'tis but a drum.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A drum so lost!
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading _First Lord._ That was not to be blamed in the command of the service: it was a disaster of war that Cæsar 45 himself could not have prevented, if he had been there to command.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading _First Lord._ That was not to be blamed in the command of the service: it was a disaster of war that Cæsar 45 himself could not have prevented, if he had been there to command.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _First Lord._ A pox on't, let it go; 'tis but a drum.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading There was excellent command,--to charge in with our horse upon our own wings, and to rend our own soldiers!
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was excellent command,--to charge in with our horse upon our own wings, and to rend our own soldiers!
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 40 _Par._ 'But a drum'! is't 'but a drum'?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _First Lord._ A pox on't, let it go; 'tis but a drum.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _First Lord._ That was not to be blamed in the command of the service: it was a disaster of war that Cæsar 45 himself could not have prevented, if he had been there to command.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was excellent command,--to charge in with our horse upon our own wings, and to rend our own soldiers!
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _First Lord._ That was not to be blamed in the command of the service: it was a disaster of war that Cæsar 45 himself could not have prevented, if he had been there to command.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading A drum so lost!
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was excellent command,--to charge in with our horse upon our own wings, and to rend our own soldiers!
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading _First Lord._ That was not to be blamed in the command of the service: it was a disaster of war that Cæsar 45 himself could not have prevented, if he had been there to command.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading _First Lord._ That was not to be blamed in the command of the service: it was a disaster of war that Cæsar 45 himself could not have prevented, if he had been there to command.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was excellent command,--to charge in with our horse upon our own wings, and to rend our own soldiers!
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _First Lord._ A pox on't, let it go; 'tis but a drum.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading There was excellent command,--to charge in with our horse upon our own wings, and to rend our own soldiers!
a formal word for “on”
From this reading There was excellent command,--to charge in with our horse upon our own wings, and to rend our own soldiers!
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _First Lord._ That was not to be blamed in the command of the service: it was a disaster of war that Cæsar 45 himself could not have prevented, if he had been there to command.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There was excellent command,--to charge in with our horse upon our own wings, and to rend our own soldiers!
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was excellent command,--to charge in with our horse upon our own wings, and to rend our own soldiers!
in the company of; together with
From this reading There was excellent command,--to charge in with our horse upon our own wings, and to rend our own soldiers!
