This is the 10616th most frequent French word.
menaient
"Menaient" means "were leading" or "were conducting."
The word 'menaient' is used in the imperfect tense to describe the continuous action of the soldiers leading or fighting a challenging battle.
Les soldats menaient une bataille difficile.
The soldiers were fighting a difficult battle.
Here, 'menaient' refers to how the children were continuously leading their lifestyle in the countryside, using the imperfect tense to provide context.
Les enfants menaient une vie joyeuse à la campagne.
The children lived a joyful life in the countryside.
In this context, 'menaient' describes the way explorers were actively conducting their expedition, again highlighting an ongoing action in the past using the imperfect tense.