used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading MARTIN FROBISHER SEARCHES FOR A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE So far the expeditions of Willoughby, Chancellor, and Jenkinson had all failed to reach the Far East.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading What about a North-West Passage leading round Labrador from the Atlantic to the Pacific?
(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 MARTIN FROBISHER SEARCHES FOR A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE So far the expeditions of Willoughby, Chancellor, and Jenkinson had all failed to reach the Far East.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading MARTIN FROBISHER SEARCHES FOR A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE So far the expeditions of Willoughby, Chancellor, and Jenkinson had all failed to reach the Far East.
AtlanticnounUS /ətˈlæntɪk/
the 2nd largest ocean; separates North and South America on the west from Europe and Africa on the east
From this reading What about a North-West Passage leading round Labrador from the Atlantic to the Pacific?
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The Spanish had a way thither by Magellan's Strait, the Portuguese by the Cape of Good Hope.
CapenounUS /keɪp/
a strip of land projecting into a body of water
From this reading The Spanish had a way thither by Magellan's Strait, the Portuguese by the Cape of Good Hope.
a period of 100 years
From this reading England in the middle of the sixteenth century had no way.
ChancellornounUS /ˈtʃænsələr/
the British cabinet minister responsible for finance
From this reading MARTIN FROBISHER SEARCHES FOR A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE So far the expeditions of Willoughby, Chancellor, and Jenkinson had all failed to reach the Far East.
the cardinal compass point that is at 90 degrees
From this reading MARTIN FROBISHER SEARCHES FOR A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE So far the expeditions of Willoughby, Chancellor, and Jenkinson had all failed to reach the Far East.
a division of the United Kingdom
From this reading England in the middle of the sixteenth century had no way.
expeditionsnounUS /ˌekspəˈdɪʃənz/
plural of “expedition” — a military campaign designed to achieve a specific objective in a foreign country
From this reading MARTIN FROBISHER SEARCHES FOR A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE So far the expeditions of Willoughby, Chancellor, and Jenkinson had all failed to reach the Far East.
explorationnounUS /ˌeksplərˈeɪʃən/
to travel for the purpose of discovery
From this reading England was waking up to possibilities of future exploration.
past form of “fail” — fail to do something; leave something undone
From this reading MARTIN FROBISHER SEARCHES FOR A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE So far the expeditions of Willoughby, Chancellor, and Jenkinson had all failed to reach the Far East.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading MARTIN FROBISHER SEARCHES FOR A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE So far the expeditions of Willoughby, Chancellor, and Jenkinson had all failed to reach the Far East.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading MARTIN FROBISHER SEARCHES FOR A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE So far the expeditions of Willoughby, Chancellor, and Jenkinson had all failed to reach the Far East.
FROBISHERnoun
English explorer who led an expedition in search of the Northwest Passage to the orient; served under Drake and helped defeat the Spanish Armada (1535-1594)
From this reading MARTIN FROBISHER SEARCHES FOR A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE So far the expeditions of Willoughby, Chancellor, and Jenkinson had all failed to reach the Far East.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading What about a North-West Passage leading round Labrador from the Atlantic to the Pacific?
yet to be or coming
From this reading England was waking up to possibilities of future exploration.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading The Spanish had a way thither by Magellan's Strait, the Portuguese by the Cape of Good Hope.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading MARTIN FROBISHER SEARCHES FOR A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE So far the expeditions of Willoughby, Chancellor, and Jenkinson had all failed to reach the Far East.
a specific instance of feeling hopeful
From this reading The Spanish had a way thither by Magellan's Strait, the Portuguese by the Cape of Good Hope.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading England in the middle of the sixteenth century had no way.
Jenkinson
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading MARTIN FROBISHER SEARCHES FOR A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE So far the expeditions of Willoughby, Chancellor, and Jenkinson had all failed to reach the Far East.
LabradornounUS /ˈlæbrədɔːr/
the mainland part of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador in the eastern part of the large Labrador-Ungava Peninsula in northeastern Canada
From this reading What about a North-West Passage leading round Labrador from the Atlantic to the Pacific?
indicating the most important performer or role
From this reading What about a North-West Passage leading round Labrador from the Atlantic to the Pacific?
Magellan'snounUS /məˈdʒelənz/
possessive form of “magellan” — Portuguese navigator in the service of Spain; he commanded an expedition that was the first to circumnavigate the world (1480-1521)
From this reading The Spanish had a way thither by Magellan's Strait, the Portuguese by the Cape of Good Hope.
French bishop who is a patron saint of France (died in 397)
From this reading MARTIN FROBISHER SEARCHES FOR A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE So far the expeditions of Willoughby, Chancellor, and Jenkinson had all failed to reach the Far East.
an area that is approximately central within some larger region
From this reading England in the middle of the sixteenth century had no way.
not any; not one
From this reading England in the middle of the sixteenth century had no way.
NORTH-WESTadverb
to, toward, or in the northwest
From this reading MARTIN FROBISHER SEARCHES FOR A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE So far the expeditions of Willoughby, Chancellor, and Jenkinson had all failed to reach the Far East.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading MARTIN FROBISHER SEARCHES FOR A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE So far the expeditions of Willoughby, Chancellor, and Jenkinson had all failed to reach the Far East.
PacificnounUS /pəˈsɪfɪk/
the largest ocean in the world
From this reading What about a North-West Passage leading round Labrador from the Atlantic to the Pacific?
the act of passing from one state or place to the next
From this reading MARTIN FROBISHER SEARCHES FOR A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE So far the expeditions of Willoughby, Chancellor, and Jenkinson had all failed to reach the Far East.
PortuguesenounUS /ˈpɔːrtʃəɡiːz/
the Romance language spoken in Portugal and Brazil
From this reading The Spanish had a way thither by Magellan's Strait, the Portuguese by the Cape of Good Hope.
possibilitiesnounUS /ˌpɑːsəˈbɪlətiz/
plural of “possibility” — a future prospect or potential
From this reading England was waking up to possibilities of future exploration.
reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading MARTIN FROBISHER SEARCHES FOR A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE So far the expeditions of Willoughby, Chancellor, and Jenkinson had all failed to reach the Far East.
a charge of ammunition for a single shot
From this reading What about a North-West Passage leading round Labrador from the Atlantic to the Pacific?
SEARCHESnounUS /ˈsɜːrtʃɪz/
plural of “search” — the activity of looking thoroughly in order to find something or someone
From this reading MARTIN FROBISHER SEARCHES FOR A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE So far the expeditions of Willoughby, Chancellor, and Jenkinson had all failed to reach the Far East.
sixteenthadjectiveUS /sɪkˈstiːnθ/
coming next after the fifteenth in position
From this reading England in the middle of the sixteenth century had no way.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading MARTIN FROBISHER SEARCHES FOR A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE So far the expeditions of Willoughby, Chancellor, and Jenkinson had all failed to reach the Far East.
the Romance language spoken in most of Spain and the countries colonized by Spain
From this reading The Spanish had a way thither by Magellan's Strait, the Portuguese by the Cape of Good Hope.
StraitnounUS /streɪt/
a narrow channel of the sea joining two larger bodies of water
From this reading The Spanish had a way thither by Magellan's Strait, the Portuguese by the Cape of Good Hope.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading MARTIN FROBISHER SEARCHES FOR A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE So far the expeditions of Willoughby, Chancellor, and Jenkinson had all failed to reach the Far East.
an old word meaning “to that place”
From this reading The Spanish had a way thither by Magellan's Strait, the Portuguese by the Cape of Good Hope.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading MARTIN FROBISHER SEARCHES FOR A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE So far the expeditions of Willoughby, Chancellor, and Jenkinson had all failed to reach the Far East.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading England was waking up to possibilities of future exploration.
wakingadjectiveUS /ˈweɪ.kɪŋ/
Risen from sleep; conscious.
From this reading England was waking up to possibilities of future exploration.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading England was waking up to possibilities of future exploration.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading The Spanish had a way thither by Magellan's Strait, the Portuguese by the Cape of Good Hope.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading What about a North-West Passage leading round Labrador from the Atlantic to the Pacific?
Willoughby
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading MARTIN FROBISHER SEARCHES FOR A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE So far the expeditions of Willoughby, Chancellor, and Jenkinson had all failed to reach the Far East.
