used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Avarice--one incentive to language--had endowed these Sicilian mariners with a competent knowledge of English, which they dealt out vociferously.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "And see the mind's convulsion leave it weak."
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading Some pilot boats,--how unlike those which greet the homeward-bound voyager, as he first hails Britain's chalky cliffs--crowded around the vessel, offering their services to guide it through the strait.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The land breeze continued to freshen, and the first dawn of morning saw our party on deck, scanning with near view, the opposite coasts of Sicily and Italy, as their vessel glided through the Faro of Messina.
AvaricenounUS /ˈæv.ər.ɪs/
Extreme greed for wealth or material gain.
From this reading Avarice--one incentive to language--had endowed these Sicilian mariners with a competent knowledge of English, which they dealt out vociferously.
plural of “boat” — a small vessel for travel on water
From this reading Some pilot boats,--how unlike those which greet the homeward-bound voyager, as he first hails Britain's chalky cliffs--crowded around the vessel, offering their services to guide it through the strait.
a slight wind (usually refreshing)
From this reading The land breeze continued to freshen, and the first dawn of morning saw our party on deck, scanning with near view, the opposite coasts of Sicily and Italy, as their vessel glided through the Faro of Messina.
Britain'snounUS /ˈbrɪtənz/
possessive form of “britain” — a monarchy in northwestern Europe occupying most of the British Isles; divided into England and Scotland and Wales and Northern Ireland; “Great Britain” is often used loosely to refer to the United Kingdom
From this reading Some pilot boats,--how unlike those which greet the homeward-bound voyager, as he first hails Britain's chalky cliffs--crowded around the vessel, offering their services to guide it through the strait.
chalkyadjective
composed of or containing or resembling calcium carbonate or calcite or chalk
From this reading Some pilot boats,--how unlike those which greet the homeward-bound voyager, as he first hails Britain's chalky cliffs--crowded around the vessel, offering their services to guide it through the strait.
cliffsnounUS /klɪfs/
plural of “cliff” — a steep high face of rock
From this reading Some pilot boats,--how unlike those which greet the homeward-bound voyager, as he first hails Britain's chalky cliffs--crowded around the vessel, offering their services to guide it through the strait.
coastsnounUS /koʊsts/
plural of “coast” — the shore of a sea or ocean
From this reading The land breeze continued to freshen, and the first dawn of morning saw our party on deck, scanning with near view, the opposite coasts of Sicily and Italy, as their vessel glided through the Faro of Messina.
competentadjectiveUS /ˈkɑːmpətɪnt/
properly or sufficiently qualified or capable or efficient
From this reading Avarice--one incentive to language--had endowed these Sicilian mariners with a competent knowledge of English, which they dealt out vociferously.
without stop or interruption
From this reading The land breeze continued to freshen, and the first dawn of morning saw our party on deck, scanning with near view, the opposite coasts of Sicily and Italy, as their vessel glided through the Faro of Messina.
convulsionnounUS /kənˈvʌlʃən/
a sudden uncontrollable attack
From this reading "And see the mind's convulsion leave it weak."
overfilled or compacted or concentrated
From this reading Some pilot boats,--how unlike those which greet the homeward-bound voyager, as he first hails Britain's chalky cliffs--crowded around the vessel, offering their services to guide it through the strait.
the first light of day
From this reading The land breeze continued to freshen, and the first dawn of morning saw our party on deck, scanning with near view, the opposite coasts of Sicily and Italy, as their vessel glided through the Faro of Messina.
dealtverbUS /delt/
inflected form of “deal” — act on verbally or in some form of artistic expression
From this reading Avarice--one incentive to language--had endowed these Sicilian mariners with a competent knowledge of English, which they dealt out vociferously.
any of various platforms built into a vessel
From this reading The land breeze continued to freshen, and the first dawn of morning saw our party on deck, scanning with near view, the opposite coasts of Sicily and Italy, as their vessel glided through the Faro of Messina.
endowedadjectiveUS /enˈdaʊd/
provided or supplied or equipped with (especially as by inheritance or nature)
From this reading Avarice--one incentive to language--had endowed these Sicilian mariners with a competent knowledge of English, which they dealt out vociferously.
an Indo-European language belonging to the West Germanic branch; the official language of Britain and the United States and most of the commonwealth countries
From this reading Avarice--one incentive to language--had endowed these Sicilian mariners with a competent knowledge of English, which they dealt out vociferously.
FaronounUS /ˈferoʊ/
a card game in which players bet against the dealer on the cards he will draw from a dealing box
From this reading The land breeze continued to freshen, and the first dawn of morning saw our party on deck, scanning with near view, the opposite coasts of Sicily and Italy, as their vessel glided through the Faro of Messina.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading The land breeze continued to freshen, and the first dawn of morning saw our party on deck, scanning with near view, the opposite coasts of Sicily and Italy, as their vessel glided through the Faro of Messina.
freshenverbUS /ˈfreʃən/
make (to feel) fresh
From this reading The land breeze continued to freshen, and the first dawn of morning saw our party on deck, scanning with near view, the opposite coasts of Sicily and Italy, as their vessel glided through the Faro of Messina.
glidedverbUS /ˈɡlaɪdɪd/
past form of “glide” — move smoothly and effortlessly
From this reading The land breeze continued to freshen, and the first dawn of morning saw our party on deck, scanning with near view, the opposite coasts of Sicily and Italy, as their vessel glided through the Faro of Messina.
greetverbUS /ɡriːt/
express greetings upon meeting someone
From this reading Some pilot boats,--how unlike those which greet the homeward-bound voyager, as he first hails Britain's chalky cliffs--crowded around the vessel, offering their services to guide it through the strait.
someone employed to conduct others
From this reading Some pilot boats,--how unlike those which greet the homeward-bound voyager, as he first hails Britain's chalky cliffs--crowded around the vessel, offering their services to guide it through the strait.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Avarice--one incentive to language--had endowed these Sicilian mariners with a competent knowledge of English, which they dealt out vociferously.
hailsnounUS /heɪlz/
plural of “hail” — precipitation of ice pellets when there are strong rising air currents
From this reading Some pilot boats,--how unlike those which greet the homeward-bound voyager, as he first hails Britain's chalky cliffs--crowded around the vessel, offering their services to guide it through the strait.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Some pilot boats,--how unlike those which greet the homeward-bound voyager, as he first hails Britain's chalky cliffs--crowded around the vessel, offering their services to guide it through the strait.
homeward-boundadjective
oriented toward home
From this reading Some pilot boats,--how unlike those which greet the homeward-bound voyager, as he first hails Britain's chalky cliffs--crowded around the vessel, offering their services to guide it through the strait.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading The Mad House.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Some pilot boats,--how unlike those which greet the homeward-bound voyager, as he first hails Britain's chalky cliffs--crowded around the vessel, offering their services to guide it through the strait.
incentivenounUS /ˌɪnˈsentɪv/
a positive motivational influence
From this reading Avarice--one incentive to language--had endowed these Sicilian mariners with a competent knowledge of English, which they dealt out vociferously.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "And see the mind's convulsion leave it weak."
a republic in southern Europe on the Italian Peninsula; was the core of the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire between the 4th century BC and the 5th century AD
From this reading The land breeze continued to freshen, and the first dawn of morning saw our party on deck, scanning with near view, the opposite coasts of Sicily and Italy, as their vessel glided through the Faro of Messina.
the psychological result of perception and learning and reasoning
From this reading Avarice--one incentive to language--had endowed these Sicilian mariners with a competent knowledge of English, which they dealt out vociferously.
the land on which real estate is located
From this reading The land breeze continued to freshen, and the first dawn of morning saw our party on deck, scanning with near view, the opposite coasts of Sicily and Italy, as their vessel glided through the Faro of Messina.
a systematic means of communicating by the use of sounds or conventional symbols
From this reading Avarice--one incentive to language--had endowed these Sicilian mariners with a competent knowledge of English, which they dealt out vociferously.
go away from a place
From this reading "And see the mind's convulsion leave it weak."
roused to anger
From this reading The Mad House.
marinersnounUS /ˈmerənərz/
plural of “mariner” — a man who serves as a sailor
From this reading Avarice--one incentive to language--had endowed these Sicilian mariners with a competent knowledge of English, which they dealt out vociferously.
MessinanounUS /mɪˈsiːnə/
a port city in northeastern Sicily on the Strait of Messina
From this reading The land breeze continued to freshen, and the first dawn of morning saw our party on deck, scanning with near view, the opposite coasts of Sicily and Italy, as their vessel glided through the Faro of Messina.
mind'snounUS /maɪndz/
possessive form of “mind” — that which is responsible for one's thoughts, feelings, and conscious brain functions; the seat of the faculty of reason
From this reading "And see the mind's convulsion leave it weak."
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading The land breeze continued to freshen, and the first dawn of morning saw our party on deck, scanning with near view, the opposite coasts of Sicily and Italy, as their vessel glided through the Faro of Messina.
near in time or place or relationship
From this reading The land breeze continued to freshen, and the first dawn of morning saw our party on deck, scanning with near view, the opposite coasts of Sicily and Italy, as their vessel glided through the Faro of Messina.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The land breeze continued to freshen, and the first dawn of morning saw our party on deck, scanning with near view, the opposite coasts of Sicily and Italy, as their vessel glided through the Faro of Messina.
offeringnounUS /ˈɔːfərɪŋ/
something offered (as a proposal or bid)
From this reading Some pilot boats,--how unlike those which greet the homeward-bound voyager, as he first hails Britain's chalky cliffs--crowded around the vessel, offering their services to guide it through the strait.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The land breeze continued to freshen, and the first dawn of morning saw our party on deck, scanning with near view, the opposite coasts of Sicily and Italy, as their vessel glided through the Faro of Messina.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Avarice--one incentive to language--had endowed these Sicilian mariners with a competent knowledge of English, which they dealt out vociferously.
being directly across from each other; facing
From this reading The land breeze continued to freshen, and the first dawn of morning saw our party on deck, scanning with near view, the opposite coasts of Sicily and Italy, as their vessel glided through the Faro of Messina.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading The land breeze continued to freshen, and the first dawn of morning saw our party on deck, scanning with near view, the opposite coasts of Sicily and Italy, as their vessel glided through the Faro of Messina.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Avarice--one incentive to language--had endowed these Sicilian mariners with a competent knowledge of English, which they dealt out vociferously.
an organization to gain political power
From this reading The land breeze continued to freshen, and the first dawn of morning saw our party on deck, scanning with near view, the opposite coasts of Sicily and Italy, as their vessel glided through the Faro of Messina.
pilotverbUS /ˈpaɪlət/
operate an airplane
From this reading Some pilot boats,--how unlike those which greet the homeward-bound voyager, as he first hails Britain's chalky cliffs--crowded around the vessel, offering their services to guide it through the strait.
cut with a saw
From this reading The land breeze continued to freshen, and the first dawn of morning saw our party on deck, scanning with near view, the opposite coasts of Sicily and Italy, as their vessel glided through the Faro of Messina.
scanningnounUS /ˈskænɪŋ/
the process of translating photographs into a digital form that can be recognized by a computer
From this reading The land breeze continued to freshen, and the first dawn of morning saw our party on deck, scanning with near view, the opposite coasts of Sicily and Italy, as their vessel glided through the Faro of Messina.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading "And see the mind's convulsion leave it weak."
performance of duties or provision of space and equipment helpful to others
From this reading Some pilot boats,--how unlike those which greet the homeward-bound voyager, as he first hails Britain's chalky cliffs--crowded around the vessel, offering their services to guide it through the strait.
SiciliannounUS /sɪˈsɪliən/
a resident of Sicily
From this reading Avarice--one incentive to language--had endowed these Sicilian mariners with a competent knowledge of English, which they dealt out vociferously.
SicilynounUS /ˈsɪsəli/
the Italian region on the island of Sicily
From this reading The land breeze continued to freshen, and the first dawn of morning saw our party on deck, scanning with near view, the opposite coasts of Sicily and Italy, as their vessel glided through the Faro of Messina.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Some pilot boats,--how unlike those which greet the homeward-bound voyager, as he first hails Britain's chalky cliffs--crowded around the vessel, offering their services to guide it through the strait.
straitnounUS /streɪt/
a narrow channel of the sea joining two larger bodies of water
From this reading Some pilot boats,--how unlike those which greet the homeward-bound voyager, as he first hails Britain's chalky cliffs--crowded around the vessel, offering their services to guide it through the strait.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The Mad House.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The land breeze continued to freshen, and the first dawn of morning saw our party on deck, scanning with near view, the opposite coasts of Sicily and Italy, as their vessel glided through the Faro of Messina.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading Avarice--one incentive to language--had endowed these Sicilian mariners with a competent knowledge of English, which they dealt out vociferously.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Avarice--one incentive to language--had endowed these Sicilian mariners with a competent knowledge of English, which they dealt out vociferously.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading Some pilot boats,--how unlike those which greet the homeward-bound voyager, as he first hails Britain's chalky cliffs--crowded around the vessel, offering their services to guide it through the strait.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading The land breeze continued to freshen, and the first dawn of morning saw our party on deck, scanning with near view, the opposite coasts of Sicily and Italy, as their vessel glided through the Faro of Messina.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The land breeze continued to freshen, and the first dawn of morning saw our party on deck, scanning with near view, the opposite coasts of Sicily and Italy, as their vessel glided through the Faro of Messina.
unlikeadjectiveUS /ənˈlaɪk/
marked by dissimilarity
From this reading Some pilot boats,--how unlike those which greet the homeward-bound voyager, as he first hails Britain's chalky cliffs--crowded around the vessel, offering their services to guide it through the strait.
a tube in which a body fluid circulates
From this reading The land breeze continued to freshen, and the first dawn of morning saw our party on deck, scanning with near view, the opposite coasts of Sicily and Italy, as their vessel glided through the Faro of Messina.
a way of regarding situations or topics etc.
From this reading The land breeze continued to freshen, and the first dawn of morning saw our party on deck, scanning with near view, the opposite coasts of Sicily and Italy, as their vessel glided through the Faro of Messina.
vociferouslyadverbUS /vəˈsɪfərəsli/
in a vociferous manner
From this reading Avarice--one incentive to language--had endowed these Sicilian mariners with a competent knowledge of English, which they dealt out vociferously.
voyagernounUS /ˈvɔɪədʒər/
a traveler to a distant land (especially one who travels by sea)
From this reading Some pilot boats,--how unlike those which greet the homeward-bound voyager, as he first hails Britain's chalky cliffs--crowded around the vessel, offering their services to guide it through the strait.
wanting in physical strength
From this reading "And see the mind's convulsion leave it weak."
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Some pilot boats,--how unlike those which greet the homeward-bound voyager, as he first hails Britain's chalky cliffs--crowded around the vessel, offering their services to guide it through the strait.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The land breeze continued to freshen, and the first dawn of morning saw our party on deck, scanning with near view, the opposite coasts of Sicily and Italy, as their vessel glided through the Faro of Messina.
