used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading PIRATES AND PRIVATE SECRETARIES It was a little station made gloomy by a single light.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading It was after sundown.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading PIRATES AND PRIVATE SECRETARIES It was a little station made gloomy by a single light.
past form of “arrive” — reach a destination; arrive by movement or progress
From this reading Fitzgerald, feeling wholly unromantic, now that he had arrived, dropped his hand-bag on the damp platform and took his bearings.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading The sea, but a few yards away, was a murmuring, heaving blackness, save where here and there a wave broke.
bearingsnounUS /ˈberɪŋz/
plural of “bearing” — relevant relation or interconnection
From this reading Fitzgerald, feeling wholly unromantic, now that he had arrived, dropped his hand-bag on the damp platform and took his bearings.
blacknessnounUS /ˈblæknəs/
the quality or state of the achromatic color of least lightness (bearing the least resemblance to white)
From this reading The sea, but a few yards away, was a murmuring, heaving blackness, save where here and there a wave broke.
lacking funds
From this reading The sea, but a few yards away, was a murmuring, heaving blackness, save where here and there a wave broke.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The sea, but a few yards away, was a murmuring, heaving blackness, save where here and there a wave broke.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading PIRATES AND PRIVATE SECRETARIES It was a little station made gloomy by a single light.
dampadjectiveUS /dæmp/
slightly wet
From this reading Fitzgerald, feeling wholly unromantic, now that he had arrived, dropped his hand-bag on the damp platform and took his bearings.
inflected form of “drop” — let fall to the ground
From this reading Fitzgerald, feeling wholly unromantic, now that he had arrived, dropped his hand-bag on the damp platform and took his bearings.
quickly or rapidly (often used as a combining form)
From this reading Once in so often a fast train stopped, if properly flagged.
the experiencing of affective and emotional states
From this reading Fitzgerald, feeling wholly unromantic, now that he had arrived, dropped his hand-bag on the damp platform and took his bearings.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading The sea, but a few yards away, was a murmuring, heaving blackness, save where here and there a wave broke.
FitzgeraldnounUS /fɪtsˈdʒerəld/
English poet remembered primarily for his free translation of the poetry of Omar Khayyam (1809-1883)
From this reading Fitzgerald, feeling wholly unromantic, now that he had arrived, dropped his hand-bag on the damp platform and took his bearings.
flaggedverbUS /flæɡd/
inflected form of “flag” — communicate or signal with a flag
From this reading Once in so often a fast train stopped, if properly flagged.
depressingly dark
From this reading PIRATES AND PRIVATE SECRETARIES It was a little station made gloomy by a single light.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Fitzgerald, feeling wholly unromantic, now that he had arrived, dropped his hand-bag on the damp platform and took his bearings.
hand-bag
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Fitzgerald, feeling wholly unromantic, now that he had arrived, dropped his hand-bag on the damp platform and took his bearings.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Fitzgerald, feeling wholly unromantic, now that he had arrived, dropped his hand-bag on the damp platform and took his bearings.
heavingnounUS /ˈhiːvɪŋ/
an upward movement (especially a rhythmical rising and falling)
From this reading The sea, but a few yards away, was a murmuring, heaving blackness, save where here and there a wave broke.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading The sea, but a few yards away, was a murmuring, heaving blackness, save where here and there a wave broke.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Fitzgerald, feeling wholly unromantic, now that he had arrived, dropped his hand-bag on the damp platform and took his bearings.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading Once in so often a fast train stopped, if properly flagged.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Once in so often a fast train stopped, if properly flagged.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading PIRATES AND PRIVATE SECRETARIES It was a little station made gloomy by a single light.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading PIRATES AND PRIVATE SECRETARIES It was a little station made gloomy by a single light.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading PIRATES AND PRIVATE SECRETARIES It was a little station made gloomy by a single light.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading PIRATES AND PRIVATE SECRETARIES It was a little station made gloomy by a single light.
murmuringnounUS /ˈmɜːrmərɪŋ/
a low continuous indistinct sound; often accompanied by movement of the lips without the production of articulate speech
From this reading The sea, but a few yards away, was a murmuring, heaving blackness, save where here and there a wave broke.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Fitzgerald, feeling wholly unromantic, now that he had arrived, dropped his hand-bag on the damp platform and took his bearings.
many times at short intervals
From this reading Once in so often a fast train stopped, if properly flagged.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Fitzgerald, feeling wholly unromantic, now that he had arrived, dropped his hand-bag on the damp platform and took his bearings.
on one occasion
From this reading Once in so often a fast train stopped, if properly flagged.
PIRATESnounUS /ˈpaɪrəts/
plural of “pirate” — someone who uses another person's words or ideas as if they were his own
From this reading PIRATES AND PRIVATE SECRETARIES It was a little station made gloomy by a single light.
a raised horizontal surface
From this reading Fitzgerald, feeling wholly unromantic, now that he had arrived, dropped his hand-bag on the damp platform and took his bearings.
confined to particular persons or groups or providing privacy
From this reading PIRATES AND PRIVATE SECRETARIES It was a little station made gloomy by a single light.
in the right manner; correctly; suitably
From this reading Once in so often a fast train stopped, if properly flagged.
except for; apart from
From this reading The sea, but a few yards away, was a murmuring, heaving blackness, save where here and there a wave broke.
a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
From this reading The sea, but a few yards away, was a murmuring, heaving blackness, save where here and there a wave broke.
SECRETARIESnounUS /ˈsekrəteriz/
plural of “secretary” — a person who is head of an administrative department of government
From this reading PIRATES AND PRIVATE SECRETARIES It was a little station made gloomy by a single light.
being or characteristic of a single thing or person
From this reading PIRATES AND PRIVATE SECRETARIES It was a little station made gloomy by a single light.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Once in so often a fast train stopped, if properly flagged.
a facility equipped with special equipment and personnel for a particular purpose
From this reading PIRATES AND PRIVATE SECRETARIES It was a little station made gloomy by a single light.
(of a nose) blocked
From this reading Once in so often a fast train stopped, if properly flagged.
sundownnounUS /ˈsʌndaʊn/
the time in the evening at which the sun begins to fall below the horizon
From this reading It was after sundown.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Fitzgerald, feeling wholly unromantic, now that he had arrived, dropped his hand-bag on the damp platform and took his bearings.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Fitzgerald, feeling wholly unromantic, now that he had arrived, dropped his hand-bag on the damp platform and took his bearings.
in or at that place or location
From this reading The sea, but a few yards away, was a murmuring, heaving blackness, save where here and there a wave broke.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading Fitzgerald, feeling wholly unromantic, now that he had arrived, dropped his hand-bag on the damp platform and took his bearings.
create by training and teaching
From this reading Once in so often a fast train stopped, if properly flagged.
unromanticadjective
neither expressive of nor exciting sexual love or romance
From this reading Fitzgerald, feeling wholly unromantic, now that he had arrived, dropped his hand-bag on the damp platform and took his bearings.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading PIRATES AND PRIVATE SECRETARIES It was a little station made gloomy by a single light.
one of a series of ridges that moves across the surface of a liquid (especially across a large body of water)
From this reading The sea, but a few yards away, was a murmuring, heaving blackness, save where here and there a wave broke.
in or at the place that
From this reading The sea, but a few yards away, was a murmuring, heaving blackness, save where here and there a wave broke.
to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally for “wholly”)
From this reading Fitzgerald, feeling wholly unromantic, now that he had arrived, dropped his hand-bag on the damp platform and took his bearings.
plural of “yard” — a unit of length equal to 3 feet; defined as 91.44 centimeters; originally taken to be the average length of a stride
From this reading The sea, but a few yards away, was a murmuring, heaving blackness, save where here and there a wave broke.
