used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading We sailed on and on, but not a block of ice big enough to make a highball did we sight.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading SHAKING HANDS WITH SIBERIA The ship's prow was turned northward after work on the whale had been finished.
anew
From this reading I expected we would soon run into the ice again.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading The white floes and drifts and the frozen continent floating southward, along the coasts of which we had cruised for whales and which had surrounded us and held us captive for three weeks, had disappeared entirely.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading We sailed on and on, but not a block of ice big enough to make a highball did we sight.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading SHAKING HANDS WITH SIBERIA The ship's prow was turned northward after work on the whale had been finished.
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading We sailed on and on, but not a block of ice big enough to make a highball did we sight.
blocknounUS /blɑːk/
a solid piece of something (usually having flat rectangular sides)
From this reading We sailed on and on, but not a block of ice big enough to make a highball did we sight.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading We sailed on and on, but not a block of ice big enough to make a highball did we sight.
captivenounUS /ˈkæptɪv/
a person who is confined; especially a prisoner of war
From this reading The white floes and drifts and the frozen continent floating southward, along the coasts of which we had cruised for whales and which had surrounded us and held us captive for three weeks, had disappeared entirely.
coastsnounUS /koʊsts/
plural of “coast” — the shore of a sea or ocean
From this reading The white floes and drifts and the frozen continent floating southward, along the coasts of which we had cruised for whales and which had surrounded us and held us captive for three weeks, had disappeared entirely.
continentnounUS /ˈkɑːntənənt/
one of the large landmasses of the earth
From this reading The white floes and drifts and the frozen continent floating southward, along the coasts of which we had cruised for whales and which had surrounded us and held us captive for three weeks, had disappeared entirely.
cruisedverbUS /kruːzd/
past form of “cruise” — drive around aimlessly but ostentatiously and at leisure
From this reading The white floes and drifts and the frozen continent floating southward, along the coasts of which we had cruised for whales and which had surrounded us and held us captive for three weeks, had disappeared entirely.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading We sailed on and on, but not a block of ice big enough to make a highball did we sight.
past form of “disappear” — get lost, as without warning or explanation
From this reading The white floes and drifts and the frozen continent floating southward, along the coasts of which we had cruised for whales and which had surrounded us and held us captive for three weeks, had disappeared entirely.
driftsnounUS /drɪfts/
plural of “drift” — a force that moves something along
From this reading The white floes and drifts and the frozen continent floating southward, along the coasts of which we had cruised for whales and which had surrounded us and held us captive for three weeks, had disappeared entirely.
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading We sailed on and on, but not a block of ice big enough to make a highball did we sight.
to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally for “wholly”)
From this reading The white floes and drifts and the frozen continent floating southward, along the coasts of which we had cruised for whales and which had surrounded us and held us captive for three weeks, had disappeared entirely.
considered likely or probable to happen or arrive
From this reading I expected we would soon run into the ice again.
(of materials or goods) brought to the desired final state
From this reading SHAKING HANDS WITH SIBERIA The ship's prow was turned northward after work on the whale had been finished.
floatingadjectiveUS /ˈfloʊtɪŋ/
borne up by or suspended in a liquid
From this reading The white floes and drifts and the frozen continent floating southward, along the coasts of which we had cruised for whales and which had surrounded us and held us captive for three weeks, had disappeared entirely.
floes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The white floes and drifts and the frozen continent floating southward, along the coasts of which we had cruised for whales and which had surrounded us and held us captive for three weeks, had disappeared entirely.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The white floes and drifts and the frozen continent floating southward, along the coasts of which we had cruised for whales and which had surrounded us and held us captive for three weeks, had disappeared entirely.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The warm water from the south, the southern winds, and the spring sunshine had melted the ice.
frozenadjectiveUS /ˈfroʊzən/
turned into ice; affected by freezing or by long and severe cold
From this reading The white floes and drifts and the frozen continent floating southward, along the coasts of which we had cruised for whales and which had surrounded us and held us captive for three weeks, had disappeared entirely.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading SHAKING HANDS WITH SIBERIA The ship's prow was turned northward after work on the whale had been finished.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading SHAKING HANDS WITH SIBERIA The ship's prow was turned northward after work on the whale had been finished.
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading The white floes and drifts and the frozen continent floating southward, along the coasts of which we had cruised for whales and which had surrounded us and held us captive for three weeks, had disappeared entirely.
highballnoun
a mixed drink made of alcoholic liquor mixed with water or a carbonated beverage and served in a tall glass
From this reading We sailed on and on, but not a block of ice big enough to make a highball did we sight.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I expected we would soon run into the ice again.
water frozen in the solid state
From this reading I expected we would soon run into the ice again.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading I expected we would soon run into the ice again.
engage in
From this reading We sailed on and on, but not a block of ice big enough to make a highball did we sight.
meltedadjectiveUS /ˈmeltəd/
changed from a solid to a liquid state
From this reading The warm water from the south, the southern winds, and the spring sunshine had melted the ice.
northwardadverbUS /ˈnɔːrθwərd/
in a northern direction
From this reading SHAKING HANDS WITH SIBERIA The ship's prow was turned northward after work on the whale had been finished.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading We sailed on and on, but not a block of ice big enough to make a highball did we sight.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading We sailed on and on, but not a block of ice big enough to make a highball did we sight.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading SHAKING HANDS WITH SIBERIA The ship's prow was turned northward after work on the whale had been finished.
prownounUS /praʊ/
front part of a vessel or aircraft
From this reading SHAKING HANDS WITH SIBERIA The ship's prow was turned northward after work on the whale had been finished.
move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time
From this reading I expected we would soon run into the ice again.
past form of “sail” — traverse or travel on (a body of water)
From this reading We sailed on and on, but not a block of ice big enough to make a highball did we sight.
the act of causing something to move up and down (or back and forth) with quick movements
From this reading SHAKING HANDS WITH SIBERIA The ship's prow was turned northward after work on the whale had been finished.
ship'snounUS /ʃɪps/
possessive form of “ship” — a vessel that carries passengers or freight
From this reading SHAKING HANDS WITH SIBERIA The ship's prow was turned northward after work on the whale had been finished.
SIBERIAnounUS /saɪˈbɪriə/
a vast Asian region of Russia; famous for long cold winters
From this reading SHAKING HANDS WITH SIBERIA The ship's prow was turned northward after work on the whale had been finished.
an instance of visual perception
From this reading We sailed on and on, but not a block of ice big enough to make a highball did we sight.
in the near future
From this reading I expected we would soon run into the ice again.
the region of the United States lying to the south of the Mason-Dixon line
From this reading The warm water from the south, the southern winds, and the spring sunshine had melted the ice.
in or characteristic of a region of the United States south of (approximately) the Mason-Dixon line
From this reading The warm water from the south, the southern winds, and the spring sunshine had melted the ice.
southwardadverbUS /ˈsaʊθwərd/
toward the south
From this reading The white floes and drifts and the frozen continent floating southward, along the coasts of which we had cruised for whales and which had surrounded us and held us captive for three weeks, had disappeared entirely.
the season of growth
From this reading The warm water from the south, the southern winds, and the spring sunshine had melted the ice.
the rays of the sun
From this reading The warm water from the south, the southern winds, and the spring sunshine had melted the ice.
confined on all sides
From this reading The white floes and drifts and the frozen continent floating southward, along the coasts of which we had cruised for whales and which had surrounded us and held us captive for three weeks, had disappeared entirely.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading SHAKING HANDS WITH SIBERIA The ship's prow was turned northward after work on the whale had been finished.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading The white floes and drifts and the frozen continent floating southward, along the coasts of which we had cruised for whales and which had surrounded us and held us captive for three weeks, had disappeared entirely.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading We sailed on and on, but not a block of ice big enough to make a highball did we sight.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading SHAKING HANDS WITH SIBERIA The ship's prow was turned northward after work on the whale had been finished.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The white floes and drifts and the frozen continent floating southward, along the coasts of which we had cruised for whales and which had surrounded us and held us captive for three weeks, had disappeared entirely.
having or producing a comfortable and agreeable degree of heat or imparting or maintaining heat
From this reading The warm water from the south, the southern winds, and the spring sunshine had melted the ice.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading SHAKING HANDS WITH SIBERIA The ship's prow was turned northward after work on the whale had been finished.
binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent
From this reading The warm water from the south, the southern winds, and the spring sunshine had melted the ice.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading I expected we would soon run into the ice again.
plural of “week” — any period of seven consecutive days
From this reading The white floes and drifts and the frozen continent floating southward, along the coasts of which we had cruised for whales and which had surrounded us and held us captive for three weeks, had disappeared entirely.
whalenounUS /weɪl/
a very large person; impressive in size or qualities
From this reading SHAKING HANDS WITH SIBERIA The ship's prow was turned northward after work on the whale had been finished.
whalesnounUS /weɪlz/
plural of “whale” — a very large person; impressive in size or qualities
From this reading The white floes and drifts and the frozen continent floating southward, along the coasts of which we had cruised for whales and which had surrounded us and held us captive for three weeks, had disappeared entirely.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The white floes and drifts and the frozen continent floating southward, along the coasts of which we had cruised for whales and which had surrounded us and held us captive for three weeks, had disappeared entirely.
a Caucasian
From this reading The white floes and drifts and the frozen continent floating southward, along the coasts of which we had cruised for whales and which had surrounded us and held us captive for three weeks, had disappeared entirely.
plural of “wind” — air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading The warm water from the south, the southern winds, and the spring sunshine had melted the ice.
in the company of; together with
From this reading SHAKING HANDS WITH SIBERIA The ship's prow was turned northward after work on the whale had been finished.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading SHAKING HANDS WITH SIBERIA The ship's prow was turned northward after work on the whale had been finished.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading I expected we would soon run into the ice again.
