used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading THE SEA SERPENT For some days after leaving Cortes' island the weather continued fine and the sea calm, but a strong breeze then springing up from the north-west made it necessary to shorten sail.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading THE SEA SERPENT For some days after leaving Cortes' island the weather continued fine and the sea calm, but a strong breeze then springing up from the north-west made it necessary to shorten sail.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE SEA SERPENT For some days after leaving Cortes' island the weather continued fine and the sea calm, but a strong breeze then springing up from the north-west made it necessary to shorten sail.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The whales in these parts are fearless of man.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Never before had I seen so strange a spectacle.
a slight wind (usually refreshing)
From this reading THE SEA SERPENT For some days after leaving Cortes' island the weather continued fine and the sea calm, but a strong breeze then springing up from the north-west made it necessary to shorten sail.
bulknounUS /bʌlk/
the property resulting from being or relating to the greater in number of two parts; the main part
From this reading Their vast numbers, their great bulk, and their quick evolutions impressed me with wonder.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading THE SEA SERPENT For some days after leaving Cortes' island the weather continued fine and the sea calm, but a strong breeze then springing up from the north-west made it necessary to shorten sail.
make calm or still
From this reading THE SEA SERPENT For some days after leaving Cortes' island the weather continued fine and the sea calm, but a strong breeze then springing up from the north-west made it necessary to shorten sail.
without stop or interruption
From this reading THE SEA SERPENT For some days after leaving Cortes' island the weather continued fine and the sea calm, but a strong breeze then springing up from the north-west made it necessary to shorten sail.
CortesnounUS /ˌkɔːrˈtez/
Spanish conquistador who defeated the Aztecs and conquered Mexico (1485-1547)
From this reading THE SEA SERPENT For some days after leaving Cortes' island the weather continued fine and the sea calm, but a strong breeze then springing up from the north-west made it necessary to shorten sail.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading THE SEA SERPENT For some days after leaving Cortes' island the weather continued fine and the sea calm, but a strong breeze then springing up from the north-west made it necessary to shorten sail.
having ones attention or mind or energy engaged
From this reading While so engaged we sighted a number of whales, which swam to meet us.
evolutions
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Their vast numbers, their great bulk, and their quick evolutions impressed me with wonder.
fearlessadjectiveUS /ˈfɪrləs/
oblivious of dangers or perils or calmly resolute in facing them
From this reading The whales in these parts are fearless of man.
being satisfactory or in satisfactory condition
From this reading THE SEA SERPENT For some days after leaving Cortes' island the weather continued fine and the sea calm, but a strong breeze then springing up from the north-west made it necessary to shorten sail.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading THE SEA SERPENT For some days after leaving Cortes' island the weather continued fine and the sea calm, but a strong breeze then springing up from the north-west made it necessary to shorten sail.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading THE SEA SERPENT For some days after leaving Cortes' island the weather continued fine and the sea calm, but a strong breeze then springing up from the north-west made it necessary to shorten sail.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading Their vast numbers, their great bulk, and their quick evolutions impressed me with wonder.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Never before had I seen so strange a spectacle.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading Never before had I seen so strange a spectacle.
deeply or markedly affected or influenced
From this reading Their vast numbers, their great bulk, and their quick evolutions impressed me with wonder.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The whales in these parts are fearless of man.
a land mass (smaller than a continent) that is surrounded by water
From this reading THE SEA SERPENT For some days after leaving Cortes' island the weather continued fine and the sea calm, but a strong breeze then springing up from the north-west made it necessary to shorten sail.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading THE SEA SERPENT For some days after leaving Cortes' island the weather continued fine and the sea calm, but a strong breeze then springing up from the north-west made it necessary to shorten sail.
the act of departing
From this reading THE SEA SERPENT For some days after leaving Cortes' island the weather continued fine and the sea calm, but a strong breeze then springing up from the north-west made it necessary to shorten sail.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading THE SEA SERPENT For some days after leaving Cortes' island the weather continued fine and the sea calm, but a strong breeze then springing up from the north-west made it necessary to shorten sail.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading The whales in these parts are fearless of man.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Their vast numbers, their great bulk, and their quick evolutions impressed me with wonder.
come together
From this reading While so engaged we sighted a number of whales, which swam to meet us.
absolutely essential
From this reading THE SEA SERPENT For some days after leaving Cortes' island the weather continued fine and the sea calm, but a strong breeze then springing up from the north-west made it necessary to shorten sail.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading Never before had I seen so strange a spectacle.
north-westadverb
to, toward, or in the northwest
From this reading THE SEA SERPENT For some days after leaving Cortes' island the weather continued fine and the sea calm, but a strong breeze then springing up from the north-west made it necessary to shorten sail.
the property possessed by a sum or total or indefinite quantity of units or individuals
From this reading While so engaged we sighted a number of whales, which swam to meet us.
the fourth book of the Old Testament; contains a record of the number of Israelites who followed Moses out of Egypt
From this reading Their vast numbers, their great bulk, and their quick evolutions impressed me with wonder.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading While so engaged we sighted a number of whales, which swam to meet us.
the local environment
From this reading The whales in these parts are fearless of man.
accomplished rapidly and without delay
From this reading Their vast numbers, their great bulk, and their quick evolutions impressed me with wonder.
traverse or travel on (a body of water)
From this reading THE SEA SERPENT For some days after leaving Cortes' island the weather continued fine and the sea calm, but a strong breeze then springing up from the north-west made it necessary to shorten sail.
a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
From this reading THE SEA SERPENT For some days after leaving Cortes' island the weather continued fine and the sea calm, but a strong breeze then springing up from the north-west made it necessary to shorten sail.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading Never before had I seen so strange a spectacle.
SERPENTnounUS /ˈsɜːrpənt/
limbless scaly elongate reptile; some are venomous
From this reading THE SEA SERPENT For some days after leaving Cortes' island the weather continued fine and the sea calm, but a strong breeze then springing up from the north-west made it necessary to shorten sail.
shortenverbUS /ˈʃɔːrtən/
make shorter than originally intended; reduce or retrench in length or duration
From this reading THE SEA SERPENT For some days after leaving Cortes' island the weather continued fine and the sea calm, but a strong breeze then springing up from the north-west made it necessary to shorten sail.
sightedadjectiveUS /ˈsaɪtɪd/
able to see
From this reading While so engaged we sighted a number of whales, which swam to meet us.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading While so engaged we sighted a number of whales, which swam to meet us.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading THE SEA SERPENT For some days after leaving Cortes' island the weather continued fine and the sea calm, but a strong breeze then springing up from the north-west made it necessary to shorten sail.
spectaclenounUS /ˈspektəkəl/
something or someone seen (especially a notable or unusual sight)
From this reading Never before had I seen so strange a spectacle.
springingverbUS /ˈsprɪŋɪŋ/
-ing form of “spring” — move forward by leaps and bounds
From this reading THE SEA SERPENT For some days after leaving Cortes' island the weather continued fine and the sea calm, but a strong breeze then springing up from the north-west made it necessary to shorten sail.
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading Never before had I seen so strange a spectacle.
having strength or power greater than average or expected
From this reading THE SEA SERPENT For some days after leaving Cortes' island the weather continued fine and the sea calm, but a strong breeze then springing up from the north-west made it necessary to shorten sail.
swamverbUS /swæm/
inflected form of “swim” — travel through water
From this reading While so engaged we sighted a number of whales, which swam to meet us.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE SEA SERPENT For some days after leaving Cortes' island the weather continued fine and the sea calm, but a strong breeze then springing up from the north-west made it necessary to shorten sail.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Their vast numbers, their great bulk, and their quick evolutions impressed me with wonder.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading THE SEA SERPENT For some days after leaving Cortes' island the weather continued fine and the sea calm, but a strong breeze then springing up from the north-west made it necessary to shorten sail.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading The whales in these parts are fearless of man.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE SEA SERPENT For some days after leaving Cortes' island the weather continued fine and the sea calm, but a strong breeze then springing up from the north-west made it necessary to shorten sail.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading THE SEA SERPENT For some days after leaving Cortes' island the weather continued fine and the sea calm, but a strong breeze then springing up from the north-west made it necessary to shorten sail.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading While so engaged we sighted a number of whales, which swam to meet us.
unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope
From this reading Their vast numbers, their great bulk, and their quick evolutions impressed me with wonder.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading While so engaged we sighted a number of whales, which swam to meet us.
the atmospheric conditions that comprise the state of the atmosphere in terms of temperature and wind and clouds and precipitation
From this reading THE SEA SERPENT For some days after leaving Cortes' island the weather continued fine and the sea calm, but a strong breeze then springing up from the north-west made it necessary to shorten sail.
whalesnounUS /weɪlz/
plural of “whale” — a very large person; impressive in size or qualities
From this reading While so engaged we sighted a number of whales, which swam to meet us.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading While so engaged we sighted a number of whales, which swam to meet us.
WhileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading While so engaged we sighted a number of whales, which swam to meet us.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Their vast numbers, their great bulk, and their quick evolutions impressed me with wonder.
the feeling aroused by something strange and surprising
From this reading Their vast numbers, their great bulk, and their quick evolutions impressed me with wonder.
