Chapter X · The Sea Beasts

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading Janet considered for a minute, and then told Peggy that there was an old washing-tub in the scullery which she was sure her aunt would let her use instead of her own little one; then there would be room enough for all the creatures to be happy.

filled with fear or apprehension

From this reading The little tub was quite full before long, and Peggy, looking into it, told Janet that she was afraid they wouldn’t be very comfortable.

(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 Janet considered for a minute, and then told Peggy that there was an old washing-tub in the scullery which she was sure her aunt would let her use instead of her own little one; then there would be room enough for all the creatures to be happy.

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading Janet considered for a minute, and then told Peggy that there was an old washing-tub in the scullery which she was sure her aunt would let her use instead of her own little one; then there would be room enough for all the creatures to be happy.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading It was wonderful how many sea creatures Peggy and Janet found when they began.

past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody

From this reading Peggy asked.

the sister of your father or mother; the wife of your uncle

From this reading Janet considered for a minute, and then told Peggy that there was an old washing-tub in the scullery which she was sure her aunt would let her use instead of her own little one; then there would be room enough for all the creatures to be happy.

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading The little tub was quite full before long, and Peggy, looking into it, told Janet that she was afraid they wouldn’t be very comfortable.

earlier than; in front of

From this reading The little tub was quite full before long, and Peggy, looking into it, told Janet that she was afraid they wouldn’t be very comfortable.

inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

From this reading It was wonderful how many sea creatures Peggy and Janet found when they began.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading “But how would we ever get a washing-tub filled with water out of the sea?”

providing or experiencing physical well-being or relief (“comfy” is informal)

From this reading The little tub was quite full before long, and Peggy, looking into it, told Janet that she was afraid they wouldn’t be very comfortable.

carefully weighed

From this reading Janet considered for a minute, and then told Peggy that there was an old washing-tub in the scullery which she was sure her aunt would let her use instead of her own little one; then there would be room enough for all the creatures to be happy.

plural of “creature” — a living organism characterized by voluntary movement

From this reading It was wonderful how many sea creatures Peggy and Janet found when they began.

an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose

From this reading Janet considered for a minute, and then told Peggy that there was an old washing-tub in the scullery which she was sure her aunt would let her use instead of her own little one; then there would be room enough for all the creatures to be happy.

at any time

From this reading “But how would we ever get a washing-tub filled with water out of the sea?”

(usually followed by “with” or used as a combining form) generously supplied with

From this reading “But how would we ever get a washing-tub filled with water out of the sea?”

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Janet considered for a minute, and then told Peggy that there was an old washing-tub in the scullery which she was sure her aunt would let her use instead of her own little one; then there would be room enough for all the creatures to be happy.

set up or found

From this reading It was wonderful how many sea creatures Peggy and Janet found when they began.

containing as much or as many as is possible or normal

From this reading The little tub was quite full before long, and Peggy, looking into it, told Janet that she was afraid they wouldn’t be very comfortable.

come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading “But how would we ever get a washing-tub filled with water out of the sea?”

enjoying or showing or marked by joy or pleasure

From this reading Janet considered for a minute, and then told Peggy that there was an old washing-tub in the scullery which she was sure her aunt would let her use instead of her own little one; then there would be room enough for all the creatures to be happy.

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading Janet considered for a minute, and then told Peggy that there was an old washing-tub in the scullery which she was sure her aunt would let her use instead of her own little one; then there would be room enough for all the creatures to be happy.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It was wonderful how many sea creatures Peggy and Janet found when they began.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading Janet considered for a minute, and then told Peggy that there was an old washing-tub in the scullery which she was sure her aunt would let her use instead of her own little one; then there would be room enough for all the creatures to be happy.

in place of, or as an alternative to

From this reading Janet considered for a minute, and then told Peggy that there was an old washing-tub in the scullery which she was sure her aunt would let her use instead of her own little one; then there would be room enough for all the creatures to be happy.

moving to the inside of something

From this reading The little tub was quite full before long, and Peggy, looking into it, told Janet that she was afraid they wouldn’t be very comfortable.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was wonderful how many sea creatures Peggy and Janet found when they began.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It was wonderful how many sea creatures Peggy and Janet found when they began.

used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker

From this reading Janet considered for a minute, and then told Peggy that there was an old washing-tub in the scullery which she was sure her aunt would let her use instead of her own little one; then there would be room enough for all the creatures to be happy.

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading The little tub was quite full before long, and Peggy, looking into it, told Janet that she was afraid they wouldn’t be very comfortable.

primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified

From this reading The little tub was quite full before long, and Peggy, looking into it, told Janet that she was afraid they wouldn’t be very comfortable.

the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually

From this reading The little tub was quite full before long, and Peggy, looking into it, told Janet that she was afraid they wouldn’t be very comfortable.

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number

From this reading It was wonderful how many sea creatures Peggy and Janet found when they began.

a unit of time equal to 60 seconds or 1/60th of an hour

From this reading Janet considered for a minute, and then told Peggy that there was an old washing-tub in the scullery which she was sure her aunt would let her use instead of her own little one; then there would be room enough for all the creatures to be happy.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Janet considered for a minute, and then told Peggy that there was an old washing-tub in the scullery which she was sure her aunt would let her use instead of her own little one; then there would be room enough for all the creatures to be happy.

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading Janet considered for a minute, and then told Peggy that there was an old washing-tub in the scullery which she was sure her aunt would let her use instead of her own little one; then there would be room enough for all the creatures to be happy.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Janet considered for a minute, and then told Peggy that there was an old washing-tub in the scullery which she was sure her aunt would let her use instead of her own little one; then there would be room enough for all the creatures to be happy.

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading “But how would we ever get a washing-tub filled with water out of the sea?”

have ownership or possession of

From this reading Janet considered for a minute, and then told Peggy that there was an old washing-tub in the scullery which she was sure her aunt would let her use instead of her own little one; then there would be room enough for all the creatures to be happy.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It was wonderful how many sea creatures Peggy and Janet found when they began.

to a degree (not used with a negative)

From this reading The little tub was quite full before long, and Peggy, looking into it, told Janet that she was afraid they wouldn’t be very comfortable.

an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling

From this reading Janet considered for a minute, and then told Peggy that there was an old washing-tub in the scullery which she was sure her aunt would let her use instead of her own little one; then there would be room enough for all the creatures to be happy.

a small room (in large old British houses) next to the kitchen; where kitchen utensils are cleaned and kept and other rough household jobs are done

From this reading Janet considered for a minute, and then told Peggy that there was an old washing-tub in the scullery which she was sure her aunt would let her use instead of her own little one; then there would be room enough for all the creatures to be happy.

a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land

From this reading It was wonderful how many sea creatures Peggy and Janet found when they began.

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading The little tub was quite full before long, and Peggy, looking into it, told Janet that she was afraid they wouldn’t be very comfortable.

having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured

From this reading Janet considered for a minute, and then told Peggy that there was an old washing-tub in the scullery which she was sure her aunt would let her use instead of her own little one; then there would be room enough for all the creatures to be happy.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading The little tub was quite full before long, and Peggy, looking into it, told Janet that she was afraid they wouldn’t be very comfortable.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading The little tub was quite full before long, and Peggy, looking into it, told Janet that she was afraid they wouldn’t be very comfortable.

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading Janet considered for a minute, and then told Peggy that there was an old washing-tub in the scullery which she was sure her aunt would let her use instead of her own little one; then there would be room enough for all the creatures to be happy.

in or at that place or location

From this reading Janet considered for a minute, and then told Peggy that there was an old washing-tub in the scullery which she was sure her aunt would let her use instead of her own little one; then there would be room enough for all the creatures to be happy.

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading It was wonderful how many sea creatures Peggy and Janet found when they began.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading Janet considered for a minute, and then told Peggy that there was an old washing-tub in the scullery which she was sure her aunt would let her use instead of her own little one; then there would be room enough for all the creatures to be happy.

inflected form of “tell” — express in words

From this reading The little tub was quite full before long, and Peggy, looking into it, told Janet that she was afraid they wouldn’t be very comfortable.

a relatively large open container that you fill with water and use to wash the body

From this reading The little tub was quite full before long, and Peggy, looking into it, told Janet that she was afraid they wouldn’t be very comfortable.

the act of using

From this reading Janet considered for a minute, and then told Peggy that there was an old washing-tub in the scullery which she was sure her aunt would let her use instead of her own little one; then there would be room enough for all the creatures to be happy.

precisely as stated

From this reading The little tub was quite full before long, and Peggy, looking into it, told Janet that she was afraid they wouldn’t be very comfortable.

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading It was wonderful how many sea creatures Peggy and Janet found when they began.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Janet considered for a minute, and then told Peggy that there was an old washing-tub in the scullery which she was sure her aunt would let her use instead of her own little one; then there would be room enough for all the creatures to be happy.

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 “But how would we ever get a washing-tub filled with water out of the sea?”

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading “But how would we ever get a washing-tub filled with water out of the sea?”

at the time that

From this reading It was wonderful how many sea creatures Peggy and Janet found when they began.

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading Janet considered for a minute, and then told Peggy that there was an old washing-tub in the scullery which she was sure her aunt would let her use instead of her own little one; then there would be room enough for all the creatures to be happy.

in the company of; together with

From this reading “But how would we ever get a washing-tub filled with water out of the sea?”

extraordinarily good or great; used especially as intensifiers

From this reading It was wonderful how many sea creatures Peggy and Janet found when they began.

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading Janet considered for a minute, and then told Peggy that there was an old washing-tub in the scullery which she was sure her aunt would let her use instead of her own little one; then there would be room enough for all the creatures to be happy.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The little tub was quite full before long, and Peggy, looking into it, told Janet that she was afraid they wouldn’t be very comfortable.