used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A little after noon, the iceberg was within a mile of the land.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading A little after noon, the iceberg was within a mile of the land.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading On our approach the half-breed descended the opposite slope, and when I reached the top he was no longer to be seen.
move towards
From this reading On our approach the half-breed descended the opposite slope, and when I reached the top he was no longer to be seen.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading On our approach the half-breed descended the opposite slope, and when I reached the top he was no longer to be seen.
blocknounUS /blɑːk/
a solid piece of something (usually having flat rectangular sides)
From this reading After their dinner, the crew climbed up to the topmost block, on which Dirk Peters was stationed.
temporary living quarters specially built by the army for soldiers
From this reading IN CAMP.
past form of “climb” — go upward with gradual or continuous progress
From this reading After their dinner, the crew climbed up to the topmost block, on which Dirk Peters was stationed.
large or relatively large in number or amount or extent or degree
From this reading The land on the north evidently formed a continent or island of considerable extent.
continentnounUS /ˈkɑːntənənt/
one of the large landmasses of the earth
From this reading The land on the north evidently formed a continent or island of considerable extent.
the men and women who man a vehicle (ship, aircraft, etc.)
From this reading After their dinner, the crew climbed up to the topmost block, on which Dirk Peters was stationed.
past form of “descend” — move downward and lower, but not necessarily all the way
From this reading On our approach the half-breed descended the opposite slope, and when I reached the top he was no longer to be seen.
the main meal of the day served in the evening or at midday
From this reading After their dinner, the crew climbed up to the topmost block, on which Dirk Peters was stationed.
DirknounUS /dɜːrk/
a relatively long dagger with a straight blade
From this reading After their dinner, the crew climbed up to the topmost block, on which Dirk Peters was stationed.
unmistakably (“plain” is often used informally for “plainly”)
From this reading The land on the north evidently formed a continent or island of considerable extent.
the point or degree to which something extends
From this reading The land on the north evidently formed a continent or island of considerable extent.
having or given a form or shape
From this reading The land on the north evidently formed a continent or island of considerable extent.
half-breednoun
an offensive term for an offspring of parents of different racial group (especially of Caucasian and American Indian ancestry)
From this reading On our approach the half-breed descended the opposite slope, and when I reached the top he was no longer to be seen.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading On our approach the half-breed descended the opposite slope, and when I reached the top he was no longer to be seen.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading On our approach the half-breed descended the opposite slope, and when I reached the top he was no longer to be seen.
icebergnounUS /ˈaɪsbərɡ/
a large mass of ice floating at sea; usually broken off of a polar glacier
From this reading A little after noon, the iceberg was within a mile of the land.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading IN CAMP.
a land mass (smaller than a continent) that is surrounded by water
From this reading The land on the north evidently formed a continent or island of considerable extent.
the land on which real estate is located
From this reading A little after noon, the iceberg was within a mile of the land.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading A little after noon, the iceberg was within a mile of the land.
for more time
From this reading On our approach the half-breed descended the opposite slope, and when I reached the top he was no longer to be seen.
a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters
From this reading A little after noon, the iceberg was within a mile of the land.
not any; not one
From this reading On our approach the half-breed descended the opposite slope, and when I reached the top he was no longer to be seen.
the middle of the day
From this reading A little after noon, the iceberg was within a mile of the land.
the region of the United States lying to the north of the Mason-Dixon line
From this reading The land on the north evidently formed a continent or island of considerable extent.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A little after noon, the iceberg was within a mile of the land.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading After their dinner, the crew climbed up to the topmost block, on which Dirk Peters was stationed.
being directly across from each other; facing
From this reading On our approach the half-breed descended the opposite slope, and when I reached the top he was no longer to be seen.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading The land on the north evidently formed a continent or island of considerable extent.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading On our approach the half-breed descended the opposite slope, and when I reached the top he was no longer to be seen.
PetersnounUS /ˈpiːtərz/
plural of “peter” — disciple of Jesus and leader of the Apostles; regarded by Catholics as the vicar of Christ on earth and first Pope
From this reading After their dinner, the crew climbed up to the topmost block, on which Dirk Peters was stationed.
past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading On our approach the half-breed descended the opposite slope, and when I reached the top he was no longer to be seen.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading On our approach the half-breed descended the opposite slope, and when I reached the top he was no longer to be seen.
an elevated geological formation
From this reading On our approach the half-breed descended the opposite slope, and when I reached the top he was no longer to be seen.
stationedverbUS /ˈsteɪʃənd/
past form of “station” — assign to a station
From this reading After their dinner, the crew climbed up to the topmost block, on which Dirk Peters was stationed.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A little after noon, the iceberg was within a mile of the land.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading After their dinner, the crew climbed up to the topmost block, on which Dirk Peters was stationed.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading After their dinner, the crew climbed up to the topmost block, on which Dirk Peters was stationed.
the upper part of anything
From this reading On our approach the half-breed descended the opposite slope, and when I reached the top he was no longer to be seen.
topmostadjective
at or nearest to the top
From this reading After their dinner, the crew climbed up to the topmost block, on which Dirk Peters was stationed.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading After their dinner, the crew climbed up to the topmost block, on which Dirk Peters was stationed.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading A little after noon, the iceberg was within a mile of the land.
at the time that
From this reading On our approach the half-breed descended the opposite slope, and when I reached the top he was no longer to be seen.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading After their dinner, the crew climbed up to the topmost block, on which Dirk Peters was stationed.
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading A little after noon, the iceberg was within a mile of the land.
