used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading By crawling about on my stomach and feeling around with my face--as I had no use of my hands--I finally succeeded in discovering a large iron hook, doubtless intended for holding the ballast in place.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading By crawling about on my stomach and feeling around with my face--as I had no use of my hands--I finally succeeded in discovering a large iron hook, doubtless intended for holding the ballast in place.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading By crawling about on my stomach and feeling around with my face--as I had no use of my hands--I finally succeeded in discovering a large iron hook, doubtless intended for holding the ballast in place.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading Being unable to reach them with my mouth so I could gnaw them in two with my teeth, I devised another means.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading By crawling about on my stomach and feeling around with my face--as I had no use of my hands--I finally succeeded in discovering a large iron hook, doubtless intended for holding the ballast in place.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The rest of the captain's letter read as follows:
ballastnounUS /ˈbæləst/
any heavy material used to stabilize a ship or airship
From this reading By crawling about on my stomach and feeling around with my face--as I had no use of my hands--I finally succeeded in discovering a large iron hook, doubtless intended for holding the ballast in place.
Beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading Being unable to reach them with my mouth so I could gnaw them in two with my teeth, I devised another means.
bondsnounUS /bɑːndz/
plural of “bond” — an electrical force linking atoms
From this reading "'In order to carry out my plan, the first thing I had to do was to free myself from my bonds.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading By crawling about on my stomach and feeling around with my face--as I had no use of my hands--I finally succeeded in discovering a large iron hook, doubtless intended for holding the ballast in place.
CAPTAIN'SnounUS /ˈkæptənz/
possessive form of “captain” — an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant
From this reading CONCLUSION OF THE CAPTAIN'S NARRATIVE.
move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body
From this reading "'In order to carry out my plan, the first thing I had to do was to free myself from my bonds.
a position or opinion or judgment reached after consideration
From this reading CONCLUSION OF THE CAPTAIN'S NARRATIVE.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Being unable to reach them with my mouth so I could gnaw them in two with my teeth, I devised another means.
crawlingnounUS /ˈkrɔːlɪŋ/
a slow mode of locomotion on hands and knees or dragging the body
From this reading By crawling about on my stomach and feeling around with my face--as I had no use of my hands--I finally succeeded in discovering a large iron hook, doubtless intended for holding the ballast in place.
devisedverbUS /dɪˈvaɪzd/
past form of “devise” — come up with (an idea, plan, explanation, theory, or principle) after a mental effort
From this reading Being unable to reach them with my mouth so I could gnaw them in two with my teeth, I devised another means.
discoveringverbUS /dɪˈskʌvərɪŋ/
-ing form of “discover” — discover or determine the existence, presence, or fact of
From this reading By crawling about on my stomach and feeling around with my face--as I had no use of my hands--I finally succeeded in discovering a large iron hook, doubtless intended for holding the ballast in place.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading "'In order to carry out my plan, the first thing I had to do was to free myself from my bonds.
without doubt; certainly
From this reading By crawling about on my stomach and feeling around with my face--as I had no use of my hands--I finally succeeded in discovering a large iron hook, doubtless intended for holding the ballast in place.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading By crawling about on my stomach and feeling around with my face--as I had no use of my hands--I finally succeeded in discovering a large iron hook, doubtless intended for holding the ballast in place.
the experiencing of affective and emotional states
From this reading By crawling about on my stomach and feeling around with my face--as I had no use of my hands--I finally succeeded in discovering a large iron hook, doubtless intended for holding the ballast in place.
after an unspecified period of time or an especially long delay
From this reading By crawling about on my stomach and feeling around with my face--as I had no use of my hands--I finally succeeded in discovering a large iron hook, doubtless intended for holding the ballast in place.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading "'In order to carry out my plan, the first thing I had to do was to free myself from my bonds.
third-person singular of “follow” — to travel behind, go after, come after
From this reading The rest of the captain's letter read as follows:
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading By crawling about on my stomach and feeling around with my face--as I had no use of my hands--I finally succeeded in discovering a large iron hook, doubtless intended for holding the ballast in place.
grant freedom to; free from confinement
From this reading "'In order to carry out my plan, the first thing I had to do was to free myself from my bonds.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading "'In order to carry out my plan, the first thing I had to do was to free myself from my bonds.
gnawverbUS /nɔː/
bite or chew on with the teeth
From this reading Being unable to reach them with my mouth so I could gnaw them in two with my teeth, I devised another means.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading "'In order to carry out my plan, the first thing I had to do was to free myself from my bonds.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading By crawling about on my stomach and feeling around with my face--as I had no use of my hands--I finally succeeded in discovering a large iron hook, doubtless intended for holding the ballast in place.
the act of retaining something
From this reading By crawling about on my stomach and feeling around with my face--as I had no use of my hands--I finally succeeded in discovering a large iron hook, doubtless intended for holding the ballast in place.
hookverbUS /hʊk/
fasten with a hook
From this reading By crawling about on my stomach and feeling around with my face--as I had no use of my hands--I finally succeeded in discovering a large iron hook, doubtless intended for holding the ballast in place.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "'In order to carry out my plan, the first thing I had to do was to free myself from my bonds.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "'In order to carry out my plan, the first thing I had to do was to free myself from my bonds.
resulting from one's intentions
From this reading By crawling about on my stomach and feeling around with my face--as I had no use of my hands--I finally succeeded in discovering a large iron hook, doubtless intended for holding the ballast in place.
a heavy ductile magnetic metallic element; is silver-white in pure form but readily rusts; used in construction and tools and armament; plays a role in the transport of oxygen by the blood
From this reading By crawling about on my stomach and feeling around with my face--as I had no use of my hands--I finally succeeded in discovering a large iron hook, doubtless intended for holding the ballast in place.
largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading By crawling about on my stomach and feeling around with my face--as I had no use of my hands--I finally succeeded in discovering a large iron hook, doubtless intended for holding the ballast in place.
a written message addressed to a person or organization
From this reading The rest of the captain's letter read as follows:
thing or person that acts to produce a particular effect or achieve an end
From this reading Being unable to reach them with my mouth so I could gnaw them in two with my teeth, I devised another means.
the opening through which food is taken in and vocalizations emerge
From this reading Being unable to reach them with my mouth so I could gnaw them in two with my teeth, I devised another means.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading "'In order to carry out my plan, the first thing I had to do was to free myself from my bonds.
used when the speaker is also the object of the action
From this reading "'In order to carry out my plan, the first thing I had to do was to free myself from my bonds.
NARRATIVEnounUS /ˈnærətɪv/
a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading CONCLUSION OF THE CAPTAIN'S NARRATIVE.
not any; not one
From this reading By crawling about on my stomach and feeling around with my face--as I had no use of my hands--I finally succeeded in discovering a large iron hook, doubtless intended for holding the ballast in place.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading CONCLUSION OF THE CAPTAIN'S NARRATIVE.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading By crawling about on my stomach and feeling around with my face--as I had no use of my hands--I finally succeeded in discovering a large iron hook, doubtless intended for holding the ballast in place.
(often plural) a command given by a superior (e.g., a military or law enforcement officer) that must be obeyed
From this reading "'In order to carry out my plan, the first thing I had to do was to free myself from my bonds.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading "'In order to carry out my plan, the first thing I had to do was to free myself from my bonds.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading By crawling about on my stomach and feeling around with my face--as I had no use of my hands--I finally succeeded in discovering a large iron hook, doubtless intended for holding the ballast in place.
have the will and intention to carry out some action
From this reading "'In order to carry out my plan, the first thing I had to do was to free myself from my bonds.
reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading Being unable to reach them with my mouth so I could gnaw them in two with my teeth, I devised another means.
interpret something that is written or printed
From this reading The rest of the captain's letter read as follows:
not move; be in a resting position
From this reading The rest of the captain's letter read as follows:
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Being unable to reach them with my mouth so I could gnaw them in two with my teeth, I devised another means.
stomachnounUS /ˈstʌmək/
an enlarged and muscular saclike organ of the alimentary canal; the principal organ of digestion
From this reading By crawling about on my stomach and feeling around with my face--as I had no use of my hands--I finally succeeded in discovering a large iron hook, doubtless intended for holding the ballast in place.
past form of “succeed” — attain success or reach a desired goal
From this reading By crawling about on my stomach and feeling around with my face--as I had no use of my hands--I finally succeeded in discovering a large iron hook, doubtless intended for holding the ballast in place.
the kind and number and arrangement of teeth (collectively) in a person or animal
From this reading Being unable to reach them with my mouth so I could gnaw them in two with my teeth, I devised another means.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading CONCLUSION OF THE CAPTAIN'S NARRATIVE.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Being unable to reach them with my mouth so I could gnaw them in two with my teeth, I devised another means.
a special situation
From this reading "'In order to carry out my plan, the first thing I had to do was to free myself from my bonds.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "'In order to carry out my plan, the first thing I had to do was to free myself from my bonds.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading Being unable to reach them with my mouth so I could gnaw them in two with my teeth, I devised another means.
(usually followed by “to”) not having the necessary means or skill or know-how
From this reading Being unable to reach them with my mouth so I could gnaw them in two with my teeth, I devised another means.
the act of using
From this reading By crawling about on my stomach and feeling around with my face--as I had no use of my hands--I finally succeeded in discovering a large iron hook, doubtless intended for holding the ballast in place.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "'In order to carry out my plan, the first thing I had to do was to free myself from my bonds.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Being unable to reach them with my mouth so I could gnaw them in two with my teeth, I devised another means.
