used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading THE OCEAN'S PREY It was indeed a scene of awful wreckage on which they gazed.
a person or thing that is a resource that helps make something easier or possible to do
From this reading The gale had played havoc with the unfortunate vessel, and what with the aid of the mighty waves had almost completely demolished it.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading The gale had played havoc with the unfortunate vessel, and what with the aid of the mighty waves had almost completely demolished it.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The gale had played havoc with the unfortunate vessel, and what with the aid of the mighty waves had almost completely demolished it.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The bridge had been torn from its fastenings at one end, and sagged down to the deck.
awfuladjectiveUS /ˈɑːfəl/
exceptionally bad or displeasing
From this reading THE OCEAN'S PREY It was indeed a scene of awful wreckage on which they gazed.
batteredadjectiveUS /ˈbætərd/
damaged by blows or hard usage
From this reading The bulwarks were battered and broken, where the masts had crushed them in falling overboard.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The bridge had been torn from its fastenings at one end, and sagged down to the deck.
confined by bonds
From this reading Broken and splintered planks strewed the deck, and everything was bound together by tangled masses of cordage.
a structure that allows people or vehicles to cross an obstacle such as a river or canal or railway etc.
From this reading The bridge had been torn from its fastenings at one end, and sagged down to the deck.
physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split
From this reading The bulwarks were battered and broken, where the masts had crushed them in falling overboard.
bulwarks
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The bulwarks were battered and broken, where the masts had crushed them in falling overboard.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Broken and splintered planks strewed the deck, and everything was bound together by tangled masses of cordage.
to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally for “wholly”)
From this reading The gale had played havoc with the unfortunate vessel, and what with the aid of the mighty waves had almost completely demolished it.
cordagenounUS /ˈkɔːrdədʒ/
the amount of wood in an area as measured in cords
From this reading Broken and splintered planks strewed the deck, and everything was bound together by tangled masses of cordage.
crushedadjectiveUS /krʌʃt/
treated so as to have a permanently wrinkled appearance
From this reading The bulwarks were battered and broken, where the masts had crushed them in falling overboard.
any of various platforms built into a vessel
From this reading Broken and splintered planks strewed the deck, and everything was bound together by tangled masses of cordage.
demolishedadjectiveUS /dɪˈmɑːlɪʃt/
torn down and broken up
From this reading The gale had played havoc with the unfortunate vessel, and what with the aid of the mighty waves had almost completely demolished it.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading The bridge had been torn from its fastenings at one end, and sagged down to the deck.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading The bridge had been torn from its fastenings at one end, and sagged down to the deck.
all things; all of a situation
From this reading Broken and splintered planks strewed the deck, and everything was bound together by tangled masses of cordage.
decreasing in amount or degree
From this reading The bulwarks were battered and broken, where the masts had crushed them in falling overboard.
fasteningsnounUS /ˈfæsənɪŋz/
plural of “fastening” — restraint that attaches to something or holds something in place
From this reading The bridge had been torn from its fastenings at one end, and sagged down to the deck.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The bridge had been torn from its fastenings at one end, and sagged down to the deck.
galenounUS /ɡeɪl/
a strong wind moving 45-90 knots; force 7 to 10 on Beaufort scale
From this reading The gale had played havoc with the unfortunate vessel, and what with the aid of the mighty waves had almost completely demolished it.
past form of “gaze” — look at with fixed eyes
From this reading THE OCEAN'S PREY It was indeed a scene of awful wreckage on which they gazed.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The gale had played havoc with the unfortunate vessel, and what with the aid of the mighty waves had almost completely demolished it.
havocnounUS /ˈhævək/
violent and needless disturbance
From this reading The gale had played havoc with the unfortunate vessel, and what with the aid of the mighty waves had almost completely demolished it.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The bulwarks were battered and broken, where the masts had crushed them in falling overboard.
in truth (often tends to intensify)
From this reading THE OCEAN'S PREY It was indeed a scene of awful wreckage on which they gazed.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading THE OCEAN'S PREY It was indeed a scene of awful wreckage on which they gazed.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading The bridge had been torn from its fastenings at one end, and sagged down to the deck.
massesnounUS /ˈmæsəz/
the common people generally
From this reading Broken and splintered planks strewed the deck, and everything was bound together by tangled masses of cordage.
mastsnounUS /mæsts/
plural of “mast” — a vertical spar for supporting sails
From this reading The bulwarks were battered and broken, where the masts had crushed them in falling overboard.
having or showing great strength or force or intensity
From this reading The gale had played havoc with the unfortunate vessel, and what with the aid of the mighty waves had almost completely demolished it.
OCEAN'SnounUS /ˈoʊʃənz/
possessive form of “ocean” — a large body of water constituting a principal part of the hydrosphere
From this reading THE OCEAN'S PREY It was indeed a scene of awful wreckage on which they gazed.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE OCEAN'S PREY It was indeed a scene of awful wreckage on which they gazed.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading THE OCEAN'S PREY It was indeed a scene of awful wreckage on which they gazed.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The bridge had been torn from its fastenings at one end, and sagged down to the deck.
overboardadverbUS /ˈoʊvərbɔːrd/
to extremes
From this reading The bulwarks were battered and broken, where the masts had crushed them in falling overboard.
planksnounUS /plæŋks/
plural of “plank” — a stout length of sawn timber; made in a wide variety of sizes and used for many purposes
From this reading Broken and splintered planks strewed the deck, and everything was bound together by tangled masses of cordage.
(of games) engaged in
From this reading The gale had played havoc with the unfortunate vessel, and what with the aid of the mighty waves had almost completely demolished it.
PREYnounUS /preɪ/
a person who is the aim of an attack (especially a victim of ridicule or exploitation) by some hostile person or influence
From this reading THE OCEAN'S PREY It was indeed a scene of awful wreckage on which they gazed.
saggedverbUS /sæɡd/
inflected form of “sag” — droop, sink, or settle from or as if from pressure or loss of tautness
From this reading The bridge had been torn from its fastenings at one end, and sagged down to the deck.
the place where some action occurs
From this reading THE OCEAN'S PREY It was indeed a scene of awful wreckage on which they gazed.
splinteredverbUS /ˈsplɪntərd/
past form of “splinter” — withdraw from an organization or communion
From this reading Broken and splintered planks strewed the deck, and everything was bound together by tangled masses of cordage.
strewed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Broken and splintered planks strewed the deck, and everything was bound together by tangled masses of cordage.
tangledadjectiveUS /ˈtæŋɡəld/
in a confused mass
From this reading Broken and splintered planks strewed the deck, and everything was bound together by tangled masses of cordage.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE OCEAN'S PREY It was indeed a scene of awful wreckage on which they gazed.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading The bulwarks were battered and broken, where the masts had crushed them in falling overboard.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading THE OCEAN'S PREY It was indeed a scene of awful wreckage on which they gazed.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The bridge had been torn from its fastenings at one end, and sagged down to the deck.
in contact with each other or in proximity
From this reading Broken and splintered planks strewed the deck, and everything was bound together by tangled masses of cordage.
having edges that are jagged from injury
From this reading The bridge had been torn from its fastenings at one end, and sagged down to the deck.
not favored by fortune; marked or accompanied by or resulting in ill fortune
From this reading The gale had played havoc with the unfortunate vessel, and what with the aid of the mighty waves had almost completely demolished it.
a tube in which a body fluid circulates
From this reading The gale had played havoc with the unfortunate vessel, and what with the aid of the mighty waves had almost completely demolished it.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading THE OCEAN'S PREY It was indeed a scene of awful wreckage on which they gazed.
plural of “wave” — one of a series of ridges that moves across the surface of a liquid (especially across a large body of water)
From this reading The gale had played havoc with the unfortunate vessel, and what with the aid of the mighty waves had almost completely demolished it.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The bulwarks were battered and broken, where the masts had crushed them in falling overboard.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading The gale had played havoc with the unfortunate vessel, and what with the aid of the mighty waves had almost completely demolished it.
in or at the place that
From this reading The bulwarks were battered and broken, where the masts had crushed them in falling overboard.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading THE OCEAN'S PREY It was indeed a scene of awful wreckage on which they gazed.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The gale had played havoc with the unfortunate vessel, and what with the aid of the mighty waves had almost completely demolished it.
wreckagenounUS /ˈrekədʒ/
the remaining parts of something that has been wrecked
From this reading THE OCEAN'S PREY It was indeed a scene of awful wreckage on which they gazed.
