used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Seated on the ledge of a cliff, hidden almost completely from view, a bather, tall and plump, once a professional life-saver, had been watching the two children carefully.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading He was at a considerable distance from the children; but as Peggy turned to fly he was dashing, diagonally, across the beach.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading Seated on the ledge of a cliff, hidden almost completely from view, a bather, tall and plump, once a professional life-saver, had been watching the two children carefully.
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/
Having no one else present.
From this reading Peggy and he, as the wave caught him, were not alone.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Peggy and he, as the wave caught him, were not alone.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Peggy and he, as the wave caught him, were not alone.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He was at a considerable distance from the children; but as Peggy turned to fly he was dashing, diagonally, across the beach.
bathernounUS /ˈbeɪðər/
a person who travels through the water by swimming
From this reading Seated on the ledge of a cliff, hidden almost completely from view, a bather, tall and plump, once a professional life-saver, had been watching the two children carefully.
an area of sand sloping down to the water of a sea or lake
From this reading He was at a considerable distance from the children; but as Peggy turned to fly he was dashing, diagonally, across the beach.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Seated on the ledge of a cliff, hidden almost completely from view, a bather, tall and plump, once a professional life-saver, had been watching the two children carefully.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading He had noted the roller even before Peggy.
BobbynounUS /ˈbɑːbi/
an informal term for a British policeman
From this reading IT NEVER RAINS BUT IT POURS But Bobby was not drowned.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading IT NEVER RAINS BUT IT POURS But Bobby was not drowned.
taking care or paying attention
From this reading Seated on the ledge of a cliff, hidden almost completely from view, a bather, tall and plump, once a professional life-saver, had been watching the two children carefully.
inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading Peggy and he, as the wave caught him, were not alone.
plural of “child” — a young person of either sex
From this reading Seated on the ledge of a cliff, hidden almost completely from view, a bather, tall and plump, once a professional life-saver, had been watching the two children carefully.
a steep high face of rock
From this reading Seated on the ledge of a cliff, hidden almost completely from view, a bather, tall and plump, once a professional life-saver, had been watching the two children carefully.
to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally for “wholly”)
From this reading Seated on the ledge of a cliff, hidden almost completely from view, a bather, tall and plump, once a professional life-saver, had been watching the two children carefully.
large or relatively large in number or amount or extent or degree
From this reading He was at a considerable distance from the children; but as Peggy turned to fly he was dashing, diagonally, across the beach.
dashingadjectiveUS /ˈdæʃɪŋ/
lively and spirited
From this reading He was at a considerable distance from the children; but as Peggy turned to fly he was dashing, diagonally, across the beach.
diagonallyadverbUS /daɪˈæɡənəli/
in a diagonal manner
From this reading He was at a considerable distance from the children; but as Peggy turned to fly he was dashing, diagonally, across the beach.
the property created by the space between two objects or points
From this reading He was at a considerable distance from the children; but as Peggy turned to fly he was dashing, diagonally, across the beach.
drownedverbUS /draʊnd/
past form of “drown” — cover completely or make imperceptible
From this reading IT NEVER RAINS BUT IT POURS But Bobby was not drowned.
divisible by two
From this reading He had noted the roller even before Peggy.
travel through the air; be airborne
From this reading He was at a considerable distance from the children; but as Peggy turned to fly he was dashing, diagonally, across the beach.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Seated on the ledge of a cliff, hidden almost completely from view, a bather, tall and plump, once a professional life-saver, had been watching the two children carefully.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Seated on the ledge of a cliff, hidden almost completely from view, a bather, tall and plump, once a professional life-saver, had been watching the two children carefully.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Peggy and he, as the wave caught him, were not alone.
not accessible to view
From this reading Seated on the ledge of a cliff, hidden almost completely from view, a bather, tall and plump, once a professional life-saver, had been watching the two children carefully.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Peggy and he, as the wave caught him, were not alone.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading IT NEVER RAINS BUT IT POURS But Bobby was not drowned.
ledgenounUS /ledʒ/
a projecting ridge on a mountain or submerged under water
From this reading Seated on the ledge of a cliff, hidden almost completely from view, a bather, tall and plump, once a professional life-saver, had been watching the two children carefully.
life-saver
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Seated on the ledge of a cliff, hidden almost completely from view, a bather, tall and plump, once a professional life-saver, had been watching the two children carefully.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading IT NEVER RAINS BUT IT POURS But Bobby was not drowned.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading IT NEVER RAINS BUT IT POURS But Bobby was not drowned.
notedadjectiveUS /ˈnoʊtəd/
widely known and esteemed
From this reading He had noted the roller even before Peggy.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Seated on the ledge of a cliff, hidden almost completely from view, a bather, tall and plump, once a professional life-saver, had been watching the two children carefully.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Seated on the ledge of a cliff, hidden almost completely from view, a bather, tall and plump, once a professional life-saver, had been watching the two children carefully.
on one occasion
From this reading Seated on the ledge of a cliff, hidden almost completely from view, a bather, tall and plump, once a professional life-saver, had been watching the two children carefully.
Peggy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Peggy and he, as the wave caught him, were not alone.
plumpadjectiveUS /plʌmp/
sufficiently fat so as to have a pleasing fullness of figure
From this reading Seated on the ledge of a cliff, hidden almost completely from view, a bather, tall and plump, once a professional life-saver, had been watching the two children carefully.
POURSverbUS /pɔːrz/
third-person singular of “pour” — cause to run
From this reading IT NEVER RAINS BUT IT POURS But Bobby was not drowned.
professionaladjectiveUS /prəˈfeʃənəl/
engaged in a profession or engaging in as a profession or means of livelihood
From this reading Seated on the ledge of a cliff, hidden almost completely from view, a bather, tall and plump, once a professional life-saver, had been watching the two children carefully.
RAINSnounUS /reɪnz/
plural of “rain” — water falling in drops from vapor condensed in the atmosphere
From this reading IT NEVER RAINS BUT IT POURS But Bobby was not drowned.
rollernounUS /ˈroʊlər/
a grounder that rolls along the infield
From this reading He had noted the roller even before Peggy.
(of persons) having the torso erect and legs bent with the body supported on the buttocks
From this reading Seated on the ledge of a cliff, hidden almost completely from view, a bather, tall and plump, once a professional life-saver, had been watching the two children carefully.
great in vertical dimension; high in stature
From this reading Seated on the ledge of a cliff, hidden almost completely from view, a bather, tall and plump, once a professional life-saver, had been watching the two children carefully.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Peggy and he, as the wave caught him, were not alone.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He was at a considerable distance from the children; but as Peggy turned to fly he was dashing, diagonally, across the beach.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading He was at a considerable distance from the children; but as Peggy turned to fly he was dashing, diagonally, across the beach.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading Seated on the ledge of a cliff, hidden almost completely from view, a bather, tall and plump, once a professional life-saver, had been watching the two children carefully.
a way of regarding situations or topics etc.
From this reading Seated on the ledge of a cliff, hidden almost completely from view, a bather, tall and plump, once a professional life-saver, had been watching the two children carefully.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading IT NEVER RAINS BUT IT POURS But Bobby was not drowned.
the act of observing; taking a patient look
From this reading Seated on the ledge of a cliff, hidden almost completely from view, a bather, tall and plump, once a professional life-saver, had been watching the two children carefully.
one of a series of ridges that moves across the surface of a liquid (especially across a large body of water)
From this reading Peggy and he, as the wave caught him, were not alone.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Peggy and he, as the wave caught him, were not alone.
