used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading At the sound of reveille the next morning, the boys were all out of their bunks in short order; and, after a cup of cocoa with some crackers, they got the gear out of the way preparatory to scrubbing the decks, and the cabin skylights and portholes were closed.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading At the sound of reveille the next morning, the boys were all out of their bunks in short order; and, after a cup of cocoa with some crackers, they got the gear out of the way preparatory to scrubbing the decks, and the cabin skylights and portholes were closed.
(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 At the sound of reveille the next morning, the boys were all out of their bunks in short order; and, after a cup of cocoa with some crackers, they got the gear out of the way preparatory to scrubbing the decks, and the cabin skylights and portholes were closed.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading At the sound of reveille the next morning, the boys were all out of their bunks in short order; and, after a cup of cocoa with some crackers, they got the gear out of the way preparatory to scrubbing the decks, and the cabin skylights and portholes were closed.
past form of “answer” — react verbally
From this reading “That’s all right,” answered Tom, “the things have all got to be done sometime, and the quicker they’re put through, the better.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading A fellow has hardly time enough to look around!”
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At the sound of reveille the next morning, the boys were all out of their bunks in short order; and, after a cup of cocoa with some crackers, they got the gear out of the way preparatory to scrubbing the decks, and the cabin skylights and portholes were closed.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading “That’s all right,” answered Tom, “the things have all got to be done sometime, and the quicker they’re put through, the better.
(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another
From this reading “That’s all right,” answered Tom, “the things have all got to be done sometime, and the quicker they’re put through, the better.
plural of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading At the sound of reveille the next morning, the boys were all out of their bunks in short order; and, after a cup of cocoa with some crackers, they got the gear out of the way preparatory to scrubbing the decks, and the cabin skylights and portholes were closed.
bunksnounUS /bʌŋks/
plural of “bunk” — a long trough for feeding cattle
From this reading At the sound of reveille the next morning, the boys were all out of their bunks in short order; and, after a cup of cocoa with some crackers, they got the gear out of the way preparatory to scrubbing the decks, and the cabin skylights and portholes were closed.
small room on a ship or boat where people sleep
From this reading At the sound of reveille the next morning, the boys were all out of their bunks in short order; and, after a cup of cocoa with some crackers, they got the gear out of the way preparatory to scrubbing the decks, and the cabin skylights and portholes were closed.
choresnounUS /tʃɔːrz/
plural of “chore” — a specific piece of work required to be done as a duty or for a specific fee
From this reading There’s no sense in wasting time over the chores.”
not open or affording passage or access
From this reading At the sound of reveille the next morning, the boys were all out of their bunks in short order; and, after a cup of cocoa with some crackers, they got the gear out of the way preparatory to scrubbing the decks, and the cabin skylights and portholes were closed.
cocoanounUS /ˈkoʊkoʊ/
a beverage made from cocoa powder and milk and sugar; usually drunk hot
From this reading At the sound of reveille the next morning, the boys were all out of their bunks in short order; and, after a cup of cocoa with some crackers, they got the gear out of the way preparatory to scrubbing the decks, and the cabin skylights and portholes were closed.
crackersadjectiveUS /ˈkrækərz/
informal or slang terms for mentally irregular
From this reading At the sound of reveille the next morning, the boys were all out of their bunks in short order; and, after a cup of cocoa with some crackers, they got the gear out of the way preparatory to scrubbing the decks, and the cabin skylights and portholes were closed.
a small open container usually used for drinking; usually has a handle
From this reading At the sound of reveille the next morning, the boys were all out of their bunks in short order; and, after a cup of cocoa with some crackers, they got the gear out of the way preparatory to scrubbing the decks, and the cabin skylights and portholes were closed.
decksnounUS /deks/
plural of “deck” — any of various platforms built into a vessel
From this reading At the sound of reveille the next morning, the boys were all out of their bunks in short order; and, after a cup of cocoa with some crackers, they got the gear out of the way preparatory to scrubbing the decks, and the cabin skylights and portholes were closed.
someone who is a detective
From this reading “What the dickens is the use,” said Dick to Tom, “of having all these things done on the very minute?
dickensnounUS /ˈdɪkənz/
a word used in exclamations of confusion
From this reading “What the dickens is the use,” said Dick to Tom, “of having all these things done on the very minute?
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading “What the dickens is the use,” said Dick to Tom, “of having all these things done on the very minute?
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading A fellow has hardly time enough to look around!”
a boy or man
From this reading A fellow has hardly time enough to look around!”
gearnounUS /ɡɪr/
a toothed wheel that engages another toothed mechanism in order to change the speed or direction of transmitted motion
From this reading At the sound of reveille the next morning, the boys were all out of their bunks in short order; and, after a cup of cocoa with some crackers, they got the gear out of the way preparatory to scrubbing the decks, and the cabin skylights and portholes were closed.
inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading At the sound of reveille the next morning, the boys were all out of their bunks in short order; and, after a cup of cocoa with some crackers, they got the gear out of the way preparatory to scrubbing the decks, and the cabin skylights and portholes were closed.
only a very short time before
From this reading A fellow has hardly time enough to look around!”
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading A fellow has hardly time enough to look around!”
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “That’s all right,” answered Tom, “the things have all got to be done sometime, and the quicker they’re put through, the better.
havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading “What the dickens is the use,” said Dick to Tom, “of having all these things done on the very minute?
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading At the sound of reveille the next morning, the boys were all out of their bunks in short order; and, after a cup of cocoa with some crackers, they got the gear out of the way preparatory to scrubbing the decks, and the cabin skylights and portholes were closed.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “What the dickens is the use,” said Dick to Tom, “of having all these things done on the very minute?
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading A fellow has hardly time enough to look around!”
a unit of time equal to 60 seconds or 1/60th of an hour
From this reading “What the dickens is the use,” said Dick to Tom, “of having all these things done on the very minute?
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading At the sound of reveille the next morning, the boys were all out of their bunks in short order; and, after a cup of cocoa with some crackers, they got the gear out of the way preparatory to scrubbing the decks, and the cabin skylights and portholes were closed.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading At the sound of reveille the next morning, the boys were all out of their bunks in short order; and, after a cup of cocoa with some crackers, they got the gear out of the way preparatory to scrubbing the decks, and the cabin skylights and portholes were closed.
not any; not one
From this reading There’s no sense in wasting time over the chores.”
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading At the sound of reveille the next morning, the boys were all out of their bunks in short order; and, after a cup of cocoa with some crackers, they got the gear out of the way preparatory to scrubbing the decks, and the cabin skylights and portholes were closed.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading “What the dickens is the use,” said Dick to Tom, “of having all these things done on the very minute?
(often plural) a command given by a superior (e.g., a military or law enforcement officer) that must be obeyed
From this reading At the sound of reveille the next morning, the boys were all out of their bunks in short order; and, after a cup of cocoa with some crackers, they got the gear out of the way preparatory to scrubbing the decks, and the cabin skylights and portholes were closed.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading At the sound of reveille the next morning, the boys were all out of their bunks in short order; and, after a cup of cocoa with some crackers, they got the gear out of the way preparatory to scrubbing the decks, and the cabin skylights and portholes were closed.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading There’s no sense in wasting time over the chores.”
portholes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At the sound of reveille the next morning, the boys were all out of their bunks in short order; and, after a cup of cocoa with some crackers, they got the gear out of the way preparatory to scrubbing the decks, and the cabin skylights and portholes were closed.
preparatoryadjectiveUS /prɪˈperətɔːri/
preceding and preparing for something
From this reading At the sound of reveille the next morning, the boys were all out of their bunks in short order; and, after a cup of cocoa with some crackers, they got the gear out of the way preparatory to scrubbing the decks, and the cabin skylights and portholes were closed.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading “That’s all right,” answered Tom, “the things have all got to be done sometime, and the quicker they’re put through, the better.
quickeradverbUS /ˈkwɪkər/
more quickly
From this reading “That’s all right,” answered Tom, “the things have all got to be done sometime, and the quicker they’re put through, the better.
reveillenounUS /ˈrevəliː/
(military) signal to wake up
From this reading At the sound of reveille the next morning, the boys were all out of their bunks in short order; and, after a cup of cocoa with some crackers, they got the gear out of the way preparatory to scrubbing the decks, and the cabin skylights and portholes were closed.
precisely, exactly
From this reading “That’s all right,” answered Tom, “the things have all got to be done sometime, and the quicker they’re put through, the better.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “What the dickens is the use,” said Dick to Tom, “of having all these things done on the very minute?
scrubbingnounUS /ˈskrʌbɪŋ/
the act of cleaning a surface by rubbing it with a brush and soap and water
From this reading At the sound of reveille the next morning, the boys were all out of their bunks in short order; and, after a cup of cocoa with some crackers, they got the gear out of the way preparatory to scrubbing the decks, and the cabin skylights and portholes were closed.
a general conscious awareness
From this reading There’s no sense in wasting time over the chores.”
primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration
From this reading At the sound of reveille the next morning, the boys were all out of their bunks in short order; and, after a cup of cocoa with some crackers, they got the gear out of the way preparatory to scrubbing the decks, and the cabin skylights and portholes were closed.
skylightsnounUS /ˈskaɪlaɪts/
plural of “skylight” — a window in a roof to admit daylight
From this reading At the sound of reveille the next morning, the boys were all out of their bunks in short order; and, after a cup of cocoa with some crackers, they got the gear out of the way preparatory to scrubbing the decks, and the cabin skylights and portholes were closed.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading At the sound of reveille the next morning, the boys were all out of their bunks in short order; and, after a cup of cocoa with some crackers, they got the gear out of the way preparatory to scrubbing the decks, and the cabin skylights and portholes were closed.
sometimeadverbUS /ˈsʌmtaɪm/
at some indefinite or unstated time
From this reading “That’s all right,” answered Tom, “the things have all got to be done sometime, and the quicker they’re put through, the better.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading At the sound of reveille the next morning, the boys were all out of their bunks in short order; and, after a cup of cocoa with some crackers, they got the gear out of the way preparatory to scrubbing the decks, and the cabin skylights and portholes were closed.
That's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “That’s all right,” answered Tom, “the things have all got to be done sometime, and the quicker they’re put through, the better.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading At the sound of reveille the next morning, the boys were all out of their bunks in short order; and, after a cup of cocoa with some crackers, they got the gear out of the way preparatory to scrubbing the decks, and the cabin skylights and portholes were closed.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading At the sound of reveille the next morning, the boys were all out of their bunks in short order; and, after a cup of cocoa with some crackers, they got the gear out of the way preparatory to scrubbing the decks, and the cabin skylights and portholes were closed.
There's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There’s no sense in wasting time over the chores.”
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading “What the dickens is the use,” said Dick to Tom, “of having all these things done on the very minute?
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading At the sound of reveille the next morning, the boys were all out of their bunks in short order; and, after a cup of cocoa with some crackers, they got the gear out of the way preparatory to scrubbing the decks, and the cabin skylights and portholes were closed.
they're
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “That’s all right,” answered Tom, “the things have all got to be done sometime, and the quicker they’re put through, the better.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading “What the dickens is the use,” said Dick to Tom, “of having all these things done on the very minute?
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading “That’s all right,” answered Tom, “the things have all got to be done sometime, and the quicker they’re put through, the better.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading A fellow has hardly time enough to look around!”
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading At the sound of reveille the next morning, the boys were all out of their bunks in short order; and, after a cup of cocoa with some crackers, they got the gear out of the way preparatory to scrubbing the decks, and the cabin skylights and portholes were closed.
male cat
From this reading “What the dickens is the use,” said Dick to Tom, “of having all these things done on the very minute?
the act of using
From this reading “What the dickens is the use,” said Dick to Tom, “of having all these things done on the very minute?
precisely as stated
From this reading “What the dickens is the use,” said Dick to Tom, “of having all these things done on the very minute?
wastingnounUS /ˈweɪstɪŋ/
any general reduction in vitality and strength of body and mind resulting from a debilitating chronic disease
From this reading There’s no sense in wasting time over the chores.”
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading At the sound of reveille the next morning, the boys were all out of their bunks in short order; and, after a cup of cocoa with some crackers, they got the gear out of the way preparatory to scrubbing the decks, and the cabin skylights and portholes were closed.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading At the sound of reveille the next morning, the boys were all out of their bunks in short order; and, after a cup of cocoa with some crackers, they got the gear out of the way preparatory to scrubbing the decks, and the cabin skylights and portholes were closed.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading “What the dickens is the use,” said Dick to Tom, “of having all these things done on the very minute?
in the company of; together with
From this reading At the sound of reveille the next morning, the boys were all out of their bunks in short order; and, after a cup of cocoa with some crackers, they got the gear out of the way preparatory to scrubbing the decks, and the cabin skylights and portholes were closed.
