used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading From the main deck below the plaint of a bamboo flute came softly up to him.
at or in the front
From this reading Somewhere ahead, bathed in that same pale illumination, invisible, lay Japan.
weapons considered collectively
From this reading Arms folded over the rail, Hugh Kent looked forward into the opaque dimness.
asternadverb
stern foremost or backward
From this reading The following wind brought stray bits of the dance music from astern where the cabin passengers were enjoying their last night at sea.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The following wind brought stray bits of the dance music from astern where the cabin passengers were enjoying their last night at sea.
bamboonounUS /bæmˈbuː/
the hard woody stems of bamboo plants; used in construction and crafts and fishing poles
From this reading From the main deck below the plaint of a bamboo flute came softly up to him.
bathedverbUS /beɪðd/
past form of “bathe” — cleanse the entire body
From this reading Somewhere ahead, bathed in that same pale illumination, invisible, lay Japan.
belowprepositionUS /bɪˈloʊ/
at or to a lower level than something
From this reading From the main deck below the plaint of a bamboo flute came softly up to him.
bitsnounUS /bɪts/
plural of “bit” — a small piece or quantity of something
From this reading The following wind brought stray bits of the dance music from astern where the cabin passengers were enjoying their last night at sea.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading The black bow of the _Tenyo Maru_ cut into the broad ribbon of moonlight stretching, interminably, straight into the vast spaces of the opalescent night.
a knot with two loops and loose ends; used to tie shoelaces
From this reading The black bow of the _Tenyo Maru_ cut into the broad ribbon of moonlight stretching, interminably, straight into the vast spaces of the opalescent night.
having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading The black bow of the _Tenyo Maru_ cut into the broad ribbon of moonlight stretching, interminably, straight into the vast spaces of the opalescent night.
inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading The following wind brought stray bits of the dance music from astern where the cabin passengers were enjoying their last night at sea.
small room on a ship or boat where people sleep
From this reading The following wind brought stray bits of the dance music from astern where the cabin passengers were enjoying their last night at sea.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading From the main deck below the plaint of a bamboo flute came softly up to him.
separate with or as if with an instrument
From this reading The black bow of the _Tenyo Maru_ cut into the broad ribbon of moonlight stretching, interminably, straight into the vast spaces of the opalescent night.
an artistic form of nonverbal communication
From this reading The following wind brought stray bits of the dance music from astern where the cabin passengers were enjoying their last night at sea.
any of various platforms built into a vessel
From this reading From the main deck below the plaint of a bamboo flute came softly up to him.
dimnessnoun
the state of being poorly illuminated
From this reading Arms folded over the rail, Hugh Kent looked forward into the opaque dimness.
enjoyingverbUS /ˌenˈdʒɔɪɪŋ/
-ing form of “enjoy” — derive or receive pleasure from; get enjoyment from; take pleasure in
From this reading The following wind brought stray bits of the dance music from astern where the cabin passengers were enjoying their last night at sea.
flutenounUS /fluːt/
a high-pitched woodwind instrument; a slender tube closed at one end with finger holes on one end and an opening near the closed end across which the breath is blown
From this reading From the main deck below the plaint of a bamboo flute came softly up to him.
past form of “fold” — bend or lay so that one part covers the other
From this reading Arms folded over the rail, Hugh Kent looked forward into the opaque dimness.
about to be mentioned or specified
From this reading The following wind brought stray bits of the dance music from astern where the cabin passengers were enjoying their last night at sea.
at or to or toward the front
From this reading Arms folded over the rail, Hugh Kent looked forward into the opaque dimness.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading From the main deck below the plaint of a bamboo flute came softly up to him.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading From the main deck below the plaint of a bamboo flute came softly up to him.
Hugh
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Arms folded over the rail, Hugh Kent looked forward into the opaque dimness.
illuminationnounUS /ˌɪluːməˈneɪʃən/
a condition of spiritual awareness; divine illumination
From this reading Somewhere ahead, bathed in that same pale illumination, invisible, lay Japan.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Somewhere ahead, bathed in that same pale illumination, invisible, lay Japan.
interminablyadverbUS /ˈɪntərmɪnæbli/
all the time; seemingly without stopping
From this reading The black bow of the _Tenyo Maru_ cut into the broad ribbon of moonlight stretching, interminably, straight into the vast spaces of the opalescent night.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading The black bow of the _Tenyo Maru_ cut into the broad ribbon of moonlight stretching, interminably, straight into the vast spaces of the opalescent night.
invisibleadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈvɪzəbəl/
impossible or nearly impossible to see; imperceptible by the eye
From this reading Somewhere ahead, bathed in that same pale illumination, invisible, lay Japan.
JapannounUS /dʒəˈpæn/
a string of more than 3,000 islands to the east of Asia extending 1,300 miles between the Sea of Japan and the western Pacific Ocean
From this reading Somewhere ahead, bathed in that same pale illumination, invisible, lay Japan.
KentnounUS /kent/
a county in southeastern England on the English Channel; formerly an Anglo-Saxon kingdom, it was the first to be colonized by the Romans
From this reading Arms folded over the rail, Hugh Kent looked forward into the opaque dimness.
immediately past
From this reading The following wind brought stray bits of the dance music from astern where the cabin passengers were enjoying their last night at sea.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading Somewhere ahead, bathed in that same pale illumination, invisible, lay Japan.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading Arms folded over the rail, Hugh Kent looked forward into the opaque dimness.
most important element
From this reading From the main deck below the plaint of a bamboo flute came softly up to him.
Maru
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The black bow of the _Tenyo Maru_ cut into the broad ribbon of moonlight stretching, interminably, straight into the vast spaces of the opalescent night.
the light of the Moon
From this reading The black bow of the _Tenyo Maru_ cut into the broad ribbon of moonlight stretching, interminably, straight into the vast spaces of the opalescent night.
an artistic form of auditory communication incorporating instrumental or vocal tones in a structured and continuous manner
From this reading The following wind brought stray bits of the dance music from astern where the cabin passengers were enjoying their last night at sea.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading The black bow of the _Tenyo Maru_ cut into the broad ribbon of moonlight stretching, interminably, straight into the vast spaces of the opalescent night.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The black bow of the _Tenyo Maru_ cut into the broad ribbon of moonlight stretching, interminably, straight into the vast spaces of the opalescent night.
opalescentadjective
having a play of lustrous rainbow colors
From this reading The black bow of the _Tenyo Maru_ cut into the broad ribbon of moonlight stretching, interminably, straight into the vast spaces of the opalescent night.
opaqueadjectiveUS /oʊˈpeɪk/
not transmitting or reflecting light or radiant energy; impenetrable to sight
From this reading Arms folded over the rail, Hugh Kent looked forward into the opaque dimness.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Arms folded over the rail, Hugh Kent looked forward into the opaque dimness.
very light colored; highly diluted with white
From this reading Somewhere ahead, bathed in that same pale illumination, invisible, lay Japan.
plural of “passenger” — a traveler riding in a vehicle (a boat or bus or car or plane or train etc) who is not operating it
From this reading The following wind brought stray bits of the dance music from astern where the cabin passengers were enjoying their last night at sea.
plaintnoun
(United Kingdom) a written statement of the grounds of complaint made to court of law asking for the grievance to be redressed
From this reading From the main deck below the plaint of a bamboo flute came softly up to him.
railnounUS /reɪl/
a barrier consisting of a horizontal bar and supports
From this reading Arms folded over the rail, Hugh Kent looked forward into the opaque dimness.
ribbonnounUS /ˈrɪbən/
any long object resembling a thin line
From this reading The black bow of the _Tenyo Maru_ cut into the broad ribbon of moonlight stretching, interminably, straight into the vast spaces of the opalescent night.
Identical; not different.
From this reading Somewhere ahead, bathed in that same pale illumination, invisible, lay Japan.
a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
From this reading The following wind brought stray bits of the dance music from astern where the cabin passengers were enjoying their last night at sea.
with low volume
From this reading From the main deck below the plaint of a bamboo flute came softly up to him.
in or at or to some place
From this reading Somewhere ahead, bathed in that same pale illumination, invisible, lay Japan.
spacesnounUS /ˈspeɪsəz/
plural of “space” — the unlimited expanse in which everything is located
From this reading The black bow of the _Tenyo Maru_ cut into the broad ribbon of moonlight stretching, interminably, straight into the vast spaces of the opalescent night.
successive (without a break)
From this reading The black bow of the _Tenyo Maru_ cut into the broad ribbon of moonlight stretching, interminably, straight into the vast spaces of the opalescent night.
strayverbUS /streɪ/
move about aimlessly or without any destination, often in search of food or employment
From this reading The following wind brought stray bits of the dance music from astern where the cabin passengers were enjoying their last night at sea.
stretchingnounUS /ˈstretʃɪŋ/
act of expanding by lengthening or widening
From this reading The black bow of the _Tenyo Maru_ cut into the broad ribbon of moonlight stretching, interminably, straight into the vast spaces of the opalescent night.
Tenyo
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The black bow of the _Tenyo Maru_ cut into the broad ribbon of moonlight stretching, interminably, straight into the vast spaces of the opalescent night.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Somewhere ahead, bathed in that same pale illumination, invisible, lay Japan.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The black bow of the _Tenyo Maru_ cut into the broad ribbon of moonlight stretching, interminably, straight into the vast spaces of the opalescent night.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The following wind brought stray bits of the dance music from astern where the cabin passengers were enjoying their last night at sea.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading From the main deck below the plaint of a bamboo flute came softly up to him.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading From the main deck below the plaint of a bamboo flute came softly up to him.
unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope
From this reading The black bow of the _Tenyo Maru_ cut into the broad ribbon of moonlight stretching, interminably, straight into the vast spaces of the opalescent night.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The following wind brought stray bits of the dance music from astern where the cabin passengers were enjoying their last night at sea.
in or at the place that
From this reading The following wind brought stray bits of the dance music from astern where the cabin passengers were enjoying their last night at sea.
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading The following wind brought stray bits of the dance music from astern where the cabin passengers were enjoying their last night at sea.
