used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It must have been some hours, however, for when he recovered sufficiently to look about him it was night; at least a darkness almost thick enough to be felt was all around him.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading It must have been some hours, however, for when he recovered sufficiently to look about him it was night; at least a darkness almost thick enough to be felt was all around him.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading He could hear the wind whistling fiercely above his head, yet he felt it not.
(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 It must have been some hours, however, for when he recovered sufficiently to look about him it was night; at least a darkness almost thick enough to be felt was all around him.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading It must have been some hours, however, for when he recovered sufficiently to look about him it was night; at least a darkness almost thick enough to be felt was all around him.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading It must have been some hours, however, for when he recovered sufficiently to look about him it was night; at least a darkness almost thick enough to be felt was all around him.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading He could hear the sound of dashing waves but faintly, as though some distance away.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading It must have been some hours, however, for when he recovered sufficiently to look about him it was night; at least a darkness almost thick enough to be felt was all around him.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading He could hear the sound of dashing waves but faintly, as though some distance away.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading It must have been some hours, however, for when he recovered sufficiently to look about him it was night; at least a darkness almost thick enough to be felt was all around him.
an area of sand sloping down to the water of a sea or lake
From this reading He was evidently lying upon a hard board or floor; yet to it there was a gentle, undulating motion, like that of a boat in some sheltered harbor, or drawn, bow up, onto a sandy beach.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading It must have been some hours, however, for when he recovered sufficiently to look about him it was night; at least a darkness almost thick enough to be felt was all around him.
a committee having supervisory powers
From this reading He was evidently lying upon a hard board or floor; yet to it there was a gentle, undulating motion, like that of a boat in some sheltered harbor, or drawn, bow up, onto a sandy beach.
a small vessel for travel on water
From this reading He was evidently lying upon a hard board or floor; yet to it there was a gentle, undulating motion, like that of a boat in some sheltered harbor, or drawn, bow up, onto a sandy beach.
a knot with two loops and loose ends; used to tie shoelaces
From this reading He was evidently lying upon a hard board or floor; yet to it there was a gentle, undulating motion, like that of a boat in some sheltered harbor, or drawn, bow up, onto a sandy beach.
Budd
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How long Budd remained unconscious he never exactly knew.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He could hear the sound of dashing waves but faintly, as though some distance away.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading He could hear the wind whistling fiercely above his head, yet he felt it not.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading It must have been some hours, however, for when he recovered sufficiently to look about him it was night; at least a darkness almost thick enough to be felt was all around him.
dashingadjectiveUS /ˈdæʃɪŋ/
lively and spirited
From this reading He could hear the sound of dashing waves but faintly, as though some distance away.
the property created by the space between two objects or points
From this reading He could hear the sound of dashing waves but faintly, as though some distance away.
showing the wearing effects of overwork or care or suffering
From this reading He was evidently lying upon a hard board or floor; yet to it there was a gentle, undulating motion, like that of a boat in some sheltered harbor, or drawn, bow up, onto a sandy beach.
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading It must have been some hours, however, for when he recovered sufficiently to look about him it was night; at least a darkness almost thick enough to be felt was all around him.
unmistakably (“plain” is often used informally for “plainly”)
From this reading He was evidently lying upon a hard board or floor; yet to it there was a gentle, undulating motion, like that of a boat in some sheltered harbor, or drawn, bow up, onto a sandy beach.
indicating exactness or preciseness
From this reading How long Budd remained unconscious he never exactly knew.
faintlyadverbUS /ˈfeɪntli/
to a faint degree or weakly perceived
From this reading He could hear the sound of dashing waves but faintly, as though some distance away.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading It must have been some hours, however, for when he recovered sufficiently to look about him it was night; at least a darkness almost thick enough to be felt was all around him.
fiercelyadverbUS /ˈfɪrsli/
in a physically fierce manner
From this reading He could hear the wind whistling fiercely above his head, yet he felt it not.
the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)
From this reading He was evidently lying upon a hard board or floor; yet to it there was a gentle, undulating motion, like that of a boat in some sheltered harbor, or drawn, bow up, onto a sandy beach.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading It must have been some hours, however, for when he recovered sufficiently to look about him it was night; at least a darkness almost thick enough to be felt was all around him.
soft and mild; not harsh or stern or severe
From this reading He was evidently lying upon a hard board or floor; yet to it there was a gentle, undulating motion, like that of a boat in some sheltered harbor, or drawn, bow up, onto a sandy beach.
harborverbUS /ˈhɑːrbər/
maintain (a theory, thoughts, or feelings)
From this reading He was evidently lying upon a hard board or floor; yet to it there was a gentle, undulating motion, like that of a boat in some sheltered harbor, or drawn, bow up, onto a sandy beach.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading He was evidently lying upon a hard board or floor; yet to it there was a gentle, undulating motion, like that of a boat in some sheltered harbor, or drawn, bow up, onto a sandy beach.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading It must have been some hours, however, for when he recovered sufficiently to look about him it was night; at least a darkness almost thick enough to be felt was all around him.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading How long Budd remained unconscious he never exactly knew.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading He could hear the wind whistling fiercely above his head, yet he felt it not.
perceive (sound) via the auditory sense
From this reading He could hear the wind whistling fiercely above his head, yet he felt it not.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading It must have been some hours, however, for when he recovered sufficiently to look about him it was night; at least a darkness almost thick enough to be felt was all around him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He could hear the wind whistling fiercely above his head, yet he felt it not.
a period of time assigned for work
From this reading It must have been some hours, however, for when he recovered sufficiently to look about him it was night; at least a darkness almost thick enough to be felt was all around him.
How
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How long Budd remained unconscious he never exactly knew.
used to add a contrasting statement
From this reading It must have been some hours, however, for when he recovered sufficiently to look about him it was night; at least a darkness almost thick enough to be felt was all around him.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He was evidently lying upon a hard board or floor; yet to it there was a gentle, undulating motion, like that of a boat in some sheltered harbor, or drawn, bow up, onto a sandy beach.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It must have been some hours, however, for when he recovered sufficiently to look about him it was night; at least a darkness almost thick enough to be felt was all around him.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading How long Budd remained unconscious he never exactly knew.
the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree
From this reading It must have been some hours, however, for when he recovered sufficiently to look about him it was night; at least a darkness almost thick enough to be felt was all around him.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading He was evidently lying upon a hard board or floor; yet to it there was a gentle, undulating motion, like that of a boat in some sheltered harbor, or drawn, bow up, onto a sandy beach.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading How long Budd remained unconscious he never exactly knew.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading It must have been some hours, however, for when he recovered sufficiently to look about him it was night; at least a darkness almost thick enough to be felt was all around him.
the deliberate act of deviating from the truth
From this reading He was evidently lying upon a hard board or floor; yet to it there was a gentle, undulating motion, like that of a boat in some sheltered harbor, or drawn, bow up, onto a sandy beach.
the use of movements (especially of the hands) to communicate familiar or prearranged signals
From this reading He was evidently lying upon a hard board or floor; yet to it there was a gentle, undulating motion, like that of a boat in some sheltered harbor, or drawn, bow up, onto a sandy beach.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading It must have been some hours, however, for when he recovered sufficiently to look about him it was night; at least a darkness almost thick enough to be felt was all around him.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading How long Budd remained unconscious he never exactly knew.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading It must have been some hours, however, for when he recovered sufficiently to look about him it was night; at least a darkness almost thick enough to be felt was all around him.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading He could hear the wind whistling fiercely above his head, yet he felt it not.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He could hear the sound of dashing waves but faintly, as though some distance away.
ontoprepositionUS /ˈɑːntuː/
moving to a position on a surface
From this reading He was evidently lying upon a hard board or floor; yet to it there was a gentle, undulating motion, like that of a boat in some sheltered harbor, or drawn, bow up, onto a sandy beach.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading He was evidently lying upon a hard board or floor; yet to it there was a gentle, undulating motion, like that of a boat in some sheltered harbor, or drawn, bow up, onto a sandy beach.
freed from illness or injury
From this reading It must have been some hours, however, for when he recovered sufficiently to look about him it was night; at least a darkness almost thick enough to be felt was all around him.
past form of “remain” — stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading How long Budd remained unconscious he never exactly knew.
sandyadjectiveUS /ˈsændi/
of hair color; pale yellowish to yellowish brown
From this reading He was evidently lying upon a hard board or floor; yet to it there was a gentle, undulating motion, like that of a boat in some sheltered harbor, or drawn, bow up, onto a sandy beach.
shelteredadjectiveUS /ˈʃeltərd/
protected from danger or bad weather
From this reading He was evidently lying upon a hard board or floor; yet to it there was a gentle, undulating motion, like that of a boat in some sheltered harbor, or drawn, bow up, onto a sandy beach.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading It must have been some hours, however, for when he recovered sufficiently to look about him it was night; at least a darkness almost thick enough to be felt was all around him.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading He could hear the sound of dashing waves but faintly, as though some distance away.
to a sufficient degree
From this reading It must have been some hours, however, for when he recovered sufficiently to look about him it was night; at least a darkness almost thick enough to be felt was all around him.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He was evidently lying upon a hard board or floor; yet to it there was a gentle, undulating motion, like that of a boat in some sheltered harbor, or drawn, bow up, onto a sandy beach.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading He could hear the wind whistling fiercely above his head, yet he felt it not.
in or at that place or location
From this reading He was evidently lying upon a hard board or floor; yet to it there was a gentle, undulating motion, like that of a boat in some sheltered harbor, or drawn, bow up, onto a sandy beach.
not thin; of a specific thickness or of relatively great extent from one surface to the opposite usually in the smallest of the three solid dimensions
From this reading It must have been some hours, however, for when he recovered sufficiently to look about him it was night; at least a darkness almost thick enough to be felt was all around him.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading He could hear the sound of dashing waves but faintly, as though some distance away.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It must have been some hours, however, for when he recovered sufficiently to look about him it was night; at least a darkness almost thick enough to be felt was all around him.
not conscious; lacking awareness and the capacity for sensory perception as if asleep or dead
From this reading How long Budd remained unconscious he never exactly knew.
undulatingverbUS /ˈʌndʒəleɪtɪŋ/
-ing form of “undulate” — stir up (water) so as to form ripples
From this reading He was evidently lying upon a hard board or floor; yet to it there was a gentle, undulating motion, like that of a boat in some sheltered harbor, or drawn, bow up, onto a sandy beach.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading He was evidently lying upon a hard board or floor; yet to it there was a gentle, undulating motion, like that of a boat in some sheltered harbor, or drawn, bow up, onto a sandy beach.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading He was evidently lying upon a hard board or floor; yet to it there was a gentle, undulating motion, like that of a boat in some sheltered harbor, or drawn, bow up, onto a sandy beach.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It must have been some hours, however, for when he recovered sufficiently to look about him it was night; at least a darkness almost thick enough to be felt was all around him.
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 He could hear the sound of dashing waves but faintly, as though some distance away.
at the time that
From this reading It must have been some hours, however, for when he recovered sufficiently to look about him it was night; at least a darkness almost thick enough to be felt was all around him.
whistlingnounUS /ˈwɪslɪŋ/
the sound made by something moving rapidly or by steam coming out of a small aperture
From this reading He could hear the wind whistling fiercely above his head, yet he felt it not.
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading He could hear the wind whistling fiercely above his head, yet he felt it not.
but in spite of that
From this reading He could hear the wind whistling fiercely above his head, yet he felt it not.
