used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A STORM AND A LULL The men were still very quarrelsome; the whole day their grating voices never stopped.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A STORM AND A LULL The men were still very quarrelsome; the whole day their grating voices never stopped.
eagerly desirous
From this reading They seemed, however, quite anxious to row now, and proposed at sunset that we should not moor to the shore as usual but, as the night was not very dark, keep on and make up for lost time.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "They are having a fight on board," said X, sleepily; "I suppose we must leave them at it."
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading They seemed, however, quite anxious to row now, and proposed at sunset that we should not moor to the shore as usual but, as the night was not very dark, keep on and make up for lost time.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading They seemed, however, quite anxious to row now, and proposed at sunset that we should not moor to the shore as usual but, as the night was not very dark, keep on and make up for lost time.
awakenedadjectiveUS /əˈweɪkənd/
aroused or activated
From this reading We had been in bed a little while and were dropping off to sleep in spite of the ceaseless quarrelsome voices, when a worse out-break than usual thoroughly awakened me.
a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading We had been in bed a little while and were dropping off to sleep in spite of the ceaseless quarrelsome voices, when a worse out-break than usual thoroughly awakened me.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading We had been in bed a little while and were dropping off to sleep in spite of the ceaseless quarrelsome voices, when a worse out-break than usual thoroughly awakened me.
a committee having supervisory powers
From this reading "They are having a fight on board," said X, sleepily; "I suppose we must leave them at it."
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading They seemed, however, quite anxious to row now, and proposed at sunset that we should not moor to the shore as usual but, as the night was not very dark, keep on and make up for lost time.
ceaselessadjectiveUS /ˈsiːslɪs/
uninterrupted in time and indefinitely long continuing
From this reading We had been in bed a little while and were dropping off to sleep in spite of the ceaseless quarrelsome voices, when a worse out-break than usual thoroughly awakened me.
chinksnounUS /tʃɪŋks/
plural of “chink” — (ethnic slur) offensive term for a person of Chinese descent
From this reading I peered through the chinks of the door.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading They seemed, however, quite anxious to row now, and proposed at sunset that we should not moor to the shore as usual but, as the night was not very dark, keep on and make up for lost time.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading A STORM AND A LULL The men were still very quarrelsome; the whole day their grating voices never stopped.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading I peered through the chinks of the door.
droppingadjectiveUS /ˈdrɑːpɪŋ/
coming down freely under the influence of gravity
From this reading We had been in bed a little while and were dropping off to sleep in spite of the ceaseless quarrelsome voices, when a worse out-break than usual thoroughly awakened me.
be engaged in a fight; carry on a fight
From this reading "They are having a fight on board," said X, sleepily; "I suppose we must leave them at it."
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading They seemed, however, quite anxious to row now, and proposed at sunset that we should not moor to the shore as usual but, as the night was not very dark, keep on and make up for lost time.
gratingnounUS /ˈɡreɪtɪŋ/
a barrier that has parallel or crossed bars blocking a passage but admitting air
From this reading A STORM AND A LULL The men were still very quarrelsome; the whole day their grating voices never stopped.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading We had been in bed a little while and were dropping off to sleep in spite of the ceaseless quarrelsome voices, when a worse out-break than usual thoroughly awakened me.
havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading "They are having a fight on board," said X, sleepily; "I suppose we must leave them at it."
used to add a contrasting statement
From this reading They seemed, however, quite anxious to row now, and proposed at sunset that we should not moor to the shore as usual but, as the night was not very dark, keep on and make up for lost time.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "They are having a fight on board," said X, sleepily; "I suppose we must leave them at it."
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading We had been in bed a little while and were dropping off to sleep in spite of the ceaseless quarrelsome voices, when a worse out-break than usual thoroughly awakened me.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "They are having a fight on board," said X, sleepily; "I suppose we must leave them at it."
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading They seemed, however, quite anxious to row now, and proposed at sunset that we should not moor to the shore as usual but, as the night was not very dark, keep on and make up for lost time.
go away from a place
From this reading "They are having a fight on board," said X, sleepily; "I suppose we must leave them at it."
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading We had been in bed a little while and were dropping off to sleep in spite of the ceaseless quarrelsome voices, when a worse out-break than usual thoroughly awakened me.
no longer in your possession or control; unable to be found or recovered
From this reading They seemed, however, quite anxious to row now, and proposed at sunset that we should not moor to the shore as usual but, as the night was not very dark, keep on and make up for lost time.
LULLverbUS /lʌl/
calm by deception
From this reading A STORM AND A LULL The men were still very quarrelsome; the whole day their grating voices never stopped.
engage in
From this reading They seemed, however, quite anxious to row now, and proposed at sunset that we should not moor to the shore as usual but, as the night was not very dark, keep on and make up for lost time.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading We had been in bed a little while and were dropping off to sleep in spite of the ceaseless quarrelsome voices, when a worse out-break than usual thoroughly awakened me.
the force of workers available
From this reading A STORM AND A LULL The men were still very quarrelsome; the whole day their grating voices never stopped.
moorverbUS /mʊr/
secure in or as if in a berth or dock
From this reading They seemed, however, quite anxious to row now, and proposed at sunset that we should not moor to the shore as usual but, as the night was not very dark, keep on and make up for lost time.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading "They are having a fight on board," said X, sleepily; "I suppose we must leave them at it."
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading A STORM AND A LULL The men were still very quarrelsome; the whole day their grating voices never stopped.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading They seemed, however, quite anxious to row now, and proposed at sunset that we should not moor to the shore as usual but, as the night was not very dark, keep on and make up for lost time.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading They seemed, however, quite anxious to row now, and proposed at sunset that we should not moor to the shore as usual but, as the night was not very dark, keep on and make up for lost time.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading They seemed, however, quite anxious to row now, and proposed at sunset that we should not moor to the shore as usual but, as the night was not very dark, keep on and make up for lost time.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading We had been in bed a little while and were dropping off to sleep in spite of the ceaseless quarrelsome voices, when a worse out-break than usual thoroughly awakened me.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading We had been in bed a little while and were dropping off to sleep in spite of the ceaseless quarrelsome voices, when a worse out-break than usual thoroughly awakened me.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading They seemed, however, quite anxious to row now, and proposed at sunset that we should not moor to the shore as usual but, as the night was not very dark, keep on and make up for lost time.
out-break
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We had been in bed a little while and were dropping off to sleep in spite of the ceaseless quarrelsome voices, when a worse out-break than usual thoroughly awakened me.
peeredverbUS /pɪrd/
past form of “peer” — look searchingly
From this reading I peered through the chinks of the door.
past form of “propose” — make a proposal, declare a plan for something
From this reading They seemed, however, quite anxious to row now, and proposed at sunset that we should not moor to the shore as usual but, as the night was not very dark, keep on and make up for lost time.
quarrelsomeadjectiveUS /ˈkwɔːrəlsəm/
given to quarreling
From this reading A STORM AND A LULL The men were still very quarrelsome; the whole day their grating voices never stopped.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading They seemed, however, quite anxious to row now, and proposed at sunset that we should not moor to the shore as usual but, as the night was not very dark, keep on and make up for lost time.
an arrangement of objects or people side by side in a line
From this reading They seemed, however, quite anxious to row now, and proposed at sunset that we should not moor to the shore as usual but, as the night was not very dark, keep on and make up for lost time.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "They are having a fight on board," said X, sleepily; "I suppose we must leave them at it."
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading They seemed, however, quite anxious to row now, and proposed at sunset that we should not moor to the shore as usual but, as the night was not very dark, keep on and make up for lost time.
the land along the edge of a body of water
From this reading They seemed, however, quite anxious to row now, and proposed at sunset that we should not moor to the shore as usual but, as the night was not very dark, keep on and make up for lost time.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading They seemed, however, quite anxious to row now, and proposed at sunset that we should not moor to the shore as usual but, as the night was not very dark, keep on and make up for lost time.
a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended
From this reading We had been in bed a little while and were dropping off to sleep in spite of the ceaseless quarrelsome voices, when a worse out-break than usual thoroughly awakened me.
sleepilyadverbUS /ˈsliːpəli/
in a sleepy manner
From this reading "They are having a fight on board," said X, sleepily; "I suppose we must leave them at it."
feeling a need to see others suffer
From this reading We had been in bed a little while and were dropping off to sleep in spite of the ceaseless quarrelsome voices, when a worse out-break than usual thoroughly awakened me.
not in physical motion
From this reading A STORM AND A LULL The men were still very quarrelsome; the whole day their grating voices never stopped.
(of a nose) blocked
From this reading A STORM AND A LULL The men were still very quarrelsome; the whole day their grating voices never stopped.
behave violently, as if in state of a great anger
From this reading A STORM AND A LULL The men were still very quarrelsome; the whole day their grating voices never stopped.
the time in the evening at which the sun begins to fall below the horizon
From this reading They seemed, however, quite anxious to row now, and proposed at sunset that we should not moor to the shore as usual but, as the night was not very dark, keep on and make up for lost time.
express a supposition
From this reading "They are having a fight on board," said X, sleepily; "I suppose we must leave them at it."
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading We had been in bed a little while and were dropping off to sleep in spite of the ceaseless quarrelsome voices, when a worse out-break than usual thoroughly awakened me.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading They seemed, however, quite anxious to row now, and proposed at sunset that we should not moor to the shore as usual but, as the night was not very dark, keep on and make up for lost time.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A STORM AND A LULL The men were still very quarrelsome; the whole day their grating voices never stopped.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading A STORM AND A LULL The men were still very quarrelsome; the whole day their grating voices never stopped.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading "They are having a fight on board," said X, sleepily; "I suppose we must leave them at it."
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They seemed, however, quite anxious to row now, and proposed at sunset that we should not moor to the shore as usual but, as the night was not very dark, keep on and make up for lost time.
in an exhaustive manner
From this reading We had been in bed a little while and were dropping off to sleep in spite of the ceaseless quarrelsome voices, when a worse out-break than usual thoroughly awakened me.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading I peered through the chinks of the door.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading They seemed, however, quite anxious to row now, and proposed at sunset that we should not moor to the shore as usual but, as the night was not very dark, keep on and make up for lost time.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading They seemed, however, quite anxious to row now, and proposed at sunset that we should not moor to the shore as usual but, as the night was not very dark, keep on and make up for lost time.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading They seemed, however, quite anxious to row now, and proposed at sunset that we should not moor to the shore as usual but, as the night was not very dark, keep on and make up for lost time.
usualadjectiveUS /ˈjuːʒəwəl/
occurring or encountered or experienced or observed frequently or in accordance with regular practice or procedure
From this reading They seemed, however, quite anxious to row now, and proposed at sunset that we should not moor to the shore as usual but, as the night was not very dark, keep on and make up for lost time.
precisely as stated
From this reading A STORM AND A LULL The men were still very quarrelsome; the whole day their grating voices never stopped.
plural of “voice” — the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading A STORM AND A LULL The men were still very quarrelsome; the whole day their grating voices never stopped.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading They seemed, however, quite anxious to row now, and proposed at sunset that we should not moor to the shore as usual but, as the night was not very dark, keep on and make up for lost time.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading They seemed, however, quite anxious to row now, and proposed at sunset that we should not moor to the shore as usual but, as the night was not very dark, keep on and make up for lost time.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading A STORM AND A LULL The men were still very quarrelsome; the whole day their grating voices never stopped.
at the time that
From this reading We had been in bed a little while and were dropping off to sleep in spite of the ceaseless quarrelsome voices, when a worse out-break than usual thoroughly awakened me.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading We had been in bed a little while and were dropping off to sleep in spite of the ceaseless quarrelsome voices, when a worse out-break than usual thoroughly awakened me.
including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete
From this reading A STORM AND A LULL The men were still very quarrelsome; the whole day their grating voices never stopped.
(comparative of “bad”) inferior to another in quality or condition or desirability
From this reading We had been in bed a little while and were dropping off to sleep in spite of the ceaseless quarrelsome voices, when a worse out-break than usual thoroughly awakened me.
XnounUS /eks/
the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system
From this reading "They are having a fight on board," said X, sleepily; "I suppose we must leave them at it."
