used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading In either case, how did it happen that among these animals there should be such a collection of weapons and clothing?
completely and without qualification; used informally as intensifiers
From this reading Philip Garland’s surprise at seeing this vast assembly of apes conducting themselves so thoroughly after the manner of human beings was indeed great; but to recognize in the leader of the party an article of merchandise which he had sold to Captain Seaworth was absolutely bewildering.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading Philip Garland’s surprise at seeing this vast assembly of apes conducting themselves so thoroughly after the manner of human beings was indeed great; but to recognize in the leader of the party an article of merchandise which he had sold to Captain Seaworth was absolutely bewildering.
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading In either case, how did it happen that among these animals there should be such a collection of weapons and clothing?
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading AN ODD VILLAGE.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading In either case, how did it happen that among these animals there should be such a collection of weapons and clothing?
plural of “animal” — a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading In either case, how did it happen that among these animals there should be such a collection of weapons and clothing?
apesnounUS /eɪps/
plural of “ape” — any of various primates with short tails or no tail at all
From this reading Philip Garland’s surprise at seeing this vast assembly of apes conducting themselves so thoroughly after the manner of human beings was indeed great; but to recognize in the leader of the party an article of merchandise which he had sold to Captain Seaworth was absolutely bewildering.
nonfictional prose forming an independent part of a publication
From this reading Philip Garland’s surprise at seeing this vast assembly of apes conducting themselves so thoroughly after the manner of human beings was indeed great; but to recognize in the leader of the party an article of merchandise which he had sold to Captain Seaworth was absolutely bewildering.
assemblynounUS /əˈsembli/
a group of machine parts that fit together to form a self-contained unit
From this reading Philip Garland’s surprise at seeing this vast assembly of apes conducting themselves so thoroughly after the manner of human beings was indeed great; but to recognize in the leader of the party an article of merchandise which he had sold to Captain Seaworth was absolutely bewildering.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Philip Garland’s surprise at seeing this vast assembly of apes conducting themselves so thoroughly after the manner of human beings was indeed great; but to recognize in the leader of the party an article of merchandise which he had sold to Captain Seaworth was absolutely bewildering.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading In either case, how did it happen that among these animals there should be such a collection of weapons and clothing?
beingsnounUS /ˈbiːɪŋz/
plural of “being” — the state or fact of existing
From this reading Philip Garland’s surprise at seeing this vast assembly of apes conducting themselves so thoroughly after the manner of human beings was indeed great; but to recognize in the leader of the party an article of merchandise which he had sold to Captain Seaworth was absolutely bewildering.
bewilderingverbUS /bɪˈwɪldərɪŋ/
-ing form of “bewilder” — be a mystery or bewildering to
From this reading Philip Garland’s surprise at seeing this vast assembly of apes conducting themselves so thoroughly after the manner of human beings was indeed great; but to recognize in the leader of the party an article of merchandise which he had sold to Captain Seaworth was absolutely bewildering.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Philip Garland’s surprise at seeing this vast assembly of apes conducting themselves so thoroughly after the manner of human beings was indeed great; but to recognize in the leader of the party an article of merchandise which he had sold to Captain Seaworth was absolutely bewildering.
an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant
From this reading Philip Garland’s surprise at seeing this vast assembly of apes conducting themselves so thoroughly after the manner of human beings was indeed great; but to recognize in the leader of the party an article of merchandise which he had sold to Captain Seaworth was absolutely bewildering.
an occurrence of something
From this reading In either case, how did it happen that among these animals there should be such a collection of weapons and clothing?
clothingnounUS /ˈkloʊðɪŋ/
a covering designed to be worn on a person's body
From this reading In either case, how did it happen that among these animals there should be such a collection of weapons and clothing?
collectionnounUS /kəˈlekʃən/
several things grouped together or considered as a whole
From this reading In either case, how did it happen that among these animals there should be such a collection of weapons and clothing?
plural of “companion” — a friend who is frequently in the company of another
From this reading Had he taught these companions of his to imitate man, or were they his instructors?
conductingnounUS /kənˈdʌktɪŋ/
the way of administering a business
From this reading Philip Garland’s surprise at seeing this vast assembly of apes conducting themselves so thoroughly after the manner of human beings was indeed great; but to recognize in the leader of the party an article of merchandise which he had sold to Captain Seaworth was absolutely bewildering.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading In either case, how did it happen that among these animals there should be such a collection of weapons and clothing?
one or the other of two
From this reading In either case, how did it happen that among these animals there should be such a collection of weapons and clothing?
Garland's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Philip Garland’s surprise at seeing this vast assembly of apes conducting themselves so thoroughly after the manner of human beings was indeed great; but to recognize in the leader of the party an article of merchandise which he had sold to Captain Seaworth was absolutely bewildering.
Goliah
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How had Goliah reached this particular island?
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading Philip Garland’s surprise at seeing this vast assembly of apes conducting themselves so thoroughly after the manner of human beings was indeed great; but to recognize in the leader of the party an article of merchandise which he had sold to Captain Seaworth was absolutely bewildering.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Philip Garland’s surprise at seeing this vast assembly of apes conducting themselves so thoroughly after the manner of human beings was indeed great; but to recognize in the leader of the party an article of merchandise which he had sold to Captain Seaworth was absolutely bewildering.
come to pass
From this reading In either case, how did it happen that among these animals there should be such a collection of weapons and clothing?
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Philip Garland’s surprise at seeing this vast assembly of apes conducting themselves so thoroughly after the manner of human beings was indeed great; but to recognize in the leader of the party an article of merchandise which he had sold to Captain Seaworth was absolutely bewildering.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Had he taught these companions of his to imitate man, or were they his instructors?
How
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How had Goliah reached this particular island?
humanadjectiveUS /ˈhjuːmən/
characteristic of humanity
From this reading Philip Garland’s surprise at seeing this vast assembly of apes conducting themselves so thoroughly after the manner of human beings was indeed great; but to recognize in the leader of the party an article of merchandise which he had sold to Captain Seaworth was absolutely bewildering.
imitateverbUS /ˈɪməteɪt/
reproduce someone's behavior or looks
From this reading Had he taught these companions of his to imitate man, or were they his instructors?
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Philip Garland’s surprise at seeing this vast assembly of apes conducting themselves so thoroughly after the manner of human beings was indeed great; but to recognize in the leader of the party an article of merchandise which he had sold to Captain Seaworth was absolutely bewildering.
in truth (often tends to intensify)
From this reading Philip Garland’s surprise at seeing this vast assembly of apes conducting themselves so thoroughly after the manner of human beings was indeed great; but to recognize in the leader of the party an article of merchandise which he had sold to Captain Seaworth was absolutely bewildering.
instructorsnounUS /ˌɪnˈstrʌktərz/
plural of “instructor” — a person whose occupation is teaching
From this reading Had he taught these companions of his to imitate man, or were they his instructors?
a land mass (smaller than a continent) that is surrounded by water
From this reading How had Goliah reached this particular island?
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading In either case, how did it happen that among these animals there should be such a collection of weapons and clothing?
a person who rules or guides or inspires others
From this reading Philip Garland’s surprise at seeing this vast assembly of apes conducting themselves so thoroughly after the manner of human beings was indeed great; but to recognize in the leader of the party an article of merchandise which he had sold to Captain Seaworth was absolutely bewildering.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading Had he taught these companions of his to imitate man, or were they his instructors?
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading Philip Garland’s surprise at seeing this vast assembly of apes conducting themselves so thoroughly after the manner of human beings was indeed great; but to recognize in the leader of the party an article of merchandise which he had sold to Captain Seaworth was absolutely bewildering.
merchandisenounUS /ˈmɜːrtʃəndaɪz/
commodities offered for sale
From this reading Philip Garland’s surprise at seeing this vast assembly of apes conducting themselves so thoroughly after the manner of human beings was indeed great; but to recognize in the leader of the party an article of merchandise which he had sold to Captain Seaworth was absolutely bewildering.
not divisible by two
From this reading AN ODD VILLAGE.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Philip Garland’s surprise at seeing this vast assembly of apes conducting themselves so thoroughly after the manner of human beings was indeed great; but to recognize in the leader of the party an article of merchandise which he had sold to Captain Seaworth was absolutely bewildering.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Had he taught these companions of his to imitate man, or were they his instructors?
unique or specific to a person or thing or category
From this reading How had Goliah reached this particular island?
an organization to gain political power
From this reading Philip Garland’s surprise at seeing this vast assembly of apes conducting themselves so thoroughly after the manner of human beings was indeed great; but to recognize in the leader of the party an article of merchandise which he had sold to Captain Seaworth was absolutely bewildering.
Englishman and husband of Elizabeth II (born 1921)
From this reading Philip Garland’s surprise at seeing this vast assembly of apes conducting themselves so thoroughly after the manner of human beings was indeed great; but to recognize in the leader of the party an article of merchandise which he had sold to Captain Seaworth was absolutely bewildering.
past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading How had Goliah reached this particular island?
recognizeverbUS /ˈrekəɡnaɪz/
accept (someone) to be what is claimed or accept his power and authority
From this reading Philip Garland’s surprise at seeing this vast assembly of apes conducting themselves so thoroughly after the manner of human beings was indeed great; but to recognize in the leader of the party an article of merchandise which he had sold to Captain Seaworth was absolutely bewildering.
Seaworth
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Philip Garland’s surprise at seeing this vast assembly of apes conducting themselves so thoroughly after the manner of human beings was indeed great; but to recognize in the leader of the party an article of merchandise which he had sold to Captain Seaworth was absolutely bewildering.
perception by means of the eyes
From this reading Philip Garland’s surprise at seeing this vast assembly of apes conducting themselves so thoroughly after the manner of human beings was indeed great; but to recognize in the leader of the party an article of merchandise which he had sold to Captain Seaworth was absolutely bewildering.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading In either case, how did it happen that among these animals there should be such a collection of weapons and clothing?
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Philip Garland’s surprise at seeing this vast assembly of apes conducting themselves so thoroughly after the manner of human beings was indeed great; but to recognize in the leader of the party an article of merchandise which he had sold to Captain Seaworth was absolutely bewildering.
disposed of to a purchaser
From this reading Philip Garland’s surprise at seeing this vast assembly of apes conducting themselves so thoroughly after the manner of human beings was indeed great; but to recognize in the leader of the party an article of merchandise which he had sold to Captain Seaworth was absolutely bewildering.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading In either case, how did it happen that among these animals there should be such a collection of weapons and clothing?
the astonishment you feel when something totally unexpected happens to you
From this reading Philip Garland’s surprise at seeing this vast assembly of apes conducting themselves so thoroughly after the manner of human beings was indeed great; but to recognize in the leader of the party an article of merchandise which he had sold to Captain Seaworth was absolutely bewildering.
inflected form of “teach” — impart skills or knowledge to
From this reading Had he taught these companions of his to imitate man, or were they his instructors?
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading In either case, how did it happen that among these animals there should be such a collection of weapons and clothing?
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Philip Garland’s surprise at seeing this vast assembly of apes conducting themselves so thoroughly after the manner of human beings was indeed great; but to recognize in the leader of the party an article of merchandise which he had sold to Captain Seaworth was absolutely bewildering.
used when the people doing the action are also its object
From this reading Philip Garland’s surprise at seeing this vast assembly of apes conducting themselves so thoroughly after the manner of human beings was indeed great; but to recognize in the leader of the party an article of merchandise which he had sold to Captain Seaworth was absolutely bewildering.
in or at that place or location
From this reading In either case, how did it happen that among these animals there should be such a collection of weapons and clothing?
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading Had he taught these companions of his to imitate man, or were they his instructors?
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Had he taught these companions of his to imitate man, or were they his instructors?
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Philip Garland’s surprise at seeing this vast assembly of apes conducting themselves so thoroughly after the manner of human beings was indeed great; but to recognize in the leader of the party an article of merchandise which he had sold to Captain Seaworth was absolutely bewildering.
in an exhaustive manner
From this reading Philip Garland’s surprise at seeing this vast assembly of apes conducting themselves so thoroughly after the manner of human beings was indeed great; but to recognize in the leader of the party an article of merchandise which he had sold to Captain Seaworth was absolutely bewildering.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Philip Garland’s surprise at seeing this vast assembly of apes conducting themselves so thoroughly after the manner of human beings was indeed great; but to recognize in the leader of the party an article of merchandise which he had sold to Captain Seaworth was absolutely bewildering.
unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope
From this reading Philip Garland’s surprise at seeing this vast assembly of apes conducting themselves so thoroughly after the manner of human beings was indeed great; but to recognize in the leader of the party an article of merchandise which he had sold to Captain Seaworth was absolutely bewildering.
a community of people smaller than a town
From this reading AN ODD VILLAGE.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Philip Garland’s surprise at seeing this vast assembly of apes conducting themselves so thoroughly after the manner of human beings was indeed great; but to recognize in the leader of the party an article of merchandise which he had sold to Captain Seaworth was absolutely bewildering.
weaponsnounUS /ˈwepənz/
plural of “weapon” — any instrument or instrumentality used in fighting or hunting
From this reading In either case, how did it happen that among these animals there should be such a collection of weapons and clothing?
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Had he taught these companions of his to imitate man, or were they his instructors?
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Philip Garland’s surprise at seeing this vast assembly of apes conducting themselves so thoroughly after the manner of human beings was indeed great; but to recognize in the leader of the party an article of merchandise which he had sold to Captain Seaworth was absolutely bewildering.
