used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A fresh west wind, which fortunately had sprung up, carried the vessels swiftly along and the joyful crews already fancied themselves in Spain telling their astonished listeners the story of the wonders of the New World.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Now the waves of the broad ocean began to rise, the vessels were tossed about, the cordage rattled, and the wind howled fearfully through the rigging.
AdmiralnounUS /ˈædmərəl/
the supreme commander of a fleet; ranks above a vice admiral and below a fleet admiral
From this reading It grew darker and darker and the frightened sailors, in anxious expectancy of what might happen, stood around the deck watching the Admiral who, with his customary composure, issued the necessary orders.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading A fresh west wind, which fortunately had sprung up, carried the vessels swiftly along and the joyful crews already fancied themselves in Spain telling their astonished listeners the story of the wonders of the New World.
prior to a specified or implied time
From this reading A fresh west wind, which fortunately had sprung up, carried the vessels swiftly along and the joyful crews already fancied themselves in Spain telling their astonished listeners the story of the wonders of the New World.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A fresh west wind, which fortunately had sprung up, carried the vessels swiftly along and the joyful crews already fancied themselves in Spain telling their astonished listeners the story of the wonders of the New World.
eagerly desirous
From this reading It grew darker and darker and the frightened sailors, in anxious expectancy of what might happen, stood around the deck watching the Admiral who, with his customary composure, issued the necessary orders.
past form of “approach” — move towards
From this reading The storm rapidly approached.
inflected form of “arise” — come into existence; take on form or shape
From this reading Then suddenly a storm cloud arose in the western sky.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading It grew darker and darker and the frightened sailors, in anxious expectancy of what might happen, stood around the deck watching the Admiral who, with his customary composure, issued the necessary orders.
filled with the emotional impact of overwhelming surprise or shock
From this reading A fresh west wind, which fortunately had sprung up, carried the vessels swiftly along and the joyful crews already fancied themselves in Spain telling their astonished listeners the story of the wonders of the New World.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading Now the waves of the broad ocean began to rise, the vessels were tossed about, the cordage rattled, and the wind howled fearfully through the rigging.
having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading Now the waves of the broad ocean began to rise, the vessels were tossed about, the cordage rattled, and the wind howled fearfully through the rigging.
inflected form of “carry” — move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body
From this reading A fresh west wind, which fortunately had sprung up, carried the vessels swiftly along and the joyful crews already fancied themselves in Spain telling their astonished listeners the story of the wonders of the New World.
make overcast or cloudy
From this reading Then suddenly a storm cloud arose in the western sky.
composurenounUS /kəmˈpoʊʒər/
steadiness of mind under stress
From this reading It grew darker and darker and the frightened sailors, in anxious expectancy of what might happen, stood around the deck watching the Admiral who, with his customary composure, issued the necessary orders.
cordagenounUS /ˈkɔːrdədʒ/
the amount of wood in an area as measured in cords
From this reading Now the waves of the broad ocean began to rise, the vessels were tossed about, the cordage rattled, and the wind howled fearfully through the rigging.
crewsnounUS /kruːz/
plural of “crew” — the men and women who man a vehicle (ship, aircraft, etc.)
From this reading A fresh west wind, which fortunately had sprung up, carried the vessels swiftly along and the joyful crews already fancied themselves in Spain telling their astonished listeners the story of the wonders of the New World.
customaryadjectiveUS /ˈkʌstəmeri/
in accordance with convention or custom
From this reading It grew darker and darker and the frightened sailors, in anxious expectancy of what might happen, stood around the deck watching the Admiral who, with his customary composure, issued the necessary orders.
darkeradjectiveUS /ˈdɑːrkər/
comparative of “dark” — devoid of or deficient in light or brightness; shadowed or black
From this reading It grew darker and darker and the frightened sailors, in anxious expectancy of what might happen, stood around the deck watching the Admiral who, with his customary composure, issued the necessary orders.
any of various platforms built into a vessel
From this reading It grew darker and darker and the frightened sailors, in anxious expectancy of what might happen, stood around the deck watching the Admiral who, with his customary composure, issued the necessary orders.
expectancynounUS /ɪkˈspektənsi/
an expectation
From this reading It grew darker and darker and the frightened sailors, in anxious expectancy of what might happen, stood around the deck watching the Admiral who, with his customary composure, issued the necessary orders.
formed or conceived by the imagination
From this reading A fresh west wind, which fortunately had sprung up, carried the vessels swiftly along and the joyful crews already fancied themselves in Spain telling their astonished listeners the story of the wonders of the New World.
fearfullyadverb
in fear
From this reading Now the waves of the broad ocean began to rise, the vessels were tossed about, the cordage rattled, and the wind howled fearfully through the rigging.
fortunatelyadverbUS /ˈfɔːrtʃənətli/
by good fortune
From this reading A fresh west wind, which fortunately had sprung up, carried the vessels swiftly along and the joyful crews already fancied themselves in Spain telling their astonished listeners the story of the wonders of the New World.
recently made, produced, or harvested
From this reading A fresh west wind, which fortunately had sprung up, carried the vessels swiftly along and the joyful crews already fancied themselves in Spain telling their astonished listeners the story of the wonders of the New World.
made afraid
From this reading It grew darker and darker and the frightened sailors, in anxious expectancy of what might happen, stood around the deck watching the Admiral who, with his customary composure, issued the necessary orders.
inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading It grew darker and darker and the frightened sailors, in anxious expectancy of what might happen, stood around the deck watching the Admiral who, with his customary composure, issued the necessary orders.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading A fresh west wind, which fortunately had sprung up, carried the vessels swiftly along and the joyful crews already fancied themselves in Spain telling their astonished listeners the story of the wonders of the New World.
come to pass
From this reading It grew darker and darker and the frightened sailors, in anxious expectancy of what might happen, stood around the deck watching the Admiral who, with his customary composure, issued the necessary orders.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading It grew darker and darker and the frightened sailors, in anxious expectancy of what might happen, stood around the deck watching the Admiral who, with his customary composure, issued the necessary orders.
howledverbUS /haʊld/
past form of “howl” — emit long loud cries
From this reading Now the waves of the broad ocean began to rise, the vessels were tossed about, the cordage rattled, and the wind howled fearfully through the rigging.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading A fresh west wind, which fortunately had sprung up, carried the vessels swiftly along and the joyful crews already fancied themselves in Spain telling their astonished listeners the story of the wonders of the New World.
issuedverbUS /ˈɪʃuːd/
past form of “issue” — prepare and issue for public distribution or sale
From this reading It grew darker and darker and the frightened sailors, in anxious expectancy of what might happen, stood around the deck watching the Admiral who, with his customary composure, issued the necessary orders.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It grew darker and darker and the frightened sailors, in anxious expectancy of what might happen, stood around the deck watching the Admiral who, with his customary composure, issued the necessary orders.
joyfuladjectiveUS /ˈdʒɔɪfəl/
full of or producing joy
From this reading A fresh west wind, which fortunately had sprung up, carried the vessels swiftly along and the joyful crews already fancied themselves in Spain telling their astonished listeners the story of the wonders of the New World.
listenersnounUS /ˈlɪsənərz/
plural of “listener” — someone who listens attentively
From this reading A fresh west wind, which fortunately had sprung up, carried the vessels swiftly along and the joyful crews already fancied themselves in Spain telling their astonished listeners the story of the wonders of the New World.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading It grew darker and darker and the frightened sailors, in anxious expectancy of what might happen, stood around the deck watching the Admiral who, with his customary composure, issued the necessary orders.
absolutely essential
From this reading It grew darker and darker and the frightened sailors, in anxious expectancy of what might happen, stood around the deck watching the Admiral who, with his customary composure, issued the necessary orders.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading A fresh west wind, which fortunately had sprung up, carried the vessels swiftly along and the joyful crews already fancied themselves in Spain telling their astonished listeners the story of the wonders of the New World.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Now the waves of the broad ocean began to rise, the vessels were tossed about, the cordage rattled, and the wind howled fearfully through the rigging.
a large body of water constituting a principal part of the hydrosphere
From this reading Now the waves of the broad ocean began to rise, the vessels were tossed about, the cordage rattled, and the wind howled fearfully through the rigging.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A fresh west wind, which fortunately had sprung up, carried the vessels swiftly along and the joyful crews already fancied themselves in Spain telling their astonished listeners the story of the wonders of the New World.
plural of “order” — (often plural) a command given by a superior (e.g., a military or law enforcement officer) that must be obeyed
From this reading It grew darker and darker and the frightened sailors, in anxious expectancy of what might happen, stood around the deck watching the Admiral who, with his customary composure, issued the necessary orders.
with speed
From this reading The storm rapidly approached.
rattledadjectiveUS /ˈrætəld/
thrown into a state of agitated confusion; (“rattled” is an informal term)
From this reading Now the waves of the broad ocean began to rise, the vessels were tossed about, the cordage rattled, and the wind howled fearfully through the rigging.
riggingnounUS /ˈrɪɡɪŋ/
gear consisting of ropes etc. supporting a ship's masts and sails
From this reading Now the waves of the broad ocean began to rise, the vessels were tossed about, the cordage rattled, and the wind howled fearfully through the rigging.
move upward
From this reading Now the waves of the broad ocean began to rise, the vessels were tossed about, the cordage rattled, and the wind howled fearfully through the rigging.
plural of “sailor” — any member of a ship's crew
From this reading It grew darker and darker and the frightened sailors, in anxious expectancy of what might happen, stood around the deck watching the Admiral who, with his customary composure, issued the necessary orders.
the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading Then suddenly a storm cloud arose in the western sky.
SpainnounUS /speɪn/
a parliamentary monarchy in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula; a former colonial power
From this reading A fresh west wind, which fortunately had sprung up, carried the vessels swiftly along and the joyful crews already fancied themselves in Spain telling their astonished listeners the story of the wonders of the New World.
sprungverbUS /sprʌŋ/
inflected form of “spring” — move forward by leaps and bounds
From this reading A fresh west wind, which fortunately had sprung up, carried the vessels swiftly along and the joyful crews already fancied themselves in Spain telling their astonished listeners the story of the wonders of the New World.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading It grew darker and darker and the frightened sailors, in anxious expectancy of what might happen, stood around the deck watching the Admiral who, with his customary composure, issued the necessary orders.
behave violently, as if in state of a great anger
From this reading Then suddenly a storm cloud arose in the western sky.
a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading A fresh west wind, which fortunately had sprung up, carried the vessels swiftly along and the joyful crews already fancied themselves in Spain telling their astonished listeners the story of the wonders of the New World.
happening unexpectedly
From this reading Then suddenly a storm cloud arose in the western sky.
in a swift manner
From this reading A fresh west wind, which fortunately had sprung up, carried the vessels swiftly along and the joyful crews already fancied themselves in Spain telling their astonished listeners the story of the wonders of the New World.
disclosing unintentionally something concealed
From this reading A fresh west wind, which fortunately had sprung up, carried the vessels swiftly along and the joyful crews already fancied themselves in Spain telling their astonished listeners the story of the wonders of the New World.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A fresh west wind, which fortunately had sprung up, carried the vessels swiftly along and the joyful crews already fancied themselves in Spain telling their astonished listeners the story of the wonders of the New World.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading A fresh west wind, which fortunately had sprung up, carried the vessels swiftly along and the joyful crews already fancied themselves in Spain telling their astonished listeners the story of the wonders of the New World.
used when the people doing the action are also its object
From this reading A fresh west wind, which fortunately had sprung up, carried the vessels swiftly along and the joyful crews already fancied themselves in Spain telling their astonished listeners the story of the wonders of the New World.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then suddenly a storm cloud arose in the western sky.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading Now the waves of the broad ocean began to rise, the vessels were tossed about, the cordage rattled, and the wind howled fearfully through the rigging.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Now the waves of the broad ocean began to rise, the vessels were tossed about, the cordage rattled, and the wind howled fearfully through the rigging.
tossedverbUS /tɔːst/
past form of “toss” — throw or toss with a light motion
From this reading Now the waves of the broad ocean began to rise, the vessels were tossed about, the cordage rattled, and the wind howled fearfully through the rigging.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading A fresh west wind, which fortunately had sprung up, carried the vessels swiftly along and the joyful crews already fancied themselves in Spain telling their astonished listeners the story of the wonders of the New World.
vesselsnounUS /ˈvesəlz/
plural of “vessel” — a tube in which a body fluid circulates
From this reading A fresh west wind, which fortunately had sprung up, carried the vessels swiftly along and the joyful crews already fancied themselves in Spain telling their astonished listeners the story of the wonders of the New World.
the act of observing; taking a patient look
From this reading It grew darker and darker and the frightened sailors, in anxious expectancy of what might happen, stood around the deck watching the Admiral who, with his customary composure, issued the necessary orders.
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 Now the waves of the broad ocean began to rise, the vessels were tossed about, the cordage rattled, and the wind howled fearfully through the rigging.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Now the waves of the broad ocean began to rise, the vessels were tossed about, the cordage rattled, and the wind howled fearfully through the rigging.
the countries of (originally) Europe and (now including) North America and South America
From this reading A fresh west wind, which fortunately had sprung up, carried the vessels swiftly along and the joyful crews already fancied themselves in Spain telling their astonished listeners the story of the wonders of the New World.
relating to or characteristic of the western parts of the world or the West as opposed to the eastern or oriental parts
From this reading Then suddenly a storm cloud arose in the western sky.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading It grew darker and darker and the frightened sailors, in anxious expectancy of what might happen, stood around the deck watching the Admiral who, with his customary composure, issued the necessary orders.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading A fresh west wind, which fortunately had sprung up, carried the vessels swiftly along and the joyful crews already fancied themselves in Spain telling their astonished listeners the story of the wonders of the New World.
which person or people
From this reading It grew darker and darker and the frightened sailors, in anxious expectancy of what might happen, stood around the deck watching the Admiral who, with his customary composure, issued the necessary orders.
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading A fresh west wind, which fortunately had sprung up, carried the vessels swiftly along and the joyful crews already fancied themselves in Spain telling their astonished listeners the story of the wonders of the New World.
in the company of; together with
From this reading It grew darker and darker and the frightened sailors, in anxious expectancy of what might happen, stood around the deck watching the Admiral who, with his customary composure, issued the necessary orders.
wondersnounUS /ˈwʌndərz/
plural of “wonder” — the feeling aroused by something strange and surprising
From this reading A fresh west wind, which fortunately had sprung up, carried the vessels swiftly along and the joyful crews already fancied themselves in Spain telling their astonished listeners the story of the wonders of the New World.
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading A fresh west wind, which fortunately had sprung up, carried the vessels swiftly along and the joyful crews already fancied themselves in Spain telling their astonished listeners the story of the wonders of the New World.
