used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The band struck up a lively air as the boat started; and nothing could be more exhilarating than the strains of the music, in the soft sunshine and mild, sweet air of that semi-tropical region.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading The band struck up a lively air as the boat started; and nothing could be more exhilarating than the strains of the music, in the soft sunshine and mild, sweet air of that semi-tropical region.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The band struck up a lively air as the boat started; and nothing could be more exhilarating than the strains of the music, in the soft sunshine and mild, sweet air of that semi-tropical region.
past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading As soon as we had passed the first bend, the St. Johns appeared more like a far-reaching lake than a stream.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The band struck up a lively air as the boat started; and nothing could be more exhilarating than the strains of the music, in the soft sunshine and mild, sweet air of that semi-tropical region.
an unofficial association of people or groups
From this reading The band struck up a lively air as the boat started; and nothing could be more exhilarating than the strains of the music, in the soft sunshine and mild, sweet air of that semi-tropical region.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The band struck up a lively air as the boat started; and nothing could be more exhilarating than the strains of the music, in the soft sunshine and mild, sweet air of that semi-tropical region.
belowprepositionUS /bɪˈloʊ/
at or to a lower level than something
From this reading The river is from one to six miles wide below Pilatka.
bendverbUS /bend/
form a curve
From this reading As soon as we had passed the first bend, the St. Johns appeared more like a far-reaching lake than a stream.
a small vessel for travel on water
From this reading The band struck up a lively air as the boat started; and nothing could be more exhilarating than the strains of the music, in the soft sunshine and mild, sweet air of that semi-tropical region.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading It was March; but the air was like summer.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading The band struck up a lively air as the boat started; and nothing could be more exhilarating than the strains of the music, in the soft sunshine and mild, sweet air of that semi-tropical region.
EXCURSIONnounUS /ɪkˈskɜːrʒən/
a journey taken for pleasure
From this reading THE EXCURSION TO MANDARIN.
exhilaratingadjectiveUS /ɪɡˈzɪləreɪtɪŋ/
making lively and cheerful
From this reading The band struck up a lively air as the boat started; and nothing could be more exhilarating than the strains of the music, in the soft sunshine and mild, sweet air of that semi-tropical region.
far-reaching
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As soon as we had passed the first bend, the St. Johns appeared more like a far-reaching lake than a stream.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading As soon as we had passed the first bend, the St. Johns appeared more like a far-reaching lake than a stream.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The river is from one to six miles wide below Pilatka.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading As soon as we had passed the first bend, the St. Johns appeared more like a far-reaching lake than a stream.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The band struck up a lively air as the boat started; and nothing could be more exhilarating than the strains of the music, in the soft sunshine and mild, sweet air of that semi-tropical region.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The river is from one to six miles wide below Pilatka.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was March; but the air was like summer.
JohnsnounUS /dʒɑːnz/
United States artist and proponent of pop art (born in 1930)
From this reading As soon as we had passed the first bend, the St. Johns appeared more like a far-reaching lake than a stream.
a body of (usually fresh) water surrounded by land
From this reading As soon as we had passed the first bend, the St. Johns appeared more like a far-reaching lake than a stream.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading It was March; but the air was like summer.
full of life and energy
From this reading The band struck up a lively air as the boat started; and nothing could be more exhilarating than the strains of the music, in the soft sunshine and mild, sweet air of that semi-tropical region.
MANDARINnounUS /ˈmændərən/
shrub or small tree having flattened globose fruit with very sweet aromatic pulp and thin yellow-orange to flame-orange rind that is loose and easily removed; native to southeastern Asia
From this reading THE EXCURSION TO MANDARIN.
march in a procession
From this reading It was March; but the air was like summer.
mildadjectiveUS /maɪld/
moderate in type or degree or effect or force; far from extreme
From this reading The band struck up a lively air as the boat started; and nothing could be more exhilarating than the strains of the music, in the soft sunshine and mild, sweet air of that semi-tropical region.
plural of “mile” — a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters
From this reading The river is from one to six miles wide below Pilatka.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading The band struck up a lively air as the boat started; and nothing could be more exhilarating than the strains of the music, in the soft sunshine and mild, sweet air of that semi-tropical region.
an artistic form of auditory communication incorporating instrumental or vocal tones in a structured and continuous manner
From this reading The band struck up a lively air as the boat started; and nothing could be more exhilarating than the strains of the music, in the soft sunshine and mild, sweet air of that semi-tropical region.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading The band struck up a lively air as the boat started; and nothing could be more exhilarating than the strains of the music, in the soft sunshine and mild, sweet air of that semi-tropical region.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The band struck up a lively air as the boat started; and nothing could be more exhilarating than the strains of the music, in the soft sunshine and mild, sweet air of that semi-tropical region.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The river is from one to six miles wide below Pilatka.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading As soon as we had passed the first bend, the St. Johns appeared more like a far-reaching lake than a stream.
Pilatka
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The river is from one to six miles wide below Pilatka.
regionnounUS /ˈriːdʒən/
the extended spatial location of something
From this reading The band struck up a lively air as the boat started; and nothing could be more exhilarating than the strains of the music, in the soft sunshine and mild, sweet air of that semi-tropical region.
a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)
From this reading The river is from one to six miles wide below Pilatka.
semi-tropical
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The band struck up a lively air as the boat started; and nothing could be more exhilarating than the strains of the music, in the soft sunshine and mild, sweet air of that semi-tropical region.
the cardinal number that is the sum of five and one
From this reading The river is from one to six miles wide below Pilatka.
yielding readily to pressure or weight
From this reading The band struck up a lively air as the boat started; and nothing could be more exhilarating than the strains of the music, in the soft sunshine and mild, sweet air of that semi-tropical region.
in the near future
From this reading As soon as we had passed the first bend, the St. Johns appeared more like a far-reaching lake than a stream.
St
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As soon as we had passed the first bend, the St. Johns appeared more like a far-reaching lake than a stream.
past form of “start” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading The band struck up a lively air as the boat started; and nothing could be more exhilarating than the strains of the music, in the soft sunshine and mild, sweet air of that semi-tropical region.
strainsnounUS /streɪnz/
plural of “strain” — (physics) deformation of a physical body under the action of applied forces
From this reading The band struck up a lively air as the boat started; and nothing could be more exhilarating than the strains of the music, in the soft sunshine and mild, sweet air of that semi-tropical region.
a natural body of running water flowing on or under the earth
From this reading As soon as we had passed the first bend, the St. Johns appeared more like a far-reaching lake than a stream.
(used in combination) affected by something overwhelming
From this reading The band struck up a lively air as the boat started; and nothing could be more exhilarating than the strains of the music, in the soft sunshine and mild, sweet air of that semi-tropical region.
the warmest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox
From this reading It was March; but the air was like summer.
the rays of the sun
From this reading The band struck up a lively air as the boat started; and nothing could be more exhilarating than the strains of the music, in the soft sunshine and mild, sweet air of that semi-tropical region.
having or denoting the characteristic taste of sugar
From this reading The band struck up a lively air as the boat started; and nothing could be more exhilarating than the strains of the music, in the soft sunshine and mild, sweet air of that semi-tropical region.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading The band struck up a lively air as the boat started; and nothing could be more exhilarating than the strains of the music, in the soft sunshine and mild, sweet air of that semi-tropical region.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The band struck up a lively air as the boat started; and nothing could be more exhilarating than the strains of the music, in the soft sunshine and mild, sweet air of that semi-tropical region.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE EXCURSION TO MANDARIN.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE EXCURSION TO MANDARIN.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading The band struck up a lively air as the boat started; and nothing could be more exhilarating than the strains of the music, in the soft sunshine and mild, sweet air of that semi-tropical region.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was March; but the air was like summer.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading As soon as we had passed the first bend, the St. Johns appeared more like a far-reaching lake than a stream.
having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading The river is from one to six miles wide below Pilatka.
