used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading For a moment the silence was startling.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading For an hour and a half the hum and whir of the busy engine had filled the boat until it had long since grown unnoticeable.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading For an hour and a half the hum and whir of the busy engine had filled the boat until it had long since grown unnoticeable.
with anxiety or apprehension
From this reading The silence which ensued while Nelson went anxiously over the motor seemed unnatural and fraught with disaster.
a small vessel for travel on water
From this reading For an hour and a half the hum and whir of the busy engine had filled the boat until it had long since grown unnoticeable.
actively or fully engaged or occupied
From this reading For an hour and a half the hum and whir of the busy engine had filled the boat until it had long since grown unnoticeable.
captain'snounUS /ˈkæptənz/
possessive form of “captain” — an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant
From this reading On the stove, Tom’s viands stood forgotten while the _chef_ watched with worried countenance the captain’s efforts to locate the trouble.
catastrophenounUS /kəˈtæstrəfi/
an event resulting in great loss and misfortune
From this reading And now to have it suddenly cease without warning seemed a veritable catastrophe.
ceaseverbUS /siːs/
put an end to a state or an activity
From this reading And now to have it suddenly cease without warning seemed a veritable catastrophe.
chefnounUS /ʃef/
a professional cook
From this reading On the stove, Tom’s viands stood forgotten while the _chef_ watched with worried countenance the captain’s efforts to locate the trouble.
the appearance conveyed by a person's face
From this reading On the stove, Tom’s viands stood forgotten while the _chef_ watched with worried countenance the captain’s efforts to locate the trouble.
disasternounUS /dɪˈzæstər/
a state of extreme (usually irremediable) ruin and misfortune
From this reading The silence which ensued while Nelson went anxiously over the motor seemed unnatural and fraught with disaster.
plural of “effort” — earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something
From this reading On the stove, Tom’s viands stood forgotten while the _chef_ watched with worried countenance the captain’s efforts to locate the trouble.
motor that converts thermal energy to mechanical work
From this reading For an hour and a half the hum and whir of the busy engine had filled the boat until it had long since grown unnoticeable.
ensuedverbUS /ɪnˈsuːd/
past form of “ensue” — issue or terminate (in a specified way, state, etc.); end
From this reading The silence which ensued while Nelson went anxiously over the motor seemed unnatural and fraught with disaster.
(usually followed by “with” or used as a combining form) generously supplied with
From this reading For an hour and a half the hum and whir of the busy engine had filled the boat until it had long since grown unnoticeable.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For a moment the silence was startling.
Not remembered; lapsed from memory.
From this reading On the stove, Tom’s viands stood forgotten while the _chef_ watched with worried countenance the captain’s efforts to locate the trouble.
fraughtadjectiveUS /frɔːt/
marked by distress
From this reading The silence which ensued while Nelson went anxiously over the motor seemed unnatural and fraught with disaster.
(of animals) fully developed
From this reading For an hour and a half the hum and whir of the busy engine had filled the boat until it had long since grown unnoticeable.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading For an hour and a half the hum and whir of the busy engine had filled the boat until it had long since grown unnoticeable.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading For an hour and a half the hum and whir of the busy engine had filled the boat until it had long since grown unnoticeable.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading And now to have it suddenly cease without warning seemed a veritable catastrophe.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading For an hour and a half the hum and whir of the busy engine had filled the boat until it had long since grown unnoticeable.
humverbUS /hʌm/
sing with closed lips
From this reading For an hour and a half the hum and whir of the busy engine had filled the boat until it had long since grown unnoticeable.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading For an hour and a half the hum and whir of the busy engine had filled the boat until it had long since grown unnoticeable.
locateverbUS /ˈloʊkeɪt/
discover the location of; determine the place of; find by searching or examining
From this reading On the stove, Tom’s viands stood forgotten while the _chef_ watched with worried countenance the captain’s efforts to locate the trouble.
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 For an hour and a half the hum and whir of the busy engine had filled the boat until it had long since grown unnoticeable.
a particular point in time
From this reading For a moment the silence was startling.
motornounUS /ˈmoʊtər/
machine that converts other forms of energy into mechanical energy and so imparts motion
From this reading The silence which ensued while Nelson went anxiously over the motor seemed unnatural and fraught with disaster.
NelsonnounUS /ˈnelsən/
English admiral who defeated the French fleets of Napoleon but was mortally wounded at Trafalgar (1758-1805)
From this reading The silence which ensued while Nelson went anxiously over the motor seemed unnatural and fraught with disaster.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading And now to have it suddenly cease without warning seemed a veritable catastrophe.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading For an hour and a half the hum and whir of the busy engine had filled the boat until it had long since grown unnoticeable.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading On the stove, Tom’s viands stood forgotten while the _chef_ watched with worried countenance the captain’s efforts to locate the trouble.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading The silence which ensued while Nelson went anxiously over the motor seemed unnatural and fraught with disaster.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading And now to have it suddenly cease without warning seemed a veritable catastrophe.
Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.
From this reading For a moment the silence was startling.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading For an hour and a half the hum and whir of the busy engine had filled the boat until it had long since grown unnoticeable.
startlingadjectiveUS /ˈstɑːrtlɪŋ/
so remarkably different or sudden as to cause momentary shock or alarm
From this reading For a moment the silence was startling.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading On the stove, Tom’s viands stood forgotten while the _chef_ watched with worried countenance the captain’s efforts to locate the trouble.
stovenounUS /stoʊv/
a kitchen appliance used for cooking food
From this reading On the stove, Tom’s viands stood forgotten while the _chef_ watched with worried countenance the captain’s efforts to locate the trouble.
happening unexpectedly
From this reading And now to have it suddenly cease without warning seemed a veritable catastrophe.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading For a moment the silence was startling.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading And now to have it suddenly cease without warning seemed a veritable catastrophe.
Tom'snounUS /tɑːmz/
possessive form of “tom” — male cat
From this reading On the stove, Tom’s viands stood forgotten while the _chef_ watched with worried countenance the captain’s efforts to locate the trouble.
a source of difficulty
From this reading On the stove, Tom’s viands stood forgotten while the _chef_ watched with worried countenance the captain’s efforts to locate the trouble.
unnaturaladjectiveUS /ənˈnætʃərəl/
not in accordance with or determined by nature; contrary to nature
From this reading The silence which ensued while Nelson went anxiously over the motor seemed unnatural and fraught with disaster.
unnoticeableadjective
not noticeable; not drawing attention
From this reading For an hour and a half the hum and whir of the busy engine had filled the boat until it had long since grown unnoticeable.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading For an hour and a half the hum and whir of the busy engine had filled the boat until it had long since grown unnoticeable.
veritableadjectiveUS /ˈverɪtəbəl/
often used as intensifiers
From this reading And now to have it suddenly cease without warning seemed a veritable catastrophe.
viandsnoun
a stock or supply of foods
From this reading On the stove, Tom’s viands stood forgotten while the _chef_ watched with worried countenance the captain’s efforts to locate the trouble.
a message informing of danger
From this reading And now to have it suddenly cease without warning seemed a veritable catastrophe.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading For a moment the silence was startling.
past form of “watch” — look attentively
From this reading On the stove, Tom’s viands stood forgotten while the _chef_ watched with worried countenance the captain’s efforts to locate the trouble.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading The silence which ensued while Nelson went anxiously over the motor seemed unnatural and fraught with disaster.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The silence which ensued while Nelson went anxiously over the motor seemed unnatural and fraught with disaster.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading The silence which ensued while Nelson went anxiously over the motor seemed unnatural and fraught with disaster.
whirnoun
sound of something in rapid motion
From this reading For an hour and a half the hum and whir of the busy engine had filled the boat until it had long since grown unnoticeable.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The silence which ensued while Nelson went anxiously over the motor seemed unnatural and fraught with disaster.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading And now to have it suddenly cease without warning seemed a veritable catastrophe.
worriedadjectiveUS /ˈwɜːrid/
afflicted with or marked by anxious uneasiness or trouble or grief
From this reading On the stove, Tom’s viands stood forgotten while the _chef_ watched with worried countenance the captain’s efforts to locate the trouble.
