used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading “If this is the boat, we ought to be a little more careful about being seen, for the owner of it may be somewhere near here, and he knows much more than we do.”
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading They gathered about the rowboat, as if it were some strange animal, five pairs of eyes centered upon it.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE MYSTERY BOX Lanky Wallace leaped to shore as the _Rocket_ was brought slowly in, and Paul cast the line to him.
a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading They gathered about the rowboat, as if it were some strange animal, five pairs of eyes centered upon it.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading Frank spoke cautiously as he very slowly turned to look beyond the shoreline of the river for any habitation.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading THE MYSTERY BOX Lanky Wallace leaped to shore as the _Rocket_ was brought slowly in, and Paul cast the line to him.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading “If this is the boat, we ought to be a little more careful about being seen, for the owner of it may be somewhere near here, and he knows much more than we do.”
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading “If this is the boat, we ought to be a little more careful about being seen, for the owner of it may be somewhere near here, and he knows much more than we do.”
on the far side of; further than
From this reading Frank spoke cautiously as he very slowly turned to look beyond the shoreline of the river for any habitation.
a small vessel for travel on water
From this reading It took several minutes to tie the motor boat properly, but when it was done the other boys stepped gingerly off.
a (usually rectangular) container; may have a lid
From this reading THE MYSTERY BOX Lanky Wallace leaped to shore as the _Rocket_ was brought slowly in, and Paul cast the line to him.
plural of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading It took several minutes to tie the motor boat properly, but when it was done the other boys stepped gingerly off.
inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading THE MYSTERY BOX Lanky Wallace leaped to shore as the _Rocket_ was brought slowly in, and Paul cast the line to him.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading It took several minutes to tie the motor boat properly, but when it was done the other boys stepped gingerly off.
exercising caution or showing care or attention
From this reading “If this is the boat, we ought to be a little more careful about being seen, for the owner of it may be somewhere near here, and he knows much more than we do.”
put or send forth
From this reading THE MYSTERY BOX Lanky Wallace leaped to shore as the _Rocket_ was brought slowly in, and Paul cast the line to him.
cautiouslyadverbUS /ˈkɔːʃəsli/
as if with kid gloves; with caution or prudence or tact
From this reading Frank spoke cautiously as he very slowly turned to look beyond the shoreline of the river for any habitation.
centeredadjectiveUS /ˈsentərd/
being or placed in the center
From this reading They gathered about the rowboat, as if it were some strange animal, five pairs of eyes centered upon it.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading “If this is the boat, we ought to be a little more careful about being seen, for the owner of it may be somewhere near here, and he knows much more than we do.”
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading It took several minutes to tie the motor boat properly, but when it was done the other boys stepped gingerly off.
opinion or judgment
From this reading They gathered about the rowboat, as if it were some strange animal, five pairs of eyes centered upon it.
the cardinal number that is the sum of four and one
From this reading They gathered about the rowboat, as if it were some strange animal, five pairs of eyes centered upon it.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading “If this is the boat, we ought to be a little more careful about being seen, for the owner of it may be somewhere near here, and he knows much more than we do.”
characterized by directness in manner or speech; without subtlety or evasion
From this reading Frank spoke cautiously as he very slowly turned to look beyond the shoreline of the river for any habitation.
brought together in one place
From this reading They gathered about the rowboat, as if it were some strange animal, five pairs of eyes centered upon it.
gingerlyadjectiveUS /ˈdʒɪndʒərli/
with extreme care or delicacy
From this reading It took several minutes to tie the motor boat properly, but when it was done the other boys stepped gingerly off.
habitationnounUS /ˌhæbəˈteɪʃən/
the native habitat or home of an animal or plant
From this reading Frank spoke cautiously as he very slowly turned to look beyond the shoreline of the river for any habitation.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “If this is the boat, we ought to be a little more careful about being seen, for the owner of it may be somewhere near here, and he knows much more than we do.”
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading “If this is the boat, we ought to be a little more careful about being seen, for the owner of it may be somewhere near here, and he knows much more than we do.”
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading THE MYSTERY BOX Lanky Wallace leaped to shore as the _Rocket_ was brought slowly in, and Paul cast the line to him.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading They gathered about the rowboat, as if it were some strange animal, five pairs of eyes centered upon it.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading THE MYSTERY BOX Lanky Wallace leaped to shore as the _Rocket_ was brought slowly in, and Paul cast the line to him.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “If this is the boat, we ought to be a little more careful about being seen, for the owner of it may be somewhere near here, and he knows much more than we do.”
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It took several minutes to tie the motor boat properly, but when it was done the other boys stepped gingerly off.
plural of “know” — the fact of being aware of information that is known to few people
From this reading “If this is the boat, we ought to be a little more careful about being seen, for the owner of it may be somewhere near here, and he knows much more than we do.”
LankyadjectiveUS /ˈlæŋki/
tall and thin and having long slender limbs
From this reading THE MYSTERY BOX Lanky Wallace leaped to shore as the _Rocket_ was brought slowly in, and Paul cast the line to him.
past form of “leap” — move forward by leaps and bounds
From this reading THE MYSTERY BOX Lanky Wallace leaped to shore as the _Rocket_ was brought slowly in, and Paul cast the line to him.
a formation of people or things one beside another
From this reading THE MYSTERY BOX Lanky Wallace leaped to shore as the _Rocket_ was brought slowly in, and Paul cast the line to him.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading “If this is the boat, we ought to be a little more careful about being seen, for the owner of it may be somewhere near here, and he knows much more than we do.”
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading Frank spoke cautiously as he very slowly turned to look beyond the shoreline of the river for any habitation.
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading “If this is the boat, we ought to be a little more careful about being seen, for the owner of it may be somewhere near here, and he knows much more than we do.”
a written account of what transpired at a meeting
From this reading It took several minutes to tie the motor boat properly, but when it was done the other boys stepped gingerly off.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading “If this is the boat, we ought to be a little more careful about being seen, for the owner of it may be somewhere near here, and he knows much more than we do.”
motornounUS /ˈmoʊtər/
machine that converts other forms of energy into mechanical energy and so imparts motion
From this reading It took several minutes to tie the motor boat properly, but when it was done the other boys stepped gingerly off.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading “If this is the boat, we ought to be a little more careful about being seen, for the owner of it may be somewhere near here, and he knows much more than we do.”
something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained
From this reading THE MYSTERY BOX Lanky Wallace leaped to shore as the _Rocket_ was brought slowly in, and Paul cast the line to him.
near in time or place or relationship
From this reading “If this is the boat, we ought to be a little more careful about being seen, for the owner of it may be somewhere near here, and he knows much more than we do.”
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading They gathered about the rowboat, as if it were some strange animal, five pairs of eyes centered upon it.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading It took several minutes to tie the motor boat properly, but when it was done the other boys stepped gingerly off.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading It took several minutes to tie the motor boat properly, but when it was done the other boys stepped gingerly off.
used with “to” to say what is right or advisable
From this reading “If this is the boat, we ought to be a little more careful about being seen, for the owner of it may be somewhere near here, and he knows much more than we do.”
(law) someone who owns (is legal possessor of) a business
From this reading “If this is the boat, we ought to be a little more careful about being seen, for the owner of it may be somewhere near here, and he knows much more than we do.”
pairsnounUS /perz/
plural of “pair” — a set of two similar things considered as a unit
From this reading They gathered about the rowboat, as if it were some strange animal, five pairs of eyes centered upon it.
United States feminist (1885-1977)
From this reading THE MYSTERY BOX Lanky Wallace leaped to shore as the _Rocket_ was brought slowly in, and Paul cast the line to him.
in the right manner; correctly; suitably
From this reading It took several minutes to tie the motor boat properly, but when it was done the other boys stepped gingerly off.
a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)
From this reading Frank spoke cautiously as he very slowly turned to look beyond the shoreline of the river for any habitation.
RocketnounUS /ˈrɑːkət/
any vehicle self-propelled by a rocket engine
From this reading THE MYSTERY BOX Lanky Wallace leaped to shore as the _Rocket_ was brought slowly in, and Paul cast the line to him.
rowboatnounUS /ˈroʊboʊt/
a small boat of shallow draft with cross thwarts for seats and rowlocks for oars with which it is propelled
From this reading They gathered about the rowboat, as if it were some strange animal, five pairs of eyes centered upon it.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading “If this is the boat, we ought to be a little more careful about being seen, for the owner of it may be somewhere near here, and he knows much more than we do.”
(used with count nouns) of an indefinite number more than 2 or 3 but not many
From this reading It took several minutes to tie the motor boat properly, but when it was done the other boys stepped gingerly off.
the land along the edge of a body of water
From this reading THE MYSTERY BOX Lanky Wallace leaped to shore as the _Rocket_ was brought slowly in, and Paul cast the line to him.
shorelinenounUS /ˈʃɔːrlaɪn/
a boundary line between land and water
From this reading Frank spoke cautiously as he very slowly turned to look beyond the shoreline of the river for any habitation.
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading THE MYSTERY BOX Lanky Wallace leaped to shore as the _Rocket_ was brought slowly in, and Paul cast the line to him.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading They gathered about the rowboat, as if it were some strange animal, five pairs of eyes centered upon it.
in or at or to some place
From this reading “If this is the boat, we ought to be a little more careful about being seen, for the owner of it may be somewhere near here, and he knows much more than we do.”
support consisting of a radial member of a wheel joining the hub to the rim
From this reading Frank spoke cautiously as he very slowly turned to look beyond the shoreline of the river for any habitation.
inflected form of “step” — shift or move by taking a step
From this reading It took several minutes to tie the motor boat properly, but when it was done the other boys stepped gingerly off.
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading They gathered about the rowboat, as if it were some strange animal, five pairs of eyes centered upon it.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading “If this is the boat, we ought to be a little more careful about being seen, for the owner of it may be somewhere near here, and he knows much more than we do.”
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE MYSTERY BOX Lanky Wallace leaped to shore as the _Rocket_ was brought slowly in, and Paul cast the line to him.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They gathered about the rowboat, as if it were some strange animal, five pairs of eyes centered upon it.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading “If this is the boat, we ought to be a little more careful about being seen, for the owner of it may be somewhere near here, and he knows much more than we do.”
tienounUS /taɪ/
neckwear consisting of a long narrow piece of material worn (mostly by men) under a collar and tied in knot at the front
From this reading It took several minutes to tie the motor boat properly, but when it was done the other boys stepped gingerly off.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE MYSTERY BOX Lanky Wallace leaped to shore as the _Rocket_ was brought slowly in, and Paul cast the line to him.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading It took several minutes to tie the motor boat properly, but when it was done the other boys stepped gingerly off.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading Frank spoke cautiously as he very slowly turned to look beyond the shoreline of the river for any habitation.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading They gathered about the rowboat, as if it were some strange animal, five pairs of eyes centered upon it.
precisely as stated
From this reading Frank spoke cautiously as he very slowly turned to look beyond the shoreline of the river for any habitation.
WallacenounUS /ˈwɔːləs/
Scottish insurgent who led the resistance to Edward I; in 1297 he gained control of Scotland briefly until Edward invaded Scotland again and defeated Wallace and subsequently executed him (1270-1305)
From this reading THE MYSTERY BOX Lanky Wallace leaped to shore as the _Rocket_ was brought slowly in, and Paul cast the line to him.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading THE MYSTERY BOX Lanky Wallace leaped to shore as the _Rocket_ was brought slowly in, and Paul cast the line to him.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading “If this is the boat, we ought to be a little more careful about being seen, for the owner of it may be somewhere near here, and he knows much more than we do.”
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading They gathered about the rowboat, as if it were some strange animal, five pairs of eyes centered upon it.
at the time that
From this reading It took several minutes to tie the motor boat properly, but when it was done the other boys stepped gingerly off.
