used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A carpenter close by was busily at work painting _S.S. Saigon_ upon a row of virgin-white life buoys.
anew
From this reading He frowned again, and, wondering more and more, looked forward.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Captain Brandon nodded, frowned, and glanced around him.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading Captain Brandon nodded, frowned, and glanced around him.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading A carpenter close by was busily at work painting _S.S. Saigon_ upon a row of virgin-white life buoys.
Brandon
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Captain Brandon nodded, frowned, and glanced around him.
buoysnounUS /ˈbuːiz/
plural of “buoy” — bright-colored; a float attached by rope to the seabed to mark channels in a harbor or underwater hazards
From this reading A carpenter close by was busily at work painting _S.S. Saigon_ upon a row of virgin-white life buoys.
busilyadverbUS /ˈbɪzəli/
in a busy manner
From this reading A carpenter close by was busily at work painting _S.S. Saigon_ upon a row of virgin-white life buoys.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading They were just ordinary masts in the sense that they had no fighting tops, but they gleamed with wet paint.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading A carpenter close by was busily at work painting _S.S. Saigon_ upon a row of virgin-white life buoys.
an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant
From this reading Captain Brandon nodded, frowned, and glanced around him.
carpenternounUS /ˈkɑːrpəntər/
a woodworker who makes or repairs wooden objects
From this reading A carpenter close by was busily at work painting _S.S. Saigon_ upon a row of virgin-white life buoys.
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading A carpenter close by was busily at work painting _S.S. Saigon_ upon a row of virgin-white life buoys.
the act of fighting; any contest or struggle
From this reading They were just ordinary masts in the sense that they had no fighting tops, but they gleamed with wet paint.
at or to or toward the front
From this reading He frowned again, and, wondering more and more, looked forward.
frownedverbUS /fraʊnd/
past form of “frown” — look angry or sullen, wrinkle one's forehead, as if to signal disapproval
From this reading Captain Brandon nodded, frowned, and glanced around him.
past form of “glance” — throw a glance at; take a brief look at
From this reading Captain Brandon nodded, frowned, and glanced around him.
gleamedverbUS /ɡliːmd/
past form of “gleam” — be shiny, as if wet
From this reading They were just ordinary masts in the sense that they had no fighting tops, but they gleamed with wet paint.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading They were just ordinary masts in the sense that they had no fighting tops, but they gleamed with wet paint.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He frowned again, and, wondering more and more, looked forward.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Captain Brandon nodded, frowned, and glanced around him.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading They were just ordinary masts in the sense that they had no fighting tops, but they gleamed with wet paint.
and nothing more
From this reading They were just ordinary masts in the sense that they had no fighting tops, but they gleamed with wet paint.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading A carpenter close by was busily at work painting _S.S. Saigon_ upon a row of virgin-white life buoys.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading He frowned again, and, wondering more and more, looked forward.
mastsnounUS /mæsts/
plural of “mast” — a vertical spar for supporting sails
From this reading The captain wondered and glanced up at the masts.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading He frowned again, and, wondering more and more, looked forward.
not any; not one
From this reading They were just ordinary masts in the sense that they had no fighting tops, but they gleamed with wet paint.
inflected form of “nod” — express or signify by nodding
From this reading Captain Brandon nodded, frowned, and glanced around him.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A carpenter close by was busily at work painting _S.S. Saigon_ upon a row of virgin-white life buoys.
a judge of a probate court
From this reading They were just ordinary masts in the sense that they had no fighting tops, but they gleamed with wet paint.
make a painting
From this reading They were just ordinary masts in the sense that they had no fighting tops, but they gleamed with wet paint.
paintingnounUS /ˈpeɪntɪŋ/
graphic art consisting of an artistic composition made by applying paints to a surface
From this reading A carpenter close by was busily at work painting _S.S. Saigon_ upon a row of virgin-white life buoys.
an arrangement of objects or people side by side in a line
From this reading A carpenter close by was busily at work painting _S.S. Saigon_ upon a row of virgin-white life buoys.
1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
From this reading A carpenter close by was busily at work painting _S.S. Saigon_ upon a row of virgin-white life buoys.
SaigonnounUS /ˌsaɪˈɡɑːn/
a city in South Vietnam; formerly (as Saigon) it was the capital of French Indochina
From this reading A carpenter close by was busily at work painting _S.S. Saigon_ upon a row of virgin-white life buoys.
a general conscious awareness
From this reading They were just ordinary masts in the sense that they had no fighting tops, but they gleamed with wet paint.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading They were just ordinary masts in the sense that they had no fighting tops, but they gleamed with wet paint.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The captain wondered and glanced up at the masts.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They were just ordinary masts in the sense that they had no fighting tops, but they gleamed with wet paint.
topsadjectiveUS /tɑːps/
of the highest quality
From this reading They were just ordinary masts in the sense that they had no fighting tops, but they gleamed with wet paint.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading The captain wondered and glanced up at the masts.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading A carpenter close by was busily at work painting _S.S. Saigon_ upon a row of virgin-white life buoys.
virgin-white
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A carpenter close by was busily at work painting _S.S. Saigon_ upon a row of virgin-white life buoys.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading A carpenter close by was busily at work painting _S.S. Saigon_ upon a row of virgin-white life buoys.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading They were just ordinary masts in the sense that they had no fighting tops, but they gleamed with wet paint.
covered or soaked with a liquid such as water
From this reading They were just ordinary masts in the sense that they had no fighting tops, but they gleamed with wet paint.
in the company of; together with
From this reading They were just ordinary masts in the sense that they had no fighting tops, but they gleamed with wet paint.
past form of “wonder” — have a wish or desire to know something
From this reading The captain wondered and glanced up at the masts.
showing curiosity
From this reading He frowned again, and, wondering more and more, looked forward.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading A carpenter close by was busily at work painting _S.S. Saigon_ upon a row of virgin-white life buoys.
