used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The pounding of my heart was like that of a trip hammer, as I listened intently for any movement.
alarmingadjectiveUS /əˈlɑːrmɪŋ/
frightening because of an awareness of danger
From this reading THE OPEN BOAT Following the first impulse of this alarming discovery I pressed her back into the boat, and crouched low myself behind the protection of the flag locker.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE OPEN BOAT Following the first impulse of this alarming discovery I pressed her back into the boat, and crouched low myself behind the protection of the flag locker.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading The pounding of my heart was like that of a trip hammer, as I listened intently for any movement.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading For a long moment of suspense there was none; then I heard his heavy step on the deck, as he came slowly forward around the bulge of the cabin.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The pounding of my heart was like that of a trip hammer, as I listened intently for any movement.
asternadverb
stern foremost or backward
From this reading How still it was; only the swish of water astern, and the continuous patter of rain.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading THE OPEN BOAT Following the first impulse of this alarming discovery I pressed her back into the boat, and crouched low myself behind the protection of the flag locker.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading THE OPEN BOAT Following the first impulse of this alarming discovery I pressed her back into the boat, and crouched low myself behind the protection of the flag locker.
a small vessel for travel on water
From this reading THE OPEN BOAT Following the first impulse of this alarming discovery I pressed her back into the boat, and crouched low myself behind the protection of the flag locker.
bulgeverbUS /bʌldʒ/
swell or protrude outwards
From this reading For a long moment of suspense there was none; then I heard his heavy step on the deck, as he came slowly forward around the bulge of the cabin.
small room on a ship or boat where people sleep
From this reading For a long moment of suspense there was none; then I heard his heavy step on the deck, as he came slowly forward around the bulge of the cabin.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading For a long moment of suspense there was none; then I heard his heavy step on the deck, as he came slowly forward around the bulge of the cabin.
continuousadjectiveUS /kənˈtɪnjuːəs/
continuing in time or space without interruption
From this reading How still it was; only the swish of water astern, and the continuous patter of rain.
crouchedverbUS /kraʊtʃt/
past form of “crouch” — bend one's back forward from the waist on down
From this reading THE OPEN BOAT Following the first impulse of this alarming discovery I pressed her back into the boat, and crouched low myself behind the protection of the flag locker.
any of various platforms built into a vessel
From this reading For a long moment of suspense there was none; then I heard his heavy step on the deck, as he came slowly forward around the bulge of the cabin.
the act of discovering something
From this reading THE OPEN BOAT Following the first impulse of this alarming discovery I pressed her back into the boat, and crouched low myself behind the protection of the flag locker.
a boy or man
From this reading The fellow might not have seen us.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading THE OPEN BOAT Following the first impulse of this alarming discovery I pressed her back into the boat, and crouched low myself behind the protection of the flag locker.
flagnounUS /flæɡ/
emblem usually consisting of a rectangular piece of cloth of distinctive design
From this reading THE OPEN BOAT Following the first impulse of this alarming discovery I pressed her back into the boat, and crouched low myself behind the protection of the flag locker.
about to be mentioned or specified
From this reading THE OPEN BOAT Following the first impulse of this alarming discovery I pressed her back into the boat, and crouched low myself behind the protection of the flag locker.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The pounding of my heart was like that of a trip hammer, as I listened intently for any movement.
at or to or toward the front
From this reading For a long moment of suspense there was none; then I heard his heavy step on the deck, as he came slowly forward around the bulge of the cabin.
hammernounUS /ˈhæmər/
the part of a gunlock that strikes the percussion cap when the trigger is pulled
From this reading The pounding of my heart was like that of a trip hammer, as I listened intently for any movement.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading The fellow might not have seen us.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading For a long moment of suspense there was none; then I heard his heavy step on the deck, as he came slowly forward around the bulge of the cabin.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading For a long moment of suspense there was none; then I heard his heavy step on the deck, as he came slowly forward around the bulge of the cabin.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading The pounding of my heart was like that of a trip hammer, as I listened intently for any movement.
of comparatively great physical weight or density
From this reading For a long moment of suspense there was none; then I heard his heavy step on the deck, as he came slowly forward around the bulge of the cabin.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading THE OPEN BOAT Following the first impulse of this alarming discovery I pressed her back into the boat, and crouched low myself behind the protection of the flag locker.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading For a long moment of suspense there was none; then I heard his heavy step on the deck, as he came slowly forward around the bulge of the cabin.
How
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How still it was; only the swish of water astern, and the continuous patter of rain.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading THE OPEN BOAT Following the first impulse of this alarming discovery I pressed her back into the boat, and crouched low myself behind the protection of the flag locker.
an instinctive motive
From this reading THE OPEN BOAT Following the first impulse of this alarming discovery I pressed her back into the boat, and crouched low myself behind the protection of the flag locker.
intentlyadverbUS /ˌɪnˈtentli/
with strained or eager attention
From this reading The pounding of my heart was like that of a trip hammer, as I listened intently for any movement.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading THE OPEN BOAT Following the first impulse of this alarming discovery I pressed her back into the boat, and crouched low myself behind the protection of the flag locker.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading How still it was; only the swish of water astern, and the continuous patter of rain.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading The pounding of my heart was like that of a trip hammer, as I listened intently for any movement.
past form of “listen” — hear with intention
From this reading The pounding of my heart was like that of a trip hammer, as I listened intently for any movement.
lockernounUS /ˈlɑːkər/
a storage compartment for clothes and valuables; usually it has a lock
From this reading THE OPEN BOAT Following the first impulse of this alarming discovery I pressed her back into the boat, and crouched low myself behind the protection of the flag locker.
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 a long moment of suspense there was none; then I heard his heavy step on the deck, as he came slowly forward around the bulge of the cabin.
less than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading THE OPEN BOAT Following the first impulse of this alarming discovery I pressed her back into the boat, and crouched low myself behind the protection of the flag locker.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading The fellow might not have seen us.
a particular point in time
From this reading For a long moment of suspense there was none; then I heard his heavy step on the deck, as he came slowly forward around the bulge of the cabin.
a change of position that does not entail a change of location
From this reading The pounding of my heart was like that of a trip hammer, as I listened intently for any movement.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading The pounding of my heart was like that of a trip hammer, as I listened intently for any movement.
used when the speaker is also the object of the action
From this reading THE OPEN BOAT Following the first impulse of this alarming discovery I pressed her back into the boat, and crouched low myself behind the protection of the flag locker.
not one, and not any
From this reading For a long moment of suspense there was none; then I heard his heavy step on the deck, as he came slowly forward around the bulge of the cabin.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The fellow might not have seen us.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE OPEN BOAT Following the first impulse of this alarming discovery I pressed her back into the boat, and crouched low myself behind the protection of the flag locker.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading For a long moment of suspense there was none; then I heard his heavy step on the deck, as he came slowly forward around the bulge of the cabin.
and nothing more
From this reading How still it was; only the swish of water astern, and the continuous patter of rain.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading THE OPEN BOAT Following the first impulse of this alarming discovery I pressed her back into the boat, and crouched low myself behind the protection of the flag locker.
patternounUS /ˈpætər/
plausible glib talk (especially useful to a salesperson)
From this reading How still it was; only the swish of water astern, and the continuous patter of rain.
poundingnounUS /ˈpaʊndɪŋ/
repeated heavy blows
From this reading The pounding of my heart was like that of a trip hammer, as I listened intently for any movement.
compacted by ironing
From this reading THE OPEN BOAT Following the first impulse of this alarming discovery I pressed her back into the boat, and crouched low myself behind the protection of the flag locker.
the activity of protecting someone or something
From this reading THE OPEN BOAT Following the first impulse of this alarming discovery I pressed her back into the boat, and crouched low myself behind the protection of the flag locker.
water falling in drops from vapor condensed in the atmosphere
From this reading How still it was; only the swish of water astern, and the continuous patter of rain.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading The fellow might not have seen us.
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading For a long moment of suspense there was none; then I heard his heavy step on the deck, as he came slowly forward around the bulge of the cabin.
any maneuver made as part of progress toward a goal
From this reading For a long moment of suspense there was none; then I heard his heavy step on the deck, as he came slowly forward around the bulge of the cabin.
not in physical motion
From this reading How still it was; only the swish of water astern, and the continuous patter of rain.
suspensenounUS /səˈspens/
apprehension about what is going to happen
From this reading For a long moment of suspense there was none; then I heard his heavy step on the deck, as he came slowly forward around the bulge of the cabin.
swishverbUS /swɪʃ/
move with or cause to move with a whistling or hissing sound
From this reading How still it was; only the swish of water astern, and the continuous patter of rain.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The pounding of my heart was like that of a trip hammer, as I listened intently for any movement.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE OPEN BOAT Following the first impulse of this alarming discovery I pressed her back into the boat, and crouched low myself behind the protection of the flag locker.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading For a long moment of suspense there was none; then I heard his heavy step on the deck, as he came slowly forward around the bulge of the cabin.
in or at that place or location
From this reading For a long moment of suspense there was none; then I heard his heavy step on the deck, as he came slowly forward around the bulge of the cabin.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading THE OPEN BOAT Following the first impulse of this alarming discovery I pressed her back into the boat, and crouched low myself behind the protection of the flag locker.
a journey for some purpose (usually including the return)
From this reading The pounding of my heart was like that of a trip hammer, as I listened intently for any movement.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The fellow might not have seen us.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading How still it was; only the swish of water astern, and the continuous patter of rain.
binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent
From this reading How still it was; only the swish of water astern, and the continuous patter of rain.
