used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The clouds yet hung thick and low, yielding a ghastly aspect to the dawn, somberness to the picture of breaking waves tipped by flying vapors of mist.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading I sat at the tiller, grasping one of her hands in mine, and staring anxiously about the broadening circle.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading The men were lying low, so completely hidden as to be invisible even to us, but the Lieutenant sat upright, with head above the mass of sail, and was scanning the sea with glasses.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading THE DECK OF THE SEA GULL The dawn broke gray and desolate, the vista of restless waters growing gradually wider, as the light spread out across the eastern sky.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE DECK OF THE SEA GULL The dawn broke gray and desolate, the vista of restless waters growing gradually wider, as the light spread out across the eastern sky.
with anxiety or apprehension
From this reading I sat at the tiller, grasping one of her hands in mine, and staring anxiously about the broadening circle.
outward or visible aspect of a person or thing
From this reading The boat in which we rode, while buoyant enough, still bore the outward appearance of a wreck, the broken stump of a mast barely showing sufficiently high to support the flapping jib, and the wet canvas of the mainsail completely concealing everything forward.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading THE DECK OF THE SEA GULL The dawn broke gray and desolate, the vista of restless waters growing gradually wider, as the light spread out across the eastern sky.
a distinct feature or element in a problem
From this reading The clouds yet hung thick and low, yielding a ghastly aspect to the dawn, somberness to the picture of breaking waves tipped by flying vapors of mist.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading I sat at the tiller, grasping one of her hands in mine, and staring anxiously about the broadening circle.
barelyadverbUS /ˈberli/
only a very short time before
From this reading The boat in which we rode, while buoyant enough, still bore the outward appearance of a wreck, the broken stump of a mast barely showing sufficiently high to support the flapping jib, and the wet canvas of the mainsail completely concealing everything forward.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The men were lying low, so completely hidden as to be invisible even to us, but the Lieutenant sat upright, with head above the mass of sail, and was scanning the sea with glasses.
a small vessel for travel on water
From this reading The boat in which we rode, while buoyant enough, still bore the outward appearance of a wreck, the broken stump of a mast barely showing sufficiently high to support the flapping jib, and the wet canvas of the mainsail completely concealing everything forward.
cause to be bored
From this reading The boat in which we rode, while buoyant enough, still bore the outward appearance of a wreck, the broken stump of a mast barely showing sufficiently high to support the flapping jib, and the wet canvas of the mainsail completely concealing everything forward.
the act of breaking something
From this reading The clouds yet hung thick and low, yielding a ghastly aspect to the dawn, somberness to the picture of breaking waves tipped by flying vapors of mist.
broadeningnounUS /ˈbrɔːdənɪŋ/
the act of making something wider
From this reading I sat at the tiller, grasping one of her hands in mine, and staring anxiously about the broadening circle.
lacking funds
From this reading THE DECK OF THE SEA GULL The dawn broke gray and desolate, the vista of restless waters growing gradually wider, as the light spread out across the eastern sky.
physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split
From this reading The boat in which we rode, while buoyant enough, still bore the outward appearance of a wreck, the broken stump of a mast barely showing sufficiently high to support the flapping jib, and the wet canvas of the mainsail completely concealing everything forward.
buoyantadjectiveUS /ˈbɔɪənt/
tending to float on a liquid or rise in air or gas
From this reading The boat in which we rode, while buoyant enough, still bore the outward appearance of a wreck, the broken stump of a mast barely showing sufficiently high to support the flapping jib, and the wet canvas of the mainsail completely concealing everything forward.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The men were lying low, so completely hidden as to be invisible even to us, but the Lieutenant sat upright, with head above the mass of sail, and was scanning the sea with glasses.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The clouds yet hung thick and low, yielding a ghastly aspect to the dawn, somberness to the picture of breaking waves tipped by flying vapors of mist.
canvasnounUS /ˈkænvəs/
a heavy, closely woven fabric (used for clothing or chairs or sails or tents)
From this reading The boat in which we rode, while buoyant enough, still bore the outward appearance of a wreck, the broken stump of a mast barely showing sufficiently high to support the flapping jib, and the wet canvas of the mainsail completely concealing everything forward.
ellipse in which the two axes are of equal length; a plane curve generated by one point moving at a constant distance from a fixed point
From this reading I sat at the tiller, grasping one of her hands in mine, and staring anxiously about the broadening circle.
plural of “cloud” — any collection of particles (e.g., smoke or dust) or gases that is visible
From this reading The clouds yet hung thick and low, yielding a ghastly aspect to the dawn, somberness to the picture of breaking waves tipped by flying vapors of mist.
to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally for “wholly”)
From this reading The boat in which we rode, while buoyant enough, still bore the outward appearance of a wreck, the broken stump of a mast barely showing sufficiently high to support the flapping jib, and the wet canvas of the mainsail completely concealing everything forward.
concealingnounUS /kənˈsiːlɪŋ/
the activity of keeping something secret
From this reading The boat in which we rode, while buoyant enough, still bore the outward appearance of a wreck, the broken stump of a mast barely showing sufficiently high to support the flapping jib, and the wet canvas of the mainsail completely concealing everything forward.
the first light of day
From this reading THE DECK OF THE SEA GULL The dawn broke gray and desolate, the vista of restless waters growing gradually wider, as the light spread out across the eastern sky.
any of various platforms built into a vessel
From this reading THE DECK OF THE SEA GULL The dawn broke gray and desolate, the vista of restless waters growing gradually wider, as the light spread out across the eastern sky.
desolateadjectiveUS /ˈdesələt/
providing no shelter or sustenance
From this reading THE DECK OF THE SEA GULL The dawn broke gray and desolate, the vista of restless waters growing gradually wider, as the light spread out across the eastern sky.
easternadjectiveUS /ˈiːstərn/
lying toward or situated in the east
From this reading THE DECK OF THE SEA GULL The dawn broke gray and desolate, the vista of restless waters growing gradually wider, as the light spread out across the eastern sky.
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading The boat in which we rode, while buoyant enough, still bore the outward appearance of a wreck, the broken stump of a mast barely showing sufficiently high to support the flapping jib, and the wet canvas of the mainsail completely concealing everything forward.
divisible by two
From this reading The men were lying low, so completely hidden as to be invisible even to us, but the Lieutenant sat upright, with head above the mass of sail, and was scanning the sea with glasses.
all things; all of a situation
From this reading The boat in which we rode, while buoyant enough, still bore the outward appearance of a wreck, the broken stump of a mast barely showing sufficiently high to support the flapping jib, and the wet canvas of the mainsail completely concealing everything forward.
flappingnounUS /ˈflæpɪŋ/
the motion made by flapping up and down
From this reading The boat in which we rode, while buoyant enough, still bore the outward appearance of a wreck, the broken stump of a mast barely showing sufficiently high to support the flapping jib, and the wet canvas of the mainsail completely concealing everything forward.
moving swiftly
From this reading The clouds yet hung thick and low, yielding a ghastly aspect to the dawn, somberness to the picture of breaking waves tipped by flying vapors of mist.
at or to or toward the front
From this reading The boat in which we rode, while buoyant enough, still bore the outward appearance of a wreck, the broken stump of a mast barely showing sufficiently high to support the flapping jib, and the wet canvas of the mainsail completely concealing everything forward.
ghastlyadjectiveUS /ˈɡæstli/
shockingly repellent; inspiring horror
From this reading The clouds yet hung thick and low, yielding a ghastly aspect to the dawn, somberness to the picture of breaking waves tipped by flying vapors of mist.
glassesnounUS /ˈɡlæsəz/
(plural) optical instrument consisting of a frame that holds a pair of lenses for correcting defective vision
From this reading The men were lying low, so completely hidden as to be invisible even to us, but the Lieutenant sat upright, with head above the mass of sail, and was scanning the sea with glasses.
in a gradual manner
From this reading THE DECK OF THE SEA GULL The dawn broke gray and desolate, the vista of restless waters growing gradually wider, as the light spread out across the eastern sky.
graspingnounUS /ˈɡræspɪŋ/
understanding with difficulty
From this reading I sat at the tiller, grasping one of her hands in mine, and staring anxiously about the broadening circle.
a neutral achromatic color midway between white and black
From this reading THE DECK OF THE SEA GULL The dawn broke gray and desolate, the vista of restless waters growing gradually wider, as the light spread out across the eastern sky.
(biology) the process of an individual organism growing organically; a purely biological unfolding of events involved in an organism changing gradually from a simple to a more complex level
From this reading THE DECK OF THE SEA GULL The dawn broke gray and desolate, the vista of restless waters growing gradually wider, as the light spread out across the eastern sky.
GULLverbUS /ɡʌl/
make a fool or dupe of
From this reading THE DECK OF THE SEA GULL The dawn broke gray and desolate, the vista of restless waters growing gradually wider, as the light spread out across the eastern sky.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading I sat at the tiller, grasping one of her hands in mine, and staring anxiously about the broadening circle.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading The men were lying low, so completely hidden as to be invisible even to us, but the Lieutenant sat upright, with head above the mass of sail, and was scanning the sea with glasses.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading I sat at the tiller, grasping one of her hands in mine, and staring anxiously about the broadening circle.
not accessible to view
From this reading The men were lying low, so completely hidden as to be invisible even to us, but the Lieutenant sat upright, with head above the mass of sail, and was scanning the sea with glasses.
greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading The boat in which we rode, while buoyant enough, still bore the outward appearance of a wreck, the broken stump of a mast barely showing sufficiently high to support the flapping jib, and the wet canvas of the mainsail completely concealing everything forward.
inflected form of “hang” — be suspended or hanging
From this reading The clouds yet hung thick and low, yielding a ghastly aspect to the dawn, somberness to the picture of breaking waves tipped by flying vapors of mist.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I sat at the tiller, grasping one of her hands in mine, and staring anxiously about the broadening circle.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading I sat at the tiller, grasping one of her hands in mine, and staring anxiously about the broadening circle.
invisibleadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈvɪzəbəl/
impossible or nearly impossible to see; imperceptible by the eye
From this reading The men were lying low, so completely hidden as to be invisible even to us, but the Lieutenant sat upright, with head above the mass of sail, and was scanning the sea with glasses.
jibverbUS /dʒɪb/
refuse to comply
From this reading The boat in which we rode, while buoyant enough, still bore the outward appearance of a wreck, the broken stump of a mast barely showing sufficiently high to support the flapping jib, and the wet canvas of the mainsail completely concealing everything forward.
a commissioned military officer
From this reading The men were lying low, so completely hidden as to be invisible even to us, but the Lieutenant sat upright, with head above the mass of sail, and was scanning the sea with glasses.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading THE DECK OF THE SEA GULL The dawn broke gray and desolate, the vista of restless waters growing gradually wider, as the light spread out across the eastern sky.
less than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading The clouds yet hung thick and low, yielding a ghastly aspect to the dawn, somberness to the picture of breaking waves tipped by flying vapors of mist.
the deliberate act of deviating from the truth
From this reading The men were lying low, so completely hidden as to be invisible even to us, but the Lieutenant sat upright, with head above the mass of sail, and was scanning the sea with glasses.
mainsailnoun
the lowermost sail on the mainmast
From this reading The boat in which we rode, while buoyant enough, still bore the outward appearance of a wreck, the broken stump of a mast barely showing sufficiently high to support the flapping jib, and the wet canvas of the mainsail completely concealing everything forward.
the property of a body that causes it to have weight in a gravitational field
From this reading The men were lying low, so completely hidden as to be invisible even to us, but the Lieutenant sat upright, with head above the mass of sail, and was scanning the sea with glasses.
mastnounUS /mæst/
a vertical spar for supporting sails
From this reading The boat in which we rode, while buoyant enough, still bore the outward appearance of a wreck, the broken stump of a mast barely showing sufficiently high to support the flapping jib, and the wet canvas of the mainsail completely concealing everything forward.
the force of workers available
From this reading The men were lying low, so completely hidden as to be invisible even to us, but the Lieutenant sat upright, with head above the mass of sail, and was scanning the sea with glasses.
the one or ones belonging to the person speaking
From this reading I sat at the tiller, grasping one of her hands in mine, and staring anxiously about the broadening circle.
become covered with mist
From this reading The clouds yet hung thick and low, yielding a ghastly aspect to the dawn, somberness to the picture of breaking waves tipped by flying vapors of mist.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE DECK OF THE SEA GULL The dawn broke gray and desolate, the vista of restless waters growing gradually wider, as the light spread out across the eastern sky.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading I sat at the tiller, grasping one of her hands in mine, and staring anxiously about the broadening circle.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading THE DECK OF THE SEA GULL The dawn broke gray and desolate, the vista of restless waters growing gradually wider, as the light spread out across the eastern sky.
outwardadjectiveUS /ˈaʊtwərd/
relating to physical reality rather than with thoughts or the mind
From this reading The boat in which we rode, while buoyant enough, still bore the outward appearance of a wreck, the broken stump of a mast barely showing sufficiently high to support the flapping jib, and the wet canvas of the mainsail completely concealing everything forward.
a visual representation (of an object or scene or person or abstraction) produced on a surface
From this reading The clouds yet hung thick and low, yielding a ghastly aspect to the dawn, somberness to the picture of breaking waves tipped by flying vapors of mist.
worried and uneasy
From this reading THE DECK OF THE SEA GULL The dawn broke gray and desolate, the vista of restless waters growing gradually wider, as the light spread out across the eastern sky.
inflected form of “ride” — sit and travel on the back of animal, usually while controlling its motions
From this reading The boat in which we rode, while buoyant enough, still bore the outward appearance of a wreck, the broken stump of a mast barely showing sufficiently high to support the flapping jib, and the wet canvas of the mainsail completely concealing everything forward.
traverse or travel on (a body of water)
From this reading The men were lying low, so completely hidden as to be invisible even to us, but the Lieutenant sat upright, with head above the mass of sail, and was scanning the sea with glasses.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading I sat at the tiller, grasping one of her hands in mine, and staring anxiously about the broadening circle.
scanningnounUS /ˈskænɪŋ/
the process of translating photographs into a digital form that can be recognized by a computer
From this reading The men were lying low, so completely hidden as to be invisible even to us, but the Lieutenant sat upright, with head above the mass of sail, and was scanning the sea with glasses.
a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
From this reading THE DECK OF THE SEA GULL The dawn broke gray and desolate, the vista of restless waters growing gradually wider, as the light spread out across the eastern sky.
the display of a motion picture
From this reading The boat in which we rode, while buoyant enough, still bore the outward appearance of a wreck, the broken stump of a mast barely showing sufficiently high to support the flapping jib, and the wet canvas of the mainsail completely concealing everything forward.
the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading THE DECK OF THE SEA GULL The dawn broke gray and desolate, the vista of restless waters growing gradually wider, as the light spread out across the eastern sky.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The men were lying low, so completely hidden as to be invisible even to us, but the Lieutenant sat upright, with head above the mass of sail, and was scanning the sea with glasses.
sombernessnoun
a state of partial or total darkness
From this reading The clouds yet hung thick and low, yielding a ghastly aspect to the dawn, somberness to the picture of breaking waves tipped by flying vapors of mist.
distribute or disperse widely
From this reading THE DECK OF THE SEA GULL The dawn broke gray and desolate, the vista of restless waters growing gradually wider, as the light spread out across the eastern sky.
(used of eyes) open and fixed as if in fear or wonder
From this reading I sat at the tiller, grasping one of her hands in mine, and staring anxiously about the broadening circle.
not in physical motion
From this reading The boat in which we rode, while buoyant enough, still bore the outward appearance of a wreck, the broken stump of a mast barely showing sufficiently high to support the flapping jib, and the wet canvas of the mainsail completely concealing everything forward.
stumpnounUS /stʌmp/
the base part of a tree that remains standing after the tree has been felled
From this reading The boat in which we rode, while buoyant enough, still bore the outward appearance of a wreck, the broken stump of a mast barely showing sufficiently high to support the flapping jib, and the wet canvas of the mainsail completely concealing everything forward.
to a sufficient degree
From this reading The boat in which we rode, while buoyant enough, still bore the outward appearance of a wreck, the broken stump of a mast barely showing sufficiently high to support the flapping jib, and the wet canvas of the mainsail completely concealing everything forward.
the activity of providing for or maintaining by supplying with money or necessities
From this reading The boat in which we rode, while buoyant enough, still bore the outward appearance of a wreck, the broken stump of a mast barely showing sufficiently high to support the flapping jib, and the wet canvas of the mainsail completely concealing everything forward.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE DECK OF THE SEA GULL The dawn broke gray and desolate, the vista of restless waters growing gradually wider, as the light spread out across the eastern sky.
not thin; of a specific thickness or of relatively great extent from one surface to the opposite usually in the smallest of the three solid dimensions
From this reading The clouds yet hung thick and low, yielding a ghastly aspect to the dawn, somberness to the picture of breaking waves tipped by flying vapors of mist.
tillernounUS /ˈtɪlər/
a shoot that sprouts from the base of a grass
From this reading I sat at the tiller, grasping one of her hands in mine, and staring anxiously about the broadening circle.
tippedadjectiveUS /tɪpt/
having a tip; or having a tip as specified (used in combination)
From this reading The clouds yet hung thick and low, yielding a ghastly aspect to the dawn, somberness to the picture of breaking waves tipped by flying vapors of mist.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The clouds yet hung thick and low, yielding a ghastly aspect to the dawn, somberness to the picture of breaking waves tipped by flying vapors of mist.
uprightadjectiveUS /əˈpraɪt/
in a vertical position; not sloping
From this reading The men were lying low, so completely hidden as to be invisible even to us, but the Lieutenant sat upright, with head above the mass of sail, and was scanning the sea with glasses.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The men were lying low, so completely hidden as to be invisible even to us, but the Lieutenant sat upright, with head above the mass of sail, and was scanning the sea with glasses.
vaporsnounUS /ˈveɪpərz/
a state of depression
From this reading The clouds yet hung thick and low, yielding a ghastly aspect to the dawn, somberness to the picture of breaking waves tipped by flying vapors of mist.
vistanounUS /ˈvɪstə/
the visual percept of a region
From this reading THE DECK OF THE SEA GULL The dawn broke gray and desolate, the vista of restless waters growing gradually wider, as the light spread out across the eastern sky.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The men were lying low, so completely hidden as to be invisible even to us, but the Lieutenant sat upright, with head above the mass of sail, and was scanning the sea with glasses.
United States actress and singer (1896-1977)
From this reading THE DECK OF THE SEA GULL The dawn broke gray and desolate, the vista of restless waters growing gradually wider, as the light spread out across the eastern sky.
plural of “wave” — one of a series of ridges that moves across the surface of a liquid (especially across a large body of water)
From this reading The clouds yet hung thick and low, yielding a ghastly aspect to the dawn, somberness to the picture of breaking waves tipped by flying vapors of mist.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading The boat in which we rode, while buoyant enough, still bore the outward appearance of a wreck, the broken stump of a mast barely showing sufficiently high to support the flapping jib, and the wet canvas of the mainsail completely concealing everything forward.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The men were lying low, so completely hidden as to be invisible even to us, but the Lieutenant sat upright, with head above the mass of sail, and was scanning the sea with glasses.
covered or soaked with a liquid such as water
From this reading The boat in which we rode, while buoyant enough, still bore the outward appearance of a wreck, the broken stump of a mast barely showing sufficiently high to support the flapping jib, and the wet canvas of the mainsail completely concealing everything forward.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The boat in which we rode, while buoyant enough, still bore the outward appearance of a wreck, the broken stump of a mast barely showing sufficiently high to support the flapping jib, and the wet canvas of the mainsail completely concealing everything forward.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading The boat in which we rode, while buoyant enough, still bore the outward appearance of a wreck, the broken stump of a mast barely showing sufficiently high to support the flapping jib, and the wet canvas of the mainsail completely concealing everything forward.
wideradjectiveUS /ˈwaɪdər/
comparative of “wide” — having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading THE DECK OF THE SEA GULL The dawn broke gray and desolate, the vista of restless waters growing gradually wider, as the light spread out across the eastern sky.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The men were lying low, so completely hidden as to be invisible even to us, but the Lieutenant sat upright, with head above the mass of sail, and was scanning the sea with glasses.
wrecknounUS /rek/
something or someone that has suffered ruin or dilapidation
From this reading The boat in which we rode, while buoyant enough, still bore the outward appearance of a wreck, the broken stump of a mast barely showing sufficiently high to support the flapping jib, and the wet canvas of the mainsail completely concealing everything forward.
but in spite of that
From this reading The clouds yet hung thick and low, yielding a ghastly aspect to the dawn, somberness to the picture of breaking waves tipped by flying vapors of mist.
yieldingadjectiveUS /ˈjiːldɪŋ/
inclined to yield to argument or influence or control
From this reading The clouds yet hung thick and low, yielding a ghastly aspect to the dawn, somberness to the picture of breaking waves tipped by flying vapors of mist.
