used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A CRUISE ON MY OWN ACCOUNT.
a record or narrative description of past events
From this reading A CRUISE ON MY OWN ACCOUNT.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading As I stood there, not knowing what to do, I saw the fingers of a man come over the edge of the cabin window; then a face appeared, and, seeing who it was, I leaned forward and laid hold of the carpenter by the back of his shirt to help him.
past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading As I stood there, not knowing what to do, I saw the fingers of a man come over the edge of the cabin window; then a face appeared, and, seeing who it was, I leaned forward and laid hold of the carpenter by the back of his shirt to help him.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As I stood there, not knowing what to do, I saw the fingers of a man come over the edge of the cabin window; then a face appeared, and, seeing who it was, I leaned forward and laid hold of the carpenter by the back of his shirt to help him.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading As I stood there, not knowing what to do, I saw the fingers of a man come over the edge of the cabin window; then a face appeared, and, seeing who it was, I leaned forward and laid hold of the carpenter by the back of his shirt to help him.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading He had his cutlass in his teeth, and I had to relieve him of it and do some powerful hauling before I had him inside lying on his back on the cabin deck.
bendingnounUS /ˈbendɪŋ/
movement that causes the formation of a curve
From this reading I closed my hand over his mouth, and bending my head close to his, whispered: "Hush for your life!
showing who or what does the action
From this reading As I stood there, not knowing what to do, I saw the fingers of a man come over the edge of the cabin window; then a face appeared, and, seeing who it was, I leaned forward and laid hold of the carpenter by the back of his shirt to help him.
small room on a ship or boat where people sleep
From this reading As I stood there, not knowing what to do, I saw the fingers of a man come over the edge of the cabin window; then a face appeared, and, seeing who it was, I leaned forward and laid hold of the carpenter by the back of his shirt to help him.
carpenternounUS /ˈkɑːrpəntər/
a woodworker who makes or repairs wooden objects
From this reading As I stood there, not knowing what to do, I saw the fingers of a man come over the edge of the cabin window; then a face appeared, and, seeing who it was, I leaned forward and laid hold of the carpenter by the back of his shirt to help him.
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading I closed my hand over his mouth, and bending my head close to his, whispered: "Hush for your life!
not open or affording passage or access
From this reading I closed my hand over his mouth, and bending my head close to his, whispered: "Hush for your life!
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading As I stood there, not knowing what to do, I saw the fingers of a man come over the edge of the cabin window; then a face appeared, and, seeing who it was, I leaned forward and laid hold of the carpenter by the back of his shirt to help him.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading He murmured something inarticulate, and I saw the reason why he could not get in through the window.
CRUISEverbUS /kruːz/
drive around aimlessly but ostentatiously and at leisure
From this reading A CRUISE ON MY OWN ACCOUNT.
cutlassnounUS /ˈkʌtləs/
a short heavy curved sword with one edge; formerly used by sailors
From this reading He had his cutlass in his teeth, and I had to relieve him of it and do some powerful hauling before I had him inside lying on his back on the cabin deck.
any of various platforms built into a vessel
From this reading He had his cutlass in his teeth, and I had to relieve him of it and do some powerful hauling before I had him inside lying on his back on the cabin deck.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading As I stood there, not knowing what to do, I saw the fingers of a man come over the edge of the cabin window; then a face appeared, and, seeing who it was, I leaned forward and laid hold of the carpenter by the back of his shirt to help him.
the boundary of a surface
From this reading As I stood there, not knowing what to do, I saw the fingers of a man come over the edge of the cabin window; then a face appeared, and, seeing who it was, I leaned forward and laid hold of the carpenter by the back of his shirt to help him.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading As I stood there, not knowing what to do, I saw the fingers of a man come over the edge of the cabin window; then a face appeared, and, seeing who it was, I leaned forward and laid hold of the carpenter by the back of his shirt to help him.
plural of “finger” — any of the terminal members of the hand (sometimes excepting the thumb)
From this reading As I stood there, not knowing what to do, I saw the fingers of a man come over the edge of the cabin window; then a face appeared, and, seeing who it was, I leaned forward and laid hold of the carpenter by the back of his shirt to help him.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading I closed my hand over his mouth, and bending my head close to his, whispered: "Hush for your life!
at or to or toward the front
From this reading As I stood there, not knowing what to do, I saw the fingers of a man come over the edge of the cabin window; then a face appeared, and, seeing who it was, I leaned forward and laid hold of the carpenter by the back of his shirt to help him.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading He murmured something inarticulate, and I saw the reason why he could not get in through the window.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He had his cutlass in his teeth, and I had to relieve him of it and do some powerful hauling before I had him inside lying on his back on the cabin deck.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading I closed my hand over his mouth, and bending my head close to his, whispered: "Hush for your life!
haulingnounUS /ˈhɔːlɪŋ/
the activity of transporting goods by truck
From this reading He had his cutlass in his teeth, and I had to relieve him of it and do some powerful hauling before I had him inside lying on his back on the cabin deck.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He murmured something inarticulate, and I saw the reason why he could not get in through the window.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading I closed my hand over his mouth, and bending my head close to his, whispered: "Hush for your life!
give help or assistance; be of service
From this reading As I stood there, not knowing what to do, I saw the fingers of a man come over the edge of the cabin window; then a face appeared, and, seeing who it was, I leaned forward and laid hold of the carpenter by the back of his shirt to help him.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading As I stood there, not knowing what to do, I saw the fingers of a man come over the edge of the cabin window; then a face appeared, and, seeing who it was, I leaned forward and laid hold of the carpenter by the back of his shirt to help him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading As I stood there, not knowing what to do, I saw the fingers of a man come over the edge of the cabin window; then a face appeared, and, seeing who it was, I leaned forward and laid hold of the carpenter by the back of his shirt to help him.
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading As I stood there, not knowing what to do, I saw the fingers of a man come over the edge of the cabin window; then a face appeared, and, seeing who it was, I leaned forward and laid hold of the carpenter by the back of his shirt to help him.
become quiet or still; fall silent
From this reading I closed my hand over his mouth, and bending my head close to his, whispered: "Hush for your life!
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading As I stood there, not knowing what to do, I saw the fingers of a man come over the edge of the cabin window; then a face appeared, and, seeing who it was, I leaned forward and laid hold of the carpenter by the back of his shirt to help him.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He murmured something inarticulate, and I saw the reason why he could not get in through the window.
inarticulateadjectiveUS /ˌɪnɑːrˈtɪkjələt/
without or deprived of the use of speech or words
From this reading He murmured something inarticulate, and I saw the reason why he could not get in through the window.
relating to or being on the side closer to the center or within a defined space
From this reading He had his cutlass in his teeth, and I had to relieve him of it and do some powerful hauling before I had him inside lying on his back on the cabin deck.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading As I stood there, not knowing what to do, I saw the fingers of a man come over the edge of the cabin window; then a face appeared, and, seeing who it was, I leaned forward and laid hold of the carpenter by the back of his shirt to help him.
evidencing the possession of inside information
From this reading As I stood there, not knowing what to do, I saw the fingers of a man come over the edge of the cabin window; then a face appeared, and, seeing who it was, I leaned forward and laid hold of the carpenter by the back of his shirt to help him.
set down according to a plan
From this reading As I stood there, not knowing what to do, I saw the fingers of a man come over the edge of the cabin window; then a face appeared, and, seeing who it was, I leaned forward and laid hold of the carpenter by the back of his shirt to help him.
past form of “lean” — to incline or bend from a vertical position
From this reading As I stood there, not knowing what to do, I saw the fingers of a man come over the edge of the cabin window; then a face appeared, and, seeing who it was, I leaned forward and laid hold of the carpenter by the back of his shirt to help him.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading I closed my hand over his mouth, and bending my head close to his, whispered: "Hush for your life!
the deliberate act of deviating from the truth
From this reading He had his cutlass in his teeth, and I had to relieve him of it and do some powerful hauling before I had him inside lying on his back on the cabin deck.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading As I stood there, not knowing what to do, I saw the fingers of a man come over the edge of the cabin window; then a face appeared, and, seeing who it was, I leaned forward and laid hold of the carpenter by the back of his shirt to help him.
the opening through which food is taken in and vocalizations emerge
From this reading I closed my hand over his mouth, and bending my head close to his, whispered: "Hush for your life!
past form of “murmur” — speak softly or indistinctly
From this reading He murmured something inarticulate, and I saw the reason why he could not get in through the window.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading A CRUISE ON MY OWN ACCOUNT.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading As I stood there, not knowing what to do, I saw the fingers of a man come over the edge of the cabin window; then a face appeared, and, seeing who it was, I leaned forward and laid hold of the carpenter by the back of his shirt to help him.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading As I stood there, not knowing what to do, I saw the fingers of a man come over the edge of the cabin window; then a face appeared, and, seeing who it was, I leaned forward and laid hold of the carpenter by the back of his shirt to help him.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading A CRUISE ON MY OWN ACCOUNT.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading As I stood there, not knowing what to do, I saw the fingers of a man come over the edge of the cabin window; then a face appeared, and, seeing who it was, I leaned forward and laid hold of the carpenter by the back of his shirt to help him.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading A CRUISE ON MY OWN ACCOUNT.
having great power or force or potency or effect
From this reading He had his cutlass in his teeth, and I had to relieve him of it and do some powerful hauling before I had him inside lying on his back on the cabin deck.
a rational motive for a belief or action
From this reading He murmured something inarticulate, and I saw the reason why he could not get in through the window.
relieveverbUS /rɪˈliːv/
provide physical relief, as from pain
From this reading He had his cutlass in his teeth, and I had to relieve him of it and do some powerful hauling before I had him inside lying on his back on the cabin deck.
cut with a saw
From this reading As I stood there, not knowing what to do, I saw the fingers of a man come over the edge of the cabin window; then a face appeared, and, seeing who it was, I leaned forward and laid hold of the carpenter by the back of his shirt to help him.
perception by means of the eyes
From this reading As I stood there, not knowing what to do, I saw the fingers of a man come over the edge of the cabin window; then a face appeared, and, seeing who it was, I leaned forward and laid hold of the carpenter by the back of his shirt to help him.
shirtnounUS /ʃɜːrt/
a garment worn on the upper half of the body
From this reading As I stood there, not knowing what to do, I saw the fingers of a man come over the edge of the cabin window; then a face appeared, and, seeing who it was, I leaned forward and laid hold of the carpenter by the back of his shirt to help him.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading He had his cutlass in his teeth, and I had to relieve him of it and do some powerful hauling before I had him inside lying on his back on the cabin deck.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading He murmured something inarticulate, and I saw the reason why he could not get in through the window.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading As I stood there, not knowing what to do, I saw the fingers of a man come over the edge of the cabin window; then a face appeared, and, seeing who it was, I leaned forward and laid hold of the carpenter by the back of his shirt to help him.
the kind and number and arrangement of teeth (collectively) in a person or animal
From this reading He had his cutlass in his teeth, and I had to relieve him of it and do some powerful hauling before I had him inside lying on his back on the cabin deck.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading As I stood there, not knowing what to do, I saw the fingers of a man come over the edge of the cabin window; then a face appeared, and, seeing who it was, I leaned forward and laid hold of the carpenter by the back of his shirt to help him.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading As I stood there, not knowing what to do, I saw the fingers of a man come over the edge of the cabin window; then a face appeared, and, seeing who it was, I leaned forward and laid hold of the carpenter by the back of his shirt to help him.
in or at that place or location
From this reading As I stood there, not knowing what to do, I saw the fingers of a man come over the edge of the cabin window; then a face appeared, and, seeing who it was, I leaned forward and laid hold of the carpenter by the back of his shirt to help him.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading He murmured something inarticulate, and I saw the reason why he could not get in through the window.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading As I stood there, not knowing what to do, I saw the fingers of a man come over the edge of the cabin window; then a face appeared, and, seeing who it was, I leaned forward and laid hold of the carpenter by the back of his shirt to help him.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading As I stood there, not knowing what to do, I saw the fingers of a man come over the edge of the cabin window; then a face appeared, and, seeing who it was, I leaned forward and laid hold of the carpenter by the back of his shirt to help him.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading As I stood there, not knowing what to do, I saw the fingers of a man come over the edge of the cabin window; then a face appeared, and, seeing who it was, I leaned forward and laid hold of the carpenter by the back of his shirt to help him.
spoken in soft hushed tones without vibrations of the vocal cords
From this reading I closed my hand over his mouth, and bending my head close to his, whispered: "Hush for your life!
which person or people
From this reading As I stood there, not knowing what to do, I saw the fingers of a man come over the edge of the cabin window; then a face appeared, and, seeing who it was, I leaned forward and laid hold of the carpenter by the back of his shirt to help him.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading He murmured something inarticulate, and I saw the reason why he could not get in through the window.
a framework of wood or metal that contains a glass windowpane and is built into a wall or roof to admit light or air
From this reading As I stood there, not knowing what to do, I saw the fingers of a man come over the edge of the cabin window; then a face appeared, and, seeing who it was, I leaned forward and laid hold of the carpenter by the back of his shirt to help him.
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading I closed my hand over his mouth, and bending my head close to his, whispered: "Hush for your life!
