used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading About a century ago, pirates on the northern coast of Africa were causing a great deal of trouble.
AboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading About a century ago, pirates on the northern coast of Africa were causing a great deal of trouble.
AfricanounUS /ˈæfrəkɑː/
the second largest continent; located to the south of Europe and bordered to the west by the South Atlantic and to the east by the Indian Ocean
From this reading About a century ago, pirates on the northern coast of Africa were causing a great deal of trouble.
in the past
From this reading About a century ago, pirates on the northern coast of Africa were causing a great deal of trouble.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading They used to dash out in their vessels, and capture and plunder the merchant ships of all nations.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading They used to dash out in their vessels, and capture and plunder the merchant ships of all nations.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The poor sailors were sold as slaves, and then kicked and cuffed about by cruel masters.
BarbarynounUS /ˈbɑːrbəri/
a region of northern Africa on the Mediterranean coast between Egypt and Gibraltar; was used as a base for pirates from the 16th to 19th centuries
From this reading We used to buy the good will of these Barbary pirates, by giving them, every year, cannon, powder, and great sums of money.
accept as true; take to be true
From this reading You will hardly believe it, but our country used to do exactly what other nations did.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading You will hardly believe it, but our country used to do exactly what other nations did.
obtain by purchase; acquire by means of a financial transaction
From this reading We used to buy the good will of these Barbary pirates, by giving them, every year, cannon, powder, and great sums of money.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The poor sailors were sold as slaves, and then kicked and cuffed about by cruel masters.
cannonnounUS /ˈkænən/
a large artillery gun that is usually on wheels
From this reading We used to buy the good will of these Barbary pirates, by giving them, every year, cannon, powder, and great sums of money.
captureverbUS /ˈkæptʃər/
succeed in representing or expressing something intangible
From this reading They used to dash out in their vessels, and capture and plunder the merchant ships of all nations.
causingnounUS /ˈkɑːzɪŋ/
the act of causing something to happen
From this reading About a century ago, pirates on the northern coast of Africa were causing a great deal of trouble.
a period of 100 years
From this reading About a century ago, pirates on the northern coast of Africa were causing a great deal of trouble.
the shore of a sea or ocean
From this reading About a century ago, pirates on the northern coast of Africa were causing a great deal of trouble.
a politically organized body of people under a single government
From this reading You will hardly believe it, but our country used to do exactly what other nations did.
crueladjectiveUS /ˈkruːəl/
(of persons or their actions) able or disposed to inflict pain or suffering
From this reading The poor sailors were sold as slaves, and then kicked and cuffed about by cruel masters.
cuffedverbUS /kʌft/
past form of “cuff” — hit with the hand
From this reading The poor sailors were sold as slaves, and then kicked and cuffed about by cruel masters.
dashverbUS /dæʃ/
run or move very quickly or hastily
From this reading They used to dash out in their vessels, and capture and plunder the merchant ships of all nations.
act on verbally or in some form of artistic expression
From this reading About a century ago, pirates on the northern coast of Africa were causing a great deal of trouble.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading You will hardly believe it, but our country used to do exactly what other nations did.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading You will hardly believe it, but our country used to do exactly what other nations did.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading We used to buy the good will of these Barbary pirates, by giving them, every year, cannon, powder, and great sums of money.
indicating exactness or preciseness
From this reading You will hardly believe it, but our country used to do exactly what other nations did.
the act of giving
From this reading We used to buy the good will of these Barbary pirates, by giving them, every year, cannon, powder, and great sums of money.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading We used to buy the good will of these Barbary pirates, by giving them, every year, cannon, powder, and great sums of money.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading About a century ago, pirates on the northern coast of Africa were causing a great deal of trouble.
only a very short time before
From this reading You will hardly believe it, but our country used to do exactly what other nations did.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading They used to dash out in their vessels, and capture and plunder the merchant ships of all nations.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading You will hardly believe it, but our country used to do exactly what other nations did.
kickedverbUS /kɪkt/
past form of “kick” — drive or propel with the foot
From this reading The poor sailors were sold as slaves, and then kicked and cuffed about by cruel masters.
mastersnounUS /ˈmæstərz/
United States poet (1869-1950)
From this reading The poor sailors were sold as slaves, and then kicked and cuffed about by cruel masters.
merchantnounUS /ˈmɜːr.tʃənt/
A person or company involved in wholesale trade, especially with foreign countries.
From this reading They used to dash out in their vessels, and capture and plunder the merchant ships of all nations.
the most common medium of exchange; functions as legal tender
From this reading We used to buy the good will of these Barbary pirates, by giving them, every year, cannon, powder, and great sums of money.
nationsnounUS /ˈneɪʃənz/
plural of “nation” — a politically organized body of people under a single government
From this reading They used to dash out in their vessels, and capture and plunder the merchant ships of all nations.
in or characteristic of a region of the United States north of (approximately) the Mason-Dixon line
From this reading About a century ago, pirates on the northern coast of Africa were causing a great deal of trouble.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading About a century ago, pirates on the northern coast of Africa were causing a great deal of trouble.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading About a century ago, pirates on the northern coast of Africa were causing a great deal of trouble.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading You will hardly believe it, but our country used to do exactly what other nations did.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading You will hardly believe it, but our country used to do exactly what other nations did.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading They used to dash out in their vessels, and capture and plunder the merchant ships of all nations.
piratesnounUS /ˈpaɪrəts/
plural of “pirate” — someone who uses another person's words or ideas as if they were his own
From this reading About a century ago, pirates on the northern coast of Africa were causing a great deal of trouble.
plundernounUS /ˈplʌn.dər/
Goods or treasure taken by force or theft, especially in war or banditry.
From this reading They used to dash out in their vessels, and capture and plunder the merchant ships of all nations.
deserving or inciting pity
From this reading The poor sailors were sold as slaves, and then kicked and cuffed about by cruel masters.
powdernounUS /ˈpaʊdər/
a solid substance in the form of tiny loose particles; a solid that has been pulverized
From this reading We used to buy the good will of these Barbary pirates, by giving them, every year, cannon, powder, and great sums of money.
plural of “sailor” — any member of a ship's crew
From this reading The poor sailors were sold as slaves, and then kicked and cuffed about by cruel masters.
plural of “ship” — a vessel that carries passengers or freight
From this reading They used to dash out in their vessels, and capture and plunder the merchant ships of all nations.
plural of “slave” — a person who is owned by someone
From this reading The poor sailors were sold as slaves, and then kicked and cuffed about by cruel masters.
disposed of to a purchaser
From this reading The poor sailors were sold as slaves, and then kicked and cuffed about by cruel masters.
sumsnounUS /sʌmz/
plural of “sum” — a quantity of money
From this reading We used to buy the good will of these Barbary pirates, by giving them, every year, cannon, powder, and great sums of money.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading About a century ago, pirates on the northern coast of Africa were causing a great deal of trouble.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading They used to dash out in their vessels, and capture and plunder the merchant ships of all nations.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading We used to buy the good will of these Barbary pirates, by giving them, every year, cannon, powder, and great sums of money.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading The poor sailors were sold as slaves, and then kicked and cuffed about by cruel masters.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading We used to buy the good will of these Barbary pirates, by giving them, every year, cannon, powder, and great sums of money.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They used to dash out in their vessels, and capture and plunder the merchant ships of all nations.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading They used to dash out in their vessels, and capture and plunder the merchant ships of all nations.
a source of difficulty
From this reading About a century ago, pirates on the northern coast of Africa were causing a great deal of trouble.
employed in accomplishing something
From this reading They used to dash out in their vessels, and capture and plunder the merchant ships of all nations.
vesselsnounUS /ˈvesəlz/
plural of “vessel” — a tube in which a body fluid circulates
From this reading They used to dash out in their vessels, and capture and plunder the merchant ships of all nations.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading We used to buy the good will of these Barbary pirates, by giving them, every year, cannon, powder, and great sums of money.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading About a century ago, pirates on the northern coast of Africa were causing a great deal of trouble.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading You will hardly believe it, but our country used to do exactly what other nations did.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading You will hardly believe it, but our country used to do exactly what other nations did.
a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days
From this reading We used to buy the good will of these Barbary pirates, by giving them, every year, cannon, powder, and great sums of money.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading You will hardly believe it, but our country used to do exactly what other nations did.
