used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A PIRATES’ HARBOR.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading Ahead, broken palings of mop-headed tree-trunks growing straight across the sea; on one beam, scattered patches of white, where the surf crumbled over hidden coral reef; on the other, the bright blue water of the Mexican Gulf, with its yellow floating tangles of weed.
at or in the front
From this reading Ahead, broken palings of mop-headed tree-trunks growing straight across the sea; on one beam, scattered patches of white, where the surf crumbled over hidden coral reef; on the other, the bright blue water of the Mexican Gulf, with its yellow floating tangles of weed.
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/
Having no one else present.
From this reading On her decks was visible one man, and one alone, and he was on the upper bridge, with his fists on the spokes of the steam steering-wheel.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Windless swell and a burning sky.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading A steamer lunging through the rollers at a small six knots.
beamnounUS /biːm/
a signal transmitted along a narrow path; guides airplane pilots in darkness or bad weather
From this reading Ahead, broken palings of mop-headed tree-trunks growing straight across the sea; on one beam, scattered patches of white, where the surf crumbled over hidden coral reef; on the other, the bright blue water of the Mexican Gulf, with its yellow floating tangles of weed.
of the color intermediate between green and violet; having a color similar to that of a clear unclouded sky
From this reading Ahead, broken palings of mop-headed tree-trunks growing straight across the sea; on one beam, scattered patches of white, where the surf crumbled over hidden coral reef; on the other, the bright blue water of the Mexican Gulf, with its yellow floating tangles of weed.
a structure that allows people or vehicles to cross an obstacle such as a river or canal or railway etc.
From this reading On her decks was visible one man, and one alone, and he was on the upper bridge, with his fists on the spokes of the steam steering-wheel.
emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts
From this reading Ahead, broken palings of mop-headed tree-trunks growing straight across the sea; on one beam, scattered patches of white, where the surf crumbled over hidden coral reef; on the other, the bright blue water of the Mexican Gulf, with its yellow floating tangles of weed.
physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split
From this reading Ahead, broken palings of mop-headed tree-trunks growing straight across the sea; on one beam, scattered patches of white, where the surf crumbled over hidden coral reef; on the other, the bright blue water of the Mexican Gulf, with its yellow floating tangles of weed.
the act of burning something
From this reading Windless swell and a burning sky.
coralnounUS /ˈkɔːrəl/
a variable color averaging a deep pink
From this reading Ahead, broken palings of mop-headed tree-trunks growing straight across the sea; on one beam, scattered patches of white, where the surf crumbled over hidden coral reef; on the other, the bright blue water of the Mexican Gulf, with its yellow floating tangles of weed.
crumbledverbUS /ˈkrʌmbəld/
past form of “crumble” — fall apart
From this reading Ahead, broken palings of mop-headed tree-trunks growing straight across the sea; on one beam, scattered patches of white, where the surf crumbled over hidden coral reef; on the other, the bright blue water of the Mexican Gulf, with its yellow floating tangles of weed.
decksnounUS /deks/
plural of “deck” — any of various platforms built into a vessel
From this reading On her decks was visible one man, and one alone, and he was on the upper bridge, with his fists on the spokes of the steam steering-wheel.
fistsnounUS /fɪsts/
plural of “fist” — a hand with the fingers clenched in the palm (as for hitting)
From this reading On her decks was visible one man, and one alone, and he was on the upper bridge, with his fists on the spokes of the steam steering-wheel.
floatingadjectiveUS /ˈfloʊtɪŋ/
borne up by or suspended in a liquid
From this reading Ahead, broken palings of mop-headed tree-trunks growing straight across the sea; on one beam, scattered patches of white, where the surf crumbled over hidden coral reef; on the other, the bright blue water of the Mexican Gulf, with its yellow floating tangles of weed.
(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 Ahead, broken palings of mop-headed tree-trunks growing straight across the sea; on one beam, scattered patches of white, where the surf crumbled over hidden coral reef; on the other, the bright blue water of the Mexican Gulf, with its yellow floating tangles of weed.
GulfnounUS /ɡʌlf/
an arm of a sea or ocean partly enclosed by land; larger than a bay
From this reading Ahead, broken palings of mop-headed tree-trunks growing straight across the sea; on one beam, scattered patches of white, where the surf crumbled over hidden coral reef; on the other, the bright blue water of the Mexican Gulf, with its yellow floating tangles of weed.
HARBORverbUS /ˈhɑːrbər/
maintain (a theory, thoughts, or feelings)
From this reading A PIRATES’ HARBOR.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading On her decks was visible one man, and one alone, and he was on the upper bridge, with his fists on the spokes of the steam steering-wheel.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading On her decks was visible one man, and one alone, and he was on the upper bridge, with his fists on the spokes of the steam steering-wheel.
not accessible to view
From this reading Ahead, broken palings of mop-headed tree-trunks growing straight across the sea; on one beam, scattered patches of white, where the surf crumbled over hidden coral reef; on the other, the bright blue water of the Mexican Gulf, with its yellow floating tangles of weed.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading On her decks was visible one man, and one alone, and he was on the upper bridge, with his fists on the spokes of the steam steering-wheel.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading Ahead, broken palings of mop-headed tree-trunks growing straight across the sea; on one beam, scattered patches of white, where the surf crumbled over hidden coral reef; on the other, the bright blue water of the Mexican Gulf, with its yellow floating tangles of weed.
knotsnounUS /nɑːts/
plural of “knot” — a tight cluster of people or things
From this reading A steamer lunging through the rollers at a small six knots.
lungingverbUS /ˈlʌndʒɪŋ/
-ing form of “lunge” — make a thrusting forward movement
From this reading A steamer lunging through the rollers at a small six knots.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading On her decks was visible one man, and one alone, and he was on the upper bridge, with his fists on the spokes of the steam steering-wheel.
MexicannounUS /ˈmeksəkən/
a native or inhabitant of Mexico
From this reading Ahead, broken palings of mop-headed tree-trunks growing straight across the sea; on one beam, scattered patches of white, where the surf crumbled over hidden coral reef; on the other, the bright blue water of the Mexican Gulf, with its yellow floating tangles of weed.
mop-headedadjective
(of trees) having a bushy top without a leader
From this reading Ahead, broken palings of mop-headed tree-trunks growing straight across the sea; on one beam, scattered patches of white, where the surf crumbled over hidden coral reef; on the other, the bright blue water of the Mexican Gulf, with its yellow floating tangles of weed.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Ahead, broken palings of mop-headed tree-trunks growing straight across the sea; on one beam, scattered patches of white, where the surf crumbled over hidden coral reef; on the other, the bright blue water of the Mexican Gulf, with its yellow floating tangles of weed.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Ahead, broken palings of mop-headed tree-trunks growing straight across the sea; on one beam, scattered patches of white, where the surf crumbled over hidden coral reef; on the other, the bright blue water of the Mexican Gulf, with its yellow floating tangles of weed.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Ahead, broken palings of mop-headed tree-trunks growing straight across the sea; on one beam, scattered patches of white, where the surf crumbled over hidden coral reef; on the other, the bright blue water of the Mexican Gulf, with its yellow floating tangles of weed.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading Ahead, broken palings of mop-headed tree-trunks growing straight across the sea; on one beam, scattered patches of white, where the surf crumbled over hidden coral reef; on the other, the bright blue water of the Mexican Gulf, with its yellow floating tangles of weed.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Ahead, broken palings of mop-headed tree-trunks growing straight across the sea; on one beam, scattered patches of white, where the surf crumbled over hidden coral reef; on the other, the bright blue water of the Mexican Gulf, with its yellow floating tangles of weed.
palings
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ahead, broken palings of mop-headed tree-trunks growing straight across the sea; on one beam, scattered patches of white, where the surf crumbled over hidden coral reef; on the other, the bright blue water of the Mexican Gulf, with its yellow floating tangles of weed.
patchesnounUS /ˈpætʃəz/
plural of “patch” — a small contrasting part of something
From this reading Ahead, broken palings of mop-headed tree-trunks growing straight across the sea; on one beam, scattered patches of white, where the surf crumbled over hidden coral reef; on the other, the bright blue water of the Mexican Gulf, with its yellow floating tangles of weed.
PIRATESnounUS /ˈpaɪrəts/
plural of “pirate” — someone who uses another person's words or ideas as if they were his own
From this reading A PIRATES’ HARBOR.
reefnounUS /riːf/
a submerged ridge of rock or coral near the surface of the water
From this reading Ahead, broken palings of mop-headed tree-trunks growing straight across the sea; on one beam, scattered patches of white, where the surf crumbled over hidden coral reef; on the other, the bright blue water of the Mexican Gulf, with its yellow floating tangles of weed.
rollersnounUS /ˈroʊlərz/
plural of “roller” — a grounder that rolls along the infield
From this reading A steamer lunging through the rollers at a small six knots.
occurring or distributed over widely spaced and irregular intervals in time or space
From this reading Ahead, broken palings of mop-headed tree-trunks growing straight across the sea; on one beam, scattered patches of white, where the surf crumbled over hidden coral reef; on the other, the bright blue water of the Mexican Gulf, with its yellow floating tangles of weed.
a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
From this reading Ahead, broken palings of mop-headed tree-trunks growing straight across the sea; on one beam, scattered patches of white, where the surf crumbled over hidden coral reef; on the other, the bright blue water of the Mexican Gulf, with its yellow floating tangles of weed.
the cardinal number that is the sum of five and one
From this reading A steamer lunging through the rollers at a small six knots.
the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading Windless swell and a burning sky.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading A steamer lunging through the rollers at a small six knots.
spokesnounUS /spoʊks/
plural of “spoke” — support consisting of a radial member of a wheel joining the hub to the rim
From this reading On her decks was visible one man, and one alone, and he was on the upper bridge, with his fists on the spokes of the steam steering-wheel.
steamverbUS /stiːm/
travel by means of steam power
From this reading On her decks was visible one man, and one alone, and he was on the upper bridge, with his fists on the spokes of the steam steering-wheel.
a clam that is usually steamed in the shell
From this reading A steamer lunging through the rollers at a small six knots.
steering-wheel
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On her decks was visible one man, and one alone, and he was on the upper bridge, with his fists on the spokes of the steam steering-wheel.
successive (without a break)
From this reading Ahead, broken palings of mop-headed tree-trunks growing straight across the sea; on one beam, scattered patches of white, where the surf crumbled over hidden coral reef; on the other, the bright blue water of the Mexican Gulf, with its yellow floating tangles of weed.
surfnounUS /sɜːrf/
waves breaking on the shore
From this reading Ahead, broken palings of mop-headed tree-trunks growing straight across the sea; on one beam, scattered patches of white, where the surf crumbled over hidden coral reef; on the other, the bright blue water of the Mexican Gulf, with its yellow floating tangles of weed.
swellverbUS /swel/
increase in size, magnitude, number, or intensity
From this reading Windless swell and a burning sky.
tanglesnounUS /ˈtæŋɡəlz/
plural of “tangle” — a twisted and tangled mass that is highly interwoven
From this reading Ahead, broken palings of mop-headed tree-trunks growing straight across the sea; on one beam, scattered patches of white, where the surf crumbled over hidden coral reef; on the other, the bright blue water of the Mexican Gulf, with its yellow floating tangles of weed.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Ahead, broken palings of mop-headed tree-trunks growing straight across the sea; on one beam, scattered patches of white, where the surf crumbled over hidden coral reef; on the other, the bright blue water of the Mexican Gulf, with its yellow floating tangles of weed.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading A steamer lunging through the rollers at a small six knots.
tree-trunks
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ahead, broken palings of mop-headed tree-trunks growing straight across the sea; on one beam, scattered patches of white, where the surf crumbled over hidden coral reef; on the other, the bright blue water of the Mexican Gulf, with its yellow floating tangles of weed.
the topmost one of two
From this reading On her decks was visible one man, and one alone, and he was on the upper bridge, with his fists on the spokes of the steam steering-wheel.
capable of being seen; or open to easy view
From this reading On her decks was visible one man, and one alone, and he was on the upper bridge, with his fists on the spokes of the steam steering-wheel.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading On her decks was visible one man, and one alone, and he was on the upper bridge, with his fists on the spokes of the steam steering-wheel.
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 Ahead, broken palings of mop-headed tree-trunks growing straight across the sea; on one beam, scattered patches of white, where the surf crumbled over hidden coral reef; on the other, the bright blue water of the Mexican Gulf, with its yellow floating tangles of weed.
weednounUS /wiːd/
any plant that crowds out cultivated plants
From this reading Ahead, broken palings of mop-headed tree-trunks growing straight across the sea; on one beam, scattered patches of white, where the surf crumbled over hidden coral reef; on the other, the bright blue water of the Mexican Gulf, with its yellow floating tangles of weed.
in or at the place that
From this reading Ahead, broken palings of mop-headed tree-trunks growing straight across the sea; on one beam, scattered patches of white, where the surf crumbled over hidden coral reef; on the other, the bright blue water of the Mexican Gulf, with its yellow floating tangles of weed.
a Caucasian
From this reading Ahead, broken palings of mop-headed tree-trunks growing straight across the sea; on one beam, scattered patches of white, where the surf crumbled over hidden coral reef; on the other, the bright blue water of the Mexican Gulf, with its yellow floating tangles of weed.
Windlessadjective
without or almost without wind
From this reading Windless swell and a burning sky.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Ahead, broken palings of mop-headed tree-trunks growing straight across the sea; on one beam, scattered patches of white, where the surf crumbled over hidden coral reef; on the other, the bright blue water of the Mexican Gulf, with its yellow floating tangles of weed.
of the color intermediate between green and orange in the color spectrum; of something resembling the color of an egg yolk
From this reading Ahead, broken palings of mop-headed tree-trunks growing straight across the sea; on one beam, scattered patches of white, where the surf crumbled over hidden coral reef; on the other, the bright blue water of the Mexican Gulf, with its yellow floating tangles of weed.
