used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The boat rolled over and over, constantly righting itself, and its occupants got more baths in a few minutes than they cared for.
(usually followed by “to”) having the necessary means or skill or know-how or authority to do something
From this reading The sudden shooting of the cataract, the wild plunge into the water beneath, had taken away their breath, and neither Max nor Ibrahim was able to speak.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The sudden shooting of the cataract, the wild plunge into the water beneath, had taken away their breath, and neither Max nor Ibrahim was able to speak.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading The sudden shooting of the cataract, the wild plunge into the water beneath, had taken away their breath, and neither Max nor Ibrahim was able to speak.
bathsnounUS /bæθs/
plural of “bath” — a vessel containing liquid in which something is immersed (as to process it or to maintain it at a constant temperature or to lubricate it)
From this reading The boat rolled over and over, constantly righting itself, and its occupants got more baths in a few minutes than they cared for.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading They found the water quite warm, which was some consolation, for had it been icy cold they would have been unable to retain their hold upon the boat.
Directly under; in or to a lower position than.
From this reading The sudden shooting of the cataract, the wild plunge into the water beneath, had taken away their breath, and neither Max nor Ibrahim was able to speak.
a small vessel for travel on water
From this reading The boat rolled over and over, constantly righting itself, and its occupants got more baths in a few minutes than they cared for.
the process of taking in and expelling air during breathing
From this reading The sudden shooting of the cataract, the wild plunge into the water beneath, had taken away their breath, and neither Max nor Ibrahim was able to speak.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading How the water came tumbling down!
past form of “care” — feel concern or interest
From this reading The boat rolled over and over, constantly righting itself, and its occupants got more baths in a few minutes than they cared for.
cataractnounUS /ˈkætərækt/
an eye disease that involves the clouding or opacification of the natural lens of the eye
From this reading The sudden shooting of the cataract, the wild plunge into the water beneath, had taken away their breath, and neither Max nor Ibrahim was able to speak.
inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading Instinctively, the three men caught hold tightly of the sides of the dugout, and it was well that they did so, and maintained their grip like grim death.
having a low or inadequate temperature or feeling a sensation of coldness or having been made cold by e.g. ice or refrigeration
From this reading They found the water quite warm, which was some consolation, for had it been icy cold they would have been unable to retain their hold upon the boat.
consolationnounUS /ˌkɑːnsəˈleɪʃən/
the comfort you feel when consoled in times of disappointment
From this reading They found the water quite warm, which was some consolation, for had it been icy cold they would have been unable to retain their hold upon the boat.
without variation or change, in every case
From this reading The boat rolled over and over, constantly righting itself, and its occupants got more baths in a few minutes than they cared for.
the event of dying or departure from life
From this reading Instinctively, the three men caught hold tightly of the sides of the dugout, and it was well that they did so, and maintained their grip like grim death.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading Instinctively, the three men caught hold tightly of the sides of the dugout, and it was well that they did so, and maintained their grip like grim death.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading How the water came tumbling down!
dugoutnounUS /ˈdʌɡaʊt/
either of two low shelters on either side of a baseball diamond where the players and coaches sit during the game
From this reading Instinctively, the three men caught hold tightly of the sides of the dugout, and it was well that they did so, and maintained their grip like grim death.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading The boat rolled over and over, constantly righting itself, and its occupants got more baths in a few minutes than they cared for.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The boat rolled over and over, constantly righting itself, and its occupants got more baths in a few minutes than they cared for.
set up or found
From this reading They found the water quite warm, which was some consolation, for had it been icy cold they would have been unable to retain their hold upon the boat.
inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading The boat rolled over and over, constantly righting itself, and its occupants got more baths in a few minutes than they cared for.
not to be placated or appeased or moved by entreaty
From this reading Instinctively, the three men caught hold tightly of the sides of the dugout, and it was well that they did so, and maintained their grip like grim death.
gripnounUS /ɡrɪp/
the act of grasping
From this reading Instinctively, the three men caught hold tightly of the sides of the dugout, and it was well that they did so, and maintained their grip like grim death.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The sudden shooting of the cataract, the wild plunge into the water beneath, had taken away their breath, and neither Max nor Ibrahim was able to speak.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading They found the water quite warm, which was some consolation, for had it been icy cold they would have been unable to retain their hold upon the boat.
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading Instinctively, the three men caught hold tightly of the sides of the dugout, and it was well that they did so, and maintained their grip like grim death.
How
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How the water came tumbling down!
IbrahimnounUS /ˌɪbrɑːˈhiːm/
the first of the Old Testament patriarchs and the father of Isaac; according to Genesis, God promised to give Abraham's family (the Hebrews) the land of Canaan (the Promised Land); God tested Abraham by asking him to sacrifice his son
From this reading The sudden shooting of the cataract, the wild plunge into the water beneath, had taken away their breath, and neither Max nor Ibrahim was able to speak.
icyadjectiveUS /ˈaɪsi/
devoid of warmth and cordiality; expressive of unfriendliness or disdain
From this reading They found the water quite warm, which was some consolation, for had it been icy cold they would have been unable to retain their hold upon the boat.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The boat rolled over and over, constantly righting itself, and its occupants got more baths in a few minutes than they cared for.
InstinctivelyadverbUS /ˌɪnˈstɪŋktɪvliː/
as a matter of instinct
From this reading Instinctively, the three men caught hold tightly of the sides of the dugout, and it was well that they did so, and maintained their grip like grim death.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading The sudden shooting of the cataract, the wild plunge into the water beneath, had taken away their breath, and neither Max nor Ibrahim was able to speak.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Instinctively, the three men caught hold tightly of the sides of the dugout, and it was well that they did so, and maintained their grip like grim death.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading The boat rolled over and over, constantly righting itself, and its occupants got more baths in a few minutes than they cared for.
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading The boat rolled over and over, constantly righting itself, and its occupants got more baths in a few minutes than they cared for.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Instinctively, the three men caught hold tightly of the sides of the dugout, and it was well that they did so, and maintained their grip like grim death.
maintainedadjectiveUS /meɪnˈteɪnd/
kept in good condition
From this reading Instinctively, the three men caught hold tightly of the sides of the dugout, and it was well that they did so, and maintained their grip like grim death.
MaxnounUS /mæks/
street names for gamma hydroxybutyrate
From this reading The sudden shooting of the cataract, the wild plunge into the water beneath, had taken away their breath, and neither Max nor Ibrahim was able to speak.
the force of workers available
From this reading Instinctively, the three men caught hold tightly of the sides of the dugout, and it was well that they did so, and maintained their grip like grim death.
a written account of what transpired at a meeting
From this reading The boat rolled over and over, constantly righting itself, and its occupants got more baths in a few minutes than they cared for.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading The boat rolled over and over, constantly righting itself, and its occupants got more baths in a few minutes than they cared for.
not one and not the other of two
From this reading The sudden shooting of the cataract, the wild plunge into the water beneath, had taken away their breath, and neither Max nor Ibrahim was able to speak.
and not; used after a negative to add a second negative
From this reading The sudden shooting of the cataract, the wild plunge into the water beneath, had taken away their breath, and neither Max nor Ibrahim was able to speak.
occupantsnounUS /ˈɑːkjəpənts/
plural of “occupant” — someone who lives at a particular place for a prolonged period or who was born there
From this reading The boat rolled over and over, constantly righting itself, and its occupants got more baths in a few minutes than they cared for.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The sudden shooting of the cataract, the wild plunge into the water beneath, had taken away their breath, and neither Max nor Ibrahim was able to speak.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading The boat rolled over and over, constantly righting itself, and its occupants got more baths in a few minutes than they cared for.
plungeverbUS /plʌndʒ/
thrust or throw into
From this reading The sudden shooting of the cataract, the wild plunge into the water beneath, had taken away their breath, and neither Max nor Ibrahim was able to speak.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading They found the water quite warm, which was some consolation, for had it been icy cold they would have been unable to retain their hold upon the boat.
retainverbUS /rɪˈteɪn/
hold back within
From this reading They found the water quite warm, which was some consolation, for had it been icy cold they would have been unable to retain their hold upon the boat.
righting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The boat rolled over and over, constantly righting itself, and its occupants got more baths in a few minutes than they cared for.
especially of petals or leaves in bud; having margins rolled inward
From this reading The boat rolled over and over, constantly righting itself, and its occupants got more baths in a few minutes than they cared for.
the act of firing a projectile
From this reading The sudden shooting of the cataract, the wild plunge into the water beneath, had taken away their breath, and neither Max nor Ibrahim was able to speak.
plural of “side” — a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading Instinctively, the three men caught hold tightly of the sides of the dugout, and it was well that they did so, and maintained their grip like grim death.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Instinctively, the three men caught hold tightly of the sides of the dugout, and it was well that they did so, and maintained their grip like grim death.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading They found the water quite warm, which was some consolation, for had it been icy cold they would have been unable to retain their hold upon the boat.
express in speech
From this reading The sudden shooting of the cataract, the wild plunge into the water beneath, had taken away their breath, and neither Max nor Ibrahim was able to speak.
happening without warning or in a short space of time
From this reading The sudden shooting of the cataract, the wild plunge into the water beneath, had taken away their breath, and neither Max nor Ibrahim was able to speak.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading The sudden shooting of the cataract, the wild plunge into the water beneath, had taken away their breath, and neither Max nor Ibrahim was able to speak.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading The boat rolled over and over, constantly righting itself, and its occupants got more baths in a few minutes than they cared for.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Instinctively, the three men caught hold tightly of the sides of the dugout, and it was well that they did so, and maintained their grip like grim death.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The sudden shooting of the cataract, the wild plunge into the water beneath, had taken away their breath, and neither Max nor Ibrahim was able to speak.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The sudden shooting of the cataract, the wild plunge into the water beneath, had taken away their breath, and neither Max nor Ibrahim was able to speak.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Instinctively, the three men caught hold tightly of the sides of the dugout, and it was well that they did so, and maintained their grip like grim death.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading Instinctively, the three men caught hold tightly of the sides of the dugout, and it was well that they did so, and maintained their grip like grim death.
tightlyadverbUS /ˈtaɪtli/
in a tight or constricted manner
From this reading Instinctively, the three men caught hold tightly of the sides of the dugout, and it was well that they did so, and maintained their grip like grim death.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The sudden shooting of the cataract, the wild plunge into the water beneath, had taken away their breath, and neither Max nor Ibrahim was able to speak.
tumblingnounUS /ˈtʌmbəlɪŋ/
the gymnastic moves of an acrobat
From this reading How the water came tumbling down!
(usually followed by “to”) not having the necessary means or skill or know-how
From this reading They found the water quite warm, which was some consolation, for had it been icy cold they would have been unable to retain their hold upon the boat.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading They found the water quite warm, which was some consolation, for had it been icy cold they would have been unable to retain their hold upon the boat.
having or producing a comfortable and agreeable degree of heat or imparting or maintaining heat
From this reading They found the water quite warm, which was some consolation, for had it been icy cold they would have been unable to retain their hold upon the boat.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The sudden shooting of the cataract, the wild plunge into the water beneath, had taken away their breath, and neither Max nor Ibrahim was able to speak.
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 The sudden shooting of the cataract, the wild plunge into the water beneath, had taken away their breath, and neither Max nor Ibrahim was able to speak.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading Instinctively, the three men caught hold tightly of the sides of the dugout, and it was well that they did so, and maintained their grip like grim death.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading They found the water quite warm, which was some consolation, for had it been icy cold they would have been unable to retain their hold upon the boat.
marked by extreme lack of restraint or control
From this reading The sudden shooting of the cataract, the wild plunge into the water beneath, had taken away their breath, and neither Max nor Ibrahim was able to speak.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading They found the water quite warm, which was some consolation, for had it been icy cold they would have been unable to retain their hold upon the boat.
