used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading There came in fog, through which they drifted, slowly, while it wrapped them about like a great, frosty blanket, chilling and numbing them.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading There came in fog, through which they drifted, slowly, while it wrapped them about like a great, frosty blanket, chilling and numbing them.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading There came in fog, through which they drifted, slowly, while it wrapped them about like a great, frosty blanket, chilling and numbing them.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading When the wind was light, the fog would collect for a moment in the wrinkle at the top of a sail; then, with a slat, the sail would fill out, sending down a shower of icy water, drenching the crew at their work.
marked by strong resentment or cynicism
From this reading The days that followed were bitter ones for dredging.
blanketnounUS /ˈblæŋkət/
bedding that keeps a person warm in bed
From this reading There came in fog, through which they drifted, slowly, while it wrapped them about like a great, frosty blanket, chilling and numbing them.
brandishingverbUS /ˈbrændɪʃɪŋ/
-ing form of “brandish” — move or swing back and forth
From this reading But the mate drove them on, with threats and the brandishing of a rope’s end.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But the mate drove them on, with threats and the brandishing of a rope’s end.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading There came in fog, through which they drifted, slowly, while it wrapped them about like a great, frosty blanket, chilling and numbing them.
chillingadjectiveUS /ˈtʃɪlɪŋ/
provoking fear terror
From this reading There came in fog, through which they drifted, slowly, while it wrapped them about like a great, frosty blanket, chilling and numbing them.
collectverbUS /kəˈlekt/
get or gather together
From this reading When the wind was light, the fog would collect for a moment in the wrinkle at the top of a sail; then, with a slat, the sail would fill out, sending down a shower of icy water, drenching the crew at their work.
the men and women who man a vehicle (ship, aircraft, etc.)
From this reading When the wind was light, the fog would collect for a moment in the wrinkle at the top of a sail; then, with a slat, the sail would fill out, sending down a shower of icy water, drenching the crew at their work.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading The days that followed were bitter ones for dredging.
disappointingadjectiveUS /ˌdɪsəˈpɔɪntɪŋ/
not up to expectations
From this reading To make matters worse, the yield of the reefs was disappointing.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading When the wind was light, the fog would collect for a moment in the wrinkle at the top of a sail; then, with a slat, the sail would fill out, sending down a shower of icy water, drenching the crew at their work.
dredgingverbUS /ˈdredʒɪŋ/
-ing form of “dredge” — cover before cooking
From this reading The days that followed were bitter ones for dredging.
drenchingnounUS /ˈdrentʃɪŋ/
the act of making something completely wet
From this reading When the wind was light, the fog would collect for a moment in the wrinkle at the top of a sail; then, with a slat, the sail would fill out, sending down a shower of icy water, drenching the crew at their work.
driftedverbUS /ˈdrɪftəd/
past form of “drift” — be in motion due to some air or water current
From this reading There came in fog, through which they drifted, slowly, while it wrapped them about like a great, frosty blanket, chilling and numbing them.
a group of animals (a herd or flock) moving together
From this reading But the mate drove them on, with threats and the brandishing of a rope’s end.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading But the mate drove them on, with threats and the brandishing of a rope’s end.
make full, also in a metaphorical sense
From this reading When the wind was light, the fog would collect for a moment in the wrinkle at the top of a sail; then, with a slat, the sail would fill out, sending down a shower of icy water, drenching the crew at their work.
fognounUS /fɑːɡ/
droplets of water vapor suspended in the air near the ground
From this reading There came in fog, through which they drifted, slowly, while it wrapped them about like a great, frosty blanket, chilling and numbing them.
past form of “follow” — to travel behind, go after, come after
From this reading The days that followed were bitter ones for dredging.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The days that followed were bitter ones for dredging.
frostyadjectiveUS /ˈfrɔːsti/
devoid of warmth and cordiality; expressive of unfriendliness or disdain
From this reading There came in fog, through which they drifted, slowly, while it wrapped them about like a great, frosty blanket, chilling and numbing them.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading There came in fog, through which they drifted, slowly, while it wrapped them about like a great, frosty blanket, chilling and numbing them.
icyadjectiveUS /ˈaɪsi/
devoid of warmth and cordiality; expressive of unfriendliness or disdain
From this reading When the wind was light, the fog would collect for a moment in the wrinkle at the top of a sail; then, with a slat, the sail would fill out, sending down a shower of icy water, drenching the crew at their work.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading There came in fog, through which they drifted, slowly, while it wrapped them about like a great, frosty blanket, chilling and numbing them.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading There came in fog, through which they drifted, slowly, while it wrapped them about like a great, frosty blanket, chilling and numbing them.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading When the wind was light, the fog would collect for a moment in the wrinkle at the top of a sail; then, with a slat, the sail would fill out, sending down a shower of icy water, drenching the crew at their work.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading There came in fog, through which they drifted, slowly, while it wrapped them about like a great, frosty blanket, chilling and numbing them.
engage in
From this reading To make matters worse, the yield of the reefs was disappointing.
the officer below the master on a commercial ship
From this reading But the mate drove them on, with threats and the brandishing of a rope’s end.
plural of “matter” — a vaguely specified concern
From this reading To make matters worse, the yield of the reefs was disappointing.
a particular point in time
From this reading When the wind was light, the fog would collect for a moment in the wrinkle at the top of a sail; then, with a slat, the sail would fill out, sending down a shower of icy water, drenching the crew at their work.
numbingadjectiveUS /ˈnʌmɪŋ/
causing numbness or insensitivity
From this reading There came in fog, through which they drifted, slowly, while it wrapped them about like a great, frosty blanket, chilling and numbing them.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading When the wind was light, the fog would collect for a moment in the wrinkle at the top of a sail; then, with a slat, the sail would fill out, sending down a shower of icy water, drenching the crew at their work.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading But the mate drove them on, with threats and the brandishing of a rope’s end.
plural of “one” — the smallest whole number or a numeral representing this number
From this reading The days that followed were bitter ones for dredging.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading When the wind was light, the fog would collect for a moment in the wrinkle at the top of a sail; then, with a slat, the sail would fill out, sending down a shower of icy water, drenching the crew at their work.
reefsnounUS /riːfs/
plural of “reef” — a submerged ridge of rock or coral near the surface of the water
From this reading To make matters worse, the yield of the reefs was disappointing.
rope's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But the mate drove them on, with threats and the brandishing of a rope’s end.
traverse or travel on (a body of water)
From this reading When the wind was light, the fog would collect for a moment in the wrinkle at the top of a sail; then, with a slat, the sail would fill out, sending down a shower of icy water, drenching the crew at their work.
the act of causing something to go (especially messages)
From this reading When the wind was light, the fog would collect for a moment in the wrinkle at the top of a sail; then, with a slat, the sail would fill out, sending down a shower of icy water, drenching the crew at their work.
showernounUS /ˈʃaʊər/
a plumbing fixture that sprays water over you
From this reading When the wind was light, the fog would collect for a moment in the wrinkle at the top of a sail; then, with a slat, the sail would fill out, sending down a shower of icy water, drenching the crew at their work.
slatnounUS /slæt/
a thin strip (wood or metal)
From this reading When the wind was light, the fog would collect for a moment in the wrinkle at the top of a sail; then, with a slat, the sail would fill out, sending down a shower of icy water, drenching the crew at their work.
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading There came in fog, through which they drifted, slowly, while it wrapped them about like a great, frosty blanket, chilling and numbing them.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The days that followed were bitter ones for dredging.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The days that followed were bitter ones for dredging.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading When the wind was light, the fog would collect for a moment in the wrinkle at the top of a sail; then, with a slat, the sail would fill out, sending down a shower of icy water, drenching the crew at their work.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading There came in fog, through which they drifted, slowly, while it wrapped them about like a great, frosty blanket, chilling and numbing them.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading When the wind was light, the fog would collect for a moment in the wrinkle at the top of a sail; then, with a slat, the sail would fill out, sending down a shower of icy water, drenching the crew at their work.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There came in fog, through which they drifted, slowly, while it wrapped them about like a great, frosty blanket, chilling and numbing them.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading There came in fog, through which they drifted, slowly, while it wrapped them about like a great, frosty blanket, chilling and numbing them.
threatsnounUS /θrets/
plural of “threat” — something that is a source of danger
From this reading But the mate drove them on, with threats and the brandishing of a rope’s end.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading There came in fog, through which they drifted, slowly, while it wrapped them about like a great, frosty blanket, chilling and numbing them.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading To make matters worse, the yield of the reefs was disappointing.
the upper part of anything
From this reading When the wind was light, the fog would collect for a moment in the wrinkle at the top of a sail; then, with a slat, the sail would fill out, sending down a shower of icy water, drenching the crew at their work.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading When the wind was light, the fog would collect for a moment in the wrinkle at the top of a sail; then, with a slat, the sail would fill out, sending down a shower of icy water, drenching the crew at their work.
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 When the wind was light, the fog would collect for a moment in the wrinkle at the top of a sail; then, with a slat, the sail would fill out, sending down a shower of icy water, drenching the crew at their work.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The days that followed were bitter ones for dredging.
at the time that
From this reading When the wind was light, the fog would collect for a moment in the wrinkle at the top of a sail; then, with a slat, the sail would fill out, sending down a shower of icy water, drenching the crew at their work.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading There came in fog, through which they drifted, slowly, while it wrapped them about like a great, frosty blanket, chilling and numbing them.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading There came in fog, through which they drifted, slowly, while it wrapped them about like a great, frosty blanket, chilling and numbing them.
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading When the wind was light, the fog would collect for a moment in the wrinkle at the top of a sail; then, with a slat, the sail would fill out, sending down a shower of icy water, drenching the crew at their work.
in the company of; together with
From this reading When the wind was light, the fog would collect for a moment in the wrinkle at the top of a sail; then, with a slat, the sail would fill out, sending down a shower of icy water, drenching the crew at their work.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading When the wind was light, the fog would collect for a moment in the wrinkle at the top of a sail; then, with a slat, the sail would fill out, sending down a shower of icy water, drenching the crew at their work.
(comparative of “bad”) inferior to another in quality or condition or desirability
From this reading To make matters worse, the yield of the reefs was disappointing.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading When the wind was light, the fog would collect for a moment in the wrinkle at the top of a sail; then, with a slat, the sail would fill out, sending down a shower of icy water, drenching the crew at their work.
covered with or as if with clothes or a wrap or cloak
From this reading There came in fog, through which they drifted, slowly, while it wrapped them about like a great, frosty blanket, chilling and numbing them.
wrinkleverbUS /ˈrɪŋkəl/
gather or contract into wrinkles or folds; pucker
From this reading When the wind was light, the fog would collect for a moment in the wrinkle at the top of a sail; then, with a slat, the sail would fill out, sending down a shower of icy water, drenching the crew at their work.
yieldverbUS /jiːld/
be the cause or source of
From this reading To make matters worse, the yield of the reefs was disappointing.
