used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Henry Burns and the Warren brothers, arriving at Millstone Landing on the evening when Jack Harvey had seen a strange vision through Haley’s telescope, found a young man on the wharf awaiting them.
on a ship, train, plane or other vehicle
From this reading The young man nodded smilingly to the river captain, and swung himself aboard before the steamer had its gang-plank out; and he was up the stairs and in the cabin in a twinkling, where he grasped George Warren and the brothers, one after another, and welcomed them heartily.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading The young man nodded smilingly to the river captain, and swung himself aboard before the steamer had its gang-plank out; and he was up the stairs and in the cabin in a twinkling, where he grasped George Warren and the brothers, one after another, and welcomed them heartily.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading He had a mop of short, almost curly hair, under a soft felt hat, a dark, clear complexion, brown eyes that twinkled with fun, and an expression of geniality that won the heart of Henry Burns at first glance.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading He had a mop of short, almost curly hair, under a soft felt hat, a dark, clear complexion, brown eyes that twinkled with fun, and an expression of geniality that won the heart of Henry Burns at first glance.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Henry Burns and the Warren brothers, arriving at Millstone Landing on the evening when Jack Harvey had seen a strange vision through Haley’s telescope, found a young man on the wharf awaiting them.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading The young man nodded smilingly to the river captain, and swung himself aboard before the steamer had its gang-plank out; and he was up the stairs and in the cabin in a twinkling, where he grasped George Warren and the brothers, one after another, and welcomed them heartily.
arrivingverbUS /ərˈaɪvɪŋ/
-ing form of “arrive” — reach a destination; arrive by movement or progress
From this reading Henry Burns and the Warren brothers, arriving at Millstone Landing on the evening when Jack Harvey had seen a strange vision through Haley’s telescope, found a young man on the wharf awaiting them.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Henry Burns and the Warren brothers, arriving at Millstone Landing on the evening when Jack Harvey had seen a strange vision through Haley’s telescope, found a young man on the wharf awaiting them.
awaitingverbUS /əˈweɪtɪŋ/
-ing form of “await” — look forward to the probable occurrence of
From this reading Henry Burns and the Warren brothers, arriving at Millstone Landing on the evening when Jack Harvey had seen a strange vision through Haley’s telescope, found a young man on the wharf awaiting them.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading The young man nodded smilingly to the river captain, and swung himself aboard before the steamer had its gang-plank out; and he was up the stairs and in the cabin in a twinkling, where he grasped George Warren and the brothers, one after another, and welcomed them heartily.
having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading He was a tall, somewhat spare man, but with broad, muscular shoulders, and a general build that told of unusual strength.
plural of “brother” — a male with the same parents as someone else
From this reading Henry Burns and the Warren brothers, arriving at Millstone Landing on the evening when Jack Harvey had seen a strange vision through Haley’s telescope, found a young man on the wharf awaiting them.
an orange of low brightness and saturation
From this reading He had a mop of short, almost curly hair, under a soft felt hat, a dark, clear complexion, brown eyes that twinkled with fun, and an expression of geniality that won the heart of Henry Burns at first glance.
make by combining materials and parts
From this reading He was a tall, somewhat spare man, but with broad, muscular shoulders, and a general build that told of unusual strength.
BurnsnounUS /bɜːrnz/
United States comedian and film actor (1896-1996)
From this reading Henry Burns and the Warren brothers, arriving at Millstone Landing on the evening when Jack Harvey had seen a strange vision through Haley’s telescope, found a young man on the wharf awaiting them.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He was a tall, somewhat spare man, but with broad, muscular shoulders, and a general build that told of unusual strength.
small room on a ship or boat where people sleep
From this reading The young man nodded smilingly to the river captain, and swung himself aboard before the steamer had its gang-plank out; and he was up the stairs and in the cabin in a twinkling, where he grasped George Warren and the brothers, one after another, and welcomed them heartily.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading He hailed them with a hearty shout of welcome the moment the steamer came to its landing.
an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant
From this reading The young man nodded smilingly to the river captain, and swung himself aboard before the steamer had its gang-plank out; and he was up the stairs and in the cabin in a twinkling, where he grasped George Warren and the brothers, one after another, and welcomed them heartily.
rid of obstructions
From this reading He had a mop of short, almost curly hair, under a soft felt hat, a dark, clear complexion, brown eyes that twinkled with fun, and an expression of geniality that won the heart of Henry Burns at first glance.
complexionnounUS /kəmˈplekʃən/
the coloring of a person's face
From this reading He had a mop of short, almost curly hair, under a soft felt hat, a dark, clear complexion, brown eyes that twinkled with fun, and an expression of geniality that won the heart of Henry Burns at first glance.
curlyadjectiveUS /ˈkɜːrli/
(of hair) having curls or waves
From this reading He had a mop of short, almost curly hair, under a soft felt hat, a dark, clear complexion, brown eyes that twinkled with fun, and an expression of geniality that won the heart of Henry Burns at first glance.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading He had a mop of short, almost curly hair, under a soft felt hat, a dark, clear complexion, brown eyes that twinkled with fun, and an expression of geniality that won the heart of Henry Burns at first glance.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading Henry Burns and the Warren brothers, arriving at Millstone Landing on the evening when Jack Harvey had seen a strange vision through Haley’s telescope, found a young man on the wharf awaiting them.
the feelings expressed on a person's face
From this reading He had a mop of short, almost curly hair, under a soft felt hat, a dark, clear complexion, brown eyes that twinkled with fun, and an expression of geniality that won the heart of Henry Burns at first glance.
opinion or judgment
From this reading He had a mop of short, almost curly hair, under a soft felt hat, a dark, clear complexion, brown eyes that twinkled with fun, and an expression of geniality that won the heart of Henry Burns at first glance.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading He had a mop of short, almost curly hair, under a soft felt hat, a dark, clear complexion, brown eyes that twinkled with fun, and an expression of geniality that won the heart of Henry Burns at first glance.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading He had a mop of short, almost curly hair, under a soft felt hat, a dark, clear complexion, brown eyes that twinkled with fun, and an expression of geniality that won the heart of Henry Burns at first glance.
set up or found
From this reading Henry Burns and the Warren brothers, arriving at Millstone Landing on the evening when Jack Harvey had seen a strange vision through Haley’s telescope, found a young man on the wharf awaiting them.
activities that are enjoyable or amusing
From this reading He had a mop of short, almost curly hair, under a soft felt hat, a dark, clear complexion, brown eyes that twinkled with fun, and an expression of geniality that won the heart of Henry Burns at first glance.
gang-plank
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The young man nodded smilingly to the river captain, and swung himself aboard before the steamer had its gang-plank out; and he was up the stairs and in the cabin in a twinkling, where he grasped George Warren and the brothers, one after another, and welcomed them heartily.
applying to all or most members of a category or group
From this reading He was a tall, somewhat spare man, but with broad, muscular shoulders, and a general build that told of unusual strength.
genialitynounUS /ˌdʒiːniˈæləti/
a disposition to be friendly and approachable (easy to talk to)
From this reading He had a mop of short, almost curly hair, under a soft felt hat, a dark, clear complexion, brown eyes that twinkled with fun, and an expression of geniality that won the heart of Henry Burns at first glance.
Christian martyr; patron saint of England; hero of the legend of Saint George and the Dragon in which he slew a dragon and saved a princess (?-303)
From this reading The young man nodded smilingly to the river captain, and swung himself aboard before the steamer had its gang-plank out; and he was up the stairs and in the cabin in a twinkling, where he grasped George Warren and the brothers, one after another, and welcomed them heartily.
throw a glance at; take a brief look at
From this reading He had a mop of short, almost curly hair, under a soft felt hat, a dark, clear complexion, brown eyes that twinkled with fun, and an expression of geniality that won the heart of Henry Burns at first glance.
graspedverbUS /ɡræspt/
past form of “grasp” — hold firmly
From this reading The young man nodded smilingly to the river captain, and swung himself aboard before the steamer had its gang-plank out; and he was up the stairs and in the cabin in a twinkling, where he grasped George Warren and the brothers, one after another, and welcomed them heartily.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Henry Burns and the Warren brothers, arriving at Millstone Landing on the evening when Jack Harvey had seen a strange vision through Haley’s telescope, found a young man on the wharf awaiting them.
hailedverbUS /heɪld/
past form of “hail” — praise vociferously
From this reading He hailed them with a hearty shout of welcome the moment the steamer came to its landing.
a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss
From this reading He had a mop of short, almost curly hair, under a soft felt hat, a dark, clear complexion, brown eyes that twinkled with fun, and an expression of geniality that won the heart of Henry Burns at first glance.
Haley'snounUS /ˈheɪliz/
possessive form of “haley” — United States rock singer who was one of the first to popularize rock'n'roll music (1925-1981)
From this reading Henry Burns and the Warren brothers, arriving at Millstone Landing on the evening when Jack Harvey had seen a strange vision through Haley’s telescope, found a young man on the wharf awaiting them.
HarveynounUS /ˈhɑːrvi/
English physician and scientist who described the circulation of the blood; he later proposed that all animals originate from an ovum produced by the female of the species (1578-1657)
From this reading Henry Burns and the Warren brothers, arriving at Millstone Landing on the evening when Jack Harvey had seen a strange vision through Haley’s telescope, found a young man on the wharf awaiting them.
headdress that protects the head from bad weather; has shaped crown and usually a brim
From this reading He had a mop of short, almost curly hair, under a soft felt hat, a dark, clear complexion, brown eyes that twinkled with fun, and an expression of geniality that won the heart of Henry Burns at first glance.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He hailed them with a hearty shout of welcome the moment the steamer came to its landing.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading He had a mop of short, almost curly hair, under a soft felt hat, a dark, clear complexion, brown eyes that twinkled with fun, and an expression of geniality that won the heart of Henry Burns at first glance.
with gusto and without reservation
From this reading The young man nodded smilingly to the river captain, and swung himself aboard before the steamer had its gang-plank out; and he was up the stairs and in the cabin in a twinkling, where he grasped George Warren and the brothers, one after another, and welcomed them heartily.
heartyadjectiveUS /ˈhɑːrti/
showing warm and heartfelt friendliness
From this reading He hailed them with a hearty shout of welcome the moment the steamer came to its landing.
a unit of inductance in which an induced electromotive force of one volt is produced when the current is varied at the rate of one ampere per second
From this reading Henry Burns and the Warren brothers, arriving at Millstone Landing on the evening when Jack Harvey had seen a strange vision through Haley’s telescope, found a young man on the wharf awaiting them.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading The young man nodded smilingly to the river captain, and swung himself aboard before the steamer had its gang-plank out; and he was up the stairs and in the cabin in a twinkling, where he grasped George Warren and the brothers, one after another, and welcomed them heartily.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The young man nodded smilingly to the river captain, and swung himself aboard before the steamer had its gang-plank out; and he was up the stairs and in the cabin in a twinkling, where he grasped George Warren and the brothers, one after another, and welcomed them heartily.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading He hailed them with a hearty shout of welcome the moment the steamer came to its landing.
a small worthless amount
From this reading Henry Burns and the Warren brothers, arriving at Millstone Landing on the evening when Jack Harvey had seen a strange vision through Haley’s telescope, found a young man on the wharf awaiting them.
an intermediate platform in a staircase
From this reading Henry Burns and the Warren brothers, arriving at Millstone Landing on the evening when Jack Harvey had seen a strange vision through Haley’s telescope, found a young man on the wharf awaiting them.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading Henry Burns and the Warren brothers, arriving at Millstone Landing on the evening when Jack Harvey had seen a strange vision through Haley’s telescope, found a young man on the wharf awaiting them.
MillstonenounUS /ˈmɪlstoʊn/
(figurative) something that hinders or handicaps
From this reading Henry Burns and the Warren brothers, arriving at Millstone Landing on the evening when Jack Harvey had seen a strange vision through Haley’s telescope, found a young man on the wharf awaiting them.
a particular point in time
From this reading He hailed them with a hearty shout of welcome the moment the steamer came to its landing.
mopverbUS /mɑːp/
to wash or wipe with or as if with a mop
From this reading He had a mop of short, almost curly hair, under a soft felt hat, a dark, clear complexion, brown eyes that twinkled with fun, and an expression of geniality that won the heart of Henry Burns at first glance.
muscularadjectiveUS /ˈmʌskjələr/
of or relating to or consisting of muscle
From this reading He was a tall, somewhat spare man, but with broad, muscular shoulders, and a general build that told of unusual strength.
inflected form of “nod” — express or signify by nodding
From this reading The young man nodded smilingly to the river captain, and swung himself aboard before the steamer had its gang-plank out; and he was up the stairs and in the cabin in a twinkling, where he grasped George Warren and the brothers, one after another, and welcomed them heartily.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He hailed them with a hearty shout of welcome the moment the steamer came to its landing.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Henry Burns and the Warren brothers, arriving at Millstone Landing on the evening when Jack Harvey had seen a strange vision through Haley’s telescope, found a young man on the wharf awaiting them.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The young man nodded smilingly to the river captain, and swung himself aboard before the steamer had its gang-plank out; and he was up the stairs and in the cabin in a twinkling, where he grasped George Warren and the brothers, one after another, and welcomed them heartily.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading The young man nodded smilingly to the river captain, and swung himself aboard before the steamer had its gang-plank out; and he was up the stairs and in the cabin in a twinkling, where he grasped George Warren and the brothers, one after another, and welcomed them heartily.
a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)
From this reading The young man nodded smilingly to the river captain, and swung himself aboard before the steamer had its gang-plank out; and he was up the stairs and in the cabin in a twinkling, where he grasped George Warren and the brothers, one after another, and welcomed them heartily.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading Henry Burns and the Warren brothers, arriving at Millstone Landing on the evening when Jack Harvey had seen a strange vision through Haley’s telescope, found a young man on the wharf awaiting them.
primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration
From this reading He had a mop of short, almost curly hair, under a soft felt hat, a dark, clear complexion, brown eyes that twinkled with fun, and an expression of geniality that won the heart of Henry Burns at first glance.
plural of “shoulder” — the part of the body between the neck and the upper arm
From this reading He was a tall, somewhat spare man, but with broad, muscular shoulders, and a general build that told of unusual strength.
utter in a loud voice; talk in a loud voice (usually denoting characteristic manner of speaking)
From this reading He hailed them with a hearty shout of welcome the moment the steamer came to its landing.
smilinglyadverbUS /ˈsmaɪlɪŋli/
with smiles; in a smiling manner
From this reading The young man nodded smilingly to the river captain, and swung himself aboard before the steamer had its gang-plank out; and he was up the stairs and in the cabin in a twinkling, where he grasped George Warren and the brothers, one after another, and welcomed them heartily.
yielding readily to pressure or weight
From this reading He had a mop of short, almost curly hair, under a soft felt hat, a dark, clear complexion, brown eyes that twinkled with fun, and an expression of geniality that won the heart of Henry Burns at first glance.
to a small degree or extent
From this reading He was a tall, somewhat spare man, but with broad, muscular shoulders, and a general build that told of unusual strength.
refrain from harming
From this reading He was a tall, somewhat spare man, but with broad, muscular shoulders, and a general build that told of unusual strength.
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading The young man nodded smilingly to the river captain, and swung himself aboard before the steamer had its gang-plank out; and he was up the stairs and in the cabin in a twinkling, where he grasped George Warren and the brothers, one after another, and welcomed them heartily.
a clam that is usually steamed in the shell
From this reading He hailed them with a hearty shout of welcome the moment the steamer came to its landing.
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading Henry Burns and the Warren brothers, arriving at Millstone Landing on the evening when Jack Harvey had seen a strange vision through Haley’s telescope, found a young man on the wharf awaiting them.
the property of being physically or mentally strong
From this reading He was a tall, somewhat spare man, but with broad, muscular shoulders, and a general build that told of unusual strength.
inflected form of “swing” — move in a curve or arc, usually with the intent of hitting
From this reading The young man nodded smilingly to the river captain, and swung himself aboard before the steamer had its gang-plank out; and he was up the stairs and in the cabin in a twinkling, where he grasped George Warren and the brothers, one after another, and welcomed them heartily.
great in vertical dimension; high in stature
From this reading He was a tall, somewhat spare man, but with broad, muscular shoulders, and a general build that told of unusual strength.
telescopeverbUS /ˈteləskoʊp/
crush together or collapse
From this reading Henry Burns and the Warren brothers, arriving at Millstone Landing on the evening when Jack Harvey had seen a strange vision through Haley’s telescope, found a young man on the wharf awaiting them.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He was a tall, somewhat spare man, but with broad, muscular shoulders, and a general build that told of unusual strength.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Henry Burns and the Warren brothers, arriving at Millstone Landing on the evening when Jack Harvey had seen a strange vision through Haley’s telescope, found a young man on the wharf awaiting them.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Henry Burns and the Warren brothers, arriving at Millstone Landing on the evening when Jack Harvey had seen a strange vision through Haley’s telescope, found a young man on the wharf awaiting them.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading Henry Burns and the Warren brothers, arriving at Millstone Landing on the evening when Jack Harvey had seen a strange vision through Haley’s telescope, found a young man on the wharf awaiting them.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He hailed them with a hearty shout of welcome the moment the steamer came to its landing.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading He was a tall, somewhat spare man, but with broad, muscular shoulders, and a general build that told of unusual strength.
twinkledverbUS /ˈtwɪŋkəld/
past form of “twinkle” — gleam or glow intermittently
From this reading He had a mop of short, almost curly hair, under a soft felt hat, a dark, clear complexion, brown eyes that twinkled with fun, and an expression of geniality that won the heart of Henry Burns at first glance.
twinklingnounUS /ˈtwɪŋkəlɪŋ/
a very short time (as the time it takes the eye to blink or the heart to beat)
From this reading The young man nodded smilingly to the river captain, and swung himself aboard before the steamer had its gang-plank out; and he was up the stairs and in the cabin in a twinkling, where he grasped George Warren and the brothers, one after another, and welcomed them heartily.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading He had a mop of short, almost curly hair, under a soft felt hat, a dark, clear complexion, brown eyes that twinkled with fun, and an expression of geniality that won the heart of Henry Burns at first glance.
not usual or common or ordinary
From this reading He was a tall, somewhat spare man, but with broad, muscular shoulders, and a general build that told of unusual strength.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading The young man nodded smilingly to the river captain, and swung himself aboard before the steamer had its gang-plank out; and he was up the stairs and in the cabin in a twinkling, where he grasped George Warren and the brothers, one after another, and welcomed them heartily.
a vivid mental image
From this reading Henry Burns and the Warren brothers, arriving at Millstone Landing on the evening when Jack Harvey had seen a strange vision through Haley’s telescope, found a young man on the wharf awaiting them.
WarrennounUS /ˈwɔːrən/
United States writer and poet (1905-1989)
From this reading Henry Burns and the Warren brothers, arriving at Millstone Landing on the evening when Jack Harvey had seen a strange vision through Haley’s telescope, found a young man on the wharf awaiting them.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He was a tall, somewhat spare man, but with broad, muscular shoulders, and a general build that told of unusual strength.
accept gladly
From this reading He hailed them with a hearty shout of welcome the moment the steamer came to its landing.
welcomedverbUS /ˈwelkəmd/
past form of “welcome” — accept gladly
From this reading The young man nodded smilingly to the river captain, and swung himself aboard before the steamer had its gang-plank out; and he was up the stairs and in the cabin in a twinkling, where he grasped George Warren and the brothers, one after another, and welcomed them heartily.
wharfnounUS /wɔːrf/
a platform built out from the shore into the water and supported by piles; provides access to ships and boats
From this reading Henry Burns and the Warren brothers, arriving at Millstone Landing on the evening when Jack Harvey had seen a strange vision through Haley’s telescope, found a young man on the wharf awaiting them.
at the time that
From this reading Henry Burns and the Warren brothers, arriving at Millstone Landing on the evening when Jack Harvey had seen a strange vision through Haley’s telescope, found a young man on the wharf awaiting them.
in or at the place that
From this reading The young man nodded smilingly to the river captain, and swung himself aboard before the steamer had its gang-plank out; and he was up the stairs and in the cabin in a twinkling, where he grasped George Warren and the brothers, one after another, and welcomed them heartily.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He hailed them with a hearty shout of welcome the moment the steamer came to its landing.
the basic unit of money in South Korea
From this reading He had a mop of short, almost curly hair, under a soft felt hat, a dark, clear complexion, brown eyes that twinkled with fun, and an expression of geniality that won the heart of Henry Burns at first glance.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading Henry Burns and the Warren brothers, arriving at Millstone Landing on the evening when Jack Harvey had seen a strange vision through Haley’s telescope, found a young man on the wharf awaiting them.
