used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading When the sun set there was not a breath of air, while the surface of the ocean was as smooth as a sheet of glass, though every now and then a swell rose under the boat's keel, making her roll for ten minutes afterwards, while it glided slowly away in the distance.
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading When the sun set there was not a breath of air, while the surface of the ocean was as smooth as a sheet of glass, though every now and then a swell rose under the boat's keel, making her roll for ten minutes afterwards, while it glided slowly away in the distance.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading When the sun set there was not a breath of air, while the surface of the ocean was as smooth as a sheet of glass, though every now and then a swell rose under the boat's keel, making her roll for ten minutes afterwards, while it glided slowly away in the distance.
(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 The day broke, the sun rose higher and higher, and beat hotter and hotter, and all around us was the same smooth, glassy ocean.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The only sounds were the clank of the pump and the dash of water from the scuppers or buckets, and an occasional snort of some huge fish, or the splash it made when plunging down into its liquid home.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading When the sun set there was not a breath of air, while the surface of the ocean was as smooth as a sheet of glass, though every now and then a swell rose under the boat's keel, making her roll for ten minutes afterwards, while it glided slowly away in the distance.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading The day broke, the sun rose higher and higher, and beat hotter and hotter, and all around us was the same smooth, glassy ocean.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading When the sun set there was not a breath of air, while the surface of the ocean was as smooth as a sheet of glass, though every now and then a swell rose under the boat's keel, making her roll for ten minutes afterwards, while it glided slowly away in the distance.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading When the sun set there was not a breath of air, while the surface of the ocean was as smooth as a sheet of glass, though every now and then a swell rose under the boat's keel, making her roll for ten minutes afterwards, while it glided slowly away in the distance.
come out better in a competition, race, or conflict
From this reading The day broke, the sun rose higher and higher, and beat hotter and hotter, and all around us was the same smooth, glassy ocean.
boat'snounUS /boʊts/
possessive form of “boat” — a small vessel for travel on water
From this reading When the sun set there was not a breath of air, while the surface of the ocean was as smooth as a sheet of glass, though every now and then a swell rose under the boat's keel, making her roll for ten minutes afterwards, while it glided slowly away in the distance.
the process of taking in and expelling air during breathing
From this reading When the sun set there was not a breath of air, while the surface of the ocean was as smooth as a sheet of glass, though every now and then a swell rose under the boat's keel, making her roll for ten minutes afterwards, while it glided slowly away in the distance.
lacking funds
From this reading The day broke, the sun rose higher and higher, and beat hotter and hotter, and all around us was the same smooth, glassy ocean.
bucketsnounUS /ˈbʌkəts/
plural of “bucket” — a roughly cylindrical vessel that is open at the top
From this reading The only sounds were the clank of the pump and the dash of water from the scuppers or buckets, and an occasional snort of some huge fish, or the splash it made when plunging down into its liquid home.
clankverbUS /klæŋk/
make a clank
From this reading The only sounds were the clank of the pump and the dash of water from the scuppers or buckets, and an occasional snort of some huge fish, or the splash it made when plunging down into its liquid home.
dashverbUS /dæʃ/
run or move very quickly or hastily
From this reading The only sounds were the clank of the pump and the dash of water from the scuppers or buckets, and an occasional snort of some huge fish, or the splash it made when plunging down into its liquid home.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading The day broke, the sun rose higher and higher, and beat hotter and hotter, and all around us was the same smooth, glassy ocean.
the property created by the space between two objects or points
From this reading When the sun set there was not a breath of air, while the surface of the ocean was as smooth as a sheet of glass, though every now and then a swell rose under the boat's keel, making her roll for ten minutes afterwards, while it glided slowly away in the distance.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading The only sounds were the clank of the pump and the dash of water from the scuppers or buckets, and an occasional snort of some huge fish, or the splash it made when plunging down into its liquid home.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading When the sun set there was not a breath of air, while the surface of the ocean was as smooth as a sheet of glass, though every now and then a swell rose under the boat's keel, making her roll for ten minutes afterwards, while it glided slowly away in the distance.
any of various mostly cold-blooded aquatic vertebrates usually having scales and breathing through gills
From this reading The only sounds were the clank of the pump and the dash of water from the scuppers or buckets, and an occasional snort of some huge fish, or the splash it made when plunging down into its liquid home.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading When the sun set there was not a breath of air, while the surface of the ocean was as smooth as a sheet of glass, though every now and then a swell rose under the boat's keel, making her roll for ten minutes afterwards, while it glided slowly away in the distance.
forgetfulnessnoun
tendency to forget
From this reading We were so weary and sleepy that the instant we were relieved from the pump we lay down and were lost in forgetfulness.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The only sounds were the clank of the pump and the dash of water from the scuppers or buckets, and an occasional snort of some huge fish, or the splash it made when plunging down into its liquid home.
a brittle transparent solid with irregular atomic structure
From this reading When the sun set there was not a breath of air, while the surface of the ocean was as smooth as a sheet of glass, though every now and then a swell rose under the boat's keel, making her roll for ten minutes afterwards, while it glided slowly away in the distance.
glassyadjectiveUS /ˈɡlæsi/
resembling glass in smoothness and shininess and slickness
From this reading The day broke, the sun rose higher and higher, and beat hotter and hotter, and all around us was the same smooth, glassy ocean.
glidedverbUS /ˈɡlaɪdɪd/
past form of “glide” — move smoothly and effortlessly
From this reading When the sun set there was not a breath of air, while the surface of the ocean was as smooth as a sheet of glass, though every now and then a swell rose under the boat's keel, making her roll for ten minutes afterwards, while it glided slowly away in the distance.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading When the sun set there was not a breath of air, while the surface of the ocean was as smooth as a sheet of glass, though every now and then a swell rose under the boat's keel, making her roll for ten minutes afterwards, while it glided slowly away in the distance.
advanced in complexity or elaboration
From this reading The day broke, the sun rose higher and higher, and beat hotter and hotter, and all around us was the same smooth, glassy ocean.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading The only sounds were the clank of the pump and the dash of water from the scuppers or buckets, and an occasional snort of some huge fish, or the splash it made when plunging down into its liquid home.
hotteradjectiveUS /ˈhɑːtər/
comparative of “hot” — used of physical heat; having a high or higher than desirable temperature or giving off heat or feeling or causing a sensation of heat or burning
From this reading The day broke, the sun rose higher and higher, and beat hotter and hotter, and all around us was the same smooth, glassy ocean.
a period of time assigned for work
From this reading Thus the hours of the night passed away.
unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope
From this reading The only sounds were the clank of the pump and the dash of water from the scuppers or buckets, and an occasional snort of some huge fish, or the splash it made when plunging down into its liquid home.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading When the sun set there was not a breath of air, while the surface of the ocean was as smooth as a sheet of glass, though every now and then a swell rose under the boat's keel, making her roll for ten minutes afterwards, while it glided slowly away in the distance.
a very short time (as the time it takes the eye to blink or the heart to beat)
From this reading We were so weary and sleepy that the instant we were relieved from the pump we lay down and were lost in forgetfulness.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading The only sounds were the clank of the pump and the dash of water from the scuppers or buckets, and an occasional snort of some huge fish, or the splash it made when plunging down into its liquid home.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading When the sun set there was not a breath of air, while the surface of the ocean was as smooth as a sheet of glass, though every now and then a swell rose under the boat's keel, making her roll for ten minutes afterwards, while it glided slowly away in the distance.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading The only sounds were the clank of the pump and the dash of water from the scuppers or buckets, and an occasional snort of some huge fish, or the splash it made when plunging down into its liquid home.
keelnounUS /kiːl/
a projection or ridge that suggests a keel
From this reading When the sun set there was not a breath of air, while the surface of the ocean was as smooth as a sheet of glass, though every now and then a swell rose under the boat's keel, making her roll for ten minutes afterwards, while it glided slowly away in the distance.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading We were so weary and sleepy that the instant we were relieved from the pump we lay down and were lost in forgetfulness.
liquidadjectiveUS /ˈlɪkwəd/
existing as or having characteristics of a liquid; especially tending to flow
From this reading The only sounds were the clank of the pump and the dash of water from the scuppers or buckets, and an occasional snort of some huge fish, or the splash it made when plunging down into its liquid home.
no longer in your possession or control; unable to be found or recovered
From this reading We were so weary and sleepy that the instant we were relieved from the pump we lay down and were lost in forgetfulness.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading The only sounds were the clank of the pump and the dash of water from the scuppers or buckets, and an occasional snort of some huge fish, or the splash it made when plunging down into its liquid home.
the act that results in something coming to be
From this reading When the sun set there was not a breath of air, while the surface of the ocean was as smooth as a sheet of glass, though every now and then a swell rose under the boat's keel, making her roll for ten minutes afterwards, while it glided slowly away in the distance.
a written account of what transpired at a meeting
From this reading When the sun set there was not a breath of air, while the surface of the ocean was as smooth as a sheet of glass, though every now and then a swell rose under the boat's keel, making her roll for ten minutes afterwards, while it glided slowly away in the distance.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading Thus the hours of the night passed away.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading When the sun set there was not a breath of air, while the surface of the ocean was as smooth as a sheet of glass, though every now and then a swell rose under the boat's keel, making her roll for ten minutes afterwards, while it glided slowly away in the distance.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading When the sun set there was not a breath of air, while the surface of the ocean was as smooth as a sheet of glass, though every now and then a swell rose under the boat's keel, making her roll for ten minutes afterwards, while it glided slowly away in the distance.
occasionaladjectiveUS /əˈkeɪʒənəl/
occurring from time to time
From this reading The only sounds were the clank of the pump and the dash of water from the scuppers or buckets, and an occasional snort of some huge fish, or the splash it made when plunging down into its liquid home.
a large body of water constituting a principal part of the hydrosphere
From this reading When the sun set there was not a breath of air, while the surface of the ocean was as smooth as a sheet of glass, though every now and then a swell rose under the boat's keel, making her roll for ten minutes afterwards, while it glided slowly away in the distance.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading When the sun set there was not a breath of air, while the surface of the ocean was as smooth as a sheet of glass, though every now and then a swell rose under the boat's keel, making her roll for ten minutes afterwards, while it glided slowly away in the distance.
and nothing more
From this reading The only sounds were the clank of the pump and the dash of water from the scuppers or buckets, and an occasional snort of some huge fish, or the splash it made when plunging down into its liquid home.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading The only sounds were the clank of the pump and the dash of water from the scuppers or buckets, and an occasional snort of some huge fish, or the splash it made when plunging down into its liquid home.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading Thus the hours of the night passed away.
plungingverbUS /ˈplʌndʒɪŋ/
-ing form of “plunge” — thrust or throw into
From this reading The only sounds were the clank of the pump and the dash of water from the scuppers or buckets, and an occasional snort of some huge fish, or the splash it made when plunging down into its liquid home.
pumpverbUS /pʌmp/
operate like a pump; move up and down, like a handle or a pedal
From this reading The only sounds were the clank of the pump and the dash of water from the scuppers or buckets, and an occasional snort of some huge fish, or the splash it made when plunging down into its liquid home.
(of pain or sorrow) made easier to bear
From this reading We were so weary and sleepy that the instant we were relieved from the pump we lay down and were lost in forgetfulness.
move by turning over or rotating
From this reading When the sun set there was not a breath of air, while the surface of the ocean was as smooth as a sheet of glass, though every now and then a swell rose under the boat's keel, making her roll for ten minutes afterwards, while it glided slowly away in the distance.
any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading When the sun set there was not a breath of air, while the surface of the ocean was as smooth as a sheet of glass, though every now and then a swell rose under the boat's keel, making her roll for ten minutes afterwards, while it glided slowly away in the distance.
Identical; not different.
From this reading The day broke, the sun rose higher and higher, and beat hotter and hotter, and all around us was the same smooth, glassy ocean.
scuppersnounUS /ˈskʌpərz/
plural of “scupper” — drain that allows water on the deck of a vessel to flow overboard
From this reading The only sounds were the clank of the pump and the dash of water from the scuppers or buckets, and an occasional snort of some huge fish, or the splash it made when plunging down into its liquid home.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading When the sun set there was not a breath of air, while the surface of the ocean was as smooth as a sheet of glass, though every now and then a swell rose under the boat's keel, making her roll for ten minutes afterwards, while it glided slowly away in the distance.
any broad thin expanse or surface
From this reading When the sun set there was not a breath of air, while the surface of the ocean was as smooth as a sheet of glass, though every now and then a swell rose under the boat's keel, making her roll for ten minutes afterwards, while it glided slowly away in the distance.
sleepyadjectiveUS /ˈsliːpi/
ready to fall asleep
From this reading We were so weary and sleepy that the instant we were relieved from the pump we lay down and were lost in forgetfulness.
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading When the sun set there was not a breath of air, while the surface of the ocean was as smooth as a sheet of glass, though every now and then a swell rose under the boat's keel, making her roll for ten minutes afterwards, while it glided slowly away in the distance.
having a surface free from roughness or bumps or ridges or irregularities
From this reading When the sun set there was not a breath of air, while the surface of the ocean was as smooth as a sheet of glass, though every now and then a swell rose under the boat's keel, making her roll for ten minutes afterwards, while it glided slowly away in the distance.
snortverbUS /snɔːrt/
indicate contempt by breathing noisily and forcefully through the nose
From this reading The only sounds were the clank of the pump and the dash of water from the scuppers or buckets, and an occasional snort of some huge fish, or the splash it made when plunging down into its liquid home.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading We were so weary and sleepy that the instant we were relieved from the pump we lay down and were lost in forgetfulness.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading The only sounds were the clank of the pump and the dash of water from the scuppers or buckets, and an occasional snort of some huge fish, or the splash it made when plunging down into its liquid home.
plural of “sound” — the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading The only sounds were the clank of the pump and the dash of water from the scuppers or buckets, and an occasional snort of some huge fish, or the splash it made when plunging down into its liquid home.
splashverbUS /splæʃ/
cause (a liquid) to spatter about, especially with force
From this reading The only sounds were the clank of the pump and the dash of water from the scuppers or buckets, and an occasional snort of some huge fish, or the splash it made when plunging down into its liquid home.
the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system
From this reading When the sun set there was not a breath of air, while the surface of the ocean was as smooth as a sheet of glass, though every now and then a swell rose under the boat's keel, making her roll for ten minutes afterwards, while it glided slowly away in the distance.
the outer boundary of an artifact or a material layer constituting or resembling such a boundary
From this reading When the sun set there was not a breath of air, while the surface of the ocean was as smooth as a sheet of glass, though every now and then a swell rose under the boat's keel, making her roll for ten minutes afterwards, while it glided slowly away in the distance.
swellverbUS /swel/
increase in size, magnitude, number, or intensity
From this reading When the sun set there was not a breath of air, while the surface of the ocean was as smooth as a sheet of glass, though every now and then a swell rose under the boat's keel, making her roll for ten minutes afterwards, while it glided slowly away in the distance.
the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system
From this reading When the sun set there was not a breath of air, while the surface of the ocean was as smooth as a sheet of glass, though every now and then a swell rose under the boat's keel, making her roll for ten minutes afterwards, while it glided slowly away in the distance.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading We were so weary and sleepy that the instant we were relieved from the pump we lay down and were lost in forgetfulness.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading When the sun set there was not a breath of air, while the surface of the ocean was as smooth as a sheet of glass, though every now and then a swell rose under the boat's keel, making her roll for ten minutes afterwards, while it glided slowly away in the distance.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading When the sun set there was not a breath of air, while the surface of the ocean was as smooth as a sheet of glass, though every now and then a swell rose under the boat's keel, making her roll for ten minutes afterwards, while it glided slowly away in the distance.
in or at that place or location
From this reading When the sun set there was not a breath of air, while the surface of the ocean was as smooth as a sheet of glass, though every now and then a swell rose under the boat's keel, making her roll for ten minutes afterwards, while it glided slowly away in the distance.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading When the sun set there was not a breath of air, while the surface of the ocean was as smooth as a sheet of glass, though every now and then a swell rose under the boat's keel, making her roll for ten minutes afterwards, while it glided slowly away in the distance.
(used to introduce a logical conclusion) from that fact or reason or as a result
From this reading Thus the hours of the night passed away.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading When the sun set there was not a breath of air, while the surface of the ocean was as smooth as a sheet of glass, though every now and then a swell rose under the boat's keel, making her roll for ten minutes afterwards, while it glided slowly away in the distance.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The day broke, the sun rose higher and higher, and beat hotter and hotter, and all around us was the same smooth, glassy ocean.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading When the sun set there was not a breath of air, while the surface of the ocean was as smooth as a sheet of glass, though every now and then a swell rose under the boat's keel, making her roll for ten minutes afterwards, while it glided slowly away in the distance.
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 only sounds were the clank of the pump and the dash of water from the scuppers or buckets, and an occasional snort of some huge fish, or the splash it made when plunging down into its liquid home.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading We were so weary and sleepy that the instant we were relieved from the pump we lay down and were lost in forgetfulness.
exhaust or get tired through overuse or great strain or stress
From this reading We were so weary and sleepy that the instant we were relieved from the pump we lay down and were lost in forgetfulness.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The only sounds were the clank of the pump and the dash of water from the scuppers or buckets, and an occasional snort of some huge fish, or the splash it made when plunging down into its liquid home.
at the time that
From this reading When the sun set there was not a breath of air, while the surface of the ocean was as smooth as a sheet of glass, though every now and then a swell rose under the boat's keel, making her roll for ten minutes afterwards, while it glided slowly away in the distance.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading When the sun set there was not a breath of air, while the surface of the ocean was as smooth as a sheet of glass, though every now and then a swell rose under the boat's keel, making her roll for ten minutes afterwards, while it glided slowly away in the distance.
