used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Upon the same Sunday afternoon, in a small port on the eastern Spanish seaboard, Giles Legard leant over the rail of a long, forlorn-looking, wooden jetty.
the part of the day between noon and evening
From this reading Upon the same Sunday afternoon, in a small port on the eastern Spanish seaboard, Giles Legard leant over the rail of a long, forlorn-looking, wooden jetty.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading Against the black piles which upheld it the sea heaved inwards in smooth ripples.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The sea, hushed and bright, stretched past the jetty to the town, which rose in compact white tiers under the lee of a sandy waste of hills; on the hard line of the eastern horizon the dim haze of an island was visible.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Every now and then wisps of dark seaweed floated by, and up the sides of the piles the green slime gleamed in the hot sunshine.
a human limb; technically the part of the superior limb between the shoulder and the elbow but commonly used to refer to the whole superior limb
From this reading Keeping a precarious foothold on the slippery cross-beams with his bare, brown feet, a red-capped fisher boy plucked mussels, dropping them into a basket slung on his arm.
completely unclothed
From this reading Keeping a precarious foothold on the slippery cross-beams with his bare, brown feet, a red-capped fisher boy plucked mussels, dropping them into a basket slung on his arm.
a container that is usually woven and has handles
From this reading Keeping a precarious foothold on the slippery cross-beams with his bare, brown feet, a red-capped fisher boy plucked mussels, dropping them into a basket slung on his arm.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading Against the black piles which upheld it the sea heaved inwards in smooth ripples.
a youthful male person
From this reading Keeping a precarious foothold on the slippery cross-beams with his bare, brown feet, a red-capped fisher boy plucked mussels, dropping them into a basket slung on his arm.
emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts
From this reading The sea, hushed and bright, stretched past the jetty to the town, which rose in compact white tiers under the lee of a sandy waste of hills; on the hard line of the eastern horizon the dim haze of an island was visible.
an orange of low brightness and saturation
From this reading Keeping a precarious foothold on the slippery cross-beams with his bare, brown feet, a red-capped fisher boy plucked mussels, dropping them into a basket slung on his arm.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Every now and then wisps of dark seaweed floated by, and up the sides of the piles the green slime gleamed in the hot sunshine.
compactnounUS /ˈkɑːmpækt/
a small cosmetics case with a mirror; to be carried in a woman's purse
From this reading The sea, hushed and bright, stretched past the jetty to the town, which rose in compact white tiers under the lee of a sandy waste of hills; on the hard line of the eastern horizon the dim haze of an island was visible.
cross-beams
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Keeping a precarious foothold on the slippery cross-beams with his bare, brown feet, a red-capped fisher boy plucked mussels, dropping them into a basket slung on his arm.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading Every now and then wisps of dark seaweed floated by, and up the sides of the piles the green slime gleamed in the hot sunshine.
lacking in light; not bright or harsh
From this reading The sea, hushed and bright, stretched past the jetty to the town, which rose in compact white tiers under the lee of a sandy waste of hills; on the hard line of the eastern horizon the dim haze of an island was visible.
droppingadjectiveUS /ˈdrɑːpɪŋ/
coming down freely under the influence of gravity
From this reading Keeping a precarious foothold on the slippery cross-beams with his bare, brown feet, a red-capped fisher boy plucked mussels, dropping them into a basket slung on his arm.
lying toward or situated in the east
From this reading Upon the same Sunday afternoon, in a small port on the eastern Spanish seaboard, Giles Legard leant over the rail of a long, forlorn-looking, wooden jetty.
EverydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading Every now and then wisps of dark seaweed floated by, and up the sides of the piles the green slime gleamed in the hot sunshine.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading Keeping a precarious foothold on the slippery cross-beams with his bare, brown feet, a red-capped fisher boy plucked mussels, dropping them into a basket slung on his arm.
fishernounUS /ˈfɪʃər/
someone whose occupation is catching fish
From this reading Keeping a precarious foothold on the slippery cross-beams with his bare, brown feet, a red-capped fisher boy plucked mussels, dropping them into a basket slung on his arm.
floatedverbUS /ˈfloʊtəd/
past form of “float” — be in motion due to some air or water current
From this reading Every now and then wisps of dark seaweed floated by, and up the sides of the piles the green slime gleamed in the hot sunshine.
footholdnounUS /ˈfʊthoʊld/
an area in hostile territory that has been captured and is held awaiting further troops and supplies
From this reading Keeping a precarious foothold on the slippery cross-beams with his bare, brown feet, a red-capped fisher boy plucked mussels, dropping them into a basket slung on his arm.
forlorn-looking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Upon the same Sunday afternoon, in a small port on the eastern Spanish seaboard, Giles Legard leant over the rail of a long, forlorn-looking, wooden jetty.
Giles
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Upon the same Sunday afternoon, in a small port on the eastern Spanish seaboard, Giles Legard leant over the rail of a long, forlorn-looking, wooden jetty.
gleamedverbUS /ɡliːmd/
past form of “gleam” — be shiny, as if wet
From this reading Every now and then wisps of dark seaweed floated by, and up the sides of the piles the green slime gleamed in the hot sunshine.
green color or pigment; resembling the color of growing grass
From this reading Every now and then wisps of dark seaweed floated by, and up the sides of the piles the green slime gleamed in the hot sunshine.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading The sea, hushed and bright, stretched past the jetty to the town, which rose in compact white tiers under the lee of a sandy waste of hills; on the hard line of the eastern horizon the dim haze of an island was visible.
hazenounUS /heɪz/
atmospheric moisture or dust or smoke that causes reduced visibility
From this reading The sea, hushed and bright, stretched past the jetty to the town, which rose in compact white tiers under the lee of a sandy waste of hills; on the hard line of the eastern horizon the dim haze of an island was visible.
heavedverbUS /hiːvd/
past form of “heave” — utter a sound, as with obvious effort
From this reading Against the black piles which upheld it the sea heaved inwards in smooth ripples.
plural of “hill” — a local and well-defined elevation of the land
From this reading The sea, hushed and bright, stretched past the jetty to the town, which rose in compact white tiers under the lee of a sandy waste of hills; on the hard line of the eastern horizon the dim haze of an island was visible.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Keeping a precarious foothold on the slippery cross-beams with his bare, brown feet, a red-capped fisher boy plucked mussels, dropping them into a basket slung on his arm.
the line at which the sky and Earth appear to meet
From this reading The sea, hushed and bright, stretched past the jetty to the town, which rose in compact white tiers under the lee of a sandy waste of hills; on the hard line of the eastern horizon the dim haze of an island was visible.
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 Every now and then wisps of dark seaweed floated by, and up the sides of the piles the green slime gleamed in the hot sunshine.
hushedadjectiveUS /hʌʃt/
in a softened tone
From this reading The sea, hushed and bright, stretched past the jetty to the town, which rose in compact white tiers under the lee of a sandy waste of hills; on the hard line of the eastern horizon the dim haze of an island was visible.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Upon the same Sunday afternoon, in a small port on the eastern Spanish seaboard, Giles Legard leant over the rail of a long, forlorn-looking, wooden jetty.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Keeping a precarious foothold on the slippery cross-beams with his bare, brown feet, a red-capped fisher boy plucked mussels, dropping them into a basket slung on his arm.
inwardsadverb
to or toward the inside of
From this reading Against the black piles which upheld it the sea heaved inwards in smooth ripples.
a land mass (smaller than a continent) that is surrounded by water
From this reading The sea, hushed and bright, stretched past the jetty to the town, which rose in compact white tiers under the lee of a sandy waste of hills; on the hard line of the eastern horizon the dim haze of an island was visible.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Against the black piles which upheld it the sea heaved inwards in smooth ripples.
jettynounUS /ˈdʒeti/
a protective structure of stone or concrete; extends from shore into the water to prevent a beach from washing away
From this reading Upon the same Sunday afternoon, in a small port on the eastern Spanish seaboard, Giles Legard leant over the rail of a long, forlorn-looking, wooden jetty.
conformity or harmony
From this reading Keeping a precarious foothold on the slippery cross-beams with his bare, brown feet, a red-capped fisher boy plucked mussels, dropping them into a basket slung on his arm.
leantverbUS /ˈliːənt/
inflected form of “lean” — to incline or bend from a vertical position
From this reading Upon the same Sunday afternoon, in a small port on the eastern Spanish seaboard, Giles Legard leant over the rail of a long, forlorn-looking, wooden jetty.
United States filmmaker whose works explore the richness of black culture in America (born in 1957)
From this reading The sea, hushed and bright, stretched past the jetty to the town, which rose in compact white tiers under the lee of a sandy waste of hills; on the hard line of the eastern horizon the dim haze of an island was visible.
Legard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Upon the same Sunday afternoon, in a small port on the eastern Spanish seaboard, Giles Legard leant over the rail of a long, forlorn-looking, wooden jetty.
a formation of people or things one beside another
From this reading The sea, hushed and bright, stretched past the jetty to the town, which rose in compact white tiers under the lee of a sandy waste of hills; on the hard line of the eastern horizon the dim haze of an island was visible.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading Upon the same Sunday afternoon, in a small port on the eastern Spanish seaboard, Giles Legard leant over the rail of a long, forlorn-looking, wooden jetty.
musselsnounUS /ˈmʌsəlz/
plural of “mussel” — black marine bivalves usually steamed in wine
From this reading Keeping a precarious foothold on the slippery cross-beams with his bare, brown feet, a red-capped fisher boy plucked mussels, dropping them into a basket slung on his arm.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Every now and then wisps of dark seaweed floated by, and up the sides of the piles the green slime gleamed in the hot sunshine.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Upon the same Sunday afternoon, in a small port on the eastern Spanish seaboard, Giles Legard leant over the rail of a long, forlorn-looking, wooden jetty.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Upon the same Sunday afternoon, in a small port on the eastern Spanish seaboard, Giles Legard leant over the rail of a long, forlorn-looking, wooden jetty.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Upon the same Sunday afternoon, in a small port on the eastern Spanish seaboard, Giles Legard leant over the rail of a long, forlorn-looking, wooden jetty.
the time that has elapsed
From this reading The sea, hushed and bright, stretched past the jetty to the town, which rose in compact white tiers under the lee of a sandy waste of hills; on the hard line of the eastern horizon the dim haze of an island was visible.
pilesnounUS /paɪlz/
venous swelling external or internal to the anal sphincter
From this reading Against the black piles which upheld it the sea heaved inwards in smooth ripples.
pluckedadjectiveUS /plʌkt/
of a stringed instrument; sounded with the fingers or a plectrum
From this reading Keeping a precarious foothold on the slippery cross-beams with his bare, brown feet, a red-capped fisher boy plucked mussels, dropping them into a basket slung on his arm.
a place (seaport or airport) where people and merchandise can enter or leave a country
From this reading Upon the same Sunday afternoon, in a small port on the eastern Spanish seaboard, Giles Legard leant over the rail of a long, forlorn-looking, wooden jetty.
precariousadjectiveUS /priˈkeriəs/
affording no ease or reassurance
From this reading Keeping a precarious foothold on the slippery cross-beams with his bare, brown feet, a red-capped fisher boy plucked mussels, dropping them into a basket slung on his arm.
railnounUS /reɪl/
a barrier consisting of a horizontal bar and supports
From this reading Upon the same Sunday afternoon, in a small port on the eastern Spanish seaboard, Giles Legard leant over the rail of a long, forlorn-looking, wooden jetty.
red-capped
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Keeping a precarious foothold on the slippery cross-beams with his bare, brown feet, a red-capped fisher boy plucked mussels, dropping them into a basket slung on his arm.
ripplesnounUS /ˈrɪpəlz/
plural of “ripple” — a small wave on the surface of a liquid
From this reading Against the black piles which upheld it the sea heaved inwards in smooth ripples.
any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading The sea, hushed and bright, stretched past the jetty to the town, which rose in compact white tiers under the lee of a sandy waste of hills; on the hard line of the eastern horizon the dim haze of an island was visible.
Identical; not different.
From this reading Upon the same Sunday afternoon, in a small port on the eastern Spanish seaboard, Giles Legard leant over the rail of a long, forlorn-looking, wooden jetty.
sandyadjectiveUS /ˈsændi/
of hair color; pale yellowish to yellowish brown
From this reading The sea, hushed and bright, stretched past the jetty to the town, which rose in compact white tiers under the lee of a sandy waste of hills; on the hard line of the eastern horizon the dim haze of an island was visible.
a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
From this reading Against the black piles which upheld it the sea heaved inwards in smooth ripples.
seaboardnounUS /ˈsiːbɔːrd/
the shore of a sea or ocean regarded as a resort
From this reading Upon the same Sunday afternoon, in a small port on the eastern Spanish seaboard, Giles Legard leant over the rail of a long, forlorn-looking, wooden jetty.
seaweednounUS /ˈsiːwiːd/
plant growing in the sea, especially marine algae
From this reading Every now and then wisps of dark seaweed floated by, and up the sides of the piles the green slime gleamed in the hot sunshine.
plural of “side” — a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading Every now and then wisps of dark seaweed floated by, and up the sides of the piles the green slime gleamed in the hot sunshine.
slimeverbUS /slaɪm/
cover or stain with slime
From this reading Every now and then wisps of dark seaweed floated by, and up the sides of the piles the green slime gleamed in the hot sunshine.
slipperyadjectiveUS /ˈslɪpəri/
causing or tending to cause things to slip or slide
From this reading Keeping a precarious foothold on the slippery cross-beams with his bare, brown feet, a red-capped fisher boy plucked mussels, dropping them into a basket slung on his arm.
slungverbUS /slʌŋ/
inflected form of “sling” — hurl as if with a sling
From this reading Keeping a precarious foothold on the slippery cross-beams with his bare, brown feet, a red-capped fisher boy plucked mussels, dropping them into a basket slung on his arm.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Upon the same Sunday afternoon, in a small port on the eastern Spanish seaboard, Giles Legard leant over the rail of a long, forlorn-looking, wooden jetty.
having a surface free from roughness or bumps or ridges or irregularities
From this reading Against the black piles which upheld it the sea heaved inwards in smooth ripples.
the Romance language spoken in most of Spain and the countries colonized by Spain
From this reading Upon the same Sunday afternoon, in a small port on the eastern Spanish seaboard, Giles Legard leant over the rail of a long, forlorn-looking, wooden jetty.
(of muscles) relieved of stiffness by stretching
From this reading The sea, hushed and bright, stretched past the jetty to the town, which rose in compact white tiers under the lee of a sandy waste of hills; on the hard line of the eastern horizon the dim haze of an island was visible.
first day of the week; observed as a day of rest and worship by most Christians
From this reading Upon the same Sunday afternoon, in a small port on the eastern Spanish seaboard, Giles Legard leant over the rail of a long, forlorn-looking, wooden jetty.
the rays of the sun
From this reading Every now and then wisps of dark seaweed floated by, and up the sides of the piles the green slime gleamed in the hot sunshine.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Upon the same Sunday afternoon, in a small port on the eastern Spanish seaboard, Giles Legard leant over the rail of a long, forlorn-looking, wooden jetty.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Keeping a precarious foothold on the slippery cross-beams with his bare, brown feet, a red-capped fisher boy plucked mussels, dropping them into a basket slung on his arm.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Every now and then wisps of dark seaweed floated by, and up the sides of the piles the green slime gleamed in the hot sunshine.
tiersnounUS /tiːrz/
plural of “tier” — a relative position or degree of value in a graded group
From this reading The sea, hushed and bright, stretched past the jetty to the town, which rose in compact white tiers under the lee of a sandy waste of hills; on the hard line of the eastern horizon the dim haze of an island was visible.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The sea, hushed and bright, stretched past the jetty to the town, which rose in compact white tiers under the lee of a sandy waste of hills; on the hard line of the eastern horizon the dim haze of an island was visible.
an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city
From this reading The sea, hushed and bright, stretched past the jetty to the town, which rose in compact white tiers under the lee of a sandy waste of hills; on the hard line of the eastern horizon the dim haze of an island was visible.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading The sea, hushed and bright, stretched past the jetty to the town, which rose in compact white tiers under the lee of a sandy waste of hills; on the hard line of the eastern horizon the dim haze of an island was visible.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Every now and then wisps of dark seaweed floated by, and up the sides of the piles the green slime gleamed in the hot sunshine.
upheldverbUS /əpˈheld/
inflected form of “uphold” — keep or maintain in unaltered condition; cause to remain or last
From this reading Against the black piles which upheld it the sea heaved inwards in smooth ripples.
UponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Upon the same Sunday afternoon, in a small port on the eastern Spanish seaboard, Giles Legard leant over the rail of a long, forlorn-looking, wooden jetty.
capable of being seen; or open to easy view
From this reading The sea, hushed and bright, stretched past the jetty to the town, which rose in compact white tiers under the lee of a sandy waste of hills; on the hard line of the eastern horizon the dim haze of an island was visible.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The sea, hushed and bright, stretched past the jetty to the town, which rose in compact white tiers under the lee of a sandy waste of hills; on the hard line of the eastern horizon the dim haze of an island was visible.
any materials unused and rejected as worthless or unwanted
From this reading The sea, hushed and bright, stretched past the jetty to the town, which rose in compact white tiers under the lee of a sandy waste of hills; on the hard line of the eastern horizon the dim haze of an island was visible.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Against the black piles which upheld it the sea heaved inwards in smooth ripples.
a Caucasian
From this reading The sea, hushed and bright, stretched past the jetty to the town, which rose in compact white tiers under the lee of a sandy waste of hills; on the hard line of the eastern horizon the dim haze of an island was visible.
wisps
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Every now and then wisps of dark seaweed floated by, and up the sides of the piles the green slime gleamed in the hot sunshine.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Keeping a precarious foothold on the slippery cross-beams with his bare, brown feet, a red-capped fisher boy plucked mussels, dropping them into a basket slung on his arm.
made or consisting of (entirely or in part) or employing wood
From this reading Upon the same Sunday afternoon, in a small port on the eastern Spanish seaboard, Giles Legard leant over the rail of a long, forlorn-looking, wooden jetty.
