used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It was nine o'clock in the evening when they left the _Rowan_ at anchor in the channel a hundred yards away, and he knew the tide was beginning to flow, which meant that he had an hour and a half in which to reach and return from the wreck.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading THE WHAMMEL BOAT Thin fog drifted down the Firth when, with Whitney's help, Andrew pulled the dinghy up the bank and then stopped to look about.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading There was no other sound except the ripple of the current across the shoals.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading The sand felt harder than usual, for the night air was frosty, but the melancholy calling of the wild fowl told that the salt ooze in the gutters was still unfrozen.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading It was nine o'clock in the evening when they left the _Rowan_ at anchor in the channel a hundred yards away, and he knew the tide was beginning to flow, which meant that he had an hour and a half in which to reach and return from the wreck.
anchornounUS /ˈæŋkər/
a mechanical device that prevents a vessel from moving
From this reading It was nine o'clock in the evening when they left the _Rowan_ at anchor in the channel a hundred yards away, and he knew the tide was beginning to flow, which meant that he had an hour and a half in which to reach and return from the wreck.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE WHAMMEL BOAT Thin fog drifted down the Firth when, with Whitney's help, Andrew pulled the dinghy up the bank and then stopped to look about.
AndrewnounUS /ˈændruː/
(New Testament) disciple of Jesus; brother of Peter; patron saint of Scotland
From this reading THE WHAMMEL BOAT Thin fog drifted down the Firth when, with Whitney's help, Andrew pulled the dinghy up the bank and then stopped to look about.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading It was nine o'clock in the evening when they left the _Rowan_ at anchor in the channel a hundred yards away, and he knew the tide was beginning to flow, which meant that he had an hour and a half in which to reach and return from the wreck.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading It was nine o'clock in the evening when they left the _Rowan_ at anchor in the channel a hundred yards away, and he knew the tide was beginning to flow, which meant that he had an hour and a half in which to reach and return from the wreck.
sloping land (especially the slope beside a body of water)
From this reading THE WHAMMEL BOAT Thin fog drifted down the Firth when, with Whitney's help, Andrew pulled the dinghy up the bank and then stopped to look about.
the event consisting of the start of something
From this reading It was nine o'clock in the evening when they left the _Rowan_ at anchor in the channel a hundred yards away, and he knew the tide was beginning to flow, which meant that he had an hour and a half in which to reach and return from the wreck.
of the color intermediate between green and violet; having a color similar to that of a clear unclouded sky
From this reading Everything was obscured to the east, but to the west the sky was clear, and a thin, bright moon shone in a patch of dusky blue.
a small vessel for travel on water
From this reading THE WHAMMEL BOAT Thin fog drifted down the Firth when, with Whitney's help, Andrew pulled the dinghy up the bank and then stopped to look about.
emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts
From this reading Everything was obscured to the east, but to the west the sky was clear, and a thin, bright moon shone in a patch of dusky blue.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Everything was obscured to the east, but to the west the sky was clear, and a thin, bright moon shone in a patch of dusky blue.
the particular occupation for which you are trained
From this reading The sand felt harder than usual, for the night air was frosty, but the melancholy calling of the wild fowl told that the salt ooze in the gutters was still unfrozen.
channelnounUS /ˈtʃænəl/
a path over which electrical signals can pass
From this reading It was nine o'clock in the evening when they left the _Rowan_ at anchor in the channel a hundred yards away, and he knew the tide was beginning to flow, which meant that he had an hour and a half in which to reach and return from the wreck.
rid of obstructions
From this reading Everything was obscured to the east, but to the west the sky was clear, and a thin, bright moon shone in a patch of dusky blue.
a flow of electricity through a conductor
From this reading There was no other sound except the ripple of the current across the shoals.
dinghynounUS /ˈdɪŋi/
a small boat of shallow draft with cross thwarts for seats and rowlocks for oars with which it is propelled
From this reading THE WHAMMEL BOAT Thin fog drifted down the Firth when, with Whitney's help, Andrew pulled the dinghy up the bank and then stopped to look about.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading THE WHAMMEL BOAT Thin fog drifted down the Firth when, with Whitney's help, Andrew pulled the dinghy up the bank and then stopped to look about.
driftedverbUS /ˈdrɪftəd/
past form of “drift” — be in motion due to some air or water current
From this reading THE WHAMMEL BOAT Thin fog drifted down the Firth when, with Whitney's help, Andrew pulled the dinghy up the bank and then stopped to look about.
duskyadjective
lighted by or as if by twilight
From this reading Everything was obscured to the east, but to the west the sky was clear, and a thin, bright moon shone in a patch of dusky blue.
the cardinal compass point that is at 90 degrees
From this reading Everything was obscured to the east, but to the west the sky was clear, and a thin, bright moon shone in a patch of dusky blue.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading It was nine o'clock in the evening when they left the _Rowan_ at anchor in the channel a hundred yards away, and he knew the tide was beginning to flow, which meant that he had an hour and a half in which to reach and return from the wreck.
all things; all of a situation
From this reading Everything was obscured to the east, but to the west the sky was clear, and a thin, bright moon shone in a patch of dusky blue.
apart from; not including
From this reading There was no other sound except the ripple of the current across the shoals.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading The sand felt harder than usual, for the night air was frosty, but the melancholy calling of the wild fowl told that the salt ooze in the gutters was still unfrozen.
FirthnounUS /fɜːrθ/
English linguist who contributed to linguistic semantics and to prosodic phonology and who was noted for his insistence on studying both sound and meaning in context (1890-1960)
From this reading THE WHAMMEL BOAT Thin fog drifted down the Firth when, with Whitney's help, Andrew pulled the dinghy up the bank and then stopped to look about.
flownounUS /floʊ/
the motion characteristic of fluids (liquids or gases)
From this reading It was nine o'clock in the evening when they left the _Rowan_ at anchor in the channel a hundred yards away, and he knew the tide was beginning to flow, which meant that he had an hour and a half in which to reach and return from the wreck.
fognounUS /fɑːɡ/
droplets of water vapor suspended in the air near the ground
From this reading THE WHAMMEL BOAT Thin fog drifted down the Firth when, with Whitney's help, Andrew pulled the dinghy up the bank and then stopped to look about.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The sand felt harder than usual, for the night air was frosty, but the melancholy calling of the wild fowl told that the salt ooze in the gutters was still unfrozen.
fowlnounUS /faʊl/
a domesticated gallinaceous bird thought to be descended from the red jungle fowl
From this reading The sand felt harder than usual, for the night air was frosty, but the melancholy calling of the wild fowl told that the salt ooze in the gutters was still unfrozen.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading It was nine o'clock in the evening when they left the _Rowan_ at anchor in the channel a hundred yards away, and he knew the tide was beginning to flow, which meant that he had an hour and a half in which to reach and return from the wreck.
frostyadjectiveUS /ˈfrɔːsti/
devoid of warmth and cordiality; expressive of unfriendliness or disdain
From this reading The sand felt harder than usual, for the night air was frosty, but the melancholy calling of the wild fowl told that the salt ooze in the gutters was still unfrozen.
guttersnounUS /ˈɡʌtərz/
plural of “gutter” — a channel along the eaves or on the roof; collects and carries away rainwater
From this reading The sand felt harder than usual, for the night air was frosty, but the melancholy calling of the wild fowl told that the salt ooze in the gutters was still unfrozen.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading It was nine o'clock in the evening when they left the _Rowan_ at anchor in the channel a hundred yards away, and he knew the tide was beginning to flow, which meant that he had an hour and a half in which to reach and return from the wreck.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading It was nine o'clock in the evening when they left the _Rowan_ at anchor in the channel a hundred yards away, and he knew the tide was beginning to flow, which meant that he had an hour and a half in which to reach and return from the wreck.
harderadverbUS /ˈhɑːrdər/
comparative of “hard” — with effort or force or vigor
From this reading The sand felt harder than usual, for the night air was frosty, but the melancholy calling of the wild fowl told that the salt ooze in the gutters was still unfrozen.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It was nine o'clock in the evening when they left the _Rowan_ at anchor in the channel a hundred yards away, and he knew the tide was beginning to flow, which meant that he had an hour and a half in which to reach and return from the wreck.
give help or assistance; be of service
From this reading THE WHAMMEL BOAT Thin fog drifted down the Firth when, with Whitney's help, Andrew pulled the dinghy up the bank and then stopped to look about.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading It was nine o'clock in the evening when they left the _Rowan_ at anchor in the channel a hundred yards away, and he knew the tide was beginning to flow, which meant that he had an hour and a half in which to reach and return from the wreck.
ten 10s
From this reading It was nine o'clock in the evening when they left the _Rowan_ at anchor in the channel a hundred yards away, and he knew the tide was beginning to flow, which meant that he had an hour and a half in which to reach and return from the wreck.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It was nine o'clock in the evening when they left the _Rowan_ at anchor in the channel a hundred yards away, and he knew the tide was beginning to flow, which meant that he had an hour and a half in which to reach and return from the wreck.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was nine o'clock in the evening when they left the _Rowan_ at anchor in the channel a hundred yards away, and he knew the tide was beginning to flow, which meant that he had an hour and a half in which to reach and return from the wreck.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading It was nine o'clock in the evening when they left the _Rowan_ at anchor in the channel a hundred yards away, and he knew the tide was beginning to flow, which meant that he had an hour and a half in which to reach and return from the wreck.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading It was nine o'clock in the evening when they left the _Rowan_ at anchor in the channel a hundred yards away, and he knew the tide was beginning to flow, which meant that he had an hour and a half in which to reach and return from the wreck.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading THE WHAMMEL BOAT Thin fog drifted down the Firth when, with Whitney's help, Andrew pulled the dinghy up the bank and then stopped to look about.
inflected form of “mean” — mean or intend to express or convey
From this reading It was nine o'clock in the evening when they left the _Rowan_ at anchor in the channel a hundred yards away, and he knew the tide was beginning to flow, which meant that he had an hour and a half in which to reach and return from the wreck.
a feeling of thoughtful sadness
From this reading The sand felt harder than usual, for the night air was frosty, but the melancholy calling of the wild fowl told that the salt ooze in the gutters was still unfrozen.
the natural satellite of the Earth
From this reading Everything was obscured to the east, but to the west the sky was clear, and a thin, bright moon shone in a patch of dusky blue.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading The sand felt harder than usual, for the night air was frosty, but the melancholy calling of the wild fowl told that the salt ooze in the gutters was still unfrozen.
the cardinal number that is the sum of eight and one
From this reading It was nine o'clock in the evening when they left the _Rowan_ at anchor in the channel a hundred yards away, and he knew the tide was beginning to flow, which meant that he had an hour and a half in which to reach and return from the wreck.
not any; not one
From this reading There was no other sound except the ripple of the current across the shoals.
o'clockadverbUS /əˈklɑːk/
according to the clock
From this reading It was nine o'clock in the evening when they left the _Rowan_ at anchor in the channel a hundred yards away, and he knew the tide was beginning to flow, which meant that he had an hour and a half in which to reach and return from the wreck.
obscuredverbUS /əbsˈkjʊrd/
past form of “obscure” — make less visible or unclear
From this reading Everything was obscured to the east, but to the west the sky was clear, and a thin, bright moon shone in a patch of dusky blue.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Everything was obscured to the east, but to the west the sky was clear, and a thin, bright moon shone in a patch of dusky blue.
oozenounUS /uːz/
any thick, viscous matter
From this reading The sand felt harder than usual, for the night air was frosty, but the melancholy calling of the wild fowl told that the salt ooze in the gutters was still unfrozen.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading There was no other sound except the ripple of the current across the shoals.
patchnounUS /pætʃ/
a small contrasting part of something
From this reading Everything was obscured to the east, but to the west the sky was clear, and a thin, bright moon shone in a patch of dusky blue.
past form of “pull” — cause to move by pulling
From this reading THE WHAMMEL BOAT Thin fog drifted down the Firth when, with Whitney's help, Andrew pulled the dinghy up the bank and then stopped to look about.
reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading It was nine o'clock in the evening when they left the _Rowan_ at anchor in the channel a hundred yards away, and he knew the tide was beginning to flow, which meant that he had an hour and a half in which to reach and return from the wreck.
go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading It was nine o'clock in the evening when they left the _Rowan_ at anchor in the channel a hundred yards away, and he knew the tide was beginning to flow, which meant that he had an hour and a half in which to reach and return from the wreck.
ripplenounUS /ˈrɪpəl/
a small wave on the surface of a liquid
From this reading There was no other sound except the ripple of the current across the shoals.
RowannounUS /ˈroʊən/
Eurasian tree with orange-red berrylike fruits
From this reading It was nine o'clock in the evening when they left the _Rowan_ at anchor in the channel a hundred yards away, and he knew the tide was beginning to flow, which meant that he had an hour and a half in which to reach and return from the wreck.
a compound formed by replacing hydrogen in an acid by a metal (or a radical that acts like a metal)
From this reading The sand felt harder than usual, for the night air was frosty, but the melancholy calling of the wild fowl told that the salt ooze in the gutters was still unfrozen.
a loose material consisting of grains of rock or coral
From this reading The sand felt harder than usual, for the night air was frosty, but the melancholy calling of the wild fowl told that the salt ooze in the gutters was still unfrozen.
shoalsnounUS /ʃoʊlz/
plural of “shoal” — a sandbank in a stretch of water that is visible at low tide
From this reading There was no other sound except the ripple of the current across the shoals.
inflected form of “shine” — be bright by reflecting or casting light
From this reading Everything was obscured to the east, but to the west the sky was clear, and a thin, bright moon shone in a patch of dusky blue.
the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading Everything was obscured to the east, but to the west the sky was clear, and a thin, bright moon shone in a patch of dusky blue.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading There was no other sound except the ripple of the current across the shoals.
not in physical motion
From this reading The sand felt harder than usual, for the night air was frosty, but the melancholy calling of the wild fowl told that the salt ooze in the gutters was still unfrozen.
(of a nose) blocked
From this reading THE WHAMMEL BOAT Thin fog drifted down the Firth when, with Whitney's help, Andrew pulled the dinghy up the bank and then stopped to look about.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading The sand felt harder than usual, for the night air was frosty, but the melancholy calling of the wild fowl told that the salt ooze in the gutters was still unfrozen.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was nine o'clock in the evening when they left the _Rowan_ at anchor in the channel a hundred yards away, and he knew the tide was beginning to flow, which meant that he had an hour and a half in which to reach and return from the wreck.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE WHAMMEL BOAT Thin fog drifted down the Firth when, with Whitney's help, Andrew pulled the dinghy up the bank and then stopped to look about.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading THE WHAMMEL BOAT Thin fog drifted down the Firth when, with Whitney's help, Andrew pulled the dinghy up the bank and then stopped to look about.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was no other sound except the ripple of the current across the shoals.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It was nine o'clock in the evening when they left the _Rowan_ at anchor in the channel a hundred yards away, and he knew the tide was beginning to flow, which meant that he had an hour and a half in which to reach and return from the wreck.
Having little thickness or extent.
From this reading THE WHAMMEL BOAT Thin fog drifted down the Firth when, with Whitney's help, Andrew pulled the dinghy up the bank and then stopped to look about.
the periodic rise and fall of the sea level under the gravitational pull of the moon
From this reading It was nine o'clock in the evening when they left the _Rowan_ at anchor in the channel a hundred yards away, and he knew the tide was beginning to flow, which meant that he had an hour and a half in which to reach and return from the wreck.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE WHAMMEL BOAT Thin fog drifted down the Firth when, with Whitney's help, Andrew pulled the dinghy up the bank and then stopped to look about.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading The sand felt harder than usual, for the night air was frosty, but the melancholy calling of the wild fowl told that the salt ooze in the gutters was still unfrozen.
unfrozenadjectiveUS /ənˈfroʊzɪn/
not frozen
From this reading The sand felt harder than usual, for the night air was frosty, but the melancholy calling of the wild fowl told that the salt ooze in the gutters was still unfrozen.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading THE WHAMMEL BOAT Thin fog drifted down the Firth when, with Whitney's help, Andrew pulled the dinghy up the bank and then stopped to look about.
usualadjectiveUS /ˈjuːʒəwəl/
occurring or encountered or experienced or observed frequently or in accordance with regular practice or procedure
From this reading The sand felt harder than usual, for the night air was frosty, but the melancholy calling of the wild fowl told that the salt ooze in the gutters was still unfrozen.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was nine o'clock in the evening when they left the _Rowan_ at anchor in the channel a hundred yards away, and he knew the tide was beginning to flow, which meant that he had an hour and a half in which to reach and return from the wreck.
the countries of (originally) Europe and (now including) North America and South America
From this reading Everything was obscured to the east, but to the west the sky was clear, and a thin, bright moon shone in a patch of dusky blue.
WHAMMEL
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE WHAMMEL BOAT Thin fog drifted down the Firth when, with Whitney's help, Andrew pulled the dinghy up the bank and then stopped to look about.
at the time that
From this reading THE WHAMMEL BOAT Thin fog drifted down the Firth when, with Whitney's help, Andrew pulled the dinghy up the bank and then stopped to look about.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading It was nine o'clock in the evening when they left the _Rowan_ at anchor in the channel a hundred yards away, and he knew the tide was beginning to flow, which meant that he had an hour and a half in which to reach and return from the wreck.
Whitney'snounUS /ˈwɪtniz/
possessive form of “whitney” — United States inventor of the mechanical cotton gin (1765-1825)
From this reading THE WHAMMEL BOAT Thin fog drifted down the Firth when, with Whitney's help, Andrew pulled the dinghy up the bank and then stopped to look about.
marked by extreme lack of restraint or control
From this reading The sand felt harder than usual, for the night air was frosty, but the melancholy calling of the wild fowl told that the salt ooze in the gutters was still unfrozen.
in the company of; together with
From this reading THE WHAMMEL BOAT Thin fog drifted down the Firth when, with Whitney's help, Andrew pulled the dinghy up the bank and then stopped to look about.
wrecknounUS /rek/
something or someone that has suffered ruin or dilapidation
From this reading It was nine o'clock in the evening when they left the _Rowan_ at anchor in the channel a hundred yards away, and he knew the tide was beginning to flow, which meant that he had an hour and a half in which to reach and return from the wreck.
plural of “yard” — a unit of length equal to 3 feet; defined as 91.44 centimeters; originally taken to be the average length of a stride
From this reading It was nine o'clock in the evening when they left the _Rowan_ at anchor in the channel a hundred yards away, and he knew the tide was beginning to flow, which meant that he had an hour and a half in which to reach and return from the wreck.
