used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading WHAT BEFELL AT THE QUEEN’S FERRY As soon as we came to the inn, Ransome led us up the stair to a small room, with a bed in it, and heated like an oven by a great fire of coal.
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading “I am proud to see you, Mr. Balfour,” said he, in a fine deep voice, “and glad that ye are here in time.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading WHAT BEFELL AT THE QUEEN’S FERRY As soon as we came to the inn, Ransome led us up the stair to a small room, with a bed in it, and heated like an oven by a great fire of coal.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading WHAT BEFELL AT THE QUEEN’S FERRY As soon as we came to the inn, Ransome led us up the stair to a small room, with a bed in it, and heated like an oven by a great fire of coal.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading In spite of the heat of the room, he wore a thick sea-jacket, buttoned to the neck, and a tall hairy cap drawn down over his ears; yet I never saw any man, not even a judge upon the bench, look cooler, or more studious and self-possessed, than this ship-captain.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading “I am proud to see you, Mr. Balfour,” said he, in a fine deep voice, “and glad that ye are here in time.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading WHAT BEFELL AT THE QUEEN’S FERRY As soon as we came to the inn, Ransome led us up the stair to a small room, with a bed in it, and heated like an oven by a great fire of coal.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading WHAT BEFELL AT THE QUEEN’S FERRY As soon as we came to the inn, Ransome led us up the stair to a small room, with a bed in it, and heated like an oven by a great fire of coal.
BalfournounUS /ˈbælfɔːr/
English statesman; member of the Conservative Party (1848-1930)
From this reading “I am proud to see you, Mr. Balfour,” said he, in a fine deep voice, “and glad that ye are here in time.
a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading WHAT BEFELL AT THE QUEEN’S FERRY As soon as we came to the inn, Ransome led us up the stair to a small room, with a bed in it, and heated like an oven by a great fire of coal.
BEFELLverbUS /bɪˈfel/
inflected form of “befall” — become of; happen to
From this reading WHAT BEFELL AT THE QUEEN’S FERRY As soon as we came to the inn, Ransome led us up the stair to a small room, with a bed in it, and heated like an oven by a great fire of coal.
a long seat for more than one person
From this reading In spite of the heat of the room, he wore a thick sea-jacket, buttoned to the neck, and a tall hairy cap drawn down over his ears; yet I never saw any man, not even a judge upon the bench, look cooler, or more studious and self-possessed, than this ship-captain.
buttonedadjectiveUS /ˈbʌtənd/
furnished or closed with buttons or something buttonlike
From this reading In spite of the heat of the room, he wore a thick sea-jacket, buttoned to the neck, and a tall hairy cap drawn down over his ears; yet I never saw any man, not even a judge upon the bench, look cooler, or more studious and self-possessed, than this ship-captain.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading WHAT BEFELL AT THE QUEEN’S FERRY As soon as we came to the inn, Ransome led us up the stair to a small room, with a bed in it, and heated like an oven by a great fire of coal.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading WHAT BEFELL AT THE QUEEN’S FERRY As soon as we came to the inn, Ransome led us up the stair to a small room, with a bed in it, and heated like an oven by a great fire of coal.
a tight-fitting headdress
From this reading In spite of the heat of the room, he wore a thick sea-jacket, buttoned to the neck, and a tall hairy cap drawn down over his ears; yet I never saw any man, not even a judge upon the bench, look cooler, or more studious and self-possessed, than this ship-captain.
chimneynounUS /ˈtʃɪmni/
a vertical flue that provides a path through which smoke from a fire is carried away through the wall or roof of a building
From this reading At a table hard by the chimney, a tall, dark, sober-looking man sat writing.
coalnounUS /koʊl/
fossil fuel consisting of carbonized vegetable matter deposited in the Carboniferous period
From this reading WHAT BEFELL AT THE QUEEN’S FERRY As soon as we came to the inn, Ransome led us up the stair to a small room, with a bed in it, and heated like an oven by a great fire of coal.
the act of drawing spatially closer to something
From this reading He got to his feet at once, and coming forward, offered his large hand to Ebenezer.
coolernounUS /ˈkuːlər/
a refrigerator for cooling liquids
From this reading In spite of the heat of the room, he wore a thick sea-jacket, buttoned to the neck, and a tall hairy cap drawn down over his ears; yet I never saw any man, not even a judge upon the bench, look cooler, or more studious and self-possessed, than this ship-captain.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading At a table hard by the chimney, a tall, dark, sober-looking man sat writing.
relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply
From this reading “I am proud to see you, Mr. Balfour,” said he, in a fine deep voice, “and glad that ye are here in time.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading In spite of the heat of the room, he wore a thick sea-jacket, buttoned to the neck, and a tall hairy cap drawn down over his ears; yet I never saw any man, not even a judge upon the bench, look cooler, or more studious and self-possessed, than this ship-captain.
showing the wearing effects of overwork or care or suffering
From this reading In spite of the heat of the room, he wore a thick sea-jacket, buttoned to the neck, and a tall hairy cap drawn down over his ears; yet I never saw any man, not even a judge upon the bench, look cooler, or more studious and self-possessed, than this ship-captain.
plural of “ear” — the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium
From this reading In spite of the heat of the room, he wore a thick sea-jacket, buttoned to the neck, and a tall hairy cap drawn down over his ears; yet I never saw any man, not even a judge upon the bench, look cooler, or more studious and self-possessed, than this ship-captain.
Ebenezer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He got to his feet at once, and coming forward, offered his large hand to Ebenezer.
divisible by two
From this reading In spite of the heat of the room, he wore a thick sea-jacket, buttoned to the neck, and a tall hairy cap drawn down over his ears; yet I never saw any man, not even a judge upon the bench, look cooler, or more studious and self-possessed, than this ship-captain.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading He got to his feet at once, and coming forward, offered his large hand to Ebenezer.
FERRYverbUS /ˈferi/
transport from one place to another
From this reading WHAT BEFELL AT THE QUEEN’S FERRY As soon as we came to the inn, Ransome led us up the stair to a small room, with a bed in it, and heated like an oven by a great fire of coal.
being satisfactory or in satisfactory condition
From this reading “I am proud to see you, Mr. Balfour,” said he, in a fine deep voice, “and glad that ye are here in time.
start firing a weapon
From this reading WHAT BEFELL AT THE QUEEN’S FERRY As soon as we came to the inn, Ransome led us up the stair to a small room, with a bed in it, and heated like an oven by a great fire of coal.
at or to or toward the front
From this reading He got to his feet at once, and coming forward, offered his large hand to Ebenezer.
showing or causing joy and pleasure; especially made happy
From this reading “I am proud to see you, Mr. Balfour,” said he, in a fine deep voice, “and glad that ye are here in time.
inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading He got to his feet at once, and coming forward, offered his large hand to Ebenezer.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading WHAT BEFELL AT THE QUEEN’S FERRY As soon as we came to the inn, Ransome led us up the stair to a small room, with a bed in it, and heated like an oven by a great fire of coal.
hairyadjectiveUS /ˈheri/
having or covered with hair
From this reading In spite of the heat of the room, he wore a thick sea-jacket, buttoned to the neck, and a tall hairy cap drawn down over his ears; yet I never saw any man, not even a judge upon the bench, look cooler, or more studious and self-possessed, than this ship-captain.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading He got to his feet at once, and coming forward, offered his large hand to Ebenezer.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading At a table hard by the chimney, a tall, dark, sober-looking man sat writing.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading In spite of the heat of the room, he wore a thick sea-jacket, buttoned to the neck, and a tall hairy cap drawn down over his ears; yet I never saw any man, not even a judge upon the bench, look cooler, or more studious and self-possessed, than this ship-captain.
a form of energy that is transferred by a difference in temperature
From this reading In spite of the heat of the room, he wore a thick sea-jacket, buttoned to the neck, and a tall hairy cap drawn down over his ears; yet I never saw any man, not even a judge upon the bench, look cooler, or more studious and self-possessed, than this ship-captain.
heatedadjectiveUS /ˈhiːtəd/
made warm or hot (“het” is a dialectal variant of “heated”)
From this reading WHAT BEFELL AT THE QUEEN’S FERRY As soon as we came to the inn, Ransome led us up the stair to a small room, with a bed in it, and heated like an oven by a great fire of coal.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading “I am proud to see you, Mr. Balfour,” said he, in a fine deep voice, “and glad that ye are here in time.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading In spite of the heat of the room, he wore a thick sea-jacket, buttoned to the neck, and a tall hairy cap drawn down over his ears; yet I never saw any man, not even a judge upon the bench, look cooler, or more studious and self-possessed, than this ship-captain.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading In spite of the heat of the room, he wore a thick sea-jacket, buttoned to the neck, and a tall hairy cap drawn down over his ears; yet I never saw any man, not even a judge upon the bench, look cooler, or more studious and self-possessed, than this ship-captain.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading WHAT BEFELL AT THE QUEEN’S FERRY As soon as we came to the inn, Ransome led us up the stair to a small room, with a bed in it, and heated like an oven by a great fire of coal.
a hotel providing overnight lodging for travelers
From this reading WHAT BEFELL AT THE QUEEN’S FERRY As soon as we came to the inn, Ransome led us up the stair to a small room, with a bed in it, and heated like an oven by a great fire of coal.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading WHAT BEFELL AT THE QUEEN’S FERRY As soon as we came to the inn, Ransome led us up the stair to a small room, with a bed in it, and heated like an oven by a great fire of coal.
determine the result of (a competition)
From this reading In spite of the heat of the room, he wore a thick sea-jacket, buttoned to the neck, and a tall hairy cap drawn down over his ears; yet I never saw any man, not even a judge upon the bench, look cooler, or more studious and self-possessed, than this ship-captain.
largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading He got to his feet at once, and coming forward, offered his large hand to Ebenezer.
diode such that light emitted at a p-n junction is proportional to the bias current; color depends on the material used
From this reading WHAT BEFELL AT THE QUEEN’S FERRY As soon as we came to the inn, Ransome led us up the stair to a small room, with a bed in it, and heated like an oven by a great fire of coal.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading WHAT BEFELL AT THE QUEEN’S FERRY As soon as we came to the inn, Ransome led us up the stair to a small room, with a bed in it, and heated like an oven by a great fire of coal.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading In spite of the heat of the room, he wore a thick sea-jacket, buttoned to the neck, and a tall hairy cap drawn down over his ears; yet I never saw any man, not even a judge upon the bench, look cooler, or more studious and self-possessed, than this ship-captain.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading At a table hard by the chimney, a tall, dark, sober-looking man sat writing.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading In spite of the heat of the room, he wore a thick sea-jacket, buttoned to the neck, and a tall hairy cap drawn down over his ears; yet I never saw any man, not even a judge upon the bench, look cooler, or more studious and self-possessed, than this ship-captain.
a form of address for a man
From this reading “I am proud to see you, Mr. Balfour,” said he, in a fine deep voice, “and glad that ye are here in time.
the part of an organism (human or animal) that connects the head to the rest of the body
From this reading In spite of the heat of the room, he wore a thick sea-jacket, buttoned to the neck, and a tall hairy cap drawn down over his ears; yet I never saw any man, not even a judge upon the bench, look cooler, or more studious and self-possessed, than this ship-captain.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading In spite of the heat of the room, he wore a thick sea-jacket, buttoned to the neck, and a tall hairy cap drawn down over his ears; yet I never saw any man, not even a judge upon the bench, look cooler, or more studious and self-possessed, than this ship-captain.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading In spite of the heat of the room, he wore a thick sea-jacket, buttoned to the neck, and a tall hairy cap drawn down over his ears; yet I never saw any man, not even a judge upon the bench, look cooler, or more studious and self-possessed, than this ship-captain.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading WHAT BEFELL AT THE QUEEN’S FERRY As soon as we came to the inn, Ransome led us up the stair to a small room, with a bed in it, and heated like an oven by a great fire of coal.
past form of “offer” — make available or accessible, provide or furnish
From this reading He got to his feet at once, and coming forward, offered his large hand to Ebenezer.
on one occasion
From this reading He got to his feet at once, and coming forward, offered his large hand to Ebenezer.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading In spite of the heat of the room, he wore a thick sea-jacket, buttoned to the neck, and a tall hairy cap drawn down over his ears; yet I never saw any man, not even a judge upon the bench, look cooler, or more studious and self-possessed, than this ship-captain.
ovennounUS /ˈʌvən/
kitchen appliance used for baking or roasting
From this reading WHAT BEFELL AT THE QUEEN’S FERRY As soon as we came to the inn, Ransome led us up the stair to a small room, with a bed in it, and heated like an oven by a great fire of coal.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading In spite of the heat of the room, he wore a thick sea-jacket, buttoned to the neck, and a tall hairy cap drawn down over his ears; yet I never saw any man, not even a judge upon the bench, look cooler, or more studious and self-possessed, than this ship-captain.
feeling self-respect or pleasure in something by which you measure your self-worth; or being a reason for pride
From this reading “I am proud to see you, Mr. Balfour,” said he, in a fine deep voice, “and glad that ye are here in time.
QUEEN'SnounUS /kwiːnz/
possessive form of “queen” — the only fertile female in a colony of social insects such as bees and ants and termites; its function is to lay eggs
From this reading WHAT BEFELL AT THE QUEEN’S FERRY As soon as we came to the inn, Ransome led us up the stair to a small room, with a bed in it, and heated like an oven by a great fire of coal.
Ransome
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading WHAT BEFELL AT THE QUEEN’S FERRY As soon as we came to the inn, Ransome led us up the stair to a small room, with a bed in it, and heated like an oven by a great fire of coal.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading WHAT BEFELL AT THE QUEEN’S FERRY As soon as we came to the inn, Ransome led us up the stair to a small room, with a bed in it, and heated like an oven by a great fire of coal.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “I am proud to see you, Mr. Balfour,” said he, in a fine deep voice, “and glad that ye are here in time.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading At a table hard by the chimney, a tall, dark, sober-looking man sat writing.
cut with a saw
From this reading In spite of the heat of the room, he wore a thick sea-jacket, buttoned to the neck, and a tall hairy cap drawn down over his ears; yet I never saw any man, not even a judge upon the bench, look cooler, or more studious and self-possessed, than this ship-captain.
sea-jacket
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In spite of the heat of the room, he wore a thick sea-jacket, buttoned to the neck, and a tall hairy cap drawn down over his ears; yet I never saw any man, not even a judge upon the bench, look cooler, or more studious and self-possessed, than this ship-captain.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading “I am proud to see you, Mr. Balfour,” said he, in a fine deep voice, “and glad that ye are here in time.
self-possessedadjective
in full control of your faculties
From this reading In spite of the heat of the room, he wore a thick sea-jacket, buttoned to the neck, and a tall hairy cap drawn down over his ears; yet I never saw any man, not even a judge upon the bench, look cooler, or more studious and self-possessed, than this ship-captain.
ship-captain
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In spite of the heat of the room, he wore a thick sea-jacket, buttoned to the neck, and a tall hairy cap drawn down over his ears; yet I never saw any man, not even a judge upon the bench, look cooler, or more studious and self-possessed, than this ship-captain.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading WHAT BEFELL AT THE QUEEN’S FERRY As soon as we came to the inn, Ransome led us up the stair to a small room, with a bed in it, and heated like an oven by a great fire of coal.
sober-looking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At a table hard by the chimney, a tall, dark, sober-looking man sat writing.
in the near future
From this reading WHAT BEFELL AT THE QUEEN’S FERRY As soon as we came to the inn, Ransome led us up the stair to a small room, with a bed in it, and heated like an oven by a great fire of coal.
feeling a need to see others suffer
From this reading In spite of the heat of the room, he wore a thick sea-jacket, buttoned to the neck, and a tall hairy cap drawn down over his ears; yet I never saw any man, not even a judge upon the bench, look cooler, or more studious and self-possessed, than this ship-captain.
stairnounUS /ster/
support consisting of a place to rest the foot while ascending or descending a stairway
From this reading WHAT BEFELL AT THE QUEEN’S FERRY As soon as we came to the inn, Ransome led us up the stair to a small room, with a bed in it, and heated like an oven by a great fire of coal.
studiousadjectiveUS /ˈstuːdiəs/
marked by care and effort
From this reading In spite of the heat of the room, he wore a thick sea-jacket, buttoned to the neck, and a tall hairy cap drawn down over his ears; yet I never saw any man, not even a judge upon the bench, look cooler, or more studious and self-possessed, than this ship-captain.
a set of data arranged in rows and columns
From this reading At a table hard by the chimney, a tall, dark, sober-looking man sat writing.
great in vertical dimension; high in stature
From this reading At a table hard by the chimney, a tall, dark, sober-looking man sat writing.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading In spite of the heat of the room, he wore a thick sea-jacket, buttoned to the neck, and a tall hairy cap drawn down over his ears; yet I never saw any man, not even a judge upon the bench, look cooler, or more studious and self-possessed, than this ship-captain.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading “I am proud to see you, Mr. Balfour,” said he, in a fine deep voice, “and glad that ye are here in time.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading WHAT BEFELL AT THE QUEEN’S FERRY As soon as we came to the inn, Ransome led us up the stair to a small room, with a bed in it, and heated like an oven by a great fire of coal.
not thin; of a specific thickness or of relatively great extent from one surface to the opposite usually in the smallest of the three solid dimensions
From this reading In spite of the heat of the room, he wore a thick sea-jacket, buttoned to the neck, and a tall hairy cap drawn down over his ears; yet I never saw any man, not even a judge upon the bench, look cooler, or more studious and self-possessed, than this ship-captain.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading In spite of the heat of the room, he wore a thick sea-jacket, buttoned to the neck, and a tall hairy cap drawn down over his ears; yet I never saw any man, not even a judge upon the bench, look cooler, or more studious and self-possessed, than this ship-captain.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading “I am proud to see you, Mr. Balfour,” said he, in a fine deep voice, “and glad that ye are here in time.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading WHAT BEFELL AT THE QUEEN’S FERRY As soon as we came to the inn, Ransome led us up the stair to a small room, with a bed in it, and heated like an oven by a great fire of coal.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading WHAT BEFELL AT THE QUEEN’S FERRY As soon as we came to the inn, Ransome led us up the stair to a small room, with a bed in it, and heated like an oven by a great fire of coal.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading In spite of the heat of the room, he wore a thick sea-jacket, buttoned to the neck, and a tall hairy cap drawn down over his ears; yet I never saw any man, not even a judge upon the bench, look cooler, or more studious and self-possessed, than this ship-captain.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading WHAT BEFELL AT THE QUEEN’S FERRY As soon as we came to the inn, Ransome led us up the stair to a small room, with a bed in it, and heated like an oven by a great fire of coal.
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading “I am proud to see you, Mr. Balfour,” said he, in a fine deep voice, “and glad that ye are here in time.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading WHAT BEFELL AT THE QUEEN’S FERRY As soon as we came to the inn, Ransome led us up the stair to a small room, with a bed in it, and heated like an oven by a great fire of coal.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading WHAT BEFELL AT THE QUEEN’S FERRY As soon as we came to the inn, Ransome led us up the stair to a small room, with a bed in it, and heated like an oven by a great fire of coal.
in the company of; together with
From this reading WHAT BEFELL AT THE QUEEN’S FERRY As soon as we came to the inn, Ransome led us up the stair to a small room, with a bed in it, and heated like an oven by a great fire of coal.
inflected form of “wear” — be dressed in
From this reading In spite of the heat of the room, he wore a thick sea-jacket, buttoned to the neck, and a tall hairy cap drawn down over his ears; yet I never saw any man, not even a judge upon the bench, look cooler, or more studious and self-possessed, than this ship-captain.
the act of creating written works
From this reading At a table hard by the chimney, a tall, dark, sober-looking man sat writing.
an old word for “you”, speaking to more than one person
From this reading “I am proud to see you, Mr. Balfour,” said he, in a fine deep voice, “and glad that ye are here in time.
but in spite of that
From this reading In spite of the heat of the room, he wore a thick sea-jacket, buttoned to the neck, and a tall hairy cap drawn down over his ears; yet I never saw any man, not even a judge upon the bench, look cooler, or more studious and self-possessed, than this ship-captain.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “I am proud to see you, Mr. Balfour,” said he, in a fine deep voice, “and glad that ye are here in time.
