used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading She and Mrs. Van der Windt slipped into the vacant spaces with a bare "thank you," and I had to follow their example.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading On rather a rough-looking deck, about twelve feet or more below us, a dense crowd was collected round two small squares, which they purposely left open.
a native or inhabitant of the United States
From this reading And evidently she, as an American woman, was used to taking it.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading And evidently she, as an American woman, was used to taking it.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading And evidently she, as an American woman, was used to taking it.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading And evidently she, as an American woman, was used to taking it.
completely unclothed
From this reading She and Mrs. Van der Windt slipped into the vacant spaces with a bare "thank you," and I had to follow their example.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading We peered down over the rail; and there was a sight which would have been comical, if it hadn't been pathetic.
belowprepositionUS /bɪˈloʊ/
at or to a lower level than something
From this reading On rather a rough-looking deck, about twelve feet or more below us, a dense crowd was collected round two small squares, which they purposely left open.
in addition to; as well as
From this reading Besides those little squares, every inch was occupied.
collectedadjectiveUS /kəˈlektəd/
brought together in one place
From this reading On rather a rough-looking deck, about twelve feet or more below us, a dense crowd was collected round two small squares, which they purposely left open.
comicaladjectiveUS /ˈkɑːmɪkəl/
arousing or provoking laughter
From this reading We peered down over the rail; and there was a sight which would have been comical, if it hadn't been pathetic.
cause to herd, drive, or crowd together
From this reading On rather a rough-looking deck, about twelve feet or more below us, a dense crowd was collected round two small squares, which they purposely left open.
any of various platforms built into a vessel
From this reading On rather a rough-looking deck, about twelve feet or more below us, a dense crowd was collected round two small squares, which they purposely left open.
denseadjectiveUS /dens/
permitting little if any light to pass through because of denseness of matter
From this reading On rather a rough-looking deck, about twelve feet or more below us, a dense crowd was collected round two small squares, which they purposely left open.
der
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She and Mrs. Van der Windt slipped into the vacant spaces with a bare "thank you," and I had to follow their example.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading We peered down over the rail; and there was a sight which would have been comical, if it hadn't been pathetic.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading Besides those little squares, every inch was occupied.
unmistakably (“plain” is often used informally for “plainly”)
From this reading And evidently she, as an American woman, was used to taking it.
an item of information that is typical of a class or group
From this reading She and Mrs. Van der Windt slipped into the vacant spaces with a bare "thank you," and I had to follow their example.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading On rather a rough-looking deck, about twelve feet or more below us, a dense crowd was collected round two small squares, which they purposely left open.
to travel behind, go after, come after
From this reading She and Mrs. Van der Windt slipped into the vacant spaces with a bare "thank you," and I had to follow their example.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading She and Mrs. Van der Windt slipped into the vacant spaces with a bare "thank you," and I had to follow their example.
hadn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We peered down over the rail; and there was a sight which would have been comical, if it hadn't been pathetic.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading We peered down over the rail; and there was a sight which would have been comical, if it hadn't been pathetic.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading She and Mrs. Van der Windt slipped into the vacant spaces with a bare "thank you," and I had to follow their example.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading We peered down over the rail; and there was a sight which would have been comical, if it hadn't been pathetic.
inchnounUS /ɪntʃ/
a unit of length equal to one twelfth of a foot
From this reading Besides those little squares, every inch was occupied.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading She and Mrs. Van der Windt slipped into the vacant spaces with a bare "thank you," and I had to follow their example.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading And evidently she, as an American woman, was used to taking it.
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 On rather a rough-looking deck, about twelve feet or more below us, a dense crowd was collected round two small squares, which they purposely left open.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Besides those little squares, every inch was occupied.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading On rather a rough-looking deck, about twelve feet or more below us, a dense crowd was collected round two small squares, which they purposely left open.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading She and Mrs. Van der Windt slipped into the vacant spaces with a bare "thank you," and I had to follow their example.
held or filled or in use
From this reading Besides those little squares, every inch was occupied.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading On rather a rough-looking deck, about twelve feet or more below us, a dense crowd was collected round two small squares, which they purposely left open.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading On rather a rough-looking deck, about twelve feet or more below us, a dense crowd was collected round two small squares, which they purposely left open.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading On rather a rough-looking deck, about twelve feet or more below us, a dense crowd was collected round two small squares, which they purposely left open.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading We peered down over the rail; and there was a sight which would have been comical, if it hadn't been pathetic.
patheticadjectiveUS /pəˈθetɪk/
deserving or inciting pity
From this reading We peered down over the rail; and there was a sight which would have been comical, if it hadn't been pathetic.
peeredverbUS /pɪrd/
past form of “peer” — look searchingly
From this reading We peered down over the rail; and there was a sight which would have been comical, if it hadn't been pathetic.
purposelyadverbUS /ˈpɜːrpəsli/
with intention; in an intentional manner
From this reading On rather a rough-looking deck, about twelve feet or more below us, a dense crowd was collected round two small squares, which they purposely left open.
railnounUS /reɪl/
a barrier consisting of a horizontal bar and supports
From this reading We peered down over the rail; and there was a sight which would have been comical, if it hadn't been pathetic.
on the contrary
From this reading On rather a rough-looking deck, about twelve feet or more below us, a dense crowd was collected round two small squares, which they purposely left open.
rough-looking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On rather a rough-looking deck, about twelve feet or more below us, a dense crowd was collected round two small squares, which they purposely left open.
a charge of ammunition for a single shot
From this reading On rather a rough-looking deck, about twelve feet or more below us, a dense crowd was collected round two small squares, which they purposely left open.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading And evidently she, as an American woman, was used to taking it.
an instance of visual perception
From this reading We peered down over the rail; and there was a sight which would have been comical, if it hadn't been pathetic.
inflected form of “slip” — move stealthily
From this reading She and Mrs. Van der Windt slipped into the vacant spaces with a bare "thank you," and I had to follow their example.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading On rather a rough-looking deck, about twelve feet or more below us, a dense crowd was collected round two small squares, which they purposely left open.
spacesnounUS /ˈspeɪsəz/
plural of “space” — the unlimited expanse in which everything is located
From this reading She and Mrs. Van der Windt slipped into the vacant spaces with a bare "thank you," and I had to follow their example.
squaresnounUS /skwerz/
plural of “square” — (geometry) a plane rectangle with four equal sides and four right angles; a four-sided regular polygon
From this reading On rather a rough-looking deck, about twelve feet or more below us, a dense crowd was collected round two small squares, which they purposely left open.
the act of someone who picks up or takes something
From this reading And evidently she, as an American woman, was used to taking it.
express gratitude or show appreciation to
From this reading She and Mrs. Van der Windt slipped into the vacant spaces with a bare "thank you," and I had to follow their example.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading She and Mrs. Van der Windt slipped into the vacant spaces with a bare "thank you," and I had to follow their example.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading She and Mrs. Van der Windt slipped into the vacant spaces with a bare "thank you," and I had to follow their example.
in or at that place or location
From this reading We peered down over the rail; and there was a sight which would have been comical, if it hadn't been pathetic.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading On rather a rough-looking deck, about twelve feet or more below us, a dense crowd was collected round two small squares, which they purposely left open.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading Besides those little squares, every inch was occupied.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading And evidently she, as an American woman, was used to taking it.
the cardinal number that is the sum of eleven and one
From this reading On rather a rough-looking deck, about twelve feet or more below us, a dense crowd was collected round two small squares, which they purposely left open.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading On rather a rough-looking deck, about twelve feet or more below us, a dense crowd was collected round two small squares, which they purposely left open.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading On rather a rough-looking deck, about twelve feet or more below us, a dense crowd was collected round two small squares, which they purposely left open.
employed in accomplishing something
From this reading And evidently she, as an American woman, was used to taking it.
vacantadjectiveUS /ˈveɪkənt/
void of intelligence or thought
From this reading She and Mrs. Van der Windt slipped into the vacant spaces with a bare "thank you," and I had to follow their example.
any creative group active in the innovation and application of new concepts and techniques in a given field (especially in the arts)
From this reading She and Mrs. Van der Windt slipped into the vacant spaces with a bare "thank you," and I had to follow their example.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading And evidently she, as an American woman, was used to taking it.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading We peered down over the rail; and there was a sight which would have been comical, if it hadn't been pathetic.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading We peered down over the rail; and there was a sight which would have been comical, if it hadn't been pathetic.
Windt
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She and Mrs. Van der Windt slipped into the vacant spaces with a bare "thank you," and I had to follow their example.
in the company of; together with
From this reading She and Mrs. Van der Windt slipped into the vacant spaces with a bare "thank you," and I had to follow their example.
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading And evidently she, as an American woman, was used to taking it.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading We peered down over the rail; and there was a sight which would have been comical, if it hadn't been pathetic.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading She and Mrs. Van der Windt slipped into the vacant spaces with a bare "thank you," and I had to follow their example.
