1787
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When, in 1787, the British Government entrusted Captain Arthur Phillip with a commission to establish a colony at Botany Bay, New South Wales, they gave him explicit directions as to where he should locate the settlement.
adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading When, in 1787, the British Government entrusted Captain Arthur Phillip with a commission to establish a colony at Botany Bay, New South Wales, they gave him explicit directions as to where he should locate the settlement.
AccordingadjectiveUS /əˈkɔːrdɪŋ/
(followed by “to”) in agreement with or accordant with
From this reading "According to the best information which we have obtained," his instructions read, "Botany Bay appears to be the most eligible situation upon the said coast for the first establishment, possessing a commodious harbour and other advantages which no part of the said coast hitherto discovered affords."
advantagesnounUS /ædˈvæntɪdʒɪz/
plural of “advantage” — the quality of having a superior or more favorable position
From this reading "According to the best information which we have obtained," his instructions read, "Botany Bay appears to be the most eligible situation upon the said coast for the first establishment, possessing a commodious harbour and other advantages which no part of the said coast hitherto discovered affords."
affordsverbUS /əˈfɔːrdz/
third-person singular of “afford” — be able to spare or give up
From this reading "According to the best information which we have obtained," his instructions read, "Botany Bay appears to be the most eligible situation upon the said coast for the first establishment, possessing a commodious harbour and other advantages which no part of the said coast hitherto discovered affords."
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "According to the best information which we have obtained," his instructions read, "Botany Bay appears to be the most eligible situation upon the said coast for the first establishment, possessing a commodious harbour and other advantages which no part of the said coast hitherto discovered affords."
appearsverbUS /əˈpɪrz/
third-person singular of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading "According to the best information which we have obtained," his instructions read, "Botany Bay appears to be the most eligible situation upon the said coast for the first establishment, possessing a commodious harbour and other advantages which no part of the said coast hitherto discovered affords."
ArthurnounUS /ˈɑːrθər/
elected vice president and became 21st President of the United States when Garfield was assassinated (1830-1886)
From this reading When, in 1787, the British Government entrusted Captain Arthur Phillip with a commission to establish a colony at Botany Bay, New South Wales, they gave him explicit directions as to where he should locate the settlement.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading When, in 1787, the British Government entrusted Captain Arthur Phillip with a commission to establish a colony at Botany Bay, New South Wales, they gave him explicit directions as to where he should locate the settlement.
ATprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading AT BOTANY BAY.
awayadverbUS /əˈweɪ/
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading But Phillip was a trustworthy man who, in so serious a matter as the choice of a site for a town, did not follow blindly the commands of respectable elderly gentlemen thousands of miles away.
BAYnounUS /beɪ/
an indentation of a shoreline larger than a cove but smaller than a gulf
From this reading AT BOTANY BAY.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading "According to the best information which we have obtained," his instructions read, "Botany Bay appears to be the most eligible situation upon the said coast for the first establishment, possessing a commodious harbour and other advantages which no part of the said coast hitherto discovered affords."
bestnounUS /best/
the supreme effort one can make
From this reading "According to the best information which we have obtained," his instructions read, "Botany Bay appears to be the most eligible situation upon the said coast for the first establishment, possessing a commodious harbour and other advantages which no part of the said coast hitherto discovered affords."
blindlyadverbUS /ˈblaɪndli/
without seeing or looking
From this reading But Phillip was a trustworthy man who, in so serious a matter as the choice of a site for a town, did not follow blindly the commands of respectable elderly gentlemen thousands of miles away.
BOTANYnounUS /ˈbɑːtəni/
all the plant life in a particular region or period
From this reading AT BOTANY BAY.
BritishnounUS /ˈbrɪtɪʃ/
the people of Great Britain
From this reading When, in 1787, the British Government entrusted Captain Arthur Phillip with a commission to establish a colony at Botany Bay, New South Wales, they gave him explicit directions as to where he should locate the settlement.
businessnounUS /ˈbɪznəs/
a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it
From this reading It was his business to found a settlement successfully.
ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But Phillip was a trustworthy man who, in so serious a matter as the choice of a site for a town, did not follow blindly the commands of respectable elderly gentlemen thousands of miles away.
CaptainnounUS /ˈkæptən/
an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant
From this reading When, in 1787, the British Government entrusted Captain Arthur Phillip with a commission to establish a colony at Botany Bay, New South Wales, they gave him explicit directions as to where he should locate the settlement.
choicenounUS /tʃɔɪs/
the person or thing chosen or selected
From this reading But Phillip was a trustworthy man who, in so serious a matter as the choice of a site for a town, did not follow blindly the commands of respectable elderly gentlemen thousands of miles away.
coastnounUS /koʊst/
the shore of a sea or ocean
From this reading "According to the best information which we have obtained," his instructions read, "Botany Bay appears to be the most eligible situation upon the said coast for the first establishment, possessing a commodious harbour and other advantages which no part of the said coast hitherto discovered affords."
colonynounUS /ˈkɑːləni/
a body of people who settle far from home but maintain ties with their homeland; inhabitants remain nationals of their home state but are not literally under the home state's system of government
From this reading When, in 1787, the British Government entrusted Captain Arthur Phillip with a commission to establish a colony at Botany Bay, New South Wales, they gave him explicit directions as to where he should locate the settlement.
commandsnounUS /kəˈmændz/
plural of “command” — an authoritative direction or instruction to do something
From this reading But Phillip was a trustworthy man who, in so serious a matter as the choice of a site for a town, did not follow blindly the commands of respectable elderly gentlemen thousands of miles away.
commissionnounUS /kəˈmɪʃən/
a special group delegated to consider some matter
From this reading When, in 1787, the British Government entrusted Captain Arthur Phillip with a commission to establish a colony at Botany Bay, New South Wales, they gave him explicit directions as to where he should locate the settlement.
commodiousadjectiveUS /kəˈmoʊdiəs/
large and roomy (“convenient” is archaic in this sense)
From this reading "According to the best information which we have obtained," his instructions read, "Botany Bay appears to be the most eligible situation upon the said coast for the first establishment, possessing a commodious harbour and other advantages which no part of the said coast hitherto discovered affords."
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading But Phillip was a trustworthy man who, in so serious a matter as the choice of a site for a town, did not follow blindly the commands of respectable elderly gentlemen thousands of miles away.
directionsnounUS /dərˈekʃənz/
plural of “direction” — a line leading to a place or point
From this reading When, in 1787, the British Government entrusted Captain Arthur Phillip with a commission to establish a colony at Botany Bay, New South Wales, they gave him explicit directions as to where he should locate the settlement.
discoveredadjectiveUS /dɪˈskʌvərd/
discovered or determined by scientific observation
From this reading "According to the best information which we have obtained," his instructions read, "Botany Bay appears to be the most eligible situation upon the said coast for the first establishment, possessing a commodious harbour and other advantages which no part of the said coast hitherto discovered affords."
elderlyadjectiveUS /ˈeldərli/
advanced in years; (“aged” is pronounced as two syllables)
From this reading But Phillip was a trustworthy man who, in so serious a matter as the choice of a site for a town, did not follow blindly the commands of respectable elderly gentlemen thousands of miles away.
eligibleadjectiveUS /ˈelədʒəbəl/
qualified for or allowed or worthy of being chosen
From this reading "According to the best information which we have obtained," his instructions read, "Botany Bay appears to be the most eligible situation upon the said coast for the first establishment, possessing a commodious harbour and other advantages which no part of the said coast hitherto discovered affords."
entrustedverbUS /enˈtrʌstɪd/
past form of “entrust” — confer a trust upon
From this reading When, in 1787, the British Government entrusted Captain Arthur Phillip with a commission to establish a colony at Botany Bay, New South Wales, they gave him explicit directions as to where he should locate the settlement.
establishverbUS /ɪˈstæblɪʃ/
set up or found
From this reading When, in 1787, the British Government entrusted Captain Arthur Phillip with a commission to establish a colony at Botany Bay, New South Wales, they gave him explicit directions as to where he should locate the settlement.
establishmentnounUS /ɪˈstæblɪʃmənt/
the act of forming or establishing something
From this reading "According to the best information which we have obtained," his instructions read, "Botany Bay appears to be the most eligible situation upon the said coast for the first establishment, possessing a commodious harbour and other advantages which no part of the said coast hitherto discovered affords."
explicitadjectiveUS /ɪkˈsplɪsət/
precisely and clearly expressed or readily observable; leaving nothing to implication
From this reading When, in 1787, the British Government entrusted Captain Arthur Phillip with a commission to establish a colony at Botany Bay, New South Wales, they gave him explicit directions as to where he should locate the settlement.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading "According to the best information which we have obtained," his instructions read, "Botany Bay appears to be the most eligible situation upon the said coast for the first establishment, possessing a commodious harbour and other advantages which no part of the said coast hitherto discovered affords."
followverbUS /ˈfɑːloʊ/
to travel behind, go after, come after
From this reading But Phillip was a trustworthy man who, in so serious a matter as the choice of a site for a town, did not follow blindly the commands of respectable elderly gentlemen thousands of miles away.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading "According to the best information which we have obtained," his instructions read, "Botany Bay appears to be the most eligible situation upon the said coast for the first establishment, possessing a commodious harbour and other advantages which no part of the said coast hitherto discovered affords."
foundverbUS /faʊnd/
set up or found
From this reading It was his business to found a settlement successfully.
gaveverbUS /ɡeɪv/
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading When, in 1787, the British Government entrusted Captain Arthur Phillip with a commission to establish a colony at Botany Bay, New South Wales, they gave him explicit directions as to where he should locate the settlement.
gentlemennounUS /ˈdʒentəlmɪn/
plural of “gentleman” — a man of refinement
From this reading But Phillip was a trustworthy man who, in so serious a matter as the choice of a site for a town, did not follow blindly the commands of respectable elderly gentlemen thousands of miles away.
GovernmentnounUS /ˈɡʌvərmənt/
the organization that is the governing authority of a political unit
From this reading When, in 1787, the British Government entrusted Captain Arthur Phillip with a commission to establish a colony at Botany Bay, New South Wales, they gave him explicit directions as to where he should locate the settlement.
harbourverbUS /ˈhɑːrbər/
secretly shelter (as of fugitives or criminals)
From this reading "According to the best information which we have obtained," his instructions read, "Botany Bay appears to be the most eligible situation upon the said coast for the first establishment, possessing a commodious harbour and other advantages which no part of the said coast hitherto discovered affords."
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading "According to the best information which we have obtained," his instructions read, "Botany Bay appears to be the most eligible situation upon the said coast for the first establishment, possessing a commodious harbour and other advantages which no part of the said coast hitherto discovered affords."
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading When, in 1787, the British Government entrusted Captain Arthur Phillip with a commission to establish a colony at Botany Bay, New South Wales, they gave him explicit directions as to where he should locate the settlement.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading When, in 1787, the British Government entrusted Captain Arthur Phillip with a commission to establish a colony at Botany Bay, New South Wales, they gave him explicit directions as to where he should locate the settlement.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading "According to the best information which we have obtained," his instructions read, "Botany Bay appears to be the most eligible situation upon the said coast for the first establishment, possessing a commodious harbour and other advantages which no part of the said coast hitherto discovered affords."
hithertoadverbUS /ˈhɪðɜːrˈtuː/
used in negative statement to describe a situation that has existed up to this point or up to the present time
From this reading "According to the best information which we have obtained," his instructions read, "Botany Bay appears to be the most eligible situation upon the said coast for the first establishment, possessing a commodious harbour and other advantages which no part of the said coast hitherto discovered affords."
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading When, in 1787, the British Government entrusted Captain Arthur Phillip with a commission to establish a colony at Botany Bay, New South Wales, they gave him explicit directions as to where he should locate the settlement.
informationnounUS /ˌɪnfərˈmeɪʃən/
a message received and understood
From this reading "According to the best information which we have obtained," his instructions read, "Botany Bay appears to be the most eligible situation upon the said coast for the first establishment, possessing a commodious harbour and other advantages which no part of the said coast hitherto discovered affords."
instructionsnounUS /ˌɪnˈstrʌkʃənz/
a manual usually accompanying a technical device and explaining how to install or operate it
From this reading "According to the best information which we have obtained," his instructions read, "Botany Bay appears to be the most eligible situation upon the said coast for the first establishment, possessing a commodious harbour and other advantages which no part of the said coast hitherto discovered affords."
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was his business to found a settlement successfully.
locateverbUS /ˈloʊkeɪt/
discover the location of; determine the place of; find by searching or examining
From this reading When, in 1787, the British Government entrusted Captain Arthur Phillip with a commission to establish a colony at Botany Bay, New South Wales, they gave him explicit directions as to where he should locate the settlement.
mannounUS /mæn/
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading But Phillip was a trustworthy man who, in so serious a matter as the choice of a site for a town, did not follow blindly the commands of respectable elderly gentlemen thousands of miles away.
matternounUS /ˈmætər/
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading But Phillip was a trustworthy man who, in so serious a matter as the choice of a site for a town, did not follow blindly the commands of respectable elderly gentlemen thousands of miles away.
milesnounUS /maɪlz/
plural of “mile” — a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters
From this reading But Phillip was a trustworthy man who, in so serious a matter as the choice of a site for a town, did not follow blindly the commands of respectable elderly gentlemen thousands of miles away.
mostadverbUS /moʊst/
used to form the superlative
From this reading "According to the best information which we have obtained," his instructions read, "Botany Bay appears to be the most eligible situation upon the said coast for the first establishment, possessing a commodious harbour and other advantages which no part of the said coast hitherto discovered affords."
NewadjectiveUS /nuː/
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading When, in 1787, the British Government entrusted Captain Arthur Phillip with a commission to establish a colony at Botany Bay, New South Wales, they gave him explicit directions as to where he should locate the settlement.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading "According to the best information which we have obtained," his instructions read, "Botany Bay appears to be the most eligible situation upon the said coast for the first establishment, possessing a commodious harbour and other advantages which no part of the said coast hitherto discovered affords."
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading But Phillip was a trustworthy man who, in so serious a matter as the choice of a site for a town, did not follow blindly the commands of respectable elderly gentlemen thousands of miles away.
obtainedverbUS /əbˈteɪnd/
past form of “obtain” — come into possession of
From this reading "According to the best information which we have obtained," his instructions read, "Botany Bay appears to be the most eligible situation upon the said coast for the first establishment, possessing a commodious harbour and other advantages which no part of the said coast hitherto discovered affords."
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "According to the best information which we have obtained," his instructions read, "Botany Bay appears to be the most eligible situation upon the said coast for the first establishment, possessing a commodious harbour and other advantages which no part of the said coast hitherto discovered affords."
otheradjectiveUS /ˈʌðər/
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading "According to the best information which we have obtained," his instructions read, "Botany Bay appears to be the most eligible situation upon the said coast for the first establishment, possessing a commodious harbour and other advantages which no part of the said coast hitherto discovered affords."
partnounUS /pɑːrt/
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading "According to the best information which we have obtained," his instructions read, "Botany Bay appears to be the most eligible situation upon the said coast for the first establishment, possessing a commodious harbour and other advantages which no part of the said coast hitherto discovered affords."
Phillip
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When, in 1787, the British Government entrusted Captain Arthur Phillip with a commission to establish a colony at Botany Bay, New South Wales, they gave him explicit directions as to where he should locate the settlement.
possessingverbUS /pəˈzesɪŋ/
-ing form of “possess” — have as an attribute, knowledge, or skill
From this reading "According to the best information which we have obtained," his instructions read, "Botany Bay appears to be the most eligible situation upon the said coast for the first establishment, possessing a commodious harbour and other advantages which no part of the said coast hitherto discovered affords."
readverbUS /red/
interpret something that is written or printed
From this reading "According to the best information which we have obtained," his instructions read, "Botany Bay appears to be the most eligible situation upon the said coast for the first establishment, possessing a commodious harbour and other advantages which no part of the said coast hitherto discovered affords."
respectableadjectiveUS /rɪˈspektəbəl/
characterized by socially or conventionally acceptable morals
From this reading But Phillip was a trustworthy man who, in so serious a matter as the choice of a site for a town, did not follow blindly the commands of respectable elderly gentlemen thousands of miles away.
saidadjectiveUS /sed/
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "According to the best information which we have obtained," his instructions read, "Botany Bay appears to be the most eligible situation upon the said coast for the first establishment, possessing a commodious harbour and other advantages which no part of the said coast hitherto discovered affords."
seriousadjectiveUS /ˈsɪriəs/
concerned with work or important matters rather than play or trivialities
From this reading But Phillip was a trustworthy man who, in so serious a matter as the choice of a site for a town, did not follow blindly the commands of respectable elderly gentlemen thousands of miles away.
settlementnounUS /ˈsetəlmənt/
a body of people who settle far from home but maintain ties with their homeland; inhabitants remain nationals of their home state but are not literally under the home state's system of government
From this reading When, in 1787, the British Government entrusted Captain Arthur Phillip with a commission to establish a colony at Botany Bay, New South Wales, they gave him explicit directions as to where he should locate the settlement.
shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading When, in 1787, the British Government entrusted Captain Arthur Phillip with a commission to establish a colony at Botany Bay, New South Wales, they gave him explicit directions as to where he should locate the settlement.
sitenounUS /saɪt/
the piece of land on which something is located (or is to be located)
From this reading But Phillip was a trustworthy man who, in so serious a matter as the choice of a site for a town, did not follow blindly the commands of respectable elderly gentlemen thousands of miles away.
situationnounUS /ˌsɪtʃuːˈeɪʃən/
the general state of things; the combination of circumstances at a given time
From this reading "According to the best information which we have obtained," his instructions read, "Botany Bay appears to be the most eligible situation upon the said coast for the first establishment, possessing a commodious harbour and other advantages which no part of the said coast hitherto discovered affords."
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading But Phillip was a trustworthy man who, in so serious a matter as the choice of a site for a town, did not follow blindly the commands of respectable elderly gentlemen thousands of miles away.
SouthnounUS /saʊθ/
the region of the United States lying to the south of the Mason-Dixon line
From this reading When, in 1787, the British Government entrusted Captain Arthur Phillip with a commission to establish a colony at Botany Bay, New South Wales, they gave him explicit directions as to where he should locate the settlement.
successfullyadverbUS /səkˈsesfəli/
with success; in a successful manner
From this reading It was his business to found a settlement successfully.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading When, in 1787, the British Government entrusted Captain Arthur Phillip with a commission to establish a colony at Botany Bay, New South Wales, they gave him explicit directions as to where he should locate the settlement.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading When, in 1787, the British Government entrusted Captain Arthur Phillip with a commission to establish a colony at Botany Bay, New South Wales, they gave him explicit directions as to where he should locate the settlement.
thousandsnounUS /ˈθaʊzəndz/
plural of “thousand” — the cardinal number that is the product of 10 and 100
From this reading But Phillip was a trustworthy man who, in so serious a matter as the choice of a site for a town, did not follow blindly the commands of respectable elderly gentlemen thousands of miles away.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading When, in 1787, the British Government entrusted Captain Arthur Phillip with a commission to establish a colony at Botany Bay, New South Wales, they gave him explicit directions as to where he should locate the settlement.
townnounUS /taʊn/
an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city
From this reading But Phillip was a trustworthy man who, in so serious a matter as the choice of a site for a town, did not follow blindly the commands of respectable elderly gentlemen thousands of miles away.
trustworthyadjectiveUS /ˈtrʌstwɜːrði/
worthy of trust or belief
From this reading But Phillip was a trustworthy man who, in so serious a matter as the choice of a site for a town, did not follow blindly the commands of respectable elderly gentlemen thousands of miles away.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading "According to the best information which we have obtained," his instructions read, "Botany Bay appears to be the most eligible situation upon the said coast for the first establishment, possessing a commodious harbour and other advantages which no part of the said coast hitherto discovered affords."
WalesnounUS /weɪlz/
one of the four countries that make up the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; during Roman times the region was known as Cambria
From this reading When, in 1787, the British Government entrusted Captain Arthur Phillip with a commission to establish a colony at Botany Bay, New South Wales, they gave him explicit directions as to where he should locate the settlement.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading But Phillip was a trustworthy man who, in so serious a matter as the choice of a site for a town, did not follow blindly the commands of respectable elderly gentlemen thousands of miles away.
wepronounUS /wiː/
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading "According to the best information which we have obtained," his instructions read, "Botany Bay appears to be the most eligible situation upon the said coast for the first establishment, possessing a commodious harbour and other advantages which no part of the said coast hitherto discovered affords."
WhenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading When, in 1787, the British Government entrusted Captain Arthur Phillip with a commission to establish a colony at Botany Bay, New South Wales, they gave him explicit directions as to where he should locate the settlement.
whereconjunctionUS /wer/
in or at the place that
From this reading When, in 1787, the British Government entrusted Captain Arthur Phillip with a commission to establish a colony at Botany Bay, New South Wales, they gave him explicit directions as to where he should locate the settlement.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading "According to the best information which we have obtained," his instructions read, "Botany Bay appears to be the most eligible situation upon the said coast for the first establishment, possessing a commodious harbour and other advantages which no part of the said coast hitherto discovered affords."
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading But Phillip was a trustworthy man who, in so serious a matter as the choice of a site for a town, did not follow blindly the commands of respectable elderly gentlemen thousands of miles away.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading When, in 1787, the British Government entrusted Captain Arthur Phillip with a commission to establish a colony at Botany Bay, New South Wales, they gave him explicit directions as to where he should locate the settlement.
