Chapter X · Chapter 10

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading He was a fine man, a high-minded man, and greatly respected both ashore and on the river.

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading WE had some talk about Captain Isaiah Sellers, now many years dead.

how long something has existed

From this reading He was very tall, well built, and handsome; and in his old age--as I remember him--his hair was as black as an Indian's, and his eye and hand were as strong and steady and his nerve and judgment as firm and clear as anybody's, young or old, among the fraternity of pilots.

at all times; all the time and on every occasion

From this reading Consequently his brethren held him in the sort of awe in which illustrious survivors of a bygone age are always held by their associates.

surrounded by; in the middle of a group

From this reading He was very tall, well built, and handsome; and in his old age--as I remember him--his hair was as black as an Indian's, and his eye and hand were as strong and steady and his nerve and judgment as firm and clear as anybody's, young or old, among the fraternity of pilots.

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading He was very tall, well built, and handsome; and in his old age--as I remember him--his hair was as black as an Indian's, and his eye and hand were as strong and steady and his nerve and judgment as firm and clear as anybody's, young or old, among the fraternity of pilots.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading He was a fine man, a high-minded man, and greatly respected both ashore and on the river.

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading He was the patriarch of the craft; he had been a keelboat pilot before the day of steamboats; and a steamboat pilot before any other steamboat pilot, still surviving at the time I speak of, had ever turned a wheel.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He was very tall, well built, and handsome; and in his old age--as I remember him--his hair was as black as an Indian's, and his eye and hand were as strong and steady and his nerve and judgment as firm and clear as anybody's, young or old, among the fraternity of pilots.

the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading Consequently his brethren held him in the sort of awe in which illustrious survivors of a bygone age are always held by their associates.

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading He was very tall, well built, and handsome; and in his old age--as I remember him--his hair was as black as an Indian's, and his eye and hand were as strong and steady and his nerve and judgment as firm and clear as anybody's, young or old, among the fraternity of pilots.

towards the shore from the water

From this reading He was a fine man, a high-minded man, and greatly respected both ashore and on the river.

plural of “associate” — a person who joins with others in some activity or endeavor

From this reading Consequently his brethren held him in the sort of awe in which illustrious survivors of a bygone age are always held by their associates.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading He was the patriarch of the craft; he had been a keelboat pilot before the day of steamboats; and a steamboat pilot before any other steamboat pilot, still surviving at the time I speak of, had ever turned a wheel.

an overwhelming feeling of wonder or admiration

From this reading Consequently his brethren held him in the sort of awe in which illustrious survivors of a bygone age are always held by their associates.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading He was the patriarch of the craft; he had been a keelboat pilot before the day of steamboats; and a steamboat pilot before any other steamboat pilot, still surviving at the time I speak of, had ever turned a wheel.

earlier than; in front of

From this reading He was the patriarch of the craft; he had been a keelboat pilot before the day of steamboats; and a steamboat pilot before any other steamboat pilot, still surviving at the time I speak of, had ever turned a wheel.

being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light

From this reading He was very tall, well built, and handsome; and in his old age--as I remember him--his hair was as black as an Indian's, and his eye and hand were as strong and steady and his nerve and judgment as firm and clear as anybody's, young or old, among the fraternity of pilots.

the two together, not just one

From this reading He was a fine man, a high-minded man, and greatly respected both ashore and on the river.

(plural) the lay members of a male religious order

From this reading Consequently his brethren held him in the sort of awe in which illustrious survivors of a bygone age are always held by their associates.

(used of soaps or cleaning agents) having a substance (an abrasive or filler) added to increase effectiveness

From this reading He was very tall, well built, and handsome; and in his old age--as I remember him--his hair was as black as an Indian's, and his eye and hand were as strong and steady and his nerve and judgment as firm and clear as anybody's, young or old, among the fraternity of pilots.

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Consequently his brethren held him in the sort of awe in which illustrious survivors of a bygone age are always held by their associates.

past events to be put aside

From this reading Consequently his brethren held him in the sort of awe in which illustrious survivors of a bygone age are always held by their associates.

an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant

From this reading WE had some talk about Captain Isaiah Sellers, now many years dead.

rid of obstructions

From this reading He was very tall, well built, and handsome; and in his old age--as I remember him--his hair was as black as an Indian's, and his eye and hand were as strong and steady and his nerve and judgment as firm and clear as anybody's, young or old, among the fraternity of pilots.

(sentence connectors) because of the reason given

From this reading Consequently his brethren held him in the sort of awe in which illustrious survivors of a bygone age are always held by their associates.

the skilled practice of a practical occupation

From this reading He was the patriarch of the craft; he had been a keelboat pilot before the day of steamboats; and a steamboat pilot before any other steamboat pilot, still surviving at the time I speak of, had ever turned a wheel.

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading He was the patriarch of the craft; he had been a keelboat pilot before the day of steamboats; and a steamboat pilot before any other steamboat pilot, still surviving at the time I speak of, had ever turned a wheel.

no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life

From this reading WE had some talk about Captain Isaiah Sellers, now many years dead.

at any time

From this reading He was the patriarch of the craft; he had been a keelboat pilot before the day of steamboats; and a steamboat pilot before any other steamboat pilot, still surviving at the time I speak of, had ever turned a wheel.

the organ of sight

From this reading He was very tall, well built, and handsome; and in his old age--as I remember him--his hair was as black as an Indian's, and his eye and hand were as strong and steady and his nerve and judgment as firm and clear as anybody's, young or old, among the fraternity of pilots.

being satisfactory or in satisfactory condition

From this reading He was a fine man, a high-minded man, and greatly respected both ashore and on the river.

marked by firm determination or resolution; not shakable

From this reading He was very tall, well built, and handsome; and in his old age--as I remember him--his hair was as black as an Indian's, and his eye and hand were as strong and steady and his nerve and judgment as firm and clear as anybody's, young or old, among the fraternity of pilots.

a social club for male undergraduates

From this reading He was very tall, well built, and handsome; and in his old age--as I remember him--his hair was as black as an Indian's, and his eye and hand were as strong and steady and his nerve and judgment as firm and clear as anybody's, young or old, among the fraternity of pilots.

to an extraordinary extent or degree

From this reading He was a fine man, a high-minded man, and greatly respected both ashore and on the river.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading WE had some talk about Captain Isaiah Sellers, now many years dead.

a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss

From this reading He was very tall, well built, and handsome; and in his old age--as I remember him--his hair was as black as an Indian's, and his eye and hand were as strong and steady and his nerve and judgment as firm and clear as anybody's, young or old, among the fraternity of pilots.

the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb

From this reading He was very tall, well built, and handsome; and in his old age--as I remember him--his hair was as black as an Indian's, and his eye and hand were as strong and steady and his nerve and judgment as firm and clear as anybody's, young or old, among the fraternity of pilots.

pleasing in appearance especially by reason of conformity to ideals of form and proportion

From this reading He was very tall, well built, and handsome; and in his old age--as I remember him--his hair was as black as an Indian's, and his eye and hand were as strong and steady and his nerve and judgment as firm and clear as anybody's, young or old, among the fraternity of pilots.

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading He was a fine man, a high-minded man, and greatly respected both ashore and on the river.

occupied or in the control of; often used in combination

From this reading Consequently his brethren held him in the sort of awe in which illustrious survivors of a bygone age are always held by their associates.

of high moral or intellectual value; elevated in nature or style

From this reading He was a fine man, a high-minded man, and greatly respected both ashore and on the river.

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading He was very tall, well built, and handsome; and in his old age--as I remember him--his hair was as black as an Indian's, and his eye and hand were as strong and steady and his nerve and judgment as firm and clear as anybody's, young or old, among the fraternity of pilots.

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading He was very tall, well built, and handsome; and in his old age--as I remember him--his hair was as black as an Indian's, and his eye and hand were as strong and steady and his nerve and judgment as firm and clear as anybody's, young or old, among the fraternity of pilots.

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading He was very tall, well built, and handsome; and in his old age--as I remember him--his hair was as black as an Indian's, and his eye and hand were as strong and steady and his nerve and judgment as firm and clear as anybody's, young or old, among the fraternity of pilots.

widely known and esteemed

From this reading Consequently his brethren held him in the sort of awe in which illustrious survivors of a bygone age are always held by their associates.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading He was very tall, well built, and handsome; and in his old age--as I remember him--his hair was as black as an Indian's, and his eye and hand were as strong and steady and his nerve and judgment as firm and clear as anybody's, young or old, among the fraternity of pilots.

possessive form of “indian” — a native or inhabitant of India

From this reading He was very tall, well built, and handsome; and in his old age--as I remember him--his hair was as black as an Indian's, and his eye and hand were as strong and steady and his nerve and judgment as firm and clear as anybody's, young or old, among the fraternity of pilots.

(Old Testament) the first of the major Hebrew prophets (8th century BC)

From this reading WE had some talk about Captain Isaiah Sellers, now many years dead.

an opinion formed by judging something

From this reading He was very tall, well built, and handsome; and in his old age--as I remember him--his hair was as black as an Indian's, and his eye and hand were as strong and steady and his nerve and judgment as firm and clear as anybody's, young or old, among the fraternity of pilots.

river boat with a shallow draught and a keel but no sails; used to carry freight; moved by rowing or punting or towing

From this reading He was the patriarch of the craft; he had been a keelboat pilot before the day of steamboats; and a steamboat pilot before any other steamboat pilot, still surviving at the time I speak of, had ever turned a wheel.

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading He was a fine man, a high-minded man, and greatly respected both ashore and on the river.

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number

From this reading WE had some talk about Captain Isaiah Sellers, now many years dead.

any bundle of nerve fibers running to various organs and tissues of the body

From this reading He was very tall, well built, and handsome; and in his old age--as I remember him--his hair was as black as an Indian's, and his eye and hand were as strong and steady and his nerve and judgment as firm and clear as anybody's, young or old, among the fraternity of pilots.

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading WE had some talk about Captain Isaiah Sellers, now many years dead.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading He was very tall, well built, and handsome; and in his old age--as I remember him--his hair was as black as an Indian's, and his eye and hand were as strong and steady and his nerve and judgment as firm and clear as anybody's, young or old, among the fraternity of pilots.

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading He was very tall, well built, and handsome; and in his old age--as I remember him--his hair was as black as an Indian's, and his eye and hand were as strong and steady and his nerve and judgment as firm and clear as anybody's, young or old, among the fraternity of pilots.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading He was a fine man, a high-minded man, and greatly respected both ashore and on the river.

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading He was very tall, well built, and handsome; and in his old age--as I remember him--his hair was as black as an Indian's, and his eye and hand were as strong and steady and his nerve and judgment as firm and clear as anybody's, young or old, among the fraternity of pilots.

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading He was the patriarch of the craft; he had been a keelboat pilot before the day of steamboats; and a steamboat pilot before any other steamboat pilot, still surviving at the time I speak of, had ever turned a wheel.

title for the heads of the Eastern Orthodox Churches (in Istanbul and Alexandria and Moscow and Jerusalem)

From this reading He was the patriarch of the craft; he had been a keelboat pilot before the day of steamboats; and a steamboat pilot before any other steamboat pilot, still surviving at the time I speak of, had ever turned a wheel.

operate an airplane

From this reading He was the patriarch of the craft; he had been a keelboat pilot before the day of steamboats; and a steamboat pilot before any other steamboat pilot, still surviving at the time I speak of, had ever turned a wheel.

plural of “pilot” — someone who is licensed to operate an aircraft in flight

From this reading He was very tall, well built, and handsome; and in his old age--as I remember him--his hair was as black as an Indian's, and his eye and hand were as strong and steady and his nerve and judgment as firm and clear as anybody's, young or old, among the fraternity of pilots.

To recall to mind.

From this reading He was very tall, well built, and handsome; and in his old age--as I remember him--his hair was as black as an Indian's, and his eye and hand were as strong and steady and his nerve and judgment as firm and clear as anybody's, young or old, among the fraternity of pilots.

receiving deferential regard

From this reading He was a fine man, a high-minded man, and greatly respected both ashore and on the river.

a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)

From this reading He was a fine man, a high-minded man, and greatly respected both ashore and on the river.

English comic actor (1925-1980)

From this reading WE had some talk about Captain Isaiah Sellers, now many years dead.

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading WE had some talk about Captain Isaiah Sellers, now many years dead.

a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality

From this reading Consequently his brethren held him in the sort of awe in which illustrious survivors of a bygone age are always held by their associates.

express in speech

From this reading He was the patriarch of the craft; he had been a keelboat pilot before the day of steamboats; and a steamboat pilot before any other steamboat pilot, still surviving at the time I speak of, had ever turned a wheel.

make steady

From this reading He was very tall, well built, and handsome; and in his old age--as I remember him--his hair was as black as an Indian's, and his eye and hand were as strong and steady and his nerve and judgment as firm and clear as anybody's, young or old, among the fraternity of pilots.

a boat propelled by a steam engine

From this reading He was the patriarch of the craft; he had been a keelboat pilot before the day of steamboats; and a steamboat pilot before any other steamboat pilot, still surviving at the time I speak of, had ever turned a wheel.

plural of “steamboat” — a boat propelled by a steam engine

From this reading He was the patriarch of the craft; he had been a keelboat pilot before the day of steamboats; and a steamboat pilot before any other steamboat pilot, still surviving at the time I speak of, had ever turned a wheel.

not in physical motion

From this reading He was the patriarch of the craft; he had been a keelboat pilot before the day of steamboats; and a steamboat pilot before any other steamboat pilot, still surviving at the time I speak of, had ever turned a wheel.

having strength or power greater than average or expected

From this reading He was very tall, well built, and handsome; and in his old age--as I remember him--his hair was as black as an Indian's, and his eye and hand were as strong and steady and his nerve and judgment as firm and clear as anybody's, young or old, among the fraternity of pilots.

still in existence

From this reading He was the patriarch of the craft; he had been a keelboat pilot before the day of steamboats; and a steamboat pilot before any other steamboat pilot, still surviving at the time I speak of, had ever turned a wheel.

plural of “survivor” — one who lives through affliction

From this reading Consequently his brethren held him in the sort of awe in which illustrious survivors of a bygone age are always held by their associates.

exchange thoughts; talk with

From this reading WE had some talk about Captain Isaiah Sellers, now many years dead.

great in vertical dimension; high in stature

From this reading He was very tall, well built, and handsome; and in his old age--as I remember him--his hair was as black as an Indian's, and his eye and hand were as strong and steady and his nerve and judgment as firm and clear as anybody's, young or old, among the fraternity of pilots.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading He was a fine man, a high-minded man, and greatly respected both ashore and on the river.

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading Consequently his brethren held him in the sort of awe in which illustrious survivors of a bygone age are always held by their associates.

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading He was the patriarch of the craft; he had been a keelboat pilot before the day of steamboats; and a steamboat pilot before any other steamboat pilot, still surviving at the time I speak of, had ever turned a wheel.

moved around an axis or center

From this reading He was the patriarch of the craft; he had been a keelboat pilot before the day of steamboats; and a steamboat pilot before any other steamboat pilot, still surviving at the time I speak of, had ever turned a wheel.

precisely as stated

From this reading He was very tall, well built, and handsome; and in his old age--as I remember him--his hair was as black as an Indian's, and his eye and hand were as strong and steady and his nerve and judgment as firm and clear as anybody's, young or old, among the fraternity of pilots.

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading He was a fine man, a high-minded man, and greatly respected both ashore and on the river.

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading WE had some talk about Captain Isaiah Sellers, now many years dead.

(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)

From this reading He was very tall, well built, and handsome; and in his old age--as I remember him--his hair was as black as an Indian's, and his eye and hand were as strong and steady and his nerve and judgment as firm and clear as anybody's, young or old, among the fraternity of pilots.

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading He was very tall, well built, and handsome; and in his old age--as I remember him--his hair was as black as an Indian's, and his eye and hand were as strong and steady and his nerve and judgment as firm and clear as anybody's, young or old, among the fraternity of pilots.

change directions as if revolving on a pivot

From this reading He was the patriarch of the craft; he had been a keelboat pilot before the day of steamboats; and a steamboat pilot before any other steamboat pilot, still surviving at the time I speak of, had ever turned a wheel.

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading Consequently his brethren held him in the sort of awe in which illustrious survivors of a bygone age are always held by their associates.

a late time of life

From this reading WE had some talk about Captain Isaiah Sellers, now many years dead.

(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth

From this reading He was very tall, well built, and handsome; and in his old age--as I remember him--his hair was as black as an Indian's, and his eye and hand were as strong and steady and his nerve and judgment as firm and clear as anybody's, young or old, among the fraternity of pilots.