Chapter XVIII

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

From this reading A wall of darkness came to the bows of the ship; it might have been something material, something you could lean against or stick with a knife; the daylight touched it and made a twilight of it at the mouth, then died out.

touching and pressing; in opposition to

From this reading A wall of darkness came to the bows of the ship; it might have been something material, something you could lean against or stick with a knife; the daylight touched it and made a twilight of it at the mouth, then died out.

in spite of the fact that

From this reading Although the hour was approaching high noon, and the day very glorious, no light was in the cave beyond the length of the ship’s bowsprit.

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

From this reading Although the hour was approaching high noon, and the day very glorious, no light was in the cave beyond the length of the ship’s bowsprit.

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading The long and short of it is--it is my way, anyhow, of explaining the strange thing--the filthy colored scoriæ, the gloomy masses of cinder, pumice, lava--call it what you will--were unreflective; light smote the stuff and perished, or was not returned, so that a thin veil of dusk clothed with deepest obscurity any hollow it lay in.

used to indicate that a statement explains or supports a previous statement

From this reading The long and short of it is--it is my way, anyhow, of explaining the strange thing--the filthy colored scoriæ, the gloomy masses of cinder, pumice, lava--call it what you will--were unreflective; light smote the stuff and perished, or was not returned, so that a thin veil of dusk clothed with deepest obscurity any hollow it lay in.

the event of one object coming closer to another

From this reading Although the hour was approaching high noon, and the day very glorious, no light was in the cave beyond the length of the ship’s bowsprit.

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

From this reading The water brimmed blue to the mouth of the cave, and then, at a few boats’ lengths, slept black and thick as ink, wholly motionless this day; though I might suppose that when a large swell ran outside the breakwaters, the smaller swell of the harbor put a pulse into the black tide of the cave, though without weight enough to stir the stern-stranded ship.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading A wall of darkness came to the bows of the ship; it might have been something material, something you could lean against or stick with a knife; the daylight touched it and made a twilight of it at the mouth, then died out.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading A wall of darkness came to the bows of the ship; it might have been something material, something you could lean against or stick with a knife; the daylight touched it and made a twilight of it at the mouth, then died out.

on the far side of; further than

From this reading Although the hour was approaching high noon, and the day very glorious, no light was in the cave beyond the length of the ship’s bowsprit.

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

From this reading The water brimmed blue to the mouth of the cave, and then, at a few boats’ lengths, slept black and thick as ink, wholly motionless this day; though I might suppose that when a large swell ran outside the breakwaters, the smaller swell of the harbor put a pulse into the black tide of the cave, though without weight enough to stir the stern-stranded ship.

of the color intermediate between green and violet; having a color similar to that of a clear unclouded sky

From this reading The water brimmed blue to the mouth of the cave, and then, at a few boats’ lengths, slept black and thick as ink, wholly motionless this day; though I might suppose that when a large swell ran outside the breakwaters, the smaller swell of the harbor put a pulse into the black tide of the cave, though without weight enough to stir the stern-stranded ship.

plural of “boat” — a small vessel for travel on water

From this reading The water brimmed blue to the mouth of the cave, and then, at a few boats’ lengths, slept black and thick as ink, wholly motionless this day; though I might suppose that when a large swell ran outside the breakwaters, the smaller swell of the harbor put a pulse into the black tide of the cave, though without weight enough to stir the stern-stranded ship.

plural of “bow” — a knot with two loops and loose ends; used to tie shoelaces

From this reading A wall of darkness came to the bows of the ship; it might have been something material, something you could lean against or stick with a knife; the daylight touched it and made a twilight of it at the mouth, then died out.

a spar projecting from the bow of a vessel

From this reading Although the hour was approaching high noon, and the day very glorious, no light was in the cave beyond the length of the ship’s bowsprit.

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

From this reading The water brimmed blue to the mouth of the cave, and then, at a few boats’ lengths, slept black and thick as ink, wholly motionless this day; though I might suppose that when a large swell ran outside the breakwaters, the smaller swell of the harbor put a pulse into the black tide of the cave, though without weight enough to stir the stern-stranded ship.

inflected form of “brim” — be completely full

From this reading The water brimmed blue to the mouth of the cave, and then, at a few boats’ lengths, slept black and thick as ink, wholly motionless this day; though I might suppose that when a large swell ran outside the breakwaters, the smaller swell of the harbor put a pulse into the black tide of the cave, though without weight enough to stir the stern-stranded ship.

assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading The long and short of it is--it is my way, anyhow, of explaining the strange thing--the filthy colored scoriæ, the gloomy masses of cinder, pumice, lava--call it what you will--were unreflective; light smote the stuff and perished, or was not returned, so that a thin veil of dusk clothed with deepest obscurity any hollow it lay in.

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading A wall of darkness came to the bows of the ship; it might have been something material, something you could lean against or stick with a knife; the daylight touched it and made a twilight of it at the mouth, then died out.

a geological formation consisting of an underground enclosure with access from the surface of the ground or from the sea

From this reading Although the hour was approaching high noon, and the day very glorious, no light was in the cave beyond the length of the ship’s bowsprit.

a fragment of incombustible matter left after a wood or coal or charcoal fire

From this reading The long and short of it is--it is my way, anyhow, of explaining the strange thing--the filthy colored scoriæ, the gloomy masses of cinder, pumice, lava--call it what you will--were unreflective; light smote the stuff and perished, or was not returned, so that a thin veil of dusk clothed with deepest obscurity any hollow it lay in.

wearing or provided with clothing; sometimes used in combination

From this reading The long and short of it is--it is my way, anyhow, of explaining the strange thing--the filthy colored scoriæ, the gloomy masses of cinder, pumice, lava--call it what you will--were unreflective; light smote the stuff and perished, or was not returned, so that a thin veil of dusk clothed with deepest obscurity any hollow it lay in.

having color or a certain color; sometimes used in combination

From this reading The long and short of it is--it is my way, anyhow, of explaining the strange thing--the filthy colored scoriæ, the gloomy masses of cinder, pumice, lava--call it what you will--were unreflective; light smote the stuff and perished, or was not returned, so that a thin veil of dusk clothed with deepest obscurity any hollow it lay in.

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading A wall of darkness came to the bows of the ship; it might have been something material, something you could lean against or stick with a knife; the daylight touched it and made a twilight of it at the mouth, then died out.

absence of light or illumination

From this reading A wall of darkness came to the bows of the ship; it might have been something material, something you could lean against or stick with a knife; the daylight touched it and made a twilight of it at the mouth, then died out.

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading Although the hour was approaching high noon, and the day very glorious, no light was in the cave beyond the length of the ship’s bowsprit.

the time after sunrise and before sunset while it is light outside

From this reading A wall of darkness came to the bows of the ship; it might have been something material, something you could lean against or stick with a knife; the daylight touched it and made a twilight of it at the mouth, then died out.

superlative of “deep” — relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply

From this reading The long and short of it is--it is my way, anyhow, of explaining the strange thing--the filthy colored scoriæ, the gloomy masses of cinder, pumice, lava--call it what you will--were unreflective; light smote the stuff and perished, or was not returned, so that a thin veil of dusk clothed with deepest obscurity any hollow it lay in.

past form of “die” — pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life

From this reading A wall of darkness came to the bows of the ship; it might have been something material, something you could lean against or stick with a knife; the daylight touched it and made a twilight of it at the mouth, then died out.

plural of “dollar” — the basic monetary unit in many countries; equal to 100 cents

From this reading WE TRANSHIP THE DOLLARS.

the time of day immediately following sunset

From this reading The long and short of it is--it is my way, anyhow, of explaining the strange thing--the filthy colored scoriæ, the gloomy masses of cinder, pumice, lava--call it what you will--were unreflective; light smote the stuff and perished, or was not returned, so that a thin veil of dusk clothed with deepest obscurity any hollow it lay in.

an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose

From this reading The water brimmed blue to the mouth of the cave, and then, at a few boats’ lengths, slept black and thick as ink, wholly motionless this day; though I might suppose that when a large swell ran outside the breakwaters, the smaller swell of the harbor put a pulse into the black tide of the cave, though without weight enough to stir the stern-stranded ship.

-ing form of “explain” — make plain and comprehensible

From this reading The long and short of it is--it is my way, anyhow, of explaining the strange thing--the filthy colored scoriæ, the gloomy masses of cinder, pumice, lava--call it what you will--were unreflective; light smote the stuff and perished, or was not returned, so that a thin veil of dusk clothed with deepest obscurity any hollow it lay in.

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number

From this reading The water brimmed blue to the mouth of the cave, and then, at a few boats’ lengths, slept black and thick as ink, wholly motionless this day; though I might suppose that when a large swell ran outside the breakwaters, the smaller swell of the harbor put a pulse into the black tide of the cave, though without weight enough to stir the stern-stranded ship.

disgustingly dirty; filled or smeared with offensive matter

From this reading The long and short of it is--it is my way, anyhow, of explaining the strange thing--the filthy colored scoriæ, the gloomy masses of cinder, pumice, lava--call it what you will--were unreflective; light smote the stuff and perished, or was not returned, so that a thin veil of dusk clothed with deepest obscurity any hollow it lay in.

depressingly dark

From this reading The long and short of it is--it is my way, anyhow, of explaining the strange thing--the filthy colored scoriæ, the gloomy masses of cinder, pumice, lava--call it what you will--were unreflective; light smote the stuff and perished, or was not returned, so that a thin veil of dusk clothed with deepest obscurity any hollow it lay in.

having or deserving or conferring glory

From this reading Although the hour was approaching high noon, and the day very glorious, no light was in the cave beyond the length of the ship’s bowsprit.

maintain (a theory, thoughts, or feelings)

From this reading The water brimmed blue to the mouth of the cave, and then, at a few boats’ lengths, slept black and thick as ink, wholly motionless this day; though I might suppose that when a large swell ran outside the breakwaters, the smaller swell of the harbor put a pulse into the black tide of the cave, though without weight enough to stir the stern-stranded ship.

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading A wall of darkness came to the bows of the ship; it might have been something material, something you could lean against or stick with a knife; the daylight touched it and made a twilight of it at the mouth, then died out.

greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount

From this reading Although the hour was approaching high noon, and the day very glorious, no light was in the cave beyond the length of the ship’s bowsprit.

not solid; having a space or gap or cavity

From this reading The long and short of it is--it is my way, anyhow, of explaining the strange thing--the filthy colored scoriæ, the gloomy masses of cinder, pumice, lava--call it what you will--were unreflective; light smote the stuff and perished, or was not returned, so that a thin veil of dusk clothed with deepest obscurity any hollow it lay in.

a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day

From this reading Although the hour was approaching high noon, and the day very glorious, no light was in the cave beyond the length of the ship’s bowsprit.

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

From this reading The water brimmed blue to the mouth of the cave, and then, at a few boats’ lengths, slept black and thick as ink, wholly motionless this day; though I might suppose that when a large swell ran outside the breakwaters, the smaller swell of the harbor put a pulse into the black tide of the cave, though without weight enough to stir the stern-stranded ship.

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

From this reading Although the hour was approaching high noon, and the day very glorious, no light was in the cave beyond the length of the ship’s bowsprit.

a liquid used for printing or writing or drawing

From this reading The water brimmed blue to the mouth of the cave, and then, at a few boats’ lengths, slept black and thick as ink, wholly motionless this day; though I might suppose that when a large swell ran outside the breakwaters, the smaller swell of the harbor put a pulse into the black tide of the cave, though without weight enough to stir the stern-stranded ship.

moving to the inside of something

From this reading The water brimmed blue to the mouth of the cave, and then, at a few boats’ lengths, slept black and thick as ink, wholly motionless this day; though I might suppose that when a large swell ran outside the breakwaters, the smaller swell of the harbor put a pulse into the black tide of the cave, though without weight enough to stir the stern-stranded ship.

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

From this reading The long and short of it is--it is my way, anyhow, of explaining the strange thing--the filthy colored scoriæ, the gloomy masses of cinder, pumice, lava--call it what you will--were unreflective; light smote the stuff and perished, or was not returned, so that a thin veil of dusk clothed with deepest obscurity any hollow it lay in.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading A wall of darkness came to the bows of the ship; it might have been something material, something you could lean against or stick with a knife; the daylight touched it and made a twilight of it at the mouth, then died out.

edge tool used as a cutting instrument; has a pointed blade with a sharp edge and a handle

From this reading A wall of darkness came to the bows of the ship; it might have been something material, something you could lean against or stick with a knife; the daylight touched it and made a twilight of it at the mouth, then died out.

above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading The water brimmed blue to the mouth of the cave, and then, at a few boats’ lengths, slept black and thick as ink, wholly motionless this day; though I might suppose that when a large swell ran outside the breakwaters, the smaller swell of the harbor put a pulse into the black tide of the cave, though without weight enough to stir the stern-stranded ship.

rock that in its molten form (as magma) issues from volcanos; lava is what magma is called when it reaches the surface

From this reading The long and short of it is--it is my way, anyhow, of explaining the strange thing--the filthy colored scoriæ, the gloomy masses of cinder, pumice, lava--call it what you will--were unreflective; light smote the stuff and perished, or was not returned, so that a thin veil of dusk clothed with deepest obscurity any hollow it lay in.

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading The long and short of it is--it is my way, anyhow, of explaining the strange thing--the filthy colored scoriæ, the gloomy masses of cinder, pumice, lava--call it what you will--were unreflective; light smote the stuff and perished, or was not returned, so that a thin veil of dusk clothed with deepest obscurity any hollow it lay in.

to incline or bend from a vertical position

From this reading A wall of darkness came to the bows of the ship; it might have been something material, something you could lean against or stick with a knife; the daylight touched it and made a twilight of it at the mouth, then died out.

the linear extent in space from one end to the other; the longest dimension of something that is fixed in place

From this reading Although the hour was approaching high noon, and the day very glorious, no light was in the cave beyond the length of the ship’s bowsprit.

plural of “length” — the linear extent in space from one end to the other; the longest dimension of something that is fixed in place

From this reading The water brimmed blue to the mouth of the cave, and then, at a few boats’ lengths, slept black and thick as ink, wholly motionless this day; though I might suppose that when a large swell ran outside the breakwaters, the smaller swell of the harbor put a pulse into the black tide of the cave, though without weight enough to stir the stern-stranded ship.

of comparatively little physical weight or density

From this reading Although the hour was approaching high noon, and the day very glorious, no light was in the cave beyond the length of the ship’s bowsprit.

primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified

From this reading The long and short of it is--it is my way, anyhow, of explaining the strange thing--the filthy colored scoriæ, the gloomy masses of cinder, pumice, lava--call it what you will--were unreflective; light smote the stuff and perished, or was not returned, so that a thin veil of dusk clothed with deepest obscurity any hollow it lay in.

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading A wall of darkness came to the bows of the ship; it might have been something material, something you could lean against or stick with a knife; the daylight touched it and made a twilight of it at the mouth, then died out.

the common people generally

From this reading The long and short of it is--it is my way, anyhow, of explaining the strange thing--the filthy colored scoriæ, the gloomy masses of cinder, pumice, lava--call it what you will--were unreflective; light smote the stuff and perished, or was not returned, so that a thin veil of dusk clothed with deepest obscurity any hollow it lay in.

concerned with worldly rather than spiritual interests

From this reading A wall of darkness came to the bows of the ship; it might have been something material, something you could lean against or stick with a knife; the daylight touched it and made a twilight of it at the mouth, then died out.

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading A wall of darkness came to the bows of the ship; it might have been something material, something you could lean against or stick with a knife; the daylight touched it and made a twilight of it at the mouth, then died out.

not in physical motion

From this reading The water brimmed blue to the mouth of the cave, and then, at a few boats’ lengths, slept black and thick as ink, wholly motionless this day; though I might suppose that when a large swell ran outside the breakwaters, the smaller swell of the harbor put a pulse into the black tide of the cave, though without weight enough to stir the stern-stranded ship.

the opening through which food is taken in and vocalizations emerge

From this reading A wall of darkness came to the bows of the ship; it might have been something material, something you could lean against or stick with a knife; the daylight touched it and made a twilight of it at the mouth, then died out.

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading The long and short of it is--it is my way, anyhow, of explaining the strange thing--the filthy colored scoriæ, the gloomy masses of cinder, pumice, lava--call it what you will--were unreflective; light smote the stuff and perished, or was not returned, so that a thin veil of dusk clothed with deepest obscurity any hollow it lay in.

not any; not one

From this reading Although the hour was approaching high noon, and the day very glorious, no light was in the cave beyond the length of the ship’s bowsprit.

the middle of the day

From this reading Although the hour was approaching high noon, and the day very glorious, no light was in the cave beyond the length of the ship’s bowsprit.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading The long and short of it is--it is my way, anyhow, of explaining the strange thing--the filthy colored scoriæ, the gloomy masses of cinder, pumice, lava--call it what you will--were unreflective; light smote the stuff and perished, or was not returned, so that a thin veil of dusk clothed with deepest obscurity any hollow it lay in.

the quality of being unclear or abstruse and hard to understand

From this reading The long and short of it is--it is my way, anyhow, of explaining the strange thing--the filthy colored scoriæ, the gloomy masses of cinder, pumice, lava--call it what you will--were unreflective; light smote the stuff and perished, or was not returned, so that a thin veil of dusk clothed with deepest obscurity any hollow it lay in.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Although the hour was approaching high noon, and the day very glorious, no light was in the cave beyond the length of the ship’s bowsprit.

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading A wall of darkness came to the bows of the ship; it might have been something material, something you could lean against or stick with a knife; the daylight touched it and made a twilight of it at the mouth, then died out.

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading A wall of darkness came to the bows of the ship; it might have been something material, something you could lean against or stick with a knife; the daylight touched it and made a twilight of it at the mouth, then died out.

relating to or being on or near the outer side or limit

From this reading The water brimmed blue to the mouth of the cave, and then, at a few boats’ lengths, slept black and thick as ink, wholly motionless this day; though I might suppose that when a large swell ran outside the breakwaters, the smaller swell of the harbor put a pulse into the black tide of the cave, though without weight enough to stir the stern-stranded ship.

past form of “perish” — pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life

From this reading The long and short of it is--it is my way, anyhow, of explaining the strange thing--the filthy colored scoriæ, the gloomy masses of cinder, pumice, lava--call it what you will--were unreflective; light smote the stuff and perished, or was not returned, so that a thin veil of dusk clothed with deepest obscurity any hollow it lay in.

(electronics) a sharp transient wave in the normal electrical state (or a series of such transients)

From this reading The water brimmed blue to the mouth of the cave, and then, at a few boats’ lengths, slept black and thick as ink, wholly motionless this day; though I might suppose that when a large swell ran outside the breakwaters, the smaller swell of the harbor put a pulse into the black tide of the cave, though without weight enough to stir the stern-stranded ship.

a light glass formed on the surface of some lavas; used as an abrasive

From this reading The long and short of it is--it is my way, anyhow, of explaining the strange thing--the filthy colored scoriæ, the gloomy masses of cinder, pumice, lava--call it what you will--were unreflective; light smote the stuff and perished, or was not returned, so that a thin veil of dusk clothed with deepest obscurity any hollow it lay in.

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading The water brimmed blue to the mouth of the cave, and then, at a few boats’ lengths, slept black and thick as ink, wholly motionless this day; though I might suppose that when a large swell ran outside the breakwaters, the smaller swell of the harbor put a pulse into the black tide of the cave, though without weight enough to stir the stern-stranded ship.

inflected form of “run” — move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time

From this reading The water brimmed blue to the mouth of the cave, and then, at a few boats’ lengths, slept black and thick as ink, wholly motionless this day; though I might suppose that when a large swell ran outside the breakwaters, the smaller swell of the harbor put a pulse into the black tide of the cave, though without weight enough to stir the stern-stranded ship.

past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before

From this reading The long and short of it is--it is my way, anyhow, of explaining the strange thing--the filthy colored scoriæ, the gloomy masses of cinder, pumice, lava--call it what you will--were unreflective; light smote the stuff and perished, or was not returned, so that a thin veil of dusk clothed with deepest obscurity any hollow it lay in.

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

From this reading The long and short of it is--it is my way, anyhow, of explaining the strange thing--the filthy colored scoriæ, the gloomy masses of cinder, pumice, lava--call it what you will--were unreflective; light smote the stuff and perished, or was not returned, so that a thin veil of dusk clothed with deepest obscurity any hollow it lay in.

transport commercially

From this reading A wall of darkness came to the bows of the ship; it might have been something material, something you could lean against or stick with a knife; the daylight touched it and made a twilight of it at the mouth, then died out.

possessive form of “ship” — a vessel that carries passengers or freight

From this reading Although the hour was approaching high noon, and the day very glorious, no light was in the cave beyond the length of the ship’s bowsprit.

primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration

From this reading The long and short of it is--it is my way, anyhow, of explaining the strange thing--the filthy colored scoriæ, the gloomy masses of cinder, pumice, lava--call it what you will--were unreflective; light smote the stuff and perished, or was not returned, so that a thin veil of dusk clothed with deepest obscurity any hollow it lay in.

inflected form of “sleep” — be asleep

From this reading The water brimmed blue to the mouth of the cave, and then, at a few boats’ lengths, slept black and thick as ink, wholly motionless this day; though I might suppose that when a large swell ran outside the breakwaters, the smaller swell of the harbor put a pulse into the black tide of the cave, though without weight enough to stir the stern-stranded ship.

small or little relative to something else

From this reading The water brimmed blue to the mouth of the cave, and then, at a few boats’ lengths, slept black and thick as ink, wholly motionless this day; though I might suppose that when a large swell ran outside the breakwaters, the smaller swell of the harbor put a pulse into the black tide of the cave, though without weight enough to stir the stern-stranded ship.

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

From this reading The long and short of it is--it is my way, anyhow, of explaining the strange thing--the filthy colored scoriæ, the gloomy masses of cinder, pumice, lava--call it what you will--were unreflective; light smote the stuff and perished, or was not returned, so that a thin veil of dusk clothed with deepest obscurity any hollow it lay in.

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading The long and short of it is--it is my way, anyhow, of explaining the strange thing--the filthy colored scoriæ, the gloomy masses of cinder, pumice, lava--call it what you will--were unreflective; light smote the stuff and perished, or was not returned, so that a thin veil of dusk clothed with deepest obscurity any hollow it lay in.

a thing, without saying which

From this reading A wall of darkness came to the bows of the ship; it might have been something material, something you could lean against or stick with a knife; the daylight touched it and made a twilight of it at the mouth, then died out.

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

From this reading The water brimmed blue to the mouth of the cave, and then, at a few boats’ lengths, slept black and thick as ink, wholly motionless this day; though I might suppose that when a large swell ran outside the breakwaters, the smaller swell of the harbor put a pulse into the black tide of the cave, though without weight enough to stir the stern-stranded ship.

put, fix, force, or implant

From this reading A wall of darkness came to the bows of the ship; it might have been something material, something you could lean against or stick with a knife; the daylight touched it and made a twilight of it at the mouth, then died out.

move an implement through

From this reading The water brimmed blue to the mouth of the cave, and then, at a few boats’ lengths, slept black and thick as ink, wholly motionless this day; though I might suppose that when a large swell ran outside the breakwaters, the smaller swell of the harbor put a pulse into the black tide of the cave, though without weight enough to stir the stern-stranded ship.

being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird

From this reading The long and short of it is--it is my way, anyhow, of explaining the strange thing--the filthy colored scoriæ, the gloomy masses of cinder, pumice, lava--call it what you will--were unreflective; light smote the stuff and perished, or was not returned, so that a thin veil of dusk clothed with deepest obscurity any hollow it lay in.

the tangible substance that goes into the makeup of a physical object

From this reading The long and short of it is--it is my way, anyhow, of explaining the strange thing--the filthy colored scoriæ, the gloomy masses of cinder, pumice, lava--call it what you will--were unreflective; light smote the stuff and perished, or was not returned, so that a thin veil of dusk clothed with deepest obscurity any hollow it lay in.

express a supposition

From this reading The water brimmed blue to the mouth of the cave, and then, at a few boats’ lengths, slept black and thick as ink, wholly motionless this day; though I might suppose that when a large swell ran outside the breakwaters, the smaller swell of the harbor put a pulse into the black tide of the cave, though without weight enough to stir the stern-stranded ship.

increase in size, magnitude, number, or intensity

From this reading The water brimmed blue to the mouth of the cave, and then, at a few boats’ lengths, slept black and thick as ink, wholly motionless this day; though I might suppose that when a large swell ran outside the breakwaters, the smaller swell of the harbor put a pulse into the black tide of the cave, though without weight enough to stir the stern-stranded ship.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading The long and short of it is--it is my way, anyhow, of explaining the strange thing--the filthy colored scoriæ, the gloomy masses of cinder, pumice, lava--call it what you will--were unreflective; light smote the stuff and perished, or was not returned, so that a thin veil of dusk clothed with deepest obscurity any hollow it lay in.

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

From this reading WE TRANSHIP THE DOLLARS.

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading A wall of darkness came to the bows of the ship; it might have been something material, something you could lean against or stick with a knife; the daylight touched it and made a twilight of it at the mouth, then died out.

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 The water brimmed blue to the mouth of the cave, and then, at a few boats’ lengths, slept black and thick as ink, wholly motionless this day; though I might suppose that when a large swell ran outside the breakwaters, the smaller swell of the harbor put a pulse into the black tide of the cave, though without weight enough to stir the stern-stranded ship.

Having little thickness or extent.

From this reading The long and short of it is--it is my way, anyhow, of explaining the strange thing--the filthy colored scoriæ, the gloomy masses of cinder, pumice, lava--call it what you will--were unreflective; light smote the stuff and perished, or was not returned, so that a thin veil of dusk clothed with deepest obscurity any hollow it lay in.

a special situation

From this reading The long and short of it is--it is my way, anyhow, of explaining the strange thing--the filthy colored scoriæ, the gloomy masses of cinder, pumice, lava--call it what you will--were unreflective; light smote the stuff and perished, or was not returned, so that a thin veil of dusk clothed with deepest obscurity any hollow it lay in.

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading The water brimmed blue to the mouth of the cave, and then, at a few boats’ lengths, slept black and thick as ink, wholly motionless this day; though I might suppose that when a large swell ran outside the breakwaters, the smaller swell of the harbor put a pulse into the black tide of the cave, though without weight enough to stir the stern-stranded ship.

in spite of the fact that

From this reading The water brimmed blue to the mouth of the cave, and then, at a few boats’ lengths, slept black and thick as ink, wholly motionless this day; though I might suppose that when a large swell ran outside the breakwaters, the smaller swell of the harbor put a pulse into the black tide of the cave, though without weight enough to stir the stern-stranded ship.

the periodic rise and fall of the sea level under the gravitational pull of the moon

From this reading The water brimmed blue to the mouth of the cave, and then, at a few boats’ lengths, slept black and thick as ink, wholly motionless this day; though I might suppose that when a large swell ran outside the breakwaters, the smaller swell of the harbor put a pulse into the black tide of the cave, though without weight enough to stir the stern-stranded ship.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading A wall of darkness came to the bows of the ship; it might have been something material, something you could lean against or stick with a knife; the daylight touched it and made a twilight of it at the mouth, then died out.

having come into contact

From this reading A wall of darkness came to the bows of the ship; it might have been something material, something you could lean against or stick with a knife; the daylight touched it and made a twilight of it at the mouth, then died out.

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

From this reading WE TRANSHIP THE DOLLARS.

the time of day immediately following sunset

From this reading A wall of darkness came to the bows of the ship; it might have been something material, something you could lean against or stick with a knife; the daylight touched it and made a twilight of it at the mouth, then died out.

not exhibiting or characterized by careful thought

From this reading The long and short of it is--it is my way, anyhow, of explaining the strange thing--the filthy colored scoriæ, the gloomy masses of cinder, pumice, lava--call it what you will--were unreflective; light smote the stuff and perished, or was not returned, so that a thin veil of dusk clothed with deepest obscurity any hollow it lay in.

a garment that covers the head and face

From this reading The long and short of it is--it is my way, anyhow, of explaining the strange thing--the filthy colored scoriæ, the gloomy masses of cinder, pumice, lava--call it what you will--were unreflective; light smote the stuff and perished, or was not returned, so that a thin veil of dusk clothed with deepest obscurity any hollow it lay in.

precisely as stated

From this reading Although the hour was approaching high noon, and the day very glorious, no light was in the cave beyond the length of the ship’s bowsprit.

an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure

From this reading A wall of darkness came to the bows of the ship; it might have been something material, something you could lean against or stick with a knife; the daylight touched it and made a twilight of it at the mouth, then died out.

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

From this reading Although the hour was approaching high noon, and the day very glorious, no light was in the cave beyond the length of the ship’s bowsprit.

binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent

From this reading The water brimmed blue to the mouth of the cave, and then, at a few boats’ lengths, slept black and thick as ink, wholly motionless this day; though I might suppose that when a large swell ran outside the breakwaters, the smaller swell of the harbor put a pulse into the black tide of the cave, though without weight enough to stir the stern-stranded ship.

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading The long and short of it is--it is my way, anyhow, of explaining the strange thing--the filthy colored scoriæ, the gloomy masses of cinder, pumice, lava--call it what you will--were unreflective; light smote the stuff and perished, or was not returned, so that a thin veil of dusk clothed with deepest obscurity any hollow it lay in.

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading WE TRANSHIP THE DOLLARS.

the vertical force exerted by a mass as a result of gravity

From this reading The water brimmed blue to the mouth of the cave, and then, at a few boats’ lengths, slept black and thick as ink, wholly motionless this day; though I might suppose that when a large swell ran outside the breakwaters, the smaller swell of the harbor put a pulse into the black tide of the cave, though without weight enough to stir the stern-stranded ship.

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

From this reading The long and short of it is--it is my way, anyhow, of explaining the strange thing--the filthy colored scoriæ, the gloomy masses of cinder, pumice, lava--call it what you will--were unreflective; light smote the stuff and perished, or was not returned, so that a thin veil of dusk clothed with deepest obscurity any hollow it lay in.

used to ask for information about something

From this reading The long and short of it is--it is my way, anyhow, of explaining the strange thing--the filthy colored scoriæ, the gloomy masses of cinder, pumice, lava--call it what you will--were unreflective; light smote the stuff and perished, or was not returned, so that a thin veil of dusk clothed with deepest obscurity any hollow it lay in.

at the time that

From this reading The water brimmed blue to the mouth of the cave, and then, at a few boats’ lengths, slept black and thick as ink, wholly motionless this day; though I might suppose that when a large swell ran outside the breakwaters, the smaller swell of the harbor put a pulse into the black tide of the cave, though without weight enough to stir the stern-stranded ship.

to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally for “wholly”)

From this reading The water brimmed blue to the mouth of the cave, and then, at a few boats’ lengths, slept black and thick as ink, wholly motionless this day; though I might suppose that when a large swell ran outside the breakwaters, the smaller swell of the harbor put a pulse into the black tide of the cave, though without weight enough to stir the stern-stranded ship.

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading The long and short of it is--it is my way, anyhow, of explaining the strange thing--the filthy colored scoriæ, the gloomy masses of cinder, pumice, lava--call it what you will--were unreflective; light smote the stuff and perished, or was not returned, so that a thin veil of dusk clothed with deepest obscurity any hollow it lay in.

in the company of; together with

From this reading A wall of darkness came to the bows of the ship; it might have been something material, something you could lean against or stick with a knife; the daylight touched it and made a twilight of it at the mouth, then died out.

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading The water brimmed blue to the mouth of the cave, and then, at a few boats’ lengths, slept black and thick as ink, wholly motionless this day; though I might suppose that when a large swell ran outside the breakwaters, the smaller swell of the harbor put a pulse into the black tide of the cave, though without weight enough to stir the stern-stranded ship.

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading A wall of darkness came to the bows of the ship; it might have been something material, something you could lean against or stick with a knife; the daylight touched it and made a twilight of it at the mouth, then died out.