used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading After the furious wind came rain in a deluge that drenched the boys under their hastily erected tarpaulins.
AfterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading After the furious wind came rain in a deluge that drenched the boys under their hastily erected tarpaulins.
anew
From this reading A few lights glowed feebly in the town, and the music struck up again after a while, but even Allen was too damp and dispirited to feel like going ashore.
AllennounUS /ˈælən/
United States comedienne remembered as the confused but imperturbable partner of her husband, George Burns (1906-1964)
From this reading A few lights glowed feebly in the town, and the music struck up again after a while, but even Allen was too damp and dispirited to feel like going ashore.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading The storm struck hard, lashing the muddy water high along the levee and tossing the broadhorns at their moorings.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The storm struck hard, lashing the muddy water high along the levee and tossing the broadhorns at their moorings.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading They got a fire started on the wet hearth, and huddling around it, finally went to sleep.
towards the shore from the water
From this reading A few lights glowed feebly in the town, and the music struck up again after a while, but even Allen was too damp and dispirited to feel like going ashore.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The storm struck hard, lashing the muddy water high along the levee and tossing the broadhorns at their moorings.
plural of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading After the furious wind came rain in a deluge that drenched the boys under their hastily erected tarpaulins.
broadhorns
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The storm struck hard, lashing the muddy water high along the levee and tossing the broadhorns at their moorings.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading A few lights glowed feebly in the town, and the music struck up again after a while, but even Allen was too damp and dispirited to feel like going ashore.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading After the furious wind came rain in a deluge that drenched the boys under their hastily erected tarpaulins.
dampadjectiveUS /dæmp/
slightly wet
From this reading A few lights glowed feebly in the town, and the music struck up again after a while, but even Allen was too damp and dispirited to feel like going ashore.
delugenounUS /ˈdeljuːdʒ/
an overwhelming number or amount
From this reading After the furious wind came rain in a deluge that drenched the boys under their hastily erected tarpaulins.
dispiritedadjectiveUS /dɪˈspɪrətɪd/
marked by low spirits; showing no enthusiasm
From this reading A few lights glowed feebly in the town, and the music struck up again after a while, but even Allen was too damp and dispirited to feel like going ashore.
drenchedadjectiveUS /drentʃt/
abundantly covered or supplied with; often used in combination
From this reading After the furious wind came rain in a deluge that drenched the boys under their hastily erected tarpaulins.
erectedverbUS /ɪˈrektəd/
past form of “erect” — construct, build, or erect
From this reading After the furious wind came rain in a deluge that drenched the boys under their hastily erected tarpaulins.
divisible by two
From this reading A few lights glowed feebly in the town, and the music struck up again after a while, but even Allen was too damp and dispirited to feel like going ashore.
feeblyadverbUS /ˈfiːbli/
in a faint and feeble manner
From this reading A few lights glowed feebly in the town, and the music struck up again after a while, but even Allen was too damp and dispirited to feel like going ashore.
undergo an emotional sensation or be in a particular state of mind
From this reading A few lights glowed feebly in the town, and the music struck up again after a while, but even Allen was too damp and dispirited to feel like going ashore.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading A few lights glowed feebly in the town, and the music struck up again after a while, but even Allen was too damp and dispirited to feel like going ashore.
after an unspecified period of time or an especially long delay
From this reading They got a fire started on the wet hearth, and huddling around it, finally went to sleep.
start firing a weapon
From this reading They got a fire started on the wet hearth, and huddling around it, finally went to sleep.
furiousadjectiveUS /ˈfjʊriəs/
marked by extreme and violent energy
From this reading After the furious wind came rain in a deluge that drenched the boys under their hastily erected tarpaulins.
glowedverbUS /ɡloʊd/
past form of “glow” — emit a steady even light without flames
From this reading A few lights glowed feebly in the town, and the music struck up again after a while, but even Allen was too damp and dispirited to feel like going ashore.
the act of departing
From this reading A few lights glowed feebly in the town, and the music struck up again after a while, but even Allen was too damp and dispirited to feel like going ashore.
inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading They got a fire started on the wet hearth, and huddling around it, finally went to sleep.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading The storm struck hard, lashing the muddy water high along the levee and tossing the broadhorns at their moorings.
in a hurried or hasty manner
From this reading After the furious wind came rain in a deluge that drenched the boys under their hastily erected tarpaulins.
hearthnounUS /hɑːrθ/
an open recess in a wall at the base of a chimney where a fire can be built
From this reading They got a fire started on the wet hearth, and huddling around it, finally went to sleep.
greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading The storm struck hard, lashing the muddy water high along the levee and tossing the broadhorns at their moorings.
huddlingverbUS /ˈhʌdəlɪŋ/
-ing form of “huddle” — crowd or draw together
From this reading They got a fire started on the wet hearth, and huddling around it, finally went to sleep.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading After the furious wind came rain in a deluge that drenched the boys under their hastily erected tarpaulins.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading They got a fire started on the wet hearth, and huddling around it, finally went to sleep.
lashingnounUS /ˈlæʃɪŋ/
beating with a whip or strap or rope as a form of punishment
From this reading The storm struck hard, lashing the muddy water high along the levee and tossing the broadhorns at their moorings.
leveenounUS /ˈlevi/
a formal reception of visitors or guests (as at a royal court)
From this reading The storm struck hard, lashing the muddy water high along the levee and tossing the broadhorns at their moorings.
plural of “light” — (physics) electromagnetic radiation that can produce a visual sensation
From this reading A few lights glowed feebly in the town, and the music struck up again after a while, but even Allen was too damp and dispirited to feel like going ashore.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading A few lights glowed feebly in the town, and the music struck up again after a while, but even Allen was too damp and dispirited to feel like going ashore.
mooringsnounUS /ˈmuːrɪŋz/
plural of “mooring” — a place where a craft can be made fast
From this reading The storm struck hard, lashing the muddy water high along the levee and tossing the broadhorns at their moorings.
muddyadjectiveUS /ˈmʌdi/
(of soil) soft and watery
From this reading The storm struck hard, lashing the muddy water high along the levee and tossing the broadhorns at their moorings.
an artistic form of auditory communication incorporating instrumental or vocal tones in a structured and continuous manner
From this reading A few lights glowed feebly in the town, and the music struck up again after a while, but even Allen was too damp and dispirited to feel like going ashore.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading And after the rain a pitch-black, sodden night.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading They got a fire started on the wet hearth, and huddling around it, finally went to sleep.
pitch-blackadjective
extremely dark
From this reading And after the rain a pitch-black, sodden night.
water falling in drops from vapor condensed in the atmosphere
From this reading After the furious wind came rain in a deluge that drenched the boys under their hastily erected tarpaulins.
a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended
From this reading They got a fire started on the wet hearth, and huddling around it, finally went to sleep.
soddenadjectiveUS /ˈsɑːdən/
wet through and through; thoroughly wet
From this reading And after the rain a pitch-black, sodden night.
past form of “start” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading They got a fire started on the wet hearth, and huddling around it, finally went to sleep.
behave violently, as if in state of a great anger
From this reading The storm struck hard, lashing the muddy water high along the levee and tossing the broadhorns at their moorings.
(used in combination) affected by something overwhelming
From this reading The storm struck hard, lashing the muddy water high along the levee and tossing the broadhorns at their moorings.
tarpaulins
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading After the furious wind came rain in a deluge that drenched the boys under their hastily erected tarpaulins.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading After the furious wind came rain in a deluge that drenched the boys under their hastily erected tarpaulins.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The storm struck hard, lashing the muddy water high along the levee and tossing the broadhorns at their moorings.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The storm struck hard, lashing the muddy water high along the levee and tossing the broadhorns at their moorings.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They got a fire started on the wet hearth, and huddling around it, finally went to sleep.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading A few lights glowed feebly in the town, and the music struck up again after a while, but even Allen was too damp and dispirited to feel like going ashore.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading A few lights glowed feebly in the town, and the music struck up again after a while, but even Allen was too damp and dispirited to feel like going ashore.
tossingverbUS /ˈtɔːsɪŋ/
-ing form of “toss” — throw or toss with a light motion
From this reading The storm struck hard, lashing the muddy water high along the levee and tossing the broadhorns at their moorings.
an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city
From this reading A few lights glowed feebly in the town, and the music struck up again after a while, but even Allen was too damp and dispirited to feel like going ashore.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading After the furious wind came rain in a deluge that drenched the boys under their hastily erected tarpaulins.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading A few lights glowed feebly in the town, and the music struck up again after a while, but even Allen was too damp and dispirited to feel like going ashore.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading A few lights glowed feebly in the town, and the music struck up again after a while, but even Allen was too damp and dispirited to feel like going ashore.
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 storm struck hard, lashing the muddy water high along the levee and tossing the broadhorns at their moorings.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading They got a fire started on the wet hearth, and huddling around it, finally went to sleep.
covered or soaked with a liquid such as water
From this reading They got a fire started on the wet hearth, and huddling around it, finally went to sleep.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading A few lights glowed feebly in the town, and the music struck up again after a while, but even Allen was too damp and dispirited to feel like going ashore.
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading After the furious wind came rain in a deluge that drenched the boys under their hastily erected tarpaulins.
