used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A Fearful Sight On the bank not far away were at least fifteen large alligators, their hideous jaws partly open as they basked in the hot sun.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Frequently one would plunge into the water to cool itself, and then there would be a terrific splashing about.
alligatorsnounUS /ˈæləɡeɪtərz/
plural of “alligator” — leather made from alligator's hide
From this reading A Fearful Sight On the bank not far away were at least fifteen large alligators, their hideous jaws partly open as they basked in the hot sun.
North American republic containing 50 states - 48 conterminous states in North America plus Alaska in northwest North America and the Hawaiian Islands in the Pacific Ocean; achieved independence in 1776
From this reading Here, not far away, were some of the most terrible reptiles of South America.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Frequently one would plunge into the water to cool itself, and then there would be a terrific splashing about.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading A Fearful Sight On the bank not far away were at least fifteen large alligators, their hideous jaws partly open as they basked in the hot sun.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading A Fearful Sight On the bank not far away were at least fifteen large alligators, their hideous jaws partly open as they basked in the hot sun.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading A Fearful Sight On the bank not far away were at least fifteen large alligators, their hideous jaws partly open as they basked in the hot sun.
awenounUS /ɑː/
an overwhelming feeling of wonder or admiration
From this reading As soon as possible, the Indians stopped the boats, and the explorers viewed the creatures with a terrible awe.
sloping land (especially the slope beside a body of water)
From this reading A Fearful Sight On the bank not far away were at least fifteen large alligators, their hideous jaws partly open as they basked in the hot sun.
baskedverbUS /bæskt/
past form of “bask” — derive or receive pleasure from; get enjoyment from; take pleasure in
From this reading A Fearful Sight On the bank not far away were at least fifteen large alligators, their hideous jaws partly open as they basked in the hot sun.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Frequently one would plunge into the water to cool itself, and then there would be a terrific splashing about.
plural of “boat” — a small vessel for travel on water
From this reading As soon as possible, the Indians stopped the boats, and the explorers viewed the creatures with a terrible awe.
BrazilnounUS /brəˈzɪl/
the largest Latin American country and the largest Portuguese speaking country in the world; located in the central and northeastern part of South America; world's leading coffee exporter
From this reading Here was their first encounter with the wild life of Brazil.
neither warm nor very cold; giving relief from heat
From this reading Frequently one would plunge into the water to cool itself, and then there would be a terrific splashing about.
plural of “creature” — a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading As soon as possible, the Indians stopped the boats, and the explorers viewed the creatures with a terrible awe.
encounterverbUS /ɪnˈkaʊntər/
come together
From this reading Here was their first encounter with the wild life of Brazil.
explorersnounUS /ɪkˈsplɔːrərz/
plural of “explorer” — someone who travels into little known regions (especially for some scientific purpose)
From this reading As soon as possible, the Indians stopped the boats, and the explorers viewed the creatures with a terrible awe.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading A Fearful Sight On the bank not far away were at least fifteen large alligators, their hideous jaws partly open as they basked in the hot sun.
experiencing or showing fear
From this reading A Fearful Sight On the bank not far away were at least fifteen large alligators, their hideous jaws partly open as they basked in the hot sun.
the cardinal number that is the sum of fourteen and one
From this reading A Fearful Sight On the bank not far away were at least fifteen large alligators, their hideous jaws partly open as they basked in the hot sun.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading Here was their first encounter with the wild life of Brazil.
many times at short intervals
From this reading Frequently one would plunge into the water to cool itself, and then there would be a terrific splashing about.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading Here was their first encounter with the wild life of Brazil.
hideousadjectiveUS /ˈhɪdiəs/
grossly offensive to decency or morality; causing horror
From this reading A Fearful Sight On the bank not far away were at least fifteen large alligators, their hideous jaws partly open as they basked in the hot sun.
used of physical heat; having a high or higher than desirable temperature or giving off heat or feeling or causing a sensation of heat or burning
From this reading A Fearful Sight On the bank not far away were at least fifteen large alligators, their hideous jaws partly open as they basked in the hot sun.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading A Fearful Sight On the bank not far away were at least fifteen large alligators, their hideous jaws partly open as they basked in the hot sun.
plural of “indian” — a native or inhabitant of India
From this reading As soon as possible, the Indians stopped the boats, and the explorers viewed the creatures with a terrible awe.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Frequently one would plunge into the water to cool itself, and then there would be a terrific splashing about.
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading Frequently one would plunge into the water to cool itself, and then there would be a terrific splashing about.
jawsnounUS /dʒɔːz/
plural of “jaw” — the part of the skull of a vertebrate that frames the mouth and holds the teeth
From this reading A Fearful Sight On the bank not far away were at least fifteen large alligators, their hideous jaws partly open as they basked in the hot sun.
largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading A Fearful Sight On the bank not far away were at least fifteen large alligators, their hideous jaws partly open as they basked in the hot sun.
the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree
From this reading A Fearful Sight On the bank not far away were at least fifteen large alligators, their hideous jaws partly open as they basked in the hot sun.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading Here was their first encounter with the wild life of Brazil.
used to form the superlative
From this reading Here, not far away, were some of the most terrible reptiles of South America.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading A Fearful Sight On the bank not far away were at least fifteen large alligators, their hideous jaws partly open as they basked in the hot sun.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Here was their first encounter with the wild life of Brazil.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading A Fearful Sight On the bank not far away were at least fifteen large alligators, their hideous jaws partly open as they basked in the hot sun.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Frequently one would plunge into the water to cool itself, and then there would be a terrific splashing about.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading A Fearful Sight On the bank not far away were at least fifteen large alligators, their hideous jaws partly open as they basked in the hot sun.
to some extent; in some degree; not wholly
From this reading A Fearful Sight On the bank not far away were at least fifteen large alligators, their hideous jaws partly open as they basked in the hot sun.
plungeverbUS /plʌndʒ/
thrust or throw into
From this reading Frequently one would plunge into the water to cool itself, and then there would be a terrific splashing about.
capable of happening or existing
From this reading As soon as possible, the Indians stopped the boats, and the explorers viewed the creatures with a terrible awe.
reptilesnounUS /ˈreptaɪlz/
plural of “reptile” — any cold-blooded vertebrate of the class Reptilia including tortoises, turtles, snakes, lizards, alligators, crocodiles, and extinct forms
From this reading Here, not far away, were some of the most terrible reptiles of South America.
an instance of visual perception
From this reading A Fearful Sight On the bank not far away were at least fifteen large alligators, their hideous jaws partly open as they basked in the hot sun.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Here, not far away, were some of the most terrible reptiles of South America.
in the near future
From this reading As soon as possible, the Indians stopped the boats, and the explorers viewed the creatures with a terrible awe.
the region of the United States lying to the south of the Mason-Dixon line
From this reading Here, not far away, were some of the most terrible reptiles of South America.
splashingnounUS /ˈsplæʃɪŋ/
the act of splashing a (liquid) substance on a surface
From this reading Frequently one would plunge into the water to cool itself, and then there would be a terrific splashing about.
(of a nose) blocked
From this reading As soon as possible, the Indians stopped the boats, and the explorers viewed the creatures with a terrible awe.
the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system
From this reading A Fearful Sight On the bank not far away were at least fifteen large alligators, their hideous jaws partly open as they basked in the hot sun.
causing fear or dread or terror
From this reading As soon as possible, the Indians stopped the boats, and the explorers viewed the creatures with a terrible awe.
terrificadjectiveUS /tərˈɪfɪk/
very great or intense
From this reading Frequently one would plunge into the water to cool itself, and then there would be a terrific splashing about.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A Fearful Sight On the bank not far away were at least fifteen large alligators, their hideous jaws partly open as they basked in the hot sun.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading A Fearful Sight On the bank not far away were at least fifteen large alligators, their hideous jaws partly open as they basked in the hot sun.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Frequently one would plunge into the water to cool itself, and then there would be a terrific splashing about.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Frequently one would plunge into the water to cool itself, and then there would be a terrific splashing about.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading A Fearful Sight On the bank not far away were at least fifteen large alligators, their hideous jaws partly open as they basked in the hot sun.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Frequently one would plunge into the water to cool itself, and then there would be a terrific splashing about.
viewedverbUS /vjuːd/
past form of “view” — deem to be
From this reading As soon as possible, the Indians stopped the boats, and the explorers viewed the creatures with a terrible awe.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Here was their first encounter with the wild life of Brazil.
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 Frequently one would plunge into the water to cool itself, and then there would be a terrific splashing about.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading A Fearful Sight On the bank not far away were at least fifteen large alligators, their hideous jaws partly open as they basked in the hot sun.
marked by extreme lack of restraint or control
From this reading Here was their first encounter with the wild life of Brazil.
in the company of; together with
From this reading As soon as possible, the Indians stopped the boats, and the explorers viewed the creatures with a terrible awe.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Frequently one would plunge into the water to cool itself, and then there would be a terrific splashing about.
