used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A MISCHIEVOUS MERMAID There was a splash over the side of a boat, then another, one more, and a fourth.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading Down a long streak of moonlight four dark objects floated above the surface of the waves.
move forward, also in the metaphorical sense
From this reading Two dark heads kept in advance of the others.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A MISCHIEVOUS MERMAID There was a splash over the side of a boat, then another, one more, and a fourth.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading A MISCHIEVOUS MERMAID There was a splash over the side of a boat, then another, one more, and a fourth.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading For a few seconds there was not a sound, not even a shout, to show that the mermaids were at play.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading The water rippled and broke away into smooth curves.
a small vessel for travel on water
From this reading A MISCHIEVOUS MERMAID There was a splash over the side of a boat, then another, one more, and a fourth.
lacking funds
From this reading The water rippled and broke away into smooth curves.
curvesnounUS /kɜːrvz/
plural of “curve” — the trace of a point whose direction of motion changes
From this reading The water rippled and broke away into smooth curves.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading Down a long streak of moonlight four dark objects floated above the surface of the waves.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Down a long streak of moonlight four dark objects floated above the surface of the waves.
divisible by two
From this reading For a few seconds there was not a sound, not even a shout, to show that the mermaids were at play.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading For a few seconds there was not a sound, not even a shout, to show that the mermaids were at play.
floatedverbUS /ˈfloʊtəd/
past form of “float” — be in motion due to some air or water current
From this reading Down a long streak of moonlight four dark objects floated above the surface of the waves.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For a few seconds there was not a sound, not even a shout, to show that the mermaids were at play.
the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one
From this reading Down a long streak of moonlight four dark objects floated above the surface of the waves.
following the third position; number four in a countable series
From this reading A MISCHIEVOUS MERMAID There was a splash over the side of a boat, then another, one more, and a fourth.
plural of “head” — the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading Two dark heads kept in advance of the others.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Two dark heads kept in advance of the others.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading The water rippled and broke away into smooth curves.
(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded
From this reading Two dark heads kept in advance of the others.
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 Down a long streak of moonlight four dark objects floated above the surface of the waves.
MERMAIDnounUS /ˈmɜːrmeɪd/
half woman and half fish; lives in the sea
From this reading A MISCHIEVOUS MERMAID There was a splash over the side of a boat, then another, one more, and a fourth.
mermaidsnounUS /ˈmɜːrmeɪdz/
plural of “mermaid” — half woman and half fish; lives in the sea
From this reading For a few seconds there was not a sound, not even a shout, to show that the mermaids were at play.
MISCHIEVOUSadjectiveUS /ˈmɪstʃəvəs/
naughtily or annoyingly playful
From this reading A MISCHIEVOUS MERMAID There was a splash over the side of a boat, then another, one more, and a fourth.
the light of the Moon
From this reading Down a long streak of moonlight four dark objects floated above the surface of the waves.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading A MISCHIEVOUS MERMAID There was a splash over the side of a boat, then another, one more, and a fourth.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading For a few seconds there was not a sound, not even a shout, to show that the mermaids were at play.
plural of “object” — a tangible and visible entity; an entity that can cast a shadow
From this reading Down a long streak of moonlight four dark objects floated above the surface of the waves.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A MISCHIEVOUS MERMAID There was a splash over the side of a boat, then another, one more, and a fourth.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading A MISCHIEVOUS MERMAID There was a splash over the side of a boat, then another, one more, and a fourth.
others
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Two dark heads kept in advance of the others.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading A MISCHIEVOUS MERMAID There was a splash over the side of a boat, then another, one more, and a fourth.
participate in games or sport
From this reading For a few seconds there was not a sound, not even a shout, to show that the mermaids were at play.
rippledadjectiveUS /ˈrɪpəld/
uneven by virtue of having wrinkles or waves
From this reading The water rippled and broke away into smooth curves.
plural of “second” — 1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
From this reading For a few seconds there was not a sound, not even a shout, to show that the mermaids were at play.
utter in a loud voice; talk in a loud voice (usually denoting characteristic manner of speaking)
From this reading For a few seconds there was not a sound, not even a shout, to show that the mermaids were at play.
give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading For a few seconds there was not a sound, not even a shout, to show that the mermaids were at play.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading A MISCHIEVOUS MERMAID There was a splash over the side of a boat, then another, one more, and a fourth.
having a surface free from roughness or bumps or ridges or irregularities
From this reading The water rippled and broke away into smooth curves.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading For a few seconds there was not a sound, not even a shout, to show that the mermaids were at play.
splashverbUS /splæʃ/
cause (a liquid) to spatter about, especially with force
From this reading A MISCHIEVOUS MERMAID There was a splash over the side of a boat, then another, one more, and a fourth.
streaknounUS /striːk/
an unbroken series of events
From this reading Down a long streak of moonlight four dark objects floated above the surface of the waves.
the outer boundary of an artifact or a material layer constituting or resembling such a boundary
From this reading Down a long streak of moonlight four dark objects floated above the surface of the waves.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading For a few seconds there was not a sound, not even a shout, to show that the mermaids were at play.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A MISCHIEVOUS MERMAID There was a splash over the side of a boat, then another, one more, and a fourth.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading A MISCHIEVOUS MERMAID There was a splash over the side of a boat, then another, one more, and a fourth.
in or at that place or location
From this reading A MISCHIEVOUS MERMAID There was a splash over the side of a boat, then another, one more, and a fourth.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading For a few seconds there was not a sound, not even a shout, to show that the mermaids were at play.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading Two dark heads kept in advance of the others.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading A MISCHIEVOUS MERMAID There was a splash over the side of a boat, then another, one more, and a fourth.
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 rippled and broke away into smooth curves.
plural of “wave” — one of a series of ridges that moves across the surface of a liquid (especially across a large body of water)
From this reading Down a long streak of moonlight four dark objects floated above the surface of the waves.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading For a few seconds there was not a sound, not even a shout, to show that the mermaids were at play.
