used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Marcy Gray waited until the boat drew a little nearer, and then looked again.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading There could be no mistake about it.
anew
From this reading HOME AGAIN.
Aleck
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The man in the stern-sheets with the coxswain was Aleck Webster, the one who had promised to have an eye on Marcy and his mother while Jack was at sea, and those who composed his party were men whom Marcy met at the post-office almost as often as he went there.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading The man in the stern-sheets with the coxswain was Aleck Webster, the one who had promised to have an eye on Marcy and his mother while Jack was at sea, and those who composed his party were men whom Marcy met at the post-office almost as often as he went there.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The man in the stern-sheets with the coxswain was Aleck Webster, the one who had promised to have an eye on Marcy and his mother while Jack was at sea, and those who composed his party were men whom Marcy met at the post-office almost as often as he went there.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Marcy Gray waited until the boat drew a little nearer, and then looked again.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The man in the stern-sheets with the coxswain was Aleck Webster, the one who had promised to have an eye on Marcy and his mother while Jack was at sea, and those who composed his party were men whom Marcy met at the post-office almost as often as he went there.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The man in the stern-sheets with the coxswain was Aleck Webster, the one who had promised to have an eye on Marcy and his mother while Jack was at sea, and those who composed his party were men whom Marcy met at the post-office almost as often as he went there.
an unofficial association of people or groups
From this reading If they were coming off to enlist, as Marcy thought they were, wouldn't that break up the band who held meetings in the swamp?
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading There could be no mistake about it.
a small vessel for travel on water
From this reading Marcy Gray waited until the boat drew a little nearer, and then looked again.
terminate
From this reading If they were coming off to enlist, as Marcy thought they were, wouldn't that break up the band who held meetings in the swamp?
the act of drawing spatially closer to something
From this reading If they were coming off to enlist, as Marcy thought they were, wouldn't that break up the band who held meetings in the swamp?
serenely self-possessed and free from agitation especially in times of stress
From this reading The man in the stern-sheets with the coxswain was Aleck Webster, the one who had promised to have an eye on Marcy and his mother while Jack was at sea, and those who composed his party were men whom Marcy met at the post-office almost as often as he went there.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading There could be no mistake about it.
coxswainnoun
the helmsman of a ship's boat or a racing crew
From this reading The man in the stern-sheets with the coxswain was Aleck Webster, the one who had promised to have an eye on Marcy and his mother while Jack was at sea, and those who composed his party were men whom Marcy met at the post-office almost as often as he went there.
United States actor (born in Ireland); father of Georgiana Emma Barrymore (1827-1862)
From this reading Marcy Gray waited until the boat drew a little nearer, and then looked again.
enlistverbUS /ˌenˈlɪst/
join the military
From this reading If they were coming off to enlist, as Marcy thought they were, wouldn't that break up the band who held meetings in the swamp?
the organ of sight
From this reading The man in the stern-sheets with the coxswain was Aleck Webster, the one who had promised to have an eye on Marcy and his mother while Jack was at sea, and those who composed his party were men whom Marcy met at the post-office almost as often as he went there.
a neutral achromatic color midway between white and black
From this reading Marcy Gray waited until the boat drew a little nearer, and then looked again.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The man in the stern-sheets with the coxswain was Aleck Webster, the one who had promised to have an eye on Marcy and his mother while Jack was at sea, and those who composed his party were men whom Marcy met at the post-office almost as often as he went there.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading The man in the stern-sheets with the coxswain was Aleck Webster, the one who had promised to have an eye on Marcy and his mother while Jack was at sea, and those who composed his party were men whom Marcy met at the post-office almost as often as he went there.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The man in the stern-sheets with the coxswain was Aleck Webster, the one who had promised to have an eye on Marcy and his mother while Jack was at sea, and those who composed his party were men whom Marcy met at the post-office almost as often as he went there.
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading If they were coming off to enlist, as Marcy thought they were, wouldn't that break up the band who held meetings in the swamp?
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The man in the stern-sheets with the coxswain was Aleck Webster, the one who had promised to have an eye on Marcy and his mother while Jack was at sea, and those who composed his party were men whom Marcy met at the post-office almost as often as he went there.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading HOME AGAIN.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If they were coming off to enlist, as Marcy thought they were, wouldn't that break up the band who held meetings in the swamp?
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The man in the stern-sheets with the coxswain was Aleck Webster, the one who had promised to have an eye on Marcy and his mother while Jack was at sea, and those who composed his party were men whom Marcy met at the post-office almost as often as he went there.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading There could be no mistake about it.
a small worthless amount
From this reading The man in the stern-sheets with the coxswain was Aleck Webster, the one who had promised to have an eye on Marcy and his mother while Jack was at sea, and those who composed his party were men whom Marcy met at the post-office almost as often as he went there.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Marcy Gray waited until the boat drew a little nearer, and then looked again.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading Marcy Gray waited until the boat drew a little nearer, and then looked again.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading The man in the stern-sheets with the coxswain was Aleck Webster, the one who had promised to have an eye on Marcy and his mother while Jack was at sea, and those who composed his party were men whom Marcy met at the post-office almost as often as he went there.
Marcy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Marcy Gray waited until the boat drew a little nearer, and then looked again.
meetingsnounUS /ˈmiːtɪŋz/
plural of “meeting” — a formally arranged gathering
From this reading If they were coming off to enlist, as Marcy thought they were, wouldn't that break up the band who held meetings in the swamp?
the force of workers available
From this reading The man in the stern-sheets with the coxswain was Aleck Webster, the one who had promised to have an eye on Marcy and his mother while Jack was at sea, and those who composed his party were men whom Marcy met at the post-office almost as often as he went there.
inflected form of “meet” — come together
From this reading The man in the stern-sheets with the coxswain was Aleck Webster, the one who had promised to have an eye on Marcy and his mother while Jack was at sea, and those who composed his party were men whom Marcy met at the post-office almost as often as he went there.
a wrong action attributable to bad judgment or ignorance or inattention
From this reading There could be no mistake about it.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading The man in the stern-sheets with the coxswain was Aleck Webster, the one who had promised to have an eye on Marcy and his mother while Jack was at sea, and those who composed his party were men whom Marcy met at the post-office almost as often as he went there.
(comparative of “near” or “close”) within a shorter distance
From this reading Marcy Gray waited until the boat drew a little nearer, and then looked again.
not any; not one
From this reading There could be no mistake about it.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading If they were coming off to enlist, as Marcy thought they were, wouldn't that break up the band who held meetings in the swamp?
many times at short intervals
From this reading The man in the stern-sheets with the coxswain was Aleck Webster, the one who had promised to have an eye on Marcy and his mother while Jack was at sea, and those who composed his party were men whom Marcy met at the post-office almost as often as he went there.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The man in the stern-sheets with the coxswain was Aleck Webster, the one who had promised to have an eye on Marcy and his mother while Jack was at sea, and those who composed his party were men whom Marcy met at the post-office almost as often as he went there.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The man in the stern-sheets with the coxswain was Aleck Webster, the one who had promised to have an eye on Marcy and his mother while Jack was at sea, and those who composed his party were men whom Marcy met at the post-office almost as often as he went there.
an organization to gain political power
From this reading The man in the stern-sheets with the coxswain was Aleck Webster, the one who had promised to have an eye on Marcy and his mother while Jack was at sea, and those who composed his party were men whom Marcy met at the post-office almost as often as he went there.
post-office
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The man in the stern-sheets with the coxswain was Aleck Webster, the one who had promised to have an eye on Marcy and his mother while Jack was at sea, and those who composed his party were men whom Marcy met at the post-office almost as often as he went there.
past form of “promise” — make a promise or commitment
From this reading The man in the stern-sheets with the coxswain was Aleck Webster, the one who had promised to have an eye on Marcy and his mother while Jack was at sea, and those who composed his party were men whom Marcy met at the post-office almost as often as he went there.
a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
From this reading The man in the stern-sheets with the coxswain was Aleck Webster, the one who had promised to have an eye on Marcy and his mother while Jack was at sea, and those who composed his party were men whom Marcy met at the post-office almost as often as he went there.
stern-sheets
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The man in the stern-sheets with the coxswain was Aleck Webster, the one who had promised to have an eye on Marcy and his mother while Jack was at sea, and those who composed his party were men whom Marcy met at the post-office almost as often as he went there.
swampverbUS /swɑːmp/
drench or submerge or be drenched or submerged
From this reading If they were coming off to enlist, as Marcy thought they were, wouldn't that break up the band who held meetings in the swamp?
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading If they were coming off to enlist, as Marcy thought they were, wouldn't that break up the band who held meetings in the swamp?
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Marcy Gray waited until the boat drew a little nearer, and then looked again.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Marcy Gray waited until the boat drew a little nearer, and then looked again.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There could be no mistake about it.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading If they were coming off to enlist, as Marcy thought they were, wouldn't that break up the band who held meetings in the swamp?
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading The man in the stern-sheets with the coxswain was Aleck Webster, the one who had promised to have an eye on Marcy and his mother while Jack was at sea, and those who composed his party were men whom Marcy met at the post-office almost as often as he went there.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading If they were coming off to enlist, as Marcy thought they were, wouldn't that break up the band who held meetings in the swamp?
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The man in the stern-sheets with the coxswain was Aleck Webster, the one who had promised to have an eye on Marcy and his mother while Jack was at sea, and those who composed his party were men whom Marcy met at the post-office almost as often as he went there.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading Marcy Gray waited until the boat drew a little nearer, and then looked again.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading If they were coming off to enlist, as Marcy thought they were, wouldn't that break up the band who held meetings in the swamp?
past form of “wait” — stay in one place and anticipate or expect something
From this reading Marcy Gray waited until the boat drew a little nearer, and then looked again.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The man in the stern-sheets with the coxswain was Aleck Webster, the one who had promised to have an eye on Marcy and his mother while Jack was at sea, and those who composed his party were men whom Marcy met at the post-office almost as often as he went there.
WebsternounUS /ˈwebstər/
English playwright (1580-1625)
From this reading The man in the stern-sheets with the coxswain was Aleck Webster, the one who had promised to have an eye on Marcy and his mother while Jack was at sea, and those who composed his party were men whom Marcy met at the post-office almost as often as he went there.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading The man in the stern-sheets with the coxswain was Aleck Webster, the one who had promised to have an eye on Marcy and his mother while Jack was at sea, and those who composed his party were men whom Marcy met at the post-office almost as often as he went there.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The man in the stern-sheets with the coxswain was Aleck Webster, the one who had promised to have an eye on Marcy and his mother while Jack was at sea, and those who composed his party were men whom Marcy met at the post-office almost as often as he went there.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading The man in the stern-sheets with the coxswain was Aleck Webster, the one who had promised to have an eye on Marcy and his mother while Jack was at sea, and those who composed his party were men whom Marcy met at the post-office almost as often as he went there.
which person or people
From this reading The man in the stern-sheets with the coxswain was Aleck Webster, the one who had promised to have an eye on Marcy and his mother while Jack was at sea, and those who composed his party were men whom Marcy met at the post-office almost as often as he went there.
the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The man in the stern-sheets with the coxswain was Aleck Webster, the one who had promised to have an eye on Marcy and his mother while Jack was at sea, and those who composed his party were men whom Marcy met at the post-office almost as often as he went there.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The man in the stern-sheets with the coxswain was Aleck Webster, the one who had promised to have an eye on Marcy and his mother while Jack was at sea, and those who composed his party were men whom Marcy met at the post-office almost as often as he went there.
wouldn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If they were coming off to enlist, as Marcy thought they were, wouldn't that break up the band who held meetings in the swamp?
