used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A few minutes later saw me almost upon the party gathered about the grave.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading A few minutes later saw me almost upon the party gathered about the grave.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading The crew of deep-dyed villains worked or stood or sat in silence, but all looked at the grave, and saw me not.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading A few minutes later saw me almost upon the party gathered about the grave.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The grave had received that which it was to hold until the crack of doom, and was now being rapidly filled with sand.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As the last handful of sand made it level with the beach, I walked into their midst, and found myself face to face with the three candidates for the now vacant captaincy.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The crew of deep-dyed villains worked or stood or sat in silence, but all looked at the grave, and saw me not.
an area of sand sloping down to the water of a sea or lake
From this reading As the last handful of sand made it level with the beach, I walked into their midst, and found myself face to face with the three candidates for the now vacant captaincy.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading The grave had received that which it was to hold until the crack of doom, and was now being rapidly filled with sand.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The crew of deep-dyed villains worked or stood or sat in silence, but all looked at the grave, and saw me not.
candidatesnounUS /ˈkændədeɪts/
plural of “candidate” — a politician who is running for public office
From this reading As the last handful of sand made it level with the beach, I walked into their midst, and found myself face to face with the three candidates for the now vacant captaincy.
captaincynoun
the post of captain
From this reading As the last handful of sand made it level with the beach, I walked into their midst, and found myself face to face with the three candidates for the now vacant captaincy.
crackverbUS /kræk/
become fractured; break or crack on the surface only
From this reading The grave had received that which it was to hold until the crack of doom, and was now being rapidly filled with sand.
the men and women who man a vehicle (ship, aircraft, etc.)
From this reading The crew of deep-dyed villains worked or stood or sat in silence, but all looked at the grave, and saw me not.
inflected form of “cry” — utter a sudden loud cry
From this reading "Give you good-day, gentlemen," I cried.
deep-dyed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The crew of deep-dyed villains worked or stood or sat in silence, but all looked at the grave, and saw me not.
doomverbUS /duːm/
decree or designate beforehand
From this reading The grave had received that which it was to hold until the crack of doom, and was now being rapidly filled with sand.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading As the last handful of sand made it level with the beach, I walked into their midst, and found myself face to face with the three candidates for the now vacant captaincy.
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 minutes later saw me almost upon the party gathered about the grave.
(usually followed by “with” or used as a combining form) generously supplied with
From this reading The grave had received that which it was to hold until the crack of doom, and was now being rapidly filled with sand.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading As the last handful of sand made it level with the beach, I walked into their midst, and found myself face to face with the three candidates for the now vacant captaincy.
set up or found
From this reading As the last handful of sand made it level with the beach, I walked into their midst, and found myself face to face with the three candidates for the now vacant captaincy.
brought together in one place
From this reading A few minutes later saw me almost upon the party gathered about the grave.
plural of “gentleman” — a man of refinement
From this reading "Give you good-day, gentlemen," I cried.
cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading "Give you good-day, gentlemen," I cried.
good-day
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Give you good-day, gentlemen," I cried.
death of a person
From this reading A few minutes later saw me almost upon the party gathered about the grave.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The grave had received that which it was to hold until the crack of doom, and was now being rapidly filled with sand.
handfulnounUS /ˈhændfʊl/
a small number or amount
From this reading As the last handful of sand made it level with the beach, I walked into their midst, and found myself face to face with the three candidates for the now vacant captaincy.
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading The grave had received that which it was to hold until the crack of doom, and was now being rapidly filled with sand.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading As the last handful of sand made it level with the beach, I walked into their midst, and found myself face to face with the three candidates for the now vacant captaincy.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The crew of deep-dyed villains worked or stood or sat in silence, but all looked at the grave, and saw me not.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading As the last handful of sand made it level with the beach, I walked into their midst, and found myself face to face with the three candidates for the now vacant captaincy.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The grave had received that which it was to hold until the crack of doom, and was now being rapidly filled with sand.
immediately past
From this reading As the last handful of sand made it level with the beach, I walked into their midst, and found myself face to face with the three candidates for the now vacant captaincy.
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading A few minutes later saw me almost upon the party gathered about the grave.
a position on a scale of intensity or amount or quality
From this reading As the last handful of sand made it level with the beach, I walked into their midst, and found myself face to face with the three candidates for the now vacant captaincy.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading The crew of deep-dyed villains worked or stood or sat in silence, but all looked at the grave, and saw me not.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading As the last handful of sand made it level with the beach, I walked into their midst, and found myself face to face with the three candidates for the now vacant captaincy.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading A few minutes later saw me almost upon the party gathered about the grave.
the location of something surrounded by other things
From this reading As the last handful of sand made it level with the beach, I walked into their midst, and found myself face to face with the three candidates for the now vacant captaincy.
a written account of what transpired at a meeting
From this reading A few minutes later saw me almost upon the party gathered about the grave.
used when the speaker is also the object of the action
From this reading As the last handful of sand made it level with the beach, I walked into their midst, and found myself face to face with the three candidates for the now vacant captaincy.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The crew of deep-dyed villains worked or stood or sat in silence, but all looked at the grave, and saw me not.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading The grave had received that which it was to hold until the crack of doom, and was now being rapidly filled with sand.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The grave had received that which it was to hold until the crack of doom, and was now being rapidly filled with sand.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading The crew of deep-dyed villains worked or stood or sat in silence, but all looked at the grave, and saw me not.
an organization to gain political power
From this reading A few minutes later saw me almost upon the party gathered about the grave.
with speed
From this reading The grave had received that which it was to hold until the crack of doom, and was now being rapidly filled with sand.
conforming to the established language usage of educated native speakers
From this reading The grave had received that which it was to hold until the crack of doom, and was now being rapidly filled with sand.
a loose material consisting of grains of rock or coral
From this reading The grave had received that which it was to hold until the crack of doom, and was now being rapidly filled with sand.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading The crew of deep-dyed villains worked or stood or sat in silence, but all looked at the grave, and saw me not.
cut with a saw
From this reading A few minutes later saw me almost upon the party gathered about the grave.
Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.
From this reading The crew of deep-dyed villains worked or stood or sat in silence, but all looked at the grave, and saw me not.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading The crew of deep-dyed villains worked or stood or sat in silence, but all looked at the grave, and saw me not.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The grave had received that which it was to hold until the crack of doom, and was now being rapidly filled with sand.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A few minutes later saw me almost upon the party gathered about the grave.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading As the last handful of sand made it level with the beach, I walked into their midst, and found myself face to face with the three candidates for the now vacant captaincy.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading As the last handful of sand made it level with the beach, I walked into their midst, and found myself face to face with the three candidates for the now vacant captaincy.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The grave had received that which it was to hold until the crack of doom, and was now being rapidly filled with sand.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading The grave had received that which it was to hold until the crack of doom, and was now being rapidly filled with sand.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading A few minutes later saw me almost upon the party gathered about the grave.
vacantadjectiveUS /ˈveɪkənt/
void of intelligence or thought
From this reading As the last handful of sand made it level with the beach, I walked into their midst, and found myself face to face with the three candidates for the now vacant captaincy.
villainsnounUS /ˈvɪlənz/
plural of “villain” — a wicked or evil person; someone who does evil deliberately
From this reading The crew of deep-dyed villains worked or stood or sat in silence, but all looked at the grave, and saw me not.
past form of “walk” — use one's feet to advance; advance by steps
From this reading As the last handful of sand made it level with the beach, I walked into their midst, and found myself face to face with the three candidates for the now vacant captaincy.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The grave had received that which it was to hold until the crack of doom, and was now being rapidly filled with sand.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The grave had received that which it was to hold until the crack of doom, and was now being rapidly filled with sand.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The grave had received that which it was to hold until the crack of doom, and was now being rapidly filled with sand.
past form of “work” — exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading The crew of deep-dyed villains worked or stood or sat in silence, but all looked at the grave, and saw me not.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Give you good-day, gentlemen," I cried.
