used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Slowly, and with a grave expression, Chris went to his sea chest and took the shell from it, but he almost knew before he heard it what Mr. Wicker would say.
highly skilled
From this reading Until then he had lived, breathed, and thought only of obtaining the Jewel Tree, and once that had been accomplished, he felt that his anxieties were over.
anew
From this reading Nevertheless, when through the whorls of the shell at his ear he heard the familiar voice, so far away and so long unheard, his eyes lit up again.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading Slowly, and with a grave expression, Chris went to his sea chest and took the shell from it, but he almost knew before he heard it what Mr. Wicker would say.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading However, as he shut and locked the cabin door behind him, feeling with an increased zest the surge and rock of the _Mirabelle_ under his feet as she plunged through the sea, something brought him up short and took the glow from his face.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It was not until Chris, relieved, proud and happy at the success of his mission, opened his sea chest and took out the shell that he had the faintest vibration of trouble or danger.
anxietiesnounUS /æŋˈzaɪətiz/
plural of “anxiety” — (psychiatry) a relatively permanent state of worry and nervousness occurring in a variety of mental disorders, usually accompanied by compulsive behavior or attacks of panic
From this reading Until then he had lived, breathed, and thought only of obtaining the Jewel Tree, and once that had been accomplished, he felt that his anxieties were over.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading However, as he shut and locked the cabin door behind him, feeling with an increased zest the surge and rock of the _Mirabelle_ under his feet as she plunged through the sea, something brought him up short and took the glow from his face.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading It was not until Chris, relieved, proud and happy at the success of his mission, opened his sea chest and took out the shell that he had the faintest vibration of trouble or danger.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Nevertheless, when through the whorls of the shell at his ear he heard the familiar voice, so far away and so long unheard, his eyes lit up again.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Until then he had lived, breathed, and thought only of obtaining the Jewel Tree, and once that had been accomplished, he felt that his anxieties were over.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Slowly, and with a grave expression, Chris went to his sea chest and took the shell from it, but he almost knew before he heard it what Mr. Wicker would say.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading However, as he shut and locked the cabin door behind him, feeling with an increased zest the surge and rock of the _Mirabelle_ under his feet as she plunged through the sea, something brought him up short and took the glow from his face.
uttered without voice
From this reading Until then he had lived, breathed, and thought only of obtaining the Jewel Tree, and once that had been accomplished, he felt that his anxieties were over.
inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading However, as he shut and locked the cabin door behind him, feeling with an increased zest the surge and rock of the _Mirabelle_ under his feet as she plunged through the sea, something brought him up short and took the glow from his face.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Slowly, and with a grave expression, Chris went to his sea chest and took the shell from it, but he almost knew before he heard it what Mr. Wicker would say.
small room on a ship or boat where people sleep
From this reading However, as he shut and locked the cabin door behind him, feeling with an increased zest the surge and rock of the _Mirabelle_ under his feet as she plunged through the sea, something brought him up short and took the glow from his face.
the part of the human torso between the neck and the diaphragm or the corresponding part in other vertebrates
From this reading It was not until Chris, relieved, proud and happy at the success of his mission, opened his sea chest and took out the shell that he had the faintest vibration of trouble or danger.
Chris
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was not until Chris, relieved, proud and happy at the success of his mission, opened his sea chest and took out the shell that he had the faintest vibration of trouble or danger.
the condition of being susceptible to harm or injury
From this reading It was not until Chris, relieved, proud and happy at the success of his mission, opened his sea chest and took out the shell that he had the faintest vibration of trouble or danger.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading However, as he shut and locked the cabin door behind him, feeling with an increased zest the surge and rock of the _Mirabelle_ under his feet as she plunged through the sea, something brought him up short and took the glow from his face.
the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium
From this reading Nevertheless, when through the whorls of the shell at his ear he heard the familiar voice, so far away and so long unheard, his eyes lit up again.
the feelings expressed on a person's face
From this reading Slowly, and with a grave expression, Chris went to his sea chest and took the shell from it, but he almost knew before he heard it what Mr. Wicker would say.
opinion or judgment
From this reading Nevertheless, when through the whorls of the shell at his ear he heard the familiar voice, so far away and so long unheard, his eyes lit up again.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading However, as he shut and locked the cabin door behind him, feeling with an increased zest the surge and rock of the _Mirabelle_ under his feet as she plunged through the sea, something brought him up short and took the glow from his face.
faintestadjectiveUS /ˈfeɪntəst/
superlative of “faint” — deficient in magnitude; barely perceptible; lacking clarity or brightness or loudness etc
From this reading It was not until Chris, relieved, proud and happy at the success of his mission, opened his sea chest and took out the shell that he had the faintest vibration of trouble or danger.
well known or easily recognized
From this reading Nevertheless, when through the whorls of the shell at his ear he heard the familiar voice, so far away and so long unheard, his eyes lit up again.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading Nevertheless, when through the whorls of the shell at his ear he heard the familiar voice, so far away and so long unheard, his eyes lit up again.
the experiencing of affective and emotional states
From this reading However, as he shut and locked the cabin door behind him, feeling with an increased zest the surge and rock of the _Mirabelle_ under his feet as she plunged through the sea, something brought him up short and took the glow from his face.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading However, as he shut and locked the cabin door behind him, feeling with an increased zest the surge and rock of the _Mirabelle_ under his feet as she plunged through the sea, something brought him up short and took the glow from his face.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading Until then he had lived, breathed, and thought only of obtaining the Jewel Tree, and once that had been accomplished, he felt that his anxieties were over.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading However, as he shut and locked the cabin door behind him, feeling with an increased zest the surge and rock of the _Mirabelle_ under his feet as she plunged through the sea, something brought him up short and took the glow from his face.
an alert and refreshed state
From this reading However, as he shut and locked the cabin door behind him, feeling with an increased zest the surge and rock of the _Mirabelle_ under his feet as she plunged through the sea, something brought him up short and took the glow from his face.
death of a person
From this reading Slowly, and with a grave expression, Chris went to his sea chest and took the shell from it, but he almost knew before he heard it what Mr. Wicker would say.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading It was not until Chris, relieved, proud and happy at the success of his mission, opened his sea chest and took out the shell that he had the faintest vibration of trouble or danger.
enjoying or showing or marked by joy or pleasure
From this reading It was not until Chris, relieved, proud and happy at the success of his mission, opened his sea chest and took out the shell that he had the faintest vibration of trouble or danger.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It was not until Chris, relieved, proud and happy at the success of his mission, opened his sea chest and took out the shell that he had the faintest vibration of trouble or danger.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading Slowly, and with a grave expression, Chris went to his sea chest and took the shell from it, but he almost knew before he heard it what Mr. Wicker would say.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading However, as he shut and locked the cabin door behind him, feeling with an increased zest the surge and rock of the _Mirabelle_ under his feet as she plunged through the sea, something brought him up short and took the glow from his face.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading It was not until Chris, relieved, proud and happy at the success of his mission, opened his sea chest and took out the shell that he had the faintest vibration of trouble or danger.
used to add a contrasting statement
From this reading However, as he shut and locked the cabin door behind him, feeling with an increased zest the surge and rock of the _Mirabelle_ under his feet as she plunged through the sea, something brought him up short and took the glow from his face.
made greater in size or amount or degree
From this reading However, as he shut and locked the cabin door behind him, feeling with an increased zest the surge and rock of the _Mirabelle_ under his feet as she plunged through the sea, something brought him up short and took the glow from his face.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was not until Chris, relieved, proud and happy at the success of his mission, opened his sea chest and took out the shell that he had the faintest vibration of trouble or danger.
JewelnounUS /ˈdʒuːəl/
a precious or semiprecious stone incorporated into a piece of jewelry
From this reading Until then he had lived, breathed, and thought only of obtaining the Jewel Tree, and once that had been accomplished, he felt that his anxieties were over.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading Slowly, and with a grave expression, Chris went to his sea chest and took the shell from it, but he almost knew before he heard it what Mr. Wicker would say.
provided with artificial light
From this reading Nevertheless, when through the whorls of the shell at his ear he heard the familiar voice, so far away and so long unheard, his eyes lit up again.
past form of “live” — be an inhabitant of or reside in
From this reading Until then he had lived, breathed, and thought only of obtaining the Jewel Tree, and once that had been accomplished, he felt that his anxieties were over.
past form of “lock” — fasten with a lock
From this reading However, as he shut and locked the cabin door behind him, feeling with an increased zest the surge and rock of the _Mirabelle_ under his feet as she plunged through the sea, something brought him up short and took the glow from his face.
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 Nevertheless, when through the whorls of the shell at his ear he heard the familiar voice, so far away and so long unheard, his eyes lit up again.
Mirabelle
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading However, as he shut and locked the cabin door behind him, feeling with an increased zest the surge and rock of the _Mirabelle_ under his feet as she plunged through the sea, something brought him up short and took the glow from his face.
an organization of missionaries in a foreign land sent to carry on religious work
From this reading It was not until Chris, relieved, proud and happy at the success of his mission, opened his sea chest and took out the shell that he had the faintest vibration of trouble or danger.
a form of address for a man
From this reading Slowly, and with a grave expression, Chris went to his sea chest and took the shell from it, but he almost knew before he heard it what Mr. Wicker would say.
in spite of what has just been said
From this reading Nevertheless, when through the whorls of the shell at his ear he heard the familiar voice, so far away and so long unheard, his eyes lit up again.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading It was not until Chris, relieved, proud and happy at the success of his mission, opened his sea chest and took out the shell that he had the faintest vibration of trouble or danger.
obtainingverbUS /əbˈteɪnɪŋ/
-ing form of “obtain” — come into possession of
From this reading Until then he had lived, breathed, and thought only of obtaining the Jewel Tree, and once that had been accomplished, he felt that his anxieties were over.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It was not until Chris, relieved, proud and happy at the success of his mission, opened his sea chest and took out the shell that he had the faintest vibration of trouble or danger.
on one occasion
From this reading Until then he had lived, breathed, and thought only of obtaining the Jewel Tree, and once that had been accomplished, he felt that his anxieties were over.
and nothing more
From this reading Until then he had lived, breathed, and thought only of obtaining the Jewel Tree, and once that had been accomplished, he felt that his anxieties were over.
used of mouth or eyes
From this reading It was not until Chris, relieved, proud and happy at the success of his mission, opened his sea chest and took out the shell that he had the faintest vibration of trouble or danger.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading It was not until Chris, relieved, proud and happy at the success of his mission, opened his sea chest and took out the shell that he had the faintest vibration of trouble or danger.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading It was not until Chris, relieved, proud and happy at the success of his mission, opened his sea chest and took out the shell that he had the faintest vibration of trouble or danger.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Until then he had lived, breathed, and thought only of obtaining the Jewel Tree, and once that had been accomplished, he felt that his anxieties were over.
past form of “plunge” — thrust or throw into
From this reading However, as he shut and locked the cabin door behind him, feeling with an increased zest the surge and rock of the _Mirabelle_ under his feet as she plunged through the sea, something brought him up short and took the glow from his face.
feeling self-respect or pleasure in something by which you measure your self-worth; or being a reason for pride
From this reading It was not until Chris, relieved, proud and happy at the success of his mission, opened his sea chest and took out the shell that he had the faintest vibration of trouble or danger.
(of pain or sorrow) made easier to bear
From this reading It was not until Chris, relieved, proud and happy at the success of his mission, opened his sea chest and took out the shell that he had the faintest vibration of trouble or danger.
a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading However, as he shut and locked the cabin door behind him, feeling with an increased zest the surge and rock of the _Mirabelle_ under his feet as she plunged through the sea, something brought him up short and took the glow from his face.
express in words
From this reading Slowly, and with a grave expression, Chris went to his sea chest and took the shell from it, but he almost knew before he heard it what Mr. Wicker would say.
a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
From this reading It was not until Chris, relieved, proud and happy at the success of his mission, opened his sea chest and took out the shell that he had the faintest vibration of trouble or danger.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading However, as he shut and locked the cabin door behind him, feeling with an increased zest the surge and rock of the _Mirabelle_ under his feet as she plunged through the sea, something brought him up short and took the glow from his face.
shellnounUS /ʃel/
ammunition consisting of a cylindrical metal casing containing an explosive charge and a projectile; fired from a large gun
From this reading It was not until Chris, relieved, proud and happy at the success of his mission, opened his sea chest and took out the shell that he had the faintest vibration of trouble or danger.
primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration
From this reading However, as he shut and locked the cabin door behind him, feeling with an increased zest the surge and rock of the _Mirabelle_ under his feet as she plunged through the sea, something brought him up short and took the glow from his face.
move so that an opening or passage is obstructed; make shut
From this reading However, as he shut and locked the cabin door behind him, feeling with an increased zest the surge and rock of the _Mirabelle_ under his feet as she plunged through the sea, something brought him up short and took the glow from his face.
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading Slowly, and with a grave expression, Chris went to his sea chest and took the shell from it, but he almost knew before he heard it what Mr. Wicker would say.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Nevertheless, when through the whorls of the shell at his ear he heard the familiar voice, so far away and so long unheard, his eyes lit up again.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading However, as he shut and locked the cabin door behind him, feeling with an increased zest the surge and rock of the _Mirabelle_ under his feet as she plunged through the sea, something brought him up short and took the glow from his face.
an event that accomplishes its intended purpose
From this reading It was not until Chris, relieved, proud and happy at the success of his mission, opened his sea chest and took out the shell that he had the faintest vibration of trouble or danger.
surgeverbUS /sɜːrdʒ/
rise and move, as in waves or billows
From this reading However, as he shut and locked the cabin door behind him, feeling with an increased zest the surge and rock of the _Mirabelle_ under his feet as she plunged through the sea, something brought him up short and took the glow from his face.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was not until Chris, relieved, proud and happy at the success of his mission, opened his sea chest and took out the shell that he had the faintest vibration of trouble or danger.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It was not until Chris, relieved, proud and happy at the success of his mission, opened his sea chest and took out the shell that he had the faintest vibration of trouble or danger.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Until then he had lived, breathed, and thought only of obtaining the Jewel Tree, and once that had been accomplished, he felt that his anxieties were over.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading Until then he had lived, breathed, and thought only of obtaining the Jewel Tree, and once that had been accomplished, he felt that his anxieties were over.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading However, as he shut and locked the cabin door behind him, feeling with an increased zest the surge and rock of the _Mirabelle_ under his feet as she plunged through the sea, something brought him up short and took the glow from his face.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Slowly, and with a grave expression, Chris went to his sea chest and took the shell from it, but he almost knew before he heard it what Mr. Wicker would say.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading It was not until Chris, relieved, proud and happy at the success of his mission, opened his sea chest and took out the shell that he had the faintest vibration of trouble or danger.
a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
From this reading Until then he had lived, breathed, and thought only of obtaining the Jewel Tree, and once that had been accomplished, he felt that his anxieties were over.
a source of difficulty
From this reading It was not until Chris, relieved, proud and happy at the success of his mission, opened his sea chest and took out the shell that he had the faintest vibration of trouble or danger.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading However, as he shut and locked the cabin door behind him, feeling with an increased zest the surge and rock of the _Mirabelle_ under his feet as she plunged through the sea, something brought him up short and took the glow from his face.
unheardadjectiveUS /ənˈhɜːrd/
not necessarily inaudible but not heard
From this reading Nevertheless, when through the whorls of the shell at his ear he heard the familiar voice, so far away and so long unheard, his eyes lit up again.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading It was not until Chris, relieved, proud and happy at the success of his mission, opened his sea chest and took out the shell that he had the faintest vibration of trouble or danger.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading However, as he shut and locked the cabin door behind him, feeling with an increased zest the surge and rock of the _Mirabelle_ under his feet as she plunged through the sea, something brought him up short and took the glow from his face.
vibrationnounUS /vaɪˈbreɪʃən/
the act of vibrating
From this reading It was not until Chris, relieved, proud and happy at the success of his mission, opened his sea chest and took out the shell that he had the faintest vibration of trouble or danger.
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading Nevertheless, when through the whorls of the shell at his ear he heard the familiar voice, so far away and so long unheard, his eyes lit up again.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was not until Chris, relieved, proud and happy at the success of his mission, opened his sea chest and took out the shell that he had the faintest vibration of trouble or danger.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading Slowly, and with a grave expression, Chris went to his sea chest and took the shell from it, but he almost knew before he heard it what Mr. Wicker would say.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Until then he had lived, breathed, and thought only of obtaining the Jewel Tree, and once that had been accomplished, he felt that his anxieties were over.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading Slowly, and with a grave expression, Chris went to his sea chest and took the shell from it, but he almost knew before he heard it what Mr. Wicker would say.
at the time that
From this reading Nevertheless, when through the whorls of the shell at his ear he heard the familiar voice, so far away and so long unheard, his eyes lit up again.
whorlsnounUS /wɜːrlz/
plural of “whorl” — a round shape formed by a series of concentric circles (as formed by leaves or flower petals)
From this reading Nevertheless, when through the whorls of the shell at his ear he heard the familiar voice, so far away and so long unheard, his eyes lit up again.
WickernounUS /ˈwɪkər/
slender flexible branches or twigs (especially of willow or some canes); used for wickerwork
From this reading Slowly, and with a grave expression, Chris went to his sea chest and took the shell from it, but he almost knew before he heard it what Mr. Wicker would say.
in the company of; together with
From this reading However, as he shut and locked the cabin door behind him, feeling with an increased zest the surge and rock of the _Mirabelle_ under his feet as she plunged through the sea, something brought him up short and took the glow from his face.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Slowly, and with a grave expression, Chris went to his sea chest and took the shell from it, but he almost knew before he heard it what Mr. Wicker would say.
zestnounUS /zest/
vigorous and enthusiastic enjoyment
From this reading However, as he shut and locked the cabin door behind him, feeling with an increased zest the surge and rock of the _Mirabelle_ under his feet as she plunged through the sea, something brought him up short and took the glow from his face.
