used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A sail was hoisted, then suddenly the boat leaned to one side and began to rock.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading HUNTING FOR THE SWAN For some time after Bob's brother left we heard only the noise of the wind and the sea dashing against the keel, then footsteps were heard on the deck above and the grinding of pulleys.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading HUNTING FOR THE SWAN For some time after Bob's brother left we heard only the noise of the wind and the sea dashing against the keel, then footsteps were heard on the deck above and the grinding of pulleys.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading HUNTING FOR THE SWAN For some time after Bob's brother left we heard only the noise of the wind and the sea dashing against the keel, then footsteps were heard on the deck above and the grinding of pulleys.
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading "I don't care, we're saved," he said; "what if I am seasick?"
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading HUNTING FOR THE SWAN For some time after Bob's brother left we heard only the noise of the wind and the sea dashing against the keel, then footsteps were heard on the deck above and the grinding of pulleys.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading A sail was hoisted, then suddenly the boat leaned to one side and began to rock.
a small vessel for travel on water
From this reading A sail was hoisted, then suddenly the boat leaned to one side and began to rock.
Bob'snounUS /bɑːbz/
possessive form of “bob” — a former monetary unit in Great Britain
From this reading HUNTING FOR THE SWAN For some time after Bob's brother left we heard only the noise of the wind and the sea dashing against the keel, then footsteps were heard on the deck above and the grinding of pulleys.
a male with the same parents as someone else
From this reading HUNTING FOR THE SWAN For some time after Bob's brother left we heard only the noise of the wind and the sea dashing against the keel, then footsteps were heard on the deck above and the grinding of pulleys.
the work of providing treatment for or attending to someone or something
From this reading "I don't care, we're saved," he said; "what if I am seasick?"
dashingadjectiveUS /ˈdæʃɪŋ/
lively and spirited
From this reading HUNTING FOR THE SWAN For some time after Bob's brother left we heard only the noise of the wind and the sea dashing against the keel, then footsteps were heard on the deck above and the grinding of pulleys.
any of various platforms built into a vessel
From this reading HUNTING FOR THE SWAN For some time after Bob's brother left we heard only the noise of the wind and the sea dashing against the keel, then footsteps were heard on the deck above and the grinding of pulleys.
don't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I don't care, we're saved," he said; "what if I am seasick?"
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading In a few moments it was pitching heavily on the rough sea.
plural of “footstep” — the sound of a step of someone walking
From this reading HUNTING FOR THE SWAN For some time after Bob's brother left we heard only the noise of the wind and the sea dashing against the keel, then footsteps were heard on the deck above and the grinding of pulleys.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading HUNTING FOR THE SWAN For some time after Bob's brother left we heard only the noise of the wind and the sea dashing against the keel, then footsteps were heard on the deck above and the grinding of pulleys.
grindingnounUS /ˈɡraɪndɪŋ/
material resulting from the process of grinding
From this reading HUNTING FOR THE SWAN For some time after Bob's brother left we heard only the noise of the wind and the sea dashing against the keel, then footsteps were heard on the deck above and the grinding of pulleys.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading "Poor Mattia," I said, taking his hand.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "I don't care, we're saved," he said; "what if I am seasick?"
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading HUNTING FOR THE SWAN For some time after Bob's brother left we heard only the noise of the wind and the sea dashing against the keel, then footsteps were heard on the deck above and the grinding of pulleys.
to a considerable degree
From this reading In a few moments it was pitching heavily on the rough sea.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading "Poor Mattia," I said, taking his hand.
hoistedverbUS /ˈhɔɪstəd/
past form of “hoist” — raise or haul up with or as if with mechanical help
From this reading A sail was hoisted, then suddenly the boat leaned to one side and began to rock.
the pursuit and killing or capture of wild animals regarded as a sport
From this reading HUNTING FOR THE SWAN For some time after Bob's brother left we heard only the noise of the wind and the sea dashing against the keel, then footsteps were heard on the deck above and the grinding of pulleys.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "Poor Mattia," I said, taking his hand.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading "I don't care, we're saved," he said; "what if I am seasick?"
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In a few moments it was pitching heavily on the rough sea.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading In a few moments it was pitching heavily on the rough sea.
keelnounUS /kiːl/
a projection or ridge that suggests a keel
From this reading HUNTING FOR THE SWAN For some time after Bob's brother left we heard only the noise of the wind and the sea dashing against the keel, then footsteps were heard on the deck above and the grinding of pulleys.
past form of “lean” — to incline or bend from a vertical position
From this reading A sail was hoisted, then suddenly the boat leaned to one side and began to rock.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading HUNTING FOR THE SWAN For some time after Bob's brother left we heard only the noise of the wind and the sea dashing against the keel, then footsteps were heard on the deck above and the grinding of pulleys.
Mattia
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Poor Mattia," I said, taking his hand.
plural of “moment” — a particular point in time
From this reading In a few moments it was pitching heavily on the rough sea.
sound of any kind (especially unintelligible or dissonant sound)
From this reading HUNTING FOR THE SWAN For some time after Bob's brother left we heard only the noise of the wind and the sea dashing against the keel, then footsteps were heard on the deck above and the grinding of pulleys.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading HUNTING FOR THE SWAN For some time after Bob's brother left we heard only the noise of the wind and the sea dashing against the keel, then footsteps were heard on the deck above and the grinding of pulleys.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading HUNTING FOR THE SWAN For some time after Bob's brother left we heard only the noise of the wind and the sea dashing against the keel, then footsteps were heard on the deck above and the grinding of pulleys.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading A sail was hoisted, then suddenly the boat leaned to one side and began to rock.
and nothing more
From this reading HUNTING FOR THE SWAN For some time after Bob's brother left we heard only the noise of the wind and the sea dashing against the keel, then footsteps were heard on the deck above and the grinding of pulleys.
pitchingnounUS /ˈpɪtʃɪŋ/
(baseball) playing the position of pitcher on a baseball team
From this reading In a few moments it was pitching heavily on the rough sea.
deserving or inciting pity
From this reading "Poor Mattia," I said, taking his hand.
pulleysnounUS /ˈpʊliz/
plural of “pulley” — a simple machine consisting of a wheel with a groove in which a rope can run to change the direction or point of application of a force applied to the rope
From this reading HUNTING FOR THE SWAN For some time after Bob's brother left we heard only the noise of the wind and the sea dashing against the keel, then footsteps were heard on the deck above and the grinding of pulleys.
a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading A sail was hoisted, then suddenly the boat leaned to one side and began to rock.
having or caused by an irregular surface
From this reading In a few moments it was pitching heavily on the rough sea.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "Poor Mattia," I said, taking his hand.
traverse or travel on (a body of water)
From this reading A sail was hoisted, then suddenly the boat leaned to one side and began to rock.
rescued; especially from the power and consequences of sin
From this reading "I don't care, we're saved," he said; "what if I am seasick?"
a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
From this reading HUNTING FOR THE SWAN For some time after Bob's brother left we heard only the noise of the wind and the sea dashing against the keel, then footsteps were heard on the deck above and the grinding of pulleys.
seasickadjectiveUS /ˈsiːsɪk/
experiencing motion sickness
From this reading "I don't care, we're saved," he said; "what if I am seasick?"
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading A sail was hoisted, then suddenly the boat leaned to one side and began to rock.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading HUNTING FOR THE SWAN For some time after Bob's brother left we heard only the noise of the wind and the sea dashing against the keel, then footsteps were heard on the deck above and the grinding of pulleys.
happening unexpectedly
From this reading A sail was hoisted, then suddenly the boat leaned to one side and began to rock.
SWANverbUS /swɑːn/
to declare or affirm solemnly and formally as true
From this reading HUNTING FOR THE SWAN For some time after Bob's brother left we heard only the noise of the wind and the sea dashing against the keel, then footsteps were heard on the deck above and the grinding of pulleys.
the act of someone who picks up or takes something
From this reading "Poor Mattia," I said, taking his hand.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading HUNTING FOR THE SWAN For some time after Bob's brother left we heard only the noise of the wind and the sea dashing against the keel, then footsteps were heard on the deck above and the grinding of pulleys.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading HUNTING FOR THE SWAN For some time after Bob's brother left we heard only the noise of the wind and the sea dashing against the keel, then footsteps were heard on the deck above and the grinding of pulleys.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading HUNTING FOR THE SWAN For some time after Bob's brother left we heard only the noise of the wind and the sea dashing against the keel, then footsteps were heard on the deck above and the grinding of pulleys.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading A sail was hoisted, then suddenly the boat leaned to one side and began to rock.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading A sail was hoisted, then suddenly the boat leaned to one side and began to rock.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading HUNTING FOR THE SWAN For some time after Bob's brother left we heard only the noise of the wind and the sea dashing against the keel, then footsteps were heard on the deck above and the grinding of pulleys.
we're
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I don't care, we're saved," he said; "what if I am seasick?"
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading HUNTING FOR THE SWAN For some time after Bob's brother left we heard only the noise of the wind and the sea dashing against the keel, then footsteps were heard on the deck above and the grinding of pulleys.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading "I don't care, we're saved," he said; "what if I am seasick?"
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading HUNTING FOR THE SWAN For some time after Bob's brother left we heard only the noise of the wind and the sea dashing against the keel, then footsteps were heard on the deck above and the grinding of pulleys.
