used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading For a moment or two he thought it possible he had made a mistake, and that this was not the place where he had landed; but further investigation convinced him against his will that the boat had been left there.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading The cause of its disappearance he could not understand, and for the time being he was too excited to reason about it.
accordverbUS /əˈkɔːrd/
go together
From this reading Had he been calmer, he might have become convinced that it had not drifted away of its own accord.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading For a moment or two he thought it possible he had made a mistake, and that this was not the place where he had landed; but further investigation convinced him against his will that the boat had been left there.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading For a moment or two he thought it possible he had made a mistake, and that this was not the place where he had landed; but further investigation convinced him against his will that the boat had been left there.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Had he been calmer, he might have become convinced that it had not drifted away of its own accord.
enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading Had he been calmer, he might have become convinced that it had not drifted away of its own accord.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading For a moment or two he thought it possible he had made a mistake, and that this was not the place where he had landed; but further investigation convinced him against his will that the boat had been left there.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading The cause of its disappearance he could not understand, and for the time being he was too excited to reason about it.
a small vessel for travel on water
From this reading Trembling violently, Piper looked in vain for the missing boat.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading For a moment or two he thought it possible he had made a mistake, and that this was not the place where he had landed; but further investigation convinced him against his will that the boat had been left there.
calmeradjectiveUS /ˈkɑːmər/
comparative of “calm” — not agitated; without losing self-possession
From this reading Had he been calmer, he might have become convinced that it had not drifted away of its own accord.
events that provide the generative force that is the origin of something
From this reading The cause of its disappearance he could not understand, and for the time being he was too excited to reason about it.
persuaded of; very sure
From this reading For a moment or two he thought it possible he had made a mistake, and that this was not the place where he had landed; but further investigation convinced him against his will that the boat had been left there.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading The cause of its disappearance he could not understand, and for the time being he was too excited to reason about it.
disappearancenounUS /ˌdɪsəˈpɪrəns/
the act of leaving secretly or without explanation
From this reading The cause of its disappearance he could not understand, and for the time being he was too excited to reason about it.
driftedverbUS /ˈdrɪftəd/
past form of “drift” — be in motion due to some air or water current
From this reading Had he been calmer, he might have become convinced that it had not drifted away of its own accord.
(of persons) excessively affected by emotion
From this reading The cause of its disappearance he could not understand, and for the time being he was too excited to reason about it.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Trembling violently, Piper looked in vain for the missing boat.
to or at a greater extent or degree or a more advanced stage (“further” is used more often than “farther” in this abstract sense)
From this reading For a moment or two he thought it possible he had made a mistake, and that this was not the place where he had landed; but further investigation convinced him against his will that the boat had been left there.
a mental representation of some haunting experience
From this reading PIPER MEETS THE GHOST.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading For a moment or two he thought it possible he had made a mistake, and that this was not the place where he had landed; but further investigation convinced him against his will that the boat had been left there.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Had he been calmer, he might have become convinced that it had not drifted away of its own accord.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading For a moment or two he thought it possible he had made a mistake, and that this was not the place where he had landed; but further investigation convinced him against his will that the boat had been left there.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading For a moment or two he thought it possible he had made a mistake, and that this was not the place where he had landed; but further investigation convinced him against his will that the boat had been left there.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading For a moment or two he thought it possible he had made a mistake, and that this was not the place where he had landed; but further investigation convinced him against his will that the boat had been left there.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Trembling violently, Piper looked in vain for the missing boat.
investigationnounUS /ˌɪnvestəˈɡeɪʃən/
an inquiry into unfamiliar or questionable activities
From this reading For a moment or two he thought it possible he had made a mistake, and that this was not the place where he had landed; but further investigation convinced him against his will that the boat had been left there.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading For a moment or two he thought it possible he had made a mistake, and that this was not the place where he had landed; but further investigation convinced him against his will that the boat had been left there.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading The cause of its disappearance he could not understand, and for the time being he was too excited to reason about it.
owning or consisting of land or real estate
From this reading For a moment or two he thought it possible he had made a mistake, and that this was not the place where he had landed; but further investigation convinced him against his will that the boat had been left there.
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 For a moment or two he thought it possible he had made a mistake, and that this was not the place where he had landed; but further investigation convinced him against his will that the boat had been left there.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading Trembling violently, Piper looked in vain for the missing boat.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading For a moment or two he thought it possible he had made a mistake, and that this was not the place where he had landed; but further investigation convinced him against his will that the boat had been left there.
MEETSnounUS /miːts/
plural of “meet” — a meeting at which a number of athletic contests are held
From this reading PIPER MEETS THE GHOST.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading Had he been calmer, he might have become convinced that it had not drifted away of its own accord.
not able to be found
From this reading Trembling violently, Piper looked in vain for the missing boat.
a wrong action attributable to bad judgment or ignorance or inattention
From this reading For a moment or two he thought it possible he had made a mistake, and that this was not the place where he had landed; but further investigation convinced him against his will that the boat had been left there.
a particular point in time
From this reading For a moment or two he thought it possible he had made a mistake, and that this was not the place where he had landed; but further investigation convinced him against his will that the boat had been left there.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading For a moment or two he thought it possible he had made a mistake, and that this was not the place where he had landed; but further investigation convinced him against his will that the boat had been left there.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The cause of its disappearance he could not understand, and for the time being he was too excited to reason about it.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading For a moment or two he thought it possible he had made a mistake, and that this was not the place where he had landed; but further investigation convinced him against his will that the boat had been left there.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading Had he been calmer, he might have become convinced that it had not drifted away of its own accord.
PIPERnounUS /ˈpaɪpər/
someone who plays the bagpipe
From this reading PIPER MEETS THE GHOST.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading For a moment or two he thought it possible he had made a mistake, and that this was not the place where he had landed; but further investigation convinced him against his will that the boat had been left there.
capable of happening or existing
From this reading For a moment or two he thought it possible he had made a mistake, and that this was not the place where he had landed; but further investigation convinced him against his will that the boat had been left there.
a rational motive for a belief or action
From this reading The cause of its disappearance he could not understand, and for the time being he was too excited to reason about it.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading For a moment or two he thought it possible he had made a mistake, and that this was not the place where he had landed; but further investigation convinced him against his will that the boat had been left there.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading PIPER MEETS THE GHOST.
in or at that place or location
From this reading For a moment or two he thought it possible he had made a mistake, and that this was not the place where he had landed; but further investigation convinced him against his will that the boat had been left there.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading For a moment or two he thought it possible he had made a mistake, and that this was not the place where he had landed; but further investigation convinced him against his will that the boat had been left there.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading For a moment or two he thought it possible he had made a mistake, and that this was not the place where he had landed; but further investigation convinced him against his will that the boat had been left there.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading The cause of its disappearance he could not understand, and for the time being he was too excited to reason about it.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The cause of its disappearance he could not understand, and for the time being he was too excited to reason about it.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading The cause of its disappearance he could not understand, and for the time being he was too excited to reason about it.
a shaky motion
From this reading Trembling violently, Piper looked in vain for the missing boat.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading For a moment or two he thought it possible he had made a mistake, and that this was not the place where he had landed; but further investigation convinced him against his will that the boat had been left there.
know and comprehend the nature or meaning of
From this reading The cause of its disappearance he could not understand, and for the time being he was too excited to reason about it.
characteristic of false pride; having an exaggerated sense of self-importance
From this reading Trembling violently, Piper looked in vain for the missing boat.
violentlyadverbUS /ˈvaɪələntli/
in a violent manner
From this reading Trembling violently, Piper looked in vain for the missing boat.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading For a moment or two he thought it possible he had made a mistake, and that this was not the place where he had landed; but further investigation convinced him against his will that the boat had been left there.
in or at the place that
From this reading For a moment or two he thought it possible he had made a mistake, and that this was not the place where he had landed; but further investigation convinced him against his will that the boat had been left there.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading For a moment or two he thought it possible he had made a mistake, and that this was not the place where he had landed; but further investigation convinced him against his will that the boat had been left there.
