used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading There were no boats towing astern; all were, as I have said, on board, and at each tack the cutter was generally put about a mile or more distant from the land, on each side of the Firth.
(usually followed by “to”) having the necessary means or skill or know-how or authority to do something
From this reading Even if I could have dropped from the side unseen, and escaped the fire of small arms that would certainly salute a fugitive from the watch on deck, I doubted my being able to swim so far as the shore.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading There were no boats towing astern; all were, as I have said, on board, and at each tack the cutter was generally put about a mile or more distant from the land, on each side of the Firth.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading But as the night was coming on, and cloudily too, my heart began to lighten with a hope which was doomed to be crushed, when Mr. Cranky, at nine o'clock, after the night-watch was set, ordered all the pressed men below.
(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 There were no boats towing astern; all were, as I have said, on board, and at each tack the cutter was generally put about a mile or more distant from the land, on each side of the Firth.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading There were no boats towing astern; all were, as I have said, on board, and at each tack the cutter was generally put about a mile or more distant from the land, on each side of the Firth.
weapons considered collectively
From this reading Even if I could have dropped from the side unseen, and escaped the fire of small arms that would certainly salute a fugitive from the watch on deck, I doubted my being able to swim so far as the shore.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading There were no boats towing astern; all were, as I have said, on board, and at each tack the cutter was generally put about a mile or more distant from the land, on each side of the Firth.
asternadverb
stern foremost or backward
From this reading There were no boats towing astern; all were, as I have said, on board, and at each tack the cutter was generally put about a mile or more distant from the land, on each side of the Firth.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading There were no boats towing astern; all were, as I have said, on board, and at each tack the cutter was generally put about a mile or more distant from the land, on each side of the Firth.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Moreover, I might only be able to make a part of the coast where inaccessible rocks rose sheer from the water.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading But as the night was coming on, and cloudily too, my heart began to lighten with a hope which was doomed to be crushed, when Mr. Cranky, at nine o'clock, after the night-watch was set, ordered all the pressed men below.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading Even if I could have dropped from the side unseen, and escaped the fire of small arms that would certainly salute a fugitive from the watch on deck, I doubted my being able to swim so far as the shore.
belowprepositionUS /bɪˈloʊ/
at or to a lower level than something
From this reading But as the night was coming on, and cloudily too, my heart began to lighten with a hope which was doomed to be crushed, when Mr. Cranky, at nine o'clock, after the night-watch was set, ordered all the pressed men below.
a committee having supervisory powers
From this reading There were no boats towing astern; all were, as I have said, on board, and at each tack the cutter was generally put about a mile or more distant from the land, on each side of the Firth.
plural of “boat” — a small vessel for travel on water
From this reading There were no boats towing astern; all were, as I have said, on board, and at each tack the cutter was generally put about a mile or more distant from the land, on each side of the Firth.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But as the night was coming on, and cloudily too, my heart began to lighten with a hope which was doomed to be crushed, when Mr. Cranky, at nine o'clock, after the night-watch was set, ordered all the pressed men below.
definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)
From this reading Even if I could have dropped from the side unseen, and escaped the fire of small arms that would certainly salute a fugitive from the watch on deck, I doubted my being able to swim so far as the shore.
cloudily
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But as the night was coming on, and cloudily too, my heart began to lighten with a hope which was doomed to be crushed, when Mr. Cranky, at nine o'clock, after the night-watch was set, ordered all the pressed men below.
the shore of a sea or ocean
From this reading Moreover, I might only be able to make a part of the coast where inaccessible rocks rose sheer from the water.
the act of drawing spatially closer to something
From this reading But as the night was coming on, and cloudily too, my heart began to lighten with a hope which was doomed to be crushed, when Mr. Cranky, at nine o'clock, after the night-watch was set, ordered all the pressed men below.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Even if I could have dropped from the side unseen, and escaped the fire of small arms that would certainly salute a fugitive from the watch on deck, I doubted my being able to swim so far as the shore.
CrankyadjectiveUS /ˈkræŋki/
(used of boats) inclined to heel over easily under sail
From this reading But as the night was coming on, and cloudily too, my heart began to lighten with a hope which was doomed to be crushed, when Mr. Cranky, at nine o'clock, after the night-watch was set, ordered all the pressed men below.
crushedadjectiveUS /krʌʃt/
treated so as to have a permanently wrinkled appearance
From this reading But as the night was coming on, and cloudily too, my heart began to lighten with a hope which was doomed to be crushed, when Mr. Cranky, at nine o'clock, after the night-watch was set, ordered all the pressed men below.
cutternounUS /ˈkʌtər/
someone who cuts or carves stone
From this reading There were no boats towing astern; all were, as I have said, on board, and at each tack the cutter was generally put about a mile or more distant from the land, on each side of the Firth.
any of various platforms built into a vessel
From this reading Even if I could have dropped from the side unseen, and escaped the fire of small arms that would certainly salute a fugitive from the watch on deck, I doubted my being able to swim so far as the shore.
separated in space or coming from or going to a distance
From this reading There were no boats towing astern; all were, as I have said, on board, and at each tack the cutter was generally put about a mile or more distant from the land, on each side of the Firth.
doomedadjectiveUS /duːmd/
marked for certain death
From this reading But as the night was coming on, and cloudily too, my heart began to lighten with a hope which was doomed to be crushed, when Mr. Cranky, at nine o'clock, after the night-watch was set, ordered all the pressed men below.
doubtedverbUS /ˈdaʊtɪd/
past form of “doubt” — consider unlikely or have doubts about
From this reading Even if I could have dropped from the side unseen, and escaped the fire of small arms that would certainly salute a fugitive from the watch on deck, I doubted my being able to swim so far as the shore.
inflected form of “drop” — let fall to the ground
From this reading Even if I could have dropped from the side unseen, and escaped the fire of small arms that would certainly salute a fugitive from the watch on deck, I doubted my being able to swim so far as the shore.
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading There were no boats towing astern; all were, as I have said, on board, and at each tack the cutter was generally put about a mile or more distant from the land, on each side of the Firth.
having escaped, especially from confinement
From this reading Even if I could have dropped from the side unseen, and escaped the fire of small arms that would certainly salute a fugitive from the watch on deck, I doubted my being able to swim so far as the shore.
divisible by two
From this reading Even if I could have dropped from the side unseen, and escaped the fire of small arms that would certainly salute a fugitive from the watch on deck, I doubted my being able to swim so far as the shore.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading Even if I could have dropped from the side unseen, and escaped the fire of small arms that would certainly salute a fugitive from the watch on deck, I doubted my being able to swim so far as the shore.
start firing a weapon
From this reading Even if I could have dropped from the side unseen, and escaped the fire of small arms that would certainly salute a fugitive from the watch on deck, I doubted my being able to swim so far as the shore.
FirthnounUS /fɜːrθ/
English linguist who contributed to linguistic semantics and to prosodic phonology and who was noted for his insistence on studying both sound and meaning in context (1890-1960)
From this reading There were no boats towing astern; all were, as I have said, on board, and at each tack the cutter was generally put about a mile or more distant from the land, on each side of the Firth.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading There were no boats towing astern; all were, as I have said, on board, and at each tack the cutter was generally put about a mile or more distant from the land, on each side of the Firth.
fugitivenounUS /ˈfjuːdʒətɪv/
someone who flees from an uncongenial situation
From this reading Even if I could have dropped from the side unseen, and escaped the fire of small arms that would certainly salute a fugitive from the watch on deck, I doubted my being able to swim so far as the shore.
usually; as a rule
From this reading There were no boats towing astern; all were, as I have said, on board, and at each tack the cutter was generally put about a mile or more distant from the land, on each side of the Firth.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading There were no boats towing astern; all were, as I have said, on board, and at each tack the cutter was generally put about a mile or more distant from the land, on each side of the Firth.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading But as the night was coming on, and cloudily too, my heart began to lighten with a hope which was doomed to be crushed, when Mr. Cranky, at nine o'clock, after the night-watch was set, ordered all the pressed men below.
a specific instance of feeling hopeful
From this reading But as the night was coming on, and cloudily too, my heart began to lighten with a hope which was doomed to be crushed, when Mr. Cranky, at nine o'clock, after the night-watch was set, ordered all the pressed men below.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading There were no boats towing astern; all were, as I have said, on board, and at each tack the cutter was generally put about a mile or more distant from the land, on each side of the Firth.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading Even if I could have dropped from the side unseen, and escaped the fire of small arms that would certainly salute a fugitive from the watch on deck, I doubted my being able to swim so far as the shore.
inaccessibleadjectiveUS /ˌɪnəkˈsesəbəl/
capable of being reached only with great difficulty or not at all
From this reading Moreover, I might only be able to make a part of the coast where inaccessible rocks rose sheer from the water.
a small worthless amount
From this reading JACK THE MARINE.
the land on which real estate is located
From this reading There were no boats towing astern; all were, as I have said, on board, and at each tack the cutter was generally put about a mile or more distant from the land, on each side of the Firth.
lightenverbUS /ˈlaɪtən/
make more cheerful
From this reading But as the night was coming on, and cloudily too, my heart began to lighten with a hope which was doomed to be crushed, when Mr. Cranky, at nine o'clock, after the night-watch was set, ordered all the pressed men below.
engage in
From this reading Moreover, I might only be able to make a part of the coast where inaccessible rocks rose sheer from the water.
MARINEadjectiveUS /mərˈiːn/
of or relating to the sea
From this reading JACK THE MARINE.
the force of workers available
From this reading But as the night was coming on, and cloudily too, my heart began to lighten with a hope which was doomed to be crushed, when Mr. Cranky, at nine o'clock, after the night-watch was set, ordered all the pressed men below.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading Moreover, I might only be able to make a part of the coast where inaccessible rocks rose sheer from the water.
a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters
From this reading There were no boats towing astern; all were, as I have said, on board, and at each tack the cutter was generally put about a mile or more distant from the land, on each side of the Firth.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading There were no boats towing astern; all were, as I have said, on board, and at each tack the cutter was generally put about a mile or more distant from the land, on each side of the Firth.
in addition to what has just been said
From this reading Moreover, I might only be able to make a part of the coast where inaccessible rocks rose sheer from the water.
a form of address for a man
From this reading But as the night was coming on, and cloudily too, my heart began to lighten with a hope which was doomed to be crushed, when Mr. Cranky, at nine o'clock, after the night-watch was set, ordered all the pressed men below.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading Even if I could have dropped from the side unseen, and escaped the fire of small arms that would certainly salute a fugitive from the watch on deck, I doubted my being able to swim so far as the shore.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading But as the night was coming on, and cloudily too, my heart began to lighten with a hope which was doomed to be crushed, when Mr. Cranky, at nine o'clock, after the night-watch was set, ordered all the pressed men below.
night-watch
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But as the night was coming on, and cloudily too, my heart began to lighten with a hope which was doomed to be crushed, when Mr. Cranky, at nine o'clock, after the night-watch was set, ordered all the pressed men below.
the cardinal number that is the sum of eight and one
From this reading But as the night was coming on, and cloudily too, my heart began to lighten with a hope which was doomed to be crushed, when Mr. Cranky, at nine o'clock, after the night-watch was set, ordered all the pressed men below.
not any; not one
From this reading There were no boats towing astern; all were, as I have said, on board, and at each tack the cutter was generally put about a mile or more distant from the land, on each side of the Firth.
o'clockadverbUS /əˈklɑːk/
according to the clock
From this reading But as the night was coming on, and cloudily too, my heart began to lighten with a hope which was doomed to be crushed, when Mr. Cranky, at nine o'clock, after the night-watch was set, ordered all the pressed men below.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading There were no boats towing astern; all were, as I have said, on board, and at each tack the cutter was generally put about a mile or more distant from the land, on each side of the Firth.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading There were no boats towing astern; all were, as I have said, on board, and at each tack the cutter was generally put about a mile or more distant from the land, on each side of the Firth.
and nothing more
From this reading Moreover, I might only be able to make a part of the coast where inaccessible rocks rose sheer from the water.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading There were no boats towing astern; all were, as I have said, on board, and at each tack the cutter was generally put about a mile or more distant from the land, on each side of the Firth.
having a systematic arrangement; especially having elements succeeding in order according to rule
From this reading But as the night was coming on, and cloudily too, my heart began to lighten with a hope which was doomed to be crushed, when Mr. Cranky, at nine o'clock, after the night-watch was set, ordered all the pressed men below.
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading Moreover, I might only be able to make a part of the coast where inaccessible rocks rose sheer from the water.
compacted by ironing
From this reading But as the night was coming on, and cloudily too, my heart began to lighten with a hope which was doomed to be crushed, when Mr. Cranky, at nine o'clock, after the night-watch was set, ordered all the pressed men below.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading There were no boats towing astern; all were, as I have said, on board, and at each tack the cutter was generally put about a mile or more distant from the land, on each side of the Firth.
plural of “rock” — a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading Moreover, I might only be able to make a part of the coast where inaccessible rocks rose sheer from the water.
any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading Moreover, I might only be able to make a part of the coast where inaccessible rocks rose sheer from the water.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading There were no boats towing astern; all were, as I have said, on board, and at each tack the cutter was generally put about a mile or more distant from the land, on each side of the Firth.
saluteverbUS /səˈluːt/
propose a toast to
From this reading Even if I could have dropped from the side unseen, and escaped the fire of small arms that would certainly salute a fugitive from the watch on deck, I doubted my being able to swim so far as the shore.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading But as the night was coming on, and cloudily too, my heart began to lighten with a hope which was doomed to be crushed, when Mr. Cranky, at nine o'clock, after the night-watch was set, ordered all the pressed men below.
sheeradjectiveUS /ʃɪr/
complete and without restriction or qualification; sometimes used informally as intensifiers
From this reading Moreover, I might only be able to make a part of the coast where inaccessible rocks rose sheer from the water.
the land along the edge of a body of water
From this reading Even if I could have dropped from the side unseen, and escaped the fire of small arms that would certainly salute a fugitive from the watch on deck, I doubted my being able to swim so far as the shore.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading There were no boats towing astern; all were, as I have said, on board, and at each tack the cutter was generally put about a mile or more distant from the land, on each side of the Firth.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Even if I could have dropped from the side unseen, and escaped the fire of small arms that would certainly salute a fugitive from the watch on deck, I doubted my being able to swim so far as the shore.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Even if I could have dropped from the side unseen, and escaped the fire of small arms that would certainly salute a fugitive from the watch on deck, I doubted my being able to swim so far as the shore.
swimverbUS /swɪm/
travel through water
From this reading Even if I could have dropped from the side unseen, and escaped the fire of small arms that would certainly salute a fugitive from the watch on deck, I doubted my being able to swim so far as the shore.
tackverbUS /tæk/
fasten with tacks
From this reading There were no boats towing astern; all were, as I have said, on board, and at each tack the cutter was generally put about a mile or more distant from the land, on each side of the Firth.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Even if I could have dropped from the side unseen, and escaped the fire of small arms that would certainly salute a fugitive from the watch on deck, I doubted my being able to swim so far as the shore.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading JACK THE MARINE.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There were no boats towing astern; all were, as I have said, on board, and at each tack the cutter was generally put about a mile or more distant from the land, on each side of the Firth.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Even if I could have dropped from the side unseen, and escaped the fire of small arms that would certainly salute a fugitive from the watch on deck, I doubted my being able to swim so far as the shore.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading But as the night was coming on, and cloudily too, my heart began to lighten with a hope which was doomed to be crushed, when Mr. Cranky, at nine o'clock, after the night-watch was set, ordered all the pressed men below.
towingverbUS /ˈtoʊɪŋ/
-ing form of “tow” — drag behind
From this reading There were no boats towing astern; all were, as I have said, on board, and at each tack the cutter was generally put about a mile or more distant from the land, on each side of the Firth.
unseenadjectiveUS /ənˈsiːn/
not seen or perceived
From this reading Even if I could have dropped from the side unseen, and escaped the fire of small arms that would certainly salute a fugitive from the watch on deck, I doubted my being able to swim so far as the shore.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There were no boats towing astern; all were, as I have said, on board, and at each tack the cutter was generally put about a mile or more distant from the land, on each side of the Firth.
look attentively
From this reading Even if I could have dropped from the side unseen, and escaped the fire of small arms that would certainly salute a fugitive from the watch on deck, I doubted my being able to swim so far as the shore.
binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent
From this reading Moreover, I might only be able to make a part of the coast where inaccessible rocks rose sheer from the water.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading There were no boats towing astern; all were, as I have said, on board, and at each tack the cutter was generally put about a mile or more distant from the land, on each side of the Firth.
at the time that
From this reading But as the night was coming on, and cloudily too, my heart began to lighten with a hope which was doomed to be crushed, when Mr. Cranky, at nine o'clock, after the night-watch was set, ordered all the pressed men below.
in or at the place that
From this reading Moreover, I might only be able to make a part of the coast where inaccessible rocks rose sheer from the water.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading But as the night was coming on, and cloudily too, my heart began to lighten with a hope which was doomed to be crushed, when Mr. Cranky, at nine o'clock, after the night-watch was set, ordered all the pressed men below.
in the company of; together with
From this reading But as the night was coming on, and cloudily too, my heart began to lighten with a hope which was doomed to be crushed, when Mr. Cranky, at nine o'clock, after the night-watch was set, ordered all the pressed men below.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Even if I could have dropped from the side unseen, and escaped the fire of small arms that would certainly salute a fugitive from the watch on deck, I doubted my being able to swim so far as the shore.
