Chapter VII · Chapter 7

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading It was well on in the afternoon when land was sighted, but so accurately had the ship been navigated for all the long, pleasant weeks of our voyage that both the captain and his first officer might easily have been excused for showing a little pride in their seamanship.

with few mistakes

From this reading It was well on in the afternoon when land was sighted, but so accurately had the ship been navigated for all the long, pleasant weeks of our voyage that both the captain and his first officer might easily have been excused for showing a little pride in their seamanship.

the part of the day between noon and evening

From this reading It was well on in the afternoon when land was sighted, but so accurately had the ship been navigated for all the long, pleasant weeks of our voyage that both the captain and his first officer might easily have been excused for showing a little pride in their seamanship.

(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 It was well on in the afternoon when land was sighted, but so accurately had the ship been navigated for all the long, pleasant weeks of our voyage that both the captain and his first officer might easily have been excused for showing a little pride in their seamanship.

at all times; all the time and on every occasion

From this reading Your British sailor, however, is always a modest man, and there was not the slightest approach to bombast.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading It was well on in the afternoon when land was sighted, but so accurately had the ship been navigated for all the long, pleasant weeks of our voyage that both the captain and his first officer might easily have been excused for showing a little pride in their seamanship.

move towards

From this reading Your British sailor, however, is always a modest man, and there was not the slightest approach to bombast.

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading At the dinner-table we were all as merry as schoolboys on the eve of a holiday.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading ON SHORE AT RIO.

a room or establishment where alcoholic drinks are served over a counter

From this reading The ship was now slowed, for we could not cross the bar that night.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading It was well on in the afternoon when land was sighted, but so accurately had the ship been navigated for all the long, pleasant weeks of our voyage that both the captain and his first officer might easily have been excused for showing a little pride in their seamanship.

pompous or pretentious talk or writing

From this reading Your British sailor, however, is always a modest man, and there was not the slightest approach to bombast.

the two together, not just one

From this reading It was well on in the afternoon when land was sighted, but so accurately had the ship been navigated for all the long, pleasant weeks of our voyage that both the captain and his first officer might easily have been excused for showing a little pride in their seamanship.

the people of Great Britain

From this reading Your British sailor, however, is always a modest man, and there was not the slightest approach to bombast.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading It was well on in the afternoon when land was sighted, but so accurately had the ship been navigated for all the long, pleasant weeks of our voyage that both the captain and his first officer might easily have been excused for showing a little pride in their seamanship.

an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant

From this reading It was well on in the afternoon when land was sighted, but so accurately had the ship been navigated for all the long, pleasant weeks of our voyage that both the captain and his first officer might easily have been excused for showing a little pride in their seamanship.

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading The ship was now slowed, for we could not cross the bar that night.

travel across or pass over

From this reading The ship was now slowed, for we could not cross the bar that night.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading At the dinner-table we were all as merry as schoolboys on the eve of a holiday.

with ease (“easy” is sometimes used informally for “easily”)

From this reading It was well on in the afternoon when land was sighted, but so accurately had the ship been navigated for all the long, pleasant weeks of our voyage that both the captain and his first officer might easily have been excused for showing a little pride in their seamanship.

(Old Testament) Adam's wife in Judeo-Christian mythology: the first woman and mother of the human race; God created Eve from Adam's rib and placed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden

From this reading At the dinner-table we were all as merry as schoolboys on the eve of a holiday.

granted exemption

From this reading It was well on in the afternoon when land was sighted, but so accurately had the ship been navigated for all the long, pleasant weeks of our voyage that both the captain and his first officer might easily have been excused for showing a little pride in their seamanship.

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading It was well on in the afternoon when land was sighted, but so accurately had the ship been navigated for all the long, pleasant weeks of our voyage that both the captain and his first officer might easily have been excused for showing a little pride in their seamanship.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading It was well on in the afternoon when land was sighted, but so accurately had the ship been navigated for all the long, pleasant weeks of our voyage that both the captain and his first officer might easily have been excused for showing a little pride in their seamanship.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading It was well on in the afternoon when land was sighted, but so accurately had the ship been navigated for all the long, pleasant weeks of our voyage that both the captain and his first officer might easily have been excused for showing a little pride in their seamanship.

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading It was well on in the afternoon when land was sighted, but so accurately had the ship been navigated for all the long, pleasant weeks of our voyage that both the captain and his first officer might easily have been excused for showing a little pride in their seamanship.

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading It was well on in the afternoon when land was sighted, but so accurately had the ship been navigated for all the long, pleasant weeks of our voyage that both the captain and his first officer might easily have been excused for showing a little pride in their seamanship.

leisure time away from work devoted to rest or pleasure

From this reading At the dinner-table we were all as merry as schoolboys on the eve of a holiday.

used to add a contrasting statement

From this reading Your British sailor, however, is always a modest man, and there was not the slightest approach to bombast.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading It was well on in the afternoon when land was sighted, but so accurately had the ship been navigated for all the long, pleasant weeks of our voyage that both the captain and his first officer might easily have been excused for showing a little pride in their seamanship.

the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading Your British sailor, however, is always a modest man, and there was not the slightest approach to bombast.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was well on in the afternoon when land was sighted, but so accurately had the ship been navigated for all the long, pleasant weeks of our voyage that both the captain and his first officer might easily have been excused for showing a little pride in their seamanship.

the land on which real estate is located

From this reading It was well on in the afternoon when land was sighted, but so accurately had the ship been navigated for all the long, pleasant weeks of our voyage that both the captain and his first officer might easily have been excused for showing a little pride in their seamanship.

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading It was well on in the afternoon when land was sighted, but so accurately had the ship been navigated for all the long, pleasant weeks of our voyage that both the captain and his first officer might easily have been excused for showing a little pride in their seamanship.

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 It was well on in the afternoon when land was sighted, but so accurately had the ship been navigated for all the long, pleasant weeks of our voyage that both the captain and his first officer might easily have been excused for showing a little pride in their seamanship.

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading Your British sailor, however, is always a modest man, and there was not the slightest approach to bombast.

full of or showing high-spirited merriment

From this reading At the dinner-table we were all as merry as schoolboys on the eve of a holiday.

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading It was well on in the afternoon when land was sighted, but so accurately had the ship been navigated for all the long, pleasant weeks of our voyage that both the captain and his first officer might easily have been excused for showing a little pride in their seamanship.

marked by simplicity; having a humble opinion of yourself

From this reading Your British sailor, however, is always a modest man, and there was not the slightest approach to bombast.

past form of “navigate” — travel on water propelled by wind or by other means

From this reading It was well on in the afternoon when land was sighted, but so accurately had the ship been navigated for all the long, pleasant weeks of our voyage that both the captain and his first officer might easily have been excused for showing a little pride in their seamanship.

the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside

From this reading The ship was now slowed, for we could not cross the bar that night.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Your British sailor, however, is always a modest man, and there was not the slightest approach to bombast.

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading The ship was now slowed, for we could not cross the bar that night.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading It was well on in the afternoon when land was sighted, but so accurately had the ship been navigated for all the long, pleasant weeks of our voyage that both the captain and his first officer might easily have been excused for showing a little pride in their seamanship.

any person in the armed services who holds a position of authority or command

From this reading It was well on in the afternoon when land was sighted, but so accurately had the ship been navigated for all the long, pleasant weeks of our voyage that both the captain and his first officer might easily have been excused for showing a little pride in their seamanship.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading ON SHORE AT RIO.

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading It was well on in the afternoon when land was sighted, but so accurately had the ship been navigated for all the long, pleasant weeks of our voyage that both the captain and his first officer might easily have been excused for showing a little pride in their seamanship.

affording pleasure; being in harmony with your taste or likings

From this reading It was well on in the afternoon when land was sighted, but so accurately had the ship been navigated for all the long, pleasant weeks of our voyage that both the captain and his first officer might easily have been excused for showing a little pride in their seamanship.

a feeling of self-respect and personal worth

From this reading It was well on in the afternoon when land was sighted, but so accurately had the ship been navigated for all the long, pleasant weeks of our voyage that both the captain and his first officer might easily have been excused for showing a little pride in their seamanship.

the former capital and 2nd largest city of Brazil; chief Brazilian port; famous as a tourist attraction

From this reading ON SHORE AT RIO.

any member of a ship's crew

From this reading Your British sailor, however, is always a modest man, and there was not the slightest approach to bombast.

plural of “schoolboy” — a boy attending school

From this reading At the dinner-table we were all as merry as schoolboys on the eve of a holiday.

skill in sailing

From this reading It was well on in the afternoon when land was sighted, but so accurately had the ship been navigated for all the long, pleasant weeks of our voyage that both the captain and his first officer might easily have been excused for showing a little pride in their seamanship.

transport commercially

From this reading It was well on in the afternoon when land was sighted, but so accurately had the ship been navigated for all the long, pleasant weeks of our voyage that both the captain and his first officer might easily have been excused for showing a little pride in their seamanship.

the land along the edge of a body of water

From this reading ON SHORE AT RIO.

the display of a motion picture

From this reading It was well on in the afternoon when land was sighted, but so accurately had the ship been navigated for all the long, pleasant weeks of our voyage that both the captain and his first officer might easily have been excused for showing a little pride in their seamanship.

able to see

From this reading It was well on in the afternoon when land was sighted, but so accurately had the ship been navigated for all the long, pleasant weeks of our voyage that both the captain and his first officer might easily have been excused for showing a little pride in their seamanship.

superlative of “slight” — (quantifier used with mass nouns) small in quantity or degree; not much or almost none or (with “a”) at least some

From this reading Your British sailor, however, is always a modest man, and there was not the slightest approach to bombast.

past form of “slow” — lose velocity; move more slowly

From this reading The ship was now slowed, for we could not cross the bar that night.

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading It was well on in the afternoon when land was sighted, but so accurately had the ship been navigated for all the long, pleasant weeks of our voyage that both the captain and his first officer might easily have been excused for showing a little pride in their seamanship.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading It was well on in the afternoon when land was sighted, but so accurately had the ship been navigated for all the long, pleasant weeks of our voyage that both the captain and his first officer might easily have been excused for showing a little pride in their seamanship.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading It was well on in the afternoon when land was sighted, but so accurately had the ship been navigated for all the long, pleasant weeks of our voyage that both the captain and his first officer might easily have been excused for showing a little pride in their seamanship.

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading It was well on in the afternoon when land was sighted, but so accurately had the ship been navigated for all the long, pleasant weeks of our voyage that both the captain and his first officer might easily have been excused for showing a little pride in their seamanship.

in or at that place or location

From this reading Your British sailor, however, is always a modest man, and there was not the slightest approach to bombast.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading Your British sailor, however, is always a modest man, and there was not the slightest approach to bombast.

an act of traveling by water

From this reading It was well on in the afternoon when land was sighted, but so accurately had the ship been navigated for all the long, pleasant weeks of our voyage that both the captain and his first officer might easily have been excused for showing a little pride in their seamanship.

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading It was well on in the afternoon when land was sighted, but so accurately had the ship been navigated for all the long, pleasant weeks of our voyage that both the captain and his first officer might easily have been excused for showing a little pride in their seamanship.

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading The ship was now slowed, for we could not cross the bar that night.

plural of “week” — any period of seven consecutive days

From this reading It was well on in the afternoon when land was sighted, but so accurately had the ship been navigated for all the long, pleasant weeks of our voyage that both the captain and his first officer might easily have been excused for showing a little pride in their seamanship.

(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)

From this reading It was well on in the afternoon when land was sighted, but so accurately had the ship been navigated for all the long, pleasant weeks of our voyage that both the captain and his first officer might easily have been excused for showing a little pride in their seamanship.

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading At the dinner-table we were all as merry as schoolboys on the eve of a holiday.

at the time that

From this reading It was well on in the afternoon when land was sighted, but so accurately had the ship been navigated for all the long, pleasant weeks of our voyage that both the captain and his first officer might easily have been excused for showing a little pride in their seamanship.

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading Your British sailor, however, is always a modest man, and there was not the slightest approach to bombast.