used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The careful keeper of the lighthouse had that day told his wife that he believed a few more days would see the end of this bout of rough weather.
(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 They were sitting together in the hot sunshine, just beneath the south wall of the lighthouse, well sheltered from the wind; and the sun was shining with all the brilliance that it sometimes can in early February on the south coast, though the sea tumbled and foamed beneath the strong gale which still blew steadily day by day, and cut off Lone Rock from the mainland.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading _"POOR JIM!"_ "And you were the little boy that was taken out of the water, and poor Jim was the brave man who swam into the great big waves to save you!"
delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration
From this reading Pat was the speaker, and the beautiful little boy the listener.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading But the weather began to show signs of modifying.
past form of “believe” — accept as true; take to be true
From this reading The careful keeper of the lighthouse had that day told his wife that he believed a few more days would see the end of this bout of rough weather.
Directly under; in or to a lower position than.
From this reading They were sitting together in the hot sunshine, just beneath the south wall of the lighthouse, well sheltered from the wind; and the sun was shining with all the brilliance that it sometimes can in early February on the south coast, though the sea tumbled and foamed beneath the strong gale which still blew steadily day by day, and cut off Lone Rock from the mainland.
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading _"POOR JIM!"_ "And you were the little boy that was taken out of the water, and poor Jim was the brave man who swam into the great big waves to save you!"
inflected form of “blow” — exhale hard
From this reading They were sitting together in the hot sunshine, just beneath the south wall of the lighthouse, well sheltered from the wind; and the sun was shining with all the brilliance that it sometimes can in early February on the south coast, though the sea tumbled and foamed beneath the strong gale which still blew steadily day by day, and cut off Lone Rock from the mainland.
boutnounUS /baʊt/
(sports) a division during which one team is on the offensive
From this reading The careful keeper of the lighthouse had that day told his wife that he believed a few more days would see the end of this bout of rough weather.
a youthful male person
From this reading _"POOR JIM!"_ "And you were the little boy that was taken out of the water, and poor Jim was the brave man who swam into the great big waves to save you!"
possessing or displaying courage; able to face and deal with danger or fear without flinching
From this reading _"POOR JIM!"_ "And you were the little boy that was taken out of the water, and poor Jim was the brave man who swam into the great big waves to save you!"
brilliancenounUS /ˈbrɪljəns/
a light within the field of vision that is brighter than the brightness to which the eyes are adapted
From this reading They were sitting together in the hot sunshine, just beneath the south wall of the lighthouse, well sheltered from the wind; and the sun was shining with all the brilliance that it sometimes can in early February on the south coast, though the sea tumbled and foamed beneath the strong gale which still blew steadily day by day, and cut off Lone Rock from the mainland.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But the weather began to show signs of modifying.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading They were sitting together in the hot sunshine, just beneath the south wall of the lighthouse, well sheltered from the wind; and the sun was shining with all the brilliance that it sometimes can in early February on the south coast, though the sea tumbled and foamed beneath the strong gale which still blew steadily day by day, and cut off Lone Rock from the mainland.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading They were sitting together in the hot sunshine, just beneath the south wall of the lighthouse, well sheltered from the wind; and the sun was shining with all the brilliance that it sometimes can in early February on the south coast, though the sea tumbled and foamed beneath the strong gale which still blew steadily day by day, and cut off Lone Rock from the mainland.
exercising caution or showing care or attention
From this reading The careful keeper of the lighthouse had that day told his wife that he believed a few more days would see the end of this bout of rough weather.
the shore of a sea or ocean
From this reading They were sitting together in the hot sunshine, just beneath the south wall of the lighthouse, well sheltered from the wind; and the sun was shining with all the brilliance that it sometimes can in early February on the south coast, though the sea tumbled and foamed beneath the strong gale which still blew steadily day by day, and cut off Lone Rock from the mainland.
separate with or as if with an instrument
From this reading They were sitting together in the hot sunshine, just beneath the south wall of the lighthouse, well sheltered from the wind; and the sun was shining with all the brilliance that it sometimes can in early February on the south coast, though the sea tumbled and foamed beneath the strong gale which still blew steadily day by day, and cut off Lone Rock from the mainland.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading They were sitting together in the hot sunshine, just beneath the south wall of the lighthouse, well sheltered from the wind; and the sun was shining with all the brilliance that it sometimes can in early February on the south coast, though the sea tumbled and foamed beneath the strong gale which still blew steadily day by day, and cut off Lone Rock from the mainland.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading The careful keeper of the lighthouse had that day told his wife that he believed a few more days would see the end of this bout of rough weather.
earlyadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrli/
at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time
From this reading They were sitting together in the hot sunshine, just beneath the south wall of the lighthouse, well sheltered from the wind; and the sun was shining with all the brilliance that it sometimes can in early February on the south coast, though the sea tumbled and foamed beneath the strong gale which still blew steadily day by day, and cut off Lone Rock from the mainland.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading The careful keeper of the lighthouse had that day told his wife that he believed a few more days would see the end of this bout of rough weather.
FebruarynounUS /ˈfebjəweri/
the month following January and preceding March
From this reading They were sitting together in the hot sunshine, just beneath the south wall of the lighthouse, well sheltered from the wind; and the sun was shining with all the brilliance that it sometimes can in early February on the south coast, though the sea tumbled and foamed beneath the strong gale which still blew steadily day by day, and cut off Lone Rock from the mainland.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading The careful keeper of the lighthouse had that day told his wife that he believed a few more days would see the end of this bout of rough weather.
foamed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were sitting together in the hot sunshine, just beneath the south wall of the lighthouse, well sheltered from the wind; and the sun was shining with all the brilliance that it sometimes can in early February on the south coast, though the sea tumbled and foamed beneath the strong gale which still blew steadily day by day, and cut off Lone Rock from the mainland.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading They were sitting together in the hot sunshine, just beneath the south wall of the lighthouse, well sheltered from the wind; and the sun was shining with all the brilliance that it sometimes can in early February on the south coast, though the sea tumbled and foamed beneath the strong gale which still blew steadily day by day, and cut off Lone Rock from the mainland.
galenounUS /ɡeɪl/
a strong wind moving 45-90 knots; force 7 to 10 on Beaufort scale
From this reading They were sitting together in the hot sunshine, just beneath the south wall of the lighthouse, well sheltered from the wind; and the sun was shining with all the brilliance that it sometimes can in early February on the south coast, though the sea tumbled and foamed beneath the strong gale which still blew steadily day by day, and cut off Lone Rock from the mainland.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading _"POOR JIM!"_ "And you were the little boy that was taken out of the water, and poor Jim was the brave man who swam into the great big waves to save you!"
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The careful keeper of the lighthouse had that day told his wife that he believed a few more days would see the end of this bout of rough weather.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The careful keeper of the lighthouse had that day told his wife that he believed a few more days would see the end of this bout of rough weather.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The careful keeper of the lighthouse had that day told his wife that he believed a few more days would see the end of this bout of rough weather.
used of physical heat; having a high or higher than desirable temperature or giving off heat or feeling or causing a sensation of heat or burning
From this reading They were sitting together in the hot sunshine, just beneath the south wall of the lighthouse, well sheltered from the wind; and the sun was shining with all the brilliance that it sometimes can in early February on the south coast, though the sea tumbled and foamed beneath the strong gale which still blew steadily day by day, and cut off Lone Rock from the mainland.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading They were sitting together in the hot sunshine, just beneath the south wall of the lighthouse, well sheltered from the wind; and the sun was shining with all the brilliance that it sometimes can in early February on the south coast, though the sea tumbled and foamed beneath the strong gale which still blew steadily day by day, and cut off Lone Rock from the mainland.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading _"POOR JIM!"_ "And you were the little boy that was taken out of the water, and poor Jim was the brave man who swam into the great big waves to save you!"
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading They were sitting together in the hot sunshine, just beneath the south wall of the lighthouse, well sheltered from the wind; and the sun was shining with all the brilliance that it sometimes can in early February on the south coast, though the sea tumbled and foamed beneath the strong gale which still blew steadily day by day, and cut off Lone Rock from the mainland.
JIM
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _"POOR JIM!"_ "And you were the little boy that was taken out of the water, and poor Jim was the brave man who swam into the great big waves to save you!"
and nothing more
From this reading They were sitting together in the hot sunshine, just beneath the south wall of the lighthouse, well sheltered from the wind; and the sun was shining with all the brilliance that it sometimes can in early February on the south coast, though the sea tumbled and foamed beneath the strong gale which still blew steadily day by day, and cut off Lone Rock from the mainland.
keepernounUS /ˈkiːpər/
someone in charge of other people
From this reading The careful keeper of the lighthouse had that day told his wife that he believed a few more days would see the end of this bout of rough weather.
lighthousenounUS /ˈlaɪthaʊs/
a tower with a light that gives warning of shoals to passing ships
From this reading They were sitting together in the hot sunshine, just beneath the south wall of the lighthouse, well sheltered from the wind; and the sun was shining with all the brilliance that it sometimes can in early February on the south coast, though the sea tumbled and foamed beneath the strong gale which still blew steadily day by day, and cut off Lone Rock from the mainland.
listenernounUS /ˈlɪsənər/
someone who listens attentively
From this reading Pat was the speaker, and the beautiful little boy the listener.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading _"POOR JIM!"_ "And you were the little boy that was taken out of the water, and poor Jim was the brave man who swam into the great big waves to save you!"
LoneadjectiveUS /loʊn/
lacking companions or companionship
From this reading They were sitting together in the hot sunshine, just beneath the south wall of the lighthouse, well sheltered from the wind; and the sun was shining with all the brilliance that it sometimes can in early February on the south coast, though the sea tumbled and foamed beneath the strong gale which still blew steadily day by day, and cut off Lone Rock from the mainland.
mainlandnounUS /ˈmeɪnlænd/
the main land mass of a country or continent; as distinguished from an island or peninsula
From this reading They were sitting together in the hot sunshine, just beneath the south wall of the lighthouse, well sheltered from the wind; and the sun was shining with all the brilliance that it sometimes can in early February on the south coast, though the sea tumbled and foamed beneath the strong gale which still blew steadily day by day, and cut off Lone Rock from the mainland.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading _"POOR JIM!"_ "And you were the little boy that was taken out of the water, and poor Jim was the brave man who swam into the great big waves to save you!"
modifyingverbUS /ˈmɑːdəfaɪɪŋ/
-ing form of “modify” — make less severe or harsh or extreme
From this reading But the weather began to show signs of modifying.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading The careful keeper of the lighthouse had that day told his wife that he believed a few more days would see the end of this bout of rough weather.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading _"POOR JIM!"_ "And you were the little boy that was taken out of the water, and poor Jim was the brave man who swam into the great big waves to save you!"
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading They were sitting together in the hot sunshine, just beneath the south wall of the lighthouse, well sheltered from the wind; and the sun was shining with all the brilliance that it sometimes can in early February on the south coast, though the sea tumbled and foamed beneath the strong gale which still blew steadily day by day, and cut off Lone Rock from the mainland.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading They were sitting together in the hot sunshine, just beneath the south wall of the lighthouse, well sheltered from the wind; and the sun was shining with all the brilliance that it sometimes can in early February on the south coast, though the sea tumbled and foamed beneath the strong gale which still blew steadily day by day, and cut off Lone Rock from the mainland.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading _"POOR JIM!"_ "And you were the little boy that was taken out of the water, and poor Jim was the brave man who swam into the great big waves to save you!"
PatverbUS /pæt/
pat or squeeze fondly or playfully, especially under the chin
From this reading Pat was the speaker, and the beautiful little boy the listener.
deserving or inciting pity
From this reading _"POOR JIM!"_ "And you were the little boy that was taken out of the water, and poor Jim was the brave man who swam into the great big waves to save you!"
a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading They were sitting together in the hot sunshine, just beneath the south wall of the lighthouse, well sheltered from the wind; and the sun was shining with all the brilliance that it sometimes can in early February on the south coast, though the sea tumbled and foamed beneath the strong gale which still blew steadily day by day, and cut off Lone Rock from the mainland.
having or caused by an irregular surface
From this reading The careful keeper of the lighthouse had that day told his wife that he believed a few more days would see the end of this bout of rough weather.
except for; apart from
From this reading _"POOR JIM!"_ "And you were the little boy that was taken out of the water, and poor Jim was the brave man who swam into the great big waves to save you!"
a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
From this reading They were sitting together in the hot sunshine, just beneath the south wall of the lighthouse, well sheltered from the wind; and the sun was shining with all the brilliance that it sometimes can in early February on the south coast, though the sea tumbled and foamed beneath the strong gale which still blew steadily day by day, and cut off Lone Rock from the mainland.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading The careful keeper of the lighthouse had that day told his wife that he believed a few more days would see the end of this bout of rough weather.
shelteredadjectiveUS /ˈʃeltərd/
protected from danger or bad weather
From this reading They were sitting together in the hot sunshine, just beneath the south wall of the lighthouse, well sheltered from the wind; and the sun was shining with all the brilliance that it sometimes can in early February on the south coast, though the sea tumbled and foamed beneath the strong gale which still blew steadily day by day, and cut off Lone Rock from the mainland.
marked by exceptional merit
From this reading They were sitting together in the hot sunshine, just beneath the south wall of the lighthouse, well sheltered from the wind; and the sun was shining with all the brilliance that it sometimes can in early February on the south coast, though the sea tumbled and foamed beneath the strong gale which still blew steadily day by day, and cut off Lone Rock from the mainland.
give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading But the weather began to show signs of modifying.
plural of “sign” — a perceptible indication of something not immediately apparent (as a visible clue that something has happened)
From this reading But the weather began to show signs of modifying.
(photography) the act of assuming a certain position (as for a photograph or portrait)
From this reading They were sitting together in the hot sunshine, just beneath the south wall of the lighthouse, well sheltered from the wind; and the sun was shining with all the brilliance that it sometimes can in early February on the south coast, though the sea tumbled and foamed beneath the strong gale which still blew steadily day by day, and cut off Lone Rock from the mainland.
on certain occasions or in certain cases but not always
From this reading They were sitting together in the hot sunshine, just beneath the south wall of the lighthouse, well sheltered from the wind; and the sun was shining with all the brilliance that it sometimes can in early February on the south coast, though the sea tumbled and foamed beneath the strong gale which still blew steadily day by day, and cut off Lone Rock from the mainland.
the region of the United States lying to the south of the Mason-Dixon line
From this reading They were sitting together in the hot sunshine, just beneath the south wall of the lighthouse, well sheltered from the wind; and the sun was shining with all the brilliance that it sometimes can in early February on the south coast, though the sea tumbled and foamed beneath the strong gale which still blew steadily day by day, and cut off Lone Rock from the mainland.
speakernounUS /ˈspiːkər/
someone who expresses in language; someone who talks (especially someone who delivers a public speech or someone especially garrulous)
From this reading Pat was the speaker, and the beautiful little boy the listener.
at a steady rate or pace
From this reading They were sitting together in the hot sunshine, just beneath the south wall of the lighthouse, well sheltered from the wind; and the sun was shining with all the brilliance that it sometimes can in early February on the south coast, though the sea tumbled and foamed beneath the strong gale which still blew steadily day by day, and cut off Lone Rock from the mainland.
not in physical motion
From this reading They were sitting together in the hot sunshine, just beneath the south wall of the lighthouse, well sheltered from the wind; and the sun was shining with all the brilliance that it sometimes can in early February on the south coast, though the sea tumbled and foamed beneath the strong gale which still blew steadily day by day, and cut off Lone Rock from the mainland.
having strength or power greater than average or expected
From this reading They were sitting together in the hot sunshine, just beneath the south wall of the lighthouse, well sheltered from the wind; and the sun was shining with all the brilliance that it sometimes can in early February on the south coast, though the sea tumbled and foamed beneath the strong gale which still blew steadily day by day, and cut off Lone Rock from the mainland.
the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system
From this reading They were sitting together in the hot sunshine, just beneath the south wall of the lighthouse, well sheltered from the wind; and the sun was shining with all the brilliance that it sometimes can in early February on the south coast, though the sea tumbled and foamed beneath the strong gale which still blew steadily day by day, and cut off Lone Rock from the mainland.
the rays of the sun
From this reading They were sitting together in the hot sunshine, just beneath the south wall of the lighthouse, well sheltered from the wind; and the sun was shining with all the brilliance that it sometimes can in early February on the south coast, though the sea tumbled and foamed beneath the strong gale which still blew steadily day by day, and cut off Lone Rock from the mainland.
swamverbUS /swæm/
inflected form of “swim” — travel through water
From this reading _"POOR JIM!"_ "And you were the little boy that was taken out of the water, and poor Jim was the brave man who swam into the great big waves to save you!"
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading _"POOR JIM!"_ "And you were the little boy that was taken out of the water, and poor Jim was the brave man who swam into the great big waves to save you!"
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading _"POOR JIM!"_ "And you were the little boy that was taken out of the water, and poor Jim was the brave man who swam into the great big waves to save you!"
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading _"POOR JIM!"_ "And you were the little boy that was taken out of the water, and poor Jim was the brave man who swam into the great big waves to save you!"
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They were sitting together in the hot sunshine, just beneath the south wall of the lighthouse, well sheltered from the wind; and the sun was shining with all the brilliance that it sometimes can in early February on the south coast, though the sea tumbled and foamed beneath the strong gale which still blew steadily day by day, and cut off Lone Rock from the mainland.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading The careful keeper of the lighthouse had that day told his wife that he believed a few more days would see the end of this bout of rough weather.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading They were sitting together in the hot sunshine, just beneath the south wall of the lighthouse, well sheltered from the wind; and the sun was shining with all the brilliance that it sometimes can in early February on the south coast, though the sea tumbled and foamed beneath the strong gale which still blew steadily day by day, and cut off Lone Rock from the mainland.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading _"POOR JIM!"_ "And you were the little boy that was taken out of the water, and poor Jim was the brave man who swam into the great big waves to save you!"
in contact with each other or in proximity
From this reading They were sitting together in the hot sunshine, just beneath the south wall of the lighthouse, well sheltered from the wind; and the sun was shining with all the brilliance that it sometimes can in early February on the south coast, though the sea tumbled and foamed beneath the strong gale which still blew steadily day by day, and cut off Lone Rock from the mainland.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading The careful keeper of the lighthouse had that day told his wife that he believed a few more days would see the end of this bout of rough weather.
tumbledverbUS /ˈtʌmbəld/
past form of “tumble” — fall down, as if collapsing
From this reading They were sitting together in the hot sunshine, just beneath the south wall of the lighthouse, well sheltered from the wind; and the sun was shining with all the brilliance that it sometimes can in early February on the south coast, though the sea tumbled and foamed beneath the strong gale which still blew steadily day by day, and cut off Lone Rock from the mainland.
an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure
From this reading They were sitting together in the hot sunshine, just beneath the south wall of the lighthouse, well sheltered from the wind; and the sun was shining with all the brilliance that it sometimes can in early February on the south coast, though the sea tumbled and foamed beneath the strong gale which still blew steadily day by day, and cut off Lone Rock from the mainland.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading _"POOR JIM!"_ "And you were the little boy that was taken out of the water, and poor Jim was the brave man who swam into the great big waves to save you!"
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 _"POOR JIM!"_ "And you were the little boy that was taken out of the water, and poor Jim was the brave man who swam into the great big waves to save you!"
plural of “wave” — one of a series of ridges that moves across the surface of a liquid (especially across a large body of water)
From this reading _"POOR JIM!"_ "And you were the little boy that was taken out of the water, and poor Jim was the brave man who swam into the great big waves to save you!"
the atmospheric conditions that comprise the state of the atmosphere in terms of temperature and wind and clouds and precipitation
From this reading But the weather began to show signs of modifying.
(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 They were sitting together in the hot sunshine, just beneath the south wall of the lighthouse, well sheltered from the wind; and the sun was shining with all the brilliance that it sometimes can in early February on the south coast, though the sea tumbled and foamed beneath the strong gale which still blew steadily day by day, and cut off Lone Rock from the mainland.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading _"POOR JIM!"_ "And you were the little boy that was taken out of the water, and poor Jim was the brave man who swam into the great big waves to save you!"
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading They were sitting together in the hot sunshine, just beneath the south wall of the lighthouse, well sheltered from the wind; and the sun was shining with all the brilliance that it sometimes can in early February on the south coast, though the sea tumbled and foamed beneath the strong gale which still blew steadily day by day, and cut off Lone Rock from the mainland.
which person or people
From this reading _"POOR JIM!"_ "And you were the little boy that was taken out of the water, and poor Jim was the brave man who swam into the great big waves to save you!"
a married woman; a man's partner in marriage
From this reading The careful keeper of the lighthouse had that day told his wife that he believed a few more days would see the end of this bout of rough weather.
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading They were sitting together in the hot sunshine, just beneath the south wall of the lighthouse, well sheltered from the wind; and the sun was shining with all the brilliance that it sometimes can in early February on the south coast, though the sea tumbled and foamed beneath the strong gale which still blew steadily day by day, and cut off Lone Rock from the mainland.
in the company of; together with
From this reading They were sitting together in the hot sunshine, just beneath the south wall of the lighthouse, well sheltered from the wind; and the sun was shining with all the brilliance that it sometimes can in early February on the south coast, though the sea tumbled and foamed beneath the strong gale which still blew steadily day by day, and cut off Lone Rock from the mainland.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading The careful keeper of the lighthouse had that day told his wife that he believed a few more days would see the end of this bout of rough weather.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading _"POOR JIM!"_ "And you were the little boy that was taken out of the water, and poor Jim was the brave man who swam into the great big waves to save you!"
