used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading "I mean, sir, that a hurricane is about to burst over us, and that the strongest and best-built boat can scarcely live through it," was the answer.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading "I mean, sir, that a hurricane is about to burst over us, and that the strongest and best-built boat can scarcely live through it," was the answer.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "I mean, sir, that a hurricane is about to burst over us, and that the strongest and best-built boat can scarcely live through it," was the answer.
react verbally
From this reading "I mean, sir, that a hurricane is about to burst over us, and that the strongest and best-built boat can scarcely live through it," was the answer.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "I fear that you are right," replied Devereux.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading "We'll prepare the boat as best we can for what is coming."
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading No time was to be lost.
the supreme effort one can make
From this reading "We'll prepare the boat as best we can for what is coming."
best-built
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I mean, sir, that a hurricane is about to burst over us, and that the strongest and best-built boat can scarcely live through it," was the answer.
(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another
From this reading The staves of a cask knocked to pieces were nailed round the sides of the boat, and to these a sail, cut into broad strips, was nailed, so that the water might the better be kept out.
a small vessel for travel on water
From this reading "I mean, sir, that a hurricane is about to burst over us, and that the strongest and best-built boat can scarcely live through it," was the answer.
having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading The staves of a cask knocked to pieces were nailed round the sides of the boat, and to these a sail, cut into broad strips, was nailed, so that the water might the better be kept out.
come open suddenly and violently, as if from internal pressure
From this reading "I mean, sir, that a hurricane is about to burst over us, and that the strongest and best-built boat can scarcely live through it," was the answer.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading "I mean, sir, that a hurricane is about to burst over us, and that the strongest and best-built boat can scarcely live through it," was the answer.
casknounUS /kæsk/
the quantity a cask will hold
From this reading The staves of a cask knocked to pieces were nailed round the sides of the boat, and to these a sail, cut into broad strips, was nailed, so that the water might the better be kept out.
the act of drawing spatially closer to something
From this reading "We'll prepare the boat as best we can for what is coming."
separate with or as if with an instrument
From this reading The staves of a cask knocked to pieces were nailed round the sides of the boat, and to these a sail, cut into broad strips, was nailed, so that the water might the better be kept out.
Devereux
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I fear that you are right," replied Devereux.
be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event
From this reading "I fear that you are right," replied Devereux.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading "We'll prepare the boat as best we can for what is coming."
hurricanenounUS /ˈhɜːrəkeɪn/
a severe tropical cyclone usually with heavy rains and winds moving at 63-136 knots (12 on the Beaufort scale)
From this reading "I mean, sir, that a hurricane is about to burst over us, and that the strongest and best-built boat can scarcely live through it," was the answer.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "I mean, sir, that a hurricane is about to burst over us, and that the strongest and best-built boat can scarcely live through it," was the answer.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading The staves of a cask knocked to pieces were nailed round the sides of the boat, and to these a sail, cut into broad strips, was nailed, so that the water might the better be kept out.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "I mean, sir, that a hurricane is about to burst over us, and that the strongest and best-built boat can scarcely live through it," was the answer.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "I mean, sir, that a hurricane is about to burst over us, and that the strongest and best-built boat can scarcely live through it," was the answer.
(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded
From this reading The staves of a cask knocked to pieces were nailed round the sides of the boat, and to these a sail, cut into broad strips, was nailed, so that the water might the better be kept out.
past form of “knock” — deliver a sharp blow or push
From this reading The staves of a cask knocked to pieces were nailed round the sides of the boat, and to these a sail, cut into broad strips, was nailed, so that the water might the better be kept out.
be an inhabitant of or reside in
From this reading "I mean, sir, that a hurricane is about to burst over us, and that the strongest and best-built boat can scarcely live through it," was the answer.
no longer in your possession or control; unable to be found or recovered
From this reading No time was to be lost.
mean or intend to express or convey
From this reading "I mean, sir, that a hurricane is about to burst over us, and that the strongest and best-built boat can scarcely live through it," was the answer.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading The staves of a cask knocked to pieces were nailed round the sides of the boat, and to these a sail, cut into broad strips, was nailed, so that the water might the better be kept out.
nailedverbUS /neɪld/
past form of “nail” — attach something somewhere by means of nails
From this reading The staves of a cask knocked to pieces were nailed round the sides of the boat, and to these a sail, cut into broad strips, was nailed, so that the water might the better be kept out.
not any; not one
From this reading No time was to be lost.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The staves of a cask knocked to pieces were nailed round the sides of the boat, and to these a sail, cut into broad strips, was nailed, so that the water might the better be kept out.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading The staves of a cask knocked to pieces were nailed round the sides of the boat, and to these a sail, cut into broad strips, was nailed, so that the water might the better be kept out.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading "I mean, sir, that a hurricane is about to burst over us, and that the strongest and best-built boat can scarcely live through it," was the answer.
plural of “piece” — a separate part of a whole
From this reading The staves of a cask knocked to pieces were nailed round the sides of the boat, and to these a sail, cut into broad strips, was nailed, so that the water might the better be kept out.
prepareverbUS /priˈper/
make ready or suitable or equip in advance for a particular purpose or for some use, event, etc
From this reading "We'll prepare the boat as best we can for what is coming."
inflected form of “reply” — react verbally
From this reading "I fear that you are right," replied Devereux.
precisely, exactly
From this reading "I fear that you are right," replied Devereux.
a charge of ammunition for a single shot
From this reading The staves of a cask knocked to pieces were nailed round the sides of the boat, and to these a sail, cut into broad strips, was nailed, so that the water might the better be kept out.
traverse or travel on (a body of water)
From this reading The staves of a cask knocked to pieces were nailed round the sides of the boat, and to these a sail, cut into broad strips, was nailed, so that the water might the better be kept out.
only a very short time before
From this reading "I mean, sir, that a hurricane is about to burst over us, and that the strongest and best-built boat can scarcely live through it," was the answer.
plural of “side” — a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading The staves of a cask knocked to pieces were nailed round the sides of the boat, and to these a sail, cut into broad strips, was nailed, so that the water might the better be kept out.
term of address for a man
From this reading "I mean, sir, that a hurricane is about to burst over us, and that the strongest and best-built boat can scarcely live through it," was the answer.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The staves of a cask knocked to pieces were nailed round the sides of the boat, and to these a sail, cut into broad strips, was nailed, so that the water might the better be kept out.
stavesnounUS /steɪvz/
plural of “stave” — (music) the system of five horizontal lines on which the musical notes are written
From this reading The staves of a cask knocked to pieces were nailed round the sides of the boat, and to these a sail, cut into broad strips, was nailed, so that the water might the better be kept out.
stripsnounUS /strɪps/
plural of “strip” — a relatively long narrow piece of something
From this reading The staves of a cask knocked to pieces were nailed round the sides of the boat, and to these a sail, cut into broad strips, was nailed, so that the water might the better be kept out.
strongestadjectiveUS /ˈstrɔːŋɡəst/
superlative of “strong” — having strength or power greater than average or expected
From this reading "I mean, sir, that a hurricane is about to burst over us, and that the strongest and best-built boat can scarcely live through it," was the answer.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "I mean, sir, that a hurricane is about to burst over us, and that the strongest and best-built boat can scarcely live through it," was the answer.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "I mean, sir, that a hurricane is about to burst over us, and that the strongest and best-built boat can scarcely live through it," was the answer.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading The staves of a cask knocked to pieces were nailed round the sides of the boat, and to these a sail, cut into broad strips, was nailed, so that the water might the better be kept out.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading "I mean, sir, that a hurricane is about to burst over us, and that the strongest and best-built boat can scarcely live through it," was the answer.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading No time was to be lost.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "I mean, sir, that a hurricane is about to burst over us, and that the strongest and best-built boat can scarcely live through it," was the answer.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "I mean, sir, that a hurricane is about to burst over us, and that the strongest and best-built boat can scarcely live through it," was the answer.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "I mean, sir, that a hurricane is about to burst over us, and that the strongest and best-built boat can scarcely live through it," was the answer.
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 The staves of a cask knocked to pieces were nailed round the sides of the boat, and to these a sail, cut into broad strips, was nailed, so that the water might the better be kept out.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading "We'll prepare the boat as best we can for what is coming."
We'll
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "We'll prepare the boat as best we can for what is coming."
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The staves of a cask knocked to pieces were nailed round the sides of the boat, and to these a sail, cut into broad strips, was nailed, so that the water might the better be kept out.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading "We'll prepare the boat as best we can for what is coming."
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "I fear that you are right," replied Devereux.
