used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A drizzling rain was keeping them both indoors.
(usually followed by “to”) having the necessary means or skill or know-how or authority to do something
From this reading But it was not until the following morning, when her tasks were finished, that she was able to slip away to decipher the message from Gene.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading This she carried to her room above the kitchen adjoining the lighthouse.
adjoiningverbUS /əˈdʒɔɪnɪŋ/
-ing form of “adjoin” — lie adjacent to another or share a boundary
From this reading This she carried to her room above the kitchen adjoining the lighthouse.
the part of the day between noon and evening
From this reading Upon reaching Windy Island that cold, grey, late afternoon, Muriel went at once to her Treasure Cave to procure the primer which her Uncle Lem had given her, and by the aid of which she could read other books and letters containing the simplest words.
a person or thing that is a resource that helps make something easier or possible to do
From this reading Upon reaching Windy Island that cold, grey, late afternoon, Muriel went at once to her Treasure Cave to procure the primer which her Uncle Lem had given her, and by the aid of which she could read other books and letters containing the simplest words.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Upon reaching Windy Island that cold, grey, late afternoon, Muriel went at once to her Treasure Cave to procure the primer which her Uncle Lem had given her, and by the aid of which she could read other books and letters containing the simplest words.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Upon reaching Windy Island that cold, grey, late afternoon, Muriel went at once to her Treasure Cave to procure the primer which her Uncle Lem had given her, and by the aid of which she could read other books and letters containing the simplest words.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading But it was not until the following morning, when her tasks were finished, that she was able to slip away to decipher the message from Gene.
Bound written or printed works.
From this reading Upon reaching Windy Island that cold, grey, late afternoon, Muriel went at once to her Treasure Cave to procure the primer which her Uncle Lem had given her, and by the aid of which she could read other books and letters containing the simplest words.
the two together, not just one
From this reading A drizzling rain was keeping them both indoors.
inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading The old captain, never content when he was idle, had brought to the warm kitchen a net that he was mending.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But it was not until the following morning, when her tasks were finished, that she was able to slip away to decipher the message from Gene.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Upon reaching Windy Island that cold, grey, late afternoon, Muriel went at once to her Treasure Cave to procure the primer which her Uncle Lem had given her, and by the aid of which she could read other books and letters containing the simplest words.
an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant
From this reading The old captain, never content when he was idle, had brought to the warm kitchen a net that he was mending.
inflected form of “carry” — move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body
From this reading This she carried to her room above the kitchen adjoining the lighthouse.
a geological formation consisting of an underground enclosure with access from the surface of the ground or from the sea
From this reading Upon reaching Windy Island that cold, grey, late afternoon, Muriel went at once to her Treasure Cave to procure the primer which her Uncle Lem had given her, and by the aid of which she could read other books and letters containing the simplest words.
having a low or inadequate temperature or feeling a sensation of coldness or having been made cold by e.g. ice or refrigeration
From this reading Upon reaching Windy Island that cold, grey, late afternoon, Muriel went at once to her Treasure Cave to procure the primer which her Uncle Lem had given her, and by the aid of which she could read other books and letters containing the simplest words.
containingverbUS /kənˈteɪnɪŋ/
-ing form of “contain” — include or contain; have as a component
From this reading Upon reaching Windy Island that cold, grey, late afternoon, Muriel went at once to her Treasure Cave to procure the primer which her Uncle Lem had given her, and by the aid of which she could read other books and letters containing the simplest words.
(usually plural) everything that is included in a collection and that is held or included in something
From this reading The old captain, never content when he was idle, had brought to the warm kitchen a net that he was mending.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Upon reaching Windy Island that cold, grey, late afternoon, Muriel went at once to her Treasure Cave to procure the primer which her Uncle Lem had given her, and by the aid of which she could read other books and letters containing the simplest words.
decipherverbUS /dɪˈsaɪfər/
convert code into ordinary language
From this reading But it was not until the following morning, when her tasks were finished, that she was able to slip away to decipher the message from Gene.
drizzlingadjectiveUS /ˈdrɪzəlɪŋ/
(of rain) falling lightly in very small drops
From this reading A drizzling rain was keeping them both indoors.
(of materials or goods) brought to the desired final state
From this reading But it was not until the following morning, when her tasks were finished, that she was able to slip away to decipher the message from Gene.
about to be mentioned or specified
From this reading But it was not until the following morning, when her tasks were finished, that she was able to slip away to decipher the message from Gene.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading But it was not until the following morning, when her tasks were finished, that she was able to slip away to decipher the message from Gene.
GenenounUS /dʒiːn/
(genetics) a segment of DNA that is involved in producing a polypeptide chain; it can include regions preceding and following the coding DNA as well as introns between the exons; it is considered a unit of heredity
From this reading But it was not until the following morning, when her tasks were finished, that she was able to slip away to decipher the message from Gene.
givenadjectiveUS /ˈɡɪvən/
acknowledged as a supposition
From this reading Upon reaching Windy Island that cold, grey, late afternoon, Muriel went at once to her Treasure Cave to procure the primer which her Uncle Lem had given her, and by the aid of which she could read other books and letters containing the simplest words.
of an achromatic color of any lightness intermediate between the extremes of white and black
From this reading Upon reaching Windy Island that cold, grey, late afternoon, Muriel went at once to her Treasure Cave to procure the primer which her Uncle Lem had given her, and by the aid of which she could read other books and letters containing the simplest words.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Upon reaching Windy Island that cold, grey, late afternoon, Muriel went at once to her Treasure Cave to procure the primer which her Uncle Lem had given her, and by the aid of which she could read other books and letters containing the simplest words.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The old captain, never content when he was idle, had brought to the warm kitchen a net that he was mending.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Upon reaching Windy Island that cold, grey, late afternoon, Muriel went at once to her Treasure Cave to procure the primer which her Uncle Lem had given her, and by the aid of which she could read other books and letters containing the simplest words.
not in action or at work
From this reading The old captain, never content when he was idle, had brought to the warm kitchen a net that he was mending.
indoorsadverbUS /ˈɪndɔːrz/
within a building
From this reading A drizzling rain was keeping them both indoors.
a land mass (smaller than a continent) that is surrounded by water
From this reading Upon reaching Windy Island that cold, grey, late afternoon, Muriel went at once to her Treasure Cave to procure the primer which her Uncle Lem had given her, and by the aid of which she could read other books and letters containing the simplest words.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading But it was not until the following morning, when her tasks were finished, that she was able to slip away to decipher the message from Gene.
conformity or harmony
From this reading A drizzling rain was keeping them both indoors.
a room equipped for preparing meals
From this reading This she carried to her room above the kitchen adjoining the lighthouse.
being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time
From this reading Upon reaching Windy Island that cold, grey, late afternoon, Muriel went at once to her Treasure Cave to procure the primer which her Uncle Lem had given her, and by the aid of which she could read other books and letters containing the simplest words.
LemnounUS /lem/
a spacecraft that carries astronauts from the command module to the surface of the moon and back
From this reading Upon reaching Windy Island that cold, grey, late afternoon, Muriel went at once to her Treasure Cave to procure the primer which her Uncle Lem had given her, and by the aid of which she could read other books and letters containing the simplest words.
the literary culture
From this reading Upon reaching Windy Island that cold, grey, late afternoon, Muriel went at once to her Treasure Cave to procure the primer which her Uncle Lem had given her, and by the aid of which she could read other books and letters containing the simplest words.
lighthousenounUS /ˈlaɪthaʊs/
a tower with a light that gives warning of shoals to passing ships
From this reading This she carried to her room above the kitchen adjoining the lighthouse.
mendingnounUS /ˈmendɪŋ/
garments that must be repaired
From this reading The old captain, never content when he was idle, had brought to the warm kitchen a net that he was mending.
a communication (usually brief) that is written or spoken or signaled
From this reading But it was not until the following morning, when her tasks were finished, that she was able to slip away to decipher the message from Gene.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading But it was not until the following morning, when her tasks were finished, that she was able to slip away to decipher the message from Gene.
Muriel
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Upon reaching Windy Island that cold, grey, late afternoon, Muriel went at once to her Treasure Cave to procure the primer which her Uncle Lem had given her, and by the aid of which she could read other books and letters containing the simplest words.
netnounUS /net/
a computer network consisting of a worldwide network of computer networks that use the TCP/IP network protocols to facilitate data transmission and exchange
From this reading The old captain, never content when he was idle, had brought to the warm kitchen a net that he was mending.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading The old captain, never content when he was idle, had brought to the warm kitchen a net that he was mending.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading But it was not until the following morning, when her tasks were finished, that she was able to slip away to decipher the message from Gene.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Upon reaching Windy Island that cold, grey, late afternoon, Muriel went at once to her Treasure Cave to procure the primer which her Uncle Lem had given her, and by the aid of which she could read other books and letters containing the simplest words.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading The old captain, never content when he was idle, had brought to the warm kitchen a net that he was mending.
on one occasion
From this reading Upon reaching Windy Island that cold, grey, late afternoon, Muriel went at once to her Treasure Cave to procure the primer which her Uncle Lem had given her, and by the aid of which she could read other books and letters containing the simplest words.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading Upon reaching Windy Island that cold, grey, late afternoon, Muriel went at once to her Treasure Cave to procure the primer which her Uncle Lem had given her, and by the aid of which she could read other books and letters containing the simplest words.
primernounUS /ˈpraɪmər/
an introductory textbook
From this reading Upon reaching Windy Island that cold, grey, late afternoon, Muriel went at once to her Treasure Cave to procure the primer which her Uncle Lem had given her, and by the aid of which she could read other books and letters containing the simplest words.
procureverbUS /proʊˈkjʊr/
get by special effort
From this reading Upon reaching Windy Island that cold, grey, late afternoon, Muriel went at once to her Treasure Cave to procure the primer which her Uncle Lem had given her, and by the aid of which she could read other books and letters containing the simplest words.
water falling in drops from vapor condensed in the atmosphere
From this reading A drizzling rain was keeping them both indoors.
the act of physically reaching or thrusting out
From this reading Upon reaching Windy Island that cold, grey, late afternoon, Muriel went at once to her Treasure Cave to procure the primer which her Uncle Lem had given her, and by the aid of which she could read other books and letters containing the simplest words.
interpret something that is written or printed
From this reading Upon reaching Windy Island that cold, grey, late afternoon, Muriel went at once to her Treasure Cave to procure the primer which her Uncle Lem had given her, and by the aid of which she could read other books and letters containing the simplest words.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading This she carried to her room above the kitchen adjoining the lighthouse.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Upon reaching Windy Island that cold, grey, late afternoon, Muriel went at once to her Treasure Cave to procure the primer which her Uncle Lem had given her, and by the aid of which she could read other books and letters containing the simplest words.
simplestadjectiveUS /ˈsɪmpləst/
superlative of “simple” — having few parts; not complex or complicated or involved
From this reading Upon reaching Windy Island that cold, grey, late afternoon, Muriel went at once to her Treasure Cave to procure the primer which her Uncle Lem had given her, and by the aid of which she could read other books and letters containing the simplest words.
move stealthily
From this reading But it was not until the following morning, when her tasks were finished, that she was able to slip away to decipher the message from Gene.
tasksnounUS /tæsks/
plural of “task” — any piece of work that is undertaken or attempted
From this reading But it was not until the following morning, when her tasks were finished, that she was able to slip away to decipher the message from Gene.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Upon reaching Windy Island that cold, grey, late afternoon, Muriel went at once to her Treasure Cave to procure the primer which her Uncle Lem had given her, and by the aid of which she could read other books and letters containing the simplest words.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Upon reaching Windy Island that cold, grey, late afternoon, Muriel went at once to her Treasure Cave to procure the primer which her Uncle Lem had given her, and by the aid of which she could read other books and letters containing the simplest words.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading A drizzling rain was keeping them both indoors.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This she carried to her room above the kitchen adjoining the lighthouse.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Upon reaching Windy Island that cold, grey, late afternoon, Muriel went at once to her Treasure Cave to procure the primer which her Uncle Lem had given her, and by the aid of which she could read other books and letters containing the simplest words.
accumulated wealth in the form of money or jewels etc.
From this reading Upon reaching Windy Island that cold, grey, late afternoon, Muriel went at once to her Treasure Cave to procure the primer which her Uncle Lem had given her, and by the aid of which she could read other books and letters containing the simplest words.
the brother of your father or mother; the husband of your aunt
From this reading Upon reaching Windy Island that cold, grey, late afternoon, Muriel went at once to her Treasure Cave to procure the primer which her Uncle Lem had given her, and by the aid of which she could read other books and letters containing the simplest words.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading But it was not until the following morning, when her tasks were finished, that she was able to slip away to decipher the message from Gene.
UponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Upon reaching Windy Island that cold, grey, late afternoon, Muriel went at once to her Treasure Cave to procure the primer which her Uncle Lem had given her, and by the aid of which she could read other books and letters containing the simplest words.
having or producing a comfortable and agreeable degree of heat or imparting or maintaining heat
From this reading The old captain, never content when he was idle, had brought to the warm kitchen a net that he was mending.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading But it was not until the following morning, when her tasks were finished, that she was able to slip away to decipher the message from Gene.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading Upon reaching Windy Island that cold, grey, late afternoon, Muriel went at once to her Treasure Cave to procure the primer which her Uncle Lem had given her, and by the aid of which she could read other books and letters containing the simplest words.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading But it was not until the following morning, when her tasks were finished, that she was able to slip away to decipher the message from Gene.
at the time that
From this reading But it was not until the following morning, when her tasks were finished, that she was able to slip away to decipher the message from Gene.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Upon reaching Windy Island that cold, grey, late afternoon, Muriel went at once to her Treasure Cave to procure the primer which her Uncle Lem had given her, and by the aid of which she could read other books and letters containing the simplest words.
WindyadjectiveUS /ˈwɪndi/
abounding in or exposed to the wind or breezes
From this reading Upon reaching Windy Island that cold, grey, late afternoon, Muriel went at once to her Treasure Cave to procure the primer which her Uncle Lem had given her, and by the aid of which she could read other books and letters containing the simplest words.
the words that are spoken
From this reading Upon reaching Windy Island that cold, grey, late afternoon, Muriel went at once to her Treasure Cave to procure the primer which her Uncle Lem had given her, and by the aid of which she could read other books and letters containing the simplest words.
