used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading "It may not be a bit of use to Uncle Sam, but it just might happen to make his humble namesake real happy."
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading "Why not?" he asked himself after another period of thought.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He stepped out on the wharf and went up the gangway, at the head of which he stood listening and watching for a moment until he was assured that the arrivals in the second launch were safely out of the way.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading "Why not?" he asked himself after another period of thought.
arrivalsnounUS /ərˈaɪvəlz/
plural of “arrival” — accomplishment of an objective
From this reading He stepped out on the wharf and went up the gangway, at the head of which he stood listening and watching for a moment until he was assured that the arrivals in the second launch were safely out of the way.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading "Why not?" he asked himself after another period of thought.
marked by assurance; exhibiting confidence
From this reading He stepped out on the wharf and went up the gangway, at the head of which he stood listening and watching for a moment until he was assured that the arrivals in the second launch were safely out of the way.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He stepped out on the wharf and went up the gangway, at the head of which he stood listening and watching for a moment until he was assured that the arrivals in the second launch were safely out of the way.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading "It may not be a bit of use to Uncle Sam, but it just might happen to make his humble namesake real happy."
next to; at the side of
From this reading Then he returned to his craft, lighted the lantern, and squatted beside it on the floor.
a small piece or quantity of something
From this reading "It may not be a bit of use to Uncle Sam, but it just might happen to make his humble namesake real happy."
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading "It may not be a bit of use to Uncle Sam, but it just might happen to make his humble namesake real happy."
the skilled practice of a practical occupation
From this reading Then he returned to his craft, lighted the lantern, and squatted beside it on the floor.
the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)
From this reading Then he returned to his craft, lighted the lantern, and squatted beside it on the floor.
fly-leaf
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From a small locker at his hand he took Hamersly’s "Social Register" and tore out a fly-leaf.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He stepped out on the wharf and went up the gangway, at the head of which he stood listening and watching for a moment until he was assured that the arrivals in the second launch were safely out of the way.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading From a small locker at his hand he took Hamersly’s "Social Register" and tore out a fly-leaf.
gangwaynoun
a temporary passageway of planks (as over mud on a building site)
From this reading He stepped out on the wharf and went up the gangway, at the head of which he stood listening and watching for a moment until he was assured that the arrivals in the second launch were safely out of the way.
Hamersly's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From a small locker at his hand he took Hamersly’s "Social Register" and tore out a fly-leaf.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading From a small locker at his hand he took Hamersly’s "Social Register" and tore out a fly-leaf.
come to pass
From this reading "It may not be a bit of use to Uncle Sam, but it just might happen to make his humble namesake real happy."
enjoying or showing or marked by joy or pleasure
From this reading "It may not be a bit of use to Uncle Sam, but it just might happen to make his humble namesake real happy."
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Why not?" he asked himself after another period of thought.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading He stepped out on the wharf and went up the gangway, at the head of which he stood listening and watching for a moment until he was assured that the arrivals in the second launch were safely out of the way.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading "Why not?" he asked himself after another period of thought.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading "It may not be a bit of use to Uncle Sam, but it just might happen to make his humble namesake real happy."
low or inferior in station or quality
From this reading "It may not be a bit of use to Uncle Sam, but it just might happen to make his humble namesake real happy."
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He stepped out on the wharf and went up the gangway, at the head of which he stood listening and watching for a moment until he was assured that the arrivals in the second launch were safely out of the way.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "It may not be a bit of use to Uncle Sam, but it just might happen to make his humble namesake real happy."
and nothing more
From this reading "It may not be a bit of use to Uncle Sam, but it just might happen to make his humble namesake real happy."
lanternnounUS /ˈlæntərn/
light in a transparent protective case
From this reading Then he returned to his craft, lighted the lantern, and squatted beside it on the floor.
launchverbUS /lɔːntʃ/
set up or found
From this reading He stepped out on the wharf and went up the gangway, at the head of which he stood listening and watching for a moment until he was assured that the arrivals in the second launch were safely out of the way.
set afire or burning
From this reading Then he returned to his craft, lighted the lantern, and squatted beside it on the floor.
the act of hearing attentively
From this reading He stepped out on the wharf and went up the gangway, at the head of which he stood listening and watching for a moment until he was assured that the arrivals in the second launch were safely out of the way.
lockernounUS /ˈlɑːkər/
a storage compartment for clothes and valuables; usually it has a lock
From this reading From a small locker at his hand he took Hamersly’s "Social Register" and tore out a fly-leaf.
engage in
From this reading "It may not be a bit of use to Uncle Sam, but it just might happen to make his humble namesake real happy."
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading "It may not be a bit of use to Uncle Sam, but it just might happen to make his humble namesake real happy."
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading "It may not be a bit of use to Uncle Sam, but it just might happen to make his humble namesake real happy."
a particular point in time
From this reading He stepped out on the wharf and went up the gangway, at the head of which he stood listening and watching for a moment until he was assured that the arrivals in the second launch were safely out of the way.
namesakenounUS /ˈneɪmseɪk/
a person with the same name as another
From this reading "It may not be a bit of use to Uncle Sam, but it just might happen to make his humble namesake real happy."
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading "Why not?" he asked himself after another period of thought.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "Why not?" he asked himself after another period of thought.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading He stepped out on the wharf and went up the gangway, at the head of which he stood listening and watching for a moment until he was assured that the arrivals in the second launch were safely out of the way.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading He stepped out on the wharf and went up the gangway, at the head of which he stood listening and watching for a moment until he was assured that the arrivals in the second launch were safely out of the way.
an amount of time
From this reading "Why not?" he asked himself after another period of thought.
being or occurring in fact or actuality; having verified existence; not illusory
From this reading "It may not be a bit of use to Uncle Sam, but it just might happen to make his humble namesake real happy."
RegisterverbUS /ˈredʒɪstər/
record in writing; enter into a book of names or events or transactions
From this reading From a small locker at his hand he took Hamersly’s "Social Register" and tore out a fly-leaf.
past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading Then he returned to his craft, lighted the lantern, and squatted beside it on the floor.
with safety; in a safe manner
From this reading He stepped out on the wharf and went up the gangway, at the head of which he stood listening and watching for a moment until he was assured that the arrivals in the second launch were safely out of the way.
a guided missile fired from land or shipboard against an airborne target
From this reading "It may not be a bit of use to Uncle Sam, but it just might happen to make his humble namesake real happy."
1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
From this reading He stepped out on the wharf and went up the gangway, at the head of which he stood listening and watching for a moment until he was assured that the arrivals in the second launch were safely out of the way.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading From a small locker at his hand he took Hamersly’s "Social Register" and tore out a fly-leaf.
relating to human society and its members
From this reading From a small locker at his hand he took Hamersly’s "Social Register" and tore out a fly-leaf.
squatted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then he returned to his craft, lighted the lantern, and squatted beside it on the floor.
inflected form of “step” — shift or move by taking a step
From this reading He stepped out on the wharf and went up the gangway, at the head of which he stood listening and watching for a moment until he was assured that the arrivals in the second launch were safely out of the way.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading He stepped out on the wharf and went up the gangway, at the head of which he stood listening and watching for a moment until he was assured that the arrivals in the second launch were safely out of the way.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He stepped out on the wharf and went up the gangway, at the head of which he stood listening and watching for a moment until he was assured that the arrivals in the second launch were safely out of the way.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading He stepped out on the wharf and went up the gangway, at the head of which he stood listening and watching for a moment until he was assured that the arrivals in the second launch were safely out of the way.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then he returned to his craft, lighted the lantern, and squatted beside it on the floor.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading "Why not?" he asked himself after another period of thought.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "It may not be a bit of use to Uncle Sam, but it just might happen to make his humble namesake real happy."
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading From a small locker at his hand he took Hamersly’s "Social Register" and tore out a fly-leaf.
commonly the lowest molding at the base of a column
From this reading From a small locker at his hand he took Hamersly’s "Social Register" and tore out a fly-leaf.
the brother of your father or mother; the husband of your aunt
From this reading "It may not be a bit of use to Uncle Sam, but it just might happen to make his humble namesake real happy."
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading He stepped out on the wharf and went up the gangway, at the head of which he stood listening and watching for a moment until he was assured that the arrivals in the second launch were safely out of the way.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading He stepped out on the wharf and went up the gangway, at the head of which he stood listening and watching for a moment until he was assured that the arrivals in the second launch were safely out of the way.
the act of using
From this reading "It may not be a bit of use to Uncle Sam, but it just might happen to make his humble namesake real happy."
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He stepped out on the wharf and went up the gangway, at the head of which he stood listening and watching for a moment until he was assured that the arrivals in the second launch were safely out of the way.
the act of observing; taking a patient look
From this reading He stepped out on the wharf and went up the gangway, at the head of which he stood listening and watching for a moment until he was assured that the arrivals in the second launch were safely out of the way.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading He stepped out on the wharf and went up the gangway, at the head of which he stood listening and watching for a moment until he was assured that the arrivals in the second launch were safely out of the way.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading He stepped out on the wharf and went up the gangway, at the head of which he stood listening and watching for a moment until he was assured that the arrivals in the second launch were safely out of the way.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading He stepped out on the wharf and went up the gangway, at the head of which he stood listening and watching for a moment until he was assured that the arrivals in the second launch were safely out of the way.
wharfnounUS /wɔːrf/
a platform built out from the shore into the water and supported by piles; provides access to ships and boats
From this reading He stepped out on the wharf and went up the gangway, at the head of which he stood listening and watching for a moment until he was assured that the arrivals in the second launch were safely out of the way.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading He stepped out on the wharf and went up the gangway, at the head of which he stood listening and watching for a moment until he was assured that the arrivals in the second launch were safely out of the way.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading "Why not?" he asked himself after another period of thought.
