used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He had sat motionless for so long that a great big fox-squirrel, afraid but drawn on irresistibly by his curiosity, had crept nervously up within a few feet of him.
absentlyadverb
in an absentminded or preoccupied manner
From this reading Scott Burton sat on the porch of the little cabin on the edge of the forest and looked absently out across the wide beach at the restless waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading Scott Burton sat on the porch of the little cabin on the edge of the forest and looked absently out across the wide beach at the restless waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
filled with fear or apprehension
From this reading He had sat motionless for so long that a great big fox-squirrel, afraid but drawn on irresistibly by his curiosity, had crept nervously up within a few feet of him.
(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 He apparently did not see the water at all.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Scott Burton sat on the porch of the little cabin on the edge of the forest and looked absently out across the wide beach at the restless waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
from appearances alone
From this reading He apparently did not see the water at all.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Scott Burton sat on the porch of the little cabin on the edge of the forest and looked absently out across the wide beach at the restless waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others
From this reading The big waves boomed on the beach unheard and even the little oyster schooner, which glided across the picture on its way to port, failed to catch his attention.
an area of sand sloping down to the water of a sea or lake
From this reading Scott Burton sat on the porch of the little cabin on the edge of the forest and looked absently out across the wide beach at the restless waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading No one ever would have guessed from his expression now how crazy he had been to see that gulf only the day before.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading No one ever would have guessed from his expression now how crazy he had been to see that gulf only the day before.
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The big waves boomed on the beach unheard and even the little oyster schooner, which glided across the picture on its way to port, failed to catch his attention.
boomedverbUS /buːmd/
past form of “boom” — make a resonant sound, like artillery
From this reading The big waves boomed on the beach unheard and even the little oyster schooner, which glided across the picture on its way to port, failed to catch his attention.
BurtonnounUS /ˈbɜːrtən/
English explorer who with John Speke was the first European to explore Lake Tanganyika (1821-1890)
From this reading Scott Burton sat on the porch of the little cabin on the edge of the forest and looked absently out across the wide beach at the restless waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He had sat motionless for so long that a great big fox-squirrel, afraid but drawn on irresistibly by his curiosity, had crept nervously up within a few feet of him.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading He had sat motionless for so long that a great big fox-squirrel, afraid but drawn on irresistibly by his curiosity, had crept nervously up within a few feet of him.
small room on a ship or boat where people sleep
From this reading Scott Burton sat on the porch of the little cabin on the edge of the forest and looked absently out across the wide beach at the restless waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading The big waves boomed on the beach unheard and even the little oyster schooner, which glided across the picture on its way to port, failed to catch his attention.
crazyadjectiveUS /ˈkreɪzi/
affected with madness or insanity
From this reading No one ever would have guessed from his expression now how crazy he had been to see that gulf only the day before.
inflected form of “creep” — move slowly; in the case of people or animals with the body near the ground
From this reading He had sat motionless for so long that a great big fox-squirrel, afraid but drawn on irresistibly by his curiosity, had crept nervously up within a few feet of him.
a state in which you want to learn more about something
From this reading He had sat motionless for so long that a great big fox-squirrel, afraid but drawn on irresistibly by his curiosity, had crept nervously up within a few feet of him.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading No one ever would have guessed from his expression now how crazy he had been to see that gulf only the day before.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading He apparently did not see the water at all.
showing the wearing effects of overwork or care or suffering
From this reading He had sat motionless for so long that a great big fox-squirrel, afraid but drawn on irresistibly by his curiosity, had crept nervously up within a few feet of him.
the boundary of a surface
From this reading Scott Burton sat on the porch of the little cabin on the edge of the forest and looked absently out across the wide beach at the restless waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
divisible by two
From this reading The big waves boomed on the beach unheard and even the little oyster schooner, which glided across the picture on its way to port, failed to catch his attention.
at any time
From this reading No one ever would have guessed from his expression now how crazy he had been to see that gulf only the day before.
the feelings expressed on a person's face
From this reading No one ever would have guessed from his expression now how crazy he had been to see that gulf only the day before.
past form of “fail” — fail to do something; leave something undone
From this reading The big waves boomed on the beach unheard and even the little oyster schooner, which glided across the picture on its way to port, failed to catch his attention.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading He had sat motionless for so long that a great big fox-squirrel, afraid but drawn on irresistibly by his curiosity, had crept nervously up within a few feet of him.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading He had sat motionless for so long that a great big fox-squirrel, afraid but drawn on irresistibly by his curiosity, had crept nervously up within a few feet of him.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He had sat motionless for so long that a great big fox-squirrel, afraid but drawn on irresistibly by his curiosity, had crept nervously up within a few feet of him.
the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area
From this reading Scott Burton sat on the porch of the little cabin on the edge of the forest and looked absently out across the wide beach at the restless waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
fox-squirrel
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had sat motionless for so long that a great big fox-squirrel, afraid but drawn on irresistibly by his curiosity, had crept nervously up within a few feet of him.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading No one ever would have guessed from his expression now how crazy he had been to see that gulf only the day before.
glidedverbUS /ˈɡlaɪdɪd/
past form of “glide” — move smoothly and effortlessly
From this reading The big waves boomed on the beach unheard and even the little oyster schooner, which glided across the picture on its way to port, failed to catch his attention.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading He had sat motionless for so long that a great big fox-squirrel, afraid but drawn on irresistibly by his curiosity, had crept nervously up within a few feet of him.
past form of “guess” — expect, believe, or suppose
From this reading No one ever would have guessed from his expression now how crazy he had been to see that gulf only the day before.
GulfnounUS /ɡʌlf/
an arm of a sea or ocean partly enclosed by land; larger than a bay
From this reading Scott Burton sat on the porch of the little cabin on the edge of the forest and looked absently out across the wide beach at the restless waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading No one ever would have guessed from his expression now how crazy he had been to see that gulf only the day before.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading No one ever would have guessed from his expression now how crazy he had been to see that gulf only the day before.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading No one ever would have guessed from his expression now how crazy he had been to see that gulf only the day before.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He had sat motionless for so long that a great big fox-squirrel, afraid but drawn on irresistibly by his curiosity, had crept nervously up within a few feet of him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading No one ever would have guessed from his expression now how crazy he had been to see that gulf only the day before.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No one ever would have guessed from his expression now how crazy he had been to see that gulf only the day before.
irresistiblyadverbUS /ˌɪrɪˈzɪstəbli/
incapable of being resisted
From this reading He had sat motionless for so long that a great big fox-squirrel, afraid but drawn on irresistibly by his curiosity, had crept nervously up within a few feet of him.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading The big waves boomed on the beach unheard and even the little oyster schooner, which glided across the picture on its way to port, failed to catch his attention.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Scott Burton sat on the porch of the little cabin on the edge of the forest and looked absently out across the wide beach at the restless waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
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 He had sat motionless for so long that a great big fox-squirrel, afraid but drawn on irresistibly by his curiosity, had crept nervously up within a few feet of him.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading Scott Burton sat on the porch of the little cabin on the edge of the forest and looked absently out across the wide beach at the restless waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
MexiconounUS /ˈmeksəkoʊ/
a republic in southern North America; became independent from Spain in 1810
From this reading Scott Burton sat on the porch of the little cabin on the edge of the forest and looked absently out across the wide beach at the restless waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
not in physical motion
From this reading He had sat motionless for so long that a great big fox-squirrel, afraid but drawn on irresistibly by his curiosity, had crept nervously up within a few feet of him.
nervouslyadverbUS /ˈnɜːrvəsli/
in an anxiously nervous manner
From this reading He had sat motionless for so long that a great big fox-squirrel, afraid but drawn on irresistibly by his curiosity, had crept nervously up within a few feet of him.
not any; not one
From this reading No one ever would have guessed from his expression now how crazy he had been to see that gulf only the day before.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading He apparently did not see the water at all.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading No one ever would have guessed from his expression now how crazy he had been to see that gulf only the day before.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Scott Burton sat on the porch of the little cabin on the edge of the forest and looked absently out across the wide beach at the restless waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Scott Burton sat on the porch of the little cabin on the edge of the forest and looked absently out across the wide beach at the restless waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading No one ever would have guessed from his expression now how crazy he had been to see that gulf only the day before.
and nothing more
From this reading No one ever would have guessed from his expression now how crazy he had been to see that gulf only the day before.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Scott Burton sat on the porch of the little cabin on the edge of the forest and looked absently out across the wide beach at the restless waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
oysternounUS /ˈɔɪstər/
marine mollusks having a rough irregular shell; found on the sea bed mostly in coastal waters
From this reading The big waves boomed on the beach unheard and even the little oyster schooner, which glided across the picture on its way to port, failed to catch his attention.
a visual representation (of an object or scene or person or abstraction) produced on a surface
From this reading The big waves boomed on the beach unheard and even the little oyster schooner, which glided across the picture on its way to port, failed to catch his attention.
a structure attached to the exterior of a building often forming a covered entrance
From this reading Scott Burton sat on the porch of the little cabin on the edge of the forest and looked absently out across the wide beach at the restless waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
a place (seaport or airport) where people and merchandise can enter or leave a country
From this reading The big waves boomed on the beach unheard and even the little oyster schooner, which glided across the picture on its way to port, failed to catch his attention.
restlessadjectiveUS /ˈrestləs/
worried and uneasy
From this reading Scott Burton sat on the porch of the little cabin on the edge of the forest and looked absently out across the wide beach at the restless waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading Scott Burton sat on the porch of the little cabin on the edge of the forest and looked absently out across the wide beach at the restless waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
schoonernounUS /ˈskuːnər/
a large beer glass
From this reading The big waves boomed on the beach unheard and even the little oyster schooner, which glided across the picture on its way to port, failed to catch his attention.
ScottnounUS /skɑːt/
award-winning United States film actor (1928-1999)
From this reading Scott Burton sat on the porch of the little cabin on the edge of the forest and looked absently out across the wide beach at the restless waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading No one ever would have guessed from his expression now how crazy he had been to see that gulf only the day before.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading He had sat motionless for so long that a great big fox-squirrel, afraid but drawn on irresistibly by his curiosity, had crept nervously up within a few feet of him.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading No one ever would have guessed from his expression now how crazy he had been to see that gulf only the day before.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Scott Burton sat on the porch of the little cabin on the edge of the forest and looked absently out across the wide beach at the restless waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading No one ever would have guessed from his expression now how crazy he had been to see that gulf only the day before.
unheardadjectiveUS /ənˈhɜːrd/
not necessarily inaudible but not heard
From this reading The big waves boomed on the beach unheard and even the little oyster schooner, which glided across the picture on its way to port, failed to catch his attention.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading He had sat motionless for so long that a great big fox-squirrel, afraid but drawn on irresistibly by his curiosity, had crept nervously up within a few feet of him.
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 He apparently did not see the water at all.
United States actress and singer (1896-1977)
From this reading Scott Burton sat on the porch of the little cabin on the edge of the forest and looked absently out across the wide beach at the restless waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
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 The big waves boomed on the beach unheard and even the little oyster schooner, which glided across the picture on its way to port, failed to catch his attention.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading The big waves boomed on the beach unheard and even the little oyster schooner, which glided across the picture on its way to port, failed to catch his attention.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The big waves boomed on the beach unheard and even the little oyster schooner, which glided across the picture on its way to port, failed to catch his attention.
having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading Scott Burton sat on the porch of the little cabin on the edge of the forest and looked absently out across the wide beach at the restless waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading He had sat motionless for so long that a great big fox-squirrel, afraid but drawn on irresistibly by his curiosity, had crept nervously up within a few feet of him.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading No one ever would have guessed from his expression now how crazy he had been to see that gulf only the day before.
