used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading To gaze on a stretch of a mile or more of sand and mud, with a shallow, yellow stream dividing it into two unequal portions, is not exhilarating; but when the sea makes its wild rush up the estuary, quickly filling the wide river-bed from bank to bank, then the Severn is noble enough, and one looks upon it with pride.
AdmiralnounUS /ˈædmərəl/
the supreme commander of a fleet; ranks above a vice admiral and below a fleet admiral
From this reading Admiral Drake sat amidst his roses, watching the tide as it raced up the river.
amidstprepositionUS /əˈmɪdst/
in the middle of; surrounded by
From this reading Admiral Drake sat amidst his roses, watching the tide as it raced up the river.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading When the tide was out, the river was dull and dreary enough to the heart of the bold sailor.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Admiral Drake sat amidst his roses, watching the tide as it raced up the river.
sloping land (especially the slope beside a body of water)
From this reading To gaze on a stretch of a mile or more of sand and mud, with a shallow, yellow stream dividing it into two unequal portions, is not exhilarating; but when the sea makes its wild rush up the estuary, quickly filling the wide river-bed from bank to bank, then the Severn is noble enough, and one looks upon it with pride.
fearless and daring
From this reading When the tide was out, the river was dull and dreary enough to the heart of the bold sailor.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading To gaze on a stretch of a mile or more of sand and mud, with a shallow, yellow stream dividing it into two unequal portions, is not exhilarating; but when the sea makes its wild rush up the estuary, quickly filling the wide river-bed from bank to bank, then the Severn is noble enough, and one looks upon it with pride.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading Every day he sat thus, unless some pressing duty forbade, for the sea held first place in his heart.
dividingverbUS /dɪˈvaɪdɪŋ/
-ing form of “divide” — separate into parts or portions
From this reading To gaze on a stretch of a mile or more of sand and mud, with a shallow, yellow stream dividing it into two unequal portions, is not exhilarating; but when the sea makes its wild rush up the estuary, quickly filling the wide river-bed from bank to bank, then the Severn is noble enough, and one looks upon it with pride.
DrakenounUS /dreɪk/
English explorer and admiral who was the first Englishman to circumnavigate the globe and who helped to defeat the Spanish Armada (1540-1596)
From this reading Admiral Drake sat amidst his roses, watching the tide as it raced up the river.
drearyadjectiveUS /ˈdrɪri/
lacking in liveliness or charm or surprise
From this reading When the tide was out, the river was dull and dreary enough to the heart of the bold sailor.
lacking in liveliness or animation
From this reading When the tide was out, the river was dull and dreary enough to the heart of the bold sailor.
the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force
From this reading Every day he sat thus, unless some pressing duty forbade, for the sea held first place in his heart.
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading When the tide was out, the river was dull and dreary enough to the heart of the bold sailor.
estuarynounUS /ˈestʃuːeri/
the wide part of a river where it nears the sea; fresh and salt water mix
From this reading To gaze on a stretch of a mile or more of sand and mud, with a shallow, yellow stream dividing it into two unequal portions, is not exhilarating; but when the sea makes its wild rush up the estuary, quickly filling the wide river-bed from bank to bank, then the Severn is noble enough, and one looks upon it with pride.
EverydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading Every day he sat thus, unless some pressing duty forbade, for the sea held first place in his heart.
exhilaratingadjectiveUS /ɪɡˈzɪləreɪtɪŋ/
making lively and cheerful
From this reading To gaze on a stretch of a mile or more of sand and mud, with a shallow, yellow stream dividing it into two unequal portions, is not exhilarating; but when the sea makes its wild rush up the estuary, quickly filling the wide river-bed from bank to bank, then the Severn is noble enough, and one looks upon it with pride.
fillingnounUS /ˈfɪlɪŋ/
any material that fills a space or container
From this reading To gaze on a stretch of a mile or more of sand and mud, with a shallow, yellow stream dividing it into two unequal portions, is not exhilarating; but when the sea makes its wild rush up the estuary, quickly filling the wide river-bed from bank to bank, then the Severn is noble enough, and one looks upon it with pride.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading Every day he sat thus, unless some pressing duty forbade, for the sea held first place in his heart.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Every day he sat thus, unless some pressing duty forbade, for the sea held first place in his heart.
forbadeverbUS /fərˈbeɪd/
inflected form of “forbid” — command against
From this reading Every day he sat thus, unless some pressing duty forbade, for the sea held first place in his heart.
plural of “friend” — a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading TWO FRIENDS.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading To gaze on a stretch of a mile or more of sand and mud, with a shallow, yellow stream dividing it into two unequal portions, is not exhilarating; but when the sea makes its wild rush up the estuary, quickly filling the wide river-bed from bank to bank, then the Severn is noble enough, and one looks upon it with pride.
a long fixed look
From this reading To gaze on a stretch of a mile or more of sand and mud, with a shallow, yellow stream dividing it into two unequal portions, is not exhilarating; but when the sea makes its wild rush up the estuary, quickly filling the wide river-bed from bank to bank, then the Severn is noble enough, and one looks upon it with pride.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Every day he sat thus, unless some pressing duty forbade, for the sea held first place in his heart.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading Every day he sat thus, unless some pressing duty forbade, for the sea held first place in his heart.
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading Every day he sat thus, unless some pressing duty forbade, for the sea held first place in his heart.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Admiral Drake sat amidst his roses, watching the tide as it raced up the river.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Every day he sat thus, unless some pressing duty forbade, for the sea held first place in his heart.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading To gaze on a stretch of a mile or more of sand and mud, with a shallow, yellow stream dividing it into two unequal portions, is not exhilarating; but when the sea makes its wild rush up the estuary, quickly filling the wide river-bed from bank to bank, then the Severn is noble enough, and one looks upon it with pride.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading To gaze on a stretch of a mile or more of sand and mud, with a shallow, yellow stream dividing it into two unequal portions, is not exhilarating; but when the sea makes its wild rush up the estuary, quickly filling the wide river-bed from bank to bank, then the Severn is noble enough, and one looks upon it with pride.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Admiral Drake sat amidst his roses, watching the tide as it raced up the river.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading To gaze on a stretch of a mile or more of sand and mud, with a shallow, yellow stream dividing it into two unequal portions, is not exhilarating; but when the sea makes its wild rush up the estuary, quickly filling the wide river-bed from bank to bank, then the Severn is noble enough, and one looks upon it with pride.
plural of “look” — the feelings expressed on a person's face
From this reading To gaze on a stretch of a mile or more of sand and mud, with a shallow, yellow stream dividing it into two unequal portions, is not exhilarating; but when the sea makes its wild rush up the estuary, quickly filling the wide river-bed from bank to bank, then the Severn is noble enough, and one looks upon it with pride.
plural of “make” — a recognizable kind
From this reading To gaze on a stretch of a mile or more of sand and mud, with a shallow, yellow stream dividing it into two unequal portions, is not exhilarating; but when the sea makes its wild rush up the estuary, quickly filling the wide river-bed from bank to bank, then the Severn is noble enough, and one looks upon it with pride.
a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters
From this reading To gaze on a stretch of a mile or more of sand and mud, with a shallow, yellow stream dividing it into two unequal portions, is not exhilarating; but when the sea makes its wild rush up the estuary, quickly filling the wide river-bed from bank to bank, then the Severn is noble enough, and one looks upon it with pride.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading To gaze on a stretch of a mile or more of sand and mud, with a shallow, yellow stream dividing it into two unequal portions, is not exhilarating; but when the sea makes its wild rush up the estuary, quickly filling the wide river-bed from bank to bank, then the Severn is noble enough, and one looks upon it with pride.
water soaked soil; soft wet earth
From this reading To gaze on a stretch of a mile or more of sand and mud, with a shallow, yellow stream dividing it into two unequal portions, is not exhilarating; but when the sea makes its wild rush up the estuary, quickly filling the wide river-bed from bank to bank, then the Severn is noble enough, and one looks upon it with pride.
nobleadjectiveUS /ˈnoʊbəl/
impressive in appearance
From this reading To gaze on a stretch of a mile or more of sand and mud, with a shallow, yellow stream dividing it into two unequal portions, is not exhilarating; but when the sea makes its wild rush up the estuary, quickly filling the wide river-bed from bank to bank, then the Severn is noble enough, and one looks upon it with pride.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading To gaze on a stretch of a mile or more of sand and mud, with a shallow, yellow stream dividing it into two unequal portions, is not exhilarating; but when the sea makes its wild rush up the estuary, quickly filling the wide river-bed from bank to bank, then the Severn is noble enough, and one looks upon it with pride.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading When the tide was out, the river was dull and dreary enough to the heart of the bold sailor.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading To gaze on a stretch of a mile or more of sand and mud, with a shallow, yellow stream dividing it into two unequal portions, is not exhilarating; but when the sea makes its wild rush up the estuary, quickly filling the wide river-bed from bank to bank, then the Severn is noble enough, and one looks upon it with pride.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading To gaze on a stretch of a mile or more of sand and mud, with a shallow, yellow stream dividing it into two unequal portions, is not exhilarating; but when the sea makes its wild rush up the estuary, quickly filling the wide river-bed from bank to bank, then the Severn is noble enough, and one looks upon it with pride.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading To gaze on a stretch of a mile or more of sand and mud, with a shallow, yellow stream dividing it into two unequal portions, is not exhilarating; but when the sea makes its wild rush up the estuary, quickly filling the wide river-bed from bank to bank, then the Severn is noble enough, and one looks upon it with pride.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading When the tide was out, the river was dull and dreary enough to the heart of the bold sailor.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading Every day he sat thus, unless some pressing duty forbade, for the sea held first place in his heart.
portionsnounUS /ˈpɔːrʃənz/
plural of “portion” — something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading To gaze on a stretch of a mile or more of sand and mud, with a shallow, yellow stream dividing it into two unequal portions, is not exhilarating; but when the sea makes its wild rush up the estuary, quickly filling the wide river-bed from bank to bank, then the Severn is noble enough, and one looks upon it with pride.
the act of pressing; the exertion of pressure
From this reading Every day he sat thus, unless some pressing duty forbade, for the sea held first place in his heart.
a feeling of self-respect and personal worth
From this reading To gaze on a stretch of a mile or more of sand and mud, with a shallow, yellow stream dividing it into two unequal portions, is not exhilarating; but when the sea makes its wild rush up the estuary, quickly filling the wide river-bed from bank to bank, then the Severn is noble enough, and one looks upon it with pride.
with speed
From this reading To gaze on a stretch of a mile or more of sand and mud, with a shallow, yellow stream dividing it into two unequal portions, is not exhilarating; but when the sea makes its wild rush up the estuary, quickly filling the wide river-bed from bank to bank, then the Severn is noble enough, and one looks upon it with pride.
racedverbUS /reɪst/
past form of “race” — move hurridly
From this reading Admiral Drake sat amidst his roses, watching the tide as it raced up the river.
a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)
From this reading Admiral Drake sat amidst his roses, watching the tide as it raced up the river.
river-bed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To gaze on a stretch of a mile or more of sand and mud, with a shallow, yellow stream dividing it into two unequal portions, is not exhilarating; but when the sea makes its wild rush up the estuary, quickly filling the wide river-bed from bank to bank, then the Severn is noble enough, and one looks upon it with pride.
plural of “rose” — any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading Admiral Drake sat amidst his roses, watching the tide as it raced up the river.
move hurridly
From this reading To gaze on a stretch of a mile or more of sand and mud, with a shallow, yellow stream dividing it into two unequal portions, is not exhilarating; but when the sea makes its wild rush up the estuary, quickly filling the wide river-bed from bank to bank, then the Severn is noble enough, and one looks upon it with pride.
any member of a ship's crew
From this reading When the tide was out, the river was dull and dreary enough to the heart of the bold sailor.
a loose material consisting of grains of rock or coral
From this reading To gaze on a stretch of a mile or more of sand and mud, with a shallow, yellow stream dividing it into two unequal portions, is not exhilarating; but when the sea makes its wild rush up the estuary, quickly filling the wide river-bed from bank to bank, then the Severn is noble enough, and one looks upon it with pride.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading Admiral Drake sat amidst his roses, watching the tide as it raced up the river.
a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
From this reading Every day he sat thus, unless some pressing duty forbade, for the sea held first place in his heart.
SevernnounUS /ˈsevərn/
a river in Ontario that flows northeast into Hudson Bay
From this reading To gaze on a stretch of a mile or more of sand and mud, with a shallow, yellow stream dividing it into two unequal portions, is not exhilarating; but when the sea makes its wild rush up the estuary, quickly filling the wide river-bed from bank to bank, then the Severn is noble enough, and one looks upon it with pride.
shallowadjectiveUS /ˈʃæloʊ/
lacking physical depth; having little spatial extension downward or inward from an outer surface or backward or outward from a center
From this reading To gaze on a stretch of a mile or more of sand and mud, with a shallow, yellow stream dividing it into two unequal portions, is not exhilarating; but when the sea makes its wild rush up the estuary, quickly filling the wide river-bed from bank to bank, then the Severn is noble enough, and one looks upon it with pride.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Every day he sat thus, unless some pressing duty forbade, for the sea held first place in his heart.
a natural body of running water flowing on or under the earth
From this reading To gaze on a stretch of a mile or more of sand and mud, with a shallow, yellow stream dividing it into two unequal portions, is not exhilarating; but when the sea makes its wild rush up the estuary, quickly filling the wide river-bed from bank to bank, then the Severn is noble enough, and one looks upon it with pride.
stretchverbUS /stretʃ/
occupy a large, elongated area
From this reading To gaze on a stretch of a mile or more of sand and mud, with a shallow, yellow stream dividing it into two unequal portions, is not exhilarating; but when the sea makes its wild rush up the estuary, quickly filling the wide river-bed from bank to bank, then the Severn is noble enough, and one looks upon it with pride.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Admiral Drake sat amidst his roses, watching the tide as it raced up the river.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading To gaze on a stretch of a mile or more of sand and mud, with a shallow, yellow stream dividing it into two unequal portions, is not exhilarating; but when the sea makes its wild rush up the estuary, quickly filling the wide river-bed from bank to bank, then the Severn is noble enough, and one looks upon it with pride.
(used to introduce a logical conclusion) from that fact or reason or as a result
From this reading Every day he sat thus, unless some pressing duty forbade, for the sea held first place in his heart.
the periodic rise and fall of the sea level under the gravitational pull of the moon
From this reading Admiral Drake sat amidst his roses, watching the tide as it raced up the river.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading When the tide was out, the river was dull and dreary enough to the heart of the bold sailor.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading TWO FRIENDS.
unequaladjectiveUS /əˈniːkwəl/
poorly balanced or matched in quantity or value or measure
From this reading To gaze on a stretch of a mile or more of sand and mud, with a shallow, yellow stream dividing it into two unequal portions, is not exhilarating; but when the sea makes its wild rush up the estuary, quickly filling the wide river-bed from bank to bank, then the Severn is noble enough, and one looks upon it with pride.
except if; if not
From this reading Every day he sat thus, unless some pressing duty forbade, for the sea held first place in his heart.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Admiral Drake sat amidst his roses, watching the tide as it raced up the river.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading To gaze on a stretch of a mile or more of sand and mud, with a shallow, yellow stream dividing it into two unequal portions, is not exhilarating; but when the sea makes its wild rush up the estuary, quickly filling the wide river-bed from bank to bank, then the Severn is noble enough, and one looks upon it with pride.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading When the tide was out, the river was dull and dreary enough to the heart of the bold sailor.
the act of observing; taking a patient look
From this reading Admiral Drake sat amidst his roses, watching the tide as it raced up the river.
at the time that
From this reading When the tide was out, the river was dull and dreary enough to the heart of the bold sailor.
having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading To gaze on a stretch of a mile or more of sand and mud, with a shallow, yellow stream dividing it into two unequal portions, is not exhilarating; but when the sea makes its wild rush up the estuary, quickly filling the wide river-bed from bank to bank, then the Severn is noble enough, and one looks upon it with pride.
marked by extreme lack of restraint or control
From this reading To gaze on a stretch of a mile or more of sand and mud, with a shallow, yellow stream dividing it into two unequal portions, is not exhilarating; but when the sea makes its wild rush up the estuary, quickly filling the wide river-bed from bank to bank, then the Severn is noble enough, and one looks upon it with pride.
in the company of; together with
From this reading To gaze on a stretch of a mile or more of sand and mud, with a shallow, yellow stream dividing it into two unequal portions, is not exhilarating; but when the sea makes its wild rush up the estuary, quickly filling the wide river-bed from bank to bank, then the Severn is noble enough, and one looks upon it with pride.
of the color intermediate between green and orange in the color spectrum; of something resembling the color of an egg yolk
From this reading To gaze on a stretch of a mile or more of sand and mud, with a shallow, yellow stream dividing it into two unequal portions, is not exhilarating; but when the sea makes its wild rush up the estuary, quickly filling the wide river-bed from bank to bank, then the Severn is noble enough, and one looks upon it with pride.
