used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading My eyes were half closed, my chin rested on my hands, which clasped the rail, and I was lost in a dream of the East.
(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 The spacious harbor lay before me, with many vessels of all kinds and nationalities lying at anchor, from large steamers flying the British flag to Arab dhows.
anchornounUS /ˈæŋkər/
a mechanical device that prevents a vessel from moving
From this reading The spacious harbor lay before me, with many vessels of all kinds and nationalities lying at anchor, from large steamers flying the British flag to Arab dhows.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading I stood at the rail, gazing at the harbor and the town.
ArabnounUS /ˈærəb/
a member of a Semitic people originally from the Arabian peninsula and surrounding territories who speaks Arabic and who inhabits much of the Middle East and northern Africa
From this reading The spacious harbor lay before me, with many vessels of all kinds and nationalities lying at anchor, from large steamers flying the British flag to Arab dhows.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading I stood at the rail, gazing at the harbor and the town.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading The spacious harbor lay before me, with many vessels of all kinds and nationalities lying at anchor, from large steamers flying the British flag to Arab dhows.
boatmen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Small boats plied the near waters, the boatmen crying out shrilly now and then, but my ears were deaf to their cries.
plural of “boat” — a small vessel for travel on water
From this reading Small boats plied the near waters, the boatmen crying out shrilly now and then, but my ears were deaf to their cries.
the people of Great Britain
From this reading The spacious harbor lay before me, with many vessels of all kinds and nationalities lying at anchor, from large steamers flying the British flag to Arab dhows.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Small boats plied the near waters, the boatmen crying out shrilly now and then, but my ears were deaf to their cries.
the protruding part of the lower jaw
From this reading My eyes were half closed, my chin rested on my hands, which clasped the rail, and I was lost in a dream of the East.
past form of “clasp” — hold firmly and tightly
From this reading My eyes were half closed, my chin rested on my hands, which clasped the rail, and I was lost in a dream of the East.
not open or affording passage or access
From this reading My eyes were half closed, my chin rested on my hands, which clasped the rail, and I was lost in a dream of the East.
plural of “cry” — a loud utterance; often in protest or opposition
From this reading Small boats plied the near waters, the boatmen crying out shrilly now and then, but my ears were deaf to their cries.
demanding attention
From this reading Small boats plied the near waters, the boatmen crying out shrilly now and then, but my ears were deaf to their cries.
deafadjectiveUS /def/
lacking or deprived of the sense of hearing wholly or in part
From this reading Small boats plied the near waters, the boatmen crying out shrilly now and then, but my ears were deaf to their cries.
dhowsnounUS /daʊz/
plural of “dhow” — a lateen-rigged sailing vessel used by Arabs
From this reading The spacious harbor lay before me, with many vessels of all kinds and nationalities lying at anchor, from large steamers flying the British flag to Arab dhows.
A series of thoughts, images, or emotions during sleep.
From this reading My eyes were half closed, my chin rested on my hands, which clasped the rail, and I was lost in a dream of the East.
plural of “ear” — the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium
From this reading Small boats plied the near waters, the boatmen crying out shrilly now and then, but my ears were deaf to their cries.
the cardinal compass point that is at 90 degrees
From this reading My eyes were half closed, my chin rested on my hands, which clasped the rail, and I was lost in a dream of the East.
opinion or judgment
From this reading My eyes were half closed, my chin rested on my hands, which clasped the rail, and I was lost in a dream of the East.
emblem usually consisting of a rectangular piece of cloth of distinctive design
From this reading The spacious harbor lay before me, with many vessels of all kinds and nationalities lying at anchor, from large steamers flying the British flag to Arab dhows.
moving swiftly
From this reading The spacious harbor lay before me, with many vessels of all kinds and nationalities lying at anchor, from large steamers flying the British flag to Arab dhows.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The spacious harbor lay before me, with many vessels of all kinds and nationalities lying at anchor, from large steamers flying the British flag to Arab dhows.
-ing form of “gaze” — look at with fixed eyes
From this reading I stood at the rail, gazing at the harbor and the town.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading My eyes were half closed, my chin rested on my hands, which clasped the rail, and I was lost in a dream of the East.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading My eyes were half closed, my chin rested on my hands, which clasped the rail, and I was lost in a dream of the East.
harborverbUS /ˈhɑːrbər/
maintain (a theory, thoughts, or feelings)
From this reading I stood at the rail, gazing at the harbor and the town.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I stood at the rail, gazing at the harbor and the town.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading My eyes were half closed, my chin rested on my hands, which clasped the rail, and I was lost in a dream of the East.
plural of “kind” — a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality
From this reading The spacious harbor lay before me, with many vessels of all kinds and nationalities lying at anchor, from large steamers flying the British flag to Arab dhows.
largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The spacious harbor lay before me, with many vessels of all kinds and nationalities lying at anchor, from large steamers flying the British flag to Arab dhows.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading The spacious harbor lay before me, with many vessels of all kinds and nationalities lying at anchor, from large steamers flying the British flag to Arab dhows.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading Life was there.
no longer in your possession or control; unable to be found or recovered
From this reading My eyes were half closed, my chin rested on my hands, which clasped the rail, and I was lost in a dream of the East.
the deliberate act of deviating from the truth
From this reading The spacious harbor lay before me, with many vessels of all kinds and nationalities lying at anchor, from large steamers flying the British flag to Arab dhows.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading The spacious harbor lay before me, with many vessels of all kinds and nationalities lying at anchor, from large steamers flying the British flag to Arab dhows.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The spacious harbor lay before me, with many vessels of all kinds and nationalities lying at anchor, from large steamers flying the British flag to Arab dhows.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading My eyes were half closed, my chin rested on my hands, which clasped the rail, and I was lost in a dream of the East.
nationalitiesnounUS /ˌnæʃəˈnælɪtiz/
plural of “nationality” — people having common origins or traditions and often comprising a nation
From this reading The spacious harbor lay before me, with many vessels of all kinds and nationalities lying at anchor, from large steamers flying the British flag to Arab dhows.
near in time or place or relationship
From this reading Small boats plied the near waters, the boatmen crying out shrilly now and then, but my ears were deaf to their cries.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Small boats plied the near waters, the boatmen crying out shrilly now and then, but my ears were deaf to their cries.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading My eyes were half closed, my chin rested on my hands, which clasped the rail, and I was lost in a dream of the East.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading My eyes were half closed, my chin rested on my hands, which clasped the rail, and I was lost in a dream of the East.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Small boats plied the near waters, the boatmen crying out shrilly now and then, but my ears were deaf to their cries.
pliedverbUS /plaɪd/
inflected form of “ply” — give what is desired or needed, especially support, food or sustenance
From this reading Small boats plied the near waters, the boatmen crying out shrilly now and then, but my ears were deaf to their cries.
railnounUS /reɪl/
a barrier consisting of a horizontal bar and supports
From this reading I stood at the rail, gazing at the harbor and the town.
not tired; refreshed as by sleeping or relaxing
From this reading My eyes were half closed, my chin rested on my hands, which clasped the rail, and I was lost in a dream of the East.
shrillyadverb
in a shrill voice
From this reading Small boats plied the near waters, the boatmen crying out shrilly now and then, but my ears were deaf to their cries.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Small boats plied the near waters, the boatmen crying out shrilly now and then, but my ears were deaf to their cries.
spaciousadjectiveUS /ˈspeɪʃəs/
very large in expanse or scope
From this reading The spacious harbor lay before me, with many vessels of all kinds and nationalities lying at anchor, from large steamers flying the British flag to Arab dhows.
steamersnounUS /ˈstiːmərz/
plural of “steamer” — a clam that is usually steamed in the shell
From this reading The spacious harbor lay before me, with many vessels of all kinds and nationalities lying at anchor, from large steamers flying the British flag to Arab dhows.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading I stood at the rail, gazing at the harbor and the town.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading I stood at the rail, gazing at the harbor and the town.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Small boats plied the near waters, the boatmen crying out shrilly now and then, but my ears were deaf to their cries.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Small boats plied the near waters, the boatmen crying out shrilly now and then, but my ears were deaf to their cries.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Life was there.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Small boats plied the near waters, the boatmen crying out shrilly now and then, but my ears were deaf to their cries.
an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city
From this reading I stood at the rail, gazing at the harbor and the town.
vesselsnounUS /ˈvesəlz/
plural of “vessel” — a tube in which a body fluid circulates
From this reading The spacious harbor lay before me, with many vessels of all kinds and nationalities lying at anchor, from large steamers flying the British flag to Arab dhows.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading My eyes were half closed, my chin rested on my hands, which clasped the rail, and I was lost in a dream of the East.
United States actress and singer (1896-1977)
From this reading Small boats plied the near waters, the boatmen crying out shrilly now and then, but my ears were deaf to their cries.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading My eyes were half closed, my chin rested on my hands, which clasped the rail, and I was lost in a dream of the East.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading My eyes were half closed, my chin rested on my hands, which clasped the rail, and I was lost in a dream of the East.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The spacious harbor lay before me, with many vessels of all kinds and nationalities lying at anchor, from large steamers flying the British flag to Arab dhows.
