used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A more serious obstacle to my explorations on the _Island Queen_ presented itself next day.
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading You saw the little boat threading its way among the reefs, tossed like seaweed by the white teeth of gnawing waves, screamed at by angry gulls whose homes were those clefts and caves which the boat invaded.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Instead of putting to sea, Mr. Shaw and Captain Magnus hauled the boat up on the beach and set to work to repair it.
angryadjectiveUS /ˈæŋɡri/
feeling or showing anger
From this reading You saw the little boat threading its way among the reefs, tossed like seaweed by the white teeth of gnawing waves, screamed at by angry gulls whose homes were those clefts and caves which the boat invaded.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The preceding day had been filled with hardship and danger--so much so that my heart sank a little at the recountal of it.
an area of sand sloping down to the water of a sea or lake
From this reading Instead of putting to sea, Mr. Shaw and Captain Magnus hauled the boat up on the beach and set to work to repair it.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The preceding day had been filled with hardship and danger--so much so that my heart sank a little at the recountal of it.
a small vessel for travel on water
From this reading Instead of putting to sea, Mr. Shaw and Captain Magnus hauled the boat up on the beach and set to work to repair it.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading You saw the little boat threading its way among the reefs, tossed like seaweed by the white teeth of gnawing waves, screamed at by angry gulls whose homes were those clefts and caves which the boat invaded.
an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant
From this reading Instead of putting to sea, Mr. Shaw and Captain Magnus hauled the boat up on the beach and set to work to repair it.
cavesnounUS /keɪvz/
plural of “cave” — a geological formation consisting of an underground enclosure with access from the surface of the ground or from the sea
From this reading You saw the little boat threading its way among the reefs, tossed like seaweed by the white teeth of gnawing waves, screamed at by angry gulls whose homes were those clefts and caves which the boat invaded.
clefts
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading You saw the little boat threading its way among the reefs, tossed like seaweed by the white teeth of gnawing waves, screamed at by angry gulls whose homes were those clefts and caves which the boat invaded.
the shore of a sea or ocean
From this reading The wild work of exploring the coast had left the boat with leaky seams and a damaged gunwale.
damagedadjectiveUS /ˈdæmədʒd/
harmed or injured or spoiled
From this reading The wild work of exploring the coast had left the boat with leaky seams and a damaged gunwale.
the condition of being susceptible to harm or injury
From this reading The preceding day had been filled with hardship and danger--so much so that my heart sank a little at the recountal of it.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading A more serious obstacle to my explorations on the _Island Queen_ presented itself next day.
explorationsnounUS /ˌeksplərˈeɪʃənz/
plural of “exploration” — to travel for the purpose of discovery
From this reading A more serious obstacle to my explorations on the _Island Queen_ presented itself next day.
exploringverbUS /ɪkˈsplɔːrɪŋ/
-ing form of “explore” — inquire into
From this reading The wild work of exploring the coast had left the boat with leaky seams and a damaged gunwale.
(usually followed by “with” or used as a combining form) generously supplied with
From this reading The preceding day had been filled with hardship and danger--so much so that my heart sank a little at the recountal of it.
gnawingverbUS /ˈnɔːɪŋ/
-ing form of “gnaw” — bite or chew on with the teeth
From this reading You saw the little boat threading its way among the reefs, tossed like seaweed by the white teeth of gnawing waves, screamed at by angry gulls whose homes were those clefts and caves which the boat invaded.
gullsnounUS /ɡʌlz/
plural of “gull” — a person who is gullible and easy to take advantage of
From this reading You saw the little boat threading its way among the reefs, tossed like seaweed by the white teeth of gnawing waves, screamed at by angry gulls whose homes were those clefts and caves which the boat invaded.
gunwalenoun
wale at the top of the side of boat; topmost planking of a wooden vessel
From this reading The wild work of exploring the coast had left the boat with leaky seams and a damaged gunwale.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The wild work of exploring the coast had left the boat with leaky seams and a damaged gunwale.
hardshipnounUS /ˈhɑːrdʃɪp/
a state of misfortune or affliction
From this reading The preceding day had been filled with hardship and danger--so much so that my heart sank a little at the recountal of it.
hauledverbUS /hɔːld/
past form of “haul” — draw slowly or heavily
From this reading Instead of putting to sea, Mr. Shaw and Captain Magnus hauled the boat up on the beach and set to work to repair it.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading The preceding day had been filled with hardship and danger--so much so that my heart sank a little at the recountal of it.
homesnounUS /hoʊmz/
plural of “home” — where you live at a particular time
From this reading You saw the little boat threading its way among the reefs, tossed like seaweed by the white teeth of gnawing waves, screamed at by angry gulls whose homes were those clefts and caves which the boat invaded.
in place of, or as an alternative to
From this reading Instead of putting to sea, Mr. Shaw and Captain Magnus hauled the boat up on the beach and set to work to repair it.
invadedverbUS /ˌɪnˈveɪdəd/
past form of “invade” — march aggressively into another's territory by military force for the purposes of conquest and occupation
From this reading You saw the little boat threading its way among the reefs, tossed like seaweed by the white teeth of gnawing waves, screamed at by angry gulls whose homes were those clefts and caves which the boat invaded.
a land mass (smaller than a continent) that is surrounded by water
From this reading A more serious obstacle to my explorations on the _Island Queen_ presented itself next day.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Instead of putting to sea, Mr. Shaw and Captain Magnus hauled the boat up on the beach and set to work to repair it.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading You saw the little boat threading its way among the reefs, tossed like seaweed by the white teeth of gnawing waves, screamed at by angry gulls whose homes were those clefts and caves which the boat invaded.
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading A more serious obstacle to my explorations on the _Island Queen_ presented itself next day.
leakyadjectiveUS /ˈliːki/
permitting the unwanted passage of fluids or gases
From this reading The wild work of exploring the coast had left the boat with leaky seams and a damaged gunwale.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading The wild work of exploring the coast had left the boat with leaky seams and a damaged gunwale.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading You saw the little boat threading its way among the reefs, tossed like seaweed by the white teeth of gnawing waves, screamed at by angry gulls whose homes were those clefts and caves which the boat invaded.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The preceding day had been filled with hardship and danger--so much so that my heart sank a little at the recountal of it.
Magnus
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Instead of putting to sea, Mr. Shaw and Captain Magnus hauled the boat up on the beach and set to work to repair it.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading A more serious obstacle to my explorations on the _Island Queen_ presented itself next day.
a form of address for a man
From this reading Instead of putting to sea, Mr. Shaw and Captain Magnus hauled the boat up on the beach and set to work to repair it.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading The preceding day had been filled with hardship and danger--so much so that my heart sank a little at the recountal of it.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading A more serious obstacle to my explorations on the _Island Queen_ presented itself next day.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading A more serious obstacle to my explorations on the _Island Queen_ presented itself next day.
obstaclenounUS /ˈɑːbstəkəl/
something immaterial that stands in the way and must be circumvented or surmounted
From this reading A more serious obstacle to my explorations on the _Island Queen_ presented itself next day.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Instead of putting to sea, Mr. Shaw and Captain Magnus hauled the boat up on the beach and set to work to repair it.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading A more serious obstacle to my explorations on the _Island Queen_ presented itself next day.
precedingadjectiveUS /priˈsiːdɪŋ/
existing or coming before
From this reading The preceding day had been filled with hardship and danger--so much so that my heart sank a little at the recountal of it.
past form of “present” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading A more serious obstacle to my explorations on the _Island Queen_ presented itself next day.
hitting a golf ball that is on the green using a putter
From this reading Instead of putting to sea, Mr. Shaw and Captain Magnus hauled the boat up on the beach and set to work to repair it.
the only fertile female in a colony of social insects such as bees and ants and termites; its function is to lay eggs
From this reading A more serious obstacle to my explorations on the _Island Queen_ presented itself next day.
recountal
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The preceding day had been filled with hardship and danger--so much so that my heart sank a little at the recountal of it.
reefsnounUS /riːfs/
plural of “reef” — a submerged ridge of rock or coral near the surface of the water
From this reading You saw the little boat threading its way among the reefs, tossed like seaweed by the white teeth of gnawing waves, screamed at by angry gulls whose homes were those clefts and caves which the boat invaded.
repairnounUS /rɪˈper/
the act of putting something in working order again
From this reading Instead of putting to sea, Mr. Shaw and Captain Magnus hauled the boat up on the beach and set to work to repair it.
inflected form of “sink” — fall or descend to a lower place or level
From this reading The preceding day had been filled with hardship and danger--so much so that my heart sank a little at the recountal of it.
cut with a saw
From this reading You saw the little boat threading its way among the reefs, tossed like seaweed by the white teeth of gnawing waves, screamed at by angry gulls whose homes were those clefts and caves which the boat invaded.
screamedverbUS /skriːmd/
past form of “scream” — utter a sudden loud cry
From this reading You saw the little boat threading its way among the reefs, tossed like seaweed by the white teeth of gnawing waves, screamed at by angry gulls whose homes were those clefts and caves which the boat invaded.
a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
From this reading Instead of putting to sea, Mr. Shaw and Captain Magnus hauled the boat up on the beach and set to work to repair it.
seamsnounUS /siːmz/
plural of “seam” — joint consisting of a line formed by joining two pieces
From this reading The wild work of exploring the coast had left the boat with leaky seams and a damaged gunwale.
seaweednounUS /ˈsiːwiːd/
plant growing in the sea, especially marine algae
From this reading You saw the little boat threading its way among the reefs, tossed like seaweed by the white teeth of gnawing waves, screamed at by angry gulls whose homes were those clefts and caves which the boat invaded.
concerned with work or important matters rather than play or trivialities
From this reading A more serious obstacle to my explorations on the _Island Queen_ presented itself next day.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading Instead of putting to sea, Mr. Shaw and Captain Magnus hauled the boat up on the beach and set to work to repair it.
ShawnounUS /ʃɔː/
United States clarinetist and leader of a swing band (1910-2004)
From this reading Instead of putting to sea, Mr. Shaw and Captain Magnus hauled the boat up on the beach and set to work to repair it.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The preceding day had been filled with hardship and danger--so much so that my heart sank a little at the recountal of it.
the kind and number and arrangement of teeth (collectively) in a person or animal
From this reading You saw the little boat threading its way among the reefs, tossed like seaweed by the white teeth of gnawing waves, screamed at by angry gulls whose homes were those clefts and caves which the boat invaded.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The preceding day had been filled with hardship and danger--so much so that my heart sank a little at the recountal of it.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A more serious obstacle to my explorations on the _Island Queen_ presented itself next day.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading You saw the little boat threading its way among the reefs, tossed like seaweed by the white teeth of gnawing waves, screamed at by angry gulls whose homes were those clefts and caves which the boat invaded.
threadingverbUS /ˈθredɪŋ/
-ing form of “thread” — to move or cause to move in a sinuous, spiral, or circular course
From this reading You saw the little boat threading its way among the reefs, tossed like seaweed by the white teeth of gnawing waves, screamed at by angry gulls whose homes were those clefts and caves which the boat invaded.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading A more serious obstacle to my explorations on the _Island Queen_ presented itself next day.
tossedverbUS /tɔːst/
past form of “toss” — throw or toss with a light motion
From this reading You saw the little boat threading its way among the reefs, tossed like seaweed by the white teeth of gnawing waves, screamed at by angry gulls whose homes were those clefts and caves which the boat invaded.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Instead of putting to sea, Mr. Shaw and Captain Magnus hauled the boat up on the beach and set to work to repair it.
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 You saw the little boat threading its way among the reefs, tossed like seaweed by the white teeth of gnawing waves, screamed at by angry gulls whose homes were those clefts and caves which the boat invaded.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading You saw the little boat threading its way among the reefs, tossed like seaweed by the white teeth of gnawing waves, screamed at by angry gulls whose homes were those clefts and caves which the boat invaded.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading You saw the little boat threading its way among the reefs, tossed like seaweed by the white teeth of gnawing waves, screamed at by angry gulls whose homes were those clefts and caves which the boat invaded.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading You saw the little boat threading its way among the reefs, tossed like seaweed by the white teeth of gnawing waves, screamed at by angry gulls whose homes were those clefts and caves which the boat invaded.
a Caucasian
From this reading You saw the little boat threading its way among the reefs, tossed like seaweed by the white teeth of gnawing waves, screamed at by angry gulls whose homes were those clefts and caves which the boat invaded.
belonging to which person
From this reading You saw the little boat threading its way among the reefs, tossed like seaweed by the white teeth of gnawing waves, screamed at by angry gulls whose homes were those clefts and caves which the boat invaded.
marked by extreme lack of restraint or control
From this reading The wild work of exploring the coast had left the boat with leaky seams and a damaged gunwale.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The wild work of exploring the coast had left the boat with leaky seams and a damaged gunwale.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading Instead of putting to sea, Mr. Shaw and Captain Magnus hauled the boat up on the beach and set to work to repair it.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading You saw the little boat threading its way among the reefs, tossed like seaweed by the white teeth of gnawing waves, screamed at by angry gulls whose homes were those clefts and caves which the boat invaded.
