Chapter X

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading A PENCIL LINE Lee did not know just what had happened in that brief interval when he nodded at his post, but he awoke to find himself sprawled in the midst of radio wreckage on the floor of his cabin, which was reeling and rocking, adrift in the flood.

aimlessly drifting

From this reading A PENCIL LINE Lee did not know just what had happened in that brief interval when he nodded at his post, but he awoke to find himself sprawled in the midst of radio wreckage on the floor of his cabin, which was reeling and rocking, adrift in the flood.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading A PENCIL LINE Lee did not know just what had happened in that brief interval when he nodded at his post, but he awoke to find himself sprawled in the midst of radio wreckage on the floor of his cabin, which was reeling and rocking, adrift in the flood.

surrounding, or on every side of, something

From this reading Water swishing over his face had brought him around.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading A PENCIL LINE Lee did not know just what had happened in that brief interval when he nodded at his post, but he awoke to find himself sprawled in the midst of radio wreckage on the floor of his cabin, which was reeling and rocking, adrift in the flood.

inflected form of “awake” — stop sleeping

From this reading A PENCIL LINE Lee did not know just what had happened in that brief interval when he nodded at his post, but he awoke to find himself sprawled in the midst of radio wreckage on the floor of his cabin, which was reeling and rocking, adrift in the flood.

of short duration or distance

From this reading A PENCIL LINE Lee did not know just what had happened in that brief interval when he nodded at his post, but he awoke to find himself sprawled in the midst of radio wreckage on the floor of his cabin, which was reeling and rocking, adrift in the flood.

inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere

From this reading Water swishing over his face had brought him around.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading A PENCIL LINE Lee did not know just what had happened in that brief interval when he nodded at his post, but he awoke to find himself sprawled in the midst of radio wreckage on the floor of his cabin, which was reeling and rocking, adrift in the flood.

small room on a ship or boat where people sleep

From this reading A PENCIL LINE Lee did not know just what had happened in that brief interval when he nodded at his post, but he awoke to find himself sprawled in the midst of radio wreckage on the floor of his cabin, which was reeling and rocking, adrift in the flood.

the act of drawing spatially closer to something

From this reading It was coming in fast now, and the cabin was sinking.

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading A PENCIL LINE Lee did not know just what had happened in that brief interval when he nodded at his post, but he awoke to find himself sprawled in the midst of radio wreckage on the floor of his cabin, which was reeling and rocking, adrift in the flood.

in a giddy light-headed manner

From this reading Something must have struck him when the flood swept off the cabin, for his head throbbed dizzily.

the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear

From this reading Water swishing over his face had brought him around.

quickly or rapidly (often used as a combining form)

From this reading It was coming in fast now, and the cabin was sinking.

come upon, as if by accident; meet with

From this reading A PENCIL LINE Lee did not know just what had happened in that brief interval when he nodded at his post, but he awoke to find himself sprawled in the midst of radio wreckage on the floor of his cabin, which was reeling and rocking, adrift in the flood.

the rising of a body of water and its overflowing onto normally dry land

From this reading A PENCIL LINE Lee did not know just what had happened in that brief interval when he nodded at his post, but he awoke to find himself sprawled in the midst of radio wreckage on the floor of his cabin, which was reeling and rocking, adrift in the flood.

the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)

From this reading A PENCIL LINE Lee did not know just what had happened in that brief interval when he nodded at his post, but he awoke to find himself sprawled in the midst of radio wreckage on the floor of his cabin, which was reeling and rocking, adrift in the flood.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Something must have struck him when the flood swept off the cabin, for his head throbbed dizzily.

come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading He would have to get out.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading A PENCIL LINE Lee did not know just what had happened in that brief interval when he nodded at his post, but he awoke to find himself sprawled in the midst of radio wreckage on the floor of his cabin, which was reeling and rocking, adrift in the flood.

past form of “happen” — come to pass

From this reading A PENCIL LINE Lee did not know just what had happened in that brief interval when he nodded at his post, but he awoke to find himself sprawled in the midst of radio wreckage on the floor of his cabin, which was reeling and rocking, adrift in the flood.

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading He would have to get out.

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading A PENCIL LINE Lee did not know just what had happened in that brief interval when he nodded at his post, but he awoke to find himself sprawled in the midst of radio wreckage on the floor of his cabin, which was reeling and rocking, adrift in the flood.

the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains

From this reading Something must have struck him when the flood swept off the cabin, for his head throbbed dizzily.

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Water swishing over his face had brought him around.

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading A PENCIL LINE Lee did not know just what had happened in that brief interval when he nodded at his post, but he awoke to find himself sprawled in the midst of radio wreckage on the floor of his cabin, which was reeling and rocking, adrift in the flood.

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading A PENCIL LINE Lee did not know just what had happened in that brief interval when he nodded at his post, but he awoke to find himself sprawled in the midst of radio wreckage on the floor of his cabin, which was reeling and rocking, adrift in the flood.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading A PENCIL LINE Lee did not know just what had happened in that brief interval when he nodded at his post, but he awoke to find himself sprawled in the midst of radio wreckage on the floor of his cabin, which was reeling and rocking, adrift in the flood.

a definite length of time marked off by two instants

From this reading A PENCIL LINE Lee did not know just what had happened in that brief interval when he nodded at his post, but he awoke to find himself sprawled in the midst of radio wreckage on the floor of his cabin, which was reeling and rocking, adrift in the flood.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was coming in fast now, and the cabin was sinking.

and nothing more

From this reading A PENCIL LINE Lee did not know just what had happened in that brief interval when he nodded at his post, but he awoke to find himself sprawled in the midst of radio wreckage on the floor of his cabin, which was reeling and rocking, adrift in the flood.

be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading A PENCIL LINE Lee did not know just what had happened in that brief interval when he nodded at his post, but he awoke to find himself sprawled in the midst of radio wreckage on the floor of his cabin, which was reeling and rocking, adrift in the flood.

United States filmmaker whose works explore the richness of black culture in America (born in 1957)

From this reading A PENCIL LINE Lee did not know just what had happened in that brief interval when he nodded at his post, but he awoke to find himself sprawled in the midst of radio wreckage on the floor of his cabin, which was reeling and rocking, adrift in the flood.

a formation of people or things one beside another

From this reading A PENCIL LINE Lee did not know just what had happened in that brief interval when he nodded at his post, but he awoke to find himself sprawled in the midst of radio wreckage on the floor of his cabin, which was reeling and rocking, adrift in the flood.

the location of something surrounded by other things

From this reading A PENCIL LINE Lee did not know just what had happened in that brief interval when he nodded at his post, but he awoke to find himself sprawled in the midst of radio wreckage on the floor of his cabin, which was reeling and rocking, adrift in the flood.

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading Something must have struck him when the flood swept off the cabin, for his head throbbed dizzily.

inflected form of “nod” — express or signify by nodding

From this reading A PENCIL LINE Lee did not know just what had happened in that brief interval when he nodded at his post, but he awoke to find himself sprawled in the midst of radio wreckage on the floor of his cabin, which was reeling and rocking, adrift in the flood.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading A PENCIL LINE Lee did not know just what had happened in that brief interval when he nodded at his post, but he awoke to find himself sprawled in the midst of radio wreckage on the floor of his cabin, which was reeling and rocking, adrift in the flood.

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading It was coming in fast now, and the cabin was sinking.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading A PENCIL LINE Lee did not know just what had happened in that brief interval when he nodded at his post, but he awoke to find himself sprawled in the midst of radio wreckage on the floor of his cabin, which was reeling and rocking, adrift in the flood.

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading Something must have struck him when the flood swept off the cabin, for his head throbbed dizzily.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading A PENCIL LINE Lee did not know just what had happened in that brief interval when he nodded at his post, but he awoke to find himself sprawled in the midst of radio wreckage on the floor of his cabin, which was reeling and rocking, adrift in the flood.

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading He would have to get out.

above and across; more than

From this reading Water swishing over his face had brought him around.

a thin cylindrical pointed writing implement; a rod of marking substance encased in wood

From this reading A PENCIL LINE Lee did not know just what had happened in that brief interval when he nodded at his post, but he awoke to find himself sprawled in the midst of radio wreckage on the floor of his cabin, which was reeling and rocking, adrift in the flood.

affix in a public place or for public notice

From this reading A PENCIL LINE Lee did not know just what had happened in that brief interval when he nodded at his post, but he awoke to find himself sprawled in the midst of radio wreckage on the floor of his cabin, which was reeling and rocking, adrift in the flood.

medium for communication

From this reading A PENCIL LINE Lee did not know just what had happened in that brief interval when he nodded at his post, but he awoke to find himself sprawled in the midst of radio wreckage on the floor of his cabin, which was reeling and rocking, adrift in the flood.

-ing form of “reel” — walk as if unable to control one's movements

From this reading A PENCIL LINE Lee did not know just what had happened in that brief interval when he nodded at his post, but he awoke to find himself sprawled in the midst of radio wreckage on the floor of his cabin, which was reeling and rocking, adrift in the flood.

-ing form of “rock” — move back and forth or sideways

From this reading A PENCIL LINE Lee did not know just what had happened in that brief interval when he nodded at his post, but he awoke to find himself sprawled in the midst of radio wreckage on the floor of his cabin, which was reeling and rocking, adrift in the flood.

a descent as through liquid (especially through water)

From this reading It was coming in fast now, and the cabin was sinking.

a thing, without saying which

From this reading Something must have struck him when the flood swept off the cabin, for his head throbbed dizzily.

past form of “sprawl” — sit or lie with one's limbs spread out

From this reading A PENCIL LINE Lee did not know just what had happened in that brief interval when he nodded at his post, but he awoke to find himself sprawled in the midst of radio wreckage on the floor of his cabin, which was reeling and rocking, adrift in the flood.

(used in combination) affected by something overwhelming

From this reading Something must have struck him when the flood swept off the cabin, for his head throbbed dizzily.

possessing sweep

From this reading Something must have struck him when the flood swept off the cabin, for his head throbbed dizzily.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Water swishing over his face had brought him around.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading A PENCIL LINE Lee did not know just what had happened in that brief interval when he nodded at his post, but he awoke to find himself sprawled in the midst of radio wreckage on the floor of his cabin, which was reeling and rocking, adrift in the flood.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading A PENCIL LINE Lee did not know just what had happened in that brief interval when he nodded at his post, but he awoke to find himself sprawled in the midst of radio wreckage on the floor of his cabin, which was reeling and rocking, adrift in the flood.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Something must have struck him when the flood swept off the cabin, for his head throbbed dizzily.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading A PENCIL LINE Lee did not know just what had happened in that brief interval when he nodded at his post, but he awoke to find himself sprawled in the midst of radio wreckage on the floor of his cabin, which was reeling and rocking, adrift in the flood.

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading A PENCIL LINE Lee did not know just what had happened in that brief interval when he nodded at his post, but he awoke to find himself sprawled in the midst of radio wreckage on the floor of his cabin, which was reeling and rocking, adrift in the flood.

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 Water swishing over his face had brought him around.

used to ask for information about something

From this reading A PENCIL LINE Lee did not know just what had happened in that brief interval when he nodded at his post, but he awoke to find himself sprawled in the midst of radio wreckage on the floor of his cabin, which was reeling and rocking, adrift in the flood.

at the time that

From this reading A PENCIL LINE Lee did not know just what had happened in that brief interval when he nodded at his post, but he awoke to find himself sprawled in the midst of radio wreckage on the floor of his cabin, which was reeling and rocking, adrift in the flood.

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading A PENCIL LINE Lee did not know just what had happened in that brief interval when he nodded at his post, but he awoke to find himself sprawled in the midst of radio wreckage on the floor of his cabin, which was reeling and rocking, adrift in the flood.

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading He would have to get out.

the remaining parts of something that has been wrecked

From this reading A PENCIL LINE Lee did not know just what had happened in that brief interval when he nodded at his post, but he awoke to find himself sprawled in the midst of radio wreckage on the floor of his cabin, which was reeling and rocking, adrift in the flood.