used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The current in the river was running barely a mile an hour, and it was difficult to make the canoes go more than four or five, even by paddling desperately.
at or in the front
From this reading But as soon as they got well round the first bend, they put their backs into it, and finally the Baker's boat drew ahead.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The current in the river was running barely a mile an hour, and it was difficult to make the canoes go more than four or five, even by paddling desperately.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The current in the river was running barely a mile an hour, and it was difficult to make the canoes go more than four or five, even by paddling desperately.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading But as soon as they got well round the first bend, they put their backs into it, and finally the Baker's boat drew ahead.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading And at first they did not dare paddle too hard, for fear of being heard.
backsnounUS /bæks/
plural of “back” — the posterior part of a human (or animal) body from the neck to the end of the spine
From this reading But as soon as they got well round the first bend, they put their backs into it, and finally the Baker's boat drew ahead.
Baker'snounUS /ˈbeɪkərz/
possessive form of “baker” — someone who bakes commercially
From this reading But as soon as they got well round the first bend, they put their backs into it, and finally the Baker's boat drew ahead.
barelyadverbUS /ˈberli/
only a very short time before
From this reading The current in the river was running barely a mile an hour, and it was difficult to make the canoes go more than four or five, even by paddling desperately.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading And at first they did not dare paddle too hard, for fear of being heard.
bendverbUS /bend/
form a curve
From this reading But as soon as they got well round the first bend, they put their backs into it, and finally the Baker's boat drew ahead.
a small vessel for travel on water
From this reading But as soon as they got well round the first bend, they put their backs into it, and finally the Baker's boat drew ahead.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But as soon as they got well round the first bend, they put their backs into it, and finally the Baker's boat drew ahead.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The current in the river was running barely a mile an hour, and it was difficult to make the canoes go more than four or five, even by paddling desperately.
canoesnounUS /kəˈnuːz/
plural of “canoe” — small and light boat; pointed at both ends; propelled with a paddle
From this reading The current in the river was running barely a mile an hour, and it was difficult to make the canoes go more than four or five, even by paddling desperately.
a flow of electricity through a conductor
From this reading The current in the river was running barely a mile an hour, and it was difficult to make the canoes go more than four or five, even by paddling desperately.
take upon oneself; act presumptuously, without permission
From this reading And at first they did not dare paddle too hard, for fear of being heard.
desperatelyadverbUS /ˈdespərətli/
with great urgency
From this reading The current in the river was running barely a mile an hour, and it was difficult to make the canoes go more than four or five, even by paddling desperately.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading And at first they did not dare paddle too hard, for fear of being heard.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading The current in the river was running barely a mile an hour, and it was difficult to make the canoes go more than four or five, even by paddling desperately.
United States actor (born in Ireland); father of Georgiana Emma Barrymore (1827-1862)
From this reading But as soon as they got well round the first bend, they put their backs into it, and finally the Baker's boat drew ahead.
divisible by two
From this reading The current in the river was running barely a mile an hour, and it was difficult to make the canoes go more than four or five, even by paddling desperately.
be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event
From this reading And at first they did not dare paddle too hard, for fear of being heard.
be engaged in a fight; carry on a fight
From this reading THE FIGHT ON THE RIVER.
after an unspecified period of time or an especially long delay
From this reading But as soon as they got well round the first bend, they put their backs into it, and finally the Baker's boat drew ahead.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading And at first they did not dare paddle too hard, for fear of being heard.
the cardinal number that is the sum of four and one
From this reading The current in the river was running barely a mile an hour, and it was difficult to make the canoes go more than four or five, even by paddling desperately.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading And at first they did not dare paddle too hard, for fear of being heard.
the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one
From this reading The current in the river was running barely a mile an hour, and it was difficult to make the canoes go more than four or five, even by paddling desperately.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading The current in the river was running barely a mile an hour, and it was difficult to make the canoes go more than four or five, even by paddling desperately.
inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading But as soon as they got well round the first bend, they put their backs into it, and finally the Baker's boat drew ahead.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading And at first they did not dare paddle too hard, for fear of being heard.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading When he saw this, Mandeville stopped paddling.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading And at first they did not dare paddle too hard, for fear of being heard.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading The current in the river was running barely a mile an hour, and it was difficult to make the canoes go more than four or five, even by paddling desperately.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The current in the river was running barely a mile an hour, and it was difficult to make the canoes go more than four or five, even by paddling desperately.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading But as soon as they got well round the first bend, they put their backs into it, and finally the Baker's boat drew ahead.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The current in the river was running barely a mile an hour, and it was difficult to make the canoes go more than four or five, even by paddling desperately.
engage in
From this reading The current in the river was running barely a mile an hour, and it was difficult to make the canoes go more than four or five, even by paddling desperately.
Mandeville
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When he saw this, Mandeville stopped paddling.
a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters
From this reading The current in the river was running barely a mile an hour, and it was difficult to make the canoes go more than four or five, even by paddling desperately.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading The current in the river was running barely a mile an hour, and it was difficult to make the canoes go more than four or five, even by paddling desperately.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading And at first they did not dare paddle too hard, for fear of being heard.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading And at first they did not dare paddle too hard, for fear of being heard.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading THE FIGHT ON THE RIVER.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading The current in the river was running barely a mile an hour, and it was difficult to make the canoes go more than four or five, even by paddling desperately.
paddleverbUS /ˈpædəl/
propel with a paddle
From this reading And at first they did not dare paddle too hard, for fear of being heard.
paddlingverbUS /ˈpædəlɪŋ/
-ing form of “paddle” — propel with a paddle
From this reading The current in the river was running barely a mile an hour, and it was difficult to make the canoes go more than four or five, even by paddling desperately.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading But as soon as they got well round the first bend, they put their backs into it, and finally the Baker's boat drew ahead.
a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)
From this reading THE FIGHT ON THE RIVER.
a charge of ammunition for a single shot
From this reading But as soon as they got well round the first bend, they put their backs into it, and finally the Baker's boat drew ahead.
(of fluids) moving or issuing in a stream
From this reading The current in the river was running barely a mile an hour, and it was difficult to make the canoes go more than four or five, even by paddling desperately.
cut with a saw
From this reading When he saw this, Mandeville stopped paddling.
in the near future
From this reading But as soon as they got well round the first bend, they put their backs into it, and finally the Baker's boat drew ahead.
(of a nose) blocked
From this reading When he saw this, Mandeville stopped paddling.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading The current in the river was running barely a mile an hour, and it was difficult to make the canoes go more than four or five, even by paddling desperately.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE FIGHT ON THE RIVER.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading But as soon as they got well round the first bend, they put their backs into it, and finally the Baker's boat drew ahead.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading And at first they did not dare paddle too hard, for fear of being heard.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading When he saw this, Mandeville stopped paddling.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The current in the river was running barely a mile an hour, and it was difficult to make the canoes go more than four or five, even by paddling desperately.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading And at first they did not dare paddle too hard, for fear of being heard.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The current in the river was running barely a mile an hour, and it was difficult to make the canoes go more than four or five, even by paddling desperately.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading But as soon as they got well round the first bend, they put their backs into it, and finally the Baker's boat drew ahead.
at the time that
From this reading When he saw this, Mandeville stopped paddling.
