used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading They were slipping quietly along at the time under the influence of a steady though gentle breeze, which had sprung up and filled their sail soon after they lay down to rest.
(followed by “to”) in agreement with or accordant with
From this reading Turning on his back, according to custom, he went at the foot like a submarine thunderbolt.
aforesaidadjectiveUS /əˈfɔːrsed/
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading Now, it was at that precise moment that Robin Wright snored, as aforesaid.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading They were slipping quietly along at the time under the influence of a steady though gentle breeze, which had sprung up and filled their sail soon after they lay down to rest.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading They were slipping quietly along at the time under the influence of a steady though gentle breeze, which had sprung up and filled their sail soon after they lay down to rest.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading An early shark, intent on picking up sea-worms, observed Stumps's foot, and licked his lips, no doubt.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading They were slipping quietly along at the time under the influence of a steady though gentle breeze, which had sprung up and filled their sail soon after they lay down to rest.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Now, it was at that precise moment that Robin Wright snored, as aforesaid.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading They were slipping quietly along at the time under the influence of a steady though gentle breeze, which had sprung up and filled their sail soon after they lay down to rest.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading Turning on his back, according to custom, he went at the foot like a submarine thunderbolt.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading He sank immediately for much the same reason that little boys retire to take a race before a leap.
plural of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading He sank immediately for much the same reason that little boys retire to take a race before a leap.
a slight wind (usually refreshing)
From this reading They were slipping quietly along at the time under the influence of a steady though gentle breeze, which had sprung up and filled their sail soon after they lay down to rest.
accepted or habitual practice
From this reading Turning on his back, according to custom, he went at the foot like a submarine thunderbolt.
the state of being unsure of something
From this reading An early shark, intent on picking up sea-worms, observed Stumps's foot, and licked his lips, no doubt.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading They were slipping quietly along at the time under the influence of a steady though gentle breeze, which had sprung up and filled their sail soon after they lay down to rest.
earlyadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrli/
at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time
From this reading An early shark, intent on picking up sea-worms, observed Stumps's foot, and licked his lips, no doubt.
(usually followed by “with” or used as a combining form) generously supplied with
From this reading They were slipping quietly along at the time under the influence of a steady though gentle breeze, which had sprung up and filled their sail soon after they lay down to rest.
the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading An early shark, intent on picking up sea-worms, observed Stumps's foot, and licked his lips, no doubt.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He sank immediately for much the same reason that little boys retire to take a race before a leap.
soft and mild; not harsh or stern or severe
From this reading They were slipping quietly along at the time under the influence of a steady though gentle breeze, which had sprung up and filled their sail soon after they lay down to rest.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading They were slipping quietly along at the time under the influence of a steady though gentle breeze, which had sprung up and filled their sail soon after they lay down to rest.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He sank immediately for much the same reason that little boys retire to take a race before a leap.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading An early shark, intent on picking up sea-worms, observed Stumps's foot, and licked his lips, no doubt.
without delay or hesitation; with no time intervening
From this reading He sank immediately for much the same reason that little boys retire to take a race before a leap.
a power to affect persons or events especially power based on prestige etc
From this reading They were slipping quietly along at the time under the influence of a steady though gentle breeze, which had sprung up and filled their sail soon after they lay down to rest.
intentnounUS /ˌɪnˈtent/
an anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your planned actions
From this reading An early shark, intent on picking up sea-worms, observed Stumps's foot, and licked his lips, no doubt.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Now, it was at that precise moment that Robin Wright snored, as aforesaid.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading They were slipping quietly along at the time under the influence of a steady though gentle breeze, which had sprung up and filled their sail soon after they lay down to rest.
leapnounUS /liːp/
a light, self-propelled movement upwards or forwards
From this reading He sank immediately for much the same reason that little boys retire to take a race before a leap.
lickedadjectiveUS /lɪkt/
having been got the better of
From this reading An early shark, intent on picking up sea-worms, observed Stumps's foot, and licked his lips, no doubt.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Turning on his back, according to custom, he went at the foot like a submarine thunderbolt.
plural of “lip” — either of two fleshy folds of tissue that surround the mouth and play a role in speaking
From this reading An early shark, intent on picking up sea-worms, observed Stumps's foot, and licked his lips, no doubt.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading He sank immediately for much the same reason that little boys retire to take a race before a leap.
a particular point in time
From this reading Now, it was at that precise moment that Robin Wright snored, as aforesaid.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading He sank immediately for much the same reason that little boys retire to take a race before a leap.
not any; not one
From this reading An early shark, intent on picking up sea-worms, observed Stumps's foot, and licked his lips, no doubt.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Now, it was at that precise moment that Robin Wright snored, as aforesaid.
discovered or determined by scientific observation
From this reading An early shark, intent on picking up sea-worms, observed Stumps's foot, and licked his lips, no doubt.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading They were slipping quietly along at the time under the influence of a steady though gentle breeze, which had sprung up and filled their sail soon after they lay down to rest.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading An early shark, intent on picking up sea-worms, observed Stumps's foot, and licked his lips, no doubt.
pickingnounUS /ˈpɪkɪŋ/
the quantity of a crop that is harvested
From this reading An early shark, intent on picking up sea-worms, observed Stumps's foot, and licked his lips, no doubt.
preciseadjectiveUS /prɪˈsaɪs/
sharply exact or accurate or delimited
From this reading Now, it was at that precise moment that Robin Wright snored, as aforesaid.
with low volume
From this reading They were slipping quietly along at the time under the influence of a steady though gentle breeze, which had sprung up and filled their sail soon after they lay down to rest.
any competition
From this reading He sank immediately for much the same reason that little boys retire to take a race before a leap.
a rational motive for a belief or action
From this reading He sank immediately for much the same reason that little boys retire to take a race before a leap.
not move; be in a resting position
From this reading They were slipping quietly along at the time under the influence of a steady though gentle breeze, which had sprung up and filled their sail soon after they lay down to rest.
retireverbUS /rɪˈtaɪr/
go into retirement; stop performing one's work or withdraw from one's position
From this reading He sank immediately for much the same reason that little boys retire to take a race before a leap.
RobinnounUS /ˈrɑːbən/
small Old World songbird with a reddish breast
From this reading Now, it was at that precise moment that Robin Wright snored, as aforesaid.
traverse or travel on (a body of water)
From this reading They were slipping quietly along at the time under the influence of a steady though gentle breeze, which had sprung up and filled their sail soon after they lay down to rest.
Identical; not different.
From this reading He sank immediately for much the same reason that little boys retire to take a race before a leap.
inflected form of “sink” — fall or descend to a lower place or level
From this reading He sank immediately for much the same reason that little boys retire to take a race before a leap.
sea-worms
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading An early shark, intent on picking up sea-worms, observed Stumps's foot, and licked his lips, no doubt.
sharknounUS /ʃɑːrk/
any of numerous elongate mostly marine carnivorous fishes with heterocercal caudal fins and tough skin covered with small toothlike scales
From this reading An early shark, intent on picking up sea-worms, observed Stumps's foot, and licked his lips, no doubt.
slippingadjectiveUS /ˈslɪpɪŋ/
moving as on a slippery surface
From this reading They were slipping quietly along at the time under the influence of a steady though gentle breeze, which had sprung up and filled their sail soon after they lay down to rest.
snored
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now, it was at that precise moment that Robin Wright snored, as aforesaid.
in the near future
From this reading They were slipping quietly along at the time under the influence of a steady though gentle breeze, which had sprung up and filled their sail soon after they lay down to rest.
sprungverbUS /sprʌŋ/
inflected form of “spring” — move forward by leaps and bounds
From this reading They were slipping quietly along at the time under the influence of a steady though gentle breeze, which had sprung up and filled their sail soon after they lay down to rest.
make steady
From this reading They were slipping quietly along at the time under the influence of a steady though gentle breeze, which had sprung up and filled their sail soon after they lay down to rest.
Stumps's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading An early shark, intent on picking up sea-worms, observed Stumps's foot, and licked his lips, no doubt.
submarinenounUS /ˈsʌbməriːn/
a submersible warship usually armed with torpedoes
From this reading Turning on his back, according to custom, he went at the foot like a submarine thunderbolt.
carry out
From this reading He sank immediately for much the same reason that little boys retire to take a race before a leap.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He sank immediately for much the same reason that little boys retire to take a race before a leap.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading They were slipping quietly along at the time under the influence of a steady though gentle breeze, which had sprung up and filled their sail soon after they lay down to rest.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading They were slipping quietly along at the time under the influence of a steady though gentle breeze, which had sprung up and filled their sail soon after they lay down to rest.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They were slipping quietly along at the time under the influence of a steady though gentle breeze, which had sprung up and filled their sail soon after they lay down to rest.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading They were slipping quietly along at the time under the influence of a steady though gentle breeze, which had sprung up and filled their sail soon after they lay down to rest.
thunderboltnounUS /ˈθʌndərbɔːlt/
a discharge of lightning accompanied by thunder
From this reading Turning on his back, according to custom, he went at the foot like a submarine thunderbolt.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading They were slipping quietly along at the time under the influence of a steady though gentle breeze, which had sprung up and filled their sail soon after they lay down to rest.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading They were slipping quietly along at the time under the influence of a steady though gentle breeze, which had sprung up and filled their sail soon after they lay down to rest.
the act of changing or reversing the direction of the course
From this reading Turning on his back, according to custom, he went at the foot like a submarine thunderbolt.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading They were slipping quietly along at the time under the influence of a steady though gentle breeze, which had sprung up and filled their sail soon after they lay down to rest.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading They were slipping quietly along at the time under the influence of a steady though gentle breeze, which had sprung up and filled their sail soon after they lay down to rest.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Now, it was at that precise moment that Robin Wright snored, as aforesaid.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading Turning on his back, according to custom, he went at the foot like a submarine thunderbolt.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading They were slipping quietly along at the time under the influence of a steady though gentle breeze, which had sprung up and filled their sail soon after they lay down to rest.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading They were slipping quietly along at the time under the influence of a steady though gentle breeze, which had sprung up and filled their sail soon after they lay down to rest.
WrightnounUS /raɪt/
United States writer of detective novels (1888-1939)
From this reading Now, it was at that precise moment that Robin Wright snored, as aforesaid.
