used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A heavy-built, squat Guinea, as the Portuguese here are called, greeted us as we sprang ashore.
(sentence connectors) because of the reason given
From this reading His white teeth showed in an ugly smile, as he explained in broken English that we had been mistaken for the boat of a British cruiser that had been lately on the coast, and he had fired at us accordingly.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading His white teeth showed in an ugly smile, as he explained in broken English that we had been mistaken for the boat of a British cruiser that had been lately on the coast, and he had fired at us accordingly.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He was a villainous-looking scoundrel, and his rifle and knife did little to improve his formidable appearance.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading Several rascally black men armed with rifles now came from the palisade, and we seized our rifles from the boat to be ready for any tricks.
outward or visible aspect of a person or thing
From this reading He was a villainous-looking scoundrel, and his rifle and knife did little to improve his formidable appearance.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading A heavy-built, squat Guinea, as the Portuguese here are called, greeted us as we sprang ashore.
(used of persons or the military) characterized by having or bearing arms
From this reading Several rascally black men armed with rifles now came from the palisade, and we seized our rifles from the boat to be ready for any tricks.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading A heavy-built, squat Guinea, as the Portuguese here are called, greeted us as we sprang ashore.
towards the shore from the water
From this reading A heavy-built, squat Guinea, as the Portuguese here are called, greeted us as we sprang ashore.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading His white teeth showed in an ugly smile, as he explained in broken English that we had been mistaken for the boat of a British cruiser that had been lately on the coast, and he had fired at us accordingly.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Several rascally black men armed with rifles now came from the palisade, and we seized our rifles from the boat to be ready for any tricks.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading His white teeth showed in an ugly smile, as he explained in broken English that we had been mistaken for the boat of a British cruiser that had been lately on the coast, and he had fired at us accordingly.
accept as true; take to be true
From this reading Hicks was not ready to believe his lie, and, had it not been for the trader, would undoubtedly have pistolled him where he stood, but Dan was used to the tricks of the pirates, and knew better than to show his feelings.
(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another
From this reading Hicks was not ready to believe his lie, and, had it not been for the trader, would undoubtedly have pistolled him where he stood, but Dan was used to the tricks of the pirates, and knew better than to show his feelings.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading Several rascally black men armed with rifles now came from the palisade, and we seized our rifles from the boat to be ready for any tricks.
a small vessel for travel on water
From this reading His white teeth showed in an ugly smile, as he explained in broken English that we had been mistaken for the boat of a British cruiser that had been lately on the coast, and he had fired at us accordingly.
the people of Great Britain
From this reading His white teeth showed in an ugly smile, as he explained in broken English that we had been mistaken for the boat of a British cruiser that had been lately on the coast, and he had fired at us accordingly.
physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split
From this reading His white teeth showed in an ugly smile, as he explained in broken English that we had been mistaken for the boat of a British cruiser that had been lately on the coast, and he had fired at us accordingly.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Hicks was not ready to believe his lie, and, had it not been for the trader, would undoubtedly have pistolled him where he stood, but Dan was used to the tricks of the pirates, and knew better than to show his feelings.
past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading A heavy-built, squat Guinea, as the Portuguese here are called, greeted us as we sprang ashore.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Several rascally black men armed with rifles now came from the palisade, and we seized our rifles from the boat to be ready for any tricks.
the shore of a sea or ocean
From this reading His white teeth showed in an ugly smile, as he explained in broken English that we had been mistaken for the boat of a British cruiser that had been lately on the coast, and he had fired at us accordingly.
cruisernounUS /ˈkruːzər/
a car in which policemen cruise the streets; equipped with radiotelephonic communications to headquarters
From this reading His white teeth showed in an ugly smile, as he explained in broken English that we had been mistaken for the boat of a British cruiser that had been lately on the coast, and he had fired at us accordingly.
Dan
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Hicks was not ready to believe his lie, and, had it not been for the trader, would undoubtedly have pistolled him where he stood, but Dan was used to the tricks of the pirates, and knew better than to show his feelings.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading He was a villainous-looking scoundrel, and his rifle and knife did little to improve his formidable appearance.
an Indo-European language belonging to the West Germanic branch; the official language of Britain and the United States and most of the commonwealth countries
From this reading His white teeth showed in an ugly smile, as he explained in broken English that we had been mistaken for the boat of a British cruiser that had been lately on the coast, and he had fired at us accordingly.
past form of “explain” — make plain and comprehensible
From this reading His white teeth showed in an ugly smile, as he explained in broken English that we had been mistaken for the boat of a British cruiser that had been lately on the coast, and he had fired at us accordingly.
emotional or moral sensitivity (especially in relation to personal principles or dignity)
From this reading Hicks was not ready to believe his lie, and, had it not been for the trader, would undoubtedly have pistolled him where he stood, but Dan was used to the tricks of the pirates, and knew better than to show his feelings.
firedadjectiveUS /ˈfaɪərd/
having lost your job
From this reading His white teeth showed in an ugly smile, as he explained in broken English that we had been mistaken for the boat of a British cruiser that had been lately on the coast, and he had fired at us accordingly.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading His white teeth showed in an ugly smile, as he explained in broken English that we had been mistaken for the boat of a British cruiser that had been lately on the coast, and he had fired at us accordingly.
formidableadjectiveUS /ˈfɔːrmədəbəl/
extremely impressive in strength or excellence
From this reading He was a villainous-looking scoundrel, and his rifle and knife did little to improve his formidable appearance.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Several rascally black men armed with rifles now came from the palisade, and we seized our rifles from the boat to be ready for any tricks.
past form of “greet” — express greetings upon meeting someone
From this reading A heavy-built, squat Guinea, as the Portuguese here are called, greeted us as we sprang ashore.
GuineanounUS /ˈɡɪni/
a former British gold coin worth 21 shillings
From this reading A heavy-built, squat Guinea, as the Portuguese here are called, greeted us as we sprang ashore.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading His white teeth showed in an ugly smile, as he explained in broken English that we had been mistaken for the boat of a British cruiser that had been lately on the coast, and he had fired at us accordingly.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Hicks was not ready to believe his lie, and, had it not been for the trader, would undoubtedly have pistolled him where he stood, but Dan was used to the tricks of the pirates, and knew better than to show his feelings.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He was a villainous-looking scoundrel, and his rifle and knife did little to improve his formidable appearance.
heavy-built
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A heavy-built, squat Guinea, as the Portuguese here are called, greeted us as we sprang ashore.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading A heavy-built, squat Guinea, as the Portuguese here are called, greeted us as we sprang ashore.
HicksnounUS /hɪks/
plural of “hick” — a person who is not very intelligent or interested in culture
From this reading Hicks was not ready to believe his lie, and, had it not been for the trader, would undoubtedly have pistolled him where he stood, but Dan was used to the tricks of the pirates, and knew better than to show his feelings.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Hicks was not ready to believe his lie, and, had it not been for the trader, would undoubtedly have pistolled him where he stood, but Dan was used to the tricks of the pirates, and knew better than to show his feelings.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He was a villainous-looking scoundrel, and his rifle and knife did little to improve his formidable appearance.
improveverbUS /ˌɪmˈpruːv/
to make better
From this reading He was a villainous-looking scoundrel, and his rifle and knife did little to improve his formidable appearance.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading His white teeth showed in an ugly smile, as he explained in broken English that we had been mistaken for the boat of a British cruiser that had been lately on the coast, and he had fired at us accordingly.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Hicks was not ready to believe his lie, and, had it not been for the trader, would undoubtedly have pistolled him where he stood, but Dan was used to the tricks of the pirates, and knew better than to show his feelings.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading Hicks was not ready to believe his lie, and, had it not been for the trader, would undoubtedly have pistolled him where he stood, but Dan was used to the tricks of the pirates, and knew better than to show his feelings.
edge tool used as a cutting instrument; has a pointed blade with a sharp edge and a handle
From this reading He was a villainous-looking scoundrel, and his rifle and knife did little to improve his formidable appearance.
in the recent past
From this reading His white teeth showed in an ugly smile, as he explained in broken English that we had been mistaken for the boat of a British cruiser that had been lately on the coast, and he had fired at us accordingly.
be located or situated somewhere; occupy a certain position
From this reading Hicks was not ready to believe his lie, and, had it not been for the trader, would undoubtedly have pistolled him where he stood, but Dan was used to the tricks of the pirates, and knew better than to show his feelings.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading He was a villainous-looking scoundrel, and his rifle and knife did little to improve his formidable appearance.
the force of workers available
From this reading Several rascally black men armed with rifles now came from the palisade, and we seized our rifles from the boat to be ready for any tricks.
wrong in e.g. opinion or judgment
From this reading His white teeth showed in an ugly smile, as he explained in broken English that we had been mistaken for the boat of a British cruiser that had been lately on the coast, and he had fired at us accordingly.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Hicks was not ready to believe his lie, and, had it not been for the trader, would undoubtedly have pistolled him where he stood, but Dan was used to the tricks of the pirates, and knew better than to show his feelings.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Several rascally black men armed with rifles now came from the palisade, and we seized our rifles from the boat to be ready for any tricks.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading His white teeth showed in an ugly smile, as he explained in broken English that we had been mistaken for the boat of a British cruiser that had been lately on the coast, and he had fired at us accordingly.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading His white teeth showed in an ugly smile, as he explained in broken English that we had been mistaken for the boat of a British cruiser that had been lately on the coast, and he had fired at us accordingly.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading Several rascally black men armed with rifles now came from the palisade, and we seized our rifles from the boat to be ready for any tricks.
palisadenounUS /ˌpælɪˈseɪd/
fortification consisting of a strong fence made of stakes driven into the ground
From this reading Several rascally black men armed with rifles now came from the palisade, and we seized our rifles from the boat to be ready for any tricks.
piratesnounUS /ˈpaɪrəts/
plural of “pirate” — someone who uses another person's words or ideas as if they were his own
From this reading Hicks was not ready to believe his lie, and, had it not been for the trader, would undoubtedly have pistolled him where he stood, but Dan was used to the tricks of the pirates, and knew better than to show his feelings.
pistolled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Hicks was not ready to believe his lie, and, had it not been for the trader, would undoubtedly have pistolled him where he stood, but Dan was used to the tricks of the pirates, and knew better than to show his feelings.
PortuguesenounUS /ˈpɔːrtʃəɡiːz/
the Romance language spoken in Portugal and Brazil
From this reading A heavy-built, squat Guinea, as the Portuguese here are called, greeted us as we sprang ashore.
rascallyadjective
playful in an appealingly bold way
From this reading Several rascally black men armed with rifles now came from the palisade, and we seized our rifles from the boat to be ready for any tricks.
completely prepared or in condition for immediate action or use or progress
From this reading Hicks was not ready to believe his lie, and, had it not been for the trader, would undoubtedly have pistolled him where he stood, but Dan was used to the tricks of the pirates, and knew better than to show his feelings.
steal goods; take as spoils
From this reading He was a villainous-looking scoundrel, and his rifle and knife did little to improve his formidable appearance.
riflesnounUS /ˈraɪfəlz/
plural of “rifle” — a shoulder firearm with a long barrel and a rifled bore
From this reading Several rascally black men armed with rifles now came from the palisade, and we seized our rifles from the boat to be ready for any tricks.
scoundrelnounUS /ˈskaʊndrəl/
a wicked or evil person; someone who does evil deliberately
From this reading He was a villainous-looking scoundrel, and his rifle and knife did little to improve his formidable appearance.
past form of “seize” — take hold of; grab
From this reading Several rascally black men armed with rifles now came from the palisade, and we seized our rifles from the boat to be ready for any tricks.
(used with count nouns) of an indefinite number more than 2 or 3 but not many
From this reading Several rascally black men armed with rifles now came from the palisade, and we seized our rifles from the boat to be ready for any tricks.
give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading Hicks was not ready to believe his lie, and, had it not been for the trader, would undoubtedly have pistolled him where he stood, but Dan was used to the tricks of the pirates, and knew better than to show his feelings.
past form of “show” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading His white teeth showed in an ugly smile, as he explained in broken English that we had been mistaken for the boat of a British cruiser that had been lately on the coast, and he had fired at us accordingly.
change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure
From this reading His white teeth showed in an ugly smile, as he explained in broken English that we had been mistaken for the boat of a British cruiser that had been lately on the coast, and he had fired at us accordingly.
inflected form of “spring” — move forward by leaps and bounds
From this reading A heavy-built, squat Guinea, as the Portuguese here are called, greeted us as we sprang ashore.
squatverbUS /skwɑːt/
sit on one's heels
From this reading A heavy-built, squat Guinea, as the Portuguese here are called, greeted us as we sprang ashore.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading Hicks was not ready to believe his lie, and, had it not been for the trader, would undoubtedly have pistolled him where he stood, but Dan was used to the tricks of the pirates, and knew better than to show his feelings.
the kind and number and arrangement of teeth (collectively) in a person or animal
From this reading His white teeth showed in an ugly smile, as he explained in broken English that we had been mistaken for the boat of a British cruiser that had been lately on the coast, and he had fired at us accordingly.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Hicks was not ready to believe his lie, and, had it not been for the trader, would undoubtedly have pistolled him where he stood, but Dan was used to the tricks of the pirates, and knew better than to show his feelings.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading His white teeth showed in an ugly smile, as he explained in broken English that we had been mistaken for the boat of a British cruiser that had been lately on the coast, and he had fired at us accordingly.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A heavy-built, squat Guinea, as the Portuguese here are called, greeted us as we sprang ashore.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He was a villainous-looking scoundrel, and his rifle and knife did little to improve his formidable appearance.
tradernounUS /ˈtreɪdər/
someone who purchases and maintains an inventory of goods to be sold
From this reading Hicks was not ready to believe his lie, and, had it not been for the trader, would undoubtedly have pistolled him where he stood, but Dan was used to the tricks of the pirates, and knew better than to show his feelings.
tricksnounUS /trɪks/
plural of “trick” — a cunning or deceitful action or device
From this reading Hicks was not ready to believe his lie, and, had it not been for the trader, would undoubtedly have pistolled him where he stood, but Dan was used to the tricks of the pirates, and knew better than to show his feelings.
displeasing to the senses
From this reading His white teeth showed in an ugly smile, as he explained in broken English that we had been mistaken for the boat of a British cruiser that had been lately on the coast, and he had fired at us accordingly.
undoubtedlyadverbUS /ənˈdaʊtɪdli/
without doubt; certainly
From this reading Hicks was not ready to believe his lie, and, had it not been for the trader, would undoubtedly have pistolled him where he stood, but Dan was used to the tricks of the pirates, and knew better than to show his feelings.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading A heavy-built, squat Guinea, as the Portuguese here are called, greeted us as we sprang ashore.
employed in accomplishing something
From this reading Hicks was not ready to believe his lie, and, had it not been for the trader, would undoubtedly have pistolled him where he stood, but Dan was used to the tricks of the pirates, and knew better than to show his feelings.
villainous-looking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was a villainous-looking scoundrel, and his rifle and knife did little to improve his formidable appearance.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He was a villainous-looking scoundrel, and his rifle and knife did little to improve his formidable appearance.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading A heavy-built, squat Guinea, as the Portuguese here are called, greeted us as we sprang ashore.
in or at the place that
From this reading Hicks was not ready to believe his lie, and, had it not been for the trader, would undoubtedly have pistolled him where he stood, but Dan was used to the tricks of the pirates, and knew better than to show his feelings.
a Caucasian
From this reading His white teeth showed in an ugly smile, as he explained in broken English that we had been mistaken for the boat of a British cruiser that had been lately on the coast, and he had fired at us accordingly.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Several rascally black men armed with rifles now came from the palisade, and we seized our rifles from the boat to be ready for any tricks.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Hicks was not ready to believe his lie, and, had it not been for the trader, would undoubtedly have pistolled him where he stood, but Dan was used to the tricks of the pirates, and knew better than to show his feelings.
