used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The vessel was a brig-rigged cruiser, not very large, but, judging from the heaviness of her spars that towered above in the darkness, she was very fast, capable of overhauling the majority of traders.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading The vessel was a brig-rigged cruiser, not very large, but, judging from the heaviness of her spars that towered above in the darkness, she was very fast, capable of overhauling the majority of traders.
aloftadverbUS /əˈlɔːft/
at or on or to the masthead or upper rigging of a ship
From this reading She would not have caught _The Gentle Hand_ in a breeze of any weight, and, as I gazed at her, I remembered the sail I had seen before dark, and to which I had called Bill’s attention while aloft.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading Lights were in the gangway, and forms showed along the rail.
alongsideadverbUS /əˈlɔːŋˈsaɪd/
side by side
From this reading When we came alongside the man-of-war, another small boat had already arrived.
prior to a specified or implied time
From this reading When we came alongside the man-of-war, another small boat had already arrived.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Lights were in the gangway, and forms showed along the rail.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading When we came alongside the man-of-war, another small boat had already arrived.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading She would not have caught _The Gentle Hand_ in a breeze of any weight, and, as I gazed at her, I remembered the sail I had seen before dark, and to which I had called Bill’s attention while aloft.
past form of “arrive” — reach a destination; arrive by movement or progress
From this reading When we came alongside the man-of-war, another small boat had already arrived.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading She would not have caught _The Gentle Hand_ in a breeze of any weight, and, as I gazed at her, I remembered the sail I had seen before dark, and to which I had called Bill’s attention while aloft.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading She would not have caught _The Gentle Hand_ in a breeze of any weight, and, as I gazed at her, I remembered the sail I had seen before dark, and to which I had called Bill’s attention while aloft.
the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others
From this reading She would not have caught _The Gentle Hand_ in a breeze of any weight, and, as I gazed at her, I remembered the sail I had seen before dark, and to which I had called Bill’s attention while aloft.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading She would not have caught _The Gentle Hand_ in a breeze of any weight, and, as I gazed at her, I remembered the sail I had seen before dark, and to which I had called Bill’s attention while aloft.
Bill'snounUS /bɪlz/
possessive form of “bill” — a statute in draft before it becomes law
From this reading She would not have caught _The Gentle Hand_ in a breeze of any weight, and, as I gazed at her, I remembered the sail I had seen before dark, and to which I had called Bill’s attention while aloft.
a small vessel for travel on water
From this reading When we came alongside the man-of-war, another small boat had already arrived.
a slight wind (usually refreshing)
From this reading She would not have caught _The Gentle Hand_ in a breeze of any weight, and, as I gazed at her, I remembered the sail I had seen before dark, and to which I had called Bill’s attention while aloft.
brig-rigged
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The vessel was a brig-rigged cruiser, not very large, but, judging from the heaviness of her spars that towered above in the darkness, she was very fast, capable of overhauling the majority of traders.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The vessel was a brig-rigged cruiser, not very large, but, judging from the heaviness of her spars that towered above in the darkness, she was very fast, capable of overhauling the majority of traders.
past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading She would not have caught _The Gentle Hand_ in a breeze of any weight, and, as I gazed at her, I remembered the sail I had seen before dark, and to which I had called Bill’s attention while aloft.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading When we came alongside the man-of-war, another small boat had already arrived.
(usually followed by “of”) having capacity or ability
From this reading The vessel was a brig-rigged cruiser, not very large, but, judging from the heaviness of her spars that towered above in the darkness, she was very fast, capable of overhauling the majority of traders.
inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading She would not have caught _The Gentle Hand_ in a breeze of any weight, and, as I gazed at her, I remembered the sail I had seen before dark, and to which I had called Bill’s attention while aloft.
inflected form of “creep” — move slowly; in the case of people or animals with the body near the ground
From this reading This vessel was evidently the one seen but not reported, and she had probably crept up on us in the darkness without our knowing it.
cruisernounUS /ˈkruːzər/
a car in which policemen cruise the streets; equipped with radiotelephonic communications to headquarters
From this reading The vessel was a brig-rigged cruiser, not very large, but, judging from the heaviness of her spars that towered above in the darkness, she was very fast, capable of overhauling the majority of traders.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading She would not have caught _The Gentle Hand_ in a breeze of any weight, and, as I gazed at her, I remembered the sail I had seen before dark, and to which I had called Bill’s attention while aloft.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading The vessel was a brig-rigged cruiser, not very large, but, judging from the heaviness of her spars that towered above in the darkness, she was very fast, capable of overhauling the majority of traders.
unmistakably (“plain” is often used informally for “plainly”)
From this reading This vessel was evidently the one seen but not reported, and she had probably crept up on us in the darkness without our knowing it.
quickly or rapidly (often used as a combining form)
From this reading The vessel was a brig-rigged cruiser, not very large, but, judging from the heaviness of her spars that towered above in the darkness, she was very fast, capable of overhauling the majority of traders.
plural of “form” — the phonological or orthographic sound or appearance of a word that can be used to describe or identify something
From this reading Lights were in the gangway, and forms showed along the rail.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The vessel was a brig-rigged cruiser, not very large, but, judging from the heaviness of her spars that towered above in the darkness, she was very fast, capable of overhauling the majority of traders.
gangwaynoun
a temporary passageway of planks (as over mud on a building site)
From this reading Lights were in the gangway, and forms showed along the rail.
past form of “gaze” — look at with fixed eyes
From this reading She would not have caught _The Gentle Hand_ in a breeze of any weight, and, as I gazed at her, I remembered the sail I had seen before dark, and to which I had called Bill’s attention while aloft.
soft and mild; not harsh or stern or severe
From this reading She would not have caught _The Gentle Hand_ in a breeze of any weight, and, as I gazed at her, I remembered the sail I had seen before dark, and to which I had called Bill’s attention while aloft.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading When we came alongside the man-of-war, another small boat had already arrived.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading She would not have caught _The Gentle Hand_ in a breeze of any weight, and, as I gazed at her, I remembered the sail I had seen before dark, and to which I had called Bill’s attention while aloft.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading She would not have caught _The Gentle Hand_ in a breeze of any weight, and, as I gazed at her, I remembered the sail I had seen before dark, and to which I had called Bill’s attention while aloft.
heavinessnoun
the property of being comparatively great in weight
From this reading The vessel was a brig-rigged cruiser, not very large, but, judging from the heaviness of her spars that towered above in the darkness, she was very fast, capable of overhauling the majority of traders.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading The vessel was a brig-rigged cruiser, not very large, but, judging from the heaviness of her spars that towered above in the darkness, she was very fast, capable of overhauling the majority of traders.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading She would not have caught _The Gentle Hand_ in a breeze of any weight, and, as I gazed at her, I remembered the sail I had seen before dark, and to which I had called Bill’s attention while aloft.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Lights were in the gangway, and forms showed along the rail.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading This vessel was evidently the one seen but not reported, and she had probably crept up on us in the darkness without our knowing it.
judgingnounUS /ˈdʒʌdʒɪŋ/
the cognitive process of reaching a decision or drawing conclusions
From this reading The vessel was a brig-rigged cruiser, not very large, but, judging from the heaviness of her spars that towered above in the darkness, she was very fast, capable of overhauling the majority of traders.
evidencing the possession of inside information
From this reading This vessel was evidently the one seen but not reported, and she had probably crept up on us in the darkness without our knowing it.
largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The vessel was a brig-rigged cruiser, not very large, but, judging from the heaviness of her spars that towered above in the darkness, she was very fast, capable of overhauling the majority of traders.
plural of “light” — (physics) electromagnetic radiation that can produce a visual sensation
From this reading Lights were in the gangway, and forms showed along the rail.
majoritynounUS /məˈdʒɔːrəti/
the property resulting from being or relating to the greater in number of two parts; the main part
From this reading The vessel was a brig-rigged cruiser, not very large, but, judging from the heaviness of her spars that towered above in the darkness, she was very fast, capable of overhauling the majority of traders.
man-of-warnoun
a warship intended for combat
From this reading When we came alongside the man-of-war, another small boat had already arrived.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The vessel was a brig-rigged cruiser, not very large, but, judging from the heaviness of her spars that towered above in the darkness, she was very fast, capable of overhauling the majority of traders.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The vessel was a brig-rigged cruiser, not very large, but, judging from the heaviness of her spars that towered above in the darkness, she was very fast, capable of overhauling the majority of traders.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading This vessel was evidently the one seen but not reported, and she had probably crept up on us in the darkness without our knowing it.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading This vessel was evidently the one seen but not reported, and she had probably crept up on us in the darkness without our knowing it.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading This vessel was evidently the one seen but not reported, and she had probably crept up on us in the darkness without our knowing it.
overhaulingverbUS /ˈoʊvərhɔːlɪŋ/
-ing form of “overhaul” — travel past
From this reading The vessel was a brig-rigged cruiser, not very large, but, judging from the heaviness of her spars that towered above in the darkness, she was very fast, capable of overhauling the majority of traders.
with considerable certainty; without much doubt
From this reading This vessel was evidently the one seen but not reported, and she had probably crept up on us in the darkness without our knowing it.
railnounUS /reɪl/
a barrier consisting of a horizontal bar and supports
From this reading Lights were in the gangway, and forms showed along the rail.
past form of “remember” — recall knowledge from memory; have a recollection
From this reading She would not have caught _The Gentle Hand_ in a breeze of any weight, and, as I gazed at her, I remembered the sail I had seen before dark, and to which I had called Bill’s attention while aloft.
made known or told about; especially presented in a formal account
From this reading This vessel was evidently the one seen but not reported, and she had probably crept up on us in the darkness without our knowing it.
traverse or travel on (a body of water)
From this reading She would not have caught _The Gentle Hand_ in a breeze of any weight, and, as I gazed at her, I remembered the sail I had seen before dark, and to which I had called Bill’s attention while aloft.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading She would not have caught _The Gentle Hand_ in a breeze of any weight, and, as I gazed at her, I remembered the sail I had seen before dark, and to which I had called Bill’s attention while aloft.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The vessel was a brig-rigged cruiser, not very large, but, judging from the heaviness of her spars that towered above in the darkness, she was very fast, capable of overhauling the majority of traders.
past form of “show” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading Lights were in the gangway, and forms showed along the rail.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading When we came alongside the man-of-war, another small boat had already arrived.
spars
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The vessel was a brig-rigged cruiser, not very large, but, judging from the heaviness of her spars that towered above in the darkness, she was very fast, capable of overhauling the majority of traders.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The vessel was a brig-rigged cruiser, not very large, but, judging from the heaviness of her spars that towered above in the darkness, she was very fast, capable of overhauling the majority of traders.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading When we came alongside the man-of-war, another small boat had already arrived.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This vessel was evidently the one seen but not reported, and she had probably crept up on us in the darkness without our knowing it.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading She would not have caught _The Gentle Hand_ in a breeze of any weight, and, as I gazed at her, I remembered the sail I had seen before dark, and to which I had called Bill’s attention while aloft.
toweredverbUS /ˈtaʊərd/
past form of “tower” — appear very large or occupy a commanding position
From this reading The vessel was a brig-rigged cruiser, not very large, but, judging from the heaviness of her spars that towered above in the darkness, she was very fast, capable of overhauling the majority of traders.
tradersnounUS /ˈtreɪdərz/
plural of “trader” — someone who purchases and maintains an inventory of goods to be sold
From this reading The vessel was a brig-rigged cruiser, not very large, but, judging from the heaviness of her spars that towered above in the darkness, she was very fast, capable of overhauling the majority of traders.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading This vessel was evidently the one seen but not reported, and she had probably crept up on us in the darkness without our knowing it.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading This vessel was evidently the one seen but not reported, and she had probably crept up on us in the darkness without our knowing it.
precisely as stated
From this reading The vessel was a brig-rigged cruiser, not very large, but, judging from the heaviness of her spars that towered above in the darkness, she was very fast, capable of overhauling the majority of traders.
a tube in which a body fluid circulates
From this reading The vessel was a brig-rigged cruiser, not very large, but, judging from the heaviness of her spars that towered above in the darkness, she was very fast, capable of overhauling the majority of traders.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The vessel was a brig-rigged cruiser, not very large, but, judging from the heaviness of her spars that towered above in the darkness, she was very fast, capable of overhauling the majority of traders.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading When we came alongside the man-of-war, another small boat had already arrived.
the vertical force exerted by a mass as a result of gravity
From this reading She would not have caught _The Gentle Hand_ in a breeze of any weight, and, as I gazed at her, I remembered the sail I had seen before dark, and to which I had called Bill’s attention while aloft.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Lights were in the gangway, and forms showed along the rail.
at the time that
From this reading When we came alongside the man-of-war, another small boat had already arrived.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading She would not have caught _The Gentle Hand_ in a breeze of any weight, and, as I gazed at her, I remembered the sail I had seen before dark, and to which I had called Bill’s attention while aloft.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading She would not have caught _The Gentle Hand_ in a breeze of any weight, and, as I gazed at her, I remembered the sail I had seen before dark, and to which I had called Bill’s attention while aloft.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading This vessel was evidently the one seen but not reported, and she had probably crept up on us in the darkness without our knowing it.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading She would not have caught _The Gentle Hand_ in a breeze of any weight, and, as I gazed at her, I remembered the sail I had seen before dark, and to which I had called Bill’s attention while aloft.
