used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Assuredly it was a surprising sight that greeted the eyes of Harry and Ben Stubbs as the latter pulled the skiff around the point.
AboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading Above all, why had the shot been fired?
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading Above all, why had the shot been fired?
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Assuredly it was a surprising sight that greeted the eyes of Harry and Ben Stubbs as the latter pulled the skiff around the point.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading Assuredly it was a surprising sight that greeted the eyes of Harry and Ben Stubbs as the latter pulled the skiff around the point.
arousedadjectiveUS /ərˈaʊzd/
aroused to action
From this reading From her bow a puff of smoke was drifting away, showing that she had been the craft that had fired the shot which had aroused them.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Assuredly it was a surprising sight that greeted the eyes of Harry and Ben Stubbs as the latter pulled the skiff around the point.
AssuredlyadverbUS /əˈʃʊrədli/
without a doubt
From this reading Assuredly it was a surprising sight that greeted the eyes of Harry and Ben Stubbs as the latter pulled the skiff around the point.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Not half a mile away lay a dull, gray-colored craft like a gunboat, with the Stars and Stripes floating from her stern.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading But what could she be doing?
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading From her bow a puff of smoke was drifting away, showing that she had been the craft that had fired the shot which had aroused them.
a mountain or tall hill
From this reading Assuredly it was a surprising sight that greeted the eyes of Harry and Ben Stubbs as the latter pulled the skiff around the point.
a knot with two loops and loose ends; used to tie shoelaces
From this reading From her bow a puff of smoke was drifting away, showing that she had been the craft that had fired the shot which had aroused them.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But what could she be doing?
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading But what could she be doing?
the skilled practice of a practical occupation
From this reading Not half a mile away lay a dull, gray-colored craft like a gunboat, with the Stars and Stripes floating from her stern.
-ing form of “do” — engage in
From this reading But what could she be doing?
driftingnounUS /ˈdrɪftɪŋ/
aimless wandering from place to place
From this reading From her bow a puff of smoke was drifting away, showing that she had been the craft that had fired the shot which had aroused them.
lacking in liveliness or animation
From this reading Not half a mile away lay a dull, gray-colored craft like a gunboat, with the Stars and Stripes floating from her stern.
opinion or judgment
From this reading Assuredly it was a surprising sight that greeted the eyes of Harry and Ben Stubbs as the latter pulled the skiff around the point.
firedadjectiveUS /ˈfaɪərd/
having lost your job
From this reading From her bow a puff of smoke was drifting away, showing that she had been the craft that had fired the shot which had aroused them.
floatingadjectiveUS /ˈfloʊtɪŋ/
borne up by or suspended in a liquid
From this reading Not half a mile away lay a dull, gray-colored craft like a gunboat, with the Stars and Stripes floating from her stern.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Not half a mile away lay a dull, gray-colored craft like a gunboat, with the Stars and Stripes floating from her stern.
gray-colored
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Not half a mile away lay a dull, gray-colored craft like a gunboat, with the Stars and Stripes floating from her stern.
past form of “greet” — express greetings upon meeting someone
From this reading Assuredly it was a surprising sight that greeted the eyes of Harry and Ben Stubbs as the latter pulled the skiff around the point.
gunboatnounUS /ˈɡʌnboʊt/
a small shallow-draft boat carrying mounted guns; used by costal patrols
From this reading Not half a mile away lay a dull, gray-colored craft like a gunboat, with the Stars and Stripes floating from her stern.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading From her bow a puff of smoke was drifting away, showing that she had been the craft that had fired the shot which had aroused them.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading Not half a mile away lay a dull, gray-colored craft like a gunboat, with the Stars and Stripes floating from her stern.
annoy continually or chronically
From this reading Assuredly it was a surprising sight that greeted the eyes of Harry and Ben Stubbs as the latter pulled the skiff around the point.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Not half a mile away lay a dull, gray-colored craft like a gunboat, with the Stars and Stripes floating from her stern.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Assuredly it was a surprising sight that greeted the eyes of Harry and Ben Stubbs as the latter pulled the skiff around the point.
referring to the second of two things or persons mentioned (or the last one or ones of several)
From this reading Assuredly it was a surprising sight that greeted the eyes of Harry and Ben Stubbs as the latter pulled the skiff around the point.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading Not half a mile away lay a dull, gray-colored craft like a gunboat, with the Stars and Stripes floating from her stern.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Not half a mile away lay a dull, gray-colored craft like a gunboat, with the Stars and Stripes floating from her stern.
a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters
From this reading Not half a mile away lay a dull, gray-colored craft like a gunboat, with the Stars and Stripes floating from her stern.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Not half a mile away lay a dull, gray-colored craft like a gunboat, with the Stars and Stripes floating from her stern.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Assuredly it was a surprising sight that greeted the eyes of Harry and Ben Stubbs as the latter pulled the skiff around the point.
a geometric element that has position but no extension
From this reading Assuredly it was a surprising sight that greeted the eyes of Harry and Ben Stubbs as the latter pulled the skiff around the point.
puffverbUS /pʌf/
smoke and exhale strongly
From this reading From her bow a puff of smoke was drifting away, showing that she had been the craft that had fired the shot which had aroused them.
past form of “pull” — cause to move by pulling
From this reading Assuredly it was a surprising sight that greeted the eyes of Harry and Ben Stubbs as the latter pulled the skiff around the point.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading From her bow a puff of smoke was drifting away, showing that she had been the craft that had fired the shot which had aroused them.
the act of firing a projectile
From this reading From her bow a puff of smoke was drifting away, showing that she had been the craft that had fired the shot which had aroused them.
the display of a motion picture
From this reading From her bow a puff of smoke was drifting away, showing that she had been the craft that had fired the shot which had aroused them.
an instance of visual perception
From this reading Assuredly it was a surprising sight that greeted the eyes of Harry and Ben Stubbs as the latter pulled the skiff around the point.
skiffnounUS /skɪf/
any of various small boats propelled by oars or by sails or by a motor
From this reading Assuredly it was a surprising sight that greeted the eyes of Harry and Ben Stubbs as the latter pulled the skiff around the point.
a cloud of fine particles suspended in a gas
From this reading From her bow a puff of smoke was drifting away, showing that she had been the craft that had fired the shot which had aroused them.
plural of “star” — (astronomy) a celestial body of hot gases that radiates energy derived from thermonuclear reactions in the interior
From this reading Not half a mile away lay a dull, gray-colored craft like a gunboat, with the Stars and Stripes floating from her stern.
sternadjectiveUS /stɜːrn/
of a stern or strict bearing or demeanor; forbidding in aspect
From this reading Not half a mile away lay a dull, gray-colored craft like a gunboat, with the Stars and Stripes floating from her stern.
StripesnounUS /straɪps/
V-shaped sleeve badge indicating military rank and service
From this reading Not half a mile away lay a dull, gray-colored craft like a gunboat, with the Stars and Stripes floating from her stern.
StubbsnounUS /stʌbz/
English historian noted for his constitutional history of medieval England (1825-1901)
From this reading Assuredly it was a surprising sight that greeted the eyes of Harry and Ben Stubbs as the latter pulled the skiff around the point.
surprisingadjectiveUS /sərˈpraɪzɪŋ/
causing surprise or wonder or amazement
From this reading Assuredly it was a surprising sight that greeted the eyes of Harry and Ben Stubbs as the latter pulled the skiff around the point.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Assuredly it was a surprising sight that greeted the eyes of Harry and Ben Stubbs as the latter pulled the skiff around the point.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Assuredly it was a surprising sight that greeted the eyes of Harry and Ben Stubbs as the latter pulled the skiff around the point.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading From her bow a puff of smoke was drifting away, showing that she had been the craft that had fired the shot which had aroused them.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Assuredly it was a surprising sight that greeted the eyes of Harry and Ben Stubbs as the latter pulled the skiff around the point.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading But what could she be doing?
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading From her bow a puff of smoke was drifting away, showing that she had been the craft that had fired the shot which had aroused them.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading Above all, why had the shot been fired?
in the company of; together with
From this reading Not half a mile away lay a dull, gray-colored craft like a gunboat, with the Stars and Stripes floating from her stern.
