used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading "I wonder where we had better strike in at first," said the captain, "there seems a powerful lot of them islands, an' they 'pear to me pretty much alike."
from one side of something to the other
From this reading "I have been keeping a kind of eye out all day," Charley answered, "and it seems to me that there has been a lot of birds flying around that little island of dead trees in the marsh right across from us.
equally
From this reading "I wonder where we had better strike in at first," said the captain, "there seems a powerful lot of them islands, an' they 'pear to me pretty much alike."
(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 "I have been keeping a kind of eye out all day," Charley answered, "and it seems to me that there has been a lot of birds flying around that little island of dead trees in the marsh right across from us.
prior to a specified or implied time
From this reading It was already late when the convicts departed, and our hunters immediately began their preparations for their first trial with the plume birds.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading "I wonder where we had better strike in at first," said the captain, "there seems a powerful lot of them islands, an' they 'pear to me pretty much alike."
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It was already late when the convicts departed, and our hunters immediately began their preparations for their first trial with the plume birds.
past form of “answer” — react verbally
From this reading "I have been keeping a kind of eye out all day," Charley answered, "and it seems to me that there has been a lot of birds flying around that little island of dead trees in the marsh right across from us.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading "I have been keeping a kind of eye out all day," Charley answered, "and it seems to me that there has been a lot of birds flying around that little island of dead trees in the marsh right across from us.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading "I wonder where we had better strike in at first," said the captain, "there seems a powerful lot of them islands, an' they 'pear to me pretty much alike."
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading "I have been keeping a kind of eye out all day," Charley answered, "and it seems to me that there has been a lot of birds flying around that little island of dead trees in the marsh right across from us.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading It was already late when the convicts departed, and our hunters immediately began their preparations for their first trial with the plume birds.
(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 "I wonder where we had better strike in at first," said the captain, "there seems a powerful lot of them islands, an' they 'pear to me pretty much alike."
plural of “bird” — warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings
From this reading It was already late when the convicts departed, and our hunters immediately began their preparations for their first trial with the plume birds.
an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant
From this reading "I wonder where we had better strike in at first," said the captain, "there seems a powerful lot of them islands, an' they 'pear to me pretty much alike."
Charley
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I have been keeping a kind of eye out all day," Charley answered, "and it seems to me that there has been a lot of birds flying around that little island of dead trees in the marsh right across from us.
convictsnounUS /ˈkɑːnvɪkts/
plural of “convict” — a person serving a sentence in a jail or prison
From this reading It was already late when the convicts departed, and our hunters immediately began their preparations for their first trial with the plume birds.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading "I have been keeping a kind of eye out all day," Charley answered, "and it seems to me that there has been a lot of birds flying around that little island of dead trees in the marsh right across from us.
no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life
From this reading "I have been keeping a kind of eye out all day," Charley answered, "and it seems to me that there has been a lot of birds flying around that little island of dead trees in the marsh right across from us.
well in the past; former
From this reading It was already late when the convicts departed, and our hunters immediately began their preparations for their first trial with the plume birds.
the organ of sight
From this reading "I have been keeping a kind of eye out all day," Charley answered, "and it seems to me that there has been a lot of birds flying around that little island of dead trees in the marsh right across from us.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading It was already late when the convicts departed, and our hunters immediately began their preparations for their first trial with the plume birds.
moving swiftly
From this reading "I have been keeping a kind of eye out all day," Charley answered, "and it seems to me that there has been a lot of birds flying around that little island of dead trees in the marsh right across from us.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading It was already late when the convicts departed, and our hunters immediately began their preparations for their first trial with the plume birds.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading "I have been keeping a kind of eye out all day," Charley answered, "and it seems to me that there has been a lot of birds flying around that little island of dead trees in the marsh right across from us.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading "I wonder where we had better strike in at first," said the captain, "there seems a powerful lot of them islands, an' they 'pear to me pretty much alike."
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "I have been keeping a kind of eye out all day," Charley answered, "and it seems to me that there has been a lot of birds flying around that little island of dead trees in the marsh right across from us.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading "I have been keeping a kind of eye out all day," Charley answered, "and it seems to me that there has been a lot of birds flying around that little island of dead trees in the marsh right across from us.
huntersnounUS /ˈhʌntərz/
plural of “hunter” — someone who hunts game
From this reading It was already late when the convicts departed, and our hunters immediately began their preparations for their first trial with the plume birds.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "I wonder where we had better strike in at first," said the captain, "there seems a powerful lot of them islands, an' they 'pear to me pretty much alike."
without delay or hesitation; with no time intervening
From this reading It was already late when the convicts departed, and our hunters immediately began their preparations for their first trial with the plume birds.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "I wonder where we had better strike in at first," said the captain, "there seems a powerful lot of them islands, an' they 'pear to me pretty much alike."
a land mass (smaller than a continent) that is surrounded by water
From this reading "I have been keeping a kind of eye out all day," Charley answered, "and it seems to me that there has been a lot of birds flying around that little island of dead trees in the marsh right across from us.
plural of “island” — a land mass (smaller than a continent) that is surrounded by water
From this reading "I wonder where we had better strike in at first," said the captain, "there seems a powerful lot of them islands, an' they 'pear to me pretty much alike."
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was already late when the convicts departed, and our hunters immediately began their preparations for their first trial with the plume birds.
conformity or harmony
From this reading "I have been keeping a kind of eye out all day," Charley answered, "and it seems to me that there has been a lot of birds flying around that little island of dead trees in the marsh right across from us.
having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior
From this reading "I have been keeping a kind of eye out all day," Charley answered, "and it seems to me that there has been a lot of birds flying around that little island of dead trees in the marsh right across from us.
being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time
From this reading It was already late when the convicts departed, and our hunters immediately began their preparations for their first trial with the plume birds.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading "I have been keeping a kind of eye out all day," Charley answered, "and it seems to me that there has been a lot of birds flying around that little island of dead trees in the marsh right across from us.
(often followed by “of”) a large number or amount or extent
From this reading "I wonder where we had better strike in at first," said the captain, "there seems a powerful lot of them islands, an' they 'pear to me pretty much alike."
marshnounUS /mɑːrʃ/
low-lying wet land with grassy vegetation; usually is a transition zone between land and water
From this reading "I have been keeping a kind of eye out all day," Charley answered, "and it seems to me that there has been a lot of birds flying around that little island of dead trees in the marsh right across from us.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "I wonder where we had better strike in at first," said the captain, "there seems a powerful lot of them islands, an' they 'pear to me pretty much alike."
to a great degree or extent
From this reading "I wonder where we had better strike in at first," said the captain, "there seems a powerful lot of them islands, an' they 'pear to me pretty much alike."
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "I wonder where we had better strike in at first," said the captain, "there seems a powerful lot of them islands, an' they 'pear to me pretty much alike."
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading It was already late when the convicts departed, and our hunters immediately began their preparations for their first trial with the plume birds.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading "I have been keeping a kind of eye out all day," Charley answered, "and it seems to me that there has been a lot of birds flying around that little island of dead trees in the marsh right across from us.
pearnounUS /per/
sweet juicy gritty-textured fruit available in many varieties
From this reading "I wonder where we had better strike in at first," said the captain, "there seems a powerful lot of them islands, an' they 'pear to me pretty much alike."
plumeverbUS /pluːm/
rip off; ask an unreasonable price
From this reading It was already late when the convicts departed, and our hunters immediately began their preparations for their first trial with the plume birds.
having great power or force or potency or effect
From this reading "I wonder where we had better strike in at first," said the captain, "there seems a powerful lot of them islands, an' they 'pear to me pretty much alike."
preparationsnounUS /ˌprepərˈeɪʃənz/
plural of “preparation” — the activity of putting or setting in order in advance of some act or purpose
From this reading It was already late when the convicts departed, and our hunters immediately began their preparations for their first trial with the plume birds.
pleasing by delicacy or grace; not imposing
From this reading "I wonder where we had better strike in at first," said the captain, "there seems a powerful lot of them islands, an' they 'pear to me pretty much alike."
QUAGMIREnounUS /ˈkwæɡmaɪər/
a soft wet area of low-lying land that sinks underfoot
From this reading THE QUAGMIRE.
precisely, exactly
From this reading "I have been keeping a kind of eye out all day," Charley answered, "and it seems to me that there has been a lot of birds flying around that little island of dead trees in the marsh right across from us.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "I wonder where we had better strike in at first," said the captain, "there seems a powerful lot of them islands, an' they 'pear to me pretty much alike."
third-person singular of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading "I wonder where we had better strike in at first," said the captain, "there seems a powerful lot of them islands, an' they 'pear to me pretty much alike."
deliver a sharp blow, as with the hand, fist, or weapon
From this reading "I wonder where we had better strike in at first," said the captain, "there seems a powerful lot of them islands, an' they 'pear to me pretty much alike."
express a supposition
From this reading Suppose we try that first."
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "I have been keeping a kind of eye out all day," Charley answered, "and it seems to me that there has been a lot of birds flying around that little island of dead trees in the marsh right across from us.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE QUAGMIRE.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading It was already late when the convicts departed, and our hunters immediately began their preparations for their first trial with the plume birds.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading "I wonder where we had better strike in at first," said the captain, "there seems a powerful lot of them islands, an' they 'pear to me pretty much alike."
in or at that place or location
From this reading "I wonder where we had better strike in at first," said the captain, "there seems a powerful lot of them islands, an' they 'pear to me pretty much alike."
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "I wonder where we had better strike in at first," said the captain, "there seems a powerful lot of them islands, an' they 'pear to me pretty much alike."
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "I wonder where we had better strike in at first," said the captain, "there seems a powerful lot of them islands, an' they 'pear to me pretty much alike."
plural of “tree” — a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
From this reading "I have been keeping a kind of eye out all day," Charley answered, "and it seems to me that there has been a lot of birds flying around that little island of dead trees in the marsh right across from us.
the act of testing something
From this reading It was already late when the convicts departed, and our hunters immediately began their preparations for their first trial with the plume birds.
make an effort or attempt
From this reading Suppose we try that first."
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "I have been keeping a kind of eye out all day," Charley answered, "and it seems to me that there has been a lot of birds flying around that little island of dead trees in the marsh right across from us.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was already late when the convicts departed, and our hunters immediately began their preparations for their first trial with the plume birds.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading "I wonder where we had better strike in at first," said the captain, "there seems a powerful lot of them islands, an' they 'pear to me pretty much alike."
at the time that
From this reading It was already late when the convicts departed, and our hunters immediately began their preparations for their first trial with the plume birds.
in or at the place that
From this reading "I wonder where we had better strike in at first," said the captain, "there seems a powerful lot of them islands, an' they 'pear to me pretty much alike."
in the company of; together with
From this reading It was already late when the convicts departed, and our hunters immediately began their preparations for their first trial with the plume birds.
the feeling aroused by something strange and surprising
From this reading "I wonder where we had better strike in at first," said the captain, "there seems a powerful lot of them islands, an' they 'pear to me pretty much alike."
