used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading From the land it appeared no taller than an ordinary man; but looking up to it from the shoal, it towered above me like the mast of a sloop.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading From the land it appeared no taller than an ordinary man; but looking up to it from the shoal, it towered above me like the mast of a sloop.
acrenounUS /ˈeɪkər/
a unit of area (4840 square yards) used in English-speaking countries
From this reading I had long fancied that my islet was only a pole or so in size, but I now perceived it was a hundred times that--an acre, or very near.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading From the land it appeared no taller than an ordinary man; but looking up to it from the shoal, it towered above me like the mast of a sloop.
past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading From the land it appeared no taller than an ordinary man; but looking up to it from the shoal, it towered above me like the mast of a sloop.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Its height, too, I had miscalculated as much as its thickness.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading It could not have been less than twelve feet--yes, twelve it was at the very least.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading It could not have been less than twelve feet--yes, twelve it was at the very least.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading From the land it appeared no taller than an ordinary man; but looking up to it from the shoal, it towered above me like the mast of a sloop.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading It could not have been less than twelve feet--yes, twelve it was at the very least.
to the same degree (often followed by “as”)
From this reading I was equally surprised at the extent of ground that I found above water.
the point or degree to which something extends
From this reading I was equally surprised at the extent of ground that I found above water.
formed or conceived by the imagination
From this reading I had long fancied that my islet was only a pole or so in size, but I now perceived it was a hundred times that--an acre, or very near.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading It could not have been less than twelve feet--yes, twelve it was at the very least.
set up or found
From this reading I was equally surprised at the extent of ground that I found above water.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading From the land it appeared no taller than an ordinary man; but looking up to it from the shoal, it towered above me like the mast of a sloop.
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading I was equally surprised at the extent of ground that I found above water.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Its height, too, I had miscalculated as much as its thickness.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading It could not have been less than twelve feet--yes, twelve it was at the very least.
the vertical dimension of extension; distance from the base of something to the top
From this reading Its height, too, I had miscalculated as much as its thickness.
ten 10s
From this reading I had long fancied that my islet was only a pole or so in size, but I now perceived it was a hundred times that--an acre, or very near.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading Its height, too, I had miscalculated as much as its thickness.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading I had long fancied that my islet was only a pole or so in size, but I now perceived it was a hundred times that--an acre, or very near.
isletnounUS /ˈaɪlɪt/
a small island
From this reading I had long fancied that my islet was only a pole or so in size, but I now perceived it was a hundred times that--an acre, or very near.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading From the land it appeared no taller than an ordinary man; but looking up to it from the shoal, it towered above me like the mast of a sloop.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading Its height, too, I had miscalculated as much as its thickness.
the land on which real estate is located
From this reading From the land it appeared no taller than an ordinary man; but looking up to it from the shoal, it towered above me like the mast of a sloop.
the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree
From this reading It could not have been less than twelve feet--yes, twelve it was at the very least.
used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs
From this reading It could not have been less than twelve feet--yes, twelve it was at the very least.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading From the land it appeared no taller than an ordinary man; but looking up to it from the shoal, it towered above me like the mast of a sloop.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading I had long fancied that my islet was only a pole or so in size, but I now perceived it was a hundred times that--an acre, or very near.
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading From the land it appeared no taller than an ordinary man; but looking up to it from the shoal, it towered above me like the mast of a sloop.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading From the land it appeared no taller than an ordinary man; but looking up to it from the shoal, it towered above me like the mast of a sloop.
mastnounUS /mæst/
a vertical spar for supporting sails
From this reading From the land it appeared no taller than an ordinary man; but looking up to it from the shoal, it towered above me like the mast of a sloop.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading From the land it appeared no taller than an ordinary man; but looking up to it from the shoal, it towered above me like the mast of a sloop.
miscalculatedverbUS /mɪˈskælkjəleɪtɪd/
past form of “miscalculate” — judge incorrectly
From this reading Its height, too, I had miscalculated as much as its thickness.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading Its height, too, I had miscalculated as much as its thickness.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading I had long fancied that my islet was only a pole or so in size, but I now perceived it was a hundred times that--an acre, or very near.
near in time or place or relationship
From this reading I had long fancied that my islet was only a pole or so in size, but I now perceived it was a hundred times that--an acre, or very near.
not any; not one
From this reading From the land it appeared no taller than an ordinary man; but looking up to it from the shoal, it towered above me like the mast of a sloop.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading It could not have been less than twelve feet--yes, twelve it was at the very least.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading I had long fancied that my islet was only a pole or so in size, but I now perceived it was a hundred times that--an acre, or very near.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading From the land it appeared no taller than an ordinary man; but looking up to it from the shoal, it towered above me like the mast of a sloop.
and nothing more
From this reading I had long fancied that my islet was only a pole or so in size, but I now perceived it was a hundred times that--an acre, or very near.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading I had long fancied that my islet was only a pole or so in size, but I now perceived it was a hundred times that--an acre, or very near.
a judge of a probate court
From this reading From the land it appeared no taller than an ordinary man; but looking up to it from the shoal, it towered above me like the mast of a sloop.
detected by instinct or inference rather than by recognized perceptual cues
From this reading I had long fancied that my islet was only a pole or so in size, but I now perceived it was a hundred times that--an acre, or very near.
polenounUS /poʊl/
a long (usually round) rod of wood or metal or plastic
From this reading I had long fancied that my islet was only a pole or so in size, but I now perceived it was a hundred times that--an acre, or very near.
shoalnoun
a sandbank in a stretch of water that is visible at low tide
From this reading From the land it appeared no taller than an ordinary man; but looking up to it from the shoal, it towered above me like the mast of a sloop.
the physical magnitude of something (how big it is)
From this reading I had long fancied that my islet was only a pole or so in size, but I now perceived it was a hundred times that--an acre, or very near.
sloopnounUS /sluːp/
a sailing vessel with a single mast set about one third of the boat's length aft of the bow
From this reading From the land it appeared no taller than an ordinary man; but looking up to it from the shoal, it towered above me like the mast of a sloop.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading I had long fancied that my islet was only a pole or so in size, but I now perceived it was a hundred times that--an acre, or very near.
taken unawares or suddenly and feeling wonder or astonishment
From this reading I was equally surprised at the extent of ground that I found above water.
talleradjectiveUS /ˈtɔːlər/
comparative of “tall” — great in vertical dimension; high in stature
From this reading From the land it appeared no taller than an ordinary man; but looking up to it from the shoal, it towered above me like the mast of a sloop.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading From the land it appeared no taller than an ordinary man; but looking up to it from the shoal, it towered above me like the mast of a sloop.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading I was equally surprised at the extent of ground that I found above water.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading From the land it appeared no taller than an ordinary man; but looking up to it from the shoal, it towered above me like the mast of a sloop.
thicknessnounUS /ˈθɪknəs/
the dimension through an object as opposed to its length or width
From this reading Its height, too, I had miscalculated as much as its thickness.
a more or less definite period of time now or previously present
From this reading I had long fancied that my islet was only a pole or so in size, but I now perceived it was a hundred times that--an acre, or very near.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading From the land it appeared no taller than an ordinary man; but looking up to it from the shoal, it towered above me like the mast of a sloop.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading Its height, too, I had miscalculated as much as its thickness.
toweredverbUS /ˈtaʊərd/
past form of “tower” — appear very large or occupy a commanding position
From this reading From the land it appeared no taller than an ordinary man; but looking up to it from the shoal, it towered above me like the mast of a sloop.
the cardinal number that is the sum of eleven and one
From this reading It could not have been less than twelve feet--yes, twelve it was at the very least.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading From the land it appeared no taller than an ordinary man; but looking up to it from the shoal, it towered above me like the mast of a sloop.
precisely as stated
From this reading It could not have been less than twelve feet--yes, twelve it was at the very least.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It could not have been less than twelve feet--yes, twelve it was at the very least.
binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent
From this reading I was equally surprised at the extent of ground that I found above water.
an affirmative
From this reading It could not have been less than twelve feet--yes, twelve it was at the very least.
