used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Two hours before daybreak was the time settled by Sam, who knew that in a port or a city the hours before dawn find Vigilance most off her guard.
the part of the day between noon and evening
From this reading A boat had just come in, passing the _Lorna Doone_ and making to berth at the place left vacant at the Silos Wharf by the Nederland liner that had put out in the afternoon.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading She was an Italian warship--a destroyer or big torpedo-boat.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A boat had just come in, passing the _Lorna Doone_ and making to berth at the place left vacant at the Silos Wharf by the Nederland liner that had put out in the afternoon.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading A boat had just come in, passing the _Lorna Doone_ and making to berth at the place left vacant at the Silos Wharf by the Nederland liner that had put out in the afternoon.
earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something
From this reading THE GREAT ATTEMPT They came up on deck.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The great attempt could not be made for hours yet.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Two hours before daybreak was the time settled by Sam, who knew that in a port or a city the hours before dawn find Vigilance most off her guard.
berthnounUS /bɜːrθ/
a job in an organization
From this reading A boat had just come in, passing the _Lorna Doone_ and making to berth at the place left vacant at the Silos Wharf by the Nederland liner that had put out in the afternoon.
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading She was an Italian warship--a destroyer or big torpedo-boat.
a small vessel for travel on water
From this reading A boat had just come in, passing the _Lorna Doone_ and making to berth at the place left vacant at the Silos Wharf by the Nederland liner that had put out in the afternoon.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Two hours before daybreak was the time settled by Sam, who knew that in a port or a city the hours before dawn find Vigilance most off her guard.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading THE GREAT ATTEMPT They came up on deck.
a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts
From this reading Two hours before daybreak was the time settled by Sam, who knew that in a port or a city the hours before dawn find Vigilance most off her guard.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading A boat had just come in, passing the _Lorna Doone_ and making to berth at the place left vacant at the Silos Wharf by the Nederland liner that had put out in the afternoon.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading The great attempt could not be made for hours yet.
the first light of day
From this reading Two hours before daybreak was the time settled by Sam, who knew that in a port or a city the hours before dawn find Vigilance most off her guard.
daybreaknounUS /ˈdeɪbreɪk/
the first light of day
From this reading Two hours before daybreak was the time settled by Sam, who knew that in a port or a city the hours before dawn find Vigilance most off her guard.
any of various platforms built into a vessel
From this reading THE GREAT ATTEMPT They came up on deck.
destroyernounUS /dɪˈstrɔɪər/
a small fast lightly armored but heavily armed warship
From this reading She was an Italian warship--a destroyer or big torpedo-boat.
Doone
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A boat had just come in, passing the _Lorna Doone_ and making to berth at the place left vacant at the Silos Wharf by the Nederland liner that had put out in the afternoon.
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading Two hours before daybreak was the time settled by Sam, who knew that in a port or a city the hours before dawn find Vigilance most off her guard.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The great attempt could not be made for hours yet.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading THE GREAT ATTEMPT They came up on deck.
a person who keeps watch over something or someone
From this reading Two hours before daybreak was the time settled by Sam, who knew that in a port or a city the hours before dawn find Vigilance most off her guard.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading A boat had just come in, passing the _Lorna Doone_ and making to berth at the place left vacant at the Silos Wharf by the Nederland liner that had put out in the afternoon.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Two hours before daybreak was the time settled by Sam, who knew that in a port or a city the hours before dawn find Vigilance most off her guard.
a period of time assigned for work
From this reading The great attempt could not be made for hours yet.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Two hours before daybreak was the time settled by Sam, who knew that in a port or a city the hours before dawn find Vigilance most off her guard.
a native or inhabitant of Italy
From this reading She was an Italian warship--a destroyer or big torpedo-boat.
and nothing more
From this reading A boat had just come in, passing the _Lorna Doone_ and making to berth at the place left vacant at the Silos Wharf by the Nederland liner that had put out in the afternoon.
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 Two hours before daybreak was the time settled by Sam, who knew that in a port or a city the hours before dawn find Vigilance most off her guard.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading A boat had just come in, passing the _Lorna Doone_ and making to berth at the place left vacant at the Silos Wharf by the Nederland liner that had put out in the afternoon.
linernounUS /ˈlaɪnər/
(baseball) a hit that flies straight out from the batter
From this reading A boat had just come in, passing the _Lorna Doone_ and making to berth at the place left vacant at the Silos Wharf by the Nederland liner that had put out in the afternoon.
Lorna
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A boat had just come in, passing the _Lorna Doone_ and making to berth at the place left vacant at the Silos Wharf by the Nederland liner that had put out in the afternoon.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading The great attempt could not be made for hours yet.
the act that results in something coming to be
From this reading A boat had just come in, passing the _Lorna Doone_ and making to berth at the place left vacant at the Silos Wharf by the Nederland liner that had put out in the afternoon.
used to form the superlative
From this reading Two hours before daybreak was the time settled by Sam, who knew that in a port or a city the hours before dawn find Vigilance most off her guard.
NederlandnounUS /ˈnedərlənd/
a constitutional monarchy in western Europe on the North Sea; half the country lies below sea level
From this reading A boat had just come in, passing the _Lorna Doone_ and making to berth at the place left vacant at the Silos Wharf by the Nederland liner that had put out in the afternoon.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The great attempt could not be made for hours yet.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Two hours before daybreak was the time settled by Sam, who knew that in a port or a city the hours before dawn find Vigilance most off her guard.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading THE GREAT ATTEMPT They came up on deck.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Two hours before daybreak was the time settled by Sam, who knew that in a port or a city the hours before dawn find Vigilance most off her guard.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading A boat had just come in, passing the _Lorna Doone_ and making to berth at the place left vacant at the Silos Wharf by the Nederland liner that had put out in the afternoon.
(American football) a play that involves one player throwing the ball to a teammate
From this reading A boat had just come in, passing the _Lorna Doone_ and making to berth at the place left vacant at the Silos Wharf by the Nederland liner that had put out in the afternoon.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading A boat had just come in, passing the _Lorna Doone_ and making to berth at the place left vacant at the Silos Wharf by the Nederland liner that had put out in the afternoon.
a place (seaport or airport) where people and merchandise can enter or leave a country
From this reading Two hours before daybreak was the time settled by Sam, who knew that in a port or a city the hours before dawn find Vigilance most off her guard.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading A boat had just come in, passing the _Lorna Doone_ and making to berth at the place left vacant at the Silos Wharf by the Nederland liner that had put out in the afternoon.
a guided missile fired from land or shipboard against an airborne target
From this reading Two hours before daybreak was the time settled by Sam, who knew that in a port or a city the hours before dawn find Vigilance most off her guard.
established or decided beyond dispute or doubt
From this reading Two hours before daybreak was the time settled by Sam, who knew that in a port or a city the hours before dawn find Vigilance most off her guard.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She was an Italian warship--a destroyer or big torpedo-boat.
SilosnounUS /ˈsaɪloʊz/
plural of “silo” — a cylindrical tower used for storing silage
From this reading A boat had just come in, passing the _Lorna Doone_ and making to berth at the place left vacant at the Silos Wharf by the Nederland liner that had put out in the afternoon.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Two hours before daybreak was the time settled by Sam, who knew that in a port or a city the hours before dawn find Vigilance most off her guard.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE GREAT ATTEMPT They came up on deck.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading THE GREAT ATTEMPT They came up on deck.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading Two hours before daybreak was the time settled by Sam, who knew that in a port or a city the hours before dawn find Vigilance most off her guard.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading A boat had just come in, passing the _Lorna Doone_ and making to berth at the place left vacant at the Silos Wharf by the Nederland liner that had put out in the afternoon.
torpedo-boat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was an Italian warship--a destroyer or big torpedo-boat.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading Two hours before daybreak was the time settled by Sam, who knew that in a port or a city the hours before dawn find Vigilance most off her guard.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading THE GREAT ATTEMPT They came up on deck.
vacantadjectiveUS /ˈveɪkənt/
void of intelligence or thought
From this reading A boat had just come in, passing the _Lorna Doone_ and making to berth at the place left vacant at the Silos Wharf by the Nederland liner that had put out in the afternoon.
VigilancenounUS /ˈvɪdʒələns/
the process of paying close and continuous attention
From this reading Two hours before daybreak was the time settled by Sam, who knew that in a port or a city the hours before dawn find Vigilance most off her guard.
warshipnounUS /ˈwɔːrʃɪp/
a government ship that is available for waging war
From this reading She was an Italian warship--a destroyer or big torpedo-boat.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Two hours before daybreak was the time settled by Sam, who knew that in a port or a city the hours before dawn find Vigilance most off her guard.
WharfnounUS /wɔːrf/
a platform built out from the shore into the water and supported by piles; provides access to ships and boats
From this reading A boat had just come in, passing the _Lorna Doone_ and making to berth at the place left vacant at the Silos Wharf by the Nederland liner that had put out in the afternoon.
which person or people
From this reading Two hours before daybreak was the time settled by Sam, who knew that in a port or a city the hours before dawn find Vigilance most off her guard.
but in spite of that
From this reading The great attempt could not be made for hours yet.
