used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading You wouldn't believe what a drag a screw is, even when it is feathering."
(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 All her light sails were set, and she was furnished forth with all her frills and furbelows, so that there was no place where she could carry another stitch.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading "She'd do better," he said, stopping for an instant by my chair, "if I hadn't had to put that confounded engine in her.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading All her light sails were set, and she was furnished forth with all her frills and furbelows, so that there was no place where she could carry another stitch.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading All her light sails were set, and she was furnished forth with all her frills and furbelows, so that there was no place where she could carry another stitch.
accept as true; take to be true
From this reading You wouldn't believe what a drag a screw is, even when it is feathering."
a relatively permanent inclination to react in a particular way
From this reading She bent to her business and sailed.
(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 "She'd do better," he said, stopping for an instant by my chair, "if I hadn't had to put that confounded engine in her.
a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it
From this reading She bent to her business and sailed.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading "She'd do better," he said, stopping for an instant by my chair, "if I hadn't had to put that confounded engine in her.
move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body
From this reading All her light sails were set, and she was furnished forth with all her frills and furbelows, so that there was no place where she could carry another stitch.
a seat for one person, with a support for the back
From this reading "She'd do better," he said, stopping for an instant by my chair, "if I hadn't had to put that confounded engine in her.
confoundedadjectiveUS /kənˈfaʊndɪd/
perplexed by many conflicting situations or statements; filled with bewilderment
From this reading "She'd do better," he said, stopping for an instant by my chair, "if I hadn't had to put that confounded engine in her.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading All her light sails were set, and she was furnished forth with all her frills and furbelows, so that there was no place where she could carry another stitch.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading "She'd do better," he said, stopping for an instant by my chair, "if I hadn't had to put that confounded engine in her.
-ing form of “do” — engage in
From this reading She was doing well enough.
dragverbUS /dræɡ/
pull, as against a resistance
From this reading You wouldn't believe what a drag a screw is, even when it is feathering."
motor that converts thermal energy to mechanical work
From this reading "She'd do better," he said, stopping for an instant by my chair, "if I hadn't had to put that confounded engine in her.
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading She was doing well enough.
divisible by two
From this reading You wouldn't believe what a drag a screw is, even when it is feathering."
featheringnounUS /ˈfeðərɪŋ/
turning an oar parallel to the water between pulls
From this reading You wouldn't believe what a drag a screw is, even when it is feathering."
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading "She'd do better," he said, stopping for an instant by my chair, "if I hadn't had to put that confounded engine in her.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading All her light sails were set, and she was furnished forth with all her frills and furbelows, so that there was no place where she could carry another stitch.
frillsnounUS /frɪlz/
plural of “frill” — (paleontology) a bony plate that curves upward behind the skull of many ceratopsian dinosaurs
From this reading All her light sails were set, and she was furnished forth with all her frills and furbelows, so that there was no place where she could carry another stitch.
furbelows
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All her light sails were set, and she was furnished forth with all her frills and furbelows, so that there was no place where she could carry another stitch.
provided with whatever is necessary for a purpose (as furniture or equipment or authority)
From this reading All her light sails were set, and she was furnished forth with all her frills and furbelows, so that there was no place where she could carry another stitch.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading "She'd do better," he said, stopping for an instant by my chair, "if I hadn't had to put that confounded engine in her.
hadn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "She'd do better," he said, stopping for an instant by my chair, "if I hadn't had to put that confounded engine in her.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "She'd do better," he said, stopping for an instant by my chair, "if I hadn't had to put that confounded engine in her.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading "She'd do better," he said, stopping for an instant by my chair, "if I hadn't had to put that confounded engine in her.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "She'd do better," he said, stopping for an instant by my chair, "if I hadn't had to put that confounded engine in her.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading "She'd do better," he said, stopping for an instant by my chair, "if I hadn't had to put that confounded engine in her.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "She'd do better," he said, stopping for an instant by my chair, "if I hadn't had to put that confounded engine in her.
a very short time (as the time it takes the eye to blink or the heart to beat)
From this reading "She'd do better," he said, stopping for an instant by my chair, "if I hadn't had to put that confounded engine in her.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading You wouldn't believe what a drag a screw is, even when it is feathering."
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading You wouldn't believe what a drag a screw is, even when it is feathering."
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading All her light sails were set, and she was furnished forth with all her frills and furbelows, so that there was no place where she could carry another stitch.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading "She'd do better," he said, stopping for an instant by my chair, "if I hadn't had to put that confounded engine in her.
not any; not one
From this reading All her light sails were set, and she was furnished forth with all her frills and furbelows, so that there was no place where she could carry another stitch.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading All her light sails were set, and she was furnished forth with all her frills and furbelows, so that there was no place where she could carry another stitch.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading "She'd do better," he said, stopping for an instant by my chair, "if I hadn't had to put that confounded engine in her.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "She'd do better," he said, stopping for an instant by my chair, "if I hadn't had to put that confounded engine in her.
past form of “sail” — traverse or travel on (a body of water)
From this reading She bent to her business and sailed.
sailsnounUS /seɪlz/
plural of “sail” — a large piece of fabric (usually canvas fabric) by means of which wind is used to propel a sailing vessel
From this reading All her light sails were set, and she was furnished forth with all her frills and furbelows, so that there was no place where she could carry another stitch.
screwnounUS /skruː/
someone who guards prisoners
From this reading You wouldn't believe what a drag a screw is, even when it is feathering."
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading All her light sails were set, and she was furnished forth with all her frills and furbelows, so that there was no place where she could carry another stitch.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She was doing well enough.
She'd
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "She'd do better," he said, stopping for an instant by my chair, "if I hadn't had to put that confounded engine in her.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading All her light sails were set, and she was furnished forth with all her frills and furbelows, so that there was no place where she could carry another stitch.
stitchnounUS /stɪtʃ/
a link or loop or knot made by an implement in knitting, crocheting, embroidery, or sewing
From this reading All her light sails were set, and she was furnished forth with all her frills and furbelows, so that there was no place where she could carry another stitch.
fastener consisting of a narrow strip of welded metal used to join steel members
From this reading "She'd do better," he said, stopping for an instant by my chair, "if I hadn't had to put that confounded engine in her.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "She'd do better," he said, stopping for an instant by my chair, "if I hadn't had to put that confounded engine in her.
in or at that place or location
From this reading All her light sails were set, and she was furnished forth with all her frills and furbelows, so that there was no place where she could carry another stitch.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "She'd do better," he said, stopping for an instant by my chair, "if I hadn't had to put that confounded engine in her.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading She was doing well enough.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading She was doing well enough.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading All her light sails were set, and she was furnished forth with all her frills and furbelows, so that there was no place where she could carry another stitch.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading You wouldn't believe what a drag a screw is, even when it is feathering."
at the time that
From this reading You wouldn't believe what a drag a screw is, even when it is feathering."
in or at the place that
From this reading All her light sails were set, and she was furnished forth with all her frills and furbelows, so that there was no place where she could carry another stitch.
in the company of; together with
From this reading All her light sails were set, and she was furnished forth with all her frills and furbelows, so that there was no place where she could carry another stitch.
wouldn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading You wouldn't believe what a drag a screw is, even when it is feathering."
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading You wouldn't believe what a drag a screw is, even when it is feathering."
