adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It was a lone whale, apparently of large size, though spouting almost as feebly as a calf.
alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/
(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 He believed right firmly that there were no small whales to be found in these waters at all.
almostadverbUS /ˈɔːlmoʊst/
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading It was a lone whale, apparently of large size, though spouting almost as feebly as a calf.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Our opening day was an auspicious one.
apparentlyadverbUS /əˈperəntli/
from appearances alone
From this reading It was a lone whale, apparently of large size, though spouting almost as feebly as a calf.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading It was a lone whale, apparently of large size, though spouting almost as feebly as a calf.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He believed right firmly that there were no small whales to be found in these waters at all.
auspiciousadjectiveUS /ɑːˈspɪʃəs/
auguring favorable circumstances and good luck
From this reading Our opening day was an auspicious one.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading He believed right firmly that there were no small whales to be found in these waters at all.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading We had not been within the cruising radius more than four hours before the long-silent; cry of "Blo-o-o-w!" resounded from the mainmast head.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading We had not been within the cruising radius more than four hours before the long-silent; cry of "Blo-o-o-w!" resounded from the mainmast head.
believedverbUS /bɪˈliːvd/
past form of “believe” — accept as true; take to be true
From this reading He believed right firmly that there were no small whales to be found in these waters at all.
Blo-o-o-w
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We had not been within the cruising radius more than four hours before the long-silent; cry of "Blo-o-o-w!" resounded from the mainmast head.
ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But that, I was told by the skipper, was nothing to go by down here.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading But that, I was told by the skipper, was nothing to go by down here.
calfnounUS /kæf/
young of domestic cattle
From this reading It was a lone whale, apparently of large size, though spouting almost as feebly as a calf.
cruisingverbUS /ˈkruːzɪŋ/
-ing form of “cruise” — drive around aimlessly but ostentatiously and at leisure
From this reading We had not been within the cruising radius more than four hours before the long-silent; cry of "Blo-o-o-w!" resounded from the mainmast head.
cryverbUS /kraɪ/
utter a sudden loud cry
From this reading We had not been within the cruising radius more than four hours before the long-silent; cry of "Blo-o-o-w!" resounded from the mainmast head.
daynounUS /deɪ/
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading Our opening day was an auspicious one.
downadjectiveUS /daʊn/
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading But that, I was told by the skipper, was nothing to go by down here.
feeblyadverbUS /ˈfiːbli/
in a faint and feeble manner
From this reading It was a lone whale, apparently of large size, though spouting almost as feebly as a calf.
firmlyadverbUS /ˈfɜːrmli/
with resolute determination
From this reading He believed right firmly that there were no small whales to be found in these waters at all.
foundverbUS /faʊnd/
set up or found
From this reading He believed right firmly that there were no small whales to be found in these waters at all.
fournounUS /fɔːr/
the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one
From this reading We had not been within the cruising radius more than four hours before the long-silent; cry of "Blo-o-o-w!" resounded from the mainmast head.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading We had not been within the cruising radius more than four hours before the long-silent; cry of "Blo-o-o-w!" resounded from the mainmast head.
goverbUS /ɡoʊ/
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading But that, I was told by the skipper, was nothing to go by down here.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading We had not been within the cruising radius more than four hours before the long-silent; cry of "Blo-o-o-w!" resounded from the mainmast head.
HepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He believed right firmly that there were no small whales to be found in these waters at all.
headnounUS /hed/
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading We had not been within the cruising radius more than four hours before the long-silent; cry of "Blo-o-o-w!" resounded from the mainmast head.
hereadverbUS /hiːr/
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading But that, I was told by the skipper, was nothing to go by down here.
hoursnounUS /ˈaʊərz/
a period of time assigned for work
From this reading We had not been within the cruising radius more than four hours before the long-silent; cry of "Blo-o-o-w!" resounded from the mainmast head.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading But that, I was told by the skipper, was nothing to go by down here.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He believed right firmly that there were no small whales to be found in these waters at all.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was a lone whale, apparently of large size, though spouting almost as feebly as a calf.
largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading It was a lone whale, apparently of large size, though spouting almost as feebly as a calf.
loneadjectiveUS /loʊn/
lacking companions or companionship
From this reading It was a lone whale, apparently of large size, though spouting almost as feebly as a calf.
long-silent
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We had not been within the cruising radius more than four hours before the long-silent; cry of "Blo-o-o-w!" resounded from the mainmast head.
mainmastnoun
the chief mast of a sailing vessel with two or more masts
From this reading We had not been within the cruising radius more than four hours before the long-silent; cry of "Blo-o-o-w!" resounded from the mainmast head.
moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading We had not been within the cruising radius more than four hours before the long-silent; cry of "Blo-o-o-w!" resounded from the mainmast head.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading He believed right firmly that there were no small whales to be found in these waters at all.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading We had not been within the cruising radius more than four hours before the long-silent; cry of "Blo-o-o-w!" resounded from the mainmast head.
nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/
not one thing; not anything
From this reading But that, I was told by the skipper, was nothing to go by down here.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading We had not been within the cruising radius more than four hours before the long-silent; cry of "Blo-o-o-w!" resounded from the mainmast head.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Our opening day was an auspicious one.
openingnounUS /ˈoʊpənɪŋ/
an open or empty space in or between things
From this reading Our opening day was an auspicious one.
OurdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading Our opening day was an auspicious one.
radiusnounUS /ˈreɪdiəs/
the length of a line segment between the center and circumference of a circle or sphere
From this reading We had not been within the cruising radius more than four hours before the long-silent; cry of "Blo-o-o-w!" resounded from the mainmast head.
resounded
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We had not been within the cruising radius more than four hours before the long-silent; cry of "Blo-o-o-w!" resounded from the mainmast head.
rightadverbUS /raɪt/
precisely, exactly
From this reading He believed right firmly that there were no small whales to be found in these waters at all.
sizenounUS /saɪz/
the physical magnitude of something (how big it is)
From this reading It was a lone whale, apparently of large size, though spouting almost as feebly as a calf.
skippernounUS /ˈskɪpər/
a student who fails to attend classes
From this reading But that, I was told by the skipper, was nothing to go by down here.
smalladjectiveUS /smɔːl/
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading He believed right firmly that there were no small whales to be found in these waters at all.
spoutingadjectiveUS /ˈspaʊtɪŋ/
propelled violently in a usually narrow stream
From this reading It was a lone whale, apparently of large size, though spouting almost as feebly as a calf.
thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading We had not been within the cruising radius more than four hours before the long-silent; cry of "Blo-o-o-w!" resounded from the mainmast head.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading But that, I was told by the skipper, was nothing to go by down here.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading We had not been within the cruising radius more than four hours before the long-silent; cry of "Blo-o-o-w!" resounded from the mainmast head.
thereadverbUS /ðer/
in or at that place or location
From this reading He believed right firmly that there were no small whales to be found in these waters at all.
thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading He believed right firmly that there were no small whales to be found in these waters at all.
thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/
in spite of the fact that
From this reading It was a lone whale, apparently of large size, though spouting almost as feebly as a calf.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading But that, I was told by the skipper, was nothing to go by down here.
toldverbUS /toʊld/
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading But that, I was told by the skipper, was nothing to go by down here.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Our opening day was an auspicious one.
watersnounUS /ˈwɔːtərz/
United States actress and singer (1896-1977)
From this reading He believed right firmly that there were no small whales to be found in these waters at all.
WepronounUS /wiː/
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading We had not been within the cruising radius more than four hours before the long-silent; cry of "Blo-o-o-w!" resounded from the mainmast head.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading He believed right firmly that there were no small whales to be found in these waters at all.
whalenounUS /weɪl/
a very large person; impressive in size or qualities
From this reading It was a lone whale, apparently of large size, though spouting almost as feebly as a calf.
whalesnounUS /weɪlz/
plural of “whale” — a very large person; impressive in size or qualities
From this reading He believed right firmly that there were no small whales to be found in these waters at all.
withinprepositionUS /wɪˈðɪn/
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading We had not been within the cruising radius more than four hours before the long-silent; cry of "Blo-o-o-w!" resounded from the mainmast head.
