used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading ________________________________________________________________________ This is a splendid book, beautifully written, with a strong nautical background.
forsaken by owner or inhabitants
From this reading But there was a story told in the family that some centuries before an ancestor of his had found an abandoned vessel which turned out to have a huge amount of gold and jewels.
a quantity of money
From this reading But there was a story told in the family that some centuries before an ancestor of his had found an abandoned vessel which turned out to have a huge amount of gold and jewels.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading But there was a story told in the family that some centuries before an ancestor of his had found an abandoned vessel which turned out to have a huge amount of gold and jewels.
ancestornounUS /ˈænsestər/
someone from whom you are descended (but usually more remote than a grandparent)
From this reading But there was a story told in the family that some centuries before an ancestor of his had found an abandoned vessel which turned out to have a huge amount of gold and jewels.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading But there was a story told in the family that some centuries before an ancestor of his had found an abandoned vessel which turned out to have a huge amount of gold and jewels.
backgroundnounUS /ˈbækɡraʊnd/
a person's social heritage: previous experience or training
From this reading ________________________________________________________________________ This is a splendid book, beautifully written, with a strong nautical background.
beautifullyadverbUS /ˈbjuːtəfli/
in a beautiful manner
From this reading ________________________________________________________________________ This is a splendid book, beautifully written, with a strong nautical background.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading But there was a story told in the family that some centuries before an ancestor of his had found an abandoned vessel which turned out to have a huge amount of gold and jewels.
a small piece or quantity of something
From this reading The hero's family, which had a very long nautical tradition, was a bit short of money.
a written work or composition that has been published (printed on pages bound together)
From this reading ________________________________________________________________________ This is a splendid book, beautifully written, with a strong nautical background.
placed in a grave
From this reading He had buried this in a secret location on an island in the Far East, putting directions for finding it in cipher somewhere in his house in England.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But there was a story told in the family that some centuries before an ancestor of his had found an abandoned vessel which turned out to have a huge amount of gold and jewels.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The Cruise of the "Esmeralda", by Harry Collingwood.
centuriesnounUS /ˈsentʃəriz/
plural of “century” — a period of 100 years
From this reading But there was a story told in the family that some centuries before an ancestor of his had found an abandoned vessel which turned out to have a huge amount of gold and jewels.
ciphernounUS /ˈsaɪ.fər/
A secret or disguised way of writing; a code used to conceal ancient secrets.
From this reading He had buried this in a secret location on an island in the Far East, putting directions for finding it in cipher somewhere in his house in England.
Collingwood
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Cruise of the "Esmeralda", by Harry Collingwood.
CruiseverbUS /kruːz/
drive around aimlessly but ostentatiously and at leisure
From this reading The Cruise of the "Esmeralda", by Harry Collingwood.
plural of “direction” — a line leading to a place or point
From this reading He had buried this in a secret location on an island in the Far East, putting directions for finding it in cipher somewhere in his house in England.
the cardinal compass point that is at 90 degrees
From this reading He had buried this in a secret location on an island in the Far East, putting directions for finding it in cipher somewhere in his house in England.
a division of the United Kingdom
From this reading He had buried this in a secret location on an island in the Far East, putting directions for finding it in cipher somewhere in his house in England.
Esmeralda
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Cruise of the "Esmeralda", by Harry Collingwood.
a social unit living together
From this reading The hero's family, which had a very long nautical tradition, was a bit short of money.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading He had buried this in a secret location on an island in the Far East, putting directions for finding it in cipher somewhere in his house in England.
the act of determining the properties of something, usually by research or calculation
From this reading He had buried this in a secret location on an island in the Far East, putting directions for finding it in cipher somewhere in his house in England.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He had buried this in a secret location on an island in the Far East, putting directions for finding it in cipher somewhere in his house in England.
set up or found
From this reading But there was a story told in the family that some centuries before an ancestor of his had found an abandoned vessel which turned out to have a huge amount of gold and jewels.
coins made of gold
From this reading But there was a story told in the family that some centuries before an ancestor of his had found an abandoned vessel which turned out to have a huge amount of gold and jewels.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The hero's family, which had a very long nautical tradition, was a bit short of money.
annoy continually or chronically
From this reading The Cruise of the "Esmeralda", by Harry Collingwood.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading But there was a story told in the family that some centuries before an ancestor of his had found an abandoned vessel which turned out to have a huge amount of gold and jewels.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He had buried this in a secret location on an island in the Far East, putting directions for finding it in cipher somewhere in his house in England.
hero'snounUS /ˈhɪroʊz/
possessive form of “hero” — a man distinguished by exceptional courage and nobility and strength
From this reading The hero's family, which had a very long nautical tradition, was a bit short of money.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading But there was a story told in the family that some centuries before an ancestor of his had found an abandoned vessel which turned out to have a huge amount of gold and jewels.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading He had buried this in a secret location on an island in the Far East, putting directions for finding it in cipher somewhere in his house in England.
unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope
From this reading But there was a story told in the family that some centuries before an ancestor of his had found an abandoned vessel which turned out to have a huge amount of gold and jewels.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading But there was a story told in the family that some centuries before an ancestor of his had found an abandoned vessel which turned out to have a huge amount of gold and jewels.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading ________________________________________________________________________ This is a splendid book, beautifully written, with a strong nautical background.
a land mass (smaller than a continent) that is surrounded by water
From this reading He had buried this in a secret location on an island in the Far East, putting directions for finding it in cipher somewhere in his house in England.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He had buried this in a secret location on an island in the Far East, putting directions for finding it in cipher somewhere in his house in England.
plural of “jewel” — a precious or semiprecious stone incorporated into a piece of jewelry
From this reading But there was a story told in the family that some centuries before an ancestor of his had found an abandoned vessel which turned out to have a huge amount of gold and jewels.
locationnounUS /loʊˈkeɪʃən/
a point or extent in space
From this reading He had buried this in a secret location on an island in the Far East, putting directions for finding it in cipher somewhere in his house in England.
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 The hero's family, which had a very long nautical tradition, was a bit short of money.
the most common medium of exchange; functions as legal tender
From this reading The hero's family, which had a very long nautical tradition, was a bit short of money.
nauticaladjectiveUS /ˈnɔːtəkəl/
relating to or involving ships or shipping or navigation or seamen
From this reading ________________________________________________________________________ This is a splendid book, beautifully written, with a strong nautical background.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The Cruise of the "Esmeralda", by Harry Collingwood.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading He had buried this in a secret location on an island in the Far East, putting directions for finding it in cipher somewhere in his house in England.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading But there was a story told in the family that some centuries before an ancestor of his had found an abandoned vessel which turned out to have a huge amount of gold and jewels.
hitting a golf ball that is on the green using a putter
From this reading He had buried this in a secret location on an island in the Far East, putting directions for finding it in cipher somewhere in his house in England.
Something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others.
From this reading He had buried this in a secret location on an island in the Far East, putting directions for finding it in cipher somewhere in his house in England.
primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration
From this reading The hero's family, which had a very long nautical tradition, was a bit short of money.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading But there was a story told in the family that some centuries before an ancestor of his had found an abandoned vessel which turned out to have a huge amount of gold and jewels.
in or at or to some place
From this reading He had buried this in a secret location on an island in the Far East, putting directions for finding it in cipher somewhere in his house in England.
having great beauty and splendor
From this reading ________________________________________________________________________ This is a splendid book, beautifully written, with a strong nautical background.
a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading But there was a story told in the family that some centuries before an ancestor of his had found an abandoned vessel which turned out to have a huge amount of gold and jewels.
having strength or power greater than average or expected
From this reading ________________________________________________________________________ This is a splendid book, beautifully written, with a strong nautical background.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading But there was a story told in the family that some centuries before an ancestor of his had found an abandoned vessel which turned out to have a huge amount of gold and jewels.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The Cruise of the "Esmeralda", by Harry Collingwood.
in or at that place or location
From this reading But there was a story told in the family that some centuries before an ancestor of his had found an abandoned vessel which turned out to have a huge amount of gold and jewels.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading ________________________________________________________________________ This is a splendid book, beautifully written, with a strong nautical background.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading But there was a story told in the family that some centuries before an ancestor of his had found an abandoned vessel which turned out to have a huge amount of gold and jewels.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading But there was a story told in the family that some centuries before an ancestor of his had found an abandoned vessel which turned out to have a huge amount of gold and jewels.
traditionnounUS /trəˈdɪʃən/
an inherited pattern of thought or action
From this reading The hero's family, which had a very long nautical tradition, was a bit short of money.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading But there was a story told in the family that some centuries before an ancestor of his had found an abandoned vessel which turned out to have a huge amount of gold and jewels.
precisely as stated
From this reading The hero's family, which had a very long nautical tradition, was a bit short of money.
a tube in which a body fluid circulates
From this reading But there was a story told in the family that some centuries before an ancestor of his had found an abandoned vessel which turned out to have a huge amount of gold and jewels.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The hero's family, which had a very long nautical tradition, was a bit short of money.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The hero's family, which had a very long nautical tradition, was a bit short of money.
in the company of; together with
From this reading ________________________________________________________________________ This is a splendid book, beautifully written, with a strong nautical background.
set down in writing in any of various ways
From this reading ________________________________________________________________________ This is a splendid book, beautifully written, with a strong nautical background.
