used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Florence and Marian lay clinging to the bare springs of a berth.
alarmingadjectiveUS /əˈlɑːrmɪŋ/
frightening because of an awareness of danger
From this reading The yacht was now pitching from side to side in an alarming fashion.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The yacht was now pitching from side to side in an alarming fashion.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Florence and Marian lay clinging to the bare springs of a berth.
avalanchenounUS /ˈævəlæntʃ/
a slide of large masses of snow and ice and mud down a mountain
From this reading They had made that point of safety before the avalanche of furniture, books and bric-a-brac had reached their end of the cabin.
completely unclothed
From this reading Florence and Marian lay clinging to the bare springs of a berth.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading They had made that point of safety before the avalanche of furniture, books and bric-a-brac had reached their end of the cabin.
berthnounUS /bɜːrθ/
a job in an organization
From this reading Florence and Marian lay clinging to the bare springs of a berth.
on the far side of; further than
From this reading They were enduring discomforts beyond description.
Bound written or printed works.
From this reading They had made that point of safety before the avalanche of furniture, books and bric-a-brac had reached their end of the cabin.
bric-a-bracnoun
miscellaneous curios
From this reading They had made that point of safety before the avalanche of furniture, books and bric-a-brac had reached their end of the cabin.
small room on a ship or boat where people sleep
From this reading They had made that point of safety before the avalanche of furniture, books and bric-a-brac had reached their end of the cabin.
clingingverbUS /ˈklɪŋɪŋ/
-ing form of “cling” — come or be in close contact with; stick or hold together and resist separation
From this reading Florence and Marian lay clinging to the bare springs of a berth.
separate with or as if with an instrument
From this reading The wires of the spring on which they rested cut their tender flesh.
a statement that represents something in words
From this reading They were enduring discomforts beyond description.
discomforts
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were enduring discomforts beyond description.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading They had made that point of safety before the avalanche of furniture, books and bric-a-brac had reached their end of the cabin.
enduringadjectiveUS /enˈdjʊrɪŋ/
lasting a long time
From this reading They were enduring discomforts beyond description.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading The yacht was now pitching from side to side in an alarming fashion.
the soft tissue of the body of a vertebrate: mainly muscle tissue and fat
From this reading The wires of the spring on which they rested cut their tender flesh.
FlorencenounUS /ˈflɔːrəns/
a city in central Italy on the Arno; provincial capital of Tuscany; center of the Italian Renaissance from 14th to 16th centuries
From this reading Florence and Marian lay clinging to the bare springs of a berth.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The yacht was now pitching from side to side in an alarming fashion.
furnishings that make a room or other area ready for occupancy
From this reading They had made that point of safety before the avalanche of furniture, books and bric-a-brac had reached their end of the cabin.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading They had made that point of safety before the avalanche of furniture, books and bric-a-brac had reached their end of the cabin.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The yacht was now pitching from side to side in an alarming fashion.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading Florence and Marian lay clinging to the bare springs of a berth.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading They had made that point of safety before the avalanche of furniture, books and bric-a-brac had reached their end of the cabin.
MarianadjectiveUS /ˈmeriən/
of or relating to or venerating the Virgin Mary
From this reading Florence and Marian lay clinging to the bare springs of a berth.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading The yacht was now pitching from side to side in an alarming fashion.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Florence and Marian lay clinging to the bare springs of a berth.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The wires of the spring on which they rested cut their tender flesh.
pitchingnounUS /ˈpɪtʃɪŋ/
(baseball) playing the position of pitcher on a baseball team
From this reading The yacht was now pitching from side to side in an alarming fashion.
a geometric element that has position but no extension
From this reading They had made that point of safety before the avalanche of furniture, books and bric-a-brac had reached their end of the cabin.
past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading They had made that point of safety before the avalanche of furniture, books and bric-a-brac had reached their end of the cabin.
not tired; refreshed as by sleeping or relaxing
From this reading The wires of the spring on which they rested cut their tender flesh.
the state of being certain that adverse effects will not be caused by some agent under defined conditions
From this reading They had made that point of safety before the avalanche of furniture, books and bric-a-brac had reached their end of the cabin.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading The yacht was now pitching from side to side in an alarming fashion.
the season of growth
From this reading The wires of the spring on which they rested cut their tender flesh.
springsnounUS /sprɪŋz/
plural of “spring” — the season of growth
From this reading Florence and Marian lay clinging to the bare springs of a berth.
given to sympathy or gentleness or sentimentality
From this reading The wires of the spring on which they rested cut their tender flesh.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading They had made that point of safety before the avalanche of furniture, books and bric-a-brac had reached their end of the cabin.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Florence and Marian lay clinging to the bare springs of a berth.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading They had made that point of safety before the avalanche of furniture, books and bric-a-brac had reached their end of the cabin.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They had made that point of safety before the avalanche of furniture, books and bric-a-brac had reached their end of the cabin.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Florence and Marian lay clinging to the bare springs of a berth.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The yacht was now pitching from side to side in an alarming fashion.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading They were enduring discomforts beyond description.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The wires of the spring on which they rested cut their tender flesh.
wiresnounUS /ˈwaɪərz/
plural of “wire” — ligament made of metal and used to fasten things or make cages or fences etc
From this reading The wires of the spring on which they rested cut their tender flesh.
yachtnounUS /jɑːt/
an expensive vessel propelled by sail or power and used for cruising or racing
From this reading The yacht was now pitching from side to side in an alarming fashion.
