used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The deck of the derelict presented as dismal a scene as had her hulk.
abandonedadjectiveUS /əˈbændənd/
forsaken by owner or inhabitants
From this reading The seams gaped whitely, and the litter of broken spars and mildewed canvas showed only too plainly through what an ordeal she had passed before being abandoned.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading This erection, which had once been painted white, had been almost torn from the deck by the fury of the storm which had resulted in the casting away of the _Donna Mercedes_.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The seams gaped whitely, and the litter of broken spars and mildewed canvas showed only too plainly through what an ordeal she had passed before being abandoned.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The seams gaped whitely, and the litter of broken spars and mildewed canvas showed only too plainly through what an ordeal she had passed before being abandoned.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The deck of the derelict presented as dismal a scene as had her hulk.
asternadverb
stern foremost or backward
From this reading Ensign Conkling lost no time in making his way down a companionway leading into what had been the captain’s quarters astern.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading This erection, which had once been painted white, had been almost torn from the deck by the fury of the storm which had resulted in the casting away of the _Donna Mercedes_.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Ensign Conkling lost no time in making his way down a companionway leading into what had been the captain’s quarters astern.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading The seams gaped whitely, and the litter of broken spars and mildewed canvas showed only too plainly through what an ordeal she had passed before being abandoned.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading The seams gaped whitely, and the litter of broken spars and mildewed canvas showed only too plainly through what an ordeal she had passed before being abandoned.
plural of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading The two Dreadnought Boys, thus left to themselves, walked forward toward the deck-house.
physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split
From this reading The seams gaped whitely, and the litter of broken spars and mildewed canvas showed only too plainly through what an ordeal she had passed before being abandoned.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading This erection, which had once been painted white, had been almost torn from the deck by the fury of the storm which had resulted in the casting away of the _Donna Mercedes_.
canvasnounUS /ˈkænvəs/
a heavy, closely woven fabric (used for clothing or chairs or sails or tents)
From this reading The seams gaped whitely, and the litter of broken spars and mildewed canvas showed only too plainly through what an ordeal she had passed before being abandoned.
captain'snounUS /ˈkæptənz/
possessive form of “captain” — an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant
From this reading Ensign Conkling lost no time in making his way down a companionway leading into what had been the captain’s quarters astern.
castingnounUS /ˈkæstɪŋ/
object formed by a mold
From this reading This erection, which had once been painted white, had been almost torn from the deck by the fury of the storm which had resulted in the casting away of the _Donna Mercedes_.
companionwaynounUS /kəmˈpænjənweɪ/
a stairway or ladder that leads from one deck to another on a ship
From this reading Ensign Conkling lost no time in making his way down a companionway leading into what had been the captain’s quarters astern.
Conkling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ensign Conkling lost no time in making his way down a companionway leading into what had been the captain’s quarters astern.
any of various platforms built into a vessel
From this reading The deck of the derelict presented as dismal a scene as had her hulk.
deck-housenoun
a superstructure on the upper deck of a ship
From this reading The two Dreadnought Boys, thus left to themselves, walked forward toward the deck-house.
derelictadjectiveUS /ˈderəlɪkt/
worn and broken down by hard use
From this reading The deck of the derelict presented as dismal a scene as had her hulk.
dismaladjectiveUS /ˈdɪzməl/
causing dejection
From this reading The deck of the derelict presented as dismal a scene as had her hulk.
DonnanounUS /ˈdɑːnə/
an Italian woman of rank
From this reading This erection, which had once been painted white, had been almost torn from the deck by the fury of the storm which had resulted in the casting away of the _Donna Mercedes_.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Ensign Conkling lost no time in making his way down a companionway leading into what had been the captain’s quarters astern.
DreadnoughtnounUS /ˈdrednɔːt/
battleship that has big guns all of the same caliber
From this reading The two Dreadnought Boys, thus left to themselves, walked forward toward the deck-house.
EnsignnounUS /ˈensən/
a person who holds a commissioned rank in the United States Navy or the United States Coast Guard; below lieutenant junior grade
From this reading Ensign Conkling lost no time in making his way down a companionway leading into what had been the captain’s quarters astern.
erectionnounUS /ɪˈrekʃən/
an erect penis
From this reading This erection, which had once been painted white, had been almost torn from the deck by the fury of the storm which had resulted in the casting away of the _Donna Mercedes_.
at or to or toward the front
From this reading The two Dreadnought Boys, thus left to themselves, walked forward toward the deck-house.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading This erection, which had once been painted white, had been almost torn from the deck by the fury of the storm which had resulted in the casting away of the _Donna Mercedes_.
a feeling of intense anger
From this reading This erection, which had once been painted white, had been almost torn from the deck by the fury of the storm which had resulted in the casting away of the _Donna Mercedes_.
gaped
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The seams gaped whitely, and the litter of broken spars and mildewed canvas showed only too plainly through what an ordeal she had passed before being abandoned.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The deck of the derelict presented as dismal a scene as had her hulk.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading The deck of the derelict presented as dismal a scene as had her hulk.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Ensign Conkling lost no time in making his way down a companionway leading into what had been the captain’s quarters astern.
hulknounUS /hʌlk/
a very large person; impressive in size or qualities
From this reading The deck of the derelict presented as dismal a scene as had her hulk.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Ensign Conkling lost no time in making his way down a companionway leading into what had been the captain’s quarters astern.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Ensign Conkling lost no time in making his way down a companionway leading into what had been the captain’s quarters astern.
indicating the most important performer or role
From this reading Ensign Conkling lost no time in making his way down a companionway leading into what had been the captain’s quarters astern.
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 The two Dreadnought Boys, thus left to themselves, walked forward toward the deck-house.
litternounUS /ˈlɪtər/
the offspring at one birth of a multiparous mammal
From this reading The seams gaped whitely, and the litter of broken spars and mildewed canvas showed only too plainly through what an ordeal she had passed before being abandoned.
no longer in your possession or control; unable to be found or recovered
From this reading Ensign Conkling lost no time in making his way down a companionway leading into what had been the captain’s quarters astern.
the act that results in something coming to be
From this reading Ensign Conkling lost no time in making his way down a companionway leading into what had been the captain’s quarters astern.
Mercedes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This erection, which had once been painted white, had been almost torn from the deck by the fury of the storm which had resulted in the casting away of the _Donna Mercedes_.
mildewed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The seams gaped whitely, and the litter of broken spars and mildewed canvas showed only too plainly through what an ordeal she had passed before being abandoned.
not any; not one
From this reading Ensign Conkling lost no time in making his way down a companionway leading into what had been the captain’s quarters astern.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The deck of the derelict presented as dismal a scene as had her hulk.
on one occasion
From this reading This erection, which had once been painted white, had been almost torn from the deck by the fury of the storm which had resulted in the casting away of the _Donna Mercedes_.
and nothing more
From this reading The seams gaped whitely, and the litter of broken spars and mildewed canvas showed only too plainly through what an ordeal she had passed before being abandoned.
ordealnounUS /ɔːrˈdiːl/
a severe or trying experience
From this reading The seams gaped whitely, and the litter of broken spars and mildewed canvas showed only too plainly through what an ordeal she had passed before being abandoned.
coated with paint
From this reading This erection, which had once been painted white, had been almost torn from the deck by the fury of the storm which had resulted in the casting away of the _Donna Mercedes_.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading The seams gaped whitely, and the litter of broken spars and mildewed canvas showed only too plainly through what an ordeal she had passed before being abandoned.
unmistakably (“plain” is often used informally for “plainly”)
From this reading The seams gaped whitely, and the litter of broken spars and mildewed canvas showed only too plainly through what an ordeal she had passed before being abandoned.
past form of “present” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading The deck of the derelict presented as dismal a scene as had her hulk.
housing available for people to live in
From this reading Ensign Conkling lost no time in making his way down a companionway leading into what had been the captain’s quarters astern.
resultedverbUS /rɪˈzʌltɪd/
past form of “result” — issue or terminate (in a specified way, state, etc.); end
From this reading This erection, which had once been painted white, had been almost torn from the deck by the fury of the storm which had resulted in the casting away of the _Donna Mercedes_.
the place where some action occurs
From this reading The deck of the derelict presented as dismal a scene as had her hulk.
seamsnounUS /siːmz/
plural of “seam” — joint consisting of a line formed by joining two pieces
From this reading The seams gaped whitely, and the litter of broken spars and mildewed canvas showed only too plainly through what an ordeal she had passed before being abandoned.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The seams gaped whitely, and the litter of broken spars and mildewed canvas showed only too plainly through what an ordeal she had passed before being abandoned.
past form of “show” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading The seams gaped whitely, and the litter of broken spars and mildewed canvas showed only too plainly through what an ordeal she had passed before being abandoned.
spars
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The seams gaped whitely, and the litter of broken spars and mildewed canvas showed only too plainly through what an ordeal she had passed before being abandoned.
behave violently, as if in state of a great anger
From this reading This erection, which had once been painted white, had been almost torn from the deck by the fury of the storm which had resulted in the casting away of the _Donna Mercedes_.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The deck of the derelict presented as dismal a scene as had her hulk.
used when the people doing the action are also its object
From this reading The two Dreadnought Boys, thus left to themselves, walked forward toward the deck-house.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This erection, which had once been painted white, had been almost torn from the deck by the fury of the storm which had resulted in the casting away of the _Donna Mercedes_.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading The seams gaped whitely, and the litter of broken spars and mildewed canvas showed only too plainly through what an ordeal she had passed before being abandoned.
(used to introduce a logical conclusion) from that fact or reason or as a result
From this reading The two Dreadnought Boys, thus left to themselves, walked forward toward the deck-house.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading Ensign Conkling lost no time in making his way down a companionway leading into what had been the captain’s quarters astern.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The two Dreadnought Boys, thus left to themselves, walked forward toward the deck-house.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading The seams gaped whitely, and the litter of broken spars and mildewed canvas showed only too plainly through what an ordeal she had passed before being abandoned.
having edges that are jagged from injury
From this reading This erection, which had once been painted white, had been almost torn from the deck by the fury of the storm which had resulted in the casting away of the _Donna Mercedes_.
towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/
in the direction of
From this reading The two Dreadnought Boys, thus left to themselves, walked forward toward the deck-house.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading The two Dreadnought Boys, thus left to themselves, walked forward toward the deck-house.
past form of “walk” — use one's feet to advance; advance by steps
From this reading The two Dreadnought Boys, thus left to themselves, walked forward toward the deck-house.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading Ensign Conkling lost no time in making his way down a companionway leading into what had been the captain’s quarters astern.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading The seams gaped whitely, and the litter of broken spars and mildewed canvas showed only too plainly through what an ordeal she had passed before being abandoned.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading This erection, which had once been painted white, had been almost torn from the deck by the fury of the storm which had resulted in the casting away of the _Donna Mercedes_.
a Caucasian
From this reading This erection, which had once been painted white, had been almost torn from the deck by the fury of the storm which had resulted in the casting away of the _Donna Mercedes_.
whitely
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The seams gaped whitely, and the litter of broken spars and mildewed canvas showed only too plainly through what an ordeal she had passed before being abandoned.
