used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading There is a small tide in the Mediterranean, much smaller than those of the greater oceans.
(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 The pest ship, all sails spread, was hull down on the horizon.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The gorilla stood by an embrasure, resting its elbows on the sill and staring moodily off toward the wharf.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The gorilla stood by an embrasure, resting its elbows on the sill and staring moodily off toward the wharf.
move towards
From this reading The sky was growing light with the approach of dawn.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading It had been running now for nearly an hour.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The gorilla stood by an embrasure, resting its elbows on the sill and staring moodily off toward the wharf.
the first light of day
From this reading The sky was growing light with the approach of dawn.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading The pest ship, all sails spread, was hull down on the horizon.
elbowsnounUS /ˈelboʊz/
plural of “elbow” — hinge joint between the forearm and upper arm and the corresponding joint in the forelimb of a quadruped
From this reading The gorilla stood by an embrasure, resting its elbows on the sill and staring moodily off toward the wharf.
embrasurenoun
an opening (in a wall or ship or armored vehicle) for firing through
From this reading The gorilla stood by an embrasure, resting its elbows on the sill and staring moodily off toward the wharf.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading It had been running now for nearly an hour.
gorillanounUS /ɡərˈɪlə/
largest anthropoid ape; terrestrial and vegetarian; of forests of central west Africa
From this reading The gorilla stood by an embrasure, resting its elbows on the sill and staring moodily off toward the wharf.
greater in size or importance or degree
From this reading There is a small tide in the Mediterranean, much smaller than those of the greater oceans.
(biology) the process of an individual organism growing organically; a purely biological unfolding of events involved in an organism changing gradually from a simple to a more complex level
From this reading The sky was growing light with the approach of dawn.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading It had been running now for nearly an hour.
the line at which the sky and Earth appear to meet
From this reading The pest ship, all sails spread, was hull down on the horizon.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading It had been running now for nearly an hour.
hullnounUS /hʌl/
dry outer covering of a fruit or seed or nut
From this reading The pest ship, all sails spread, was hull down on the horizon.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading There is a small tide in the Mediterranean, much smaller than those of the greater oceans.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There is a small tide in the Mediterranean, much smaller than those of the greater oceans.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It had been running now for nearly an hour.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading The gorilla stood by an embrasure, resting its elbows on the sill and staring moodily off toward the wharf.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading The sky was growing light with the approach of dawn.
MediterraneannounUS /ˌmedətərˈeɪniən/
the largest inland sea; between Europe and Africa and Asia
From this reading There is a small tide in the Mediterranean, much smaller than those of the greater oceans.
moodilyadverb
in a moody manner
From this reading The gorilla stood by an embrasure, resting its elbows on the sill and staring moodily off toward the wharf.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading There is a small tide in the Mediterranean, much smaller than those of the greater oceans.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading It had been running now for nearly an hour.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading It had been running now for nearly an hour.
oceansnounUS /ˈoʊʃənz/
plural of “ocean” — a large body of water constituting a principal part of the hydrosphere
From this reading There is a small tide in the Mediterranean, much smaller than those of the greater oceans.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The sky was growing light with the approach of dawn.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading The gorilla stood by an embrasure, resting its elbows on the sill and staring moodily off toward the wharf.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The gorilla stood by an embrasure, resting its elbows on the sill and staring moodily off toward the wharf.
pestnounUS /pest/
a serious (sometimes fatal) infection of rodents caused by Yersinia pestis and accidentally transmitted to humans by the bite of a flea that has bitten an infected animal
From this reading The pest ship, all sails spread, was hull down on the horizon.
-ing form of “rest” — not move; be in a resting position
From this reading The gorilla stood by an embrasure, resting its elbows on the sill and staring moodily off toward the wharf.
(of fluids) moving or issuing in a stream
From this reading It had been running now for nearly an hour.
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 The pest ship, all sails spread, was hull down on the horizon.
transport commercially
From this reading The pest ship, all sails spread, was hull down on the horizon.
sillnounUS /sɪl/
structural member consisting of a continuous horizontal timber forming the lowest member of a framework or supporting structure
From this reading The gorilla stood by an embrasure, resting its elbows on the sill and staring moodily off toward the wharf.
the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading The sky was growing light with the approach of dawn.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading There is a small tide in the Mediterranean, much smaller than those of the greater oceans.
small or little relative to something else
From this reading There is a small tide in the Mediterranean, much smaller than those of the greater oceans.
distribute or disperse widely
From this reading The pest ship, all sails spread, was hull down on the horizon.
(used of eyes) open and fixed as if in fear or wonder
From this reading The gorilla stood by an embrasure, resting its elbows on the sill and staring moodily off toward the wharf.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading The gorilla stood by an embrasure, resting its elbows on the sill and staring moodily off toward the wharf.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading There is a small tide in the Mediterranean, much smaller than those of the greater oceans.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The gorilla stood by an embrasure, resting its elbows on the sill and staring moodily off toward the wharf.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There is a small tide in the Mediterranean, much smaller than those of the greater oceans.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading There is a small tide in the Mediterranean, much smaller than those of the greater oceans.
the periodic rise and fall of the sea level under the gravitational pull of the moon
From this reading There is a small tide in the Mediterranean, much smaller than those of the greater oceans.
towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/
in the direction of
From this reading The gorilla stood by an embrasure, resting its elbows on the sill and staring moodily off toward the wharf.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The sky was growing light with the approach of dawn.
wharfnounUS /wɔːrf/
a platform built out from the shore into the water and supported by piles; provides access to ships and boats
From this reading The gorilla stood by an embrasure, resting its elbows on the sill and staring moodily off toward the wharf.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The sky was growing light with the approach of dawn.
