used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A SHOW OF GRATITUDE.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading The schooner sailed on, and came against the pirate ship with a crash.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The schooner sailed on, and came against the pirate ship with a crash.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As a usual thing, the pirates could be expected to board and slay without mercy, to loot, and then either to destroy the ill-fated vessel or take it away a prize.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading As a usual thing, the pirates could be expected to board and slay without mercy, to loot, and then either to destroy the ill-fated vessel or take it away a prize.
a hostile meeting of opposing military forces in the course of a war
From this reading But here was a battle unlike the usual one when honest men met pirates.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading As a usual thing, the pirates could be expected to board and slay without mercy, to loot, and then either to destroy the ill-fated vessel or take it away a prize.
a committee having supervisory powers
From this reading As a usual thing, the pirates could be expected to board and slay without mercy, to loot, and then either to destroy the ill-fated vessel or take it away a prize.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But here was a battle unlike the usual one when honest men met pirates.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading The schooner sailed on, and came against the pirate ship with a crash.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading As a usual thing, the pirates could be expected to board and slay without mercy, to loot, and then either to destroy the ill-fated vessel or take it away a prize.
crashverbUS /kræʃ/
fall or come down violently
From this reading The schooner sailed on, and came against the pirate ship with a crash.
defensenounUS /dɪˈfens/
(military) military action or resources protecting a country against potential enemies
From this reading And the honest men could be expected only to offer what defense they could.
do away with, cause the destruction or undoing of
From this reading As a usual thing, the pirates could be expected to board and slay without mercy, to loot, and then either to destroy the ill-fated vessel or take it away a prize.
one or the other of two
From this reading As a usual thing, the pirates could be expected to board and slay without mercy, to loot, and then either to destroy the ill-fated vessel or take it away a prize.
considered likely or probable to happen or arrive
From this reading As a usual thing, the pirates could be expected to board and slay without mercy, to loot, and then either to destroy the ill-fated vessel or take it away a prize.
a feeling of thankfulness and appreciation
From this reading A SHOW OF GRATITUDE.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading But here was a battle unlike the usual one when honest men met pirates.
not disposed to cheat or defraud; not deceptive or fraudulent
From this reading But here was a battle unlike the usual one when honest men met pirates.
ill-fatedadjective
marked by or promising bad fortune
From this reading As a usual thing, the pirates could be expected to board and slay without mercy, to loot, and then either to destroy the ill-fated vessel or take it away a prize.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading As a usual thing, the pirates could be expected to board and slay without mercy, to loot, and then either to destroy the ill-fated vessel or take it away a prize.
lootnounUS /luːt/
goods or money obtained illegally
From this reading As a usual thing, the pirates could be expected to board and slay without mercy, to loot, and then either to destroy the ill-fated vessel or take it away a prize.
the force of workers available
From this reading But here was a battle unlike the usual one when honest men met pirates.
leniency and compassion shown toward offenders by a person or agency charged with administering justice
From this reading As a usual thing, the pirates could be expected to board and slay without mercy, to loot, and then either to destroy the ill-fated vessel or take it away a prize.
inflected form of “meet” — come together
From this reading But here was a battle unlike the usual one when honest men met pirates.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A SHOW OF GRATITUDE.
make available or accessible, provide or furnish
From this reading And the honest men could be expected only to offer what defense they could.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The schooner sailed on, and came against the pirate ship with a crash.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading But here was a battle unlike the usual one when honest men met pirates.
and nothing more
From this reading And the honest men could be expected only to offer what defense they could.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading As a usual thing, the pirates could be expected to board and slay without mercy, to loot, and then either to destroy the ill-fated vessel or take it away a prize.
piratenounUS /ˈpaɪrət/
someone who uses another person's words or ideas as if they were his own
From this reading The schooner sailed on, and came against the pirate ship with a crash.
piratesnounUS /ˈpaɪrəts/
plural of “pirate” — someone who uses another person's words or ideas as if they were his own
From this reading But here was a battle unlike the usual one when honest men met pirates.
something given for victory or superiority in a contest or competition or for winning a lottery
From this reading As a usual thing, the pirates could be expected to board and slay without mercy, to loot, and then either to destroy the ill-fated vessel or take it away a prize.
past form of “sail” — traverse or travel on (a body of water)
From this reading The schooner sailed on, and came against the pirate ship with a crash.
schoonernounUS /ˈskuːnər/
a large beer glass
From this reading The schooner sailed on, and came against the pirate ship with a crash.
transport commercially
From this reading The schooner sailed on, and came against the pirate ship with a crash.
give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading A SHOW OF GRATITUDE.
slayverbUS /sleɪ/
kill intentionally and with premeditation
From this reading As a usual thing, the pirates could be expected to board and slay without mercy, to loot, and then either to destroy the ill-fated vessel or take it away a prize.
carry out
From this reading As a usual thing, the pirates could be expected to board and slay without mercy, to loot, and then either to destroy the ill-fated vessel or take it away a prize.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The schooner sailed on, and came against the pirate ship with a crash.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading As a usual thing, the pirates could be expected to board and slay without mercy, to loot, and then either to destroy the ill-fated vessel or take it away a prize.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading And the honest men could be expected only to offer what defense they could.
a special situation
From this reading As a usual thing, the pirates could be expected to board and slay without mercy, to loot, and then either to destroy the ill-fated vessel or take it away a prize.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading As a usual thing, the pirates could be expected to board and slay without mercy, to loot, and then either to destroy the ill-fated vessel or take it away a prize.
unlikeadjectiveUS /ənˈlaɪk/
marked by dissimilarity
From this reading But here was a battle unlike the usual one when honest men met pirates.
usualadjectiveUS /ˈjuːʒəwəl/
occurring or encountered or experienced or observed frequently or in accordance with regular practice or procedure
From this reading But here was a battle unlike the usual one when honest men met pirates.
a tube in which a body fluid circulates
From this reading As a usual thing, the pirates could be expected to board and slay without mercy, to loot, and then either to destroy the ill-fated vessel or take it away a prize.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading But here was a battle unlike the usual one when honest men met pirates.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading And the honest men could be expected only to offer what defense they could.
at the time that
From this reading But here was a battle unlike the usual one when honest men met pirates.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The schooner sailed on, and came against the pirate ship with a crash.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading As a usual thing, the pirates could be expected to board and slay without mercy, to loot, and then either to destroy the ill-fated vessel or take it away a prize.
