AdeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading THE RETURN I A mile from shore, under the lee of the land, the wind fell away.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading The shore was dark and still before them, and the sun poised above the Downs, blue at the back.
alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/
(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 Save for the lap of waters at the bow, all was hushed in the gracious evening.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The shore was dark and still before them, and the sun poised above the Downs, blue at the back.
AsconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As they neared the land, the calm grew.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The shore was dark and still before them, and the sun poised above the Downs, blue at the back.
awayadverbUS /əˈweɪ/
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading THE RETURN I A mile from shore, under the lee of the land, the wind fell away.
backadverbUS /bæk/
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading The shore was dark and still before them, and the sun poised above the Downs, blue at the back.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading The shore was dark and still before them, and the sun poised above the Downs, blue at the back.
blueadjectiveUS /bluː/
of the color intermediate between green and violet; having a color similar to that of a clear unclouded sky
From this reading The shore was dark and still before them, and the sun poised above the Downs, blue at the back.
bownounUS /baʊ/
a knot with two loops and loose ends; used to tie shoelaces
From this reading Save for the lap of waters at the bow, all was hushed in the gracious evening.
calmverbUS /kɑːm/
make calm or still
From this reading As they neared the land, the calm grew.
darknounUS /dɑːrk/
absence of light or illumination
From this reading The shore was dark and still before them, and the sun poised above the Downs, blue at the back.
downadjectiveUS /daʊn/
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading The lugger, with lolling mainsail, flowed down a path of gold.
DownsnounUS /daʊnz/
plural of “down” — soft fine feathers
From this reading The shore was dark and still before them, and the sun poised above the Downs, blue at the back.
eveningnounUS /ˈiːvnɪŋ/
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading Save for the lap of waters at the bow, all was hushed in the gracious evening.
fellverbUS /fel/
cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow
From this reading THE RETURN I A mile from shore, under the lee of the land, the wind fell away.
flowedverbUS /floʊd/
past form of “flow” — move or progress freely as if in a stream
From this reading The lugger, with lolling mainsail, flowed down a path of gold.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Save for the lap of waters at the bow, all was hushed in the gracious evening.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading THE RETURN I A mile from shore, under the lee of the land, the wind fell away.
goldnounUS /ɡoʊld/
coins made of gold
From this reading The lugger, with lolling mainsail, flowed down a path of gold.
graciousadjectiveUS /ˈɡreɪʃəs/
characterized by charm, good taste, and generosity of spirit
From this reading Save for the lap of waters at the bow, all was hushed in the gracious evening.
grewverbUS /ɡruː/
inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading As they neared the land, the calm grew.
hushedadjectiveUS /hʌʃt/
in a softened tone
From this reading Save for the lap of waters at the bow, all was hushed in the gracious evening.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading THE RETURN I A mile from shore, under the lee of the land, the wind fell away.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Save for the lap of waters at the bow, all was hushed in the gracious evening.
landnounUS /lænd/
the land on which real estate is located
From this reading THE RETURN I A mile from shore, under the lee of the land, the wind fell away.
lapverbUS /læp/
lie partly over or alongside of something or of one another
From this reading Save for the lap of waters at the bow, all was hushed in the gracious evening.
leenounUS /liː/
United States filmmaker whose works explore the richness of black culture in America (born in 1957)
From this reading THE RETURN I A mile from shore, under the lee of the land, the wind fell away.
lollingverbUS /ˈlɑːlɪŋ/
-ing form of “loll” — hang loosely or laxly
From this reading The lugger, with lolling mainsail, flowed down a path of gold.
luggernoun
small fishing boat rigged with one or more lugsails
From this reading The lugger, with lolling mainsail, flowed down a path of gold.
mainsailnoun
the lowermost sail on the mainmast
From this reading The lugger, with lolling mainsail, flowed down a path of gold.
milenounUS /maɪl/
a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters
From this reading THE RETURN I A mile from shore, under the lee of the land, the wind fell away.
nearedverbUS /nɪrd/
past form of “near” — move towards
From this reading As they neared the land, the calm grew.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE RETURN I A mile from shore, under the lee of the land, the wind fell away.
pathnounUS /pæθ/
a course of conduct
From this reading The lugger, with lolling mainsail, flowed down a path of gold.
poisedadjectiveUS /pɔɪzd/
marked by balance or equilibrium and readiness for action
From this reading The shore was dark and still before them, and the sun poised above the Downs, blue at the back.
RETURNverbUS /rɪˈtɜːrn/
go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading THE RETURN I A mile from shore, under the lee of the land, the wind fell away.
SaveprepositionUS /seɪv/
except for; apart from
From this reading Save for the lap of waters at the bow, all was hushed in the gracious evening.
shorenounUS /ʃɔːr/
the land along the edge of a body of water
From this reading THE RETURN I A mile from shore, under the lee of the land, the wind fell away.
stilladjectiveUS /stɪl/
not in physical motion
From this reading The shore was dark and still before them, and the sun poised above the Downs, blue at the back.
sunnounUS /sʌn/
the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system
From this reading The shore was dark and still before them, and the sun poised above the Downs, blue at the back.
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE RETURN I A mile from shore, under the lee of the land, the wind fell away.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading The shore was dark and still before them, and the sun poised above the Downs, blue at the back.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading As they neared the land, the calm grew.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading THE RETURN I A mile from shore, under the lee of the land, the wind fell away.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The shore was dark and still before them, and the sun poised above the Downs, blue at the back.
watersnounUS /ˈwɔːtərz/
United States actress and singer (1896-1977)
From this reading Save for the lap of waters at the bow, all was hushed in the gracious evening.
windnounUS /waɪnd/
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading THE RETURN I A mile from shore, under the lee of the land, the wind fell away.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading The lugger, with lolling mainsail, flowed down a path of gold.
