used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading "Listen, boys," he said in a low voice.
abandonedadjectiveUS /əˈbændənd/
forsaken by owner or inhabitants
From this reading At last the search was abandoned and when the boys returned they discovered Mr. Button awaiting their coming.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading For several minutes the boys ran up and down the shore vainly searching for the missing boat.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading They were convinced that some one had taken the skiff and probably was not far away, as it would be impossible for any one to go far during the short time that had elapsed since they had left the spot where Mr. Button had landed.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading They were convinced that some one had taken the skiff and probably was not far away, as it would be impossible for any one to go far during the short time that had elapsed since they had left the spot where Mr. Button had landed.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At last the search was abandoned and when the boys returned they discovered Mr. Button awaiting their coming.
awaitingverbUS /əˈweɪtɪŋ/
-ing form of “await” — look forward to the probable occurrence of
From this reading At last the search was abandoned and when the boys returned they discovered Mr. Button awaiting their coming.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading They were convinced that some one had taken the skiff and probably was not far away, as it would be impossible for any one to go far during the short time that had elapsed since they had left the spot where Mr. Button had landed.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading They were convinced that some one had taken the skiff and probably was not far away, as it would be impossible for any one to go far during the short time that had elapsed since they had left the spot where Mr. Button had landed.
a small vessel for travel on water
From this reading For several minutes the boys ran up and down the shore vainly searching for the missing boat.
plural of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading For several minutes the boys ran up and down the shore vainly searching for the missing boat.
ButtonnounUS /ˈbʌtən/
a round fastener sewn to shirts and coats etc to fit through buttonholes
From this reading They were convinced that some one had taken the skiff and probably was not far away, as it would be impossible for any one to go far during the short time that had elapsed since they had left the spot where Mr. Button had landed.
the act of drawing spatially closer to something
From this reading At last the search was abandoned and when the boys returned they discovered Mr. Button awaiting their coming.
persuaded of; very sure
From this reading They were convinced that some one had taken the skiff and probably was not far away, as it would be impossible for any one to go far during the short time that had elapsed since they had left the spot where Mr. Button had landed.
discovered or determined by scientific observation
From this reading At last the search was abandoned and when the boys returned they discovered Mr. Button awaiting their coming.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading "Do you hear any sound?"
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading For several minutes the boys ran up and down the shore vainly searching for the missing boat.
all through a period, or at some point within it
From this reading They were convinced that some one had taken the skiff and probably was not far away, as it would be impossible for any one to go far during the short time that had elapsed since they had left the spot where Mr. Button had landed.
elapsedadjectiveUS /ɪˈlæpst/
(of time) having passed or slipped by
From this reading They were convinced that some one had taken the skiff and probably was not far away, as it would be impossible for any one to go far during the short time that had elapsed since they had left the spot where Mr. Button had landed.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading They were convinced that some one had taken the skiff and probably was not far away, as it would be impossible for any one to go far during the short time that had elapsed since they had left the spot where Mr. Button had landed.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For several minutes the boys ran up and down the shore vainly searching for the missing boat.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading They were convinced that some one had taken the skiff and probably was not far away, as it would be impossible for any one to go far during the short time that had elapsed since they had left the spot where Mr. Button had landed.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading They were convinced that some one had taken the skiff and probably was not far away, as it would be impossible for any one to go far during the short time that had elapsed since they had left the spot where Mr. Button had landed.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Listen, boys," he said in a low voice.
perceive (sound) via the auditory sense
From this reading "Do you hear any sound?"
not capable of occurring or being accomplished or dealt with
From this reading They were convinced that some one had taken the skiff and probably was not far away, as it would be impossible for any one to go far during the short time that had elapsed since they had left the spot where Mr. Button had landed.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "Listen, boys," he said in a low voice.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading They were convinced that some one had taken the skiff and probably was not far away, as it would be impossible for any one to go far during the short time that had elapsed since they had left the spot where Mr. Button had landed.
owning or consisting of land or real estate
From this reading They were convinced that some one had taken the skiff and probably was not far away, as it would be impossible for any one to go far during the short time that had elapsed since they had left the spot where Mr. Button had landed.
immediately past
From this reading At last the search was abandoned and when the boys returned they discovered Mr. Button awaiting their coming.
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 They were convinced that some one had taken the skiff and probably was not far away, as it would be impossible for any one to go far during the short time that had elapsed since they had left the spot where Mr. Button had landed.
hear with intention
From this reading "Listen, boys," he said in a low voice.
less than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading "Listen, boys," he said in a low voice.
a written account of what transpired at a meeting
From this reading For several minutes the boys ran up and down the shore vainly searching for the missing boat.
not able to be found
From this reading For several minutes the boys ran up and down the shore vainly searching for the missing boat.
a form of address for a man
From this reading They were convinced that some one had taken the skiff and probably was not far away, as it would be impossible for any one to go far during the short time that had elapsed since they had left the spot where Mr. Button had landed.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading They were convinced that some one had taken the skiff and probably was not far away, as it would be impossible for any one to go far during the short time that had elapsed since they had left the spot where Mr. Button had landed.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading They were convinced that some one had taken the skiff and probably was not far away, as it would be impossible for any one to go far during the short time that had elapsed since they had left the spot where Mr. Button had landed.
with considerable certainty; without much doubt
From this reading They were convinced that some one had taken the skiff and probably was not far away, as it would be impossible for any one to go far during the short time that had elapsed since they had left the spot where Mr. Button had landed.
inflected form of “run” — move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time
From this reading For several minutes the boys ran up and down the shore vainly searching for the missing boat.
past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading At last the search was abandoned and when the boys returned they discovered Mr. Button awaiting their coming.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "Listen, boys," he said in a low voice.
try to locate or discover, or try to establish the existence of
From this reading At last the search was abandoned and when the boys returned they discovered Mr. Button awaiting their coming.
diligent and thorough in inquiry or investigation
From this reading For several minutes the boys ran up and down the shore vainly searching for the missing boat.
(used with count nouns) of an indefinite number more than 2 or 3 but not many
From this reading For several minutes the boys ran up and down the shore vainly searching for the missing boat.
the land along the edge of a body of water
From this reading For several minutes the boys ran up and down the shore vainly searching for the missing boat.
primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration
From this reading They were convinced that some one had taken the skiff and probably was not far away, as it would be impossible for any one to go far during the short time that had elapsed since they had left the spot where Mr. Button had landed.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading They were convinced that some one had taken the skiff and probably was not far away, as it would be impossible for any one to go far during the short time that had elapsed since they had left the spot where Mr. Button had landed.
skiffnounUS /skɪf/
any of various small boats propelled by oars or by sails or by a motor
From this reading They were convinced that some one had taken the skiff and probably was not far away, as it would be impossible for any one to go far during the short time that had elapsed since they had left the spot where Mr. Button had landed.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading They were convinced that some one had taken the skiff and probably was not far away, as it would be impossible for any one to go far during the short time that had elapsed since they had left the spot where Mr. Button had landed.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading "Do you hear any sound?"
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading They were convinced that some one had taken the skiff and probably was not far away, as it would be impossible for any one to go far during the short time that had elapsed since they had left the spot where Mr. Button had landed.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading They were convinced that some one had taken the skiff and probably was not far away, as it would be impossible for any one to go far during the short time that had elapsed since they had left the spot where Mr. Button had landed.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading They were convinced that some one had taken the skiff and probably was not far away, as it would be impossible for any one to go far during the short time that had elapsed since they had left the spot where Mr. Button had landed.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading For several minutes the boys ran up and down the shore vainly searching for the missing boat.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading At last the search was abandoned and when the boys returned they discovered Mr. Button awaiting their coming.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They were convinced that some one had taken the skiff and probably was not far away, as it would be impossible for any one to go far during the short time that had elapsed since they had left the spot where Mr. Button had landed.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading They were convinced that some one had taken the skiff and probably was not far away, as it would be impossible for any one to go far during the short time that had elapsed since they had left the spot where Mr. Button had landed.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading They were convinced that some one had taken the skiff and probably was not far away, as it would be impossible for any one to go far during the short time that had elapsed since they had left the spot where Mr. Button had landed.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading For several minutes the boys ran up and down the shore vainly searching for the missing boat.
vainlyadverbUS /ˈveɪnli/
to no avail
From this reading For several minutes the boys ran up and down the shore vainly searching for the missing boat.
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading "Listen, boys," he said in a low voice.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading They were convinced that some one had taken the skiff and probably was not far away, as it would be impossible for any one to go far during the short time that had elapsed since they had left the spot where Mr. Button had landed.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading They were convinced that some one had taken the skiff and probably was not far away, as it would be impossible for any one to go far during the short time that had elapsed since they had left the spot where Mr. Button had landed.
at the time that
From this reading At last the search was abandoned and when the boys returned they discovered Mr. Button awaiting their coming.
in or at the place that
From this reading They were convinced that some one had taken the skiff and probably was not far away, as it would be impossible for any one to go far during the short time that had elapsed since they had left the spot where Mr. Button had landed.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading They were convinced that some one had taken the skiff and probably was not far away, as it would be impossible for any one to go far during the short time that had elapsed since they had left the spot where Mr. Button had landed.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Do you hear any sound?"
