used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It seemed to Jack that he plunged down to a great depth, and when he finally rose to the surface, he was gasping for breath.
(usually followed by “to”) having the necessary means or skill or know-how or authority to do something
From this reading He weakened rapidly, and before he was half way to the shore, fear struck him that he might not be able to reach it.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading His first thought was to free himself from his raincoat, and as soon as this was done, he struck out for the east side, as he thought he was a little more than half way across.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading Although a powerful swimmer, the choppy sea, caused by a brisk wind, and his clothing, which seemed to drag him down, made his progress difficult.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It seemed to Jack that he plunged down to a great depth, and when he finally rose to the surface, he was gasping for breath.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading His first thought was to free himself from his raincoat, and as soon as this was done, he struck out for the east side, as he thought he was a little more than half way across.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading He weakened rapidly, and before he was half way to the shore, fear struck him that he might not be able to reach it.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading He weakened rapidly, and before he was half way to the shore, fear struck him that he might not be able to reach it.
the process of taking in and expelling air during breathing
From this reading It seemed to Jack that he plunged down to a great depth, and when he finally rose to the surface, he was gasping for breath.
briskadjectiveUS /brɪsk/
quick and energetic
From this reading Although a powerful swimmer, the choppy sea, caused by a brisk wind, and his clothing, which seemed to drag him down, made his progress difficult.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Although a powerful swimmer, the choppy sea, caused by a brisk wind, and his clothing, which seemed to drag him down, made his progress difficult.
past form of “cause” — give rise to; cause to happen or occur, not always intentionally
From this reading Although a powerful swimmer, the choppy sea, caused by a brisk wind, and his clothing, which seemed to drag him down, made his progress difficult.
choppyadjectiveUS /ˈtʃɑːpi/
marked by abrupt transitions
From this reading Although a powerful swimmer, the choppy sea, caused by a brisk wind, and his clothing, which seemed to drag him down, made his progress difficult.
clothingnounUS /ˈkloʊðɪŋ/
a covering designed to be worn on a person's body
From this reading Although a powerful swimmer, the choppy sea, caused by a brisk wind, and his clothing, which seemed to drag him down, made his progress difficult.
depthnounUS /depθ/
the extent downward or backward or inward
From this reading It seemed to Jack that he plunged down to a great depth, and when he finally rose to the surface, he was gasping for breath.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading Although a powerful swimmer, the choppy sea, caused by a brisk wind, and his clothing, which seemed to drag him down, made his progress difficult.
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading His first thought was to free himself from his raincoat, and as soon as this was done, he struck out for the east side, as he thought he was a little more than half way across.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading It seemed to Jack that he plunged down to a great depth, and when he finally rose to the surface, he was gasping for breath.
dragverbUS /dræɡ/
pull, as against a resistance
From this reading Although a powerful swimmer, the choppy sea, caused by a brisk wind, and his clothing, which seemed to drag him down, made his progress difficult.
the cardinal compass point that is at 90 degrees
From this reading His first thought was to free himself from his raincoat, and as soon as this was done, he struck out for the east side, as he thought he was a little more than half way across.
be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event
From this reading He weakened rapidly, and before he was half way to the shore, fear struck him that he might not be able to reach it.
after an unspecified period of time or an especially long delay
From this reading It seemed to Jack that he plunged down to a great depth, and when he finally rose to the surface, he was gasping for breath.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading His first thought was to free himself from his raincoat, and as soon as this was done, he struck out for the east side, as he thought he was a little more than half way across.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading It seemed to Jack that he plunged down to a great depth, and when he finally rose to the surface, he was gasping for breath.
grant freedom to; free from confinement
From this reading His first thought was to free himself from his raincoat, and as soon as this was done, he struck out for the east side, as he thought he was a little more than half way across.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading His first thought was to free himself from his raincoat, and as soon as this was done, he struck out for the east side, as he thought he was a little more than half way across.
gaspingverbUS /ˈɡæspɪŋ/
-ing form of “gasp” — breathe noisily, as when one is exhausted
From this reading It seemed to Jack that he plunged down to a great depth, and when he finally rose to the surface, he was gasping for breath.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading It seemed to Jack that he plunged down to a great depth, and when he finally rose to the surface, he was gasping for breath.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading His first thought was to free himself from his raincoat, and as soon as this was done, he struck out for the east side, as he thought he was a little more than half way across.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It seemed to Jack that he plunged down to a great depth, and when he finally rose to the surface, he was gasping for breath.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Although a powerful swimmer, the choppy sea, caused by a brisk wind, and his clothing, which seemed to drag him down, made his progress difficult.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading His first thought was to free himself from his raincoat, and as soon as this was done, he struck out for the east side, as he thought he was a little more than half way across.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading His first thought was to free himself from his raincoat, and as soon as this was done, he struck out for the east side, as he thought he was a little more than half way across.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading JACK IN TROUBLE.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It seemed to Jack that he plunged down to a great depth, and when he finally rose to the surface, he was gasping for breath.
a small worthless amount
From this reading JACK IN TROUBLE.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading His first thought was to free himself from his raincoat, and as soon as this was done, he struck out for the east side, as he thought he was a little more than half way across.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading Although a powerful swimmer, the choppy sea, caused by a brisk wind, and his clothing, which seemed to drag him down, made his progress difficult.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading He weakened rapidly, and before he was half way to the shore, fear struck him that he might not be able to reach it.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading His first thought was to free himself from his raincoat, and as soon as this was done, he struck out for the east side, as he thought he was a little more than half way across.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading He weakened rapidly, and before he was half way to the shore, fear struck him that he might not be able to reach it.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading His first thought was to free himself from his raincoat, and as soon as this was done, he struck out for the east side, as he thought he was a little more than half way across.
past form of “plunge” — thrust or throw into
From this reading It seemed to Jack that he plunged down to a great depth, and when he finally rose to the surface, he was gasping for breath.
having great power or force or potency or effect
From this reading Although a powerful swimmer, the choppy sea, caused by a brisk wind, and his clothing, which seemed to drag him down, made his progress difficult.
gradual improvement or growth or development
From this reading Although a powerful swimmer, the choppy sea, caused by a brisk wind, and his clothing, which seemed to drag him down, made his progress difficult.
raincoatnounUS /ˈreɪnkoʊt/
a water-resistant coat
From this reading His first thought was to free himself from his raincoat, and as soon as this was done, he struck out for the east side, as he thought he was a little more than half way across.
with speed
From this reading He weakened rapidly, and before he was half way to the shore, fear struck him that he might not be able to reach it.
reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading He weakened rapidly, and before he was half way to the shore, fear struck him that he might not be able to reach it.
any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading It seemed to Jack that he plunged down to a great depth, and when he finally rose to the surface, he was gasping for breath.
a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
From this reading Although a powerful swimmer, the choppy sea, caused by a brisk wind, and his clothing, which seemed to drag him down, made his progress difficult.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading It seemed to Jack that he plunged down to a great depth, and when he finally rose to the surface, he was gasping for breath.
the land along the edge of a body of water
From this reading He weakened rapidly, and before he was half way to the shore, fear struck him that he might not be able to reach it.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading His first thought was to free himself from his raincoat, and as soon as this was done, he struck out for the east side, as he thought he was a little more than half way across.
in the near future
From this reading His first thought was to free himself from his raincoat, and as soon as this was done, he struck out for the east side, as he thought he was a little more than half way across.
(used in combination) affected by something overwhelming
From this reading His first thought was to free himself from his raincoat, and as soon as this was done, he struck out for the east side, as he thought he was a little more than half way across.
the outer boundary of an artifact or a material layer constituting or resembling such a boundary
From this reading It seemed to Jack that he plunged down to a great depth, and when he finally rose to the surface, he was gasping for breath.
swimmernounUS /ˈswɪmər/
a trained athlete who participates in swimming meets
From this reading Although a powerful swimmer, the choppy sea, caused by a brisk wind, and his clothing, which seemed to drag him down, made his progress difficult.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading His first thought was to free himself from his raincoat, and as soon as this was done, he struck out for the east side, as he thought he was a little more than half way across.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It seemed to Jack that he plunged down to a great depth, and when he finally rose to the surface, he was gasping for breath.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It seemed to Jack that he plunged down to a great depth, and when he finally rose to the surface, he was gasping for breath.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading His first thought was to free himself from his raincoat, and as soon as this was done, he struck out for the east side, as he thought he was a little more than half way across.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading His first thought was to free himself from his raincoat, and as soon as this was done, he struck out for the east side, as he thought he was a little more than half way across.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It seemed to Jack that he plunged down to a great depth, and when he finally rose to the surface, he was gasping for breath.
a source of difficulty
From this reading JACK IN TROUBLE.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It seemed to Jack that he plunged down to a great depth, and when he finally rose to the surface, he was gasping for breath.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading His first thought was to free himself from his raincoat, and as soon as this was done, he struck out for the east side, as he thought he was a little more than half way across.
weakenedadjectiveUS /ˈwiːkənd/
impaired by diminution
From this reading He weakened rapidly, and before he was half way to the shore, fear struck him that he might not be able to reach it.
at the time that
From this reading It seemed to Jack that he plunged down to a great depth, and when he finally rose to the surface, he was gasping for breath.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Although a powerful swimmer, the choppy sea, caused by a brisk wind, and his clothing, which seemed to drag him down, made his progress difficult.
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading Although a powerful swimmer, the choppy sea, caused by a brisk wind, and his clothing, which seemed to drag him down, made his progress difficult.
