used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A thick mist hung near the land.
alertnessnounUS /əˈlɜːrtnəs/
the process of paying close and continuous attention
From this reading The Harbour Defence Flotilla was in readiness, and under the black cliffs sentinels kept watch with every nerve strained to its highest tension, for the safety of England now depended upon their alertness.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading At sea the night was dark and moonless.
eagerly desirous
From this reading The Coastguard and Artillery on our southern and eastern shores spent a terribly anxious time, peering from their points of vantage out into the cavernous darkness where no light glimmered.
ArtillerynounUS /ɑːrˈtɪləri/
large but transportable armament
From this reading The Coastguard and Artillery on our southern and eastern shores spent a terribly anxious time, peering from their points of vantage out into the cavernous darkness where no light glimmered.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At sea the night was dark and moonless.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading The Harbour Defence Flotilla was in readiness, and under the black cliffs sentinels kept watch with every nerve strained to its highest tension, for the safety of England now depended upon their alertness.
BOMBARDMENTnounUS /bɑːmˈbɑːrdmənt/
the rapid and continuous delivery of linguistic communication (spoken or written)
From this reading BOMBARDMENT OF NEWHAVEN.
cavernousadjectiveUS /ˈkævərnəs/
being or suggesting a cavern
From this reading The Coastguard and Artillery on our southern and eastern shores spent a terribly anxious time, peering from their points of vantage out into the cavernous darkness where no light glimmered.
cliffsnounUS /klɪfs/
plural of “cliff” — a steep high face of rock
From this reading The Harbour Defence Flotilla was in readiness, and under the black cliffs sentinels kept watch with every nerve strained to its highest tension, for the safety of England now depended upon their alertness.
Coastguardnoun
a military service responsible for the safety of maritime traffic in coastal waters
From this reading The Coastguard and Artillery on our southern and eastern shores spent a terribly anxious time, peering from their points of vantage out into the cavernous darkness where no light glimmered.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading At sea the night was dark and moonless.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading The Coastguard and Artillery on our southern and eastern shores spent a terribly anxious time, peering from their points of vantage out into the cavernous darkness where no light glimmered.
DefencenounUS /dɪˈfens/
(psychiatry) an unconscious process that tries to reduce the anxiety associated with instinctive desires
From this reading The Harbour Defence Flotilla was in readiness, and under the black cliffs sentinels kept watch with every nerve strained to its highest tension, for the safety of England now depended upon their alertness.
dependedverbUS /dɪˈpendəd/
past form of “depend” — be contingent upon (something that is elided)
From this reading The Harbour Defence Flotilla was in readiness, and under the black cliffs sentinels kept watch with every nerve strained to its highest tension, for the safety of England now depended upon their alertness.
lying toward or situated in the east
From this reading The Coastguard and Artillery on our southern and eastern shores spent a terribly anxious time, peering from their points of vantage out into the cavernous darkness where no light glimmered.
a division of the United Kingdom
From this reading The Harbour Defence Flotilla was in readiness, and under the black cliffs sentinels kept watch with every nerve strained to its highest tension, for the safety of England now depended upon their alertness.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading The Harbour Defence Flotilla was in readiness, and under the black cliffs sentinels kept watch with every nerve strained to its highest tension, for the safety of England now depended upon their alertness.
FlotillanounUS /floʊˈtɪlə/
a United States Navy fleet consisting of two or more squadrons of small warships
From this reading The Harbour Defence Flotilla was in readiness, and under the black cliffs sentinels kept watch with every nerve strained to its highest tension, for the safety of England now depended upon their alertness.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The Harbour Defence Flotilla was in readiness, and under the black cliffs sentinels kept watch with every nerve strained to its highest tension, for the safety of England now depended upon their alertness.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The Coastguard and Artillery on our southern and eastern shores spent a terribly anxious time, peering from their points of vantage out into the cavernous darkness where no light glimmered.
glimmered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Coastguard and Artillery on our southern and eastern shores spent a terribly anxious time, peering from their points of vantage out into the cavernous darkness where no light glimmered.
HarbourverbUS /ˈhɑːrbər/
secretly shelter (as of fugitives or criminals)
From this reading The Harbour Defence Flotilla was in readiness, and under the black cliffs sentinels kept watch with every nerve strained to its highest tension, for the safety of England now depended upon their alertness.
superlative of “high” — greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading The Harbour Defence Flotilla was in readiness, and under the black cliffs sentinels kept watch with every nerve strained to its highest tension, for the safety of England now depended upon their alertness.
inflected form of “hang” — be suspended or hanging
From this reading A thick mist hung near the land.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The Harbour Defence Flotilla was in readiness, and under the black cliffs sentinels kept watch with every nerve strained to its highest tension, for the safety of England now depended upon their alertness.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading The Coastguard and Artillery on our southern and eastern shores spent a terribly anxious time, peering from their points of vantage out into the cavernous darkness where no light glimmered.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading The Harbour Defence Flotilla was in readiness, and under the black cliffs sentinels kept watch with every nerve strained to its highest tension, for the safety of England now depended upon their alertness.
(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded
From this reading The Harbour Defence Flotilla was in readiness, and under the black cliffs sentinels kept watch with every nerve strained to its highest tension, for the safety of England now depended upon their alertness.
the land on which real estate is located
From this reading A thick mist hung near the land.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading The Coastguard and Artillery on our southern and eastern shores spent a terribly anxious time, peering from their points of vantage out into the cavernous darkness where no light glimmered.
become covered with mist
From this reading A thick mist hung near the land.
moonlessadjective
without a moon or a visible moon
From this reading At sea the night was dark and moonless.
near in time or place or relationship
From this reading A thick mist hung near the land.
nervenounUS /nɜːrv/
any bundle of nerve fibers running to various organs and tissues of the body
From this reading The Harbour Defence Flotilla was in readiness, and under the black cliffs sentinels kept watch with every nerve strained to its highest tension, for the safety of England now depended upon their alertness.
NEWHAVEN
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading BOMBARDMENT OF NEWHAVEN.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading At sea the night was dark and moonless.
not any; not one
From this reading The Coastguard and Artillery on our southern and eastern shores spent a terribly anxious time, peering from their points of vantage out into the cavernous darkness where no light glimmered.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading The Harbour Defence Flotilla was in readiness, and under the black cliffs sentinels kept watch with every nerve strained to its highest tension, for the safety of England now depended upon their alertness.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading BOMBARDMENT OF NEWHAVEN.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The Coastguard and Artillery on our southern and eastern shores spent a terribly anxious time, peering from their points of vantage out into the cavernous darkness where no light glimmered.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading The Coastguard and Artillery on our southern and eastern shores spent a terribly anxious time, peering from their points of vantage out into the cavernous darkness where no light glimmered.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading The Coastguard and Artillery on our southern and eastern shores spent a terribly anxious time, peering from their points of vantage out into the cavernous darkness where no light glimmered.
peeringverbUS /ˈpiːrɪŋ/
-ing form of “peer” — look searchingly
From this reading The Coastguard and Artillery on our southern and eastern shores spent a terribly anxious time, peering from their points of vantage out into the cavernous darkness where no light glimmered.
plural of “point” — a geometric element that has position but no extension
From this reading The Coastguard and Artillery on our southern and eastern shores spent a terribly anxious time, peering from their points of vantage out into the cavernous darkness where no light glimmered.
readinessnounUS /ˈredinəs/
the state of having been made ready or prepared for use or action (especially military action)
From this reading The Harbour Defence Flotilla was in readiness, and under the black cliffs sentinels kept watch with every nerve strained to its highest tension, for the safety of England now depended upon their alertness.
the state of being certain that adverse effects will not be caused by some agent under defined conditions
From this reading The Harbour Defence Flotilla was in readiness, and under the black cliffs sentinels kept watch with every nerve strained to its highest tension, for the safety of England now depended upon their alertness.
a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
From this reading At sea the night was dark and moonless.
sentinelsnounUS /ˈsentənəlz/
plural of “sentinel” — a person employed to keep watch for some anticipated event
From this reading The Harbour Defence Flotilla was in readiness, and under the black cliffs sentinels kept watch with every nerve strained to its highest tension, for the safety of England now depended upon their alertness.
shoresnounUS /ʃɔːrz/
plural of “shore” — the land along the edge of a body of water
From this reading The Coastguard and Artillery on our southern and eastern shores spent a terribly anxious time, peering from their points of vantage out into the cavernous darkness where no light glimmered.
in or characteristic of a region of the United States south of (approximately) the Mason-Dixon line
From this reading The Coastguard and Artillery on our southern and eastern shores spent a terribly anxious time, peering from their points of vantage out into the cavernous darkness where no light glimmered.
depleted of energy, force, or strength
From this reading The Coastguard and Artillery on our southern and eastern shores spent a terribly anxious time, peering from their points of vantage out into the cavernous darkness where no light glimmered.
strainedadjectiveUS /streɪnd/
lacking natural ease
From this reading The Harbour Defence Flotilla was in readiness, and under the black cliffs sentinels kept watch with every nerve strained to its highest tension, for the safety of England now depended upon their alertness.
tensionnounUS /ˈtenʃən/
(psychology) a state of mental or emotional strain or suspense
From this reading The Harbour Defence Flotilla was in readiness, and under the black cliffs sentinels kept watch with every nerve strained to its highest tension, for the safety of England now depended upon their alertness.
terriblyadverbUS /ˈterəbli/
used as intensifiers
From this reading The Coastguard and Artillery on our southern and eastern shores spent a terribly anxious time, peering from their points of vantage out into the cavernous darkness where no light glimmered.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading At sea the night was dark and moonless.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The Coastguard and Artillery on our southern and eastern shores spent a terribly anxious time, peering from their points of vantage out into the cavernous darkness where no light glimmered.
not thin; of a specific thickness or of relatively great extent from one surface to the opposite usually in the smallest of the three solid dimensions
From this reading A thick mist hung near the land.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading The Coastguard and Artillery on our southern and eastern shores spent a terribly anxious time, peering from their points of vantage out into the cavernous darkness where no light glimmered.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The Harbour Defence Flotilla was in readiness, and under the black cliffs sentinels kept watch with every nerve strained to its highest tension, for the safety of England now depended upon their alertness.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading The Harbour Defence Flotilla was in readiness, and under the black cliffs sentinels kept watch with every nerve strained to its highest tension, for the safety of England now depended upon their alertness.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading The Harbour Defence Flotilla was in readiness, and under the black cliffs sentinels kept watch with every nerve strained to its highest tension, for the safety of England now depended upon their alertness.
vantagenounUS /ˈvæntədʒ/
place or situation affording some advantage (especially a comprehensive view or commanding perspective)
From this reading The Coastguard and Artillery on our southern and eastern shores spent a terribly anxious time, peering from their points of vantage out into the cavernous darkness where no light glimmered.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading At sea the night was dark and moonless.
look attentively
From this reading The Harbour Defence Flotilla was in readiness, and under the black cliffs sentinels kept watch with every nerve strained to its highest tension, for the safety of England now depended upon their alertness.
in or at the place that
From this reading The Coastguard and Artillery on our southern and eastern shores spent a terribly anxious time, peering from their points of vantage out into the cavernous darkness where no light glimmered.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The Harbour Defence Flotilla was in readiness, and under the black cliffs sentinels kept watch with every nerve strained to its highest tension, for the safety of England now depended upon their alertness.
