used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading We could tell by the position of the steam cones, that every ship had steam to spare, and I suppose it was the desire of making sure of a compact fleet which kept us at comparatively low speed.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading They fell short and over, right and left, but after quite an hour few ships apparently had been badly hit.
(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 We were quite two miles off when the French began to open fire from their stern guns, and I am bound to say we were all very much surprised at the bad shots.
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading We were quite two miles off when the French began to open fire from their stern guns, and I am bound to say we were all very much surprised at the bad shots.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading They fell short and over, right and left, but after quite an hour few ships apparently had been badly hit.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading We soon found they were not, for we began to gain on them, and the signal was made for ten knots.
from appearances alone
From this reading They fell short and over, right and left, but after quite an hour few ships apparently had been badly hit.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading We could tell by the position of the steam cones, that every ship had steam to spare, and I suppose it was the desire of making sure of a compact fleet which kept us at comparatively low speed.
having undesirable or negative qualities
From this reading We were quite two miles off when the French began to open fire from their stern guns, and I am bound to say we were all very much surprised at the bad shots.
to a severe or serious degree
From this reading They fell short and over, right and left, but after quite an hour few ships apparently had been badly hit.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading They fell short and over, right and left, but after quite an hour few ships apparently had been badly hit.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading We soon found they were not, for we began to gain on them, and the signal was made for ten knots.
confined by bonds
From this reading We were quite two miles off when the French began to open fire from their stern guns, and I am bound to say we were all very much surprised at the bad shots.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading They fell short and over, right and left, but after quite an hour few ships apparently had been badly hit.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading We could tell by the position of the steam cones, that every ship had steam to spare, and I suppose it was the desire of making sure of a compact fleet which kept us at comparatively low speed.
compactnounUS /ˈkɑːmpækt/
a small cosmetics case with a mirror; to be carried in a woman's purse
From this reading We could tell by the position of the steam cones, that every ship had steam to spare, and I suppose it was the desire of making sure of a compact fleet which kept us at comparatively low speed.
comparativelyadverbUS /kəmˈperətɪvli/
in a relative manner; by comparison to something else
From this reading We could tell by the position of the steam cones, that every ship had steam to spare, and I suppose it was the desire of making sure of a compact fleet which kept us at comparatively low speed.
conesnounUS /koʊnz/
plural of “cone” — any cone-shaped artifact
From this reading We could tell by the position of the steam cones, that every ship had steam to spare, and I suppose it was the desire of making sure of a compact fleet which kept us at comparatively low speed.
considerablyadverbUS /kənˈsɪdərəbli/
to a great extent or degree
From this reading Even at ten knots we continued to gain considerably.
without stop or interruption
From this reading Even at ten knots we continued to gain considerably.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading We could tell by the position of the steam cones, that every ship had steam to spare, and I suppose it was the desire of making sure of a compact fleet which kept us at comparatively low speed.
the feeling that accompanies an unsatisfied state
From this reading We could tell by the position of the steam cones, that every ship had steam to spare, and I suppose it was the desire of making sure of a compact fleet which kept us at comparatively low speed.
divisible by two
From this reading Even at ten knots we continued to gain considerably.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading We could tell by the position of the steam cones, that every ship had steam to spare, and I suppose it was the desire of making sure of a compact fleet which kept us at comparatively low speed.
cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow
From this reading They fell short and over, right and left, but after quite an hour few ships apparently had been badly hit.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading They fell short and over, right and left, but after quite an hour few ships apparently had been badly hit.
start firing a weapon
From this reading We were quite two miles off when the French began to open fire from their stern guns, and I am bound to say we were all very much surprised at the bad shots.
group of aircraft operating together under the same ownership
From this reading We could tell by the position of the steam cones, that every ship had steam to spare, and I suppose it was the desire of making sure of a compact fleet which kept us at comparatively low speed.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading We soon found they were not, for we began to gain on them, and the signal was made for ten knots.
set up or found
From this reading We soon found they were not, for we began to gain on them, and the signal was made for ten knots.
the Romance language spoken in France and in countries colonized by France
From this reading We were quite two miles off when the French began to open fire from their stern guns, and I am bound to say we were all very much surprised at the bad shots.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading We were quite two miles off when the French began to open fire from their stern guns, and I am bound to say we were all very much surprised at the bad shots.
obtain
From this reading We soon found they were not, for we began to gain on them, and the signal was made for ten knots.
plural of “gun” — a weapon that discharges a missile at high velocity (especially from a metal tube or barrel)
From this reading We were quite two miles off when the French began to open fire from their stern guns, and I am bound to say we were all very much surprised at the bad shots.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading We could tell by the position of the steam cones, that every ship had steam to spare, and I suppose it was the desire of making sure of a compact fleet which kept us at comparatively low speed.
cause to move by striking
From this reading They fell short and over, right and left, but after quite an hour few ships apparently had been badly hit.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading They fell short and over, right and left, but after quite an hour few ships apparently had been badly hit.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading We could tell by the position of the steam cones, that every ship had steam to spare, and I suppose it was the desire of making sure of a compact fleet which kept us at comparatively low speed.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading We could tell by the position of the steam cones, that every ship had steam to spare, and I suppose it was the desire of making sure of a compact fleet which kept us at comparatively low speed.
(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded
From this reading We could tell by the position of the steam cones, that every ship had steam to spare, and I suppose it was the desire of making sure of a compact fleet which kept us at comparatively low speed.
knotsnounUS /nɑːts/
plural of “knot” — a tight cluster of people or things
From this reading We soon found they were not, for we began to gain on them, and the signal was made for ten knots.
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 fell short and over, right and left, but after quite an hour few ships apparently had been badly hit.
less than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading We could tell by the position of the steam cones, that every ship had steam to spare, and I suppose it was the desire of making sure of a compact fleet which kept us at comparatively low speed.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading We soon found they were not, for we began to gain on them, and the signal was made for ten knots.
the act that results in something coming to be
From this reading We could tell by the position of the steam cones, that every ship had steam to spare, and I suppose it was the desire of making sure of a compact fleet which kept us at comparatively low speed.
plural of “mile” — a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters
From this reading We were quite two miles off when the French began to open fire from their stern guns, and I am bound to say we were all very much surprised at the bad shots.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading We were quite two miles off when the French began to open fire from their stern guns, and I am bound to say we were all very much surprised at the bad shots.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading We soon found they were not, for we began to gain on them, and the signal was made for ten knots.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading We could tell by the position of the steam cones, that every ship had steam to spare, and I suppose it was the desire of making sure of a compact fleet which kept us at comparatively low speed.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading We were quite two miles off when the French began to open fire from their stern guns, and I am bound to say we were all very much surprised at the bad shots.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading We soon found they were not, for we began to gain on them, and the signal was made for ten knots.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading We were quite two miles off when the French began to open fire from their stern guns, and I am bound to say we were all very much surprised at the bad shots.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading They fell short and over, right and left, but after quite an hour few ships apparently had been badly hit.
the particular portion of space occupied by something
From this reading We could tell by the position of the steam cones, that every ship had steam to spare, and I suppose it was the desire of making sure of a compact fleet which kept us at comparatively low speed.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading We were quite two miles off when the French began to open fire from their stern guns, and I am bound to say we were all very much surprised at the bad shots.
precisely, exactly
From this reading They fell short and over, right and left, but after quite an hour few ships apparently had been badly hit.
express in words
From this reading We were quite two miles off when the French began to open fire from their stern guns, and I am bound to say we were all very much surprised at the bad shots.
transport commercially
From this reading We could tell by the position of the steam cones, that every ship had steam to spare, and I suppose it was the desire of making sure of a compact fleet which kept us at comparatively low speed.
plural of “ship” — a vessel that carries passengers or freight
From this reading They fell short and over, right and left, but after quite an hour few ships apparently had been badly hit.
primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration
From this reading They fell short and over, right and left, but after quite an hour few ships apparently had been badly hit.
shotsnounUS /ʃɑːts/
plural of “shot” — the act of firing a projectile
From this reading We were quite two miles off when the French began to open fire from their stern guns, and I am bound to say we were all very much surprised at the bad shots.
any nonverbal action or gesture that encodes a message
From this reading We soon found they were not, for we began to gain on them, and the signal was made for ten knots.
in the near future
From this reading We soon found they were not, for we began to gain on them, and the signal was made for ten knots.
refrain from harming
From this reading We could tell by the position of the steam cones, that every ship had steam to spare, and I suppose it was the desire of making sure of a compact fleet which kept us at comparatively low speed.
move hurridly
From this reading We could tell by the position of the steam cones, that every ship had steam to spare, and I suppose it was the desire of making sure of a compact fleet which kept us at comparatively low speed.
steamverbUS /stiːm/
travel by means of steam power
From this reading We could tell by the position of the steam cones, that every ship had steam to spare, and I suppose it was the desire of making sure of a compact fleet which kept us at comparatively low speed.
sternadjectiveUS /stɜːrn/
of a stern or strict bearing or demeanor; forbidding in aspect
From this reading We were quite two miles off when the French began to open fire from their stern guns, and I am bound to say we were all very much surprised at the bad shots.
express a supposition
From this reading We could tell by the position of the steam cones, that every ship had steam to spare, and I suppose it was the desire of making sure of a compact fleet which kept us at comparatively low speed.
having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured
From this reading We could tell by the position of the steam cones, that every ship had steam to spare, and I suppose it was the desire of making sure of a compact fleet which kept us at comparatively low speed.
taken unawares or suddenly and feeling wonder or astonishment
From this reading We were quite two miles off when the French began to open fire from their stern guns, and I am bound to say we were all very much surprised at the bad shots.
express in words
From this reading We could tell by the position of the steam cones, that every ship had steam to spare, and I suppose it was the desire of making sure of a compact fleet which kept us at comparatively low speed.
the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system
From this reading We soon found they were not, for we began to gain on them, and the signal was made for ten knots.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading We could tell by the position of the steam cones, that every ship had steam to spare, and I suppose it was the desire of making sure of a compact fleet which kept us at comparatively low speed.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading We soon found they were not, for we began to gain on them, and the signal was made for ten knots.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading We were quite two miles off when the French began to open fire from their stern guns, and I am bound to say we were all very much surprised at the bad shots.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading We soon found they were not, for we began to gain on them, and the signal was made for ten knots.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading We soon found they were not, for we began to gain on them, and the signal was made for ten knots.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading We soon found they were not, for we began to gain on them, and the signal was made for ten knots.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading We were quite two miles off when the French began to open fire from their stern guns, and I am bound to say we were all very much surprised at the bad shots.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading We could tell by the position of the steam cones, that every ship had steam to spare, and I suppose it was the desire of making sure of a compact fleet which kept us at comparatively low speed.
precisely as stated
From this reading We were quite two miles off when the French began to open fire from their stern guns, and I am bound to say we were all very much surprised at the bad shots.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading We soon found they were not, for we began to gain on them, and the signal was made for ten knots.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading We soon found they were not, for we began to gain on them, and the signal was made for ten knots.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading We soon found they were not, for we began to gain on them, and the signal was made for ten knots.
at the time that
From this reading We were quite two miles off when the French began to open fire from their stern guns, and I am bound to say we were all very much surprised at the bad shots.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading We could tell by the position of the steam cones, that every ship had steam to spare, and I suppose it was the desire of making sure of a compact fleet which kept us at comparatively low speed.
