used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading DARLING SETS OUT ON A JOURNEY This John Darling was no ordinary shell-back.
adventurousadjectiveUS /ædˈventʃərəs/
willing to undertake or seeking out new and daring enterprises
From this reading Now he was without a berth, and was making a bid for fortune of an unusual and adventurous kind.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading His father was an English parson, his uncle a Fellow of Wadham College, Oxford, and his eldest brother a commander in the Royal Navy.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading His father was an English parson, his uncle a Fellow of Wadham College, Oxford, and his eldest brother a commander in the Royal Navy.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading John was poor in worldly gear, however, and had recently been third officer of the _Durham Castle_.
berthnounUS /bɜːrθ/
a job in an organization
From this reading Now he was without a berth, and was making a bid for fortune of an unusual and adventurous kind.
propose a payment
From this reading Now he was without a berth, and was making a bid for fortune of an unusual and adventurous kind.
a male with the same parents as someone else
From this reading His father was an English parson, his uncle a Fellow of Wadham College, Oxford, and his eldest brother a commander in the Royal Navy.
a large and stately mansion
From this reading John was poor in worldly gear, however, and had recently been third officer of the _Durham Castle_.
the body of faculty and students of a college
From this reading His father was an English parson, his uncle a Fellow of Wadham College, Oxford, and his eldest brother a commander in the Royal Navy.
commandernounUS /kəˈmændər/
an officer in command of a military unit
From this reading His father was an English parson, his uncle a Fellow of Wadham College, Oxford, and his eldest brother a commander in the Royal Navy.
a special loved one
From this reading DARLING SETS OUT ON A JOURNEY This John Darling was no ordinary shell-back.
DurhamnounUS /ˈdɜːrəm/
a city of north central North Carolina; site of Duke University
From this reading John was poor in worldly gear, however, and had recently been third officer of the _Durham Castle_.
eldestadjectiveUS /ˈeldəst/
first in order of birth
From this reading His father was an English parson, his uncle a Fellow of Wadham College, Oxford, and his eldest brother a commander in the Royal Navy.
an Indo-European language belonging to the West Germanic branch; the official language of Britain and the United States and most of the commonwealth countries
From this reading His father was an English parson, his uncle a Fellow of Wadham College, Oxford, and his eldest brother a commander in the Royal Navy.
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading His father was an English parson, his uncle a Fellow of Wadham College, Oxford, and his eldest brother a commander in the Royal Navy.
a boy or man
From this reading His father was an English parson, his uncle a Fellow of Wadham College, Oxford, and his eldest brother a commander in the Royal Navy.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Now he was without a berth, and was making a bid for fortune of an unusual and adventurous kind.
an unknown and unpredictable phenomenon that causes an event to result one way rather than another
From this reading Now he was without a berth, and was making a bid for fortune of an unusual and adventurous kind.
gearnounUS /ɡɪr/
a toothed wheel that engages another toothed mechanism in order to change the speed or direction of transmitted motion
From this reading John was poor in worldly gear, however, and had recently been third officer of the _Durham Castle_.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading John was poor in worldly gear, however, and had recently been third officer of the _Durham Castle_.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Now he was without a berth, and was making a bid for fortune of an unusual and adventurous kind.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading His father was an English parson, his uncle a Fellow of Wadham College, Oxford, and his eldest brother a commander in the Royal Navy.
used to add a contrasting statement
From this reading John was poor in worldly gear, however, and had recently been third officer of the _Durham Castle_.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading His father was an English parson, his uncle a Fellow of Wadham College, Oxford, and his eldest brother a commander in the Royal Navy.
a room or building equipped with one or more toilets
From this reading DARLING SETS OUT ON A JOURNEY This John Darling was no ordinary shell-back.
undertake a journey or trip
From this reading DARLING SETS OUT ON A JOURNEY This John Darling was no ordinary shell-back.
having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior
From this reading Now he was without a berth, and was making a bid for fortune of an unusual and adventurous kind.
the act that results in something coming to be
From this reading Now he was without a berth, and was making a bid for fortune of an unusual and adventurous kind.
a form of address for a man
From this reading MR.
NavynounUS /ˈneɪvi/
an organization of military vessels belonging to a country and available for sea warfare
From this reading His father was an English parson, his uncle a Fellow of Wadham College, Oxford, and his eldest brother a commander in the Royal Navy.
not any; not one
From this reading DARLING SETS OUT ON A JOURNEY This John Darling was no ordinary shell-back.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Now he was without a berth, and was making a bid for fortune of an unusual and adventurous kind.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading His father was an English parson, his uncle a Fellow of Wadham College, Oxford, and his eldest brother a commander in the Royal Navy.
any person in the armed services who holds a position of authority or command
From this reading John was poor in worldly gear, however, and had recently been third officer of the _Durham Castle_.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading DARLING SETS OUT ON A JOURNEY This John Darling was no ordinary shell-back.
a judge of a probate court
From this reading DARLING SETS OUT ON A JOURNEY This John Darling was no ordinary shell-back.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading DARLING SETS OUT ON A JOURNEY This John Darling was no ordinary shell-back.
OxfordnounUS /ˈɑːksfərd/
a city in southern England to the northwest of London; site of Oxford University
From this reading His father was an English parson, his uncle a Fellow of Wadham College, Oxford, and his eldest brother a commander in the Royal Navy.
parsonnounUS /ˈpɑːrsən/
a person authorized to conduct religious worship
From this reading His father was an English parson, his uncle a Fellow of Wadham College, Oxford, and his eldest brother a commander in the Royal Navy.
deserving or inciting pity
From this reading John was poor in worldly gear, however, and had recently been third officer of the _Durham Castle_.
recentlyadverbUS /ˈriːsəntli/
in the recent past
From this reading John was poor in worldly gear, however, and had recently been third officer of the _Durham Castle_.
RoyaladjectiveUS /ˈrɔɪəl/
of or relating to or indicative of or issued or performed by a king or queen or other monarch
From this reading His father was an English parson, his uncle a Fellow of Wadham College, Oxford, and his eldest brother a commander in the Royal Navy.
SETSnounUS /sets/
plural of “set” — a group of things of the same kind that belong together and are so used
From this reading DARLING SETS OUT ON A JOURNEY This John Darling was no ordinary shell-back.
shell-back
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading DARLING SETS OUT ON A JOURNEY This John Darling was no ordinary shell-back.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading His father was an English parson, his uncle a Fellow of Wadham College, Oxford, and his eldest brother a commander in the Royal Navy.
one of three equal parts of a divisible whole
From this reading John was poor in worldly gear, however, and had recently been third officer of the _Durham Castle_.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading DARLING SETS OUT ON A JOURNEY This John Darling was no ordinary shell-back.
the brother of your father or mother; the husband of your aunt
From this reading His father was an English parson, his uncle a Fellow of Wadham College, Oxford, and his eldest brother a commander in the Royal Navy.
not usual or common or ordinary
From this reading Now he was without a berth, and was making a bid for fortune of an unusual and adventurous kind.
Wadham
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His father was an English parson, his uncle a Fellow of Wadham College, Oxford, and his eldest brother a commander in the Royal Navy.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading DARLING SETS OUT ON A JOURNEY This John Darling was no ordinary shell-back.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading Now he was without a berth, and was making a bid for fortune of an unusual and adventurous kind.
worldlyadjectiveUS /ˈwɜːrldli/
characteristic of or devoted to the temporal world as opposed to the spiritual world
From this reading John was poor in worldly gear, however, and had recently been third officer of the _Durham Castle_.
