used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He had scarcely left the shore on his errand, when Elizabeth made the discovery that there was not a needle in the house fit to sew with, nor one grain of beeswax.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading No sooner had Captain Rhines received the letter, informing him of the time at which they expected to set out, than he hurried home with it, and then, getting into his boat, made sail for Elm Island, where his information caused no little gratification.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading No sooner had Captain Rhines received the letter, informing him of the time at which they expected to set out, than he hurried home with it, and then, getting into his boat, made sail for Elm Island, where his information caused no little gratification.
beeswaxnoun
a yellow to brown wax secreted by honeybees to build honeycombs
From this reading He had scarcely left the shore on his errand, when Elizabeth made the discovery that there was not a needle in the house fit to sew with, nor one grain of beeswax.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading I must finish John’s waistcoat before he comes home.”
(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another
From this reading TIGE’S NOSE BETTER THAN THE CAPTAIN’S SPY-GLASS.
a small vessel for travel on water
From this reading No sooner had Captain Rhines received the letter, informing him of the time at which they expected to set out, than he hurried home with it, and then, getting into his boat, made sail for Elm Island, where his information caused no little gratification.
an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant
From this reading No sooner had Captain Rhines received the letter, informing him of the time at which they expected to set out, than he hurried home with it, and then, getting into his boat, made sail for Elm Island, where his information caused no little gratification.
CAPTAIN'SnounUS /ˈkæptənz/
possessive form of “captain” — an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant
From this reading TIGE’S NOSE BETTER THAN THE CAPTAIN’S SPY-GLASS.
past form of “cause” — give rise to; cause to happen or occur, not always intentionally
From this reading No sooner had Captain Rhines received the letter, informing him of the time at which they expected to set out, than he hurried home with it, and then, getting into his boat, made sail for Elm Island, where his information caused no little gratification.
artifact made by weaving or felting or knitting or crocheting natural or synthetic fibers
From this reading “You must go to the store, Elizabeth, and get some needles and wax,” said her mother; “and tell Fred to send me half a yard of cloth from the piece I looked at yesterday.
plural of “come” — the thick white fluid containing spermatozoa that is ejaculated by the male genital tract
From this reading I must finish John’s waistcoat before he comes home.”
the act of discovering something
From this reading He had scarcely left the shore on his errand, when Elizabeth made the discovery that there was not a needle in the house fit to sew with, nor one grain of beeswax.
daughter of George VI who became the Queen of England and Northern Ireland in 1952 on the death of her father (1926-)
From this reading He had scarcely left the shore on his errand, when Elizabeth made the discovery that there was not a needle in the house fit to sew with, nor one grain of beeswax.
ElmnounUS /elm/
any of various trees of the genus Ulmus: important timber or shade trees
From this reading No sooner had Captain Rhines received the letter, informing him of the time at which they expected to set out, than he hurried home with it, and then, getting into his boat, made sail for Elm Island, where his information caused no little gratification.
errandnounUS /ˈerənd/
a short trip that is taken in the performance of a necessary task or mission
From this reading He had scarcely left the shore on his errand, when Elizabeth made the discovery that there was not a needle in the house fit to sew with, nor one grain of beeswax.
considered likely or probable to happen or arrive
From this reading No sooner had Captain Rhines received the letter, informing him of the time at which they expected to set out, than he hurried home with it, and then, getting into his boat, made sail for Elm Island, where his information caused no little gratification.
come or bring to a finish or an end
From this reading I must finish John’s waistcoat before he comes home.”
be agreeable or acceptable to
From this reading He had scarcely left the shore on his errand, when Elizabeth made the discovery that there was not a needle in the house fit to sew with, nor one grain of beeswax.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading No sooner had Captain Rhines received the letter, informing him of the time at which they expected to set out, than he hurried home with it, and then, getting into his boat, made sail for Elm Island, where his information caused no little gratification.
Fred
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “You must go to the store, Elizabeth, and get some needles and wax,” said her mother; “and tell Fred to send me half a yard of cloth from the piece I looked at yesterday.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading “You must go to the store, Elizabeth, and get some needles and wax,” said her mother; “and tell Fred to send me half a yard of cloth from the piece I looked at yesterday.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading “You must go to the store, Elizabeth, and get some needles and wax,” said her mother; “and tell Fred to send me half a yard of cloth from the piece I looked at yesterday.
the act of acquiring something
From this reading No sooner had Captain Rhines received the letter, informing him of the time at which they expected to set out, than he hurried home with it, and then, getting into his boat, made sail for Elm Island, where his information caused no little gratification.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading “You must go to the store, Elizabeth, and get some needles and wax,” said her mother; “and tell Fred to send me half a yard of cloth from the piece I looked at yesterday.
grainnounUS /ɡreɪn/
a relatively small granular particle of a substance
From this reading He had scarcely left the shore on his errand, when Elizabeth made the discovery that there was not a needle in the house fit to sew with, nor one grain of beeswax.
gratificationnounUS /ˌɡrætəfəˈkeɪʃən/
state of being gratified or satisfied
From this reading No sooner had Captain Rhines received the letter, informing him of the time at which they expected to set out, than he hurried home with it, and then, getting into his boat, made sail for Elm Island, where his information caused no little gratification.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading No sooner had Captain Rhines received the letter, informing him of the time at which they expected to set out, than he hurried home with it, and then, getting into his boat, made sail for Elm Island, where his information caused no little gratification.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading “You must go to the store, Elizabeth, and get some needles and wax,” said her mother; “and tell Fred to send me half a yard of cloth from the piece I looked at yesterday.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading No sooner had Captain Rhines received the letter, informing him of the time at which they expected to set out, than he hurried home with it, and then, getting into his boat, made sail for Elm Island, where his information caused no little gratification.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading “You must go to the store, Elizabeth, and get some needles and wax,” said her mother; “and tell Fred to send me half a yard of cloth from the piece I looked at yesterday.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading No sooner had Captain Rhines received the letter, informing him of the time at which they expected to set out, than he hurried home with it, and then, getting into his boat, made sail for Elm Island, where his information caused no little gratification.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading No sooner had Captain Rhines received the letter, informing him of the time at which they expected to set out, than he hurried home with it, and then, getting into his boat, made sail for Elm Island, where his information caused no little gratification.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading No sooner had Captain Rhines received the letter, informing him of the time at which they expected to set out, than he hurried home with it, and then, getting into his boat, made sail for Elm Island, where his information caused no little gratification.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading He had scarcely left the shore on his errand, when Elizabeth made the discovery that there was not a needle in the house fit to sew with, nor one grain of beeswax.
moving rapidly or performed quickly or in great haste
From this reading No sooner had Captain Rhines received the letter, informing him of the time at which they expected to set out, than he hurried home with it, and then, getting into his boat, made sail for Elm Island, where his information caused no little gratification.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “You must go to the store, Elizabeth, and get some needles and wax,” said her mother; “and tell Fred to send me half a yard of cloth from the piece I looked at yesterday.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He had scarcely left the shore on his errand, when Elizabeth made the discovery that there was not a needle in the house fit to sew with, nor one grain of beeswax.
a message received and understood
From this reading No sooner had Captain Rhines received the letter, informing him of the time at which they expected to set out, than he hurried home with it, and then, getting into his boat, made sail for Elm Island, where his information caused no little gratification.
informingnounUS /ˌɪnˈfɔːrmɪŋ/
to furnish incriminating evidence to an officer of the law (usually in return for favors)
From this reading No sooner had Captain Rhines received the letter, informing him of the time at which they expected to set out, than he hurried home with it, and then, getting into his boat, made sail for Elm Island, where his information caused no little gratification.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading No sooner had Captain Rhines received the letter, informing him of the time at which they expected to set out, than he hurried home with it, and then, getting into his boat, made sail for Elm Island, where his information caused no little gratification.
a land mass (smaller than a continent) that is surrounded by water
From this reading No sooner had Captain Rhines received the letter, informing him of the time at which they expected to set out, than he hurried home with it, and then, getting into his boat, made sail for Elm Island, where his information caused no little gratification.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading No sooner had Captain Rhines received the letter, informing him of the time at which they expected to set out, than he hurried home with it, and then, getting into his boat, made sail for Elm Island, where his information caused no little gratification.
John'snounUS /dʒɑːnz/
possessive form of “john” — a room or building equipped with one or more toilets
From this reading I must finish John’s waistcoat before he comes home.”
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 He had scarcely left the shore on his errand, when Elizabeth made the discovery that there was not a needle in the house fit to sew with, nor one grain of beeswax.
a written message addressed to a person or organization
From this reading No sooner had Captain Rhines received the letter, informing him of the time at which they expected to set out, than he hurried home with it, and then, getting into his boat, made sail for Elm Island, where his information caused no little gratification.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading No sooner had Captain Rhines received the letter, informing him of the time at which they expected to set out, than he hurried home with it, and then, getting into his boat, made sail for Elm Island, where his information caused no little gratification.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading “You must go to the store, Elizabeth, and get some needles and wax,” said her mother; “and tell Fred to send me half a yard of cloth from the piece I looked at yesterday.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading No sooner had Captain Rhines received the letter, informing him of the time at which they expected to set out, than he hurried home with it, and then, getting into his boat, made sail for Elm Island, where his information caused no little gratification.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “You must go to the store, Elizabeth, and get some needles and wax,” said her mother; “and tell Fred to send me half a yard of cloth from the piece I looked at yesterday.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading “You must go to the store, Elizabeth, and get some needles and wax,” said her mother; “and tell Fred to send me half a yard of cloth from the piece I looked at yesterday.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading “You must go to the store, Elizabeth, and get some needles and wax,” said her mother; “and tell Fred to send me half a yard of cloth from the piece I looked at yesterday.
needlenounUS /ˈniːdəl/
the leaf of a conifer
From this reading He had scarcely left the shore on his errand, when Elizabeth made the discovery that there was not a needle in the house fit to sew with, nor one grain of beeswax.
needlesnounUS /ˈniːdəlz/
plural of “needle” — the leaf of a conifer
From this reading “You must go to the store, Elizabeth, and get some needles and wax,” said her mother; “and tell Fred to send me half a yard of cloth from the piece I looked at yesterday.
not any; not one
From this reading No sooner had Captain Rhines received the letter, informing him of the time at which they expected to set out, than he hurried home with it, and then, getting into his boat, made sail for Elm Island, where his information caused no little gratification.
and not; used after a negative to add a second negative
From this reading He had scarcely left the shore on his errand, when Elizabeth made the discovery that there was not a needle in the house fit to sew with, nor one grain of beeswax.
the organ of smell and entrance to the respiratory tract; the prominent part of the face of man or other mammals
From this reading TIGE’S NOSE BETTER THAN THE CAPTAIN’S SPY-GLASS.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading He had scarcely left the shore on his errand, when Elizabeth made the discovery that there was not a needle in the house fit to sew with, nor one grain of beeswax.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading No sooner had Captain Rhines received the letter, informing him of the time at which they expected to set out, than he hurried home with it, and then, getting into his boat, made sail for Elm Island, where his information caused no little gratification.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading He had scarcely left the shore on his errand, when Elizabeth made the discovery that there was not a needle in the house fit to sew with, nor one grain of beeswax.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading He had scarcely left the shore on his errand, when Elizabeth made the discovery that there was not a needle in the house fit to sew with, nor one grain of beeswax.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading No sooner had Captain Rhines received the letter, informing him of the time at which they expected to set out, than he hurried home with it, and then, getting into his boat, made sail for Elm Island, where his information caused no little gratification.
a separate part of a whole
From this reading “You must go to the store, Elizabeth, and get some needles and wax,” said her mother; “and tell Fred to send me half a yard of cloth from the piece I looked at yesterday.
conforming to the established language usage of educated native speakers
From this reading No sooner had Captain Rhines received the letter, informing him of the time at which they expected to set out, than he hurried home with it, and then, getting into his boat, made sail for Elm Island, where his information caused no little gratification.
RhinesnounUS /raɪnz/
plural of “rhine” — United States parapsychologist (1895-1980)
From this reading No sooner had Captain Rhines received the letter, informing him of the time at which they expected to set out, than he hurried home with it, and then, getting into his boat, made sail for Elm Island, where his information caused no little gratification.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “You must go to the store, Elizabeth, and get some needles and wax,” said her mother; “and tell Fred to send me half a yard of cloth from the piece I looked at yesterday.
traverse or travel on (a body of water)
From this reading No sooner had Captain Rhines received the letter, informing him of the time at which they expected to set out, than he hurried home with it, and then, getting into his boat, made sail for Elm Island, where his information caused no little gratification.
only a very short time before
From this reading He had scarcely left the shore on his errand, when Elizabeth made the discovery that there was not a needle in the house fit to sew with, nor one grain of beeswax.
cause to go somewhere
From this reading “You must go to the store, Elizabeth, and get some needles and wax,” said her mother; “and tell Fred to send me half a yard of cloth from the piece I looked at yesterday.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading No sooner had Captain Rhines received the letter, informing him of the time at which they expected to set out, than he hurried home with it, and then, getting into his boat, made sail for Elm Island, where his information caused no little gratification.
sewverbUS /soʊ/
fasten by sewing; do needlework
From this reading He had scarcely left the shore on his errand, when Elizabeth made the discovery that there was not a needle in the house fit to sew with, nor one grain of beeswax.
the land along the edge of a body of water
From this reading He had scarcely left the shore on his errand, when Elizabeth made the discovery that there was not a needle in the house fit to sew with, nor one grain of beeswax.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading “You must go to the store, Elizabeth, and get some needles and wax,” said her mother; “and tell Fred to send me half a yard of cloth from the piece I looked at yesterday.
comparatives of “soon” or “early”
From this reading No sooner had Captain Rhines received the letter, informing him of the time at which they expected to set out, than he hurried home with it, and then, getting into his boat, made sail for Elm Island, where his information caused no little gratification.
SPY-GLASS
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading TIGE’S NOSE BETTER THAN THE CAPTAIN’S SPY-GLASS.
a mercantile establishment for the retail sale of goods or services
From this reading “You must go to the store, Elizabeth, and get some needles and wax,” said her mother; “and tell Fred to send me half a yard of cloth from the piece I looked at yesterday.
express in words
From this reading “You must go to the store, Elizabeth, and get some needles and wax,” said her mother; “and tell Fred to send me half a yard of cloth from the piece I looked at yesterday.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading TIGE’S NOSE BETTER THAN THE CAPTAIN’S SPY-GLASS.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He had scarcely left the shore on his errand, when Elizabeth made the discovery that there was not a needle in the house fit to sew with, nor one grain of beeswax.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading TIGE’S NOSE BETTER THAN THE CAPTAIN’S SPY-GLASS.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading No sooner had Captain Rhines received the letter, informing him of the time at which they expected to set out, than he hurried home with it, and then, getting into his boat, made sail for Elm Island, where his information caused no little gratification.
in or at that place or location
From this reading He had scarcely left the shore on his errand, when Elizabeth made the discovery that there was not a needle in the house fit to sew with, nor one grain of beeswax.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading No sooner had Captain Rhines received the letter, informing him of the time at which they expected to set out, than he hurried home with it, and then, getting into his boat, made sail for Elm Island, where his information caused no little gratification.
TIGE'S
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading TIGE’S NOSE BETTER THAN THE CAPTAIN’S SPY-GLASS.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading No sooner had Captain Rhines received the letter, informing him of the time at which they expected to set out, than he hurried home with it, and then, getting into his boat, made sail for Elm Island, where his information caused no little gratification.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading No sooner had Captain Rhines received the letter, informing him of the time at which they expected to set out, than he hurried home with it, and then, getting into his boat, made sail for Elm Island, where his information caused no little gratification.
waistcoatnoun
a man's sleeveless garment worn underneath a coat
From this reading I must finish John’s waistcoat before he comes home.”
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He had scarcely left the shore on his errand, when Elizabeth made the discovery that there was not a needle in the house fit to sew with, nor one grain of beeswax.
waxverbUS /wæks/
cover with wax
From this reading “You must go to the store, Elizabeth, and get some needles and wax,” said her mother; “and tell Fred to send me half a yard of cloth from the piece I looked at yesterday.
at the time that
From this reading He had scarcely left the shore on his errand, when Elizabeth made the discovery that there was not a needle in the house fit to sew with, nor one grain of beeswax.
in or at the place that
From this reading No sooner had Captain Rhines received the letter, informing him of the time at which they expected to set out, than he hurried home with it, and then, getting into his boat, made sail for Elm Island, where his information caused no little gratification.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading No sooner had Captain Rhines received the letter, informing him of the time at which they expected to set out, than he hurried home with it, and then, getting into his boat, made sail for Elm Island, where his information caused no little gratification.
in the company of; together with
From this reading No sooner had Captain Rhines received the letter, informing him of the time at which they expected to set out, than he hurried home with it, and then, getting into his boat, made sail for Elm Island, where his information caused no little gratification.
a unit of length equal to 3 feet; defined as 91.44 centimeters; originally taken to be the average length of a stride
From this reading “You must go to the store, Elizabeth, and get some needles and wax,” said her mother; “and tell Fred to send me half a yard of cloth from the piece I looked at yesterday.
the day immediately before today
From this reading “You must go to the store, Elizabeth, and get some needles and wax,” said her mother; “and tell Fred to send me half a yard of cloth from the piece I looked at yesterday.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “You must go to the store, Elizabeth, and get some needles and wax,” said her mother; “and tell Fred to send me half a yard of cloth from the piece I looked at yesterday.
