used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Although Mr. Seymour had reported the boat to be uninhabited and perfectly safe, Ann, nevertheless, had wondered whether perhaps the ghosts might not have been on a vacation the day her father went aboard with Mr. Bailey.
on a ship, train, plane or other vehicle
From this reading She was quite willing to admit that she had been squeamish about going aboard and examining the ship alone or with no one but Ben and Helen.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading She was quite willing to admit that she had been squeamish about going aboard and examining the ship alone or with no one but Ben and Helen.
declare to be true or admit the existence or reality or truth of
From this reading She was quite willing to admit that she had been squeamish about going aboard and examining the ship alone or with no one but Ben and Helen.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading _ON THE WRECK_ Robin Hood and his band did not let the grass grow under their feet, after they had once decided to thoroughly investigate the mystery of the wrecked schooner.
the part of the day between noon and evening
From this reading The band chose to begin their undertaking early in the afternoon of the day following their discovery of the fire in the woods.
alliesnounUS /ˈælaɪz/
the alliance of nations that fought the Axis in World War II and which (with subsequent additions) signed the charter of the United Nations in 1945
From this reading Ann, herself, felt much stronger and braver now that she had allies.
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/
Having no one else present.
From this reading She was quite willing to admit that she had been squeamish about going aboard and examining the ship alone or with no one but Ben and Helen.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading Although Mr. Seymour had reported the boat to be uninhabited and perfectly safe, Ann, nevertheless, had wondered whether perhaps the ghosts might not have been on a vacation the day her father went aboard with Mr. Bailey.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading _ON THE WRECK_ Robin Hood and his band did not let the grass grow under their feet, after they had once decided to thoroughly investigate the mystery of the wrecked schooner.
Ann
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ann, herself, felt much stronger and braver now that she had allies.
BaileynounUS /ˈbeɪli/
United States singer (1918-1990)
From this reading Although Mr. Seymour had reported the boat to be uninhabited and perfectly safe, Ann, nevertheless, had wondered whether perhaps the ghosts might not have been on a vacation the day her father went aboard with Mr. Bailey.
an unofficial association of people or groups
From this reading _ON THE WRECK_ Robin Hood and his band did not let the grass grow under their feet, after they had once decided to thoroughly investigate the mystery of the wrecked schooner.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Although Mr. Seymour had reported the boat to be uninhabited and perfectly safe, Ann, nevertheless, had wondered whether perhaps the ghosts might not have been on a vacation the day her father went aboard with Mr. Bailey.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading She was quite willing to admit that she had been squeamish about going aboard and examining the ship alone or with no one but Ben and Helen.
take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading The band chose to begin their undertaking early in the afternoon of the day following their discovery of the fire in the woods.
a mountain or tall hill
From this reading She was quite willing to admit that she had been squeamish about going aboard and examining the ship alone or with no one but Ben and Helen.
a small vessel for travel on water
From this reading Although Mr. Seymour had reported the boat to be uninhabited and perfectly safe, Ann, nevertheless, had wondered whether perhaps the ghosts might not have been on a vacation the day her father went aboard with Mr. Bailey.
braveradjectiveUS /ˈbreɪvər/
comparative of “brave” — possessing or displaying courage; able to face and deal with danger or fear without flinching
From this reading Ann, herself, felt much stronger and braver now that she had allies.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading She was quite willing to admit that she had been squeamish about going aboard and examining the ship alone or with no one but Ben and Helen.
inflected form of “choose” — pick out, select, or choose from a number of alternatives
From this reading The band chose to begin their undertaking early in the afternoon of the day following their discovery of the fire in the woods.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading Although Mr. Seymour had reported the boat to be uninhabited and perfectly safe, Ann, nevertheless, had wondered whether perhaps the ghosts might not have been on a vacation the day her father went aboard with Mr. Bailey.
recognizable; marked
From this reading _ON THE WRECK_ Robin Hood and his band did not let the grass grow under their feet, after they had once decided to thoroughly investigate the mystery of the wrecked schooner.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading _ON THE WRECK_ Robin Hood and his band did not let the grass grow under their feet, after they had once decided to thoroughly investigate the mystery of the wrecked schooner.
the act of discovering something
From this reading The band chose to begin their undertaking early in the afternoon of the day following their discovery of the fire in the woods.
earlyadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrli/
at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time
From this reading The band chose to begin their undertaking early in the afternoon of the day following their discovery of the fire in the woods.
examiningverbUS /ɪɡˈzæmɪnɪŋ/
-ing form of “examine” — consider in detail and subject to an analysis in order to discover essential features or meaning
From this reading She was quite willing to admit that she had been squeamish about going aboard and examining the ship alone or with no one but Ben and Helen.
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading Although Mr. Seymour had reported the boat to be uninhabited and perfectly safe, Ann, nevertheless, had wondered whether perhaps the ghosts might not have been on a vacation the day her father went aboard with Mr. Bailey.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading _ON THE WRECK_ Robin Hood and his band did not let the grass grow under their feet, after they had once decided to thoroughly investigate the mystery of the wrecked schooner.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading Ann, herself, felt much stronger and braver now that she had allies.
start firing a weapon
From this reading The band chose to begin their undertaking early in the afternoon of the day following their discovery of the fire in the woods.
about to be mentioned or specified
From this reading The band chose to begin their undertaking early in the afternoon of the day following their discovery of the fire in the woods.
ghostsnounUS /ɡoʊsts/
plural of “ghost” — a mental representation of some haunting experience
From this reading Although Mr. Seymour had reported the boat to be uninhabited and perfectly safe, Ann, nevertheless, had wondered whether perhaps the ghosts might not have been on a vacation the day her father went aboard with Mr. Bailey.
the act of departing
From this reading She was quite willing to admit that she had been squeamish about going aboard and examining the ship alone or with no one but Ben and Helen.
shoot down, of birds
From this reading _ON THE WRECK_ Robin Hood and his band did not let the grass grow under their feet, after they had once decided to thoroughly investigate the mystery of the wrecked schooner.
pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading _ON THE WRECK_ Robin Hood and his band did not let the grass grow under their feet, after they had once decided to thoroughly investigate the mystery of the wrecked schooner.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading _ON THE WRECK_ Robin Hood and his band did not let the grass grow under their feet, after they had once decided to thoroughly investigate the mystery of the wrecked schooner.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Although Mr. Seymour had reported the boat to be uninhabited and perfectly safe, Ann, nevertheless, had wondered whether perhaps the ghosts might not have been on a vacation the day her father went aboard with Mr. Bailey.
(Greek mythology) the beautiful daughter of Zeus and Leda who was abducted by Paris; the Greek army sailed to Troy to get her back which resulted in the Trojan War
From this reading She was quite willing to admit that she had been squeamish about going aboard and examining the ship alone or with no one but Ben and Helen.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Although Mr. Seymour had reported the boat to be uninhabited and perfectly safe, Ann, nevertheless, had wondered whether perhaps the ghosts might not have been on a vacation the day her father went aboard with Mr. Bailey.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading Ann, herself, felt much stronger and braver now that she had allies.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading _ON THE WRECK_ Robin Hood and his band did not let the grass grow under their feet, after they had once decided to thoroughly investigate the mystery of the wrecked schooner.
HoodnounUS /hʊd/
an aggressive and violent young criminal
From this reading _ON THE WRECK_ Robin Hood and his band did not let the grass grow under their feet, after they had once decided to thoroughly investigate the mystery of the wrecked schooner.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The band chose to begin their undertaking early in the afternoon of the day following their discovery of the fire in the woods.
investigateverbUS /ˌɪnˈvestəɡeɪt/
investigate scientifically
From this reading _ON THE WRECK_ Robin Hood and his band did not let the grass grow under their feet, after they had once decided to thoroughly investigate the mystery of the wrecked schooner.
letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading _ON THE WRECK_ Robin Hood and his band did not let the grass grow under their feet, after they had once decided to thoroughly investigate the mystery of the wrecked schooner.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading Although Mr. Seymour had reported the boat to be uninhabited and perfectly safe, Ann, nevertheless, had wondered whether perhaps the ghosts might not have been on a vacation the day her father went aboard with Mr. Bailey.
a form of address for a man
From this reading Although Mr. Seymour had reported the boat to be uninhabited and perfectly safe, Ann, nevertheless, had wondered whether perhaps the ghosts might not have been on a vacation the day her father went aboard with Mr. Bailey.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading Ann, herself, felt much stronger and braver now that she had allies.
something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained
From this reading _ON THE WRECK_ Robin Hood and his band did not let the grass grow under their feet, after they had once decided to thoroughly investigate the mystery of the wrecked schooner.
in spite of what has just been said
From this reading Although Mr. Seymour had reported the boat to be uninhabited and perfectly safe, Ann, nevertheless, had wondered whether perhaps the ghosts might not have been on a vacation the day her father went aboard with Mr. Bailey.
not any; not one
From this reading She was quite willing to admit that she had been squeamish about going aboard and examining the ship alone or with no one but Ben and Helen.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading _ON THE WRECK_ Robin Hood and his band did not let the grass grow under their feet, after they had once decided to thoroughly investigate the mystery of the wrecked schooner.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Ann, herself, felt much stronger and braver now that she had allies.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading _ON THE WRECK_ Robin Hood and his band did not let the grass grow under their feet, after they had once decided to thoroughly investigate the mystery of the wrecked schooner.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading _ON THE WRECK_ Robin Hood and his band did not let the grass grow under their feet, after they had once decided to thoroughly investigate the mystery of the wrecked schooner.
on one occasion
From this reading _ON THE WRECK_ Robin Hood and his band did not let the grass grow under their feet, after they had once decided to thoroughly investigate the mystery of the wrecked schooner.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading She was quite willing to admit that she had been squeamish about going aboard and examining the ship alone or with no one but Ben and Helen.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading She was quite willing to admit that she had been squeamish about going aboard and examining the ship alone or with no one but Ben and Helen.
completely and without qualification; used informally as intensifiers
From this reading Although Mr. Seymour had reported the boat to be uninhabited and perfectly safe, Ann, nevertheless, had wondered whether perhaps the ghosts might not have been on a vacation the day her father went aboard with Mr. Bailey.
by chance
From this reading Although Mr. Seymour had reported the boat to be uninhabited and perfectly safe, Ann, nevertheless, had wondered whether perhaps the ghosts might not have been on a vacation the day her father went aboard with Mr. Bailey.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading She was quite willing to admit that she had been squeamish about going aboard and examining the ship alone or with no one but Ben and Helen.
made known or told about; especially presented in a formal account
From this reading Although Mr. Seymour had reported the boat to be uninhabited and perfectly safe, Ann, nevertheless, had wondered whether perhaps the ghosts might not have been on a vacation the day her father went aboard with Mr. Bailey.
small Old World songbird with a reddish breast
From this reading _ON THE WRECK_ Robin Hood and his band did not let the grass grow under their feet, after they had once decided to thoroughly investigate the mystery of the wrecked schooner.
free from danger or the risk of harm
From this reading Although Mr. Seymour had reported the boat to be uninhabited and perfectly safe, Ann, nevertheless, had wondered whether perhaps the ghosts might not have been on a vacation the day her father went aboard with Mr. Bailey.
schoonernounUS /ˈskuːnər/
a large beer glass
From this reading _ON THE WRECK_ Robin Hood and his band did not let the grass grow under their feet, after they had once decided to thoroughly investigate the mystery of the wrecked schooner.
SeymournounUS /ˈsiːmɔːr/
Queen of England as the third wife of Henry VIII and mother of Edward VI (1509-1537)
From this reading Although Mr. Seymour had reported the boat to be uninhabited and perfectly safe, Ann, nevertheless, had wondered whether perhaps the ghosts might not have been on a vacation the day her father went aboard with Mr. Bailey.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Ann, herself, felt much stronger and braver now that she had allies.
transport commercially
From this reading She was quite willing to admit that she had been squeamish about going aboard and examining the ship alone or with no one but Ben and Helen.
squeamishadjectiveUS /ˈskwiːmɪʃ/
excessively fastidious and easily disgusted
From this reading She was quite willing to admit that she had been squeamish about going aboard and examining the ship alone or with no one but Ben and Helen.
comparative of “strong” — having strength or power greater than average or expected
From this reading Ann, herself, felt much stronger and braver now that she had allies.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Ann, herself, felt much stronger and braver now that she had allies.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading _ON THE WRECK_ Robin Hood and his band did not let the grass grow under their feet, after they had once decided to thoroughly investigate the mystery of the wrecked schooner.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading _ON THE WRECK_ Robin Hood and his band did not let the grass grow under their feet, after they had once decided to thoroughly investigate the mystery of the wrecked schooner.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading _ON THE WRECK_ Robin Hood and his band did not let the grass grow under their feet, after they had once decided to thoroughly investigate the mystery of the wrecked schooner.
in an exhaustive manner
From this reading _ON THE WRECK_ Robin Hood and his band did not let the grass grow under their feet, after they had once decided to thoroughly investigate the mystery of the wrecked schooner.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading _ON THE WRECK_ Robin Hood and his band did not let the grass grow under their feet, after they had once decided to thoroughly investigate the mystery of the wrecked schooner.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading _ON THE WRECK_ Robin Hood and his band did not let the grass grow under their feet, after they had once decided to thoroughly investigate the mystery of the wrecked schooner.
undertakingnounUS /ˈʌndərteɪkɪŋ/
any piece of work that is undertaken or attempted
From this reading The band chose to begin their undertaking early in the afternoon of the day following their discovery of the fire in the woods.
uninhabitedadjectiveUS /ˌʌnɪnˈhæbətɪd/
not having inhabitants; not lived in
From this reading Although Mr. Seymour had reported the boat to be uninhabited and perfectly safe, Ann, nevertheless, had wondered whether perhaps the ghosts might not have been on a vacation the day her father went aboard with Mr. Bailey.
vacationnounUS /veɪˈkeɪʃən/
leisure time away from work devoted to rest or pleasure
From this reading Although Mr. Seymour had reported the boat to be uninhabited and perfectly safe, Ann, nevertheless, had wondered whether perhaps the ghosts might not have been on a vacation the day her father went aboard with Mr. Bailey.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading She was quite willing to admit that she had been squeamish about going aboard and examining the ship alone or with no one but Ben and Helen.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading Although Mr. Seymour had reported the boat to be uninhabited and perfectly safe, Ann, nevertheless, had wondered whether perhaps the ghosts might not have been on a vacation the day her father went aboard with Mr. Bailey.
used to introduce two or more possibilities
From this reading Although Mr. Seymour had reported the boat to be uninhabited and perfectly safe, Ann, nevertheless, had wondered whether perhaps the ghosts might not have been on a vacation the day her father went aboard with Mr. Bailey.
disposed or inclined toward
From this reading She was quite willing to admit that she had been squeamish about going aboard and examining the ship alone or with no one but Ben and Helen.
in the company of; together with
From this reading She was quite willing to admit that she had been squeamish about going aboard and examining the ship alone or with no one but Ben and Helen.
past form of “wonder” — have a wish or desire to know something
From this reading Although Mr. Seymour had reported the boat to be uninhabited and perfectly safe, Ann, nevertheless, had wondered whether perhaps the ghosts might not have been on a vacation the day her father went aboard with Mr. Bailey.
the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area
From this reading The band chose to begin their undertaking early in the afternoon of the day following their discovery of the fire in the woods.
WRECKnounUS /rek/
something or someone that has suffered ruin or dilapidation
From this reading _ON THE WRECK_ Robin Hood and his band did not let the grass grow under their feet, after they had once decided to thoroughly investigate the mystery of the wrecked schooner.
wreckedadjectiveUS /rekt/
destroyed in an accident
From this reading _ON THE WRECK_ Robin Hood and his band did not let the grass grow under their feet, after they had once decided to thoroughly investigate the mystery of the wrecked schooner.
