used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading MAKING PORT IN A STORM "Did you ever see a blacker, more peculiar looking cloud coming than that one?" demanded Tom Reade, as the high school boys emerged from the gloom of a long, narrow forest road into comparatively open country.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading "Is it a coming storm, or an optical delusion?" pondered Dick, halting and staring hard.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "Is it a coming storm, or an optical delusion?" pondered Dick, halting and staring hard.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading MAKING PORT IN A STORM "Did you ever see a blacker, more peculiar looking cloud coming than that one?" demanded Tom Reade, as the high school boys emerged from the gloom of a long, narrow forest road into comparatively open country.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading "Though I've never seen one before, it's hard to be fooled, for that chap looks just like his published photographs.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading "Though I've never seen one before, it's hard to be fooled, for that chap looks just like his published photographs.
blackeradjectiveUS /ˈblækər/
comparative of “black” — being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading MAKING PORT IN A STORM "Did you ever see a blacker, more peculiar looking cloud coming than that one?" demanded Tom Reade, as the high school boys emerged from the gloom of a long, narrow forest road into comparatively open country.
plural of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading MAKING PORT IN A STORM "Did you ever see a blacker, more peculiar looking cloud coming than that one?" demanded Tom Reade, as the high school boys emerged from the gloom of a long, narrow forest road into comparatively open country.
a boy or man
From this reading "Though I've never seen one before, it's hard to be fooled, for that chap looks just like his published photographs.
make overcast or cloudy
From this reading MAKING PORT IN A STORM "Did you ever see a blacker, more peculiar looking cloud coming than that one?" demanded Tom Reade, as the high school boys emerged from the gloom of a long, narrow forest road into comparatively open country.
the act of drawing spatially closer to something
From this reading MAKING PORT IN A STORM "Did you ever see a blacker, more peculiar looking cloud coming than that one?" demanded Tom Reade, as the high school boys emerged from the gloom of a long, narrow forest road into comparatively open country.
comparativelyadverbUS /kəmˈperətɪvli/
in a relative manner; by comparison to something else
From this reading MAKING PORT IN A STORM "Did you ever see a blacker, more peculiar looking cloud coming than that one?" demanded Tom Reade, as the high school boys emerged from the gloom of a long, narrow forest road into comparatively open country.
a politically organized body of people under a single government
From this reading MAKING PORT IN A STORM "Did you ever see a blacker, more peculiar looking cloud coming than that one?" demanded Tom Reade, as the high school boys emerged from the gloom of a long, narrow forest road into comparatively open country.
made known or openly avowed
From this reading "It looks like pictures I've seen of water spouts," Greg declared.
delusionnounUS /dɪˈluːʒən/
(psychology) an erroneous belief that is held in the face of evidence to the contrary
From this reading "Is it a coming storm, or an optical delusion?" pondered Dick, halting and staring hard.
past form of “demand” — request urgently and forcefully
From this reading MAKING PORT IN A STORM "Did you ever see a blacker, more peculiar looking cloud coming than that one?" demanded Tom Reade, as the high school boys emerged from the gloom of a long, narrow forest road into comparatively open country.
someone who is a detective
From this reading "Is it a coming storm, or an optical delusion?" pondered Dick, halting and staring hard.
Didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading MAKING PORT IN A STORM "Did you ever see a blacker, more peculiar looking cloud coming than that one?" demanded Tom Reade, as the high school boys emerged from the gloom of a long, narrow forest road into comparatively open country.
emergedverbUS /ɪˈmɜːrdʒd/
past form of “emerge” — come out into view, as from concealment
From this reading MAKING PORT IN A STORM "Did you ever see a blacker, more peculiar looking cloud coming than that one?" demanded Tom Reade, as the high school boys emerged from the gloom of a long, narrow forest road into comparatively open country.
at any time
From this reading MAKING PORT IN A STORM "Did you ever see a blacker, more peculiar looking cloud coming than that one?" demanded Tom Reade, as the high school boys emerged from the gloom of a long, narrow forest road into comparatively open country.
fooledverbUS /fuːld/
past form of “fool” — make a fool or dupe of
From this reading "Though I've never seen one before, it's hard to be fooled, for that chap looks just like his published photographs.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading "Though I've never seen one before, it's hard to be fooled, for that chap looks just like his published photographs.
the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area
From this reading MAKING PORT IN A STORM "Did you ever see a blacker, more peculiar looking cloud coming than that one?" demanded Tom Reade, as the high school boys emerged from the gloom of a long, narrow forest road into comparatively open country.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading MAKING PORT IN A STORM "Did you ever see a blacker, more peculiar looking cloud coming than that one?" demanded Tom Reade, as the high school boys emerged from the gloom of a long, narrow forest road into comparatively open country.
a state of partial or total darkness
From this reading MAKING PORT IN A STORM "Did you ever see a blacker, more peculiar looking cloud coming than that one?" demanded Tom Reade, as the high school boys emerged from the gloom of a long, narrow forest road into comparatively open country.
Greg
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "It looks like pictures I've seen of water spouts," Greg declared.
haltingadjectiveUS /ˈhɔːltɪŋ/
disabled in the feet or legs
From this reading "Is it a coming storm, or an optical delusion?" pondered Dick, halting and staring hard.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading "Is it a coming storm, or an optical delusion?" pondered Dick, halting and staring hard.
greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading MAKING PORT IN A STORM "Did you ever see a blacker, more peculiar looking cloud coming than that one?" demanded Tom Reade, as the high school boys emerged from the gloom of a long, narrow forest road into comparatively open country.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading "Though I've never seen one before, it's hard to be fooled, for that chap looks just like his published photographs.
I've
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "It looks like pictures I've seen of water spouts," Greg declared.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading MAKING PORT IN A STORM "Did you ever see a blacker, more peculiar looking cloud coming than that one?" demanded Tom Reade, as the high school boys emerged from the gloom of a long, narrow forest road into comparatively open country.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading MAKING PORT IN A STORM "Did you ever see a blacker, more peculiar looking cloud coming than that one?" demanded Tom Reade, as the high school boys emerged from the gloom of a long, narrow forest road into comparatively open country.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "Is it a coming storm, or an optical delusion?" pondered Dick, halting and staring hard.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "Is it a coming storm, or an optical delusion?" pondered Dick, halting and staring hard.
it's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Though I've never seen one before, it's hard to be fooled, for that chap looks just like his published photographs.
and nothing more
From this reading "Though I've never seen one before, it's hard to be fooled, for that chap looks just like his published photographs.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading "It looks like pictures I've seen of water spouts," Greg declared.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading MAKING PORT IN A STORM "Did you ever see a blacker, more peculiar looking cloud coming than that one?" demanded Tom Reade, as the high school boys emerged from the gloom of a long, narrow forest road into comparatively open country.
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading MAKING PORT IN A STORM "Did you ever see a blacker, more peculiar looking cloud coming than that one?" demanded Tom Reade, as the high school boys emerged from the gloom of a long, narrow forest road into comparatively open country.
plural of “look” — the feelings expressed on a person's face
From this reading "It looks like pictures I've seen of water spouts," Greg declared.
the act that results in something coming to be
From this reading MAKING PORT IN A STORM "Did you ever see a blacker, more peculiar looking cloud coming than that one?" demanded Tom Reade, as the high school boys emerged from the gloom of a long, narrow forest road into comparatively open country.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading MAKING PORT IN A STORM "Did you ever see a blacker, more peculiar looking cloud coming than that one?" demanded Tom Reade, as the high school boys emerged from the gloom of a long, narrow forest road into comparatively open country.
make or become more narrow or restricted
From this reading MAKING PORT IN A STORM "Did you ever see a blacker, more peculiar looking cloud coming than that one?" demanded Tom Reade, as the high school boys emerged from the gloom of a long, narrow forest road into comparatively open country.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading "Though I've never seen one before, it's hard to be fooled, for that chap looks just like his published photographs.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading MAKING PORT IN A STORM "Did you ever see a blacker, more peculiar looking cloud coming than that one?" demanded Tom Reade, as the high school boys emerged from the gloom of a long, narrow forest road into comparatively open country.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading MAKING PORT IN A STORM "Did you ever see a blacker, more peculiar looking cloud coming than that one?" demanded Tom Reade, as the high school boys emerged from the gloom of a long, narrow forest road into comparatively open country.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading MAKING PORT IN A STORM "Did you ever see a blacker, more peculiar looking cloud coming than that one?" demanded Tom Reade, as the high school boys emerged from the gloom of a long, narrow forest road into comparatively open country.
opticaladjectiveUS /ˈɑːptɪkəl/
of or relating to or involving light or optics
From this reading "Is it a coming storm, or an optical delusion?" pondered Dick, halting and staring hard.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading "Is it a coming storm, or an optical delusion?" pondered Dick, halting and staring hard.
beyond or deviating from the usual or expected
From this reading MAKING PORT IN A STORM "Did you ever see a blacker, more peculiar looking cloud coming than that one?" demanded Tom Reade, as the high school boys emerged from the gloom of a long, narrow forest road into comparatively open country.
photographsnounUS /ˈfoʊtəɡræfs/
plural of “photograph” — a representation of a person or scene in the form of a print or transparent slide or in digital format
From this reading "Though I've never seen one before, it's hard to be fooled, for that chap looks just like his published photographs.
plural of “picture” — a visual representation (of an object or scene or person or abstraction) produced on a surface
From this reading "It looks like pictures I've seen of water spouts," Greg declared.
ponderedverbUS /ˈpɑːndərd/
past form of “ponder” — reflect deeply on a subject
From this reading "Is it a coming storm, or an optical delusion?" pondered Dick, halting and staring hard.
a place (seaport or airport) where people and merchandise can enter or leave a country
From this reading MAKING PORT IN A STORM "Did you ever see a blacker, more peculiar looking cloud coming than that one?" demanded Tom Reade, as the high school boys emerged from the gloom of a long, narrow forest road into comparatively open country.
prepared and printed for distribution and sale
From this reading "Though I've never seen one before, it's hard to be fooled, for that chap looks just like his published photographs.
with low volume
From this reading "That's what it is," Dick replied quietly.
Reade
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading MAKING PORT IN A STORM "Did you ever see a blacker, more peculiar looking cloud coming than that one?" demanded Tom Reade, as the high school boys emerged from the gloom of a long, narrow forest road into comparatively open country.
inflected form of “reply” — react verbally
From this reading "That's what it is," Dick replied quietly.
an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation
From this reading MAKING PORT IN A STORM "Did you ever see a blacker, more peculiar looking cloud coming than that one?" demanded Tom Reade, as the high school boys emerged from the gloom of a long, narrow forest road into comparatively open country.
an educational institution
From this reading MAKING PORT IN A STORM "Did you ever see a blacker, more peculiar looking cloud coming than that one?" demanded Tom Reade, as the high school boys emerged from the gloom of a long, narrow forest road into comparatively open country.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading MAKING PORT IN A STORM "Did you ever see a blacker, more peculiar looking cloud coming than that one?" demanded Tom Reade, as the high school boys emerged from the gloom of a long, narrow forest road into comparatively open country.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading "It looks like pictures I've seen of water spouts," Greg declared.
spoutsnounUS /spaʊts/
plural of “spout” — an opening that allows the passage of liquids or grain
From this reading "It looks like pictures I've seen of water spouts," Greg declared.
(used of eyes) open and fixed as if in fear or wonder
From this reading "Is it a coming storm, or an optical delusion?" pondered Dick, halting and staring hard.
behave violently, as if in state of a great anger
From this reading MAKING PORT IN A STORM "Did you ever see a blacker, more peculiar looking cloud coming than that one?" demanded Tom Reade, as the high school boys emerged from the gloom of a long, narrow forest road into comparatively open country.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading MAKING PORT IN A STORM "Did you ever see a blacker, more peculiar looking cloud coming than that one?" demanded Tom Reade, as the high school boys emerged from the gloom of a long, narrow forest road into comparatively open country.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading MAKING PORT IN A STORM "Did you ever see a blacker, more peculiar looking cloud coming than that one?" demanded Tom Reade, as the high school boys emerged from the gloom of a long, narrow forest road into comparatively open country.
That's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "That's what it is," Dick replied quietly.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading MAKING PORT IN A STORM "Did you ever see a blacker, more peculiar looking cloud coming than that one?" demanded Tom Reade, as the high school boys emerged from the gloom of a long, narrow forest road into comparatively open country.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading "Though I've never seen one before, it's hard to be fooled, for that chap looks just like his published photographs.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "Though I've never seen one before, it's hard to be fooled, for that chap looks just like his published photographs.
male cat
From this reading MAKING PORT IN A STORM "Did you ever see a blacker, more peculiar looking cloud coming than that one?" demanded Tom Reade, as the high school boys emerged from the gloom of a long, narrow forest road into comparatively open country.
binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent
From this reading "It looks like pictures I've seen of water spouts," Greg declared.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading "That's what it is," Dick replied quietly.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading MAKING PORT IN A STORM "Did you ever see a blacker, more peculiar looking cloud coming than that one?" demanded Tom Reade, as the high school boys emerged from the gloom of a long, narrow forest road into comparatively open country.
