used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading "The largest boat was cautiously lowered about an hour before midnight, when everything was still as the grave on the island; a long and plaintive howl, however, being borne on the gentle breeze towards us every now and then, telling us that sentries were here and there in the woods.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading "The largest boat was cautiously lowered about an hour before midnight, when everything was still as the grave on the island; a long and plaintive howl, however, being borne on the gentle breeze towards us every now and then, telling us that sentries were here and there in the woods.
(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 fifteen men in all, including James and myself, and excluding our little black guide, Lord Fitzmantle.
a native or inhabitant of the United States
From this reading "We rowed with muffled oars to the beach near the haunted forest, and drew up our boat under some banana-trees; then, silent as the red men of the North American forests, we made our way towards the bridge.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading "The largest boat was cautiously lowered about an hour before midnight, when everything was still as the grave on the island; a long and plaintive howl, however, being borne on the gentle breeze towards us every now and then, telling us that sentries were here and there in the woods.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "The largest boat was cautiously lowered about an hour before midnight, when everything was still as the grave on the island; a long and plaintive howl, however, being borne on the gentle breeze towards us every now and then, telling us that sentries were here and there in the woods.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading "The largest boat was cautiously lowered about an hour before midnight, when everything was still as the grave on the island; a long and plaintive howl, however, being borne on the gentle breeze towards us every now and then, telling us that sentries were here and there in the woods.
banana-trees
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "We rowed with muffled oars to the beach near the haunted forest, and drew up our boat under some banana-trees; then, silent as the red men of the North American forests, we made our way towards the bridge.
an area of sand sloping down to the water of a sea or lake
From this reading "We rowed with muffled oars to the beach near the haunted forest, and drew up our boat under some banana-trees; then, silent as the red men of the North American forests, we made our way towards the bridge.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading "The largest boat was cautiously lowered about an hour before midnight, when everything was still as the grave on the island; a long and plaintive howl, however, being borne on the gentle breeze towards us every now and then, telling us that sentries were here and there in the woods.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading "The largest boat was cautiously lowered about an hour before midnight, when everything was still as the grave on the island; a long and plaintive howl, however, being borne on the gentle breeze towards us every now and then, telling us that sentries were here and there in the woods.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading "We were fifteen men in all, including James and myself, and excluding our little black guide, Lord Fitzmantle.
a small vessel for travel on water
From this reading "The largest boat was cautiously lowered about an hour before midnight, when everything was still as the grave on the island; a long and plaintive howl, however, being borne on the gentle breeze towards us every now and then, telling us that sentries were here and there in the woods.
inflected form of “bear” — have
From this reading "The largest boat was cautiously lowered about an hour before midnight, when everything was still as the grave on the island; a long and plaintive howl, however, being borne on the gentle breeze towards us every now and then, telling us that sentries were here and there in the woods.
a slight wind (usually refreshing)
From this reading "The largest boat was cautiously lowered about an hour before midnight, when everything was still as the grave on the island; a long and plaintive howl, however, being borne on the gentle breeze towards us every now and then, telling us that sentries were here and there in the woods.
a structure that allows people or vehicles to cross an obstacle such as a river or canal or railway etc.
From this reading "We rowed with muffled oars to the beach near the haunted forest, and drew up our boat under some banana-trees; then, silent as the red men of the North American forests, we made our way towards the bridge.
cautiouslyadverbUS /ˈkɔːʃəsli/
as if with kid gloves; with caution or prudence or tact
From this reading "The largest boat was cautiously lowered about an hour before midnight, when everything was still as the grave on the island; a long and plaintive howl, however, being borne on the gentle breeze towards us every now and then, telling us that sentries were here and there in the woods.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading During the nights of terror he had spent in hill and forest he had surveyed the country well, and so we could safely trust to him.
a politically organized body of people under a single government
From this reading During the nights of terror he had spent in hill and forest he had surveyed the country well, and so we could safely trust to him.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading "The moon was about five days old, and served to give us all the light we desired.
wanted intensely
From this reading "The moon was about five days old, and served to give us all the light we desired.
United States actor (born in Ireland); father of Georgiana Emma Barrymore (1827-1862)
From this reading "We rowed with muffled oars to the beach near the haunted forest, and drew up our boat under some banana-trees; then, silent as the red men of the North American forests, we made our way towards the bridge.
all through a period, or at some point within it
From this reading During the nights of terror he had spent in hill and forest he had surveyed the country well, and so we could safely trust to him.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading "The largest boat was cautiously lowered about an hour before midnight, when everything was still as the grave on the island; a long and plaintive howl, however, being borne on the gentle breeze towards us every now and then, telling us that sentries were here and there in the woods.
all things; all of a situation
From this reading "The largest boat was cautiously lowered about an hour before midnight, when everything was still as the grave on the island; a long and plaintive howl, however, being borne on the gentle breeze towards us every now and then, telling us that sentries were here and there in the woods.
excludingverbUS /ɪkˈskluːdɪŋ/
-ing form of “exclude” — prevent from being included or considered or accepted
From this reading "We were fifteen men in all, including James and myself, and excluding our little black guide, Lord Fitzmantle.
the cardinal number that is the sum of fourteen and one
From this reading "We were fifteen men in all, including James and myself, and excluding our little black guide, Lord Fitzmantle.
Fitzmantle
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "We were fifteen men in all, including James and myself, and excluding our little black guide, Lord Fitzmantle.
the cardinal number that is the sum of four and one
From this reading "The moon was about five days old, and served to give us all the light we desired.
the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area
From this reading During the nights of terror he had spent in hill and forest he had surveyed the country well, and so we could safely trust to him.
forestsnounUS /ˈfɔːrəsts/
plural of “forest” — the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area
From this reading "We rowed with muffled oars to the beach near the haunted forest, and drew up our boat under some banana-trees; then, silent as the red men of the North American forests, we made our way towards the bridge.
soft and mild; not harsh or stern or severe
From this reading "The largest boat was cautiously lowered about an hour before midnight, when everything was still as the grave on the island; a long and plaintive howl, however, being borne on the gentle breeze towards us every now and then, telling us that sentries were here and there in the woods.
cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading "The moon was about five days old, and served to give us all the light we desired.
death of a person
From this reading "The largest boat was cautiously lowered about an hour before midnight, when everything was still as the grave on the island; a long and plaintive howl, however, being borne on the gentle breeze towards us every now and then, telling us that sentries were here and there in the woods.
someone employed to conduct others
From this reading "We were fifteen men in all, including James and myself, and excluding our little black guide, Lord Fitzmantle.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading During the nights of terror he had spent in hill and forest he had surveyed the country well, and so we could safely trust to him.
hauntedadjectiveUS /ˈhɔːntɪd/
having or showing excessive or compulsive concern with something
From this reading "We rowed with muffled oars to the beach near the haunted forest, and drew up our boat under some banana-trees; then, silent as the red men of the North American forests, we made our way towards the bridge.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading During the nights of terror he had spent in hill and forest he had surveyed the country well, and so we could safely trust to him.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading "The largest boat was cautiously lowered about an hour before midnight, when everything was still as the grave on the island; a long and plaintive howl, however, being borne on the gentle breeze towards us every now and then, telling us that sentries were here and there in the woods.
a local and well-defined elevation of the land
From this reading During the nights of terror he had spent in hill and forest he had surveyed the country well, and so we could safely trust to him.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading During the nights of terror he had spent in hill and forest he had surveyed the country well, and so we could safely trust to him.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading "The largest boat was cautiously lowered about an hour before midnight, when everything was still as the grave on the island; a long and plaintive howl, however, being borne on the gentle breeze towards us every now and then, telling us that sentries were here and there in the woods.
used to add a contrasting statement
From this reading "The largest boat was cautiously lowered about an hour before midnight, when everything was still as the grave on the island; a long and plaintive howl, however, being borne on the gentle breeze towards us every now and then, telling us that sentries were here and there in the woods.
howlverbUS /haʊl/
emit long loud cries
From this reading "The largest boat was cautiously lowered about an hour before midnight, when everything was still as the grave on the island; a long and plaintive howl, however, being borne on the gentle breeze towards us every now and then, telling us that sentries were here and there in the woods.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "The largest boat was cautiously lowered about an hour before midnight, when everything was still as the grave on the island; a long and plaintive howl, however, being borne on the gentle breeze towards us every now and then, telling us that sentries were here and there in the woods.
includingverbUS /ˌɪnˈkluːdɪŋ/
-ing form of “include” — have as a part, be made up out of
From this reading "We were fifteen men in all, including James and myself, and excluding our little black guide, Lord Fitzmantle.
a land mass (smaller than a continent) that is surrounded by water
From this reading "The largest boat was cautiously lowered about an hour before midnight, when everything was still as the grave on the island; a long and plaintive howl, however, being borne on the gentle breeze towards us every now and then, telling us that sentries were here and there in the woods.
a Stuart king of Scotland who married a daughter of Henry VII; when England and France went to war in 1513 he invaded England and died in defeat at Flodden (1473-1513)
From this reading "We were fifteen men in all, including James and myself, and excluding our little black guide, Lord Fitzmantle.
largestadjectiveUS /ˈlɑːrdʒəst/
superlative of “large” — above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading "The largest boat was cautiously lowered about an hour before midnight, when everything was still as the grave on the island; a long and plaintive howl, however, being borne on the gentle breeze towards us every now and then, telling us that sentries were here and there in the woods.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading "The moon was about five days old, and served to give us all the light we desired.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading "We were fifteen men in all, including James and myself, and excluding our little black guide, Lord Fitzmantle.
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 "The largest boat was cautiously lowered about an hour before midnight, when everything was still as the grave on the island; a long and plaintive howl, however, being borne on the gentle breeze towards us every now and then, telling us that sentries were here and there in the woods.
terms referring to the Judeo-Christian God
From this reading "We were fifteen men in all, including James and myself, and excluding our little black guide, Lord Fitzmantle.
loweredadjectiveUS /ˈloʊərd/
below the surround or below the normal position
From this reading "The largest boat was cautiously lowered about an hour before midnight, when everything was still as the grave on the island; a long and plaintive howl, however, being borne on the gentle breeze towards us every now and then, telling us that sentries were here and there in the woods.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading "We rowed with muffled oars to the beach near the haunted forest, and drew up our boat under some banana-trees; then, silent as the red men of the North American forests, we made our way towards the bridge.
the force of workers available
From this reading "We were fifteen men in all, including James and myself, and excluding our little black guide, Lord Fitzmantle.
12 o'clock at night; the middle of the night
From this reading "The largest boat was cautiously lowered about an hour before midnight, when everything was still as the grave on the island; a long and plaintive howl, however, being borne on the gentle breeze towards us every now and then, telling us that sentries were here and there in the woods.
the natural satellite of the Earth
From this reading "The moon was about five days old, and served to give us all the light we desired.
muffledadjectiveUS /ˈmʌfəld/
being or made softer or less loud or clear
From this reading "We rowed with muffled oars to the beach near the haunted forest, and drew up our boat under some banana-trees; then, silent as the red men of the North American forests, we made our way towards the bridge.
used when the speaker is also the object of the action
From this reading "We were fifteen men in all, including James and myself, and excluding our little black guide, Lord Fitzmantle.
near in time or place or relationship
From this reading "We rowed with muffled oars to the beach near the haunted forest, and drew up our boat under some banana-trees; then, silent as the red men of the North American forests, we made our way towards the bridge.
Periods of darkness between sunset and sunrise.
From this reading During the nights of terror he had spent in hill and forest he had surveyed the country well, and so we could safely trust to him.
the region of the United States lying to the north of the Mason-Dixon line
From this reading "We rowed with muffled oars to the beach near the haunted forest, and drew up our boat under some banana-trees; then, silent as the red men of the North American forests, we made our way towards the bridge.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading "The largest boat was cautiously lowered about an hour before midnight, when everything was still as the grave on the island; a long and plaintive howl, however, being borne on the gentle breeze towards us every now and then, telling us that sentries were here and there in the woods.
oarsnounUS /ɔːrz/
plural of “oar” — an implement used to propel or steer a boat
From this reading "We rowed with muffled oars to the beach near the haunted forest, and drew up our boat under some banana-trees; then, silent as the red men of the North American forests, we made our way towards the bridge.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading During the nights of terror he had spent in hill and forest he had surveyed the country well, and so we could safely trust to him.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading "The moon was about five days old, and served to give us all the light we desired.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading "The largest boat was cautiously lowered about an hour before midnight, when everything was still as the grave on the island; a long and plaintive howl, however, being borne on the gentle breeze towards us every now and then, telling us that sentries were here and there in the woods.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading "We were fifteen men in all, including James and myself, and excluding our little black guide, Lord Fitzmantle.
plaintiveadjectiveUS /ˈpleɪntɪv/
expressing sorrow
From this reading "The largest boat was cautiously lowered about an hour before midnight, when everything was still as the grave on the island; a long and plaintive howl, however, being borne on the gentle breeze towards us every now and then, telling us that sentries were here and there in the woods.
red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood
From this reading "We rowed with muffled oars to the beach near the haunted forest, and drew up our boat under some banana-trees; then, silent as the red men of the North American forests, we made our way towards the bridge.
rowedverbUS /roʊd/
past form of “row” — propel with oars
From this reading "We rowed with muffled oars to the beach near the haunted forest, and drew up our boat under some banana-trees; then, silent as the red men of the North American forests, we made our way towards the bridge.
with safety; in a safe manner
From this reading During the nights of terror he had spent in hill and forest he had surveyed the country well, and so we could safely trust to him.
sentriesnounUS /ˈsentriz/
plural of “sentry” — a person employed to keep watch for some anticipated event
From this reading "The largest boat was cautiously lowered about an hour before midnight, when everything was still as the grave on the island; a long and plaintive howl, however, being borne on the gentle breeze towards us every now and then, telling us that sentries were here and there in the woods.
past form of “serve” — serve a purpose, role, or function
From this reading "The moon was about five days old, and served to give us all the light we desired.
marked by absence of sound
From this reading "We rowed with muffled oars to the beach near the haunted forest, and drew up our boat under some banana-trees; then, silent as the red men of the North American forests, we made our way towards the bridge.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading During the nights of terror he had spent in hill and forest he had surveyed the country well, and so we could safely trust to him.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading "We rowed with muffled oars to the beach near the haunted forest, and drew up our boat under some banana-trees; then, silent as the red men of the North American forests, we made our way towards the bridge.
depleted of energy, force, or strength
From this reading During the nights of terror he had spent in hill and forest he had surveyed the country well, and so we could safely trust to him.
not in physical motion
From this reading "The largest boat was cautiously lowered about an hour before midnight, when everything was still as the grave on the island; a long and plaintive howl, however, being borne on the gentle breeze towards us every now and then, telling us that sentries were here and there in the woods.
surveyedverbUS /sərˈveɪd/
past form of “survey” — consider in a comprehensive way
From this reading During the nights of terror he had spent in hill and forest he had surveyed the country well, and so we could safely trust to him.
disclosing unintentionally something concealed
From this reading "The largest boat was cautiously lowered about an hour before midnight, when everything was still as the grave on the island; a long and plaintive howl, however, being borne on the gentle breeze towards us every now and then, telling us that sentries were here and there in the woods.
an overwhelming feeling of fear and anxiety
From this reading During the nights of terror he had spent in hill and forest he had surveyed the country well, and so we could safely trust to him.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "The largest boat was cautiously lowered about an hour before midnight, when everything was still as the grave on the island; a long and plaintive howl, however, being borne on the gentle breeze towards us every now and then, telling us that sentries were here and there in the woods.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "The largest boat was cautiously lowered about an hour before midnight, when everything was still as the grave on the island; a long and plaintive howl, however, being borne on the gentle breeze towards us every now and then, telling us that sentries were here and there in the woods.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading "The largest boat was cautiously lowered about an hour before midnight, when everything was still as the grave on the island; a long and plaintive howl, however, being borne on the gentle breeze towards us every now and then, telling us that sentries were here and there in the woods.
in or at that place or location
From this reading "The largest boat was cautiously lowered about an hour before midnight, when everything was still as the grave on the island; a long and plaintive howl, however, being borne on the gentle breeze towards us every now and then, telling us that sentries were here and there in the woods.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading During the nights of terror he had spent in hill and forest he had surveyed the country well, and so we could safely trust to him.
in the direction of
From this reading "The largest boat was cautiously lowered about an hour before midnight, when everything was still as the grave on the island; a long and plaintive howl, however, being borne on the gentle breeze towards us every now and then, telling us that sentries were here and there in the woods.
something (as property) held by one party (the trustee) for the benefit of another (the beneficiary)
From this reading During the nights of terror he had spent in hill and forest he had surveyed the country well, and so we could safely trust to him.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading "We rowed with muffled oars to the beach near the haunted forest, and drew up our boat under some banana-trees; then, silent as the red men of the North American forests, we made our way towards the bridge.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading "We rowed with muffled oars to the beach near the haunted forest, and drew up our boat under some banana-trees; then, silent as the red men of the North American forests, we made our way towards the bridge.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "The largest boat was cautiously lowered about an hour before midnight, when everything was still as the grave on the island; a long and plaintive howl, however, being borne on the gentle breeze towards us every now and then, telling us that sentries were here and there in the woods.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "The largest boat was cautiously lowered about an hour before midnight, when everything was still as the grave on the island; a long and plaintive howl, however, being borne on the gentle breeze towards us every now and then, telling us that sentries were here and there in the woods.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading "We rowed with muffled oars to the beach near the haunted forest, and drew up our boat under some banana-trees; then, silent as the red men of the North American forests, we made our way towards the bridge.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading "We were fifteen men in all, including James and myself, and excluding our little black guide, Lord Fitzmantle.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading During the nights of terror he had spent in hill and forest he had surveyed the country well, and so we could safely trust to him.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "The largest boat was cautiously lowered about an hour before midnight, when everything was still as the grave on the island; a long and plaintive howl, however, being borne on the gentle breeze towards us every now and then, telling us that sentries were here and there in the woods.
at the time that
From this reading "The largest boat was cautiously lowered about an hour before midnight, when everything was still as the grave on the island; a long and plaintive howl, however, being borne on the gentle breeze towards us every now and then, telling us that sentries were here and there in the woods.
in the company of; together with
From this reading "We rowed with muffled oars to the beach near the haunted forest, and drew up our boat under some banana-trees; then, silent as the red men of the North American forests, we made our way towards the bridge.
the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area
From this reading "The largest boat was cautiously lowered about an hour before midnight, when everything was still as the grave on the island; a long and plaintive howl, however, being borne on the gentle breeze towards us every now and then, telling us that sentries were here and there in the woods.
