used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A VISION AND A REALITY.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Ellison put his boat about and steered directly for the sinking orb, the water churning into foam under the little vessel's bows as he progressed.
actionsnounUS /ˈækʃənz/
plural of “action” — something done (usually as opposed to something said)
From this reading He seemed hardly conscious of his actions.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A VISION AND A REALITY.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading If Cuthbert Ellison ever forgets any portion of his eventful career, it will certainly not be the part connected with his sail that evening.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The sun lay like a disc of fire upon the horizon's edge as he left the bay; his ruddy glare lit up the sea, the islands, and the cloudless heavens, and the effect grew even more weird and wonderful the further he sank into his crimson bed.
an indentation of a shoreline larger than a cove but smaller than a gulf
From this reading The sun lay like a disc of fire upon the horizon's edge as he left the bay; his ruddy glare lit up the sea, the islands, and the cloudless heavens, and the effect grew even more weird and wonderful the further he sank into his crimson bed.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading If Cuthbert Ellison ever forgets any portion of his eventful career, it will certainly not be the part connected with his sail that evening.
a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading The sun lay like a disc of fire upon the horizon's edge as he left the bay; his ruddy glare lit up the sea, the islands, and the cloudless heavens, and the effect grew even more weird and wonderful the further he sank into his crimson bed.
a small vessel for travel on water
From this reading Ellison put his boat about and steered directly for the sinking orb, the water churning into foam under the little vessel's bows as he progressed.
bowsnounUS /baʊz/
plural of “bow” — a knot with two loops and loose ends; used to tie shoelaces
From this reading Ellison put his boat about and steered directly for the sinking orb, the water churning into foam under the little vessel's bows as he progressed.
the particular occupation for which you are trained
From this reading If Cuthbert Ellison ever forgets any portion of his eventful career, it will certainly not be the part connected with his sail that evening.
definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)
From this reading If Cuthbert Ellison ever forgets any portion of his eventful career, it will certainly not be the part connected with his sail that evening.
churningadjectiveUS /ˈtʃɜːrnɪŋ/
moving with or producing or produced by vigorous agitation
From this reading Ellison put his boat about and steered directly for the sinking orb, the water churning into foam under the little vessel's bows as he progressed.
cloudlessadjectiveUS /ˈklaʊdləs/
free from clouds
From this reading The sun lay like a disc of fire upon the horizon's edge as he left the bay; his ruddy glare lit up the sea, the islands, and the cloudless heavens, and the effect grew even more weird and wonderful the further he sank into his crimson bed.
being joined in close association
From this reading If Cuthbert Ellison ever forgets any portion of his eventful career, it will certainly not be the part connected with his sail that evening.
intentionally conceived
From this reading He seemed hardly conscious of his actions.
crimsonadjectiveUS /ˈkrɪmzən/
of a color at the end of the color spectrum (next to orange); resembling the color of blood or cherries or tomatoes or rubies
From this reading The sun lay like a disc of fire upon the horizon's edge as he left the bay; his ruddy glare lit up the sea, the islands, and the cloudless heavens, and the effect grew even more weird and wonderful the further he sank into his crimson bed.
Cuthbert
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If Cuthbert Ellison ever forgets any portion of his eventful career, it will certainly not be the part connected with his sail that evening.
without deviation
From this reading Ellison put his boat about and steered directly for the sinking orb, the water churning into foam under the little vessel's bows as he progressed.
discnounUS /dɪsk/
sound recording consisting of a disk with a continuous groove; used to reproduce music by rotating while a phonograph needle tracks in the groove
From this reading The sun lay like a disc of fire upon the horizon's edge as he left the bay; his ruddy glare lit up the sea, the islands, and the cloudless heavens, and the effect grew even more weird and wonderful the further he sank into his crimson bed.
the boundary of a surface
From this reading The sun lay like a disc of fire upon the horizon's edge as he left the bay; his ruddy glare lit up the sea, the islands, and the cloudless heavens, and the effect grew even more weird and wonderful the further he sank into his crimson bed.
a phenomenon that follows and is caused by some previous phenomenon
From this reading The sun lay like a disc of fire upon the horizon's edge as he left the bay; his ruddy glare lit up the sea, the islands, and the cloudless heavens, and the effect grew even more weird and wonderful the further he sank into his crimson bed.
EllisonnounUS /ˈelɪsən/
United States novelist who wrote about a young Black man and his struggles in American society (1914-1994)
From this reading If Cuthbert Ellison ever forgets any portion of his eventful career, it will certainly not be the part connected with his sail that evening.
divisible by two
From this reading The sun lay like a disc of fire upon the horizon's edge as he left the bay; his ruddy glare lit up the sea, the islands, and the cloudless heavens, and the effect grew even more weird and wonderful the further he sank into his crimson bed.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading If Cuthbert Ellison ever forgets any portion of his eventful career, it will certainly not be the part connected with his sail that evening.
eventfuladjectiveUS /ɪˈventfəl/
full of events or incidents
From this reading If Cuthbert Ellison ever forgets any portion of his eventful career, it will certainly not be the part connected with his sail that evening.
at any time
From this reading If Cuthbert Ellison ever forgets any portion of his eventful career, it will certainly not be the part connected with his sail that evening.
start firing a weapon
From this reading The sun lay like a disc of fire upon the horizon's edge as he left the bay; his ruddy glare lit up the sea, the islands, and the cloudless heavens, and the effect grew even more weird and wonderful the further he sank into his crimson bed.
foamnounUS /foʊm/
a mass of small bubbles formed in or on a liquid
From this reading Ellison put his boat about and steered directly for the sinking orb, the water churning into foam under the little vessel's bows as he progressed.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Ellison put his boat about and steered directly for the sinking orb, the water churning into foam under the little vessel's bows as he progressed.
forgetsverbUS /fərˈɡets/
third-person singular of “forget” — dismiss from the mind; stop remembering
From this reading If Cuthbert Ellison ever forgets any portion of his eventful career, it will certainly not be the part connected with his sail that evening.
to or at a greater extent or degree or a more advanced stage (“further” is used more often than “farther” in this abstract sense)
From this reading The sun lay like a disc of fire upon the horizon's edge as he left the bay; his ruddy glare lit up the sea, the islands, and the cloudless heavens, and the effect grew even more weird and wonderful the further he sank into his crimson bed.
glarenounUS /ɡler/
a light within the field of vision that is brighter than the brightness to which the eyes are adapted
From this reading The sun lay like a disc of fire upon the horizon's edge as he left the bay; his ruddy glare lit up the sea, the islands, and the cloudless heavens, and the effect grew even more weird and wonderful the further he sank into his crimson bed.
inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading The sun lay like a disc of fire upon the horizon's edge as he left the bay; his ruddy glare lit up the sea, the islands, and the cloudless heavens, and the effect grew even more weird and wonderful the further he sank into his crimson bed.
only a very short time before
From this reading He seemed hardly conscious of his actions.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The sun lay like a disc of fire upon the horizon's edge as he left the bay; his ruddy glare lit up the sea, the islands, and the cloudless heavens, and the effect grew even more weird and wonderful the further he sank into his crimson bed.
the apparent surface of the imaginary sphere on which celestial bodies appear to be projected
From this reading The sun lay like a disc of fire upon the horizon's edge as he left the bay; his ruddy glare lit up the sea, the islands, and the cloudless heavens, and the effect grew even more weird and wonderful the further he sank into his crimson bed.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading If Cuthbert Ellison ever forgets any portion of his eventful career, it will certainly not be the part connected with his sail that evening.
horizon'snounUS /hərˈaɪzənz/
possessive form of “horizon” — the line at which the sky and Earth appear to meet
From this reading The sun lay like a disc of fire upon the horizon's edge as he left the bay; his ruddy glare lit up the sea, the islands, and the cloudless heavens, and the effect grew even more weird and wonderful the further he sank into his crimson bed.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If Cuthbert Ellison ever forgets any portion of his eventful career, it will certainly not be the part connected with his sail that evening.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading The sun lay like a disc of fire upon the horizon's edge as he left the bay; his ruddy glare lit up the sea, the islands, and the cloudless heavens, and the effect grew even more weird and wonderful the further he sank into his crimson bed.
plural of “island” — a land mass (smaller than a continent) that is surrounded by water
From this reading The sun lay like a disc of fire upon the horizon's edge as he left the bay; his ruddy glare lit up the sea, the islands, and the cloudless heavens, and the effect grew even more weird and wonderful the further he sank into his crimson bed.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading If Cuthbert Ellison ever forgets any portion of his eventful career, it will certainly not be the part connected with his sail that evening.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading The sun lay like a disc of fire upon the horizon's edge as he left the bay; his ruddy glare lit up the sea, the islands, and the cloudless heavens, and the effect grew even more weird and wonderful the further he sank into his crimson bed.
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 The sun lay like a disc of fire upon the horizon's edge as he left the bay; his ruddy glare lit up the sea, the islands, and the cloudless heavens, and the effect grew even more weird and wonderful the further he sank into his crimson bed.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading The sun lay like a disc of fire upon the horizon's edge as he left the bay; his ruddy glare lit up the sea, the islands, and the cloudless heavens, and the effect grew even more weird and wonderful the further he sank into his crimson bed.
provided with artificial light
From this reading The sun lay like a disc of fire upon the horizon's edge as he left the bay; his ruddy glare lit up the sea, the islands, and the cloudless heavens, and the effect grew even more weird and wonderful the further he sank into his crimson bed.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Ellison put his boat about and steered directly for the sinking orb, the water churning into foam under the little vessel's bows as he progressed.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading The sun lay like a disc of fire upon the horizon's edge as he left the bay; his ruddy glare lit up the sea, the islands, and the cloudless heavens, and the effect grew even more weird and wonderful the further he sank into his crimson bed.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading If Cuthbert Ellison ever forgets any portion of his eventful career, it will certainly not be the part connected with his sail that evening.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading If Cuthbert Ellison ever forgets any portion of his eventful career, it will certainly not be the part connected with his sail that evening.
orbnounUS /ɔːrb/
the ball-shaped capsule containing the vertebrate eye
From this reading Ellison put his boat about and steered directly for the sinking orb, the water churning into foam under the little vessel's bows as he progressed.
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading If Cuthbert Ellison ever forgets any portion of his eventful career, it will certainly not be the part connected with his sail that evening.
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading If Cuthbert Ellison ever forgets any portion of his eventful career, it will certainly not be the part connected with his sail that evening.
progressedverbUS /prəˈɡrest/
past form of “progress” — develop in a positive way
From this reading Ellison put his boat about and steered directly for the sinking orb, the water churning into foam under the little vessel's bows as he progressed.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading Ellison put his boat about and steered directly for the sinking orb, the water churning into foam under the little vessel's bows as he progressed.
all of your experiences that determine how things appear to you
From this reading A VISION AND A REALITY.
ruddyadjectiveUS /ˈrʌdi/
inclined to a healthy reddish color often associated with outdoor life
From this reading The sun lay like a disc of fire upon the horizon's edge as he left the bay; his ruddy glare lit up the sea, the islands, and the cloudless heavens, and the effect grew even more weird and wonderful the further he sank into his crimson bed.
traverse or travel on (a body of water)
From this reading If Cuthbert Ellison ever forgets any portion of his eventful career, it will certainly not be the part connected with his sail that evening.
inflected form of “sink” — fall or descend to a lower place or level
From this reading The sun lay like a disc of fire upon the horizon's edge as he left the bay; his ruddy glare lit up the sea, the islands, and the cloudless heavens, and the effect grew even more weird and wonderful the further he sank into his crimson bed.
a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
From this reading The sun lay like a disc of fire upon the horizon's edge as he left the bay; his ruddy glare lit up the sea, the islands, and the cloudless heavens, and the effect grew even more weird and wonderful the further he sank into his crimson bed.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading He seemed hardly conscious of his actions.
sinkingnounUS /ˈsɪŋkɪŋ/
a descent as through liquid (especially through water)
From this reading Ellison put his boat about and steered directly for the sinking orb, the water churning into foam under the little vessel's bows as he progressed.
steeredverbUS /stɪrd/
past form of “steer” — direct the course; determine the direction of travelling
From this reading Ellison put his boat about and steered directly for the sinking orb, the water churning into foam under the little vessel's bows as he progressed.
the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system
From this reading The sun lay like a disc of fire upon the horizon's edge as he left the bay; his ruddy glare lit up the sea, the islands, and the cloudless heavens, and the effect grew even more weird and wonderful the further he sank into his crimson bed.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading If Cuthbert Ellison ever forgets any portion of his eventful career, it will certainly not be the part connected with his sail that evening.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading If Cuthbert Ellison ever forgets any portion of his eventful career, it will certainly not be the part connected with his sail that evening.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading Ellison put his boat about and steered directly for the sinking orb, the water churning into foam under the little vessel's bows as he progressed.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading The sun lay like a disc of fire upon the horizon's edge as he left the bay; his ruddy glare lit up the sea, the islands, and the cloudless heavens, and the effect grew even more weird and wonderful the further he sank into his crimson bed.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading The sun lay like a disc of fire upon the horizon's edge as he left the bay; his ruddy glare lit up the sea, the islands, and the cloudless heavens, and the effect grew even more weird and wonderful the further he sank into his crimson bed.
vessel'snounUS /ˈvesəlz/
possessive form of “vessel” — a tube in which a body fluid circulates
From this reading Ellison put his boat about and steered directly for the sinking orb, the water churning into foam under the little vessel's bows as he progressed.
a vivid mental image
From this reading A VISION AND A REALITY.
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 Ellison put his boat about and steered directly for the sinking orb, the water churning into foam under the little vessel's bows as he progressed.
weirdadjectiveUS /wɪrd/
suggesting the operation of supernatural influences
From this reading The sun lay like a disc of fire upon the horizon's edge as he left the bay; his ruddy glare lit up the sea, the islands, and the cloudless heavens, and the effect grew even more weird and wonderful the further he sank into his crimson bed.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading If Cuthbert Ellison ever forgets any portion of his eventful career, it will certainly not be the part connected with his sail that evening.
in the company of; together with
From this reading If Cuthbert Ellison ever forgets any portion of his eventful career, it will certainly not be the part connected with his sail that evening.
extraordinarily good or great; used especially as intensifiers
From this reading The sun lay like a disc of fire upon the horizon's edge as he left the bay; his ruddy glare lit up the sea, the islands, and the cloudless heavens, and the effect grew even more weird and wonderful the further he sank into his crimson bed.
