used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A WANDER-YEAR Halifax exceeded Matt’s expectations, and gave him a higher opinion of his mother.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading The harbor, with its immense basin and fiords, swarming with ships and boats, was an inexhaustible pageant, and sometimes across the green water came softened music from a giant iron-clad.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The harbor, with its immense basin and fiords, swarming with ships and boats, was an inexhaustible pageant, and sometimes across the green water came softened music from a giant iron-clad.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A WANDER-YEAR Halifax exceeded Matt’s expectations, and gave him a higher opinion of his mother.
backgroundnounUS /ˈbækɡraʊnd/
a person's social heritage: previous experience or training
From this reading High in the background of the steep city that sat throned between its waters rose forests of spruce and fir.
basinnounUS /ˈbeɪsən/
a bowl-shaped vessel; usually used for holding food or liquids
From this reading The harbor, with its immense basin and fiords, swarming with ships and boats, was an inexhaustible pageant, and sometimes across the green water came softened music from a giant iron-clad.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading High in the background of the steep city that sat throned between its waters rose forests of spruce and fir.
plural of “boat” — a small vessel for travel on water
From this reading The harbor, with its immense basin and fiords, swarming with ships and boats, was an inexhaustible pageant, and sometimes across the green water came softened music from a giant iron-clad.
bustlenounUS /ˈbʌsəl/
a rapid active commotion
From this reading The picturesque bustle enchanted him.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading The harbor, with its immense basin and fiords, swarming with ships and boats, was an inexhaustible pageant, and sometimes across the green water came softened music from a giant iron-clad.
a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts
From this reading High in the background of the steep city that sat throned between its waters rose forests of spruce and fir.
enchantedadjectiveUS /ɪnˈtʃæn.tɪd/
Filled with or placed under the influence of magical power or charm.
From this reading The picturesque bustle enchanted him.
exceededverbUS /ɪkˈsiːdəd/
past form of “exceed” — be greater in scope or size than some standard
From this reading A WANDER-YEAR Halifax exceeded Matt’s expectations, and gave him a higher opinion of his mother.
expectationsnounUS /ˌekspekˈteɪʃənz/
plural of “expectation” — belief about (or mental picture of) the future
From this reading A WANDER-YEAR Halifax exceeded Matt’s expectations, and gave him a higher opinion of his mother.
fiords
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The harbor, with its immense basin and fiords, swarming with ships and boats, was an inexhaustible pageant, and sometimes across the green water came softened music from a giant iron-clad.
firnounUS /fɜːr/
nonresinous wood of a fir tree
From this reading High in the background of the steep city that sat throned between its waters rose forests of spruce and fir.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading For the first time his soul received the shock of a great town, or what was a great town to him.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For the first time his soul received the shock of a great town, or what was a great town to him.
forestsnounUS /ˈfɔːrəsts/
plural of “forest” — the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area
From this reading High in the background of the steep city that sat throned between its waters rose forests of spruce and fir.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The harbor, with its immense basin and fiords, swarming with ships and boats, was an inexhaustible pageant, and sometimes across the green water came softened music from a giant iron-clad.
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading A WANDER-YEAR Halifax exceeded Matt’s expectations, and gave him a higher opinion of his mother.
any creature of exceptional size
From this reading The harbor, with its immense basin and fiords, swarming with ships and boats, was an inexhaustible pageant, and sometimes across the green water came softened music from a giant iron-clad.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading For the first time his soul received the shock of a great town, or what was a great town to him.
green color or pigment; resembling the color of growing grass
From this reading The harbor, with its immense basin and fiords, swarming with ships and boats, was an inexhaustible pageant, and sometimes across the green water came softened music from a giant iron-clad.
HalifaxnounUS /ˈhælɪfæks/
provincial capital and largest city of Nova Scotia
From this reading A WANDER-YEAR Halifax exceeded Matt’s expectations, and gave him a higher opinion of his mother.
harborverbUS /ˈhɑːrbər/
maintain (a theory, thoughts, or feelings)
From this reading The harbor, with its immense basin and fiords, swarming with ships and boats, was an inexhaustible pageant, and sometimes across the green water came softened music from a giant iron-clad.
greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading High in the background of the steep city that sat throned between its waters rose forests of spruce and fir.
advanced in complexity or elaboration
From this reading A WANDER-YEAR Halifax exceeded Matt’s expectations, and gave him a higher opinion of his mother.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading A WANDER-YEAR Halifax exceeded Matt’s expectations, and gave him a higher opinion of his mother.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading A WANDER-YEAR Halifax exceeded Matt’s expectations, and gave him a higher opinion of his mother.
unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope
From this reading The harbor, with its immense basin and fiords, swarming with ships and boats, was an inexhaustible pageant, and sometimes across the green water came softened music from a giant iron-clad.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading High in the background of the steep city that sat throned between its waters rose forests of spruce and fir.
inexhaustibleadjectiveUS /ˌɪnɪɡˈzɔːstəbəl/
that cannot be entirely consumed or used up
From this reading The harbor, with its immense basin and fiords, swarming with ships and boats, was an inexhaustible pageant, and sometimes across the green water came softened music from a giant iron-clad.
iron-clad
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The harbor, with its immense basin and fiords, swarming with ships and boats, was an inexhaustible pageant, and sometimes across the green water came softened music from a giant iron-clad.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading The harbor, with its immense basin and fiords, swarming with ships and boats, was an inexhaustible pageant, and sometimes across the green water came softened music from a giant iron-clad.
Matt'snounUS /mætz/
possessive form of “matt” — the property of having little or no contrast; lacking highlights or gloss
From this reading A WANDER-YEAR Halifax exceeded Matt’s expectations, and gave him a higher opinion of his mother.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading A WANDER-YEAR Halifax exceeded Matt’s expectations, and gave him a higher opinion of his mother.
an artistic form of auditory communication incorporating instrumental or vocal tones in a structured and continuous manner
From this reading The harbor, with its immense basin and fiords, swarming with ships and boats, was an inexhaustible pageant, and sometimes across the green water came softened music from a giant iron-clad.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A WANDER-YEAR Halifax exceeded Matt’s expectations, and gave him a higher opinion of his mother.
a personal belief or judgment that is not founded on proof or certainty
From this reading A WANDER-YEAR Halifax exceeded Matt’s expectations, and gave him a higher opinion of his mother.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading For the first time his soul received the shock of a great town, or what was a great town to him.
pageantnounUS /ˈpædʒənt/
an elaborate representation of scenes from history etc; usually involves a parade with rich costumes
From this reading The harbor, with its immense basin and fiords, swarming with ships and boats, was an inexhaustible pageant, and sometimes across the green water came softened music from a giant iron-clad.
picturesqueadjectiveUS /ˈpɪktʃərəsk/
suggesting or suitable for a picture; pretty as a picture
From this reading The picturesque bustle enchanted him.
conforming to the established language usage of educated native speakers
From this reading For the first time his soul received the shock of a great town, or what was a great town to him.
any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading High in the background of the steep city that sat throned between its waters rose forests of spruce and fir.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading High in the background of the steep city that sat throned between its waters rose forests of spruce and fir.
plural of “ship” — a vessel that carries passengers or freight
From this reading The harbor, with its immense basin and fiords, swarming with ships and boats, was an inexhaustible pageant, and sometimes across the green water came softened music from a giant iron-clad.
the feeling of distress and disbelief that you have when something bad happens accidentally
From this reading For the first time his soul received the shock of a great town, or what was a great town to him.
softenedadjectiveUS /ˈsɔːfənd/
toned down
From this reading The harbor, with its immense basin and fiords, swarming with ships and boats, was an inexhaustible pageant, and sometimes across the green water came softened music from a giant iron-clad.
on certain occasions or in certain cases but not always
From this reading The harbor, with its immense basin and fiords, swarming with ships and boats, was an inexhaustible pageant, and sometimes across the green water came softened music from a giant iron-clad.
the immaterial part of a person; the actuating cause of an individual life
From this reading For the first time his soul received the shock of a great town, or what was a great town to him.
sprucenounUS /spruːs/
light soft moderately strong wood of spruce trees; used especially for timbers and millwork
From this reading High in the background of the steep city that sat throned between its waters rose forests of spruce and fir.
having a sharp inclination
From this reading High in the background of the steep city that sat throned between its waters rose forests of spruce and fir.
swarmingverbUS /ˈswɔːrmɪŋ/
-ing form of “swarm” — be teeming, be abuzz
From this reading The harbor, with its immense basin and fiords, swarming with ships and boats, was an inexhaustible pageant, and sometimes across the green water came softened music from a giant iron-clad.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading High in the background of the steep city that sat throned between its waters rose forests of spruce and fir.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading For the first time his soul received the shock of a great town, or what was a great town to him.
throned
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading High in the background of the steep city that sat throned between its waters rose forests of spruce and fir.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading For the first time his soul received the shock of a great town, or what was a great town to him.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading For the first time his soul received the shock of a great town, or what was a great town to him.
an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city
From this reading For the first time his soul received the shock of a great town, or what was a great town to him.
WANDER-YEAR
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A WANDER-YEAR Halifax exceeded Matt’s expectations, and gave him a higher opinion of his mother.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading For the first time his soul received the shock of a great town, or what was a great town to him.
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 The harbor, with its immense basin and fiords, swarming with ships and boats, was an inexhaustible pageant, and sometimes across the green water came softened music from a giant iron-clad.
United States actress and singer (1896-1977)
From this reading High in the background of the steep city that sat throned between its waters rose forests of spruce and fir.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading For the first time his soul received the shock of a great town, or what was a great town to him.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The harbor, with its immense basin and fiords, swarming with ships and boats, was an inexhaustible pageant, and sometimes across the green water came softened music from a giant iron-clad.
