used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading "Your English frigates may be swift, but your English strategy is unworthy of a common _mahout_, who commands an old she-elephant with greater cunning.
the quality of having a superior or more favorable position
From this reading Why give over your only advantage?"
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading under full press of sail, masts straining against the load.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading "Your English frigates may be swift, but your English strategy is unworthy of a common _mahout_, who commands an old she-elephant with greater cunning.
the feeling that accompanies something extremely surprising
From this reading The Indian pilot watched the frigate in growing astonishment, then turned to Hawksworth.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading "Your English frigates may be swift, but your English strategy is unworthy of a common _mahout_, who commands an old she-elephant with greater cunning.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading "Your English frigates may be swift, but your English strategy is unworthy of a common _mahout_, who commands an old she-elephant with greater cunning.
commandsnounUS /kəˈmændz/
plural of “command” — an authoritative direction or instruction to do something
From this reading "Your English frigates may be swift, but your English strategy is unworthy of a common _mahout_, who commands an old she-elephant with greater cunning.
belonging to or participated in by a community as a whole; public
From this reading "Your English frigates may be swift, but your English strategy is unworthy of a common _mahout_, who commands an old she-elephant with greater cunning.
cunningadjectiveUS /ˈkʌnɪŋ/
attractive especially by means of smallness or prettiness or quaintness
From this reading "Your English frigates may be swift, but your English strategy is unworthy of a common _mahout_, who commands an old she-elephant with greater cunning.
an Indo-European language belonging to the West Germanic branch; the official language of Britain and the United States and most of the commonwealth countries
From this reading "Your English frigates may be swift, but your English strategy is unworthy of a common _mahout_, who commands an old she-elephant with greater cunning.
forfeitedadjectiveUS /ˈfɔːrfɪtɪd/
surrendered as a penalty
From this reading Your sister frigate has now forfeited the windward position.
frigatenounUS /ˈfrɪɡət/
a medium size square-rigged warship of the 18th and 19th centuries
From this reading The Indian pilot watched the frigate in growing astonishment, then turned to Hawksworth.
frigatesnounUS /ˈfrɪɡəts/
plural of “frigate” — a medium size square-rigged warship of the 18th and 19th centuries
From this reading "Your English frigates may be swift, but your English strategy is unworthy of a common _mahout_, who commands an old she-elephant with greater cunning.
containing as much or as many as is possible or normal
From this reading under full press of sail, masts straining against the load.
cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading Why give over your only advantage?"
greater in size or importance or degree
From this reading "Your English frigates may be swift, but your English strategy is unworthy of a common _mahout_, who commands an old she-elephant with greater cunning.
(biology) the process of an individual organism growing organically; a purely biological unfolding of events involved in an organism changing gradually from a simple to a more complex level
From this reading The Indian pilot watched the frigate in growing astonishment, then turned to Hawksworth.
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Your sister frigate has now forfeited the windward position.
Hawksworth
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Indian pilot watched the frigate in growing astonishment, then turned to Hawksworth.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The Indian pilot watched the frigate in growing astonishment, then turned to Hawksworth.
of or relating to or characteristic of India or the East Indies or their peoples or languages or cultures
From this reading The Indian pilot watched the frigate in growing astonishment, then turned to Hawksworth.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "Your English frigates may be swift, but your English strategy is unworthy of a common _mahout_, who commands an old she-elephant with greater cunning.
loadnounUS /loʊd/
weight to be borne or conveyed
From this reading under full press of sail, masts straining against the load.
mahoutnoun
the driver and keeper of an elephant
From this reading "Your English frigates may be swift, but your English strategy is unworthy of a common _mahout_, who commands an old she-elephant with greater cunning.
mastsnounUS /mæsts/
plural of “mast” — a vertical spar for supporting sails
From this reading under full press of sail, masts straining against the load.
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading "Your English frigates may be swift, but your English strategy is unworthy of a common _mahout_, who commands an old she-elephant with greater cunning.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Your sister frigate has now forfeited the windward position.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading under full press of sail, masts straining against the load.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading "Your English frigates may be swift, but your English strategy is unworthy of a common _mahout_, who commands an old she-elephant with greater cunning.
and nothing more
From this reading Why give over your only advantage?"
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Why give over your only advantage?"
pilotverbUS /ˈpaɪlət/
operate an airplane
From this reading The Indian pilot watched the frigate in growing astonishment, then turned to Hawksworth.
the particular portion of space occupied by something
From this reading Your sister frigate has now forfeited the windward position.
exert pressure or force to or upon
From this reading under full press of sail, masts straining against the load.
traverse or travel on (a body of water)
From this reading under full press of sail, masts straining against the load.
she-elephant
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Your English frigates may be swift, but your English strategy is unworthy of a common _mahout_, who commands an old she-elephant with greater cunning.
a female person who has the same parents as another person
From this reading Your sister frigate has now forfeited the windward position.
strainingnounUS /ˈstreɪnɪŋ/
an intense or violent exertion
From this reading under full press of sail, masts straining against the load.
strategynounUS /ˈstrætədʒi/
an elaborate and systematic plan of action
From this reading "Your English frigates may be swift, but your English strategy is unworthy of a common _mahout_, who commands an old she-elephant with greater cunning.
moving very fast
From this reading "Your English frigates may be swift, but your English strategy is unworthy of a common _mahout_, who commands an old she-elephant with greater cunning.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading under full press of sail, masts straining against the load.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading The Indian pilot watched the frigate in growing astonishment, then turned to Hawksworth.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The Indian pilot watched the frigate in growing astonishment, then turned to Hawksworth.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading The Indian pilot watched the frigate in growing astonishment, then turned to Hawksworth.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading under full press of sail, masts straining against the load.
unworthyadjectiveUS /ənˈwɜːrði/
lacking in value or merit
From this reading "Your English frigates may be swift, but your English strategy is unworthy of a common _mahout_, who commands an old she-elephant with greater cunning.
past form of “watch” — look attentively
From this reading The Indian pilot watched the frigate in growing astonishment, then turned to Hawksworth.
which person or people
From this reading "Your English frigates may be swift, but your English strategy is unworthy of a common _mahout_, who commands an old she-elephant with greater cunning.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading Why give over your only advantage?"
windwardnounUS /ˈwɪndwərd/
the direction from which the wind is coming
From this reading Your sister frigate has now forfeited the windward position.
in the company of; together with
From this reading "Your English frigates may be swift, but your English strategy is unworthy of a common _mahout_, who commands an old she-elephant with greater cunning.
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Your English frigates may be swift, but your English strategy is unworthy of a common _mahout_, who commands an old she-elephant with greater cunning.
