used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading We lived in a New England village, Surrey, which was situated on an inlet of a large bay that opened into the Atlantic.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading Opposite the village, some ten miles across, a range of islands shut out the main waters of the bay.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading We lived in a New England village, Surrey, which was situated on an inlet of a large bay that opened into the Atlantic.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading For miles on the outer side of the curving prongs of land stretched a rugged, desolate coast, indented with coves and creeks, lined with bowlders of granite half sunken in the sea, and edged by beaches overgrown with pale sedge, or covered with beds of seaweed.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At this time I was ten years old.
AtlanticnounUS /ətˈlæntɪk/
the 2nd largest ocean; separates North and South America on the west from Europe and Africa on the east
From this reading We lived in a New England village, Surrey, which was situated on an inlet of a large bay that opened into the Atlantic.
an indentation of a shoreline larger than a cove but smaller than a gulf
From this reading We lived in a New England village, Surrey, which was situated on an inlet of a large bay that opened into the Atlantic.
beachesnounUS /ˈbiːtʃəz/
plural of “beach” — an area of sand sloping down to the water of a sea or lake
From this reading For miles on the outer side of the curving prongs of land stretched a rugged, desolate coast, indented with coves and creeks, lined with bowlders of granite half sunken in the sea, and edged by beaches overgrown with pale sedge, or covered with beds of seaweed.
bedsnounUS /bedz/
plural of “bed” — a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading For miles on the outer side of the curving prongs of land stretched a rugged, desolate coast, indented with coves and creeks, lined with bowlders of granite half sunken in the sea, and edged by beaches overgrown with pale sedge, or covered with beds of seaweed.
bowlders
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For miles on the outer side of the curving prongs of land stretched a rugged, desolate coast, indented with coves and creeks, lined with bowlders of granite half sunken in the sea, and edged by beaches overgrown with pale sedge, or covered with beds of seaweed.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading From the observatory of our house we could see how the inlet was pinched by the long claws of the land, which nearly enclosed it.
clawsnounUS /klɔːz/
plural of “claw” — sharp curved horny process on the toe of a bird or some mammals or reptiles
From this reading From the observatory of our house we could see how the inlet was pinched by the long claws of the land, which nearly enclosed it.
the shore of a sea or ocean
From this reading For miles on the outer side of the curving prongs of land stretched a rugged, desolate coast, indented with coves and creeks, lined with bowlders of granite half sunken in the sea, and edged by beaches overgrown with pale sedge, or covered with beds of seaweed.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading From the observatory of our house we could see how the inlet was pinched by the long claws of the land, which nearly enclosed it.
overlaid or spread or topped with or enclosed within something; sometimes used as a combining form
From this reading For miles on the outer side of the curving prongs of land stretched a rugged, desolate coast, indented with coves and creeks, lined with bowlders of granite half sunken in the sea, and edged by beaches overgrown with pale sedge, or covered with beds of seaweed.
covesnounUS /koʊvz/
plural of “cove” — a small inlet
From this reading For miles on the outer side of the curving prongs of land stretched a rugged, desolate coast, indented with coves and creeks, lined with bowlders of granite half sunken in the sea, and edged by beaches overgrown with pale sedge, or covered with beds of seaweed.
creeksnounUS /kriːks/
plural of “creek” — a natural stream of water smaller than a river (and often a tributary of a river)
From this reading For miles on the outer side of the curving prongs of land stretched a rugged, desolate coast, indented with coves and creeks, lined with bowlders of granite half sunken in the sea, and edged by beaches overgrown with pale sedge, or covered with beds of seaweed.
curvingadjectiveUS /ˈkɜːrvɪŋ/
having or marked by a curve or smoothly rounded bend
From this reading For miles on the outer side of the curving prongs of land stretched a rugged, desolate coast, indented with coves and creeks, lined with bowlders of granite half sunken in the sea, and edged by beaches overgrown with pale sedge, or covered with beds of seaweed.
desolateadjectiveUS /ˈdesələt/
providing no shelter or sustenance
From this reading For miles on the outer side of the curving prongs of land stretched a rugged, desolate coast, indented with coves and creeks, lined with bowlders of granite half sunken in the sea, and edged by beaches overgrown with pale sedge, or covered with beds of seaweed.
edgedadjectiveUS /edʒd/
having a specified kind of border or edge
From this reading For miles on the outer side of the curving prongs of land stretched a rugged, desolate coast, indented with coves and creeks, lined with bowlders of granite half sunken in the sea, and edged by beaches overgrown with pale sedge, or covered with beds of seaweed.
enclosedadjectiveUS /enˈkloʊzd/
closed in or surrounded or included within
From this reading From the observatory of our house we could see how the inlet was pinched by the long claws of the land, which nearly enclosed it.
a division of the United Kingdom
From this reading We lived in a New England village, Surrey, which was situated on an inlet of a large bay that opened into the Atlantic.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For miles on the outer side of the curving prongs of land stretched a rugged, desolate coast, indented with coves and creeks, lined with bowlders of granite half sunken in the sea, and edged by beaches overgrown with pale sedge, or covered with beds of seaweed.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading From the observatory of our house we could see how the inlet was pinched by the long claws of the land, which nearly enclosed it.
granitenounUS /ˈɡrænət/
plutonic igneous rock having visibly crystalline texture; generally composed of feldspar and mica and quartz
From this reading For miles on the outer side of the curving prongs of land stretched a rugged, desolate coast, indented with coves and creeks, lined with bowlders of granite half sunken in the sea, and edged by beaches overgrown with pale sedge, or covered with beds of seaweed.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading For miles on the outer side of the curving prongs of land stretched a rugged, desolate coast, indented with coves and creeks, lined with bowlders of granite half sunken in the sea, and edged by beaches overgrown with pale sedge, or covered with beds of seaweed.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading From the observatory of our house we could see how the inlet was pinched by the long claws of the land, which nearly enclosed it.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From the observatory of our house we could see how the inlet was pinched by the long claws of the land, which nearly enclosed it.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading At this time I was ten years old.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading We lived in a New England village, Surrey, which was situated on an inlet of a large bay that opened into the Atlantic.
indented
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For miles on the outer side of the curving prongs of land stretched a rugged, desolate coast, indented with coves and creeks, lined with bowlders of granite half sunken in the sea, and edged by beaches overgrown with pale sedge, or covered with beds of seaweed.
inletnounUS /ˈɪnlet/
an arm off of a larger body of water (often between rocky headlands)
From this reading We lived in a New England village, Surrey, which was situated on an inlet of a large bay that opened into the Atlantic.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading We lived in a New England village, Surrey, which was situated on an inlet of a large bay that opened into the Atlantic.
plural of “island” — a land mass (smaller than a continent) that is surrounded by water
From this reading Opposite the village, some ten miles across, a range of islands shut out the main waters of the bay.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading From the observatory of our house we could see how the inlet was pinched by the long claws of the land, which nearly enclosed it.
the land on which real estate is located
From this reading From the observatory of our house we could see how the inlet was pinched by the long claws of the land, which nearly enclosed it.
largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading We lived in a New England village, Surrey, which was situated on an inlet of a large bay that opened into the Atlantic.
linedadjectiveUS /laɪnd/
bordered by a line of things
From this reading For miles on the outer side of the curving prongs of land stretched a rugged, desolate coast, indented with coves and creeks, lined with bowlders of granite half sunken in the sea, and edged by beaches overgrown with pale sedge, or covered with beds of seaweed.
past form of “live” — be an inhabitant of or reside in
From this reading We lived in a New England village, Surrey, which was situated on an inlet of a large bay that opened into the Atlantic.
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 From the observatory of our house we could see how the inlet was pinched by the long claws of the land, which nearly enclosed it.
most important element
From this reading Opposite the village, some ten miles across, a range of islands shut out the main waters of the bay.
plural of “mile” — a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters
From this reading Opposite the village, some ten miles across, a range of islands shut out the main waters of the bay.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading From the observatory of our house we could see how the inlet was pinched by the long claws of the land, which nearly enclosed it.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading We lived in a New England village, Surrey, which was situated on an inlet of a large bay that opened into the Atlantic.
observatorynounUS /əbˈzɜːrvətɔːri/
a building designed and equipped to observe astronomical phenomena
From this reading From the observatory of our house we could see how the inlet was pinched by the long claws of the land, which nearly enclosed it.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading We lived in a New England village, Surrey, which was situated on an inlet of a large bay that opened into the Atlantic.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading At this time I was ten years old.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading We lived in a New England village, Surrey, which was situated on an inlet of a large bay that opened into the Atlantic.
used of mouth or eyes
From this reading We lived in a New England village, Surrey, which was situated on an inlet of a large bay that opened into the Atlantic.
being directly across from each other; facing
From this reading Opposite the village, some ten miles across, a range of islands shut out the main waters of the bay.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading For miles on the outer side of the curving prongs of land stretched a rugged, desolate coast, indented with coves and creeks, lined with bowlders of granite half sunken in the sea, and edged by beaches overgrown with pale sedge, or covered with beds of seaweed.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading From the observatory of our house we could see how the inlet was pinched by the long claws of the land, which nearly enclosed it.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Opposite the village, some ten miles across, a range of islands shut out the main waters of the bay.
outeradjectiveUS /ˈaʊtər/
being on the outside or further from a center
From this reading For miles on the outer side of the curving prongs of land stretched a rugged, desolate coast, indented with coves and creeks, lined with bowlders of granite half sunken in the sea, and edged by beaches overgrown with pale sedge, or covered with beds of seaweed.
overgrownadjectiveUS /ˌoʊvərˈɡroʊn/
covered with growing plants
From this reading For miles on the outer side of the curving prongs of land stretched a rugged, desolate coast, indented with coves and creeks, lined with bowlders of granite half sunken in the sea, and edged by beaches overgrown with pale sedge, or covered with beds of seaweed.
very light colored; highly diluted with white
From this reading For miles on the outer side of the curving prongs of land stretched a rugged, desolate coast, indented with coves and creeks, lined with bowlders of granite half sunken in the sea, and edged by beaches overgrown with pale sedge, or covered with beds of seaweed.
pinchedadjectiveUS /pɪntʃt/
sounding as if the nose were pinched
From this reading From the observatory of our house we could see how the inlet was pinched by the long claws of the land, which nearly enclosed it.
prongsnounUS /prɔːŋz/
plural of “prong” — a pointed projection
From this reading For miles on the outer side of the curving prongs of land stretched a rugged, desolate coast, indented with coves and creeks, lined with bowlders of granite half sunken in the sea, and edged by beaches overgrown with pale sedge, or covered with beds of seaweed.
an area in which something acts or operates or has power or control: "the range of a supersonic jet"
From this reading Opposite the village, some ten miles across, a range of islands shut out the main waters of the bay.
ruggedadjectiveUS /ˈrʌɡəd/
sturdy and strong in constitution or construction; enduring
From this reading For miles on the outer side of the curving prongs of land stretched a rugged, desolate coast, indented with coves and creeks, lined with bowlders of granite half sunken in the sea, and edged by beaches overgrown with pale sedge, or covered with beds of seaweed.
a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
From this reading For miles on the outer side of the curving prongs of land stretched a rugged, desolate coast, indented with coves and creeks, lined with bowlders of granite half sunken in the sea, and edged by beaches overgrown with pale sedge, or covered with beds of seaweed.
seaweednounUS /ˈsiːwiːd/
plant growing in the sea, especially marine algae
From this reading For miles on the outer side of the curving prongs of land stretched a rugged, desolate coast, indented with coves and creeks, lined with bowlders of granite half sunken in the sea, and edged by beaches overgrown with pale sedge, or covered with beds of seaweed.
sedgenounUS /sedʒ/
grasslike or rushlike plant growing in wet places having solid stems, narrow grasslike leaves and spikelets of inconspicuous flowers
From this reading For miles on the outer side of the curving prongs of land stretched a rugged, desolate coast, indented with coves and creeks, lined with bowlders of granite half sunken in the sea, and edged by beaches overgrown with pale sedge, or covered with beds of seaweed.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading From the observatory of our house we could see how the inlet was pinched by the long claws of the land, which nearly enclosed it.
move so that an opening or passage is obstructed; make shut
From this reading Opposite the village, some ten miles across, a range of islands shut out the main waters of the bay.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading For miles on the outer side of the curving prongs of land stretched a rugged, desolate coast, indented with coves and creeks, lined with bowlders of granite half sunken in the sea, and edged by beaches overgrown with pale sedge, or covered with beds of seaweed.
situatedadjectiveUS /ˈsɪtʃuːeɪtɪd/
situated in a particular spot or position
From this reading We lived in a New England village, Surrey, which was situated on an inlet of a large bay that opened into the Atlantic.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Opposite the village, some ten miles across, a range of islands shut out the main waters of the bay.
(of muscles) relieved of stiffness by stretching
From this reading For miles on the outer side of the curving prongs of land stretched a rugged, desolate coast, indented with coves and creeks, lined with bowlders of granite half sunken in the sea, and edged by beaches overgrown with pale sedge, or covered with beds of seaweed.
sunkenadjectiveUS /ˈsʌŋkən/
having a sunken area
From this reading For miles on the outer side of the curving prongs of land stretched a rugged, desolate coast, indented with coves and creeks, lined with bowlders of granite half sunken in the sea, and edged by beaches overgrown with pale sedge, or covered with beds of seaweed.
SurreynounUS /ˈsɜːri/
a county in southeastern England on the Thames
From this reading We lived in a New England village, Surrey, which was situated on an inlet of a large bay that opened into the Atlantic.
the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system
From this reading At this time I was ten years old.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading We lived in a New England village, Surrey, which was situated on an inlet of a large bay that opened into the Atlantic.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading We lived in a New England village, Surrey, which was situated on an inlet of a large bay that opened into the Atlantic.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading At this time I was ten years old.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading At this time I was ten years old.
a community of people smaller than a town
From this reading We lived in a New England village, Surrey, which was situated on an inlet of a large bay that opened into the Atlantic.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading At this time I was ten years old.
United States actress and singer (1896-1977)
From this reading Opposite the village, some ten miles across, a range of islands shut out the main waters of the bay.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading We lived in a New England village, Surrey, which was situated on an inlet of a large bay that opened into the Atlantic.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading We lived in a New England village, Surrey, which was situated on an inlet of a large bay that opened into the Atlantic.
in the company of; together with
From this reading For miles on the outer side of the curving prongs of land stretched a rugged, desolate coast, indented with coves and creeks, lined with bowlders of granite half sunken in the sea, and edged by beaches overgrown with pale sedge, or covered with beds of seaweed.
a late time of life
From this reading At this time I was ten years old.
