used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Nettie had returned from the city, and upon finding the cottage deserted had waited a reasonable length of time before consulting the neighbors.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading When their launch pulled up to the dock that night, an anxious party greeted them.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Nettie had returned from the city, and upon finding the cottage deserted had waited a reasonable length of time before consulting the neighbors.
eagerly desirous
From this reading When their launch pulled up to the dock that night, an anxious party greeted them.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading That settled it, for the waters of the bay are never considered too reliable, and when the girls did not return by ten o'clock Nettie locked up the cottage and set off for the beach.
an indentation of a shoreline larger than a cove but smaller than a gulf
From this reading That settled it, for the waters of the bay are never considered too reliable, and when the girls did not return by ten o'clock Nettie locked up the cottage and set off for the beach.
an area of sand sloping down to the water of a sea or lake
From this reading That settled it, for the waters of the bay are never considered too reliable, and when the girls did not return by ten o'clock Nettie locked up the cottage and set off for the beach.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Nettie had returned from the city, and upon finding the cottage deserted had waited a reasonable length of time before consulting the neighbors.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading That settled it, for the waters of the bay are never considered too reliable, and when the girls did not return by ten o'clock Nettie locked up the cottage and set off for the beach.
a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts
From this reading Nettie had returned from the city, and upon finding the cottage deserted had waited a reasonable length of time before consulting the neighbors.
carefully weighed
From this reading That settled it, for the waters of the bay are never considered too reliable, and when the girls did not return by ten o'clock Nettie locked up the cottage and set off for the beach.
consultingverbUS /kənˈsʌltɪŋ/
-ing form of “consult” — get or ask advice from
From this reading Nettie had returned from the city, and upon finding the cottage deserted had waited a reasonable length of time before consulting the neighbors.
a small house with a single story
From this reading Nettie had returned from the city, and upon finding the cottage deserted had waited a reasonable length of time before consulting the neighbors.
forsaken by owner or inhabitants
From this reading Nettie had returned from the city, and upon finding the cottage deserted had waited a reasonable length of time before consulting the neighbors.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading That settled it, for the waters of the bay are never considered too reliable, and when the girls did not return by ten o'clock Nettie locked up the cottage and set off for the beach.
docknounUS /dɑːk/
an enclosure in a court of law where the defendant sits during the trial
From this reading When their launch pulled up to the dock that night, an anxious party greeted them.
the act of determining the properties of something, usually by research or calculation
From this reading Nettie had returned from the city, and upon finding the cottage deserted had waited a reasonable length of time before consulting the neighbors.
FOEnounUS /foʊ/
an armed adversary (especially a member of an opposing military force)
From this reading FRIEND OR FOE?
your parents
From this reading Then she found that the young folks had gone sailing.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading That settled it, for the waters of the bay are never considered too reliable, and when the girls did not return by ten o'clock Nettie locked up the cottage and set off for the beach.
set up or found
From this reading Then she found that the young folks had gone sailing.
a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading FRIEND OR FOE?
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Nettie had returned from the city, and upon finding the cottage deserted had waited a reasonable length of time before consulting the neighbors.
plural of “girl” — a young female
From this reading That settled it, for the waters of the bay are never considered too reliable, and when the girls did not return by ten o'clock Nettie locked up the cottage and set off for the beach.
destroyed or killed
From this reading Then she found that the young folks had gone sailing.
greetedverbUS /ˈɡriːtəd/
past form of “greet” — express greetings upon meeting someone
From this reading When their launch pulled up to the dock that night, an anxious party greeted them.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Nettie had returned from the city, and upon finding the cottage deserted had waited a reasonable length of time before consulting the neighbors.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading That settled it, for the waters of the bay are never considered too reliable, and when the girls did not return by ten o'clock Nettie locked up the cottage and set off for the beach.
launchverbUS /lɔːntʃ/
set up or found
From this reading When their launch pulled up to the dock that night, an anxious party greeted them.
the linear extent in space from one end to the other; the longest dimension of something that is fixed in place
From this reading Nettie had returned from the city, and upon finding the cottage deserted had waited a reasonable length of time before consulting the neighbors.
past form of “lock” — fasten with a lock
From this reading That settled it, for the waters of the bay are never considered too reliable, and when the girls did not return by ten o'clock Nettie locked up the cottage and set off for the beach.
neighborsnounUS /ˈneɪbərz/
plural of “neighbor” — a person who lives (or is located) near another
From this reading Nettie had returned from the city, and upon finding the cottage deserted had waited a reasonable length of time before consulting the neighbors.
Nettie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Nettie had returned from the city, and upon finding the cottage deserted had waited a reasonable length of time before consulting the neighbors.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading That settled it, for the waters of the bay are never considered too reliable, and when the girls did not return by ten o'clock Nettie locked up the cottage and set off for the beach.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading When their launch pulled up to the dock that night, an anxious party greeted them.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading That settled it, for the waters of the bay are never considered too reliable, and when the girls did not return by ten o'clock Nettie locked up the cottage and set off for the beach.
o'clockadverbUS /əˈklɑːk/
according to the clock
From this reading That settled it, for the waters of the bay are never considered too reliable, and when the girls did not return by ten o'clock Nettie locked up the cottage and set off for the beach.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Nettie had returned from the city, and upon finding the cottage deserted had waited a reasonable length of time before consulting the neighbors.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading That settled it, for the waters of the bay are never considered too reliable, and when the girls did not return by ten o'clock Nettie locked up the cottage and set off for the beach.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading FRIEND OR FOE?
an organization to gain political power
From this reading When their launch pulled up to the dock that night, an anxious party greeted them.
past form of “pull” — cause to move by pulling
From this reading When their launch pulled up to the dock that night, an anxious party greeted them.
showing reason or sound judgment
From this reading Nettie had returned from the city, and upon finding the cottage deserted had waited a reasonable length of time before consulting the neighbors.
reliableadjectiveUS /rɪˈlaɪəbəl/
worthy of reliance or trust
From this reading That settled it, for the waters of the bay are never considered too reliable, and when the girls did not return by ten o'clock Nettie locked up the cottage and set off for the beach.
go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading That settled it, for the waters of the bay are never considered too reliable, and when the girls did not return by ten o'clock Nettie locked up the cottage and set off for the beach.
past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading Nettie had returned from the city, and upon finding the cottage deserted had waited a reasonable length of time before consulting the neighbors.
sailingnounUS /ˈseɪlɪŋ/
the work of a sailor
From this reading Then she found that the young folks had gone sailing.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading That settled it, for the waters of the bay are never considered too reliable, and when the girls did not return by ten o'clock Nettie locked up the cottage and set off for the beach.
established or decided beyond dispute or doubt
From this reading That settled it, for the waters of the bay are never considered too reliable, and when the girls did not return by ten o'clock Nettie locked up the cottage and set off for the beach.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Then she found that the young folks had gone sailing.
the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system
From this reading That settled it, for the waters of the bay are never considered too reliable, and when the girls did not return by ten o'clock Nettie locked up the cottage and set off for the beach.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading When their launch pulled up to the dock that night, an anxious party greeted them.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading When their launch pulled up to the dock that night, an anxious party greeted them.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading When their launch pulled up to the dock that night, an anxious party greeted them.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading When their launch pulled up to the dock that night, an anxious party greeted them.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then she found that the young folks had gone sailing.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading Nettie had returned from the city, and upon finding the cottage deserted had waited a reasonable length of time before consulting the neighbors.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading When their launch pulled up to the dock that night, an anxious party greeted them.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading That settled it, for the waters of the bay are never considered too reliable, and when the girls did not return by ten o'clock Nettie locked up the cottage and set off for the beach.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading When their launch pulled up to the dock that night, an anxious party greeted them.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Nettie had returned from the city, and upon finding the cottage deserted had waited a reasonable length of time before consulting the neighbors.
past form of “wait” — stay in one place and anticipate or expect something
From this reading Nettie had returned from the city, and upon finding the cottage deserted had waited a reasonable length of time before consulting the neighbors.
United States actress and singer (1896-1977)
From this reading That settled it, for the waters of the bay are never considered too reliable, and when the girls did not return by ten o'clock Nettie locked up the cottage and set off for the beach.
at the time that
From this reading When their launch pulled up to the dock that night, an anxious party greeted them.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading Then she found that the young folks had gone sailing.
