used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading But they were out in a boat, in the middle of a wide, sluggish stream, and all about them, swimming, diving, coming up and crawling over a long sand-bar, were alligators--alligators on all sides.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading But they were out in a boat, in the middle of a wide, sluggish stream, and all about them, swimming, diving, coming up and crawling over a long sand-bar, were alligators--alligators on all sides.
the quality of having a superior or more favorable position
From this reading INTO THE WILDS Had there been any convenient mode of running away Ruth and Alice would certainly have taken advantage of it just then.
Alice
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading INTO THE WILDS Had there been any convenient mode of running away Ruth and Alice would certainly have taken advantage of it just then.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading But they were out in a boat, in the middle of a wide, sluggish stream, and all about them, swimming, diving, coming up and crawling over a long sand-bar, were alligators--alligators on all sides.
alligatorsnounUS /ˈæləɡeɪtərz/
plural of “alligator” — leather made from alligator's hide
From this reading But they were out in a boat, in the middle of a wide, sluggish stream, and all about them, swimming, diving, coming up and crawling over a long sand-bar, were alligators--alligators on all sides.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading INTO THE WILDS Had there been any convenient mode of running away Ruth and Alice would certainly have taken advantage of it just then.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading INTO THE WILDS Had there been any convenient mode of running away Ruth and Alice would certainly have taken advantage of it just then.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading "Can they get at us?" asked Alice, more practically.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading "Can they get at us?" asked Alice, more practically.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading INTO THE WILDS Had there been any convenient mode of running away Ruth and Alice would certainly have taken advantage of it just then.
awfuladjectiveUS /ˈɑːfəl/
exceptionally bad or displeasing
From this reading "Oh, isn't it awful!" gasped Ruth, covering her eyes with her hands.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading INTO THE WILDS Had there been any convenient mode of running away Ruth and Alice would certainly have taken advantage of it just then.
a small vessel for travel on water
From this reading But they were out in a boat, in the middle of a wide, sluggish stream, and all about them, swimming, diving, coming up and crawling over a long sand-bar, were alligators--alligators on all sides.
a structure that allows people or vehicles to cross an obstacle such as a river or canal or railway etc.
From this reading They were surrounded by them now, and the girls would no more have gotten out of the boat, even if there had been a bridge nearby on which to walk to shore, than they would have dived overboard.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But they were out in a boat, in the middle of a wide, sluggish stream, and all about them, swimming, diving, coming up and crawling over a long sand-bar, were alligators--alligators on all sides.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading They were surrounded by them now, and the girls would no more have gotten out of the boat, even if there had been a bridge nearby on which to walk to shore, than they would have dived overboard.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading "Can they get at us?" asked Alice, more practically.
definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)
From this reading INTO THE WILDS Had there been any convenient mode of running away Ruth and Alice would certainly have taken advantage of it just then.
the act of drawing spatially closer to something
From this reading But they were out in a boat, in the middle of a wide, sluggish stream, and all about them, swimming, diving, coming up and crawling over a long sand-bar, were alligators--alligators on all sides.
convenientadjectiveUS /kənˈviːnjənt/
suited to your comfort or purpose or needs
From this reading INTO THE WILDS Had there been any convenient mode of running away Ruth and Alice would certainly have taken advantage of it just then.
coveringnounUS /ˈkʌvərɪŋ/
a natural object that covers or envelops
From this reading "Oh, isn't it awful!" gasped Ruth, covering her eyes with her hands.
crawlingnounUS /ˈkrɔːlɪŋ/
a slow mode of locomotion on hands and knees or dragging the body
From this reading But they were out in a boat, in the middle of a wide, sluggish stream, and all about them, swimming, diving, coming up and crawling over a long sand-bar, were alligators--alligators on all sides.
divedverbUS /daɪvd/
past form of “dive” — drop steeply
From this reading They were surrounded by them now, and the girls would no more have gotten out of the boat, even if there had been a bridge nearby on which to walk to shore, than they would have dived overboard.
divingnounUS /ˈdaɪvɪŋ/
an athletic competition that involves diving into water
From this reading But they were out in a boat, in the middle of a wide, sluggish stream, and all about them, swimming, diving, coming up and crawling over a long sand-bar, were alligators--alligators on all sides.
divisible by two
From this reading They were surrounded by them now, and the girls would no more have gotten out of the boat, even if there had been a bridge nearby on which to walk to shore, than they would have dived overboard.
opinion or judgment
From this reading "Oh, isn't it awful!" gasped Ruth, covering her eyes with her hands.
past form of “gasp” — breathe noisily, as when one is exhausted
From this reading "Oh, isn't it awful!" gasped Ruth, covering her eyes with her hands.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading "Can they get at us?" asked Alice, more practically.
plural of “girl” — a young female
From this reading They were surrounded by them now, and the girls would no more have gotten out of the boat, even if there had been a bridge nearby on which to walk to shore, than they would have dived overboard.
gottenverbUS /ˈɡɑːtən/
inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading They were surrounded by them now, and the girls would no more have gotten out of the boat, even if there had been a bridge nearby on which to walk to shore, than they would have dived overboard.
Hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading INTO THE WILDS Had there been any convenient mode of running away Ruth and Alice would certainly have taken advantage of it just then.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading "Oh, isn't it awful!" gasped Ruth, covering her eyes with her hands.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading INTO THE WILDS Had there been any convenient mode of running away Ruth and Alice would certainly have taken advantage of it just then.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading "Oh, isn't it awful!" gasped Ruth, covering her eyes with her hands.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading They were surrounded by them now, and the girls would no more have gotten out of the boat, even if there had been a bridge nearby on which to walk to shore, than they would have dived overboard.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading But they were out in a boat, in the middle of a wide, sluggish stream, and all about them, swimming, diving, coming up and crawling over a long sand-bar, were alligators--alligators on all sides.
INTOprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading INTO THE WILDS Had there been any convenient mode of running away Ruth and Alice would certainly have taken advantage of it just then.
isn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Oh, isn't it awful!" gasped Ruth, covering her eyes with her hands.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading INTO THE WILDS Had there been any convenient mode of running away Ruth and Alice would certainly have taken advantage of it just then.
and nothing more
From this reading INTO THE WILDS Had there been any convenient mode of running away Ruth and Alice would certainly have taken advantage of it just then.
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 But they were out in a boat, in the middle of a wide, sluggish stream, and all about them, swimming, diving, coming up and crawling over a long sand-bar, were alligators--alligators on all sides.
an area that is approximately central within some larger region
From this reading But they were out in a boat, in the middle of a wide, sluggish stream, and all about them, swimming, diving, coming up and crawling over a long sand-bar, were alligators--alligators on all sides.
modenounUS /moʊd/
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading INTO THE WILDS Had there been any convenient mode of running away Ruth and Alice would certainly have taken advantage of it just then.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading They were surrounded by them now, and the girls would no more have gotten out of the boat, even if there had been a bridge nearby on which to walk to shore, than they would have dived overboard.
nearbyadjectiveUS /ˈnɪrˈbaɪ/
close at hand
From this reading They were surrounded by them now, and the girls would no more have gotten out of the boat, even if there had been a bridge nearby on which to walk to shore, than they would have dived overboard.
not any; not one
From this reading They were surrounded by them now, and the girls would no more have gotten out of the boat, even if there had been a bridge nearby on which to walk to shore, than they would have dived overboard.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading They were surrounded by them now, and the girls would no more have gotten out of the boat, even if there had been a bridge nearby on which to walk to shore, than they would have dived overboard.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading INTO THE WILDS Had there been any convenient mode of running away Ruth and Alice would certainly have taken advantage of it just then.
a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region
From this reading "Oh, isn't it awful!" gasped Ruth, covering her eyes with her hands.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading But they were out in a boat, in the middle of a wide, sluggish stream, and all about them, swimming, diving, coming up and crawling over a long sand-bar, were alligators--alligators on all sides.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading But they were out in a boat, in the middle of a wide, sluggish stream, and all about them, swimming, diving, coming up and crawling over a long sand-bar, were alligators--alligators on all sides.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading But they were out in a boat, in the middle of a wide, sluggish stream, and all about them, swimming, diving, coming up and crawling over a long sand-bar, were alligators--alligators on all sides.
overboardadverbUS /ˈoʊvərbɔːrd/
to extremes
From this reading They were surrounded by them now, and the girls would no more have gotten out of the boat, even if there had been a bridge nearby on which to walk to shore, than they would have dived overboard.
practicallyadverbUS /ˈpræktɪkli/
almost; nearly
From this reading "Can they get at us?" asked Alice, more practically.
(of fluids) moving or issuing in a stream
From this reading INTO THE WILDS Had there been any convenient mode of running away Ruth and Alice would certainly have taken advantage of it just then.
United States professional baseball player famous for hitting home runs (1895-1948)
From this reading INTO THE WILDS Had there been any convenient mode of running away Ruth and Alice would certainly have taken advantage of it just then.
sand-bar
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But they were out in a boat, in the middle of a wide, sluggish stream, and all about them, swimming, diving, coming up and crawling over a long sand-bar, were alligators--alligators on all sides.
the land along the edge of a body of water
From this reading They were surrounded by them now, and the girls would no more have gotten out of the boat, even if there had been a bridge nearby on which to walk to shore, than they would have dived overboard.
plural of “side” — a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading But they were out in a boat, in the middle of a wide, sluggish stream, and all about them, swimming, diving, coming up and crawling over a long sand-bar, were alligators--alligators on all sides.
sluggishadjectiveUS /ˈslʌɡɪʃ/
moving slowly
From this reading But they were out in a boat, in the middle of a wide, sluggish stream, and all about them, swimming, diving, coming up and crawling over a long sand-bar, were alligators--alligators on all sides.
a natural body of running water flowing on or under the earth
From this reading But they were out in a boat, in the middle of a wide, sluggish stream, and all about them, swimming, diving, coming up and crawling over a long sand-bar, were alligators--alligators on all sides.
confined on all sides
From this reading They were surrounded by them now, and the girls would no more have gotten out of the boat, even if there had been a bridge nearby on which to walk to shore, than they would have dived overboard.
swimmingnounUS /ˈswɪmɪŋ/
the act of swimming
From this reading But they were out in a boat, in the middle of a wide, sluggish stream, and all about them, swimming, diving, coming up and crawling over a long sand-bar, were alligators--alligators on all sides.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading INTO THE WILDS Had there been any convenient mode of running away Ruth and Alice would certainly have taken advantage of it just then.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading They were surrounded by them now, and the girls would no more have gotten out of the boat, even if there had been a bridge nearby on which to walk to shore, than they would have dived overboard.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading INTO THE WILDS Had there been any convenient mode of running away Ruth and Alice would certainly have taken advantage of it just then.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading But they were out in a boat, in the middle of a wide, sluggish stream, and all about them, swimming, diving, coming up and crawling over a long sand-bar, were alligators--alligators on all sides.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading INTO THE WILDS Had there been any convenient mode of running away Ruth and Alice would certainly have taken advantage of it just then.
in or at that place or location
From this reading INTO THE WILDS Had there been any convenient mode of running away Ruth and Alice would certainly have taken advantage of it just then.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading But they were out in a boat, in the middle of a wide, sluggish stream, and all about them, swimming, diving, coming up and crawling over a long sand-bar, were alligators--alligators on all sides.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading They were surrounded by them now, and the girls would no more have gotten out of the boat, even if there had been a bridge nearby on which to walk to shore, than they would have dived overboard.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading But they were out in a boat, in the middle of a wide, sluggish stream, and all about them, swimming, diving, coming up and crawling over a long sand-bar, were alligators--alligators on all sides.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "Can they get at us?" asked Alice, more practically.
the act of traveling by foot
From this reading They were surrounded by them now, and the girls would no more have gotten out of the boat, even if there had been a bridge nearby on which to walk to shore, than they would have dived overboard.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading But they were out in a boat, in the middle of a wide, sluggish stream, and all about them, swimming, diving, coming up and crawling over a long sand-bar, were alligators--alligators on all sides.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading They were surrounded by them now, and the girls would no more have gotten out of the boat, even if there had been a bridge nearby on which to walk to shore, than they would have dived overboard.
having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading But they were out in a boat, in the middle of a wide, sluggish stream, and all about them, swimming, diving, coming up and crawling over a long sand-bar, were alligators--alligators on all sides.
WILDSnounUS /waɪldz/
plural of “wild” — a wild primitive state untouched by civilization
From this reading INTO THE WILDS Had there been any convenient mode of running away Ruth and Alice would certainly have taken advantage of it just then.
in the company of; together with
From this reading "Oh, isn't it awful!" gasped Ruth, covering her eyes with her hands.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading INTO THE WILDS Had there been any convenient mode of running away Ruth and Alice would certainly have taken advantage of it just then.
