Chapter XXVII

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading AGAINST ODDS Out from the mainland came a canoe.

touching and pressing; in opposition to

From this reading AGAINST ODDS Out from the mainland came a canoe.

in spite of the fact that

From this reading They paddled stolidly and steadily, although several other canoes were close behind them, and at their sides, their occupants screaming and demanding in their high, shrill women’s voice, the return of the commandeered canoe.

a mechanical device that prevents a vessel from moving

From this reading Bill, Andy, Jack, Mr. Gray and Bob, on the cruiser, at anchor not far from a dingy, white sloop, watched curiously, and a little anxiously.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading They paddled stolidly and steadily, although several other canoes were close behind them, and at their sides, their occupants screaming and demanding in their high, shrill women’s voice, the return of the commandeered canoe.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Bill, Andy, Jack, Mr. Gray and Bob, on the cruiser, at anchor not far from a dingy, white sloop, watched curiously, and a little anxiously.

with anxiety or apprehension

From this reading Bill, Andy, Jack, Mr. Gray and Bob, on the cruiser, at anchor not far from a dingy, white sloop, watched curiously, and a little anxiously.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading They paddled stolidly and steadily, although several other canoes were close behind them, and at their sides, their occupants screaming and demanding in their high, shrill women’s voice, the return of the commandeered canoe.

at or toward the back of something

From this reading They paddled stolidly and steadily, although several other canoes were close behind them, and at their sides, their occupants screaming and demanding in their high, shrill women’s voice, the return of the commandeered canoe.

a statute in draft before it becomes law

From this reading Bill, Andy, Jack, Mr. Gray and Bob, on the cruiser, at anchor not far from a dingy, white sloop, watched curiously, and a little anxiously.

move up and down repeatedly

From this reading Bill, Andy, Jack, Mr. Gray and Bob, on the cruiser, at anchor not far from a dingy, white sloop, watched curiously, and a little anxiously.

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading AGAINST ODDS Out from the mainland came a canoe.

small and light boat; pointed at both ends; propelled with a paddle

From this reading AGAINST ODDS Out from the mainland came a canoe.

plural of “canoe” — small and light boat; pointed at both ends; propelled with a paddle

From this reading They paddled stolidly and steadily, although several other canoes were close behind them, and at their sides, their occupants screaming and demanding in their high, shrill women’s voice, the return of the commandeered canoe.

at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other

From this reading They paddled stolidly and steadily, although several other canoes were close behind them, and at their sides, their occupants screaming and demanding in their high, shrill women’s voice, the return of the commandeered canoe.

past form of “commandeer” — take arbitrarily or by force

From this reading They paddled stolidly and steadily, although several other canoes were close behind them, and at their sides, their occupants screaming and demanding in their high, shrill women’s voice, the return of the commandeered canoe.

a car in which policemen cruise the streets; equipped with radiotelephonic communications to headquarters

From this reading Bill, Andy, Jack, Mr. Gray and Bob, on the cruiser, at anchor not far from a dingy, white sloop, watched curiously, and a little anxiously.

in a manner differing from the usual or expected

From this reading Bill, Andy, Jack, Mr. Gray and Bob, on the cruiser, at anchor not far from a dingy, white sloop, watched curiously, and a little anxiously.

requiring more than usually expected or thought due; especially great patience and effort and skill

From this reading They paddled stolidly and steadily, although several other canoes were close behind them, and at their sides, their occupants screaming and demanding in their high, shrill women’s voice, the return of the commandeered canoe.

thickly covered with ingrained dirt or soot

From this reading Bill, Andy, Jack, Mr. Gray and Bob, on the cruiser, at anchor not far from a dingy, white sloop, watched curiously, and a little anxiously.

to a considerable degree; very much

From this reading Bill, Andy, Jack, Mr. Gray and Bob, on the cruiser, at anchor not far from a dingy, white sloop, watched curiously, and a little anxiously.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading AGAINST ODDS Out from the mainland came a canoe.

a neutral achromatic color midway between white and black

From this reading Bill, Andy, Jack, Mr. Gray and Bob, on the cruiser, at anchor not far from a dingy, white sloop, watched curiously, and a little anxiously.

greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount

From this reading They paddled stolidly and steadily, although several other canoes were close behind them, and at their sides, their occupants screaming and demanding in their high, shrill women’s voice, the return of the commandeered canoe.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading In it were two white people.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading In it were two white people.

a small worthless amount

From this reading Bill, Andy, Jack, Mr. Gray and Bob, on the cruiser, at anchor not far from a dingy, white sloop, watched curiously, and a little anxiously.

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading Bill, Andy, Jack, Mr. Gray and Bob, on the cruiser, at anchor not far from a dingy, white sloop, watched curiously, and a little anxiously.

the main land mass of a country or continent; as distinguished from an island or peninsula

From this reading AGAINST ODDS Out from the mainland came a canoe.

the force of workers available

From this reading Who were the men?

a form of address for a man

From this reading Bill, Andy, Jack, Mr. Gray and Bob, on the cruiser, at anchor not far from a dingy, white sloop, watched curiously, and a little anxiously.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Bill, Andy, Jack, Mr. Gray and Bob, on the cruiser, at anchor not far from a dingy, white sloop, watched curiously, and a little anxiously.

plural of “occupant” — someone who lives at a particular place for a prolonged period or who was born there

From this reading They paddled stolidly and steadily, although several other canoes were close behind them, and at their sides, their occupants screaming and demanding in their high, shrill women’s voice, the return of the commandeered canoe.

the likelihood of a thing occurring rather than not occurring

From this reading AGAINST ODDS Out from the mainland came a canoe.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading They paddled stolidly and steadily, although several other canoes were close behind them, and at their sides, their occupants screaming and demanding in their high, shrill women’s voice, the return of the commandeered canoe.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Bill, Andy, Jack, Mr. Gray and Bob, on the cruiser, at anchor not far from a dingy, white sloop, watched curiously, and a little anxiously.

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading They paddled stolidly and steadily, although several other canoes were close behind them, and at their sides, their occupants screaming and demanding in their high, shrill women’s voice, the return of the commandeered canoe.

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading AGAINST ODDS Out from the mainland came a canoe.

past form of “paddle” — propel with a paddle

From this reading They paddled stolidly and steadily, although several other canoes were close behind them, and at their sides, their occupants screaming and demanding in their high, shrill women’s voice, the return of the commandeered canoe.

(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively

From this reading In it were two white people.

go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before

From this reading They paddled stolidly and steadily, although several other canoes were close behind them, and at their sides, their occupants screaming and demanding in their high, shrill women’s voice, the return of the commandeered canoe.

so extremely intense as to evoke screams

From this reading They paddled stolidly and steadily, although several other canoes were close behind them, and at their sides, their occupants screaming and demanding in their high, shrill women’s voice, the return of the commandeered canoe.

(used with count nouns) of an indefinite number more than 2 or 3 but not many

From this reading They paddled stolidly and steadily, although several other canoes were close behind them, and at their sides, their occupants screaming and demanding in their high, shrill women’s voice, the return of the commandeered canoe.

having or emitting a high-pitched and sharp tone or tones

From this reading They paddled stolidly and steadily, although several other canoes were close behind them, and at their sides, their occupants screaming and demanding in their high, shrill women’s voice, the return of the commandeered canoe.

plural of “side” — a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location

From this reading They paddled stolidly and steadily, although several other canoes were close behind them, and at their sides, their occupants screaming and demanding in their high, shrill women’s voice, the return of the commandeered canoe.

a sailing vessel with a single mast set about one third of the boat's length aft of the bow

From this reading Bill, Andy, Jack, Mr. Gray and Bob, on the cruiser, at anchor not far from a dingy, white sloop, watched curiously, and a little anxiously.

at a steady rate or pace

From this reading They paddled stolidly and steadily, although several other canoes were close behind them, and at their sides, their occupants screaming and demanding in their high, shrill women’s voice, the return of the commandeered canoe.

in a stolid manner

From this reading They paddled stolidly and steadily, although several other canoes were close behind them, and at their sides, their occupants screaming and demanding in their high, shrill women’s voice, the return of the commandeered canoe.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading AGAINST ODDS Out from the mainland came a canoe.

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading They paddled stolidly and steadily, although several other canoes were close behind them, and at their sides, their occupants screaming and demanding in their high, shrill women’s voice, the return of the commandeered canoe.

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading They paddled stolidly and steadily, although several other canoes were close behind them, and at their sides, their occupants screaming and demanding in their high, shrill women’s voice, the return of the commandeered canoe.

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading They paddled stolidly and steadily, although several other canoes were close behind them, and at their sides, their occupants screaming and demanding in their high, shrill women’s voice, the return of the commandeered canoe.

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading In it were two white people.

the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech

From this reading They paddled stolidly and steadily, although several other canoes were close behind them, and at their sides, their occupants screaming and demanding in their high, shrill women’s voice, the return of the commandeered canoe.

past form of “watch” — look attentively

From this reading Bill, Andy, Jack, Mr. Gray and Bob, on the cruiser, at anchor not far from a dingy, white sloop, watched curiously, and a little anxiously.

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading In it were two white people.

a Caucasian

From this reading In it were two white people.

which person or people

From this reading Who were the men?

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading They paddled stolidly and steadily, although several other canoes were close behind them, and at their sides, their occupants screaming and demanding in their high, shrill women’s voice, the return of the commandeered canoe.