used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Less than a mile from the reef the sea was dotted with the brown mat sails of a large fleet of native craft all heading for the island.
(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 Less than a mile from the reef the sea was dotted with the brown mat sails of a large fleet of native craft all heading for the island.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "And taking twenty men to each--a low average--that means there are eight hundred of the wretches making straight for us."
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "And taking twenty men to each--a low average--that means there are eight hundred of the wretches making straight for us."
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading "Forty canoes at least, by Jove!" ejaculated Mr. McKay.
averageadjectiveUS /ˈævərɪdʒ/
approximating the statistical norm or average or expected value
From this reading "And taking twenty men to each--a low average--that means there are eight hundred of the wretches making straight for us."
the supreme effort one can make
From this reading "It's long odds," replied Ellerton grimly, "but we'll do our best, and perhaps we may find a means of driving them off."
an orange of low brightness and saturation
From this reading Less than a mile from the reef the sea was dotted with the brown mat sails of a large fleet of native craft all heading for the island.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading "It's long odds," replied Ellerton grimly, "but we'll do our best, and perhaps we may find a means of driving them off."
showing who or what does the action
From this reading "Forty canoes at least, by Jove!" ejaculated Mr. McKay.
canoesnounUS /kəˈnuːz/
plural of “canoe” — small and light boat; pointed at both ends; propelled with a paddle
From this reading "Forty canoes at least, by Jove!" ejaculated Mr. McKay.
the skilled practice of a practical occupation
From this reading Less than a mile from the reef the sea was dotted with the brown mat sails of a large fleet of native craft all heading for the island.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading "It's long odds," replied Ellerton grimly, "but we'll do our best, and perhaps we may find a means of driving them off."
dottedadjectiveUS /ˈdɑːtəd/
having a pattern of dots
From this reading Less than a mile from the reef the sea was dotted with the brown mat sails of a large fleet of native craft all heading for the island.
having the power of driving or impelling
From this reading "It's long odds," replied Ellerton grimly, "but we'll do our best, and perhaps we may find a means of driving them off."
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading "And taking twenty men to each--a low average--that means there are eight hundred of the wretches making straight for us."
being one more than seven
From this reading "And taking twenty men to each--a low average--that means there are eight hundred of the wretches making straight for us."
ejaculated
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Forty canoes at least, by Jove!" ejaculated Mr. McKay.
Ellerton
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "It's long odds," replied Ellerton grimly, "but we'll do our best, and perhaps we may find a means of driving them off."
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading "It's long odds," replied Ellerton grimly, "but we'll do our best, and perhaps we may find a means of driving them off."
group of aircraft operating together under the same ownership
From this reading Less than a mile from the reef the sea was dotted with the brown mat sails of a large fleet of native craft all heading for the island.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Less than a mile from the reef the sea was dotted with the brown mat sails of a large fleet of native craft all heading for the island.
FortyadjectiveUS /ˈfɔːrti/
being ten more than thirty
From this reading "Forty canoes at least, by Jove!" ejaculated Mr. McKay.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Less than a mile from the reef the sea was dotted with the brown mat sails of a large fleet of native craft all heading for the island.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading THE GREAT INVASION Quexo's warning was only too true.
grimlyadverbUS /ˈɡrɪmli/
in a grim implacable manner
From this reading "It's long odds," replied Ellerton grimly, "but we'll do our best, and perhaps we may find a means of driving them off."
headingnounUS /ˈhedɪŋ/
a line of text serving to indicate what the passage below it is about
From this reading Less than a mile from the reef the sea was dotted with the brown mat sails of a large fleet of native craft all heading for the island.
ten 10s
From this reading "And taking twenty men to each--a low average--that means there are eight hundred of the wretches making straight for us."
INVASIONnounUS /ˌɪnˈveɪʒən/
the act of invading; the act of an army that invades for conquest or plunder
From this reading THE GREAT INVASION Quexo's warning was only too true.
a land mass (smaller than a continent) that is surrounded by water
From this reading Less than a mile from the reef the sea was dotted with the brown mat sails of a large fleet of native craft all heading for the island.
It's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "It's long odds," replied Ellerton grimly, "but we'll do our best, and perhaps we may find a means of driving them off."
Jovenoun
(Roman mythology) supreme god of Romans; counterpart of Greek Zeus
From this reading "Forty canoes at least, by Jove!" ejaculated Mr. McKay.
largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Less than a mile from the reef the sea was dotted with the brown mat sails of a large fleet of native craft all heading for the island.
the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree
From this reading "Forty canoes at least, by Jove!" ejaculated Mr. McKay.
used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs
From this reading Less than a mile from the reef the sea was dotted with the brown mat sails of a large fleet of native craft all heading for the island.
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 "It's long odds," replied Ellerton grimly, "but we'll do our best, and perhaps we may find a means of driving them off."
less than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading "And taking twenty men to each--a low average--that means there are eight hundred of the wretches making straight for us."
the act that results in something coming to be
From this reading "And taking twenty men to each--a low average--that means there are eight hundred of the wretches making straight for us."
matnounUS /mæt/
a thick flat pad used as a floor covering
From this reading Less than a mile from the reef the sea was dotted with the brown mat sails of a large fleet of native craft all heading for the island.
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading "It's long odds," replied Ellerton grimly, "but we'll do our best, and perhaps we may find a means of driving them off."
McKay
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Forty canoes at least, by Jove!" ejaculated Mr. McKay.
thing or person that acts to produce a particular effect or achieve an end
From this reading "And taking twenty men to each--a low average--that means there are eight hundred of the wretches making straight for us."
the force of workers available
From this reading "And taking twenty men to each--a low average--that means there are eight hundred of the wretches making straight for us."
a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters
From this reading Less than a mile from the reef the sea was dotted with the brown mat sails of a large fleet of native craft all heading for the island.
a form of address for a man
From this reading "Forty canoes at least, by Jove!" ejaculated Mr. McKay.
characteristic of or existing by virtue of geographic origin
From this reading Less than a mile from the reef the sea was dotted with the brown mat sails of a large fleet of native craft all heading for the island.
oddsnounUS /ɑːdz/
the likelihood of a thing occurring rather than not occurring
From this reading "It's long odds," replied Ellerton grimly, "but we'll do our best, and perhaps we may find a means of driving them off."
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Less than a mile from the reef the sea was dotted with the brown mat sails of a large fleet of native craft all heading for the island.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading "It's long odds," replied Ellerton grimly, "but we'll do our best, and perhaps we may find a means of driving them off."
and nothing more
From this reading THE GREAT INVASION Quexo's warning was only too true.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading "It's long odds," replied Ellerton grimly, "but we'll do our best, and perhaps we may find a means of driving them off."
by chance
From this reading "It's long odds," replied Ellerton grimly, "but we'll do our best, and perhaps we may find a means of driving them off."
Quexo's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE GREAT INVASION Quexo's warning was only too true.
reefnounUS /riːf/
a submerged ridge of rock or coral near the surface of the water
From this reading Less than a mile from the reef the sea was dotted with the brown mat sails of a large fleet of native craft all heading for the island.
inflected form of “reply” — react verbally
From this reading "It's long odds," replied Ellerton grimly, "but we'll do our best, and perhaps we may find a means of driving them off."
sailsnounUS /seɪlz/
plural of “sail” — a large piece of fabric (usually canvas fabric) by means of which wind is used to propel a sailing vessel
From this reading Less than a mile from the reef the sea was dotted with the brown mat sails of a large fleet of native craft all heading for the island.
a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
From this reading Less than a mile from the reef the sea was dotted with the brown mat sails of a large fleet of native craft all heading for the island.
successive (without a break)
From this reading "And taking twenty men to each--a low average--that means there are eight hundred of the wretches making straight for us."
the act of someone who picks up or takes something
From this reading "And taking twenty men to each--a low average--that means there are eight hundred of the wretches making straight for us."
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Less than a mile from the reef the sea was dotted with the brown mat sails of a large fleet of native craft all heading for the island.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "And taking twenty men to each--a low average--that means there are eight hundred of the wretches making straight for us."
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE GREAT INVASION Quexo's warning was only too true.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading "It's long odds," replied Ellerton grimly, "but we'll do our best, and perhaps we may find a means of driving them off."
in or at that place or location
From this reading "And taking twenty men to each--a low average--that means there are eight hundred of the wretches making straight for us."
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "And taking twenty men to each--a low average--that means there are eight hundred of the wretches making straight for us."
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading THE GREAT INVASION Quexo's warning was only too true.
consistent with fact or reality; not false
From this reading THE GREAT INVASION Quexo's warning was only too true.
the cardinal number that is the sum of nineteen and one
From this reading "And taking twenty men to each--a low average--that means there are eight hundred of the wretches making straight for us."
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "And taking twenty men to each--a low average--that means there are eight hundred of the wretches making straight for us."
a message informing of danger
From this reading THE GREAT INVASION Quexo's warning was only too true.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading THE GREAT INVASION Quexo's warning was only too true.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading "It's long odds," replied Ellerton grimly, "but we'll do our best, and perhaps we may find a means of driving them off."
we'll
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "It's long odds," replied Ellerton grimly, "but we'll do our best, and perhaps we may find a means of driving them off."
in the company of; together with
From this reading Less than a mile from the reef the sea was dotted with the brown mat sails of a large fleet of native craft all heading for the island.
wretches
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "And taking twenty men to each--a low average--that means there are eight hundred of the wretches making straight for us."
