used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading On the morning of the twenty-seventh of May a light fog hung over the Yellow Sea and the Straits of Korea.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading Gulls sailed in leisurely fashion above the dull-green surface of the water, or dropped with sudden scream as their keen eyes discerned some floating scrap of food; but the supply was scarce, for few ships had of late passed that way, and the sea, ordinarily alive with junks and steamers and modern sailing craft, was as deserted as some far-off Polar bay which no adventurer's keel had yet ploughed.
adventurer's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Gulls sailed in leisurely fashion above the dull-green surface of the water, or dropped with sudden scream as their keen eyes discerned some floating scrap of food; but the supply was scarce, for few ships had of late passed that way, and the sea, ordinarily alive with junks and steamers and modern sailing craft, was as deserted as some far-off Polar bay which no adventurer's keel had yet ploughed.
aliveadjectiveUS /əˈlaɪv/
possessing life
From this reading Gulls sailed in leisurely fashion above the dull-green surface of the water, or dropped with sudden scream as their keen eyes discerned some floating scrap of food; but the supply was scarce, for few ships had of late passed that way, and the sea, ordinarily alive with junks and steamers and modern sailing craft, was as deserted as some far-off Polar bay which no adventurer's keel had yet ploughed.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading "THE DESTINY OF AN EMPIRE."
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading On the morning of the twenty-seventh of May a light fog hung over the Yellow Sea and the Straits of Korea.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Gulls sailed in leisurely fashion above the dull-green surface of the water, or dropped with sudden scream as their keen eyes discerned some floating scrap of food; but the supply was scarce, for few ships had of late passed that way, and the sea, ordinarily alive with junks and steamers and modern sailing craft, was as deserted as some far-off Polar bay which no adventurer's keel had yet ploughed.
an indentation of a shoreline larger than a cove but smaller than a gulf
From this reading Gulls sailed in leisurely fashion above the dull-green surface of the water, or dropped with sudden scream as their keen eyes discerned some floating scrap of food; but the supply was scarce, for few ships had of late passed that way, and the sea, ordinarily alive with junks and steamers and modern sailing craft, was as deserted as some far-off Polar bay which no adventurer's keel had yet ploughed.
having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading The gulls seemed uneasy, in spite of the desolateness of the broad expanse of heaving swell.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Gulls sailed in leisurely fashion above the dull-green surface of the water, or dropped with sudden scream as their keen eyes discerned some floating scrap of food; but the supply was scarce, for few ships had of late passed that way, and the sea, ordinarily alive with junks and steamers and modern sailing craft, was as deserted as some far-off Polar bay which no adventurer's keel had yet ploughed.
past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading They called to each other with warning cries as if some hidden danger were near.
the skilled practice of a practical occupation
From this reading Gulls sailed in leisurely fashion above the dull-green surface of the water, or dropped with sudden scream as their keen eyes discerned some floating scrap of food; but the supply was scarce, for few ships had of late passed that way, and the sea, ordinarily alive with junks and steamers and modern sailing craft, was as deserted as some far-off Polar bay which no adventurer's keel had yet ploughed.
plural of “cry” — a loud utterance; often in protest or opposition
From this reading They called to each other with warning cries as if some hidden danger were near.
the condition of being susceptible to harm or injury
From this reading They called to each other with warning cries as if some hidden danger were near.
forsaken by owner or inhabitants
From this reading Gulls sailed in leisurely fashion above the dull-green surface of the water, or dropped with sudden scream as their keen eyes discerned some floating scrap of food; but the supply was scarce, for few ships had of late passed that way, and the sea, ordinarily alive with junks and steamers and modern sailing craft, was as deserted as some far-off Polar bay which no adventurer's keel had yet ploughed.
desolateness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The gulls seemed uneasy, in spite of the desolateness of the broad expanse of heaving swell.
DESTINYnounUS /ˈdestəni/
an event (or a course of events) that will inevitably happen in the future
From this reading "THE DESTINY OF AN EMPIRE."
discernedverbUS /dɪˈsɜːrnd/
past form of “discern” — detect with the senses
From this reading Gulls sailed in leisurely fashion above the dull-green surface of the water, or dropped with sudden scream as their keen eyes discerned some floating scrap of food; but the supply was scarce, for few ships had of late passed that way, and the sea, ordinarily alive with junks and steamers and modern sailing craft, was as deserted as some far-off Polar bay which no adventurer's keel had yet ploughed.
inflected form of “drop” — let fall to the ground
From this reading Gulls sailed in leisurely fashion above the dull-green surface of the water, or dropped with sudden scream as their keen eyes discerned some floating scrap of food; but the supply was scarce, for few ships had of late passed that way, and the sea, ordinarily alive with junks and steamers and modern sailing craft, was as deserted as some far-off Polar bay which no adventurer's keel had yet ploughed.
dull-green
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Gulls sailed in leisurely fashion above the dull-green surface of the water, or dropped with sudden scream as their keen eyes discerned some floating scrap of food; but the supply was scarce, for few ships had of late passed that way, and the sea, ordinarily alive with junks and steamers and modern sailing craft, was as deserted as some far-off Polar bay which no adventurer's keel had yet ploughed.
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading They called to each other with warning cries as if some hidden danger were near.
EMPIREnounUS /ˈempaɪər/
the domain ruled by an emperor or empress; the region over which imperial dominion is exercised
From this reading "THE DESTINY OF AN EMPIRE."
expansenounUS /ɪkˈspæns/
a wide scope
From this reading The gulls seemed uneasy, in spite of the desolateness of the broad expanse of heaving swell.
opinion or judgment
From this reading Gulls sailed in leisurely fashion above the dull-green surface of the water, or dropped with sudden scream as their keen eyes discerned some floating scrap of food; but the supply was scarce, for few ships had of late passed that way, and the sea, ordinarily alive with junks and steamers and modern sailing craft, was as deserted as some far-off Polar bay which no adventurer's keel had yet ploughed.
far-offadjective
very far away in space or time
From this reading Gulls sailed in leisurely fashion above the dull-green surface of the water, or dropped with sudden scream as their keen eyes discerned some floating scrap of food; but the supply was scarce, for few ships had of late passed that way, and the sea, ordinarily alive with junks and steamers and modern sailing craft, was as deserted as some far-off Polar bay which no adventurer's keel had yet ploughed.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading Gulls sailed in leisurely fashion above the dull-green surface of the water, or dropped with sudden scream as their keen eyes discerned some floating scrap of food; but the supply was scarce, for few ships had of late passed that way, and the sea, ordinarily alive with junks and steamers and modern sailing craft, was as deserted as some far-off Polar bay which no adventurer's keel had yet ploughed.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading Gulls sailed in leisurely fashion above the dull-green surface of the water, or dropped with sudden scream as their keen eyes discerned some floating scrap of food; but the supply was scarce, for few ships had of late passed that way, and the sea, ordinarily alive with junks and steamers and modern sailing craft, was as deserted as some far-off Polar bay which no adventurer's keel had yet ploughed.
floatingadjectiveUS /ˈfloʊtɪŋ/
borne up by or suspended in a liquid
From this reading Gulls sailed in leisurely fashion above the dull-green surface of the water, or dropped with sudden scream as their keen eyes discerned some floating scrap of food; but the supply was scarce, for few ships had of late passed that way, and the sea, ordinarily alive with junks and steamers and modern sailing craft, was as deserted as some far-off Polar bay which no adventurer's keel had yet ploughed.
fognounUS /fɑːɡ/
droplets of water vapor suspended in the air near the ground
From this reading On the morning of the twenty-seventh of May a light fog hung over the Yellow Sea and the Straits of Korea.
any substance that can be metabolized by an animal to give energy and build tissue
From this reading Gulls sailed in leisurely fashion above the dull-green surface of the water, or dropped with sudden scream as their keen eyes discerned some floating scrap of food; but the supply was scarce, for few ships had of late passed that way, and the sea, ordinarily alive with junks and steamers and modern sailing craft, was as deserted as some far-off Polar bay which no adventurer's keel had yet ploughed.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Gulls sailed in leisurely fashion above the dull-green surface of the water, or dropped with sudden scream as their keen eyes discerned some floating scrap of food; but the supply was scarce, for few ships had of late passed that way, and the sea, ordinarily alive with junks and steamers and modern sailing craft, was as deserted as some far-off Polar bay which no adventurer's keel had yet ploughed.
GullsnounUS /ɡʌlz/
plural of “gull” — a person who is gullible and easy to take advantage of
From this reading Gulls sailed in leisurely fashion above the dull-green surface of the water, or dropped with sudden scream as their keen eyes discerned some floating scrap of food; but the supply was scarce, for few ships had of late passed that way, and the sea, ordinarily alive with junks and steamers and modern sailing craft, was as deserted as some far-off Polar bay which no adventurer's keel had yet ploughed.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Gulls sailed in leisurely fashion above the dull-green surface of the water, or dropped with sudden scream as their keen eyes discerned some floating scrap of food; but the supply was scarce, for few ships had of late passed that way, and the sea, ordinarily alive with junks and steamers and modern sailing craft, was as deserted as some far-off Polar bay which no adventurer's keel had yet ploughed.
heavingnounUS /ˈhiːvɪŋ/
an upward movement (especially a rhythmical rising and falling)
From this reading The gulls seemed uneasy, in spite of the desolateness of the broad expanse of heaving swell.
not accessible to view
From this reading They called to each other with warning cries as if some hidden danger were near.
inflected form of “hang” — be suspended or hanging
From this reading On the morning of the twenty-seventh of May a light fog hung over the Yellow Sea and the Straits of Korea.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading They called to each other with warning cries as if some hidden danger were near.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Gulls sailed in leisurely fashion above the dull-green surface of the water, or dropped with sudden scream as their keen eyes discerned some floating scrap of food; but the supply was scarce, for few ships had of late passed that way, and the sea, ordinarily alive with junks and steamers and modern sailing craft, was as deserted as some far-off Polar bay which no adventurer's keel had yet ploughed.
junks
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Gulls sailed in leisurely fashion above the dull-green surface of the water, or dropped with sudden scream as their keen eyes discerned some floating scrap of food; but the supply was scarce, for few ships had of late passed that way, and the sea, ordinarily alive with junks and steamers and modern sailing craft, was as deserted as some far-off Polar bay which no adventurer's keel had yet ploughed.
keelnounUS /kiːl/
a projection or ridge that suggests a keel
From this reading Gulls sailed in leisurely fashion above the dull-green surface of the water, or dropped with sudden scream as their keen eyes discerned some floating scrap of food; but the supply was scarce, for few ships had of late passed that way, and the sea, ordinarily alive with junks and steamers and modern sailing craft, was as deserted as some far-off Polar bay which no adventurer's keel had yet ploughed.
having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions
From this reading Gulls sailed in leisurely fashion above the dull-green surface of the water, or dropped with sudden scream as their keen eyes discerned some floating scrap of food; but the supply was scarce, for few ships had of late passed that way, and the sea, ordinarily alive with junks and steamers and modern sailing craft, was as deserted as some far-off Polar bay which no adventurer's keel had yet ploughed.
KoreanounUS /ˌkɔːˈriːə/
an Asian peninsula (off Manchuria) separating the Yellow Sea and the Sea of Japan; the Korean name is Dae-Han-Min-Gook or Han-Gook
From this reading On the morning of the twenty-seventh of May a light fog hung over the Yellow Sea and the Straits of Korea.
being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time
From this reading Gulls sailed in leisurely fashion above the dull-green surface of the water, or dropped with sudden scream as their keen eyes discerned some floating scrap of food; but the supply was scarce, for few ships had of late passed that way, and the sea, ordinarily alive with junks and steamers and modern sailing craft, was as deserted as some far-off Polar bay which no adventurer's keel had yet ploughed.
leisurelyadverbUS /ˈliːzərli/
in an unhurried way or at one's convenience
From this reading Gulls sailed in leisurely fashion above the dull-green surface of the water, or dropped with sudden scream as their keen eyes discerned some floating scrap of food; but the supply was scarce, for few ships had of late passed that way, and the sea, ordinarily alive with junks and steamers and modern sailing craft, was as deserted as some far-off Polar bay which no adventurer's keel had yet ploughed.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading On the morning of the twenty-seventh of May a light fog hung over the Yellow Sea and the Straits of Korea.
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading On the morning of the twenty-seventh of May a light fog hung over the Yellow Sea and the Straits of Korea.
belonging to the modern era; since the Middle Ages
From this reading Gulls sailed in leisurely fashion above the dull-green surface of the water, or dropped with sudden scream as their keen eyes discerned some floating scrap of food; but the supply was scarce, for few ships had of late passed that way, and the sea, ordinarily alive with junks and steamers and modern sailing craft, was as deserted as some far-off Polar bay which no adventurer's keel had yet ploughed.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading On the morning of the twenty-seventh of May a light fog hung over the Yellow Sea and the Straits of Korea.
near in time or place or relationship
From this reading They called to each other with warning cries as if some hidden danger were near.
not any; not one
From this reading Gulls sailed in leisurely fashion above the dull-green surface of the water, or dropped with sudden scream as their keen eyes discerned some floating scrap of food; but the supply was scarce, for few ships had of late passed that way, and the sea, ordinarily alive with junks and steamers and modern sailing craft, was as deserted as some far-off Polar bay which no adventurer's keel had yet ploughed.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "THE DESTINY OF AN EMPIRE."
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading On the morning of the twenty-seventh of May a light fog hung over the Yellow Sea and the Straits of Korea.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Gulls sailed in leisurely fashion above the dull-green surface of the water, or dropped with sudden scream as their keen eyes discerned some floating scrap of food; but the supply was scarce, for few ships had of late passed that way, and the sea, ordinarily alive with junks and steamers and modern sailing craft, was as deserted as some far-off Polar bay which no adventurer's keel had yet ploughed.
ordinarilyadverbUS /ˌɔːrdəˈnerəli/
under normal conditions
From this reading Gulls sailed in leisurely fashion above the dull-green surface of the water, or dropped with sudden scream as their keen eyes discerned some floating scrap of food; but the supply was scarce, for few ships had of late passed that way, and the sea, ordinarily alive with junks and steamers and modern sailing craft, was as deserted as some far-off Polar bay which no adventurer's keel had yet ploughed.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading They called to each other with warning cries as if some hidden danger were near.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading On the morning of the twenty-seventh of May a light fog hung over the Yellow Sea and the Straits of Korea.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading Gulls sailed in leisurely fashion above the dull-green surface of the water, or dropped with sudden scream as their keen eyes discerned some floating scrap of food; but the supply was scarce, for few ships had of late passed that way, and the sea, ordinarily alive with junks and steamers and modern sailing craft, was as deserted as some far-off Polar bay which no adventurer's keel had yet ploughed.
ploughedadjectiveUS /plaʊd/
(of farmland) broken and turned over with a plow
From this reading Gulls sailed in leisurely fashion above the dull-green surface of the water, or dropped with sudden scream as their keen eyes discerned some floating scrap of food; but the supply was scarce, for few ships had of late passed that way, and the sea, ordinarily alive with junks and steamers and modern sailing craft, was as deserted as some far-off Polar bay which no adventurer's keel had yet ploughed.
PolaradjectiveUS /ˈpoʊlər/
having a pair of equal and opposite charges
From this reading Gulls sailed in leisurely fashion above the dull-green surface of the water, or dropped with sudden scream as their keen eyes discerned some floating scrap of food; but the supply was scarce, for few ships had of late passed that way, and the sea, ordinarily alive with junks and steamers and modern sailing craft, was as deserted as some far-off Polar bay which no adventurer's keel had yet ploughed.
past form of “sail” — traverse or travel on (a body of water)
From this reading Gulls sailed in leisurely fashion above the dull-green surface of the water, or dropped with sudden scream as their keen eyes discerned some floating scrap of food; but the supply was scarce, for few ships had of late passed that way, and the sea, ordinarily alive with junks and steamers and modern sailing craft, was as deserted as some far-off Polar bay which no adventurer's keel had yet ploughed.
sailingnounUS /ˈseɪlɪŋ/
the work of a sailor
From this reading Gulls sailed in leisurely fashion above the dull-green surface of the water, or dropped with sudden scream as their keen eyes discerned some floating scrap of food; but the supply was scarce, for few ships had of late passed that way, and the sea, ordinarily alive with junks and steamers and modern sailing craft, was as deserted as some far-off Polar bay which no adventurer's keel had yet ploughed.
only a very short time before
From this reading Gulls sailed in leisurely fashion above the dull-green surface of the water, or dropped with sudden scream as their keen eyes discerned some floating scrap of food; but the supply was scarce, for few ships had of late passed that way, and the sea, ordinarily alive with junks and steamers and modern sailing craft, was as deserted as some far-off Polar bay which no adventurer's keel had yet ploughed.
scrapnounUS /skræp/
a small fragment of something broken off from the whole
From this reading Gulls sailed in leisurely fashion above the dull-green surface of the water, or dropped with sudden scream as their keen eyes discerned some floating scrap of food; but the supply was scarce, for few ships had of late passed that way, and the sea, ordinarily alive with junks and steamers and modern sailing craft, was as deserted as some far-off Polar bay which no adventurer's keel had yet ploughed.
screamverbUS /skriːm/
utter a sudden loud cry
From this reading Gulls sailed in leisurely fashion above the dull-green surface of the water, or dropped with sudden scream as their keen eyes discerned some floating scrap of food; but the supply was scarce, for few ships had of late passed that way, and the sea, ordinarily alive with junks and steamers and modern sailing craft, was as deserted as some far-off Polar bay which no adventurer's keel had yet ploughed.
a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
From this reading On the morning of the twenty-seventh of May a light fog hung over the Yellow Sea and the Straits of Korea.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading The gulls seemed uneasy, in spite of the desolateness of the broad expanse of heaving swell.
plural of “ship” — a vessel that carries passengers or freight
From this reading Gulls sailed in leisurely fashion above the dull-green surface of the water, or dropped with sudden scream as their keen eyes discerned some floating scrap of food; but the supply was scarce, for few ships had of late passed that way, and the sea, ordinarily alive with junks and steamers and modern sailing craft, was as deserted as some far-off Polar bay which no adventurer's keel had yet ploughed.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Gulls sailed in leisurely fashion above the dull-green surface of the water, or dropped with sudden scream as their keen eyes discerned some floating scrap of food; but the supply was scarce, for few ships had of late passed that way, and the sea, ordinarily alive with junks and steamers and modern sailing craft, was as deserted as some far-off Polar bay which no adventurer's keel had yet ploughed.
feeling a need to see others suffer
From this reading The gulls seemed uneasy, in spite of the desolateness of the broad expanse of heaving swell.
steamersnounUS /ˈstiːmərz/
plural of “steamer” — a clam that is usually steamed in the shell
From this reading Gulls sailed in leisurely fashion above the dull-green surface of the water, or dropped with sudden scream as their keen eyes discerned some floating scrap of food; but the supply was scarce, for few ships had of late passed that way, and the sea, ordinarily alive with junks and steamers and modern sailing craft, was as deserted as some far-off Polar bay which no adventurer's keel had yet ploughed.
StraitsnounUS /streɪts/
a bad or difficult situation or state of affairs
From this reading On the morning of the twenty-seventh of May a light fog hung over the Yellow Sea and the Straits of Korea.
happening without warning or in a short space of time
From this reading Gulls sailed in leisurely fashion above the dull-green surface of the water, or dropped with sudden scream as their keen eyes discerned some floating scrap of food; but the supply was scarce, for few ships had of late passed that way, and the sea, ordinarily alive with junks and steamers and modern sailing craft, was as deserted as some far-off Polar bay which no adventurer's keel had yet ploughed.
give something useful or necessary to
From this reading Gulls sailed in leisurely fashion above the dull-green surface of the water, or dropped with sudden scream as their keen eyes discerned some floating scrap of food; but the supply was scarce, for few ships had of late passed that way, and the sea, ordinarily alive with junks and steamers and modern sailing craft, was as deserted as some far-off Polar bay which no adventurer's keel had yet ploughed.
the outer boundary of an artifact or a material layer constituting or resembling such a boundary
From this reading Gulls sailed in leisurely fashion above the dull-green surface of the water, or dropped with sudden scream as their keen eyes discerned some floating scrap of food; but the supply was scarce, for few ships had of late passed that way, and the sea, ordinarily alive with junks and steamers and modern sailing craft, was as deserted as some far-off Polar bay which no adventurer's keel had yet ploughed.
swellverbUS /swel/
increase in size, magnitude, number, or intensity
From this reading The gulls seemed uneasy, in spite of the desolateness of the broad expanse of heaving swell.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Gulls sailed in leisurely fashion above the dull-green surface of the water, or dropped with sudden scream as their keen eyes discerned some floating scrap of food; but the supply was scarce, for few ships had of late passed that way, and the sea, ordinarily alive with junks and steamers and modern sailing craft, was as deserted as some far-off Polar bay which no adventurer's keel had yet ploughed.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "THE DESTINY OF AN EMPIRE."
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Gulls sailed in leisurely fashion above the dull-green surface of the water, or dropped with sudden scream as their keen eyes discerned some floating scrap of food; but the supply was scarce, for few ships had of late passed that way, and the sea, ordinarily alive with junks and steamers and modern sailing craft, was as deserted as some far-off Polar bay which no adventurer's keel had yet ploughed.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They called to each other with warning cries as if some hidden danger were near.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading They called to each other with warning cries as if some hidden danger were near.
twenty-seventhadjective
coming next after the twenty-sixth in position
From this reading On the morning of the twenty-seventh of May a light fog hung over the Yellow Sea and the Straits of Korea.
uneasyadjectiveUS /əˈniːzi/
lacking a sense of security or affording no ease or reassurance
From this reading The gulls seemed uneasy, in spite of the desolateness of the broad expanse of heaving swell.
a message informing of danger
From this reading They called to each other with warning cries as if some hidden danger were near.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Gulls sailed in leisurely fashion above the dull-green surface of the water, or dropped with sudden scream as their keen eyes discerned some floating scrap of food; but the supply was scarce, for few ships had of late passed that way, and the sea, ordinarily alive with junks and steamers and modern sailing craft, was as deserted as some far-off Polar bay which no adventurer's keel had yet ploughed.
binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent
From this reading Gulls sailed in leisurely fashion above the dull-green surface of the water, or dropped with sudden scream as their keen eyes discerned some floating scrap of food; but the supply was scarce, for few ships had of late passed that way, and the sea, ordinarily alive with junks and steamers and modern sailing craft, was as deserted as some far-off Polar bay which no adventurer's keel had yet ploughed.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading Gulls sailed in leisurely fashion above the dull-green surface of the water, or dropped with sudden scream as their keen eyes discerned some floating scrap of food; but the supply was scarce, for few ships had of late passed that way, and the sea, ordinarily alive with junks and steamers and modern sailing craft, was as deserted as some far-off Polar bay which no adventurer's keel had yet ploughed.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading They called to each other with warning cries as if some hidden danger were near.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Gulls sailed in leisurely fashion above the dull-green surface of the water, or dropped with sudden scream as their keen eyes discerned some floating scrap of food; but the supply was scarce, for few ships had of late passed that way, and the sea, ordinarily alive with junks and steamers and modern sailing craft, was as deserted as some far-off Polar bay which no adventurer's keel had yet ploughed.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Gulls sailed in leisurely fashion above the dull-green surface of the water, or dropped with sudden scream as their keen eyes discerned some floating scrap of food; but the supply was scarce, for few ships had of late passed that way, and the sea, ordinarily alive with junks and steamers and modern sailing craft, was as deserted as some far-off Polar bay which no adventurer's keel had yet ploughed.
of the color intermediate between green and orange in the color spectrum; of something resembling the color of an egg yolk
From this reading On the morning of the twenty-seventh of May a light fog hung over the Yellow Sea and the Straits of Korea.
but in spite of that
From this reading Gulls sailed in leisurely fashion above the dull-green surface of the water, or dropped with sudden scream as their keen eyes discerned some floating scrap of food; but the supply was scarce, for few ships had of late passed that way, and the sea, ordinarily alive with junks and steamers and modern sailing craft, was as deserted as some far-off Polar bay which no adventurer's keel had yet ploughed.
