used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A blazing sun pouring vertical rays down on a blinding river.
at or in the front
From this reading Ahead, on the left shore, a gap gouged out of the forest and a number of boats at the water's edge.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Atop the right bank an unbroken, endless tangle of jungle growth.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Ahead, on the left shore, a gap gouged out of the forest and a number of boats at the water's edge.
a human limb; technically the part of the superior limb between the shoulder and the elbow but commonly used to refer to the whole superior limb
From this reading A long canoe wearily creeping up the glaring waters, minus a lookout, heedless of the ever-present danger of sunken tree trunks; propelled by three sun-blistered white men, one of whom wore a bandage around his head; steered perfunctorily by a pallid pirate whose left arm hung in a sling.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading A long canoe wearily creeping up the glaring waters, minus a lookout, heedless of the ever-present danger of sunken tree trunks; propelled by three sun-blistered white men, one of whom wore a bandage around his head; steered perfunctorily by a pallid pirate whose left arm hung in a sling.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Ahead, on the left shore, a gap gouged out of the forest and a number of boats at the water's edge.
AtopadverbUS /əˈtɑːp/
on, to, or at the top
From this reading Atop the right bank an unbroken, endless tangle of jungle growth.
bandagenounUS /ˈbændɪdʒ/
a piece of soft material that covers and protects an injured part of the body
From this reading A long canoe wearily creeping up the glaring waters, minus a lookout, heedless of the ever-present danger of sunken tree trunks; propelled by three sun-blistered white men, one of whom wore a bandage around his head; steered perfunctorily by a pallid pirate whose left arm hung in a sling.
sloping land (especially the slope beside a body of water)
From this reading Atop the right bank an unbroken, endless tangle of jungle growth.
blazingadjectiveUS /ˈbleɪzɪŋ/
shining intensely
From this reading A blazing sun pouring vertical rays down on a blinding river.
blindingadjectiveUS /ˈblaɪndɪŋ/
shining intensely
From this reading A blazing sun pouring vertical rays down on a blinding river.
plural of “boat” — a small vessel for travel on water
From this reading Ahead, on the left shore, a gap gouged out of the forest and a number of boats at the water's edge.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading A long canoe wearily creeping up the glaring waters, minus a lookout, heedless of the ever-present danger of sunken tree trunks; propelled by three sun-blistered white men, one of whom wore a bandage around his head; steered perfunctorily by a pallid pirate whose left arm hung in a sling.
small and light boat; pointed at both ends; propelled with a paddle
From this reading A long canoe wearily creeping up the glaring waters, minus a lookout, heedless of the ever-present danger of sunken tree trunks; propelled by three sun-blistered white men, one of whom wore a bandage around his head; steered perfunctorily by a pallid pirate whose left arm hung in a sling.
creepingnounUS /ˈkriːpɪŋ/
a slow mode of locomotion on hands and knees or dragging the body
From this reading A long canoe wearily creeping up the glaring waters, minus a lookout, heedless of the ever-present danger of sunken tree trunks; propelled by three sun-blistered white men, one of whom wore a bandage around his head; steered perfunctorily by a pallid pirate whose left arm hung in a sling.
the condition of being susceptible to harm or injury
From this reading A long canoe wearily creeping up the glaring waters, minus a lookout, heedless of the ever-present danger of sunken tree trunks; propelled by three sun-blistered white men, one of whom wore a bandage around his head; steered perfunctorily by a pallid pirate whose left arm hung in a sling.
DOUBLE-CROSS
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE DOUBLE-CROSS Noon, sweltering hot.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading A blazing sun pouring vertical rays down on a blinding river.
the boundary of a surface
From this reading Ahead, on the left shore, a gap gouged out of the forest and a number of boats at the water's edge.
endlessadjectiveUS /ˈendləs/
tiresomely long; seemingly without end
From this reading Atop the right bank an unbroken, endless tangle of jungle growth.
ever-presentadjective
being always present
From this reading A long canoe wearily creeping up the glaring waters, minus a lookout, heedless of the ever-present danger of sunken tree trunks; propelled by three sun-blistered white men, one of whom wore a bandage around his head; steered perfunctorily by a pallid pirate whose left arm hung in a sling.
the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area
From this reading Ahead, on the left shore, a gap gouged out of the forest and a number of boats at the water's edge.
gapnounUS /ɡæp/
a conspicuous disparity or difference as between two figures
From this reading Ahead, on the left shore, a gap gouged out of the forest and a number of boats at the water's edge.
glaringadjectiveUS /ˈɡlerɪŋ/
shining intensely
From this reading A long canoe wearily creeping up the glaring waters, minus a lookout, heedless of the ever-present danger of sunken tree trunks; propelled by three sun-blistered white men, one of whom wore a bandage around his head; steered perfunctorily by a pallid pirate whose left arm hung in a sling.
gougedverbUS /ɡaʊdʒd/
past form of “gouge” — force with the thumb
From this reading Ahead, on the left shore, a gap gouged out of the forest and a number of boats at the water's edge.
growthnounUS /ɡroʊθ/
(biology) the process of an individual organism growing organically; a purely biological unfolding of events involved in an organism changing gradually from a simple to a more complex level
From this reading Atop the right bank an unbroken, endless tangle of jungle growth.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading A long canoe wearily creeping up the glaring waters, minus a lookout, heedless of the ever-present danger of sunken tree trunks; propelled by three sun-blistered white men, one of whom wore a bandage around his head; steered perfunctorily by a pallid pirate whose left arm hung in a sling.
heedlessadjective
marked by or paying little heed or attention
From this reading A long canoe wearily creeping up the glaring waters, minus a lookout, heedless of the ever-present danger of sunken tree trunks; propelled by three sun-blistered white men, one of whom wore a bandage around his head; steered perfunctorily by a pallid pirate whose left arm hung in a sling.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading A long canoe wearily creeping up the glaring waters, minus a lookout, heedless of the ever-present danger of sunken tree trunks; propelled by three sun-blistered white men, one of whom wore a bandage around his head; steered perfunctorily by a pallid pirate whose left arm hung in a sling.
used of physical heat; having a high or higher than desirable temperature or giving off heat or feeling or causing a sensation of heat or burning
From this reading THE DOUBLE-CROSS Noon, sweltering hot.
inflected form of “hang” — be suspended or hanging
From this reading A long canoe wearily creeping up the glaring waters, minus a lookout, heedless of the ever-present danger of sunken tree trunks; propelled by three sun-blistered white men, one of whom wore a bandage around his head; steered perfunctorily by a pallid pirate whose left arm hung in a sling.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading A long canoe wearily creeping up the glaring waters, minus a lookout, heedless of the ever-present danger of sunken tree trunks; propelled by three sun-blistered white men, one of whom wore a bandage around his head; steered perfunctorily by a pallid pirate whose left arm hung in a sling.
junglenounUS /ˈdʒʌŋɡəl/
a location marked by an intense competition and struggle for survival
From this reading Atop the right bank an unbroken, endless tangle of jungle growth.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading A long canoe wearily creeping up the glaring waters, minus a lookout, heedless of the ever-present danger of sunken tree trunks; propelled by three sun-blistered white men, one of whom wore a bandage around his head; steered perfunctorily by a pallid pirate whose left arm hung in a sling.
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 A long canoe wearily creeping up the glaring waters, minus a lookout, heedless of the ever-present danger of sunken tree trunks; propelled by three sun-blistered white men, one of whom wore a bandage around his head; steered perfunctorily by a pallid pirate whose left arm hung in a sling.
lookoutnounUS /ˈlʊkaʊt/
a person employed to keep watch for some anticipated event
From this reading A long canoe wearily creeping up the glaring waters, minus a lookout, heedless of the ever-present danger of sunken tree trunks; propelled by three sun-blistered white men, one of whom wore a bandage around his head; steered perfunctorily by a pallid pirate whose left arm hung in a sling.
the force of workers available
From this reading A long canoe wearily creeping up the glaring waters, minus a lookout, heedless of the ever-present danger of sunken tree trunks; propelled by three sun-blistered white men, one of whom wore a bandage around his head; steered perfunctorily by a pallid pirate whose left arm hung in a sling.
minusadjectiveUS /ˈmaɪnəs/
on the negative side or lower end of a scale
From this reading A long canoe wearily creeping up the glaring waters, minus a lookout, heedless of the ever-present danger of sunken tree trunks; propelled by three sun-blistered white men, one of whom wore a bandage around his head; steered perfunctorily by a pallid pirate whose left arm hung in a sling.
the middle of the day
From this reading THE DOUBLE-CROSS Noon, sweltering hot.
the property possessed by a sum or total or indefinite quantity of units or individuals
From this reading Ahead, on the left shore, a gap gouged out of the forest and a number of boats at the water's edge.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A long canoe wearily creeping up the glaring waters, minus a lookout, heedless of the ever-present danger of sunken tree trunks; propelled by three sun-blistered white men, one of whom wore a bandage around his head; steered perfunctorily by a pallid pirate whose left arm hung in a sling.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading A blazing sun pouring vertical rays down on a blinding river.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading A long canoe wearily creeping up the glaring waters, minus a lookout, heedless of the ever-present danger of sunken tree trunks; propelled by three sun-blistered white men, one of whom wore a bandage around his head; steered perfunctorily by a pallid pirate whose left arm hung in a sling.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Ahead, on the left shore, a gap gouged out of the forest and a number of boats at the water's edge.
pallidadjectiveUS /ˈpæləd/
abnormally deficient in color as suggesting physical or emotional distress
From this reading A long canoe wearily creeping up the glaring waters, minus a lookout, heedless of the ever-present danger of sunken tree trunks; propelled by three sun-blistered white men, one of whom wore a bandage around his head; steered perfunctorily by a pallid pirate whose left arm hung in a sling.
perfunctorilyadverb
in a set manner without serious attention; as a formality
From this reading A long canoe wearily creeping up the glaring waters, minus a lookout, heedless of the ever-present danger of sunken tree trunks; propelled by three sun-blistered white men, one of whom wore a bandage around his head; steered perfunctorily by a pallid pirate whose left arm hung in a sling.
piratenounUS /ˈpaɪrət/
someone who uses another person's words or ideas as if they were his own
From this reading A long canoe wearily creeping up the glaring waters, minus a lookout, heedless of the ever-present danger of sunken tree trunks; propelled by three sun-blistered white men, one of whom wore a bandage around his head; steered perfunctorily by a pallid pirate whose left arm hung in a sling.
pouringadjectiveUS /ˈpɔːrɪŋ/
flowing profusely
From this reading A blazing sun pouring vertical rays down on a blinding river.
propelledverbUS /prəˈpeld/
inflected form of “propel” — cause to move forward with force
From this reading A long canoe wearily creeping up the glaring waters, minus a lookout, heedless of the ever-present danger of sunken tree trunks; propelled by three sun-blistered white men, one of whom wore a bandage around his head; steered perfunctorily by a pallid pirate whose left arm hung in a sling.
raysnounUS /reɪz/
plural of “ray” — a column of light (as from a beacon)
From this reading A blazing sun pouring vertical rays down on a blinding river.
precisely, exactly
From this reading Atop the right bank an unbroken, endless tangle of jungle growth.
a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)
From this reading A blazing sun pouring vertical rays down on a blinding river.
the land along the edge of a body of water
From this reading Ahead, on the left shore, a gap gouged out of the forest and a number of boats at the water's edge.
slingverbUS /slɪŋ/
hurl as if with a sling
From this reading A long canoe wearily creeping up the glaring waters, minus a lookout, heedless of the ever-present danger of sunken tree trunks; propelled by three sun-blistered white men, one of whom wore a bandage around his head; steered perfunctorily by a pallid pirate whose left arm hung in a sling.
steeredverbUS /stɪrd/
past form of “steer” — direct the course; determine the direction of travelling
From this reading A long canoe wearily creeping up the glaring waters, minus a lookout, heedless of the ever-present danger of sunken tree trunks; propelled by three sun-blistered white men, one of whom wore a bandage around his head; steered perfunctorily by a pallid pirate whose left arm hung in a sling.
the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system
From this reading A blazing sun pouring vertical rays down on a blinding river.
sun-blistered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A long canoe wearily creeping up the glaring waters, minus a lookout, heedless of the ever-present danger of sunken tree trunks; propelled by three sun-blistered white men, one of whom wore a bandage around his head; steered perfunctorily by a pallid pirate whose left arm hung in a sling.
sunkenadjectiveUS /ˈsʌŋkən/
having a sunken area
From this reading A long canoe wearily creeping up the glaring waters, minus a lookout, heedless of the ever-present danger of sunken tree trunks; propelled by three sun-blistered white men, one of whom wore a bandage around his head; steered perfunctorily by a pallid pirate whose left arm hung in a sling.
swelteringadjectiveUS /ˈsweltərɪŋ/
excessively hot and humid or marked by sweating and faintness
From this reading THE DOUBLE-CROSS Noon, sweltering hot.
tanglenounUS /ˈtæŋɡəl/
a twisted and tangled mass that is highly interwoven
From this reading Atop the right bank an unbroken, endless tangle of jungle growth.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE DOUBLE-CROSS Noon, sweltering hot.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading A long canoe wearily creeping up the glaring waters, minus a lookout, heedless of the ever-present danger of sunken tree trunks; propelled by three sun-blistered white men, one of whom wore a bandage around his head; steered perfunctorily by a pallid pirate whose left arm hung in a sling.
a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
From this reading A long canoe wearily creeping up the glaring waters, minus a lookout, heedless of the ever-present danger of sunken tree trunks; propelled by three sun-blistered white men, one of whom wore a bandage around his head; steered perfunctorily by a pallid pirate whose left arm hung in a sling.
trunksnounUS /trʌŋks/
(used in the plural) trousers that end at or above the knee
From this reading A long canoe wearily creeping up the glaring waters, minus a lookout, heedless of the ever-present danger of sunken tree trunks; propelled by three sun-blistered white men, one of whom wore a bandage around his head; steered perfunctorily by a pallid pirate whose left arm hung in a sling.
unbrokenadjectiveUS /ənˈbroʊkən/
marked by continuous or uninterrupted extension in space or time or sequence
From this reading Atop the right bank an unbroken, endless tangle of jungle growth.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading A long canoe wearily creeping up the glaring waters, minus a lookout, heedless of the ever-present danger of sunken tree trunks; propelled by three sun-blistered white men, one of whom wore a bandage around his head; steered perfunctorily by a pallid pirate whose left arm hung in a sling.
verticaladjectiveUS /ˈvɜːrtɪkəl/
at right angles to the plane of the horizon or a base line
From this reading A blazing sun pouring vertical rays down on a blinding river.
water'snounUS /ˈwɔːtərz/
possessive form of “water” — 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 Ahead, on the left shore, a gap gouged out of the forest and a number of boats at the water's edge.
United States actress and singer (1896-1977)
From this reading A long canoe wearily creeping up the glaring waters, minus a lookout, heedless of the ever-present danger of sunken tree trunks; propelled by three sun-blistered white men, one of whom wore a bandage around his head; steered perfunctorily by a pallid pirate whose left arm hung in a sling.
wearilyadverbUS /ˈwerəli/
in a weary manner
From this reading A long canoe wearily creeping up the glaring waters, minus a lookout, heedless of the ever-present danger of sunken tree trunks; propelled by three sun-blistered white men, one of whom wore a bandage around his head; steered perfunctorily by a pallid pirate whose left arm hung in a sling.
a Caucasian
From this reading A long canoe wearily creeping up the glaring waters, minus a lookout, heedless of the ever-present danger of sunken tree trunks; propelled by three sun-blistered white men, one of whom wore a bandage around his head; steered perfunctorily by a pallid pirate whose left arm hung in a sling.
the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading A long canoe wearily creeping up the glaring waters, minus a lookout, heedless of the ever-present danger of sunken tree trunks; propelled by three sun-blistered white men, one of whom wore a bandage around his head; steered perfunctorily by a pallid pirate whose left arm hung in a sling.
belonging to which person
From this reading A long canoe wearily creeping up the glaring waters, minus a lookout, heedless of the ever-present danger of sunken tree trunks; propelled by three sun-blistered white men, one of whom wore a bandage around his head; steered perfunctorily by a pallid pirate whose left arm hung in a sling.
inflected form of “wear” — be dressed in
From this reading A long canoe wearily creeping up the glaring waters, minus a lookout, heedless of the ever-present danger of sunken tree trunks; propelled by three sun-blistered white men, one of whom wore a bandage around his head; steered perfunctorily by a pallid pirate whose left arm hung in a sling.
