used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Sir Joseph Porter, who had risen from a very humble position to be a lawyer and then a Member of Parliament, was, I believe, the only man in England who knew nothing whatever about ships.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Sir Joseph Porter, who had risen from a very humble position to be a lawyer and then a Member of Parliament, was, I believe, the only man in England who knew nothing whatever about ships.
highly skilled
From this reading You would naturally think that the person who commanded the entire Navy would be the most accomplished sailor who could be found, but that is not the way in which such things are managed in England.
AdmiraltynounUS /ˈædmərəlti/
the department in charge of the navy (as in Great Britain)
From this reading One of the most important personages in the Government of that day was Sir Joseph Porter, the First Lord of the Admiralty.
(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 Now, as England is a great maritime country, it is very important that all Englishmen should understand something about men-of-war.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading So as soon as it was discovered that his ignorance of a ship was so complete that he didn’t know one end of it from the other, some important person said “Let us set this poor ignorant gentleman to command the British Fleet, and by that means give him an opportunity of ascertaining what a ship really is.”
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Sir Joseph Porter, who had risen from a very humble position to be a lawyer and then a Member of Parliament, was, I believe, the only man in England who knew nothing whatever about ships.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading You would naturally think that the person who commanded the entire Navy would be the most accomplished sailor who could be found, but that is not the way in which such things are managed in England.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Now, as England is a great maritime country, it is very important that all Englishmen should understand something about men-of-war.
ascertainingverbUS /ˌæsərˈteɪnɪŋ/
-ing form of “ascertain” — establish after a calculation, investigation, experiment, survey, or study
From this reading So as soon as it was discovered that his ignorance of a ship was so complete that he didn’t know one end of it from the other, some important person said “Let us set this poor ignorant gentleman to command the British Fleet, and by that means give him an opportunity of ascertaining what a ship really is.”
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading You would naturally think that the person who commanded the entire Navy would be the most accomplished sailor who could be found, but that is not the way in which such things are managed in England.
accept as true; take to be true
From this reading Sir Joseph Porter, who had risen from a very humble position to be a lawyer and then a Member of Parliament, was, I believe, the only man in England who knew nothing whatever about ships.
the people of Great Britain
From this reading So as soon as it was discovered that his ignorance of a ship was so complete that he didn’t know one end of it from the other, some important person said “Let us set this poor ignorant gentleman to command the British Fleet, and by that means give him an opportunity of ascertaining what a ship really is.”
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading You would naturally think that the person who commanded the entire Navy would be the most accomplished sailor who could be found, but that is not the way in which such things are managed in England.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading So as soon as it was discovered that his ignorance of a ship was so complete that he didn’t know one end of it from the other, some important person said “Let us set this poor ignorant gentleman to command the British Fleet, and by that means give him an opportunity of ascertaining what a ship really is.”
an authoritative direction or instruction to do something
From this reading So as soon as it was discovered that his ignorance of a ship was so complete that he didn’t know one end of it from the other, some important person said “Let us set this poor ignorant gentleman to command the British Fleet, and by that means give him an opportunity of ascertaining what a ship really is.”
past form of “command” — be in command of
From this reading You would naturally think that the person who commanded the entire Navy would be the most accomplished sailor who could be found, but that is not the way in which such things are managed in England.
come or bring to a finish or an end
From this reading So as soon as it was discovered that his ignorance of a ship was so complete that he didn’t know one end of it from the other, some important person said “Let us set this poor ignorant gentleman to command the British Fleet, and by that means give him an opportunity of ascertaining what a ship really is.”
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading You would naturally think that the person who commanded the entire Navy would be the most accomplished sailor who could be found, but that is not the way in which such things are managed in England.
a politically organized body of people under a single government
From this reading Now, as England is a great maritime country, it is very important that all Englishmen should understand something about men-of-war.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading One of the most important personages in the Government of that day was Sir Joseph Porter, the First Lord of the Admiralty.
didn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading So as soon as it was discovered that his ignorance of a ship was so complete that he didn’t know one end of it from the other, some important person said “Let us set this poor ignorant gentleman to command the British Fleet, and by that means give him an opportunity of ascertaining what a ship really is.”
discovered or determined by scientific observation
From this reading So as soon as it was discovered that his ignorance of a ship was so complete that he didn’t know one end of it from the other, some important person said “Let us set this poor ignorant gentleman to command the British Fleet, and by that means give him an opportunity of ascertaining what a ship really is.”
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading So as soon as it was discovered that his ignorance of a ship was so complete that he didn’t know one end of it from the other, some important person said “Let us set this poor ignorant gentleman to command the British Fleet, and by that means give him an opportunity of ascertaining what a ship really is.”
a division of the United Kingdom
From this reading You would naturally think that the person who commanded the entire Navy would be the most accomplished sailor who could be found, but that is not the way in which such things are managed in England.
EnglishmennounUS /ˌeŋˈlɪʃmən/
plural of “englishman” — a man who is a native or inhabitant of England
From this reading Now, as England is a great maritime country, it is very important that all Englishmen should understand something about men-of-war.
constituting the full quantity or extent; complete
From this reading You would naturally think that the person who commanded the entire Navy would be the most accomplished sailor who could be found, but that is not the way in which such things are managed in England.
FirstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading One of the most important personages in the Government of that day was Sir Joseph Porter, the First Lord of the Admiralty.
group of aircraft operating together under the same ownership
From this reading So as soon as it was discovered that his ignorance of a ship was so complete that he didn’t know one end of it from the other, some important person said “Let us set this poor ignorant gentleman to command the British Fleet, and by that means give him an opportunity of ascertaining what a ship really is.”
set up or found
From this reading You would naturally think that the person who commanded the entire Navy would be the most accomplished sailor who could be found, but that is not the way in which such things are managed in England.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Sir Joseph Porter, who had risen from a very humble position to be a lawyer and then a Member of Parliament, was, I believe, the only man in England who knew nothing whatever about ships.
a man of refinement
From this reading So as soon as it was discovered that his ignorance of a ship was so complete that he didn’t know one end of it from the other, some important person said “Let us set this poor ignorant gentleman to command the British Fleet, and by that means give him an opportunity of ascertaining what a ship really is.”
cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading So as soon as it was discovered that his ignorance of a ship was so complete that he didn’t know one end of it from the other, some important person said “Let us set this poor ignorant gentleman to command the British Fleet, and by that means give him an opportunity of ascertaining what a ship really is.”
the organization that is the governing authority of a political unit
From this reading One of the most important personages in the Government of that day was Sir Joseph Porter, the First Lord of the Admiralty.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading Now, as England is a great maritime country, it is very important that all Englishmen should understand something about men-of-war.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Sir Joseph Porter, who had risen from a very humble position to be a lawyer and then a Member of Parliament, was, I believe, the only man in England who knew nothing whatever about ships.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading So as soon as it was discovered that his ignorance of a ship was so complete that he didn’t know one end of it from the other, some important person said “Let us set this poor ignorant gentleman to command the British Fleet, and by that means give him an opportunity of ascertaining what a ship really is.”
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading So as soon as it was discovered that his ignorance of a ship was so complete that he didn’t know one end of it from the other, some important person said “Let us set this poor ignorant gentleman to command the British Fleet, and by that means give him an opportunity of ascertaining what a ship really is.”
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading So as soon as it was discovered that his ignorance of a ship was so complete that he didn’t know one end of it from the other, some important person said “Let us set this poor ignorant gentleman to command the British Fleet, and by that means give him an opportunity of ascertaining what a ship really is.”
low or inferior in station or quality
From this reading Sir Joseph Porter, who had risen from a very humble position to be a lawyer and then a Member of Parliament, was, I believe, the only man in England who knew nothing whatever about ships.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading Sir Joseph Porter, who had risen from a very humble position to be a lawyer and then a Member of Parliament, was, I believe, the only man in England who knew nothing whatever about ships.
the lack of knowledge or education
From this reading So as soon as it was discovered that his ignorance of a ship was so complete that he didn’t know one end of it from the other, some important person said “Let us set this poor ignorant gentleman to command the British Fleet, and by that means give him an opportunity of ascertaining what a ship really is.”
uneducated in general; lacking knowledge or sophistication
From this reading So as soon as it was discovered that his ignorance of a ship was so complete that he didn’t know one end of it from the other, some important person said “Let us set this poor ignorant gentleman to command the British Fleet, and by that means give him an opportunity of ascertaining what a ship really is.”
of great significance or value
From this reading One of the most important personages in the Government of that day was Sir Joseph Porter, the First Lord of the Admiralty.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading One of the most important personages in the Government of that day was Sir Joseph Porter, the First Lord of the Admiralty.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading You would naturally think that the person who commanded the entire Navy would be the most accomplished sailor who could be found, but that is not the way in which such things are managed in England.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Now, as England is a great maritime country, it is very important that all Englishmen should understand something about men-of-war.
leader of the Nez Perce in their retreat from United States troops (1840-1904)
From this reading One of the most important personages in the Government of that day was Sir Joseph Porter, the First Lord of the Admiralty.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading Sir Joseph Porter, who had risen from a very humble position to be a lawyer and then a Member of Parliament, was, I believe, the only man in England who knew nothing whatever about ships.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading So as soon as it was discovered that his ignorance of a ship was so complete that he didn’t know one end of it from the other, some important person said “Let us set this poor ignorant gentleman to command the British Fleet, and by that means give him an opportunity of ascertaining what a ship really is.”
a professional person authorized to practice law; conducts lawsuits or gives legal advice
From this reading Sir Joseph Porter, who had risen from a very humble position to be a lawyer and then a Member of Parliament, was, I believe, the only man in England who knew nothing whatever about ships.
Letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading So as soon as it was discovered that his ignorance of a ship was so complete that he didn’t know one end of it from the other, some important person said “Let us set this poor ignorant gentleman to command the British Fleet, and by that means give him an opportunity of ascertaining what a ship really is.”
terms referring to the Judeo-Christian God
From this reading One of the most important personages in the Government of that day was Sir Joseph Porter, the First Lord of the Admiralty.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading Sir Joseph Porter, who had risen from a very humble position to be a lawyer and then a Member of Parliament, was, I believe, the only man in England who knew nothing whatever about ships.
past form of “manage” — be successful; achieve a goal
From this reading You would naturally think that the person who commanded the entire Navy would be the most accomplished sailor who could be found, but that is not the way in which such things are managed in England.
maritimeadjectiveUS /ˈmerətaɪm/
relating to or involving ships or shipping or navigation or seamen
From this reading Now, as England is a great maritime country, it is very important that all Englishmen should understand something about men-of-war.
thing or person that acts to produce a particular effect or achieve an end
From this reading So as soon as it was discovered that his ignorance of a ship was so complete that he didn’t know one end of it from the other, some important person said “Let us set this poor ignorant gentleman to command the British Fleet, and by that means give him an opportunity of ascertaining what a ship really is.”
one of the persons who compose a social group (especially individuals who have joined and participate in a group organization)
From this reading Sir Joseph Porter, who had risen from a very humble position to be a lawyer and then a Member of Parliament, was, I believe, the only man in England who knew nothing whatever about ships.
men-of-war
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now, as England is a great maritime country, it is very important that all Englishmen should understand something about men-of-war.
used to form the superlative
From this reading One of the most important personages in the Government of that day was Sir Joseph Porter, the First Lord of the Admiralty.
as might be expected
From this reading You would naturally think that the person who commanded the entire Navy would be the most accomplished sailor who could be found, but that is not the way in which such things are managed in England.
NavynounUS /ˈneɪvi/
an organization of military vessels belonging to a country and available for sea warfare
From this reading You would naturally think that the person who commanded the entire Navy would be the most accomplished sailor who could be found, but that is not the way in which such things are managed in England.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading You would naturally think that the person who commanded the entire Navy would be the most accomplished sailor who could be found, but that is not the way in which such things are managed in England.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading Sir Joseph Porter, who had risen from a very humble position to be a lawyer and then a Member of Parliament, was, I believe, the only man in England who knew nothing whatever about ships.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Now, as England is a great maritime country, it is very important that all Englishmen should understand something about men-of-war.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading One of the most important personages in the Government of that day was Sir Joseph Porter, the First Lord of the Admiralty.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading One of the most important personages in the Government of that day was Sir Joseph Porter, the First Lord of the Admiralty.
and nothing more
From this reading Sir Joseph Porter, who had risen from a very humble position to be a lawyer and then a Member of Parliament, was, I believe, the only man in England who knew nothing whatever about ships.
a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances
From this reading So as soon as it was discovered that his ignorance of a ship was so complete that he didn’t know one end of it from the other, some important person said “Let us set this poor ignorant gentleman to command the British Fleet, and by that means give him an opportunity of ascertaining what a ship really is.”
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading So as soon as it was discovered that his ignorance of a ship was so complete that he didn’t know one end of it from the other, some important person said “Let us set this poor ignorant gentleman to command the British Fleet, and by that means give him an opportunity of ascertaining what a ship really is.”
ParliamentnounUS /ˈpɑːrləmənt/
a legislative assembly in certain countries
From this reading Sir Joseph Porter, who had risen from a very humble position to be a lawyer and then a Member of Parliament, was, I believe, the only man in England who knew nothing whatever about ships.
a human being
From this reading You would naturally think that the person who commanded the entire Navy would be the most accomplished sailor who could be found, but that is not the way in which such things are managed in England.
personages
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One of the most important personages in the Government of that day was Sir Joseph Porter, the First Lord of the Admiralty.
deserving or inciting pity
From this reading So as soon as it was discovered that his ignorance of a ship was so complete that he didn’t know one end of it from the other, some important person said “Let us set this poor ignorant gentleman to command the British Fleet, and by that means give him an opportunity of ascertaining what a ship really is.”
PorternounUS /ˈpɔːrtər/
a person employed to carry luggage and supplies
From this reading One of the most important personages in the Government of that day was Sir Joseph Porter, the First Lord of the Admiralty.
the particular portion of space occupied by something
From this reading Sir Joseph Porter, who had risen from a very humble position to be a lawyer and then a Member of Parliament, was, I believe, the only man in England who knew nothing whatever about ships.
in accordance with truth or fact or reality
From this reading So as soon as it was discovered that his ignorance of a ship was so complete that he didn’t know one end of it from the other, some important person said “Let us set this poor ignorant gentleman to command the British Fleet, and by that means give him an opportunity of ascertaining what a ship really is.”
risenadjectiveUS /ˈrɪzən/
(of e.g. celestial bodies) above the horizon
From this reading Sir Joseph Porter, who had risen from a very humble position to be a lawyer and then a Member of Parliament, was, I believe, the only man in England who knew nothing whatever about ships.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading So as soon as it was discovered that his ignorance of a ship was so complete that he didn’t know one end of it from the other, some important person said “Let us set this poor ignorant gentleman to command the British Fleet, and by that means give him an opportunity of ascertaining what a ship really is.”
any member of a ship's crew
From this reading You would naturally think that the person who commanded the entire Navy would be the most accomplished sailor who could be found, but that is not the way in which such things are managed in England.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading So as soon as it was discovered that his ignorance of a ship was so complete that he didn’t know one end of it from the other, some important person said “Let us set this poor ignorant gentleman to command the British Fleet, and by that means give him an opportunity of ascertaining what a ship really is.”
transport commercially
From this reading So as soon as it was discovered that his ignorance of a ship was so complete that he didn’t know one end of it from the other, some important person said “Let us set this poor ignorant gentleman to command the British Fleet, and by that means give him an opportunity of ascertaining what a ship really is.”
plural of “ship” — a vessel that carries passengers or freight
From this reading Sir Joseph Porter, who had risen from a very humble position to be a lawyer and then a Member of Parliament, was, I believe, the only man in England who knew nothing whatever about ships.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading Now, as England is a great maritime country, it is very important that all Englishmen should understand something about men-of-war.
term of address for a man
From this reading One of the most important personages in the Government of that day was Sir Joseph Porter, the First Lord of the Admiralty.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading So as soon as it was discovered that his ignorance of a ship was so complete that he didn’t know one end of it from the other, some important person said “Let us set this poor ignorant gentleman to command the British Fleet, and by that means give him an opportunity of ascertaining what a ship really is.”
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading So as soon as it was discovered that his ignorance of a ship was so complete that he didn’t know one end of it from the other, some important person said “Let us set this poor ignorant gentleman to command the British Fleet, and by that means give him an opportunity of ascertaining what a ship really is.”
a thing, without saying which
From this reading Now, as England is a great maritime country, it is very important that all Englishmen should understand something about men-of-war.
in the near future
From this reading So as soon as it was discovered that his ignorance of a ship was so complete that he didn’t know one end of it from the other, some important person said “Let us set this poor ignorant gentleman to command the British Fleet, and by that means give him an opportunity of ascertaining what a ship really is.”
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading You would naturally think that the person who commanded the entire Navy would be the most accomplished sailor who could be found, but that is not the way in which such things are managed in England.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading One of the most important personages in the Government of that day was Sir Joseph Porter, the First Lord of the Admiralty.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading One of the most important personages in the Government of that day was Sir Joseph Porter, the First Lord of the Admiralty.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Sir Joseph Porter, who had risen from a very humble position to be a lawyer and then a Member of Parliament, was, I believe, the only man in England who knew nothing whatever about ships.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading You would naturally think that the person who commanded the entire Navy would be the most accomplished sailor who could be found, but that is not the way in which such things are managed in England.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading You would naturally think that the person who commanded the entire Navy would be the most accomplished sailor who could be found, but that is not the way in which such things are managed in England.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading So as soon as it was discovered that his ignorance of a ship was so complete that he didn’t know one end of it from the other, some important person said “Let us set this poor ignorant gentleman to command the British Fleet, and by that means give him an opportunity of ascertaining what a ship really is.”
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Sir Joseph Porter, who had risen from a very humble position to be a lawyer and then a Member of Parliament, was, I believe, the only man in England who knew nothing whatever about ships.
know and comprehend the nature or meaning of
From this reading Now, as England is a great maritime country, it is very important that all Englishmen should understand something about men-of-war.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading So as soon as it was discovered that his ignorance of a ship was so complete that he didn’t know one end of it from the other, some important person said “Let us set this poor ignorant gentleman to command the British Fleet, and by that means give him an opportunity of ascertaining what a ship really is.”
precisely as stated
From this reading Sir Joseph Porter, who had risen from a very humble position to be a lawyer and then a Member of Parliament, was, I believe, the only man in England who knew nothing whatever about ships.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading One of the most important personages in the Government of that day was Sir Joseph Porter, the First Lord of the Admiralty.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading You would naturally think that the person who commanded the entire Navy would be the most accomplished sailor who could be found, but that is not the way in which such things are managed in England.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading So as soon as it was discovered that his ignorance of a ship was so complete that he didn’t know one end of it from the other, some important person said “Let us set this poor ignorant gentleman to command the British Fleet, and by that means give him an opportunity of ascertaining what a ship really is.”
any or all of a kind, it does not matter which
From this reading Sir Joseph Porter, who had risen from a very humble position to be a lawyer and then a Member of Parliament, was, I believe, the only man in England who knew nothing whatever about ships.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading You would naturally think that the person who commanded the entire Navy would be the most accomplished sailor who could be found, but that is not the way in which such things are managed in England.
which person or people
From this reading You would naturally think that the person who commanded the entire Navy would be the most accomplished sailor who could be found, but that is not the way in which such things are managed in England.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading You would naturally think that the person who commanded the entire Navy would be the most accomplished sailor who could be found, but that is not the way in which such things are managed in England.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading You would naturally think that the person who commanded the entire Navy would be the most accomplished sailor who could be found, but that is not the way in which such things are managed in England.
