used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It was such a night as only the tropics can produce, the stars burning close and brilliant, the full moon rising out of a silent sea.
(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 No spot in all the western hemisphere held so much of romance as this.
anchornounUS /ˈæŋkər/
a mechanical device that prevents a vessel from moving
From this reading THE BIG DITCH Darkness had fallen before we dropped anchor in the harbor of Panama.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It was such a night as only the tropics can produce, the stars burning close and brilliant, the full moon rising out of a silent sea.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading It was such a night as only the tropics can produce, the stars burning close and brilliant, the full moon rising out of a silent sea.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading THE BIG DITCH Darkness had fallen before we dropped anchor in the harbor of Panama.
BehindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading Behind them lay the mystery of conquest.
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading THE BIG DITCH Darkness had fallen before we dropped anchor in the harbor of Panama.
of surpassing excellence
From this reading It was such a night as only the tropics can produce, the stars burning close and brilliant, the full moon rising out of a silent sea.
the act of burning something
From this reading It was such a night as only the tropics can produce, the stars burning close and brilliant, the full moon rising out of a silent sea.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading In front of us the lights of the city came twinkling out.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading It was such a night as only the tropics can produce, the stars burning close and brilliant, the full moon rising out of a silent sea.
a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts
From this reading In front of us the lights of the city came twinkling out.
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading It was such a night as only the tropics can produce, the stars burning close and brilliant, the full moon rising out of a silent sea.
conquestnounUS /ˈkɑːŋkwest/
the act of conquering
From this reading Behind them lay the mystery of conquest.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading THE BIG DITCH Darkness had fallen before we dropped anchor in the harbor of Panama.
DITCHnounUS /dɪtʃ/
a long narrow excavation in the earth
From this reading THE BIG DITCH Darkness had fallen before we dropped anchor in the harbor of Panama.
inflected form of “drop” — let fall to the ground
From this reading THE BIG DITCH Darkness had fallen before we dropped anchor in the harbor of Panama.
having dropped by the force of gravity
From this reading THE BIG DITCH Darkness had fallen before we dropped anchor in the harbor of Panama.
the side that is forward or prominent
From this reading In front of us the lights of the city came twinkling out.
containing as much or as many as is possible or normal
From this reading It was such a night as only the tropics can produce, the stars burning close and brilliant, the full moon rising out of a silent sea.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading THE BIG DITCH Darkness had fallen before we dropped anchor in the harbor of Panama.
harborverbUS /ˈhɑːrbər/
maintain (a theory, thoughts, or feelings)
From this reading THE BIG DITCH Darkness had fallen before we dropped anchor in the harbor of Panama.
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading No spot in all the western hemisphere held so much of romance as this.
hemispherenounUS /ˈhemɪsfɪr/
half of the terrestrial globe
From this reading No spot in all the western hemisphere held so much of romance as this.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading THE BIG DITCH Darkness had fallen before we dropped anchor in the harbor of Panama.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was such a night as only the tropics can produce, the stars burning close and brilliant, the full moon rising out of a silent sea.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading Behind them lay the mystery of conquest.
plural of “light” — (physics) electromagnetic radiation that can produce a visual sensation
From this reading In front of us the lights of the city came twinkling out.
the natural satellite of the Earth
From this reading It was such a night as only the tropics can produce, the stars burning close and brilliant, the full moon rising out of a silent sea.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading No spot in all the western hemisphere held so much of romance as this.
something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained
From this reading Behind them lay the mystery of conquest.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading It was such a night as only the tropics can produce, the stars burning close and brilliant, the full moon rising out of a silent sea.
not any; not one
From this reading No spot in all the western hemisphere held so much of romance as this.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE BIG DITCH Darkness had fallen before we dropped anchor in the harbor of Panama.
and nothing more
From this reading It was such a night as only the tropics can produce, the stars burning close and brilliant, the full moon rising out of a silent sea.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading It was such a night as only the tropics can produce, the stars burning close and brilliant, the full moon rising out of a silent sea.
PanamanounUS /ˈpænəmɑː/
a republic on the Isthmus of Panama; achieved independence from Colombia in 1903
From this reading THE BIG DITCH Darkness had fallen before we dropped anchor in the harbor of Panama.
bring forth or yield
From this reading It was such a night as only the tropics can produce, the stars burning close and brilliant, the full moon rising out of a silent sea.
advancing or becoming higher or greater in degree or value or status
From this reading It was such a night as only the tropics can produce, the stars burning close and brilliant, the full moon rising out of a silent sea.
a relationship between two lovers
From this reading No spot in all the western hemisphere held so much of romance as this.
a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
From this reading It was such a night as only the tropics can produce, the stars burning close and brilliant, the full moon rising out of a silent sea.
marked by absence of sound
From this reading It was such a night as only the tropics can produce, the stars burning close and brilliant, the full moon rising out of a silent sea.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading No spot in all the western hemisphere held so much of romance as this.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading No spot in all the western hemisphere held so much of romance as this.
plural of “star” — (astronomy) a celestial body of hot gases that radiates energy derived from thermonuclear reactions in the interior
From this reading It was such a night as only the tropics can produce, the stars burning close and brilliant, the full moon rising out of a silent sea.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading It was such a night as only the tropics can produce, the stars burning close and brilliant, the full moon rising out of a silent sea.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE BIG DITCH Darkness had fallen before we dropped anchor in the harbor of Panama.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Behind them lay the mystery of conquest.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading No spot in all the western hemisphere held so much of romance as this.
tropicsnounUS /ˈtrɑːpɪks/
the part of the Earth's surface between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn; characterized by a hot climate
From this reading It was such a night as only the tropics can produce, the stars burning close and brilliant, the full moon rising out of a silent sea.
twinklingnounUS /ˈtwɪŋkəlɪŋ/
a very short time (as the time it takes the eye to blink or the heart to beat)
From this reading In front of us the lights of the city came twinkling out.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading In front of us the lights of the city came twinkling out.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was such a night as only the tropics can produce, the stars burning close and brilliant, the full moon rising out of a silent sea.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading THE BIG DITCH Darkness had fallen before we dropped anchor in the harbor of Panama.
relating to or characteristic of the western parts of the world or the West as opposed to the eastern or oriental parts
From this reading No spot in all the western hemisphere held so much of romance as this.
