used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading But fast failing strength, the helpless condition of Tommy Clifton, and the hiss and splash of the water all around soon aroused him to a sense of present duty.
(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 The sight of the overturned boat seemed to take all the strength from sturdy Dick Travers' frame.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading For the next few moments he simply drifted along on the current.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The full realization of his own and Tommy Clifton's peril was swallowed up for an instant in the thought of the terrible danger which menaced his chums.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The full realization of his own and Tommy Clifton's peril was swallowed up for an instant in the thought of the terrible danger which menaced his chums.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading But fast failing strength, the helpless condition of Tommy Clifton, and the hiss and splash of the water all around soon aroused him to a sense of present duty.
arousedadjectiveUS /ərˈaʊzd/
aroused to action
From this reading But fast failing strength, the helpless condition of Tommy Clifton, and the hiss and splash of the water all around soon aroused him to a sense of present duty.
a small vessel for travel on water
From this reading The sight of the overturned boat seemed to take all the strength from sturdy Dick Travers' frame.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But fast failing strength, the helpless condition of Tommy Clifton, and the hiss and splash of the water all around soon aroused him to a sense of present duty.
chumsnounUS /tʃʌmz/
plural of “chum” — a close friend who accompanies his buddies in their activities
From this reading The full realization of his own and Tommy Clifton's peril was swallowed up for an instant in the thought of the terrible danger which menaced his chums.
Clifton
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But fast failing strength, the helpless condition of Tommy Clifton, and the hiss and splash of the water all around soon aroused him to a sense of present duty.
Clifton's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The full realization of his own and Tommy Clifton's peril was swallowed up for an instant in the thought of the terrible danger which menaced his chums.
a state at a particular time
From this reading But fast failing strength, the helpless condition of Tommy Clifton, and the hiss and splash of the water all around soon aroused him to a sense of present duty.
a flow of electricity through a conductor
From this reading For the next few moments he simply drifted along on the current.
the condition of being susceptible to harm or injury
From this reading The full realization of his own and Tommy Clifton's peril was swallowed up for an instant in the thought of the terrible danger which menaced his chums.
someone who is a detective
From this reading The sight of the overturned boat seemed to take all the strength from sturdy Dick Travers' frame.
driftedverbUS /ˈdrɪftəd/
past form of “drift” — be in motion due to some air or water current
From this reading For the next few moments he simply drifted along on the current.
the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force
From this reading But fast failing strength, the helpless condition of Tommy Clifton, and the hiss and splash of the water all around soon aroused him to a sense of present duty.
failingnounUS /ˈfeɪlɪŋ/
a flaw or weak point
From this reading But fast failing strength, the helpless condition of Tommy Clifton, and the hiss and splash of the water all around soon aroused him to a sense of present duty.
quickly or rapidly (often used as a combining form)
From this reading But fast failing strength, the helpless condition of Tommy Clifton, and the hiss and splash of the water all around soon aroused him to a sense of present duty.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading For the next few moments he simply drifted along on the current.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The full realization of his own and Tommy Clifton's peril was swallowed up for an instant in the thought of the terrible danger which menaced his chums.
enclose in or as if in a frame
From this reading The sight of the overturned boat seemed to take all the strength from sturdy Dick Travers' frame.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The sight of the overturned boat seemed to take all the strength from sturdy Dick Travers' frame.
containing as much or as many as is possible or normal
From this reading The full realization of his own and Tommy Clifton's peril was swallowed up for an instant in the thought of the terrible danger which menaced his chums.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading For the next few moments he simply drifted along on the current.
lacking in or deprived of strength or power
From this reading But fast failing strength, the helpless condition of Tommy Clifton, and the hiss and splash of the water all around soon aroused him to a sense of present duty.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading But fast failing strength, the helpless condition of Tommy Clifton, and the hiss and splash of the water all around soon aroused him to a sense of present duty.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The full realization of his own and Tommy Clifton's peril was swallowed up for an instant in the thought of the terrible danger which menaced his chums.
hissverbUS /hɪs/
make a sharp hissing sound, as if to show disapproval
From this reading But fast failing strength, the helpless condition of Tommy Clifton, and the hiss and splash of the water all around soon aroused him to a sense of present duty.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The full realization of his own and Tommy Clifton's peril was swallowed up for an instant in the thought of the terrible danger which menaced his chums.
a very short time (as the time it takes the eye to blink or the heart to beat)
From this reading The full realization of his own and Tommy Clifton's peril was swallowed up for an instant in the thought of the terrible danger which menaced his chums.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading "YOU SAVED MY LIFE!"
menacedverbUS /ˈmenəst/
past form of “menace” — pose a threat to; present a danger to
From this reading The full realization of his own and Tommy Clifton's peril was swallowed up for an instant in the thought of the terrible danger which menaced his chums.
plural of “moment” — a particular point in time
From this reading For the next few moments he simply drifted along on the current.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading "YOU SAVED MY LIFE!"
immediately following in time or order
From this reading For the next few moments he simply drifted along on the current.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The sight of the overturned boat seemed to take all the strength from sturdy Dick Travers' frame.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading For the next few moments he simply drifted along on the current.
overturnedadjectiveUS /ˈoʊvərtɜːrnd/
having been turned so that the bottom is no longer the bottom
From this reading The sight of the overturned boat seemed to take all the strength from sturdy Dick Travers' frame.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading The full realization of his own and Tommy Clifton's peril was swallowed up for an instant in the thought of the terrible danger which menaced his chums.
perilnounUS /ˈperəl/
a source of danger; a possibility of incurring loss or misfortune
From this reading The full realization of his own and Tommy Clifton's peril was swallowed up for an instant in the thought of the terrible danger which menaced his chums.
give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading But fast failing strength, the helpless condition of Tommy Clifton, and the hiss and splash of the water all around soon aroused him to a sense of present duty.
realizationnounUS /ˈriːləˈzeɪʃən/
coming to understand something clearly and distinctly
From this reading The full realization of his own and Tommy Clifton's peril was swallowed up for an instant in the thought of the terrible danger which menaced his chums.
rescued; especially from the power and consequences of sin
From this reading "YOU SAVED MY LIFE!"
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading The sight of the overturned boat seemed to take all the strength from sturdy Dick Travers' frame.
a general conscious awareness
From this reading But fast failing strength, the helpless condition of Tommy Clifton, and the hiss and splash of the water all around soon aroused him to a sense of present duty.
an instance of visual perception
From this reading The sight of the overturned boat seemed to take all the strength from sturdy Dick Travers' frame.
and nothing more
From this reading For the next few moments he simply drifted along on the current.
in the near future
From this reading But fast failing strength, the helpless condition of Tommy Clifton, and the hiss and splash of the water all around soon aroused him to a sense of present duty.
splashverbUS /splæʃ/
cause (a liquid) to spatter about, especially with force
From this reading But fast failing strength, the helpless condition of Tommy Clifton, and the hiss and splash of the water all around soon aroused him to a sense of present duty.
the property of being physically or mentally strong
From this reading The sight of the overturned boat seemed to take all the strength from sturdy Dick Travers' frame.
sturdyadjectiveUS /ˈstɜːrdi/
having rugged physical strength; inured to fatigue or hardships
From this reading The sight of the overturned boat seemed to take all the strength from sturdy Dick Travers' frame.
swallowedverbUS /ˈswɑːloʊd/
past form of “swallow” — pass through the esophagus as part of eating or drinking
From this reading The full realization of his own and Tommy Clifton's peril was swallowed up for an instant in the thought of the terrible danger which menaced his chums.
carry out
From this reading The sight of the overturned boat seemed to take all the strength from sturdy Dick Travers' frame.
causing fear or dread or terror
From this reading The full realization of his own and Tommy Clifton's peril was swallowed up for an instant in the thought of the terrible danger which menaced his chums.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The sight of the overturned boat seemed to take all the strength from sturdy Dick Travers' frame.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading The full realization of his own and Tommy Clifton's peril was swallowed up for an instant in the thought of the terrible danger which menaced his chums.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The sight of the overturned boat seemed to take all the strength from sturdy Dick Travers' frame.
Tommy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The full realization of his own and Tommy Clifton's peril was swallowed up for an instant in the thought of the terrible danger which menaced his chums.
Travers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The sight of the overturned boat seemed to take all the strength from sturdy Dick Travers' frame.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading The full realization of his own and Tommy Clifton's peril was swallowed up for an instant in the thought of the terrible danger which menaced his chums.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The full realization of his own and Tommy Clifton's peril was swallowed up for an instant in the thought of the terrible danger which menaced his chums.
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 But fast failing strength, the helpless condition of Tommy Clifton, and the hiss and splash of the water all around soon aroused him to a sense of present duty.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The full realization of his own and Tommy Clifton's peril was swallowed up for an instant in the thought of the terrible danger which menaced his chums.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "YOU SAVED MY LIFE!"
