used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The great tuns of Madeira wine filled the air with vinous odors, and on one side, under a shed, were staves and salt fish from the North for return cargoes, and potatoes, flour, and onions in ropes for the French islands.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading The great tuns of Madeira wine filled the air with vinous odors, and on one side, under a shed, were staves and salt fish from the North for return cargoes, and potatoes, flour, and onions in ropes for the French islands.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The great tuns of Madeira wine filled the air with vinous odors, and on one side, under a shed, were staves and salt fish from the North for return cargoes, and potatoes, flour, and onions in ropes for the French islands.
ballastnounUS /ˈbæləst/
any heavy material used to stabilize a ship or airship
From this reading "The ship outside," said the clerk, "is from the Indies with tea and silks, and for ballast cheap blue Canton china."
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The big ship, it seemed, had been overhauled by a small British privateer.
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The big ship, it seemed, had been overhauled by a small British privateer.
of the color intermediate between green and violet; having a color similar to that of a clear unclouded sky
From this reading "The ship outside," said the clerk, "is from the Indies with tea and silks, and for ballast cheap blue Canton china."
the people of Great Britain
From this reading The big ship, it seemed, had been overhauled by a small British privateer.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading "But there is no war?"
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The big ship, it seemed, had been overhauled by a small British privateer.
CantonnounUS /ˈkæntən/
a city on the Zhu Jiang delta in southern China; the capital of Guangdong province and a major deep-water port
From this reading "The ship outside," said the clerk, "is from the Indies with tea and silks, and for ballast cheap blue Canton china."
cargoesnounUS /ˈkɑːrɡoʊz/
plural of “cargo” — goods carried by a large vehicle
From this reading The great tuns of Madeira wine filled the air with vinous odors, and on one side, under a shed, were staves and salt fish from the North for return cargoes, and potatoes, flour, and onions in ropes for the French islands.
cheapadjectiveUS /tʃiːp/
relatively low in price or charging low prices
From this reading "The ship outside," said the clerk, "is from the Indies with tea and silks, and for ballast cheap blue Canton china."
chinanounUS /ˈtʃaɪnə/
a communist nation that covers a vast territory in eastern Asia; the most populous country in the world
From this reading "The ship outside," said the clerk, "is from the Indies with tea and silks, and for ballast cheap blue Canton china."
an employee who performs clerical work (e.g., keeps records or accounts)
From this reading "The ship outside," said the clerk, "is from the Indies with tea and silks, and for ballast cheap blue Canton china."
far-away
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The vessels and the thought of far-away seas pleased the young man.
(usually followed by “with” or used as a combining form) generously supplied with
From this reading The great tuns of Madeira wine filled the air with vinous odors, and on one side, under a shed, were staves and salt fish from the North for return cargoes, and potatoes, flour, and onions in ropes for the French islands.
any of various mostly cold-blooded aquatic vertebrates usually having scales and breathing through gills
From this reading The great tuns of Madeira wine filled the air with vinous odors, and on one side, under a shed, were staves and salt fish from the North for return cargoes, and potatoes, flour, and onions in ropes for the French islands.
flournounUS /ˈflaʊər/
fine powdery foodstuff obtained by grinding and sifting the meal of a cereal grain
From this reading The great tuns of Madeira wine filled the air with vinous odors, and on one side, under a shed, were staves and salt fish from the North for return cargoes, and potatoes, flour, and onions in ropes for the French islands.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The great tuns of Madeira wine filled the air with vinous odors, and on one side, under a shed, were staves and salt fish from the North for return cargoes, and potatoes, flour, and onions in ropes for the French islands.
the Romance language spoken in France and in countries colonized by France
From this reading The great tuns of Madeira wine filled the air with vinous odors, and on one side, under a shed, were staves and salt fish from the North for return cargoes, and potatoes, flour, and onions in ropes for the French islands.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The great tuns of Madeira wine filled the air with vinous odors, and on one side, under a shed, were staves and salt fish from the North for return cargoes, and potatoes, flour, and onions in ropes for the French islands.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading The great tuns of Madeira wine filled the air with vinous odors, and on one side, under a shed, were staves and salt fish from the North for return cargoes, and potatoes, flour, and onions in ropes for the French islands.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The big ship, it seemed, had been overhauled by a small British privateer.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The great tuns of Madeira wine filled the air with vinous odors, and on one side, under a shed, were staves and salt fish from the North for return cargoes, and potatoes, flour, and onions in ropes for the French islands.
IndiesnounUS /ˈɪndiz/
plural of “indie” — a pop group not affiliated with a major record company
From this reading "The ship outside," said the clerk, "is from the Indies with tea and silks, and for ballast cheap blue Canton china."
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "The ship outside," said the clerk, "is from the Indies with tea and silks, and for ballast cheap blue Canton china."
plural of “island” — a land mass (smaller than a continent) that is surrounded by water
From this reading The great tuns of Madeira wine filled the air with vinous odors, and on one side, under a shed, were staves and salt fish from the North for return cargoes, and potatoes, flour, and onions in ropes for the French islands.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The big ship, it seemed, had been overhauled by a small British privateer.
MadeiranounUS /məˈdɪrə/
a Brazilian river; tributary of the Amazon River
From this reading The great tuns of Madeira wine filled the air with vinous odors, and on one side, under a shed, were staves and salt fish from the North for return cargoes, and potatoes, flour, and onions in ropes for the French islands.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading The vessels and the thought of far-away seas pleased the young man.
not any; not one
From this reading "But there is no war?"
the region of the United States lying to the north of the Mason-Dixon line
From this reading The great tuns of Madeira wine filled the air with vinous odors, and on one side, under a shed, were staves and salt fish from the North for return cargoes, and potatoes, flour, and onions in ropes for the French islands.
odorsnounUS /ˈoʊdərz/
plural of “odor” — any property detected by the olfactory system
From this reading The great tuns of Madeira wine filled the air with vinous odors, and on one side, under a shed, were staves and salt fish from the North for return cargoes, and potatoes, flour, and onions in ropes for the French islands.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The great tuns of Madeira wine filled the air with vinous odors, and on one side, under a shed, were staves and salt fish from the North for return cargoes, and potatoes, flour, and onions in ropes for the French islands.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The great tuns of Madeira wine filled the air with vinous odors, and on one side, under a shed, were staves and salt fish from the North for return cargoes, and potatoes, flour, and onions in ropes for the French islands.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The great tuns of Madeira wine filled the air with vinous odors, and on one side, under a shed, were staves and salt fish from the North for return cargoes, and potatoes, flour, and onions in ropes for the French islands.
onionsnounUS /ˈʌnjənz/
plural of “onion” — the bulb of an onion plant
From this reading The great tuns of Madeira wine filled the air with vinous odors, and on one side, under a shed, were staves and salt fish from the North for return cargoes, and potatoes, flour, and onions in ropes for the French islands.
relating to or being on or near the outer side or limit
From this reading "The ship outside," said the clerk, "is from the Indies with tea and silks, and for ballast cheap blue Canton china."
overhauledverbUS /ˈoʊvərhɔːld/
past form of “overhaul” — travel past
From this reading The big ship, it seemed, had been overhauled by a small British privateer.
experiencing or manifesting pleasure
From this reading The vessels and the thought of far-away seas pleased the young man.
potatoesnounUS /pəˈteɪtoʊz/
plural of “potato” — an edible tuber native to South America; a staple food of Ireland
From this reading The great tuns of Madeira wine filled the air with vinous odors, and on one side, under a shed, were staves and salt fish from the North for return cargoes, and potatoes, flour, and onions in ropes for the French islands.
privateernoun
an officer or crew member of a privateer
From this reading The big ship, it seemed, had been overhauled by a small British privateer.
go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading The great tuns of Madeira wine filled the air with vinous odors, and on one side, under a shed, were staves and salt fish from the North for return cargoes, and potatoes, flour, and onions in ropes for the French islands.
ropesnounUS /roʊps/
plural of “rope” — a strong line
From this reading The great tuns of Madeira wine filled the air with vinous odors, and on one side, under a shed, were staves and salt fish from the North for return cargoes, and potatoes, flour, and onions in ropes for the French islands.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "The ship outside," said the clerk, "is from the Indies with tea and silks, and for ballast cheap blue Canton china."
a compound formed by replacing hydrogen in an acid by a metal (or a radical that acts like a metal)
From this reading The great tuns of Madeira wine filled the air with vinous odors, and on one side, under a shed, were staves and salt fish from the North for return cargoes, and potatoes, flour, and onions in ropes for the French islands.
plural of “sea” — a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
From this reading The vessels and the thought of far-away seas pleased the young man.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading The big ship, it seemed, had been overhauled by a small British privateer.
get rid of
From this reading The great tuns of Madeira wine filled the air with vinous odors, and on one side, under a shed, were staves and salt fish from the North for return cargoes, and potatoes, flour, and onions in ropes for the French islands.
transport commercially
From this reading "The ship outside," said the clerk, "is from the Indies with tea and silks, and for ballast cheap blue Canton china."
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading The great tuns of Madeira wine filled the air with vinous odors, and on one side, under a shed, were staves and salt fish from the North for return cargoes, and potatoes, flour, and onions in ropes for the French islands.
silksnounUS /sɪlks/
the brightly colored garments of a jockey; emblematic of the stable
From this reading "The ship outside," said the clerk, "is from the Indies with tea and silks, and for ballast cheap blue Canton china."
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The big ship, it seemed, had been overhauled by a small British privateer.
stavesnounUS /steɪvz/
plural of “stave” — (music) the system of five horizontal lines on which the musical notes are written
From this reading The great tuns of Madeira wine filled the air with vinous odors, and on one side, under a shed, were staves and salt fish from the North for return cargoes, and potatoes, flour, and onions in ropes for the French islands.
a beverage made by steeping tea leaves in water
From this reading "The ship outside," said the clerk, "is from the Indies with tea and silks, and for ballast cheap blue Canton china."
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The great tuns of Madeira wine filled the air with vinous odors, and on one side, under a shed, were staves and salt fish from the North for return cargoes, and potatoes, flour, and onions in ropes for the French islands.
in or at that place or location
From this reading "But there is no war?"
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading The vessels and the thought of far-away seas pleased the young man.
tuns
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The great tuns of Madeira wine filled the air with vinous odors, and on one side, under a shed, were staves and salt fish from the North for return cargoes, and potatoes, flour, and onions in ropes for the French islands.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading The great tuns of Madeira wine filled the air with vinous odors, and on one side, under a shed, were staves and salt fish from the North for return cargoes, and potatoes, flour, and onions in ropes for the French islands.
vesselsnounUS /ˈvesəlz/
plural of “vessel” — a tube in which a body fluid circulates
From this reading The vessels and the thought of far-away seas pleased the young man.
vinousadjective
of or relating to wine
From this reading The great tuns of Madeira wine filled the air with vinous odors, and on one side, under a shed, were staves and salt fish from the North for return cargoes, and potatoes, flour, and onions in ropes for the French islands.
the waging of armed conflict against an enemy
From this reading "But there is no war?"
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The great tuns of Madeira wine filled the air with vinous odors, and on one side, under a shed, were staves and salt fish from the North for return cargoes, and potatoes, flour, and onions in ropes for the French islands.
fermented juice (of grapes especially)
From this reading The great tuns of Madeira wine filled the air with vinous odors, and on one side, under a shed, were staves and salt fish from the North for return cargoes, and potatoes, flour, and onions in ropes for the French islands.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The great tuns of Madeira wine filled the air with vinous odors, and on one side, under a shed, were staves and salt fish from the North for return cargoes, and potatoes, flour, and onions in ropes for the French islands.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading The vessels and the thought of far-away seas pleased the young man.
