used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The buoy was floating, but for quite a quarter of a minute its late occupant was nowhere to be seen.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading STEADYING himself on the rope, Atherton stood on the brink of the ledge and watched for the reappearance of the submerged man.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading When at length he rose to the surface, the buoy had drifted ten yards to leeward of him.
Atherton
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading STEADYING himself on the rope, Atherton stood on the brink of the ledge and watched for the reappearance of the submerged man.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The buoy was floating, but for quite a quarter of a minute its late occupant was nowhere to be seen.
brinknounUS /brɪŋk/
a region marking a boundary
From this reading STEADYING himself on the rope, Atherton stood on the brink of the ledge and watched for the reappearance of the submerged man.
buoyverbUS /ˈbuːi/
float on the surface of water
From this reading The buoy was floating, but for quite a quarter of a minute its late occupant was nowhere to be seen.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The buoy was floating, but for quite a quarter of a minute its late occupant was nowhere to be seen.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading HOW CAME PAUL TASSH ON SEAL ISLAND?
driftedverbUS /ˈdrɪftəd/
past form of “drift” — be in motion due to some air or water current
From this reading When at length he rose to the surface, the buoy had drifted ten yards to leeward of him.
floatingadjectiveUS /ˈfloʊtɪŋ/
borne up by or suspended in a liquid
From this reading The buoy was floating, but for quite a quarter of a minute its late occupant was nowhere to be seen.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading STEADYING himself on the rope, Atherton stood on the brink of the ledge and watched for the reappearance of the submerged man.
FortunatelyadverbUS /ˈfɔːrtʃənətli/
by good fortune
From this reading Fortunately the seaman was a swimmer, and without hesitation he struck out for the buoy.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading When at length he rose to the surface, the buoy had drifted ten yards to leeward of him.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading When at length he rose to the surface, the buoy had drifted ten yards to leeward of him.
hesitationnounUS /ˌhezəˈteɪʃən/
indecision in speech or action
From this reading Fortunately the seaman was a swimmer, and without hesitation he struck out for the buoy.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading When at length he rose to the surface, the buoy had drifted ten yards to leeward of him.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading STEADYING himself on the rope, Atherton stood on the brink of the ledge and watched for the reappearance of the submerged man.
HOW
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HOW CAME PAUL TASSH ON SEAL ISLAND?
a land mass (smaller than a continent) that is surrounded by water
From this reading HOW CAME PAUL TASSH ON SEAL ISLAND?
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading The buoy was floating, but for quite a quarter of a minute its late occupant was nowhere to be seen.
being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time
From this reading The buoy was floating, but for quite a quarter of a minute its late occupant was nowhere to be seen.
ledgenounUS /ledʒ/
a projecting ridge on a mountain or submerged under water
From this reading STEADYING himself on the rope, Atherton stood on the brink of the ledge and watched for the reappearance of the submerged man.
leewardnounUS /ˈliːwərd/
the direction in which the wind is blowing
From this reading When at length he rose to the surface, the buoy had drifted ten yards to leeward of him.
the linear extent in space from one end to the other; the longest dimension of something that is fixed in place
From this reading When at length he rose to the surface, the buoy had drifted ten yards to leeward of him.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading STEADYING himself on the rope, Atherton stood on the brink of the ledge and watched for the reappearance of the submerged man.
a unit of time equal to 60 seconds or 1/60th of an hour
From this reading The buoy was floating, but for quite a quarter of a minute its late occupant was nowhere to be seen.
nowherenounUS /ˈnoʊwer/
an insignificant place
From this reading The buoy was floating, but for quite a quarter of a minute its late occupant was nowhere to be seen.
occupantnounUS /ˈɑːkjəpənt/
someone who lives at a particular place for a prolonged period or who was born there
From this reading The buoy was floating, but for quite a quarter of a minute its late occupant was nowhere to be seen.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading STEADYING himself on the rope, Atherton stood on the brink of the ledge and watched for the reappearance of the submerged man.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading HOW CAME PAUL TASSH ON SEAL ISLAND?
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Fortunately the seaman was a swimmer, and without hesitation he struck out for the buoy.
United States feminist (1885-1977)
From this reading HOW CAME PAUL TASSH ON SEAL ISLAND?
one of four equal parts
From this reading The buoy was floating, but for quite a quarter of a minute its late occupant was nowhere to be seen.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading The buoy was floating, but for quite a quarter of a minute its late occupant was nowhere to be seen.
reappearancenounUS /ˌriːəˈpɪrəns/
the event of something appearing again
From this reading STEADYING himself on the rope, Atherton stood on the brink of the ledge and watched for the reappearance of the submerged man.
a strong line
From this reading STEADYING himself on the rope, Atherton stood on the brink of the ledge and watched for the reappearance of the submerged man.
any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading When at length he rose to the surface, the buoy had drifted ten yards to leeward of him.
SEALverbUS /siːl/
make tight; secure against leakage
From this reading HOW CAME PAUL TASSH ON SEAL ISLAND?
seamannounUS /ˈsiːmən/
a man who serves as a sailor
From this reading Fortunately the seaman was a swimmer, and without hesitation he struck out for the buoy.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading The buoy was floating, but for quite a quarter of a minute its late occupant was nowhere to be seen.
STEADYINGadjective
causing to become steady
From this reading STEADYING himself on the rope, Atherton stood on the brink of the ledge and watched for the reappearance of the submerged man.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading STEADYING himself on the rope, Atherton stood on the brink of the ledge and watched for the reappearance of the submerged man.
(used in combination) affected by something overwhelming
From this reading Fortunately the seaman was a swimmer, and without hesitation he struck out for the buoy.
submergedadjectiveUS /səbˈmɜːrdʒd/
beneath the surface of the water
From this reading STEADYING himself on the rope, Atherton stood on the brink of the ledge and watched for the reappearance of the submerged man.
the outer boundary of an artifact or a material layer constituting or resembling such a boundary
From this reading When at length he rose to the surface, the buoy had drifted ten yards to leeward of him.
swimmernounUS /ˈswɪmər/
a trained athlete who participates in swimming meets
From this reading Fortunately the seaman was a swimmer, and without hesitation he struck out for the buoy.
TASSH
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HOW CAME PAUL TASSH ON SEAL ISLAND?
the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system
From this reading When at length he rose to the surface, the buoy had drifted ten yards to leeward of him.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading STEADYING himself on the rope, Atherton stood on the brink of the ledge and watched for the reappearance of the submerged man.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The buoy was floating, but for quite a quarter of a minute its late occupant was nowhere to be seen.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The buoy was floating, but for quite a quarter of a minute its late occupant was nowhere to be seen.
past form of “watch” — look attentively
From this reading STEADYING himself on the rope, Atherton stood on the brink of the ledge and watched for the reappearance of the submerged man.
at the time that
From this reading When at length he rose to the surface, the buoy had drifted ten yards to leeward of him.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading Fortunately the seaman was a swimmer, and without hesitation he struck out for the buoy.
plural of “yard” — a unit of length equal to 3 feet; defined as 91.44 centimeters; originally taken to be the average length of a stride
From this reading When at length he rose to the surface, the buoy had drifted ten yards to leeward of him.
