used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Sagesse was standing by the negro who was at the wheel, and _La Belle Arlésienne_ was heading nor’ nor’-west on a course that would take her to westward of St. Kitts and past the Virgin Islands.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Dominica, to eastward, stood vague, and ghostly on the horizon; to westward the sea showed nothing but the purple of an infinite pansy, an ocean of St. Estèphe or Macon blazed upon by the fiercest light of the tropics.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading PEDRO Gaspard, leaning on the taffrail, watched Martinique dwindling in the sun-blaze and sea-dazzle.
Arlésienne
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sagesse was standing by the negro who was at the wheel, and _La Belle Arlésienne_ was heading nor’ nor’-west on a course that would take her to westward of St. Kitts and past the Virgin Islands.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Sagesse was standing by the negro who was at the wheel, and _La Belle Arlésienne_ was heading nor’ nor’-west on a course that would take her to westward of St. Kitts and past the Virgin Islands.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading It would be a quicker passage than in coming, for they had now with them the South Equatorial current.
BellenounUS /bel/
a young woman who is the most charming and beautiful of several rivals
From this reading Sagesse was standing by the negro who was at the wheel, and _La Belle Arlésienne_ was heading nor’ nor’-west on a course that would take her to westward of St. Kitts and past the Virgin Islands.
blazedverbUS /bleɪzd/
past form of “blaze” — shine brightly and intensively
From this reading Dominica, to eastward, stood vague, and ghostly on the horizon; to westward the sea showed nothing but the purple of an infinite pansy, an ocean of St. Estèphe or Macon blazed upon by the fiercest light of the tropics.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Dominica, to eastward, stood vague, and ghostly on the horizon; to westward the sea showed nothing but the purple of an infinite pansy, an ocean of St. Estèphe or Macon blazed upon by the fiercest light of the tropics.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Dominica, to eastward, stood vague, and ghostly on the horizon; to westward the sea showed nothing but the purple of an infinite pansy, an ocean of St. Estèphe or Macon blazed upon by the fiercest light of the tropics.
the act of drawing spatially closer to something
From this reading It would be a quicker passage than in coming, for they had now with them the South Equatorial current.
education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings
From this reading Sagesse was standing by the negro who was at the wheel, and _La Belle Arlésienne_ was heading nor’ nor’-west on a course that would take her to westward of St. Kitts and past the Virgin Islands.
a flow of electricity through a conductor
From this reading It would be a quicker passage than in coming, for they had now with them the South Equatorial current.
DominicanounUS /dəˈmɪnɪkə/
a country on the island of Dominica
From this reading Dominica, to eastward, stood vague, and ghostly on the horizon; to westward the sea showed nothing but the purple of an infinite pansy, an ocean of St. Estèphe or Macon blazed upon by the fiercest light of the tropics.
dwindlingadjectiveUS /ˈdwɪndəlɪŋ/
gradually decreasing until little remains
From this reading PEDRO Gaspard, leaning on the taffrail, watched Martinique dwindling in the sun-blaze and sea-dazzle.
eastwardadjectiveUS /ˈiːstwərd/
moving toward the east
From this reading Dominica, to eastward, stood vague, and ghostly on the horizon; to westward the sea showed nothing but the purple of an infinite pansy, an ocean of St. Estèphe or Macon blazed upon by the fiercest light of the tropics.
EquatorialadjectiveUS /ˌiːkwəˈtɔːriəl/
of or relating to or at an equator
From this reading It would be a quicker passage than in coming, for they had now with them the South Equatorial current.
Estèphe
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Dominica, to eastward, stood vague, and ghostly on the horizon; to westward the sea showed nothing but the purple of an infinite pansy, an ocean of St. Estèphe or Macon blazed upon by the fiercest light of the tropics.
fiercestadjectiveUS /ˈfɪrsəst/
superlative of “fierce” — marked by extreme and violent energy
From this reading Dominica, to eastward, stood vague, and ghostly on the horizon; to westward the sea showed nothing but the purple of an infinite pansy, an ocean of St. Estèphe or Macon blazed upon by the fiercest light of the tropics.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading It would be a quicker passage than in coming, for they had now with them the South Equatorial current.
Gaspard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading PEDRO Gaspard, leaning on the taffrail, watched Martinique dwindling in the sun-blaze and sea-dazzle.
ghostlyadjectiveUS /ˈɡoʊstli/
resembling or characteristic of a phantom
From this reading Dominica, to eastward, stood vague, and ghostly on the horizon; to westward the sea showed nothing but the purple of an infinite pansy, an ocean of St. Estèphe or Macon blazed upon by the fiercest light of the tropics.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading It would be a quicker passage than in coming, for they had now with them the South Equatorial current.
headingnounUS /ˈhedɪŋ/
a line of text serving to indicate what the passage below it is about
From this reading Sagesse was standing by the negro who was at the wheel, and _La Belle Arlésienne_ was heading nor’ nor’-west on a course that would take her to westward of St. Kitts and past the Virgin Islands.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Sagesse was standing by the negro who was at the wheel, and _La Belle Arlésienne_ was heading nor’ nor’-west on a course that would take her to westward of St. Kitts and past the Virgin Islands.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading Here Sagesse would steer a west-nor’-west course.
the line at which the sky and Earth appear to meet
From this reading Dominica, to eastward, stood vague, and ghostly on the horizon; to westward the sea showed nothing but the purple of an infinite pansy, an ocean of St. Estèphe or Macon blazed upon by the fiercest light of the tropics.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading PEDRO Gaspard, leaning on the taffrail, watched Martinique dwindling in the sun-blaze and sea-dazzle.
infiniteadjectiveUS /ˈɪnfənət/
having no limits or boundaries in time or space or extent or magnitude
From this reading Dominica, to eastward, stood vague, and ghostly on the horizon; to westward the sea showed nothing but the purple of an infinite pansy, an ocean of St. Estèphe or Macon blazed upon by the fiercest light of the tropics.
plural of “island” — a land mass (smaller than a continent) that is surrounded by water
From this reading Sagesse was standing by the negro who was at the wheel, and _La Belle Arlésienne_ was heading nor’ nor’-west on a course that would take her to westward of St. Kitts and past the Virgin Islands.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It would be a quicker passage than in coming, for they had now with them the South Equatorial current.
Kitts
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sagesse was standing by the negro who was at the wheel, and _La Belle Arlésienne_ was heading nor’ nor’-west on a course that would take her to westward of St. Kitts and past the Virgin Islands.
a white soft metallic element that tarnishes readily; occurs in rare earth minerals and is usually classified as a rare earth
From this reading Sagesse was standing by the negro who was at the wheel, and _La Belle Arlésienne_ was heading nor’ nor’-west on a course that would take her to westward of St. Kitts and past the Virgin Islands.
departing or being caused to depart from the true vertical or horizontal
From this reading PEDRO Gaspard, leaning on the taffrail, watched Martinique dwindling in the sun-blaze and sea-dazzle.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading Dominica, to eastward, stood vague, and ghostly on the horizon; to westward the sea showed nothing but the purple of an infinite pansy, an ocean of St. Estèphe or Macon blazed upon by the fiercest light of the tropics.
MaconnounUS /ˈmeɪkən/
a city in central Georgia to the southeast of Atlanta
From this reading Dominica, to eastward, stood vague, and ghostly on the horizon; to westward the sea showed nothing but the purple of an infinite pansy, an ocean of St. Estèphe or Macon blazed upon by the fiercest light of the tropics.
MartiniquenounUS /mɑːrtɪˈniːk/
an island in the eastern Caribbean in the Windward Islands; administered as an overseas region of France
From this reading PEDRO Gaspard, leaning on the taffrail, watched Martinique dwindling in the sun-blaze and sea-dazzle.
negronounUS /ˈniːɡroʊ/
a person with African ancestry, "Negro" and "Negroid" are archaic and pejorative today
From this reading Sagesse was standing by the negro who was at the wheel, and _La Belle Arlésienne_ was heading nor’ nor’-west on a course that would take her to westward of St. Kitts and past the Virgin Islands.
and not; used after a negative to add a second negative
From this reading Sagesse was standing by the negro who was at the wheel, and _La Belle Arlésienne_ was heading nor’ nor’-west on a course that would take her to westward of St. Kitts and past the Virgin Islands.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading Dominica, to eastward, stood vague, and ghostly on the horizon; to westward the sea showed nothing but the purple of an infinite pansy, an ocean of St. Estèphe or Macon blazed upon by the fiercest light of the tropics.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading It would be a quicker passage than in coming, for they had now with them the South Equatorial current.
a large body of water constituting a principal part of the hydrosphere
From this reading Dominica, to eastward, stood vague, and ghostly on the horizon; to westward the sea showed nothing but the purple of an infinite pansy, an ocean of St. Estèphe or Macon blazed upon by the fiercest light of the tropics.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Dominica, to eastward, stood vague, and ghostly on the horizon; to westward the sea showed nothing but the purple of an infinite pansy, an ocean of St. Estèphe or Macon blazed upon by the fiercest light of the tropics.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading PEDRO Gaspard, leaning on the taffrail, watched Martinique dwindling in the sun-blaze and sea-dazzle.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Dominica, to eastward, stood vague, and ghostly on the horizon; to westward the sea showed nothing but the purple of an infinite pansy, an ocean of St. Estèphe or Macon blazed upon by the fiercest light of the tropics.
pansynounUS /ˈpænzi/
large-flowered garden plant derived chiefly from the wild pansy of Europe and having velvety petals of various colors
From this reading Dominica, to eastward, stood vague, and ghostly on the horizon; to westward the sea showed nothing but the purple of an infinite pansy, an ocean of St. Estèphe or Macon blazed upon by the fiercest light of the tropics.
the act of passing from one state or place to the next
From this reading It would be a quicker passage than in coming, for they had now with them the South Equatorial current.
the time that has elapsed
From this reading Sagesse was standing by the negro who was at the wheel, and _La Belle Arlésienne_ was heading nor’ nor’-west on a course that would take her to westward of St. Kitts and past the Virgin Islands.
PEDRO
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading PEDRO Gaspard, leaning on the taffrail, watched Martinique dwindling in the sun-blaze and sea-dazzle.
a purple color or pigment
From this reading Dominica, to eastward, stood vague, and ghostly on the horizon; to westward the sea showed nothing but the purple of an infinite pansy, an ocean of St. Estèphe or Macon blazed upon by the fiercest light of the tropics.
quickeradverbUS /ˈkwɪkər/
more quickly
From this reading It would be a quicker passage than in coming, for they had now with them the South Equatorial current.
Sagesse
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sagesse was standing by the negro who was at the wheel, and _La Belle Arlésienne_ was heading nor’ nor’-west on a course that would take her to westward of St. Kitts and past the Virgin Islands.
a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
From this reading Dominica, to eastward, stood vague, and ghostly on the horizon; to westward the sea showed nothing but the purple of an infinite pansy, an ocean of St. Estèphe or Macon blazed upon by the fiercest light of the tropics.
sea-dazzle
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading PEDRO Gaspard, leaning on the taffrail, watched Martinique dwindling in the sun-blaze and sea-dazzle.
past form of “show” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading Dominica, to eastward, stood vague, and ghostly on the horizon; to westward the sea showed nothing but the purple of an infinite pansy, an ocean of St. Estèphe or Macon blazed upon by the fiercest light of the tropics.
the region of the United States lying to the south of the Mason-Dixon line
From this reading It would be a quicker passage than in coming, for they had now with them the South Equatorial current.
St
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Dominica, to eastward, stood vague, and ghostly on the horizon; to westward the sea showed nothing but the purple of an infinite pansy, an ocean of St. Estèphe or Macon blazed upon by the fiercest light of the tropics.
having a supporting base
From this reading Sagesse was standing by the negro who was at the wheel, and _La Belle Arlésienne_ was heading nor’ nor’-west on a course that would take her to westward of St. Kitts and past the Virgin Islands.
steerverbUS /stɪr/
direct the course; determine the direction of travelling
From this reading Here Sagesse would steer a west-nor’-west course.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading Dominica, to eastward, stood vague, and ghostly on the horizon; to westward the sea showed nothing but the purple of an infinite pansy, an ocean of St. Estèphe or Macon blazed upon by the fiercest light of the tropics.
sun-blaze
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading PEDRO Gaspard, leaning on the taffrail, watched Martinique dwindling in the sun-blaze and sea-dazzle.
taffrailnoun
the railing around the stern of a ship
From this reading PEDRO Gaspard, leaning on the taffrail, watched Martinique dwindling in the sun-blaze and sea-dazzle.
carry out
From this reading Sagesse was standing by the negro who was at the wheel, and _La Belle Arlésienne_ was heading nor’ nor’-west on a course that would take her to westward of St. Kitts and past the Virgin Islands.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading It would be a quicker passage than in coming, for they had now with them the South Equatorial current.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Sagesse was standing by the negro who was at the wheel, and _La Belle Arlésienne_ was heading nor’ nor’-west on a course that would take her to westward of St. Kitts and past the Virgin Islands.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading PEDRO Gaspard, leaning on the taffrail, watched Martinique dwindling in the sun-blaze and sea-dazzle.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading It would be a quicker passage than in coming, for they had now with them the South Equatorial current.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It would be a quicker passage than in coming, for they had now with them the South Equatorial current.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Dominica, to eastward, stood vague, and ghostly on the horizon; to westward the sea showed nothing but the purple of an infinite pansy, an ocean of St. Estèphe or Macon blazed upon by the fiercest light of the tropics.
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 Dominica, to eastward, stood vague, and ghostly on the horizon; to westward the sea showed nothing but the purple of an infinite pansy, an ocean of St. Estèphe or Macon blazed upon by the fiercest light of the tropics.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Dominica, to eastward, stood vague, and ghostly on the horizon; to westward the sea showed nothing but the purple of an infinite pansy, an ocean of St. Estèphe or Macon blazed upon by the fiercest light of the tropics.
not clearly expressed or understood
From this reading Dominica, to eastward, stood vague, and ghostly on the horizon; to westward the sea showed nothing but the purple of an infinite pansy, an ocean of St. Estèphe or Macon blazed upon by the fiercest light of the tropics.
VirginnounUS /ˈvɜːrdʒɪn/
a person who has never had sex
From this reading Sagesse was standing by the negro who was at the wheel, and _La Belle Arlésienne_ was heading nor’ nor’-west on a course that would take her to westward of St. Kitts and past the Virgin Islands.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Sagesse was standing by the negro who was at the wheel, and _La Belle Arlésienne_ was heading nor’ nor’-west on a course that would take her to westward of St. Kitts and past the Virgin Islands.
past form of “watch” — look attentively
From this reading PEDRO Gaspard, leaning on the taffrail, watched Martinique dwindling in the sun-blaze and sea-dazzle.
the countries of (originally) Europe and (now including) North America and South America
From this reading Sagesse was standing by the negro who was at the wheel, and _La Belle Arlésienne_ was heading nor’ nor’-west on a course that would take her to westward of St. Kitts and past the Virgin Islands.
west-nor
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Here Sagesse would steer a west-nor’-west course.
westwardadverbUS /ˈwestwərd/
toward the west
From this reading Dominica, to eastward, stood vague, and ghostly on the horizon; to westward the sea showed nothing but the purple of an infinite pansy, an ocean of St. Estèphe or Macon blazed upon by the fiercest light of the tropics.
change directions as if revolving on a pivot
From this reading Sagesse was standing by the negro who was at the wheel, and _La Belle Arlésienne_ was heading nor’ nor’-west on a course that would take her to westward of St. Kitts and past the Virgin Islands.
which person or people
From this reading Sagesse was standing by the negro who was at the wheel, and _La Belle Arlésienne_ was heading nor’ nor’-west on a course that would take her to westward of St. Kitts and past the Virgin Islands.
in the company of; together with
From this reading It would be a quicker passage than in coming, for they had now with them the South Equatorial current.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Sagesse was standing by the negro who was at the wheel, and _La Belle Arlésienne_ was heading nor’ nor’-west on a course that would take her to westward of St. Kitts and past the Virgin Islands.
