used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading THE REVOLVER Three days later, in a pink and pearl dawn, they passed the Virgin Islands, their shoals and sand spits.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Not a word had been said by Sagesse about Pedro, and Gaspard imagined that the captain held off the subject under the impression that he (Gaspard) had forgotten the Porto Rican’s existence.
(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 There was something almost uncanny in this vanishing of a man and the utter indifference of all on board.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading There was something almost uncanny in this vanishing of a man and the utter indifference of all on board.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading By eight o’clock the islands were just palms low down on the sea, swimming in an azure haze; they had vanished completely before noon.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE REVOLVER Three days later, in a pink and pearl dawn, they passed the Virgin Islands, their shoals and sand spits.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading Imagination embroidered upon the situation and asked questions not the less disturbing because they were unanswerable.
azurenounUS /ˈæʒər/
a light shade of blue
From this reading By eight o’clock the islands were just palms low down on the sea, swimming in an azure haze; they had vanished completely before noon.
for the reason that
From this reading Imagination embroidered upon the situation and asked questions not the less disturbing because they were unanswerable.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Not a word had been said by Sagesse about Pedro, and Gaspard imagined that the captain held off the subject under the impression that he (Gaspard) had forgotten the Porto Rican’s existence.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading By eight o’clock the islands were just palms low down on the sea, swimming in an azure haze; they had vanished completely before noon.
a committee having supervisory powers
From this reading There was something almost uncanny in this vanishing of a man and the utter indifference of all on board.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading By eight o’clock the islands were just palms low down on the sea, swimming in an azure haze; they had vanished completely before noon.
an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant
From this reading Not a word had been said by Sagesse about Pedro, and Gaspard imagined that the captain held off the subject under the impression that he (Gaspard) had forgotten the Porto Rican’s existence.
to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally for “wholly”)
From this reading By eight o’clock the islands were just palms low down on the sea, swimming in an azure haze; they had vanished completely before noon.
the first light of day
From this reading THE REVOLVER Three days later, in a pink and pearl dawn, they passed the Virgin Islands, their shoals and sand spits.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading THE REVOLVER Three days later, in a pink and pearl dawn, they passed the Virgin Islands, their shoals and sand spits.
disturbingadjectiveUS /dɪˈstɜːrbɪŋ/
causing distress or worry or anxiety
From this reading Imagination embroidered upon the situation and asked questions not the less disturbing because they were unanswerable.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading By eight o’clock the islands were just palms low down on the sea, swimming in an azure haze; they had vanished completely before noon.
being one more than seven
From this reading By eight o’clock the islands were just palms low down on the sea, swimming in an azure haze; they had vanished completely before noon.
embroideredverbUS /emˈbrɔɪdərd/
past form of “embroider” — decorate with needlework
From this reading Imagination embroidered upon the situation and asked questions not the less disturbing because they were unanswerable.
the state or fact of existing
From this reading Not a word had been said by Sagesse about Pedro, and Gaspard imagined that the captain held off the subject under the impression that he (Gaspard) had forgotten the Porto Rican’s existence.
Not remembered; lapsed from memory.
From this reading Not a word had been said by Sagesse about Pedro, and Gaspard imagined that the captain held off the subject under the impression that he (Gaspard) had forgotten the Porto Rican’s existence.
Gaspard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Not a word had been said by Sagesse about Pedro, and Gaspard imagined that the captain held off the subject under the impression that he (Gaspard) had forgotten the Porto Rican’s existence.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading By eight o’clock the islands were just palms low down on the sea, swimming in an azure haze; they had vanished completely before noon.
hazenounUS /heɪz/
atmospheric moisture or dust or smoke that causes reduced visibility
From this reading By eight o’clock the islands were just palms low down on the sea, swimming in an azure haze; they had vanished completely before noon.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Not a word had been said by Sagesse about Pedro, and Gaspard imagined that the captain held off the subject under the impression that he (Gaspard) had forgotten the Porto Rican’s existence.
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading Not a word had been said by Sagesse about Pedro, and Gaspard imagined that the captain held off the subject under the impression that he (Gaspard) had forgotten the Porto Rican’s existence.
the formation of a mental image of something that is not perceived as real and is not present to the senses
From this reading Imagination embroidered upon the situation and asked questions not the less disturbing because they were unanswerable.
past form of “imagine” — form a mental image of something that is not present or that is not the case
From this reading Not a word had been said by Sagesse about Pedro, and Gaspard imagined that the captain held off the subject under the impression that he (Gaspard) had forgotten the Porto Rican’s existence.
a vague idea in which some confidence is placed
From this reading Not a word had been said by Sagesse about Pedro, and Gaspard imagined that the captain held off the subject under the impression that he (Gaspard) had forgotten the Porto Rican’s existence.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading THE REVOLVER Three days later, in a pink and pearl dawn, they passed the Virgin Islands, their shoals and sand spits.
indifferencenounUS /ˌɪnˈdɪfərəns/
unbiased impartial unconcern
From this reading There was something almost uncanny in this vanishing of a man and the utter indifference of all on board.
plural of “island” — a land mass (smaller than a continent) that is surrounded by water
From this reading THE REVOLVER Three days later, in a pink and pearl dawn, they passed the Virgin Islands, their shoals and sand spits.
and nothing more
From this reading By eight o’clock the islands were just palms low down on the sea, swimming in an azure haze; they had vanished completely before noon.
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading THE REVOLVER Three days later, in a pink and pearl dawn, they passed the Virgin Islands, their shoals and sand spits.
used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs
From this reading Imagination embroidered upon the situation and asked questions not the less disturbing because they were unanswerable.
less than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading By eight o’clock the islands were just palms low down on the sea, swimming in an azure haze; they had vanished completely before noon.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading There was something almost uncanny in this vanishing of a man and the utter indifference of all on board.
the middle of the day
From this reading By eight o’clock the islands were just palms low down on the sea, swimming in an azure haze; they had vanished completely before noon.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Not a word had been said by Sagesse about Pedro, and Gaspard imagined that the captain held off the subject under the impression that he (Gaspard) had forgotten the Porto Rican’s existence.
o'clockadverbUS /əˈklɑːk/
according to the clock
From this reading By eight o’clock the islands were just palms low down on the sea, swimming in an azure haze; they had vanished completely before noon.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading There was something almost uncanny in this vanishing of a man and the utter indifference of all on board.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Not a word had been said by Sagesse about Pedro, and Gaspard imagined that the captain held off the subject under the impression that he (Gaspard) had forgotten the Porto Rican’s existence.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading By eight o’clock the islands were just palms low down on the sea, swimming in an azure haze; they had vanished completely before noon.
palmsnounUS /pɑːmz/
plural of “palm” — the inner surface of the hand from the wrist to the base of the fingers
From this reading By eight o’clock the islands were just palms low down on the sea, swimming in an azure haze; they had vanished completely before noon.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading THE REVOLVER Three days later, in a pink and pearl dawn, they passed the Virgin Islands, their shoals and sand spits.
pearlnounUS /pɜːrl/
a smooth lustrous round structure inside the shell of a clam or oyster; much valued as a jewel
From this reading THE REVOLVER Three days later, in a pink and pearl dawn, they passed the Virgin Islands, their shoals and sand spits.
Pedro
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Not a word had been said by Sagesse about Pedro, and Gaspard imagined that the captain held off the subject under the impression that he (Gaspard) had forgotten the Porto Rican’s existence.
a light shade of red
From this reading THE REVOLVER Three days later, in a pink and pearl dawn, they passed the Virgin Islands, their shoals and sand spits.
PortonounUS /ˈpɔːrtoʊ/
port city in northwest Portugal; noted for port wine
From this reading Not a word had been said by Sagesse about Pedro, and Gaspard imagined that the captain held off the subject under the impression that he (Gaspard) had forgotten the Porto Rican’s existence.
plural of “question” — an instance of questioning
From this reading Imagination embroidered upon the situation and asked questions not the less disturbing because they were unanswerable.
REVOLVERnounUS /rɪˈvɑːlvər/
a pistol with a revolving cylinder (usually having six chambers for bullets)
From this reading THE REVOLVER Three days later, in a pink and pearl dawn, they passed the Virgin Islands, their shoals and sand spits.
Rican's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Not a word had been said by Sagesse about Pedro, and Gaspard imagined that the captain held off the subject under the impression that he (Gaspard) had forgotten the Porto Rican’s existence.
Sagesse
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Not a word had been said by Sagesse about Pedro, and Gaspard imagined that the captain held off the subject under the impression that he (Gaspard) had forgotten the Porto Rican’s existence.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading Not a word had been said by Sagesse about Pedro, and Gaspard imagined that the captain held off the subject under the impression that he (Gaspard) had forgotten the Porto Rican’s existence.
a loose material consisting of grains of rock or coral
From this reading THE REVOLVER Three days later, in a pink and pearl dawn, they passed the Virgin Islands, their shoals and sand spits.
a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
From this reading By eight o’clock the islands were just palms low down on the sea, swimming in an azure haze; they had vanished completely before noon.
shoalsnounUS /ʃoʊlz/
plural of “shoal” — a sandbank in a stretch of water that is visible at low tide
From this reading THE REVOLVER Three days later, in a pink and pearl dawn, they passed the Virgin Islands, their shoals and sand spits.
the general state of things; the combination of circumstances at a given time
From this reading Imagination embroidered upon the situation and asked questions not the less disturbing because they were unanswerable.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading There was something almost uncanny in this vanishing of a man and the utter indifference of all on board.
spitsnounUS /spɪts/
plural of “spit” — a narrow strip of land that juts out into the sea
From this reading THE REVOLVER Three days later, in a pink and pearl dawn, they passed the Virgin Islands, their shoals and sand spits.
the subject matter of a conversation or discussion
From this reading Not a word had been said by Sagesse about Pedro, and Gaspard imagined that the captain held off the subject under the impression that he (Gaspard) had forgotten the Porto Rican’s existence.
swimmingnounUS /ˈswɪmɪŋ/
the act of swimming
From this reading By eight o’clock the islands were just palms low down on the sea, swimming in an azure haze; they had vanished completely before noon.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Not a word had been said by Sagesse about Pedro, and Gaspard imagined that the captain held off the subject under the impression that he (Gaspard) had forgotten the Porto Rican’s existence.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE REVOLVER Three days later, in a pink and pearl dawn, they passed the Virgin Islands, their shoals and sand spits.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading THE REVOLVER Three days later, in a pink and pearl dawn, they passed the Virgin Islands, their shoals and sand spits.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was something almost uncanny in this vanishing of a man and the utter indifference of all on board.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading THE REVOLVER Three days later, in a pink and pearl dawn, they passed the Virgin Islands, their shoals and sand spits.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading There was something almost uncanny in this vanishing of a man and the utter indifference of all on board.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading THE REVOLVER Three days later, in a pink and pearl dawn, they passed the Virgin Islands, their shoals and sand spits.
unanswerableadjectiveUS /ˌʌˈnænsərəbəl/
impossible to answer
From this reading Imagination embroidered upon the situation and asked questions not the less disturbing because they were unanswerable.
uncannyadjectiveUS /ənˈkæni/
suggesting the operation of supernatural influences
From this reading There was something almost uncanny in this vanishing of a man and the utter indifference of all on board.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading Not a word had been said by Sagesse about Pedro, and Gaspard imagined that the captain held off the subject under the impression that he (Gaspard) had forgotten the Porto Rican’s existence.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Imagination embroidered upon the situation and asked questions not the less disturbing because they were unanswerable.
articulate; either verbally or with a cry, shout, or noise
From this reading There was something almost uncanny in this vanishing of a man and the utter indifference of all on board.
having passed out of existence
From this reading By eight o’clock the islands were just palms low down on the sea, swimming in an azure haze; they had vanished completely before noon.
vanishingnounUS /ˈvænɪʃɪŋ/
a sudden or mysterious disappearance
From this reading There was something almost uncanny in this vanishing of a man and the utter indifference of all on board.
VirginnounUS /ˈvɜːrdʒɪn/
a person who has never had sex
From this reading THE REVOLVER Three days later, in a pink and pearl dawn, they passed the Virgin Islands, their shoals and sand spits.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There was something almost uncanny in this vanishing of a man and the utter indifference of all on board.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading By eight o’clock the islands were just palms low down on the sea, swimming in an azure haze; they had vanished completely before noon.
a unit of language that native speakers can identify
From this reading Not a word had been said by Sagesse about Pedro, and Gaspard imagined that the captain held off the subject under the impression that he (Gaspard) had forgotten the Porto Rican’s existence.
