adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading I already knew several words of the sweet and liquid language of Oceanica, and often in my dreams I saw the exquisite island he described and roamed over it; it haunted my imagination as does a chimerical realm, ardently desired, but as inaccessible as if situated upon another planet.
addressedadjectiveUS /əˈdrest/
(of mail) marked with a destination
From this reading During my visit to my cousins my father forwarded me a letter from my brother addressed to me.
alreadyadverbUS /ɔːlˈredi/
prior to a specified or implied time
From this reading I already knew several words of the sweet and liquid language of Oceanica, and often in my dreams I saw the exquisite island he described and roamed over it; it haunted my imagination as does a chimerical realm, ardently desired, but as inaccessible as if situated upon another planet.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Some of them were written particularly for me, and these were long, and filled with never-to-be-forgotten descriptions.
anotherdeterminerUS /əˈnʌðər/
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading I already knew several words of the sweet and liquid language of Oceanica, and often in my dreams I saw the exquisite island he described and roamed over it; it haunted my imagination as does a chimerical realm, ardently desired, but as inaccessible as if situated upon another planet.
ardentlyadverbUS /ˈɑːrdəntli/
in an ardent manner
From this reading I already knew several words of the sweet and liquid language of Oceanica, and often in my dreams I saw the exquisite island he described and roamed over it; it haunted my imagination as does a chimerical realm, ardently desired, but as inaccessible as if situated upon another planet.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading I already knew several words of the sweet and liquid language of Oceanica, and often in my dreams I saw the exquisite island he described and roamed over it; it haunted my imagination as does a chimerical realm, ardently desired, but as inaccessible as if situated upon another planet.
boundadjectiveUS /baʊnd/
confined by bonds
From this reading My brother's letters, written close on very fine paper, continued to reach us from time to time; he could only send them to us by sailing vessels bound in our direction which lay-to in that part of the world where he was stationed.
brothernounUS /ˈbrʌðər/
a male with the same parents as someone else
From this reading During my visit to my cousins my father forwarded me a letter from my brother addressed to me.
brother'snounUS /ˈbrʌðərz/
possessive form of “brother” — a male with the same parents as someone else
From this reading My brother's letters, written close on very fine paper, continued to reach us from time to time; he could only send them to us by sailing vessels bound in our direction which lay-to in that part of the world where he was stationed.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading I already knew several words of the sweet and liquid language of Oceanica, and often in my dreams I saw the exquisite island he described and roamed over it; it haunted my imagination as does a chimerical realm, ardently desired, but as inaccessible as if situated upon another planet.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading My brother's letters, written close on very fine paper, continued to reach us from time to time; he could only send them to us by sailing vessels bound in our direction which lay-to in that part of the world where he was stationed.
chimericaladjectiveUS /kɪˈmerəkəl/
being or relating to or like a chimera
From this reading I already knew several words of the sweet and liquid language of Oceanica, and often in my dreams I saw the exquisite island he described and roamed over it; it haunted my imagination as does a chimerical realm, ardently desired, but as inaccessible as if situated upon another planet.
closeadjectiveUS /kloʊs/
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading My brother's letters, written close on very fine paper, continued to reach us from time to time; he could only send them to us by sailing vessels bound in our direction which lay-to in that part of the world where he was stationed.
continuedadjectiveUS /kənˈtɪnjuːd/
without stop or interruption
From this reading My brother's letters, written close on very fine paper, continued to reach us from time to time; he could only send them to us by sailing vessels bound in our direction which lay-to in that part of the world where he was stationed.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading My brother's letters, written close on very fine paper, continued to reach us from time to time; he could only send them to us by sailing vessels bound in our direction which lay-to in that part of the world where he was stationed.
cousinsnounUS /ˈkʌzənz/
plural of “cousin” — the child of your aunt or uncle
From this reading During my visit to my cousins my father forwarded me a letter from my brother addressed to me.
describedadjectiveUS /dɪˈskraɪbd/
represented in words especially with sharpness and detail
From this reading I already knew several words of the sweet and liquid language of Oceanica, and often in my dreams I saw the exquisite island he described and roamed over it; it haunted my imagination as does a chimerical realm, ardently desired, but as inaccessible as if situated upon another planet.
descriptionsnounUS /dɪˈskrɪpʃənz/
plural of “description” — a statement that represents something in words
From this reading Some of them were written particularly for me, and these were long, and filled with never-to-be-forgotten descriptions.
desiredadjectiveUS /dɪˈzaɪərd/
wanted intensely
From this reading I already knew several words of the sweet and liquid language of Oceanica, and often in my dreams I saw the exquisite island he described and roamed over it; it haunted my imagination as does a chimerical realm, ardently desired, but as inaccessible as if situated upon another planet.
directionnounUS /dərˈekʃən/
a line leading to a place or point
From this reading My brother's letters, written close on very fine paper, continued to reach us from time to time; he could only send them to us by sailing vessels bound in our direction which lay-to in that part of the world where he was stationed.
doesauxiliary verbUS /dʌz/
the form of “do” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading I already knew several words of the sweet and liquid language of Oceanica, and often in my dreams I saw the exquisite island he described and roamed over it; it haunted my imagination as does a chimerical realm, ardently desired, but as inaccessible as if situated upon another planet.
dreamsnounUS /driːmz/
plural of “dream” — a series of mental images and emotions occurring during sleep
From this reading I already knew several words of the sweet and liquid language of Oceanica, and often in my dreams I saw the exquisite island he described and roamed over it; it haunted my imagination as does a chimerical realm, ardently desired, but as inaccessible as if situated upon another planet.
dryingverbUS /ˈdraɪɪŋ/
-ing form of “dry” — remove the moisture from and make dry
From this reading I went up to the garret roof, on the side where the plums were drying, to read it.
DuringprepositionUS /ˈdʊrɪŋ/
all through a period, or at some point within it
From this reading During my visit to my cousins my father forwarded me a letter from my brother addressed to me.
exquisiteadjectiveUS /ˈekskwəzət/
intense or sharp
From this reading I already knew several words of the sweet and liquid language of Oceanica, and often in my dreams I saw the exquisite island he described and roamed over it; it haunted my imagination as does a chimerical realm, ardently desired, but as inaccessible as if situated upon another planet.
fathernounUS /ˈfɑːðər/
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading During my visit to my cousins my father forwarded me a letter from my brother addressed to me.
filledadjectiveUS /fɪld/
(usually followed by “with” or used as a combining form) generously supplied with
From this reading Some of them were written particularly for me, and these were long, and filled with never-to-be-forgotten descriptions.
fineadjectiveUS /faɪn/
being satisfactory or in satisfactory condition
From this reading My brother's letters, written close on very fine paper, continued to reach us from time to time; he could only send them to us by sailing vessels bound in our direction which lay-to in that part of the world where he was stationed.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Some of them were written particularly for me, and these were long, and filled with never-to-be-forgotten descriptions.
forwardedverbUS /ˈfɔːrwərdɪd/
past form of “forward” — send or ship onward from an intermediate post or station in transit
From this reading During my visit to my cousins my father forwarded me a letter from my brother addressed to me.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading My brother's letters, written close on very fine paper, continued to reach us from time to time; he could only send them to us by sailing vessels bound in our direction which lay-to in that part of the world where he was stationed.
garretnounUS /ˈɡerɪt/
floor consisting of open space at the top of a house just below roof; often used for storage
From this reading I went up to the garret roof, on the side where the plums were drying, to read it.
hauntedadjectiveUS /ˈhɔːntɪd/
having or showing excessive or compulsive concern with something
From this reading I already knew several words of the sweet and liquid language of Oceanica, and often in my dreams I saw the exquisite island he described and roamed over it; it haunted my imagination as does a chimerical realm, ardently desired, but as inaccessible as if situated upon another planet.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading My brother's letters, written close on very fine paper, continued to reach us from time to time; he could only send them to us by sailing vessels bound in our direction which lay-to in that part of the world where he was stationed.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I already knew several words of the sweet and liquid language of Oceanica, and often in my dreams I saw the exquisite island he described and roamed over it; it haunted my imagination as does a chimerical realm, ardently desired, but as inaccessible as if situated upon another planet.
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading I already knew several words of the sweet and liquid language of Oceanica, and often in my dreams I saw the exquisite island he described and roamed over it; it haunted my imagination as does a chimerical realm, ardently desired, but as inaccessible as if situated upon another planet.
imaginationnounUS /ˌɪmædʒəˈneɪʃən/
the formation of a mental image of something that is not perceived as real and is not present to the senses
From this reading I already knew several words of the sweet and liquid language of Oceanica, and often in my dreams I saw the exquisite island he described and roamed over it; it haunted my imagination as does a chimerical realm, ardently desired, but as inaccessible as if situated upon another planet.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading My brother's letters, written close on very fine paper, continued to reach us from time to time; he could only send them to us by sailing vessels bound in our direction which lay-to in that part of the world where he was stationed.
inaccessibleadjectiveUS /ˌɪnəkˈsesəbəl/
capable of being reached only with great difficulty or not at all
From this reading I already knew several words of the sweet and liquid language of Oceanica, and often in my dreams I saw the exquisite island he described and roamed over it; it haunted my imagination as does a chimerical realm, ardently desired, but as inaccessible as if situated upon another planet.
islandnounUS /ˈaɪlənd/
a land mass (smaller than a continent) that is surrounded by water
From this reading I already knew several words of the sweet and liquid language of Oceanica, and often in my dreams I saw the exquisite island he described and roamed over it; it haunted my imagination as does a chimerical realm, ardently desired, but as inaccessible as if situated upon another planet.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading I already knew several words of the sweet and liquid language of Oceanica, and often in my dreams I saw the exquisite island he described and roamed over it; it haunted my imagination as does a chimerical realm, ardently desired, but as inaccessible as if situated upon another planet.
knewverbUS /nuː/
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading I already knew several words of the sweet and liquid language of Oceanica, and often in my dreams I saw the exquisite island he described and roamed over it; it haunted my imagination as does a chimerical realm, ardently desired, but as inaccessible as if situated upon another planet.
languagenounUS /ˈlæŋɡwədʒ/
a systematic means of communicating by the use of sounds or conventional symbols
From this reading I already knew several words of the sweet and liquid language of Oceanica, and often in my dreams I saw the exquisite island he described and roamed over it; it haunted my imagination as does a chimerical realm, ardently desired, but as inaccessible as if situated upon another planet.
lay-to
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My brother's letters, written close on very fine paper, continued to reach us from time to time; he could only send them to us by sailing vessels bound in our direction which lay-to in that part of the world where he was stationed.
letternounUS /ˈletər/
a written message addressed to a person or organization
From this reading During my visit to my cousins my father forwarded me a letter from my brother addressed to me.
lettersnounUS /ˈletərz/
the literary culture
From this reading My brother's letters, written close on very fine paper, continued to reach us from time to time; he could only send them to us by sailing vessels bound in our direction which lay-to in that part of the world where he was stationed.
liquidadjectiveUS /ˈlɪkwəd/
existing as or having characteristics of a liquid; especially tending to flow
From this reading I already knew several words of the sweet and liquid language of Oceanica, and often in my dreams I saw the exquisite island he described and roamed over it; it haunted my imagination as does a chimerical realm, ardently desired, but as inaccessible as if situated upon another planet.
longadjectiveUS /lɔːŋ/
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading Some of them were written particularly for me, and these were long, and filled with never-to-be-forgotten descriptions.
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Some of them were written particularly for me, and these were long, and filled with never-to-be-forgotten descriptions.
MydeterminerUS /maɪ/
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading My brother's letters, written close on very fine paper, continued to reach us from time to time; he could only send them to us by sailing vessels bound in our direction which lay-to in that part of the world where he was stationed.
never-to-be-forgotten
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Some of them were written particularly for me, and these were long, and filled with never-to-be-forgotten descriptions.
Oceanicanoun
a large group of islands in the south Pacific including Melanesia and Micronesia and Polynesia (and sometimes Australasia and the Malay Archipelago)
From this reading I already knew several words of the sweet and liquid language of Oceanica, and often in my dreams I saw the exquisite island he described and roamed over it; it haunted my imagination as does a chimerical realm, ardently desired, but as inaccessible as if situated upon another planet.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading My brother's letters, written close on very fine paper, continued to reach us from time to time; he could only send them to us by sailing vessels bound in our direction which lay-to in that part of the world where he was stationed.
oftenadverbUS /ˈɔːfən/
many times at short intervals
From this reading I already knew several words of the sweet and liquid language of Oceanica, and often in my dreams I saw the exquisite island he described and roamed over it; it haunted my imagination as does a chimerical realm, ardently desired, but as inaccessible as if situated upon another planet.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading My brother's letters, written close on very fine paper, continued to reach us from time to time; he could only send them to us by sailing vessels bound in our direction which lay-to in that part of the world where he was stationed.
onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/
and nothing more
From this reading My brother's letters, written close on very fine paper, continued to reach us from time to time; he could only send them to us by sailing vessels bound in our direction which lay-to in that part of the world where he was stationed.
ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading My brother's letters, written close on very fine paper, continued to reach us from time to time; he could only send them to us by sailing vessels bound in our direction which lay-to in that part of the world where he was stationed.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading I already knew several words of the sweet and liquid language of Oceanica, and often in my dreams I saw the exquisite island he described and roamed over it; it haunted my imagination as does a chimerical realm, ardently desired, but as inaccessible as if situated upon another planet.
papernounUS /ˈpeɪpər/
a material made of cellulose pulp derived mainly from wood or rags or certain grasses
From this reading My brother's letters, written close on very fine paper, continued to reach us from time to time; he could only send them to us by sailing vessels bound in our direction which lay-to in that part of the world where he was stationed.
partnounUS /pɑːrt/
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading My brother's letters, written close on very fine paper, continued to reach us from time to time; he could only send them to us by sailing vessels bound in our direction which lay-to in that part of the world where he was stationed.
particularlyadverbUS /ˌpɑːrˈtɪkjələrli/
to a distinctly greater extent or degree than is common
From this reading Some of them were written particularly for me, and these were long, and filled with never-to-be-forgotten descriptions.
planetnounUS /ˈplænət/
(astronomy) any of the nine large celestial bodies in the solar system that revolve around the sun and shine by reflected light
From this reading I already knew several words of the sweet and liquid language of Oceanica, and often in my dreams I saw the exquisite island he described and roamed over it; it haunted my imagination as does a chimerical realm, ardently desired, but as inaccessible as if situated upon another planet.
plumsnounUS /plʌmz/
plural of “plum” — any of several trees producing edible oval fruit having a smooth skin and a single hard stone
From this reading I went up to the garret roof, on the side where the plums were drying, to read it.
reachverbUS /riːtʃ/
reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading My brother's letters, written close on very fine paper, continued to reach us from time to time; he could only send them to us by sailing vessels bound in our direction which lay-to in that part of the world where he was stationed.
readverbUS /red/
interpret something that is written or printed
From this reading I went up to the garret roof, on the side where the plums were drying, to read it.
realmnounUS /relm/
a domain in which something is dominant
From this reading I already knew several words of the sweet and liquid language of Oceanica, and often in my dreams I saw the exquisite island he described and roamed over it; it haunted my imagination as does a chimerical realm, ardently desired, but as inaccessible as if situated upon another planet.
roamedverbUS /roʊmd/
past form of “roam” — move about aimlessly or without any destination, often in search of food or employment
From this reading I already knew several words of the sweet and liquid language of Oceanica, and often in my dreams I saw the exquisite island he described and roamed over it; it haunted my imagination as does a chimerical realm, ardently desired, but as inaccessible as if situated upon another planet.
roofnounUS /ruːf/
a protective covering that covers or forms the top of a building
From this reading I went up to the garret roof, on the side where the plums were drying, to read it.
sailingnounUS /ˈseɪlɪŋ/
the work of a sailor
From this reading My brother's letters, written close on very fine paper, continued to reach us from time to time; he could only send them to us by sailing vessels bound in our direction which lay-to in that part of the world where he was stationed.
sawverbUS /sɔː/
cut with a saw
From this reading I already knew several words of the sweet and liquid language of Oceanica, and often in my dreams I saw the exquisite island he described and roamed over it; it haunted my imagination as does a chimerical realm, ardently desired, but as inaccessible as if situated upon another planet.
sendverbUS /send/
cause to go somewhere
From this reading My brother's letters, written close on very fine paper, continued to reach us from time to time; he could only send them to us by sailing vessels bound in our direction which lay-to in that part of the world where he was stationed.
severaladjectiveUS /ˈsevrəl/
(used with count nouns) of an indefinite number more than 2 or 3 but not many
From this reading I already knew several words of the sweet and liquid language of Oceanica, and often in my dreams I saw the exquisite island he described and roamed over it; it haunted my imagination as does a chimerical realm, ardently desired, but as inaccessible as if situated upon another planet.
sidenounUS /saɪd/
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading I went up to the garret roof, on the side where the plums were drying, to read it.
situatedadjectiveUS /ˈsɪtʃuːeɪtɪd/
situated in a particular spot or position
From this reading I already knew several words of the sweet and liquid language of Oceanica, and often in my dreams I saw the exquisite island he described and roamed over it; it haunted my imagination as does a chimerical realm, ardently desired, but as inaccessible as if situated upon another planet.
SomeadjectiveUS /sʌm/
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Some of them were written particularly for me, and these were long, and filled with never-to-be-forgotten descriptions.
stationedverbUS /ˈsteɪʃənd/
past form of “station” — assign to a station
From this reading My brother's letters, written close on very fine paper, continued to reach us from time to time; he could only send them to us by sailing vessels bound in our direction which lay-to in that part of the world where he was stationed.
sweetadjectiveUS /swiːt/
having or denoting the characteristic taste of sugar
From this reading I already knew several words of the sweet and liquid language of Oceanica, and often in my dreams I saw the exquisite island he described and roamed over it; it haunted my imagination as does a chimerical realm, ardently desired, but as inaccessible as if situated upon another planet.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading My brother's letters, written close on very fine paper, continued to reach us from time to time; he could only send them to us by sailing vessels bound in our direction which lay-to in that part of the world where he was stationed.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading My brother's letters, written close on very fine paper, continued to reach us from time to time; he could only send them to us by sailing vessels bound in our direction which lay-to in that part of the world where he was stationed.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading My brother's letters, written close on very fine paper, continued to reach us from time to time; he could only send them to us by sailing vessels bound in our direction which lay-to in that part of the world where he was stationed.
thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading Some of them were written particularly for me, and these were long, and filled with never-to-be-forgotten descriptions.
timenounUS /taɪm/
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading My brother's letters, written close on very fine paper, continued to reach us from time to time; he could only send them to us by sailing vessels bound in our direction which lay-to in that part of the world where he was stationed.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading My brother's letters, written close on very fine paper, continued to reach us from time to time; he could only send them to us by sailing vessels bound in our direction which lay-to in that part of the world where he was stationed.
upadjectiveUS /ʌp/
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading I went up to the garret roof, on the side where the plums were drying, to read it.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading I already knew several words of the sweet and liquid language of Oceanica, and often in my dreams I saw the exquisite island he described and roamed over it; it haunted my imagination as does a chimerical realm, ardently desired, but as inaccessible as if situated upon another planet.
uspronounUS /ʌs/
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading My brother's letters, written close on very fine paper, continued to reach us from time to time; he could only send them to us by sailing vessels bound in our direction which lay-to in that part of the world where he was stationed.
veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/
precisely as stated
From this reading My brother's letters, written close on very fine paper, continued to reach us from time to time; he could only send them to us by sailing vessels bound in our direction which lay-to in that part of the world where he was stationed.
vesselsnounUS /ˈvesəlz/
plural of “vessel” — a tube in which a body fluid circulates
From this reading My brother's letters, written close on very fine paper, continued to reach us from time to time; he could only send them to us by sailing vessels bound in our direction which lay-to in that part of the world where he was stationed.
visitverbUS /ˈvɪzɪt/
go to see a place, as for entertainment
From this reading During my visit to my cousins my father forwarded me a letter from my brother addressed to me.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading My brother's letters, written close on very fine paper, continued to reach us from time to time; he could only send them to us by sailing vessels bound in our direction which lay-to in that part of the world where he was stationed.
wentverbUS /went/
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading I went up to the garret roof, on the side where the plums were drying, to read it.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Some of them were written particularly for me, and these were long, and filled with never-to-be-forgotten descriptions.
whereconjunctionUS /wer/
in or at the place that
From this reading My brother's letters, written close on very fine paper, continued to reach us from time to time; he could only send them to us by sailing vessels bound in our direction which lay-to in that part of the world where he was stationed.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading My brother's letters, written close on very fine paper, continued to reach us from time to time; he could only send them to us by sailing vessels bound in our direction which lay-to in that part of the world where he was stationed.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading Some of them were written particularly for me, and these were long, and filled with never-to-be-forgotten descriptions.
wordsnounUS /wɜːrdz/
the words that are spoken
From this reading I already knew several words of the sweet and liquid language of Oceanica, and often in my dreams I saw the exquisite island he described and roamed over it; it haunted my imagination as does a chimerical realm, ardently desired, but as inaccessible as if situated upon another planet.
worldnounUS /wɜːrld/
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading My brother's letters, written close on very fine paper, continued to reach us from time to time; he could only send them to us by sailing vessels bound in our direction which lay-to in that part of the world where he was stationed.
writtenadjectiveUS /ˈrɪtən/
set down in writing in any of various ways
From this reading My brother's letters, written close on very fine paper, continued to reach us from time to time; he could only send them to us by sailing vessels bound in our direction which lay-to in that part of the world where he was stationed.
