used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A certain point gained, at a signal from our host we struck out into the open, and rowed swiftly toward the edge of the marsh.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading We reached the fringe of rushes; with a prolonged hissing sound the boat pushed through them; a flight of water-fowl rose, whirring and clapping about us, and we floated out into a dim misty lake, whose shores and surface stretched away on every side, alike dark, shifting, and uncertain.
equally
From this reading We reached the fringe of rushes; with a prolonged hissing sound the boat pushed through them; a flight of water-fowl rose, whirring and clapping about us, and we floated out into a dim misty lake, whose shores and surface stretched away on every side, alike dark, shifting, and uncertain.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading We coasted along in this silent fashion, nearly as far as the hamlet and bridge, following, but farther inshore, the course which Master Lindstrom and I had taken when on our way to bury the Spaniard.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading We coasted along in this silent fashion, nearly as far as the hamlet and bridge, following, but farther inshore, the course which Master Lindstrom and I had taken when on our way to bury the Spaniard.
ANNE'SnounUS /ænz/
possessive form of “anne” — Queen of England and Scotland and Ireland; daughter if James II and the last of the Stuart monarchs; in 1707 she was the last English ruler to exercise the royal veto over parliament (1665-1714)
From this reading ANNE'S PETITION.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading We coasted along in this silent fashion, nearly as far as the hamlet and bridge, following, but farther inshore, the course which Master Lindstrom and I had taken when on our way to bury the Spaniard.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading A certain point gained, at a signal from our host we struck out into the open, and rowed swiftly toward the edge of the marsh.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading We reached the fringe of rushes; with a prolonged hissing sound the boat pushed through them; a flight of water-fowl rose, whirring and clapping about us, and we floated out into a dim misty lake, whose shores and surface stretched away on every side, alike dark, shifting, and uncertain.
a small vessel for travel on water
From this reading We reached the fringe of rushes; with a prolonged hissing sound the boat pushed through them; a flight of water-fowl rose, whirring and clapping about us, and we floated out into a dim misty lake, whose shores and surface stretched away on every side, alike dark, shifting, and uncertain.
a structure that allows people or vehicles to cross an obstacle such as a river or canal or railway etc.
From this reading We coasted along in this silent fashion, nearly as far as the hamlet and bridge, following, but farther inshore, the course which Master Lindstrom and I had taken when on our way to bury the Spaniard.
buryverbUS /ˈberi/
cover from sight
From this reading We coasted along in this silent fashion, nearly as far as the hamlet and bridge, following, but farther inshore, the course which Master Lindstrom and I had taken when on our way to bury the Spaniard.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading We coasted along in this silent fashion, nearly as far as the hamlet and bridge, following, but farther inshore, the course which Master Lindstrom and I had taken when on our way to bury the Spaniard.
definite but not specified or identified
From this reading A certain point gained, at a signal from our host we struck out into the open, and rowed swiftly toward the edge of the marsh.
clappingnounUS /ˈklæpɪŋ/
a demonstration of approval by clapping the hands together
From this reading We reached the fringe of rushes; with a prolonged hissing sound the boat pushed through them; a flight of water-fowl rose, whirring and clapping about us, and we floated out into a dim misty lake, whose shores and surface stretched away on every side, alike dark, shifting, and uncertain.
coastedverbUS /ˈkoʊstɪd/
past form of “coast” — move effortlessly; by force of gravity
From this reading We coasted along in this silent fashion, nearly as far as the hamlet and bridge, following, but farther inshore, the course which Master Lindstrom and I had taken when on our way to bury the Spaniard.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading This was the critical moment; but, so far as we could learn, our passage was unnoticed.
education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings
From this reading We coasted along in this silent fashion, nearly as far as the hamlet and bridge, following, but farther inshore, the course which Master Lindstrom and I had taken when on our way to bury the Spaniard.
criticaladjectiveUS /ˈkrɪtɪkəl/
marked by a tendency to find and call attention to errors and flaws
From this reading This was the critical moment; but, so far as we could learn, our passage was unnoticed.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading We reached the fringe of rushes; with a prolonged hissing sound the boat pushed through them; a flight of water-fowl rose, whirring and clapping about us, and we floated out into a dim misty lake, whose shores and surface stretched away on every side, alike dark, shifting, and uncertain.
lacking in light; not bright or harsh
From this reading We reached the fringe of rushes; with a prolonged hissing sound the boat pushed through them; a flight of water-fowl rose, whirring and clapping about us, and we floated out into a dim misty lake, whose shores and surface stretched away on every side, alike dark, shifting, and uncertain.
the boundary of a surface
From this reading A certain point gained, at a signal from our host we struck out into the open, and rowed swiftly toward the edge of the marsh.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading We reached the fringe of rushes; with a prolonged hissing sound the boat pushed through them; a flight of water-fowl rose, whirring and clapping about us, and we floated out into a dim misty lake, whose shores and surface stretched away on every side, alike dark, shifting, and uncertain.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading We coasted along in this silent fashion, nearly as far as the hamlet and bridge, following, but farther inshore, the course which Master Lindstrom and I had taken when on our way to bury the Spaniard.
more distant in especially space or time
From this reading We coasted along in this silent fashion, nearly as far as the hamlet and bridge, following, but farther inshore, the course which Master Lindstrom and I had taken when on our way to bury the Spaniard.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading We coasted along in this silent fashion, nearly as far as the hamlet and bridge, following, but farther inshore, the course which Master Lindstrom and I had taken when on our way to bury the Spaniard.
a formation of aircraft in flight
From this reading We reached the fringe of rushes; with a prolonged hissing sound the boat pushed through them; a flight of water-fowl rose, whirring and clapping about us, and we floated out into a dim misty lake, whose shores and surface stretched away on every side, alike dark, shifting, and uncertain.
floatedverbUS /ˈfloʊtəd/
past form of “float” — be in motion due to some air or water current
From this reading We reached the fringe of rushes; with a prolonged hissing sound the boat pushed through them; a flight of water-fowl rose, whirring and clapping about us, and we floated out into a dim misty lake, whose shores and surface stretched away on every side, alike dark, shifting, and uncertain.
about to be mentioned or specified
From this reading We coasted along in this silent fashion, nearly as far as the hamlet and bridge, following, but farther inshore, the course which Master Lindstrom and I had taken when on our way to bury the Spaniard.
fringenounUS /frɪndʒ/
the outside boundary or surface of something
From this reading We reached the fringe of rushes; with a prolonged hissing sound the boat pushed through them; a flight of water-fowl rose, whirring and clapping about us, and we floated out into a dim misty lake, whose shores and surface stretched away on every side, alike dark, shifting, and uncertain.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading A certain point gained, at a signal from our host we struck out into the open, and rowed swiftly toward the edge of the marsh.
past form of “gain” — obtain
From this reading A certain point gained, at a signal from our host we struck out into the open, and rowed swiftly toward the edge of the marsh.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading We coasted along in this silent fashion, nearly as far as the hamlet and bridge, following, but farther inshore, the course which Master Lindstrom and I had taken when on our way to bury the Spaniard.
hamletnounUS /ˈhæmlət/
a community of people smaller than a village
From this reading We coasted along in this silent fashion, nearly as far as the hamlet and bridge, following, but farther inshore, the course which Master Lindstrom and I had taken when on our way to bury the Spaniard.
hissingnounUS /ˈhɪsɪŋ/
a fricative sound (especially as an expression of disapproval)
From this reading We reached the fringe of rushes; with a prolonged hissing sound the boat pushed through them; a flight of water-fowl rose, whirring and clapping about us, and we floated out into a dim misty lake, whose shores and surface stretched away on every side, alike dark, shifting, and uncertain.
a person who invites guests to a social event (such as a party in his or her own home) and who is responsible for them while they are there
From this reading A certain point gained, at a signal from our host we struck out into the open, and rowed swiftly toward the edge of the marsh.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading We coasted along in this silent fashion, nearly as far as the hamlet and bridge, following, but farther inshore, the course which Master Lindstrom and I had taken when on our way to bury the Spaniard.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading We coasted along in this silent fashion, nearly as far as the hamlet and bridge, following, but farther inshore, the course which Master Lindstrom and I had taken when on our way to bury the Spaniard.
inshoreadjectiveUS /ˈɪnˈʃɔːr/
(of winds) coming from the sea toward the land
From this reading We coasted along in this silent fashion, nearly as far as the hamlet and bridge, following, but farther inshore, the course which Master Lindstrom and I had taken when on our way to bury the Spaniard.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading A certain point gained, at a signal from our host we struck out into the open, and rowed swiftly toward the edge of the marsh.
a body of (usually fresh) water surrounded by land
From this reading We reached the fringe of rushes; with a prolonged hissing sound the boat pushed through them; a flight of water-fowl rose, whirring and clapping about us, and we floated out into a dim misty lake, whose shores and surface stretched away on every side, alike dark, shifting, and uncertain.
gain knowledge or skills
From this reading This was the critical moment; but, so far as we could learn, our passage was unnoticed.
Lindstrom
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We coasted along in this silent fashion, nearly as far as the hamlet and bridge, following, but farther inshore, the course which Master Lindstrom and I had taken when on our way to bury the Spaniard.
marshnounUS /mɑːrʃ/
low-lying wet land with grassy vegetation; usually is a transition zone between land and water
From this reading A certain point gained, at a signal from our host we struck out into the open, and rowed swiftly toward the edge of the marsh.
an artist of consummate skill
From this reading We coasted along in this silent fashion, nearly as far as the hamlet and bridge, following, but farther inshore, the course which Master Lindstrom and I had taken when on our way to bury the Spaniard.
mistyadjectiveUS /ˈmɪsti/
filled or abounding with fog or mist
From this reading We reached the fringe of rushes; with a prolonged hissing sound the boat pushed through them; a flight of water-fowl rose, whirring and clapping about us, and we floated out into a dim misty lake, whose shores and surface stretched away on every side, alike dark, shifting, and uncertain.
a particular point in time
From this reading This was the critical moment; but, so far as we could learn, our passage was unnoticed.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading We coasted along in this silent fashion, nearly as far as the hamlet and bridge, following, but farther inshore, the course which Master Lindstrom and I had taken when on our way to bury the Spaniard.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A certain point gained, at a signal from our host we struck out into the open, and rowed swiftly toward the edge of the marsh.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading We coasted along in this silent fashion, nearly as far as the hamlet and bridge, following, but farther inshore, the course which Master Lindstrom and I had taken when on our way to bury the Spaniard.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading A certain point gained, at a signal from our host we struck out into the open, and rowed swiftly toward the edge of the marsh.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading We coasted along in this silent fashion, nearly as far as the hamlet and bridge, following, but farther inshore, the course which Master Lindstrom and I had taken when on our way to bury the Spaniard.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading A certain point gained, at a signal from our host we struck out into the open, and rowed swiftly toward the edge of the marsh.
the act of passing from one state or place to the next
From this reading This was the critical moment; but, so far as we could learn, our passage was unnoticed.
PETITIONnounUS /pəˈtɪʃən/
a formal message requesting something that is submitted to an authority
From this reading ANNE'S PETITION.
a geometric element that has position but no extension
From this reading A certain point gained, at a signal from our host we struck out into the open, and rowed swiftly toward the edge of the marsh.
prolongedadjectiveUS /prəˈlɔːŋd/
relatively long in duration; tediously protracted
From this reading We reached the fringe of rushes; with a prolonged hissing sound the boat pushed through them; a flight of water-fowl rose, whirring and clapping about us, and we floated out into a dim misty lake, whose shores and surface stretched away on every side, alike dark, shifting, and uncertain.
past form of “push” — move with force
From this reading We reached the fringe of rushes; with a prolonged hissing sound the boat pushed through them; a flight of water-fowl rose, whirring and clapping about us, and we floated out into a dim misty lake, whose shores and surface stretched away on every side, alike dark, shifting, and uncertain.
past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading We reached the fringe of rushes; with a prolonged hissing sound the boat pushed through them; a flight of water-fowl rose, whirring and clapping about us, and we floated out into a dim misty lake, whose shores and surface stretched away on every side, alike dark, shifting, and uncertain.
any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading We reached the fringe of rushes; with a prolonged hissing sound the boat pushed through them; a flight of water-fowl rose, whirring and clapping about us, and we floated out into a dim misty lake, whose shores and surface stretched away on every side, alike dark, shifting, and uncertain.
rowedverbUS /roʊd/
past form of “row” — propel with oars
From this reading A certain point gained, at a signal from our host we struck out into the open, and rowed swiftly toward the edge of the marsh.
rushesnounUS /ˈrʌʃəz/
plural of “rush” — the act of moving hurriedly and in a careless manner
From this reading We reached the fringe of rushes; with a prolonged hissing sound the boat pushed through them; a flight of water-fowl rose, whirring and clapping about us, and we floated out into a dim misty lake, whose shores and surface stretched away on every side, alike dark, shifting, and uncertain.
shiftingadjectiveUS /ˈʃɪftɪŋ/
continuously varying
From this reading We reached the fringe of rushes; with a prolonged hissing sound the boat pushed through them; a flight of water-fowl rose, whirring and clapping about us, and we floated out into a dim misty lake, whose shores and surface stretched away on every side, alike dark, shifting, and uncertain.
shoresnounUS /ʃɔːrz/
plural of “shore” — the land along the edge of a body of water
From this reading We reached the fringe of rushes; with a prolonged hissing sound the boat pushed through them; a flight of water-fowl rose, whirring and clapping about us, and we floated out into a dim misty lake, whose shores and surface stretched away on every side, alike dark, shifting, and uncertain.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading We reached the fringe of rushes; with a prolonged hissing sound the boat pushed through them; a flight of water-fowl rose, whirring and clapping about us, and we floated out into a dim misty lake, whose shores and surface stretched away on every side, alike dark, shifting, and uncertain.
any nonverbal action or gesture that encodes a message
From this reading A certain point gained, at a signal from our host we struck out into the open, and rowed swiftly toward the edge of the marsh.
marked by absence of sound
From this reading We coasted along in this silent fashion, nearly as far as the hamlet and bridge, following, but farther inshore, the course which Master Lindstrom and I had taken when on our way to bury the Spaniard.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading This was the critical moment; but, so far as we could learn, our passage was unnoticed.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading We reached the fringe of rushes; with a prolonged hissing sound the boat pushed through them; a flight of water-fowl rose, whirring and clapping about us, and we floated out into a dim misty lake, whose shores and surface stretched away on every side, alike dark, shifting, and uncertain.
SpaniardnounUS /ˈspænjərd/
a native or inhabitant of Spain
From this reading We coasted along in this silent fashion, nearly as far as the hamlet and bridge, following, but farther inshore, the course which Master Lindstrom and I had taken when on our way to bury the Spaniard.
(of muscles) relieved of stiffness by stretching
From this reading We reached the fringe of rushes; with a prolonged hissing sound the boat pushed through them; a flight of water-fowl rose, whirring and clapping about us, and we floated out into a dim misty lake, whose shores and surface stretched away on every side, alike dark, shifting, and uncertain.
(used in combination) affected by something overwhelming
From this reading A certain point gained, at a signal from our host we struck out into the open, and rowed swiftly toward the edge of the marsh.
the outer boundary of an artifact or a material layer constituting or resembling such a boundary
From this reading We reached the fringe of rushes; with a prolonged hissing sound the boat pushed through them; a flight of water-fowl rose, whirring and clapping about us, and we floated out into a dim misty lake, whose shores and surface stretched away on every side, alike dark, shifting, and uncertain.
in a swift manner
From this reading A certain point gained, at a signal from our host we struck out into the open, and rowed swiftly toward the edge of the marsh.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading We coasted along in this silent fashion, nearly as far as the hamlet and bridge, following, but farther inshore, the course which Master Lindstrom and I had taken when on our way to bury the Spaniard.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading We coasted along in this silent fashion, nearly as far as the hamlet and bridge, following, but farther inshore, the course which Master Lindstrom and I had taken when on our way to bury the Spaniard.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading We reached the fringe of rushes; with a prolonged hissing sound the boat pushed through them; a flight of water-fowl rose, whirring and clapping about us, and we floated out into a dim misty lake, whose shores and surface stretched away on every side, alike dark, shifting, and uncertain.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading We coasted along in this silent fashion, nearly as far as the hamlet and bridge, following, but farther inshore, the course which Master Lindstrom and I had taken when on our way to bury the Spaniard.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading We reached the fringe of rushes; with a prolonged hissing sound the boat pushed through them; a flight of water-fowl rose, whirring and clapping about us, and we floated out into a dim misty lake, whose shores and surface stretched away on every side, alike dark, shifting, and uncertain.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading We coasted along in this silent fashion, nearly as far as the hamlet and bridge, following, but farther inshore, the course which Master Lindstrom and I had taken when on our way to bury the Spaniard.
towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/
in the direction of
From this reading A certain point gained, at a signal from our host we struck out into the open, and rowed swiftly toward the edge of the marsh.
uncertainadjectiveUS /ənˈsɜːrtən/
lacking or indicating lack of confidence or assurance
From this reading We reached the fringe of rushes; with a prolonged hissing sound the boat pushed through them; a flight of water-fowl rose, whirring and clapping about us, and we floated out into a dim misty lake, whose shores and surface stretched away on every side, alike dark, shifting, and uncertain.
unnoticedadjectiveUS /ənˈnoʊtɪst/
not noticed
From this reading This was the critical moment; but, so far as we could learn, our passage was unnoticed.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading We reached the fringe of rushes; with a prolonged hissing sound the boat pushed through them; a flight of water-fowl rose, whirring and clapping about us, and we floated out into a dim misty lake, whose shores and surface stretched away on every side, alike dark, shifting, and uncertain.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading This was the critical moment; but, so far as we could learn, our passage was unnoticed.
water-fowl
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We reached the fringe of rushes; with a prolonged hissing sound the boat pushed through them; a flight of water-fowl rose, whirring and clapping about us, and we floated out into a dim misty lake, whose shores and surface stretched away on every side, alike dark, shifting, and uncertain.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading We coasted along in this silent fashion, nearly as far as the hamlet and bridge, following, but farther inshore, the course which Master Lindstrom and I had taken when on our way to bury the Spaniard.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading We coasted along in this silent fashion, nearly as far as the hamlet and bridge, following, but farther inshore, the course which Master Lindstrom and I had taken when on our way to bury the Spaniard.
at the time that
From this reading We coasted along in this silent fashion, nearly as far as the hamlet and bridge, following, but farther inshore, the course which Master Lindstrom and I had taken when on our way to bury the Spaniard.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading We coasted along in this silent fashion, nearly as far as the hamlet and bridge, following, but farther inshore, the course which Master Lindstrom and I had taken when on our way to bury the Spaniard.
whirringnounUS /ˈwɜːrɪŋ/
sound of something in rapid motion
From this reading We reached the fringe of rushes; with a prolonged hissing sound the boat pushed through them; a flight of water-fowl rose, whirring and clapping about us, and we floated out into a dim misty lake, whose shores and surface stretched away on every side, alike dark, shifting, and uncertain.
belonging to which person
From this reading We reached the fringe of rushes; with a prolonged hissing sound the boat pushed through them; a flight of water-fowl rose, whirring and clapping about us, and we floated out into a dim misty lake, whose shores and surface stretched away on every side, alike dark, shifting, and uncertain.
in the company of; together with
From this reading We reached the fringe of rushes; with a prolonged hissing sound the boat pushed through them; a flight of water-fowl rose, whirring and clapping about us, and we floated out into a dim misty lake, whose shores and surface stretched away on every side, alike dark, shifting, and uncertain.
