used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading FIRE AND WATER The raft was now nearing the northwestern shore of the lake, and luckily its course seemed to carry it into a wide bay, where it would be somewhat sheltered from the weather.
(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 The raft seemed to have lost a third of its area, and all around could be seen floating masses of the soft-wood cribs, which had mostly spilled their walnut loose.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading But Tom looked at it almost indifferently.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading FIRE AND WATER The raft was now nearing the northwestern shore of the lake, and luckily its course seemed to carry it into a wide bay, where it would be somewhat sheltered from the weather.
areanounUS /ˈeriə/
a particular geographical region of indefinite boundary (usually serving some special purpose or distinguished by its people or culture or geography)
From this reading The raft seemed to have lost a third of its area, and all around could be seen floating masses of the soft-wood cribs, which had mostly spilled their walnut loose.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading The raft seemed to have lost a third of its area, and all around could be seen floating masses of the soft-wood cribs, which had mostly spilled their walnut loose.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading But Tom looked at it almost indifferently.
an indentation of a shoreline larger than a cove but smaller than a gulf
From this reading FIRE AND WATER The raft was now nearing the northwestern shore of the lake, and luckily its course seemed to carry it into a wide bay, where it would be somewhat sheltered from the weather.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading FIRE AND WATER The raft was now nearing the northwestern shore of the lake, and luckily its course seemed to carry it into a wide bay, where it would be somewhat sheltered from the weather.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But Tom looked at it almost indifferently.
move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body
From this reading FIRE AND WATER The raft was now nearing the northwestern shore of the lake, and luckily its course seemed to carry it into a wide bay, where it would be somewhat sheltered from the weather.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading The raft seemed to have lost a third of its area, and all around could be seen floating masses of the soft-wood cribs, which had mostly spilled their walnut loose.
education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings
From this reading FIRE AND WATER The raft was now nearing the northwestern shore of the lake, and luckily its course seemed to carry it into a wide bay, where it would be somewhat sheltered from the weather.
cribsnounUS /krɪbz/
plural of “crib” — baby bed with high sides made of slats
From this reading The raft seemed to have lost a third of its area, and all around could be seen floating masses of the soft-wood cribs, which had mostly spilled their walnut loose.
causing or capable of causing death
From this reading It had done deadly work, however.
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading It had done deadly work, however.
start firing a weapon
From this reading FIRE AND WATER The raft was now nearing the northwestern shore of the lake, and luckily its course seemed to carry it into a wide bay, where it would be somewhat sheltered from the weather.
floatingadjectiveUS /ˈfloʊtɪŋ/
borne up by or suspended in a liquid
From this reading The raft seemed to have lost a third of its area, and all around could be seen floating masses of the soft-wood cribs, which had mostly spilled their walnut loose.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading FIRE AND WATER The raft was now nearing the northwestern shore of the lake, and luckily its course seemed to carry it into a wide bay, where it would be somewhat sheltered from the weather.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading It had done deadly work, however.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading The raft seemed to have lost a third of its area, and all around could be seen floating masses of the soft-wood cribs, which had mostly spilled their walnut loose.
used to add a contrasting statement
From this reading It had done deadly work, however.
indifferentlyadverbUS /ˌɪnˈdɪfrəntli/
with indifference; in an indifferent manner
From this reading But Tom looked at it almost indifferently.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading FIRE AND WATER The raft was now nearing the northwestern shore of the lake, and luckily its course seemed to carry it into a wide bay, where it would be somewhat sheltered from the weather.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading FIRE AND WATER The raft was now nearing the northwestern shore of the lake, and luckily its course seemed to carry it into a wide bay, where it would be somewhat sheltered from the weather.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading FIRE AND WATER The raft was now nearing the northwestern shore of the lake, and luckily its course seemed to carry it into a wide bay, where it would be somewhat sheltered from the weather.
a body of (usually fresh) water surrounded by land
From this reading FIRE AND WATER The raft was now nearing the northwestern shore of the lake, and luckily its course seemed to carry it into a wide bay, where it would be somewhat sheltered from the weather.
lesseningnounUS /ˈlesənɪŋ/
a change downward
From this reading The wind was lessening a little, it seemed.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The wind was lessening a little, it seemed.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading But Tom looked at it almost indifferently.
not compact or dense in structure or arrangement
From this reading The raft seemed to have lost a third of its area, and all around could be seen floating masses of the soft-wood cribs, which had mostly spilled their walnut loose.
no longer in your possession or control; unable to be found or recovered
From this reading The raft seemed to have lost a third of its area, and all around could be seen floating masses of the soft-wood cribs, which had mostly spilled their walnut loose.
luckilyadverbUS /ˈlʌkəli/
by good fortune
From this reading FIRE AND WATER The raft was now nearing the northwestern shore of the lake, and luckily its course seemed to carry it into a wide bay, where it would be somewhat sheltered from the weather.
massesnounUS /ˈmæsəz/
the common people generally
From this reading The raft seemed to have lost a third of its area, and all around could be seen floating masses of the soft-wood cribs, which had mostly spilled their walnut loose.
mostlyadverbUS /ˈmoʊstli/
in large part; mainly or chiefly
From this reading The raft seemed to have lost a third of its area, and all around could be seen floating masses of the soft-wood cribs, which had mostly spilled their walnut loose.
nearingverbUS /ˈnɪrɪŋ/
-ing form of “near” — move towards
From this reading FIRE AND WATER The raft was now nearing the northwestern shore of the lake, and luckily its course seemed to carry it into a wide bay, where it would be somewhat sheltered from the weather.
northwesternadjectiveUS /ˌnɔːrˈθwestərn/
situated in or oriented toward the northwest
From this reading FIRE AND WATER The raft was now nearing the northwestern shore of the lake, and luckily its course seemed to carry it into a wide bay, where it would be somewhat sheltered from the weather.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading FIRE AND WATER The raft was now nearing the northwestern shore of the lake, and luckily its course seemed to carry it into a wide bay, where it would be somewhat sheltered from the weather.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading FIRE AND WATER The raft was now nearing the northwestern shore of the lake, and luckily its course seemed to carry it into a wide bay, where it would be somewhat sheltered from the weather.
raftnounUS /ræft/
a flat float (usually made of logs or planks) that can be used for transport or as a platform for swimmers
From this reading FIRE AND WATER The raft was now nearing the northwestern shore of the lake, and luckily its course seemed to carry it into a wide bay, where it would be somewhat sheltered from the weather.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading FIRE AND WATER The raft was now nearing the northwestern shore of the lake, and luckily its course seemed to carry it into a wide bay, where it would be somewhat sheltered from the weather.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading The raft seemed to have lost a third of its area, and all around could be seen floating masses of the soft-wood cribs, which had mostly spilled their walnut loose.
shelteredadjectiveUS /ˈʃeltərd/
protected from danger or bad weather
From this reading FIRE AND WATER The raft was now nearing the northwestern shore of the lake, and luckily its course seemed to carry it into a wide bay, where it would be somewhat sheltered from the weather.
the land along the edge of a body of water
From this reading FIRE AND WATER The raft was now nearing the northwestern shore of the lake, and luckily its course seemed to carry it into a wide bay, where it would be somewhat sheltered from the weather.
soft-wood
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The raft seemed to have lost a third of its area, and all around could be seen floating masses of the soft-wood cribs, which had mostly spilled their walnut loose.
to a small degree or extent
From this reading FIRE AND WATER The raft was now nearing the northwestern shore of the lake, and luckily its course seemed to carry it into a wide bay, where it would be somewhat sheltered from the weather.
spilledverbUS /spɪld/
past form of “spill” — cause or allow (a liquid substance) to run or flow from a container
From this reading The raft seemed to have lost a third of its area, and all around could be seen floating masses of the soft-wood cribs, which had mostly spilled their walnut loose.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading FIRE AND WATER The raft was now nearing the northwestern shore of the lake, and luckily its course seemed to carry it into a wide bay, where it would be somewhat sheltered from the weather.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The raft seemed to have lost a third of its area, and all around could be seen floating masses of the soft-wood cribs, which had mostly spilled their walnut loose.
one of three equal parts of a divisible whole
From this reading The raft seemed to have lost a third of its area, and all around could be seen floating masses of the soft-wood cribs, which had mostly spilled their walnut loose.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading FIRE AND WATER The raft was now nearing the northwestern shore of the lake, and luckily its course seemed to carry it into a wide bay, where it would be somewhat sheltered from the weather.
male cat
From this reading But Tom looked at it almost indifferently.
walnutnounUS /ˈwɔːlnʌt/
nut of any of various walnut trees having a wrinkled two-lobed seed with a hard shell
From this reading The raft seemed to have lost a third of its area, and all around could be seen floating masses of the soft-wood cribs, which had mostly spilled their walnut loose.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading FIRE AND WATER The raft was now nearing the northwestern shore of the lake, and luckily its course seemed to carry it into a wide bay, where it would be somewhat sheltered from the weather.
binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent
From this reading FIRE AND WATER The raft was now nearing the northwestern shore of the lake, and luckily its course seemed to carry it into a wide bay, where it would be somewhat sheltered from the weather.
the atmospheric conditions that comprise the state of the atmosphere in terms of temperature and wind and clouds and precipitation
From this reading FIRE AND WATER The raft was now nearing the northwestern shore of the lake, and luckily its course seemed to carry it into a wide bay, where it would be somewhat sheltered from the weather.
in or at the place that
From this reading FIRE AND WATER The raft was now nearing the northwestern shore of the lake, and luckily its course seemed to carry it into a wide bay, where it would be somewhat sheltered from the weather.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The raft seemed to have lost a third of its area, and all around could be seen floating masses of the soft-wood cribs, which had mostly spilled their walnut loose.
having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading FIRE AND WATER The raft was now nearing the northwestern shore of the lake, and luckily its course seemed to carry it into a wide bay, where it would be somewhat sheltered from the weather.
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading The wind was lessening a little, it seemed.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading It had done deadly work, however.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading FIRE AND WATER The raft was now nearing the northwestern shore of the lake, and luckily its course seemed to carry it into a wide bay, where it would be somewhat sheltered from the weather.
