used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading On gaining the deck I found a huge sea had fallen into the waist, filling the main-deck knee-deep with water.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The ship was plunging into a mountainous sea, with nothing on her except the three narrow bands of lower topsails and forestaysail.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading She was heeling over to the gale until her lee deckstrake was level with the sea, while the deep roar of the wind, as it tore its way through the rigging, told plainly of the pressure on the canvas.
bandsnounUS /bændz/
plural of “band” — an unofficial association of people or groups
From this reading The ship was plunging into a mountainous sea, with nothing on her except the three narrow bands of lower topsails and forestaysail.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The flying, swirling drift struck the face so hard that it was impossible to look but for a moment to windward.
canvasnounUS /ˈkænvəs/
a heavy, closely woven fabric (used for clothing or chairs or sails or tents)
From this reading She was heeling over to the gale until her lee deckstrake was level with the sea, while the deep roar of the wind, as it tore its way through the rigging, told plainly of the pressure on the canvas.
any of various platforms built into a vessel
From this reading On gaining the deck I found a huge sea had fallen into the waist, filling the main-deck knee-deep with water.
deckstrake
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was heeling over to the gale until her lee deckstrake was level with the sea, while the deep roar of the wind, as it tore its way through the rigging, told plainly of the pressure on the canvas.
relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply
From this reading She was heeling over to the gale until her lee deckstrake was level with the sea, while the deep roar of the wind, as it tore its way through the rigging, told plainly of the pressure on the canvas.
driftverbUS /drɪft/
be in motion due to some air or water current
From this reading The flying, swirling drift struck the face so hard that it was impossible to look but for a moment to windward.
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading The weather was looking wild enough to windward.
apart from; not including
From this reading The ship was plunging into a mountainous sea, with nothing on her except the three narrow bands of lower topsails and forestaysail.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading The flying, swirling drift struck the face so hard that it was impossible to look but for a moment to windward.
having dropped by the force of gravity
From this reading On gaining the deck I found a huge sea had fallen into the waist, filling the main-deck knee-deep with water.
fillingnounUS /ˈfɪlɪŋ/
any material that fills a space or container
From this reading On gaining the deck I found a huge sea had fallen into the waist, filling the main-deck knee-deep with water.
moving swiftly
From this reading The flying, swirling drift struck the face so hard that it was impossible to look but for a moment to windward.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The flying, swirling drift struck the face so hard that it was impossible to look but for a moment to windward.
forestaysail
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The ship was plunging into a mountainous sea, with nothing on her except the three narrow bands of lower topsails and forestaysail.
set up or found
From this reading On gaining the deck I found a huge sea had fallen into the waist, filling the main-deck knee-deep with water.
gainingverbUS /ˈɡeɪnɪŋ/
-ing form of “gain” — obtain
From this reading On gaining the deck I found a huge sea had fallen into the waist, filling the main-deck knee-deep with water.
galenounUS /ɡeɪl/
a strong wind moving 45-90 knots; force 7 to 10 on Beaufort scale
From this reading She was heeling over to the gale until her lee deckstrake was level with the sea, while the deep roar of the wind, as it tore its way through the rigging, told plainly of the pressure on the canvas.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading On gaining the deck I found a huge sea had fallen into the waist, filling the main-deck knee-deep with water.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading The flying, swirling drift struck the face so hard that it was impossible to look but for a moment to windward.
heelingverbUS /ˈhiːlɪŋ/
-ing form of “heel” — tilt to one side
From this reading She was heeling over to the gale until her lee deckstrake was level with the sea, while the deep roar of the wind, as it tore its way through the rigging, told plainly of the pressure on the canvas.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading The ship was plunging into a mountainous sea, with nothing on her except the three narrow bands of lower topsails and forestaysail.
unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope
From this reading On gaining the deck I found a huge sea had fallen into the waist, filling the main-deck knee-deep with water.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading On gaining the deck I found a huge sea had fallen into the waist, filling the main-deck knee-deep with water.
not capable of occurring or being accomplished or dealt with
From this reading The flying, swirling drift struck the face so hard that it was impossible to look but for a moment to windward.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading On gaining the deck I found a huge sea had fallen into the waist, filling the main-deck knee-deep with water.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading She was heeling over to the gale until her lee deckstrake was level with the sea, while the deep roar of the wind, as it tore its way through the rigging, told plainly of the pressure on the canvas.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading She was heeling over to the gale until her lee deckstrake was level with the sea, while the deep roar of the wind, as it tore its way through the rigging, told plainly of the pressure on the canvas.
knee-deepadjective
coming only to the ankle or knee
From this reading On gaining the deck I found a huge sea had fallen into the waist, filling the main-deck knee-deep with water.
United States filmmaker whose works explore the richness of black culture in America (born in 1957)
From this reading She was heeling over to the gale until her lee deckstrake was level with the sea, while the deep roar of the wind, as it tore its way through the rigging, told plainly of the pressure on the canvas.
a position on a scale of intensity or amount or quality
From this reading She was heeling over to the gale until her lee deckstrake was level with the sea, while the deep roar of the wind, as it tore its way through the rigging, told plainly of the pressure on the canvas.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading The flying, swirling drift struck the face so hard that it was impossible to look but for a moment to windward.
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading The weather was looking wild enough to windward.
move something or somebody to a lower position
From this reading The ship was plunging into a mountainous sea, with nothing on her except the three narrow bands of lower topsails and forestaysail.
main-deck
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On gaining the deck I found a huge sea had fallen into the waist, filling the main-deck knee-deep with water.
a particular point in time
From this reading The flying, swirling drift struck the face so hard that it was impossible to look but for a moment to windward.
mountainousadjectiveUS /ˈmaʊntənəs/
having hills and crags
From this reading The ship was plunging into a mountainous sea, with nothing on her except the three narrow bands of lower topsails and forestaysail.
make or become more narrow or restricted
From this reading The ship was plunging into a mountainous sea, with nothing on her except the three narrow bands of lower topsails and forestaysail.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading The ship was plunging into a mountainous sea, with nothing on her except the three narrow bands of lower topsails and forestaysail.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The ship was plunging into a mountainous sea, with nothing on her except the three narrow bands of lower topsails and forestaysail.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading On gaining the deck I found a huge sea had fallen into the waist, filling the main-deck knee-deep with water.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading She was heeling over to the gale until her lee deckstrake was level with the sea, while the deep roar of the wind, as it tore its way through the rigging, told plainly of the pressure on the canvas.
unmistakably (“plain” is often used informally for “plainly”)
From this reading She was heeling over to the gale until her lee deckstrake was level with the sea, while the deep roar of the wind, as it tore its way through the rigging, told plainly of the pressure on the canvas.
plungingverbUS /ˈplʌndʒɪŋ/
-ing form of “plunge” — thrust or throw into
From this reading The ship was plunging into a mountainous sea, with nothing on her except the three narrow bands of lower topsails and forestaysail.
pressurenounUS /ˈpreʃər/
the force applied to a unit area of surface; measured in pascals (SI unit) or in dynes (cgs unit)
From this reading She was heeling over to the gale until her lee deckstrake was level with the sea, while the deep roar of the wind, as it tore its way through the rigging, told plainly of the pressure on the canvas.
riggingnounUS /ˈrɪɡɪŋ/
gear consisting of ropes etc. supporting a ship's masts and sails
From this reading She was heeling over to the gale until her lee deckstrake was level with the sea, while the deep roar of the wind, as it tore its way through the rigging, told plainly of the pressure on the canvas.
make a loud noise, as of wind, water, or vehicles
From this reading She was heeling over to the gale until her lee deckstrake was level with the sea, while the deep roar of the wind, as it tore its way through the rigging, told plainly of the pressure on the canvas.
a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
From this reading On gaining the deck I found a huge sea had fallen into the waist, filling the main-deck knee-deep with water.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She was heeling over to the gale until her lee deckstrake was level with the sea, while the deep roar of the wind, as it tore its way through the rigging, told plainly of the pressure on the canvas.
transport commercially
From this reading The ship was plunging into a mountainous sea, with nothing on her except the three narrow bands of lower topsails and forestaysail.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The flying, swirling drift struck the face so hard that it was impossible to look but for a moment to windward.
(used in combination) affected by something overwhelming
From this reading The flying, swirling drift struck the face so hard that it was impossible to look but for a moment to windward.
swirlingverbUS /ˈswɜːrlɪŋ/
-ing form of “swirl” — turn in a twisting or spinning motion
From this reading The flying, swirling drift struck the face so hard that it was impossible to look but for a moment to windward.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The flying, swirling drift struck the face so hard that it was impossible to look but for a moment to windward.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading On gaining the deck I found a huge sea had fallen into the waist, filling the main-deck knee-deep with water.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading The ship was plunging into a mountainous sea, with nothing on her except the three narrow bands of lower topsails and forestaysail.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading She was heeling over to the gale until her lee deckstrake was level with the sea, while the deep roar of the wind, as it tore its way through the rigging, told plainly of the pressure on the canvas.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The weather was looking wild enough to windward.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading She was heeling over to the gale until her lee deckstrake was level with the sea, while the deep roar of the wind, as it tore its way through the rigging, told plainly of the pressure on the canvas.
topsails
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The ship was plunging into a mountainous sea, with nothing on her except the three narrow bands of lower topsails and forestaysail.
commonly the lowest molding at the base of a column
From this reading She was heeling over to the gale until her lee deckstrake was level with the sea, while the deep roar of the wind, as it tore its way through the rigging, told plainly of the pressure on the canvas.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading She was heeling over to the gale until her lee deckstrake was level with the sea, while the deep roar of the wind, as it tore its way through the rigging, told plainly of the pressure on the canvas.
the narrowing of the body between the ribs and hips
From this reading On gaining the deck I found a huge sea had fallen into the waist, filling the main-deck knee-deep with water.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The weather was looking wild enough to windward.
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 On gaining the deck I found a huge sea had fallen into the waist, filling the main-deck knee-deep with water.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading She was heeling over to the gale until her lee deckstrake was level with the sea, while the deep roar of the wind, as it tore its way through the rigging, told plainly of the pressure on the canvas.
the atmospheric conditions that comprise the state of the atmosphere in terms of temperature and wind and clouds and precipitation
From this reading The weather was looking wild enough to windward.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading She was heeling over to the gale until her lee deckstrake was level with the sea, while the deep roar of the wind, as it tore its way through the rigging, told plainly of the pressure on the canvas.
marked by extreme lack of restraint or control
From this reading The weather was looking wild enough to windward.
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading She was heeling over to the gale until her lee deckstrake was level with the sea, while the deep roar of the wind, as it tore its way through the rigging, told plainly of the pressure on the canvas.
windwardnounUS /ˈwɪndwərd/
the direction from which the wind is coming
From this reading The weather was looking wild enough to windward.
in the company of; together with
From this reading On gaining the deck I found a huge sea had fallen into the waist, filling the main-deck knee-deep with water.
