used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Erik saw this at a glance.
matters of personal concern
From this reading The waves, encountering this unusual obstacle, beat over the deck, and covered everything with their spray; but the sea was not rough enough to make this state of affairs dangerous.
AlaskanounUS /əˈlæskə/
a state in northwestern North America; the 49th state admitted to the union
From this reading The "Alaska" had been thrown upon the rocks with such violence that she remained perfectly motionless, and the situation did not appear to be immediately dangerous for her crew and passengers.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The "Alaska" had been thrown upon the rocks with such violence that she remained perfectly motionless, and the situation did not appear to be immediately dangerous for her crew and passengers.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading If the weather did not change, day would break without any further disaster.
give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading The "Alaska" had been thrown upon the rocks with such violence that she remained perfectly motionless, and the situation did not appear to be immediately dangerous for her crew and passengers.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Erik saw this at a glance.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The "Alaska" had been thrown upon the rocks with such violence that she remained perfectly motionless, and the situation did not appear to be immediately dangerous for her crew and passengers.
come out better in a competition, race, or conflict
From this reading The waves, encountering this unusual obstacle, beat over the deck, and covered everything with their spray; but the sea was not rough enough to make this state of affairs dangerous.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The "Alaska" had been thrown upon the rocks with such violence that she remained perfectly motionless, and the situation did not appear to be immediately dangerous for her crew and passengers.
terminate
From this reading If the weather did not change, day would break without any further disaster.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The waves, encountering this unusual obstacle, beat over the deck, and covered everything with their spray; but the sea was not rough enough to make this state of affairs dangerous.
cause to change; make different; cause a transformation
From this reading If the weather did not change, day would break without any further disaster.
overlaid or spread or topped with or enclosed within something; sometimes used as a combining form
From this reading The waves, encountering this unusual obstacle, beat over the deck, and covered everything with their spray; but the sea was not rough enough to make this state of affairs dangerous.
the men and women who man a vehicle (ship, aircraft, etc.)
From this reading The "Alaska" had been thrown upon the rocks with such violence that she remained perfectly motionless, and the situation did not appear to be immediately dangerous for her crew and passengers.
involving or causing danger or risk; liable to hurt or harm
From this reading The "Alaska" had been thrown upon the rocks with such violence that she remained perfectly motionless, and the situation did not appear to be immediately dangerous for her crew and passengers.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading If the weather did not change, day would break without any further disaster.
any of various platforms built into a vessel
From this reading The waves, encountering this unusual obstacle, beat over the deck, and covered everything with their spray; but the sea was not rough enough to make this state of affairs dangerous.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading The "Alaska" had been thrown upon the rocks with such violence that she remained perfectly motionless, and the situation did not appear to be immediately dangerous for her crew and passengers.
disasternounUS /dɪˈzæstər/
a state of extreme (usually irremediable) ruin and misfortune
From this reading If the weather did not change, day would break without any further disaster.
encounteringverbUS /enˈkaʊntərɪŋ/
-ing form of “encounter” — come together
From this reading The waves, encountering this unusual obstacle, beat over the deck, and covered everything with their spray; but the sea was not rough enough to make this state of affairs dangerous.
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading The waves, encountering this unusual obstacle, beat over the deck, and covered everything with their spray; but the sea was not rough enough to make this state of affairs dangerous.
Erik
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Erik saw this at a glance.
all things; all of a situation
From this reading The waves, encountering this unusual obstacle, beat over the deck, and covered everything with their spray; but the sea was not rough enough to make this state of affairs dangerous.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The "Alaska" had been thrown upon the rocks with such violence that she remained perfectly motionless, and the situation did not appear to be immediately dangerous for her crew and passengers.
to or at a greater extent or degree or a more advanced stage (“further” is used more often than “farther” in this abstract sense)
From this reading If the weather did not change, day would break without any further disaster.
throw a glance at; take a brief look at
From this reading Erik saw this at a glance.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The "Alaska" had been thrown upon the rocks with such violence that she remained perfectly motionless, and the situation did not appear to be immediately dangerous for her crew and passengers.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading The "Alaska" had been thrown upon the rocks with such violence that she remained perfectly motionless, and the situation did not appear to be immediately dangerous for her crew and passengers.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If the weather did not change, day would break without any further disaster.
without delay or hesitation; with no time intervening
From this reading The "Alaska" had been thrown upon the rocks with such violence that she remained perfectly motionless, and the situation did not appear to be immediately dangerous for her crew and passengers.
engage in
From this reading The waves, encountering this unusual obstacle, beat over the deck, and covered everything with their spray; but the sea was not rough enough to make this state of affairs dangerous.
not in physical motion
From this reading The "Alaska" had been thrown upon the rocks with such violence that she remained perfectly motionless, and the situation did not appear to be immediately dangerous for her crew and passengers.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The "Alaska" had been thrown upon the rocks with such violence that she remained perfectly motionless, and the situation did not appear to be immediately dangerous for her crew and passengers.
obstaclenounUS /ˈɑːbstəkəl/
something immaterial that stands in the way and must be circumvented or surmounted
From this reading The waves, encountering this unusual obstacle, beat over the deck, and covered everything with their spray; but the sea was not rough enough to make this state of affairs dangerous.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The waves, encountering this unusual obstacle, beat over the deck, and covered everything with their spray; but the sea was not rough enough to make this state of affairs dangerous.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading ON THE ROCKS.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading The waves, encountering this unusual obstacle, beat over the deck, and covered everything with their spray; but the sea was not rough enough to make this state of affairs dangerous.
passengersnounUS /ˈpæsəndʒərz/
plural of “passenger” — a traveler riding in a vehicle (a boat or bus or car or plane or train etc) who is not operating it
From this reading The "Alaska" had been thrown upon the rocks with such violence that she remained perfectly motionless, and the situation did not appear to be immediately dangerous for her crew and passengers.
completely and without qualification; used informally as intensifiers
From this reading The "Alaska" had been thrown upon the rocks with such violence that she remained perfectly motionless, and the situation did not appear to be immediately dangerous for her crew and passengers.
past form of “remain” — stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading The "Alaska" had been thrown upon the rocks with such violence that she remained perfectly motionless, and the situation did not appear to be immediately dangerous for her crew and passengers.
plural of “rock” — a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading ON THE ROCKS.
having or caused by an irregular surface
From this reading The waves, encountering this unusual obstacle, beat over the deck, and covered everything with their spray; but the sea was not rough enough to make this state of affairs dangerous.
cut with a saw
From this reading Erik saw this at a glance.
a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
From this reading The waves, encountering this unusual obstacle, beat over the deck, and covered everything with their spray; but the sea was not rough enough to make this state of affairs dangerous.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The "Alaska" had been thrown upon the rocks with such violence that she remained perfectly motionless, and the situation did not appear to be immediately dangerous for her crew and passengers.
the general state of things; the combination of circumstances at a given time
From this reading The "Alaska" had been thrown upon the rocks with such violence that she remained perfectly motionless, and the situation did not appear to be immediately dangerous for her crew and passengers.
spraynounUS /spreɪ/
a pesticide in suspension or solution; intended for spraying
From this reading The waves, encountering this unusual obstacle, beat over the deck, and covered everything with their spray; but the sea was not rough enough to make this state of affairs dangerous.
the territory occupied by one of the constituent administrative districts of a nation
From this reading The waves, encountering this unusual obstacle, beat over the deck, and covered everything with their spray; but the sea was not rough enough to make this state of affairs dangerous.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading The "Alaska" had been thrown upon the rocks with such violence that she remained perfectly motionless, and the situation did not appear to be immediately dangerous for her crew and passengers.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The "Alaska" had been thrown upon the rocks with such violence that she remained perfectly motionless, and the situation did not appear to be immediately dangerous for her crew and passengers.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading ON THE ROCKS.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The waves, encountering this unusual obstacle, beat over the deck, and covered everything with their spray; but the sea was not rough enough to make this state of affairs dangerous.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading The waves, encountering this unusual obstacle, beat over the deck, and covered everything with their spray; but the sea was not rough enough to make this state of affairs dangerous.
caused to fall to the ground
From this reading The "Alaska" had been thrown upon the rocks with such violence that she remained perfectly motionless, and the situation did not appear to be immediately dangerous for her crew and passengers.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The "Alaska" had been thrown upon the rocks with such violence that she remained perfectly motionless, and the situation did not appear to be immediately dangerous for her crew and passengers.
not usual or common or ordinary
From this reading The waves, encountering this unusual obstacle, beat over the deck, and covered everything with their spray; but the sea was not rough enough to make this state of affairs dangerous.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading The "Alaska" had been thrown upon the rocks with such violence that she remained perfectly motionless, and the situation did not appear to be immediately dangerous for her crew and passengers.
an act of aggression (as one against a person who resists)
From this reading The "Alaska" had been thrown upon the rocks with such violence that she remained perfectly motionless, and the situation did not appear to be immediately dangerous for her crew and passengers.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The waves, encountering this unusual obstacle, beat over the deck, and covered everything with their spray; but the sea was not rough enough to make this state of affairs dangerous.
plural of “wave” — one of a series of ridges that moves across the surface of a liquid (especially across a large body of water)
From this reading The waves, encountering this unusual obstacle, beat over the deck, and covered everything with their spray; but the sea was not rough enough to make this state of affairs dangerous.
the atmospheric conditions that comprise the state of the atmosphere in terms of temperature and wind and clouds and precipitation
From this reading If the weather did not change, day would break without any further disaster.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The "Alaska" had been thrown upon the rocks with such violence that she remained perfectly motionless, and the situation did not appear to be immediately dangerous for her crew and passengers.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading If the weather did not change, day would break without any further disaster.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading If the weather did not change, day would break without any further disaster.
