used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It is true that the tide was falling offshore, but that made no difference to the currents of those parts, which were independent currents and of a great force.
(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 There was a little inlet, and a little bay in the inlet no larger than a good-sized dining-table, and seaweed, green and red, upon the rock-bowlders that encircled it, and old-gold patches of sand between the rock-bowlders, and green grass behind the rock-bowlders, and brown-plush furze behind the green grass, and a patch of blue sky over all.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading They were shouldering the skua steadily to land, and if you had dropped a line overboard there, with an ordinary lead on, you would have felt them pulling at it, and taking the lead along like a live thing.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading It left the skua, however; left him still floating, floating, floating up one long breaker's side, and sliding down its other side to its fellow behind, towards the shore--always towards the shore.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading They were shouldering the skua steadily to land, and if you had dropped a line overboard there, with an ordinary lead on, you would have felt them pulling at it, and taking the lead along like a live thing.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It left the skua, however; left him still floating, floating, floating up one long breaker's side, and sliding down its other side to its fellow behind, towards the shore--always towards the shore.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading And the currents were Fate, so far as that bird was concerned.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading They were shouldering the skua steadily to land, and if you had dropped a line overboard there, with an ordinary lead on, you would have felt them pulling at it, and taking the lead along like a live thing.
an indentation of a shoreline larger than a cove but smaller than a gulf
From this reading There was a little inlet, and a little bay in the inlet no larger than a good-sized dining-table, and seaweed, green and red, upon the rock-bowlders that encircled it, and old-gold patches of sand between the rock-bowlders, and green grass behind the rock-bowlders, and brown-plush furze behind the green grass, and a patch of blue sky over all.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading It left the skua, however; left him still floating, floating, floating up one long breaker's side, and sliding down its other side to its fellow behind, towards the shore--always towards the shore.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading There was a little inlet, and a little bay in the inlet no larger than a good-sized dining-table, and seaweed, green and red, upon the rock-bowlders that encircled it, and old-gold patches of sand between the rock-bowlders, and green grass behind the rock-bowlders, and brown-plush furze behind the green grass, and a patch of blue sky over all.
warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings
From this reading And the currents were Fate, so far as that bird was concerned.
of the color intermediate between green and violet; having a color similar to that of a clear unclouded sky
From this reading There was a little inlet, and a little bay in the inlet no larger than a good-sized dining-table, and seaweed, green and red, upon the rock-bowlders that encircled it, and old-gold patches of sand between the rock-bowlders, and green grass behind the rock-bowlders, and brown-plush furze behind the green grass, and a patch of blue sky over all.
breaker's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It left the skua, however; left him still floating, floating, floating up one long breaker's side, and sliding down its other side to its fellow behind, towards the shore--always towards the shore.
brown-plush
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a little inlet, and a little bay in the inlet no larger than a good-sized dining-table, and seaweed, green and red, upon the rock-bowlders that encircled it, and old-gold patches of sand between the rock-bowlders, and green grass behind the rock-bowlders, and brown-plush furze behind the green grass, and a patch of blue sky over all.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading It is true that the tide was falling offshore, but that made no difference to the currents of those parts, which were independent currents and of a great force.
feeling or showing worry or solicitude
From this reading And the currents were Fate, so far as that bird was concerned.
currentsnounUS /ˈkɜːrənts/
plural of “current” — a flow of electricity through a conductor
From this reading It is true that the tide was falling offshore, but that made no difference to the currents of those parts, which were independent currents and of a great force.
the quality of being unlike or dissimilar
From this reading It is true that the tide was falling offshore, but that made no difference to the currents of those parts, which were independent currents and of a great force.
dining-table
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a little inlet, and a little bay in the inlet no larger than a good-sized dining-table, and seaweed, green and red, upon the rock-bowlders that encircled it, and old-gold patches of sand between the rock-bowlders, and green grass behind the rock-bowlders, and brown-plush furze behind the green grass, and a patch of blue sky over all.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading It left the skua, however; left him still floating, floating, floating up one long breaker's side, and sliding down its other side to its fellow behind, towards the shore--always towards the shore.
inflected form of “drop” — let fall to the ground
From this reading They were shouldering the skua steadily to land, and if you had dropped a line overboard there, with an ordinary lead on, you would have felt them pulling at it, and taking the lead along like a live thing.
encircledadjectiveUS /ɪnˈsɜːrkəld/
confined on all sides
From this reading There was a little inlet, and a little bay in the inlet no larger than a good-sized dining-table, and seaweed, green and red, upon the rock-bowlders that encircled it, and old-gold patches of sand between the rock-bowlders, and green grass behind the rock-bowlders, and brown-plush furze behind the green grass, and a patch of blue sky over all.
decreasing in amount or degree
From this reading It is true that the tide was falling offshore, but that made no difference to the currents of those parts, which were independent currents and of a great force.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading And the currents were Fate, so far as that bird was concerned.
an event (or a course of events) that will inevitably happen in the future
From this reading And the currents were Fate, so far as that bird was concerned.
a boy or man
From this reading It left the skua, however; left him still floating, floating, floating up one long breaker's side, and sliding down its other side to its fellow behind, towards the shore--always towards the shore.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading They were shouldering the skua steadily to land, and if you had dropped a line overboard there, with an ordinary lead on, you would have felt them pulling at it, and taking the lead along like a live thing.
floatingadjectiveUS /ˈfloʊtɪŋ/
borne up by or suspended in a liquid
From this reading It left the skua, however; left him still floating, floating, floating up one long breaker's side, and sliding down its other side to its fellow behind, towards the shore--always towards the shore.
a powerful effect or influence
From this reading It is true that the tide was falling offshore, but that made no difference to the currents of those parts, which were independent currents and of a great force.
furzenoun
very spiny and dense evergreen shrub with fragrant golden-yellow flowers; common throughout western Europe
From this reading There was a little inlet, and a little bay in the inlet no larger than a good-sized dining-table, and seaweed, green and red, upon the rock-bowlders that encircled it, and old-gold patches of sand between the rock-bowlders, and green grass behind the rock-bowlders, and brown-plush furze behind the green grass, and a patch of blue sky over all.
good-sized
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a little inlet, and a little bay in the inlet no larger than a good-sized dining-table, and seaweed, green and red, upon the rock-bowlders that encircled it, and old-gold patches of sand between the rock-bowlders, and green grass behind the rock-bowlders, and brown-plush furze behind the green grass, and a patch of blue sky over all.
shoot down, of birds
From this reading There was a little inlet, and a little bay in the inlet no larger than a good-sized dining-table, and seaweed, green and red, upon the rock-bowlders that encircled it, and old-gold patches of sand between the rock-bowlders, and green grass behind the rock-bowlders, and brown-plush furze behind the green grass, and a patch of blue sky over all.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading It is true that the tide was falling offshore, but that made no difference to the currents of those parts, which were independent currents and of a great force.
green color or pigment; resembling the color of growing grass
From this reading There was a little inlet, and a little bay in the inlet no larger than a good-sized dining-table, and seaweed, green and red, upon the rock-bowlders that encircled it, and old-gold patches of sand between the rock-bowlders, and green grass behind the rock-bowlders, and brown-plush furze behind the green grass, and a patch of blue sky over all.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading They were shouldering the skua steadily to land, and if you had dropped a line overboard there, with an ordinary lead on, you would have felt them pulling at it, and taking the lead along like a live thing.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading They were shouldering the skua steadily to land, and if you had dropped a line overboard there, with an ordinary lead on, you would have felt them pulling at it, and taking the lead along like a live thing.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading It left the skua, however; left him still floating, floating, floating up one long breaker's side, and sliding down its other side to its fellow behind, towards the shore--always towards the shore.
used to add a contrasting statement
From this reading It left the skua, however; left him still floating, floating, floating up one long breaker's side, and sliding down its other side to its fellow behind, towards the shore--always towards the shore.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading They were shouldering the skua steadily to land, and if you had dropped a line overboard there, with an ordinary lead on, you would have felt them pulling at it, and taking the lead along like a live thing.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading There was a little inlet, and a little bay in the inlet no larger than a good-sized dining-table, and seaweed, green and red, upon the rock-bowlders that encircled it, and old-gold patches of sand between the rock-bowlders, and green grass behind the rock-bowlders, and brown-plush furze behind the green grass, and a patch of blue sky over all.
independentadjectiveUS /ˌɪndɪˈpendənt/
free from external control and constraint
From this reading It is true that the tide was falling offshore, but that made no difference to the currents of those parts, which were independent currents and of a great force.
inletnounUS /ˈɪnlet/
an arm off of a larger body of water (often between rocky headlands)
From this reading There was a little inlet, and a little bay in the inlet no larger than a good-sized dining-table, and seaweed, green and red, upon the rock-bowlders that encircled it, and old-gold patches of sand between the rock-bowlders, and green grass behind the rock-bowlders, and brown-plush furze behind the green grass, and a patch of blue sky over all.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It is true that the tide was falling offshore, but that made no difference to the currents of those parts, which were independent currents and of a great force.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It left the skua, however; left him still floating, floating, floating up one long breaker's side, and sliding down its other side to its fellow behind, towards the shore--always towards the shore.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading It left the skua, however; left him still floating, floating, floating up one long breaker's side, and sliding down its other side to its fellow behind, towards the shore--always towards the shore.
the land on which real estate is located
From this reading They were shouldering the skua steadily to land, and if you had dropped a line overboard there, with an ordinary lead on, you would have felt them pulling at it, and taking the lead along like a live thing.
large or big relative to something else
From this reading There was a little inlet, and a little bay in the inlet no larger than a good-sized dining-table, and seaweed, green and red, upon the rock-bowlders that encircled it, and old-gold patches of sand between the rock-bowlders, and green grass behind the rock-bowlders, and brown-plush furze behind the green grass, and a patch of blue sky over all.
take somebody somewhere
From this reading They were shouldering the skua steadily to land, and if you had dropped a line overboard there, with an ordinary lead on, you would have felt them pulling at it, and taking the lead along like a live thing.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading It left the skua, however; left him still floating, floating, floating up one long breaker's side, and sliding down its other side to its fellow behind, towards the shore--always towards the shore.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading They were shouldering the skua steadily to land, and if you had dropped a line overboard there, with an ordinary lead on, you would have felt them pulling at it, and taking the lead along like a live thing.
a formation of people or things one beside another
From this reading They were shouldering the skua steadily to land, and if you had dropped a line overboard there, with an ordinary lead on, you would have felt them pulling at it, and taking the lead along like a live thing.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading There was a little inlet, and a little bay in the inlet no larger than a good-sized dining-table, and seaweed, green and red, upon the rock-bowlders that encircled it, and old-gold patches of sand between the rock-bowlders, and green grass behind the rock-bowlders, and brown-plush furze behind the green grass, and a patch of blue sky over all.
be an inhabitant of or reside in
From this reading They were shouldering the skua steadily to land, and if you had dropped a line overboard there, with an ordinary lead on, you would have felt them pulling at it, and taking the lead along like a live thing.
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 It left the skua, however; left him still floating, floating, floating up one long breaker's side, and sliding down its other side to its fellow behind, towards the shore--always towards the shore.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading It is true that the tide was falling offshore, but that made no difference to the currents of those parts, which were independent currents and of a great force.
not any; not one
From this reading It is true that the tide was falling offshore, but that made no difference to the currents of those parts, which were independent currents and of a great force.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It is true that the tide was falling offshore, but that made no difference to the currents of those parts, which were independent currents and of a great force.
offshoreadverbUS /ˈɔːfˈʃɔːr/
away from shore; away from land
From this reading It is true that the tide was falling offshore, but that made no difference to the currents of those parts, which were independent currents and of a great force.
old-gold
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a little inlet, and a little bay in the inlet no larger than a good-sized dining-table, and seaweed, green and red, upon the rock-bowlders that encircled it, and old-gold patches of sand between the rock-bowlders, and green grass behind the rock-bowlders, and brown-plush furze behind the green grass, and a patch of blue sky over all.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading They were shouldering the skua steadily to land, and if you had dropped a line overboard there, with an ordinary lead on, you would have felt them pulling at it, and taking the lead along like a live thing.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading It left the skua, however; left him still floating, floating, floating up one long breaker's side, and sliding down its other side to its fellow behind, towards the shore--always towards the shore.
a judge of a probate court
From this reading They were shouldering the skua steadily to land, and if you had dropped a line overboard there, with an ordinary lead on, you would have felt them pulling at it, and taking the lead along like a live thing.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading It left the skua, however; left him still floating, floating, floating up one long breaker's side, and sliding down its other side to its fellow behind, towards the shore--always towards the shore.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading There was a little inlet, and a little bay in the inlet no larger than a good-sized dining-table, and seaweed, green and red, upon the rock-bowlders that encircled it, and old-gold patches of sand between the rock-bowlders, and green grass behind the rock-bowlders, and brown-plush furze behind the green grass, and a patch of blue sky over all.
overboardadverbUS /ˈoʊvərbɔːrd/
to extremes
From this reading They were shouldering the skua steadily to land, and if you had dropped a line overboard there, with an ordinary lead on, you would have felt them pulling at it, and taking the lead along like a live thing.
the local environment
From this reading It is true that the tide was falling offshore, but that made no difference to the currents of those parts, which were independent currents and of a great force.
patchnounUS /pætʃ/
a small contrasting part of something
From this reading There was a little inlet, and a little bay in the inlet no larger than a good-sized dining-table, and seaweed, green and red, upon the rock-bowlders that encircled it, and old-gold patches of sand between the rock-bowlders, and green grass behind the rock-bowlders, and brown-plush furze behind the green grass, and a patch of blue sky over all.
patchesnounUS /ˈpætʃəz/
plural of “patch” — a small contrasting part of something
From this reading There was a little inlet, and a little bay in the inlet no larger than a good-sized dining-table, and seaweed, green and red, upon the rock-bowlders that encircled it, and old-gold patches of sand between the rock-bowlders, and green grass behind the rock-bowlders, and brown-plush furze behind the green grass, and a patch of blue sky over all.
pullingnounUS /ˈpʊlɪŋ/
the act of pulling; applying force to move something toward or with you
From this reading They were shouldering the skua steadily to land, and if you had dropped a line overboard there, with an ordinary lead on, you would have felt them pulling at it, and taking the lead along like a live thing.
red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood
From this reading There was a little inlet, and a little bay in the inlet no larger than a good-sized dining-table, and seaweed, green and red, upon the rock-bowlders that encircled it, and old-gold patches of sand between the rock-bowlders, and green grass behind the rock-bowlders, and brown-plush furze behind the green grass, and a patch of blue sky over all.
rock-bowlders
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a little inlet, and a little bay in the inlet no larger than a good-sized dining-table, and seaweed, green and red, upon the rock-bowlders that encircled it, and old-gold patches of sand between the rock-bowlders, and green grass behind the rock-bowlders, and brown-plush furze behind the green grass, and a patch of blue sky over all.
a loose material consisting of grains of rock or coral
From this reading There was a little inlet, and a little bay in the inlet no larger than a good-sized dining-table, and seaweed, green and red, upon the rock-bowlders that encircled it, and old-gold patches of sand between the rock-bowlders, and green grass behind the rock-bowlders, and brown-plush furze behind the green grass, and a patch of blue sky over all.
seaweednounUS /ˈsiːwiːd/
plant growing in the sea, especially marine algae
From this reading There was a little inlet, and a little bay in the inlet no larger than a good-sized dining-table, and seaweed, green and red, upon the rock-bowlders that encircled it, and old-gold patches of sand between the rock-bowlders, and green grass behind the rock-bowlders, and brown-plush furze behind the green grass, and a patch of blue sky over all.
the land along the edge of a body of water
From this reading It left the skua, however; left him still floating, floating, floating up one long breaker's side, and sliding down its other side to its fellow behind, towards the shore--always towards the shore.
shoulderingverbUS /ˈʃoʊldərɪŋ/
-ing form of “shoulder” — lift onto one's shoulders
From this reading They were shouldering the skua steadily to land, and if you had dropped a line overboard there, with an ordinary lead on, you would have felt them pulling at it, and taking the lead along like a live thing.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading It left the skua, however; left him still floating, floating, floating up one long breaker's side, and sliding down its other side to its fellow behind, towards the shore--always towards the shore.
skuanoun
gull-like jaeger of northern seas
From this reading It left the skua, however; left him still floating, floating, floating up one long breaker's side, and sliding down its other side to its fellow behind, towards the shore--always towards the shore.
the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading There was a little inlet, and a little bay in the inlet no larger than a good-sized dining-table, and seaweed, green and red, upon the rock-bowlders that encircled it, and old-gold patches of sand between the rock-bowlders, and green grass behind the rock-bowlders, and brown-plush furze behind the green grass, and a patch of blue sky over all.
slidingadjectiveUS /ˈslaɪdɪŋ/
being a smooth continuous motion
From this reading It left the skua, however; left him still floating, floating, floating up one long breaker's side, and sliding down its other side to its fellow behind, towards the shore--always towards the shore.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading And the currents were Fate, so far as that bird was concerned.
at a steady rate or pace
From this reading They were shouldering the skua steadily to land, and if you had dropped a line overboard there, with an ordinary lead on, you would have felt them pulling at it, and taking the lead along like a live thing.
not in physical motion
From this reading It left the skua, however; left him still floating, floating, floating up one long breaker's side, and sliding down its other side to its fellow behind, towards the shore--always towards the shore.
the act of someone who picks up or takes something
From this reading They were shouldering the skua steadily to land, and if you had dropped a line overboard there, with an ordinary lead on, you would have felt them pulling at it, and taking the lead along like a live thing.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading There was a little inlet, and a little bay in the inlet no larger than a good-sized dining-table, and seaweed, green and red, upon the rock-bowlders that encircled it, and old-gold patches of sand between the rock-bowlders, and green grass behind the rock-bowlders, and brown-plush furze behind the green grass, and a patch of blue sky over all.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It is true that the tide was falling offshore, but that made no difference to the currents of those parts, which were independent currents and of a great force.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It left the skua, however; left him still floating, floating, floating up one long breaker's side, and sliding down its other side to its fellow behind, towards the shore--always towards the shore.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading They were shouldering the skua steadily to land, and if you had dropped a line overboard there, with an ordinary lead on, you would have felt them pulling at it, and taking the lead along like a live thing.
in or at that place or location
From this reading They were shouldering the skua steadily to land, and if you had dropped a line overboard there, with an ordinary lead on, you would have felt them pulling at it, and taking the lead along like a live thing.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They were shouldering the skua steadily to land, and if you had dropped a line overboard there, with an ordinary lead on, you would have felt them pulling at it, and taking the lead along like a live thing.
a special situation
From this reading They were shouldering the skua steadily to land, and if you had dropped a line overboard there, with an ordinary lead on, you would have felt them pulling at it, and taking the lead along like a live thing.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading It is true that the tide was falling offshore, but that made no difference to the currents of those parts, which were independent currents and of a great force.
the periodic rise and fall of the sea level under the gravitational pull of the moon
From this reading It is true that the tide was falling offshore, but that made no difference to the currents of those parts, which were independent currents and of a great force.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It left the skua, however; left him still floating, floating, floating up one long breaker's side, and sliding down its other side to its fellow behind, towards the shore--always towards the shore.
in the direction of
From this reading It left the skua, however; left him still floating, floating, floating up one long breaker's side, and sliding down its other side to its fellow behind, towards the shore--always towards the shore.
consistent with fact or reality; not false
From this reading It is true that the tide was falling offshore, but that made no difference to the currents of those parts, which were independent currents and of a great force.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading It left the skua, however; left him still floating, floating, floating up one long breaker's side, and sliding down its other side to its fellow behind, towards the shore--always towards the shore.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading There was a little inlet, and a little bay in the inlet no larger than a good-sized dining-table, and seaweed, green and red, upon the rock-bowlders that encircled it, and old-gold patches of sand between the rock-bowlders, and green grass behind the rock-bowlders, and brown-plush furze behind the green grass, and a patch of blue sky over all.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It is true that the tide was falling offshore, but that made no difference to the currents of those parts, which were independent currents and of a great force.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading It is true that the tide was falling offshore, but that made no difference to the currents of those parts, which were independent currents and of a great force.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading It is true that the tide was falling offshore, but that made no difference to the currents of those parts, which were independent currents and of a great force.
in the company of; together with
From this reading They were shouldering the skua steadily to land, and if you had dropped a line overboard there, with an ordinary lead on, you would have felt them pulling at it, and taking the lead along like a live thing.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading They were shouldering the skua steadily to land, and if you had dropped a line overboard there, with an ordinary lead on, you would have felt them pulling at it, and taking the lead along like a live thing.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading They were shouldering the skua steadily to land, and if you had dropped a line overboard there, with an ordinary lead on, you would have felt them pulling at it, and taking the lead along like a live thing.
