used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It was really a shocking state of affairs.
matters of personal concern
From this reading It was really a shocking state of affairs.
(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 When he had finished, stealthy forms might have been detected moving away from the passage outside—not only songbirds, but seamen too, the mate and the ship’s cook and the cabin boy; while up on deck Captain Bearman, who had been secretly listening himself at one of the ventilators, was roaring and cursing because his ship was lying all unmanned, at the mercy of the elements.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading And so she sang him the old songs down in the stuffy little cabin; and his eyes kept right on glistening, though he smiled up at her from time to time quite happily.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Yes, she sang as no one, surely, had ever heard her sing before.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading And so she sang him the old songs down in the stuffy little cabin; and his eyes kept right on glistening, though he smiled up at her from time to time quite happily.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading When he had finished, stealthy forms might have been detected moving away from the passage outside—not only songbirds, but seamen too, the mate and the ship’s cook and the cabin boy; while up on deck Captain Bearman, who had been secretly listening himself at one of the ventilators, was roaring and cursing because his ship was lying all unmanned, at the mercy of the elements.
Bearman
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When he had finished, stealthy forms might have been detected moving away from the passage outside—not only songbirds, but seamen too, the mate and the ship’s cook and the cabin boy; while up on deck Captain Bearman, who had been secretly listening himself at one of the ventilators, was roaring and cursing because his ship was lying all unmanned, at the mercy of the elements.
for the reason that
From this reading When he had finished, stealthy forms might have been detected moving away from the passage outside—not only songbirds, but seamen too, the mate and the ship’s cook and the cabin boy; while up on deck Captain Bearman, who had been secretly listening himself at one of the ventilators, was roaring and cursing because his ship was lying all unmanned, at the mercy of the elements.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading When he had finished, stealthy forms might have been detected moving away from the passage outside—not only songbirds, but seamen too, the mate and the ship’s cook and the cabin boy; while up on deck Captain Bearman, who had been secretly listening himself at one of the ventilators, was roaring and cursing because his ship was lying all unmanned, at the mercy of the elements.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Yes, she sang as no one, surely, had ever heard her sing before.
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The impresario had tuned her up for big money; but now she was singing just for him.
a youthful male person
From this reading When he had finished, stealthy forms might have been detected moving away from the passage outside—not only songbirds, but seamen too, the mate and the ship’s cook and the cabin boy; while up on deck Captain Bearman, who had been secretly listening himself at one of the ventilators, was roaring and cursing because his ship was lying all unmanned, at the mercy of the elements.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The impresario had tuned her up for big money; but now she was singing just for him.
small room on a ship or boat where people sleep
From this reading And so she sang him the old songs down in the stuffy little cabin; and his eyes kept right on glistening, though he smiled up at her from time to time quite happily.
an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant
From this reading When he had finished, stealthy forms might have been detected moving away from the passage outside—not only songbirds, but seamen too, the mate and the ship’s cook and the cabin boy; while up on deck Captain Bearman, who had been secretly listening himself at one of the ventilators, was roaring and cursing because his ship was lying all unmanned, at the mercy of the elements.
prepare a hot meal
From this reading When he had finished, stealthy forms might have been detected moving away from the passage outside—not only songbirds, but seamen too, the mate and the ship’s cook and the cabin boy; while up on deck Captain Bearman, who had been secretly listening himself at one of the ventilators, was roaring and cursing because his ship was lying all unmanned, at the mercy of the elements.
cursingverbUS /ˈkɜːrsɪŋ/
-ing form of “curse” — utter obscenities or profanities
From this reading When he had finished, stealthy forms might have been detected moving away from the passage outside—not only songbirds, but seamen too, the mate and the ship’s cook and the cabin boy; while up on deck Captain Bearman, who had been secretly listening himself at one of the ventilators, was roaring and cursing because his ship was lying all unmanned, at the mercy of the elements.
any of various platforms built into a vessel
From this reading When he had finished, stealthy forms might have been detected moving away from the passage outside—not only songbirds, but seamen too, the mate and the ship’s cook and the cabin boy; while up on deck Captain Bearman, who had been secretly listening himself at one of the ventilators, was roaring and cursing because his ship was lying all unmanned, at the mercy of the elements.
detectedadjectiveUS /dɪˈtektəd/
perceived or discerned
From this reading When he had finished, stealthy forms might have been detected moving away from the passage outside—not only songbirds, but seamen too, the mate and the ship’s cook and the cabin boy; while up on deck Captain Bearman, who had been secretly listening himself at one of the ventilators, was roaring and cursing because his ship was lying all unmanned, at the mercy of the elements.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading And so she sang him the old songs down in the stuffy little cabin; and his eyes kept right on glistening, though he smiled up at her from time to time quite happily.
elementsnounUS /ˈeləmənts/
violent or severe weather (viewed as caused by the action of the four elements)
From this reading When he had finished, stealthy forms might have been detected moving away from the passage outside—not only songbirds, but seamen too, the mate and the ship’s cook and the cabin boy; while up on deck Captain Bearman, who had been secretly listening himself at one of the ventilators, was roaring and cursing because his ship was lying all unmanned, at the mercy of the elements.
at any time
From this reading Yes, she sang as no one, surely, had ever heard her sing before.
opinion or judgment
From this reading And so she sang him the old songs down in the stuffy little cabin; and his eyes kept right on glistening, though he smiled up at her from time to time quite happily.
(of materials or goods) brought to the desired final state
From this reading When he had finished, stealthy forms might have been detected moving away from the passage outside—not only songbirds, but seamen too, the mate and the ship’s cook and the cabin boy; while up on deck Captain Bearman, who had been secretly listening himself at one of the ventilators, was roaring and cursing because his ship was lying all unmanned, at the mercy of the elements.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The impresario had tuned her up for big money; but now she was singing just for him.
plural of “form” — the phonological or orthographic sound or appearance of a word that can be used to describe or identify something
From this reading When he had finished, stealthy forms might have been detected moving away from the passage outside—not only songbirds, but seamen too, the mate and the ship’s cook and the cabin boy; while up on deck Captain Bearman, who had been secretly listening himself at one of the ventilators, was roaring and cursing because his ship was lying all unmanned, at the mercy of the elements.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading And so she sang him the old songs down in the stuffy little cabin; and his eyes kept right on glistening, though he smiled up at her from time to time quite happily.
glisteningadjectiveUS /ˈɡlɪsənɪŋ/
reflecting light
From this reading And so she sang him the old songs down in the stuffy little cabin; and his eyes kept right on glistening, though he smiled up at her from time to time quite happily.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Yes, she sang as no one, surely, had ever heard her sing before.
happilyadverbUS /ˈhæpəli/
in a joyous manner
From this reading And so she sang him the old songs down in the stuffy little cabin; and his eyes kept right on glistening, though he smiled up at her from time to time quite happily.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading When he had finished, stealthy forms might have been detected moving away from the passage outside—not only songbirds, but seamen too, the mate and the ship’s cook and the cabin boy; while up on deck Captain Bearman, who had been secretly listening himself at one of the ventilators, was roaring and cursing because his ship was lying all unmanned, at the mercy of the elements.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading And so she sang him the old songs down in the stuffy little cabin; and his eyes kept right on glistening, though he smiled up at her from time to time quite happily.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading Yes, she sang as no one, surely, had ever heard her sing before.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading And so she sang him the old songs down in the stuffy little cabin; and his eyes kept right on glistening, though he smiled up at her from time to time quite happily.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading And so she sang him the old songs down in the stuffy little cabin; and his eyes kept right on glistening, though he smiled up at her from time to time quite happily.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading When he had finished, stealthy forms might have been detected moving away from the passage outside—not only songbirds, but seamen too, the mate and the ship’s cook and the cabin boy; while up on deck Captain Bearman, who had been secretly listening himself at one of the ventilators, was roaring and cursing because his ship was lying all unmanned, at the mercy of the elements.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading And so she sang him the old songs down in the stuffy little cabin; and his eyes kept right on glistening, though he smiled up at her from time to time quite happily.
impresarionounUS /ˌɪmprɪˈsɑːrioʊ/
a sponsor who books and stages public entertainments
From this reading The impresario had tuned her up for big money; but now she was singing just for him.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading And so she sang him the old songs down in the stuffy little cabin; and his eyes kept right on glistening, though he smiled up at her from time to time quite happily.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was really a shocking state of affairs.
and nothing more
From this reading The impresario had tuned her up for big money; but now she was singing just for him.
(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded
From this reading And so she sang him the old songs down in the stuffy little cabin; and his eyes kept right on glistening, though he smiled up at her from time to time quite happily.
the act of hearing attentively
From this reading When he had finished, stealthy forms might have been detected moving away from the passage outside—not only songbirds, but seamen too, the mate and the ship’s cook and the cabin boy; while up on deck Captain Bearman, who had been secretly listening himself at one of the ventilators, was roaring and cursing because his ship was lying all unmanned, at the mercy of the elements.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading And so she sang him the old songs down in the stuffy little cabin; and his eyes kept right on glistening, though he smiled up at her from time to time quite happily.
the deliberate act of deviating from the truth
From this reading When he had finished, stealthy forms might have been detected moving away from the passage outside—not only songbirds, but seamen too, the mate and the ship’s cook and the cabin boy; while up on deck Captain Bearman, who had been secretly listening himself at one of the ventilators, was roaring and cursing because his ship was lying all unmanned, at the mercy of the elements.
the officer below the master on a commercial ship
From this reading When he had finished, stealthy forms might have been detected moving away from the passage outside—not only songbirds, but seamen too, the mate and the ship’s cook and the cabin boy; while up on deck Captain Bearman, who had been secretly listening himself at one of the ventilators, was roaring and cursing because his ship was lying all unmanned, at the mercy of the elements.
leniency and compassion shown toward offenders by a person or agency charged with administering justice
From this reading When he had finished, stealthy forms might have been detected moving away from the passage outside—not only songbirds, but seamen too, the mate and the ship’s cook and the cabin boy; while up on deck Captain Bearman, who had been secretly listening himself at one of the ventilators, was roaring and cursing because his ship was lying all unmanned, at the mercy of the elements.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading When he had finished, stealthy forms might have been detected moving away from the passage outside—not only songbirds, but seamen too, the mate and the ship’s cook and the cabin boy; while up on deck Captain Bearman, who had been secretly listening himself at one of the ventilators, was roaring and cursing because his ship was lying all unmanned, at the mercy of the elements.
the most common medium of exchange; functions as legal tender
From this reading The impresario had tuned her up for big money; but now she was singing just for him.
in motion
From this reading When he had finished, stealthy forms might have been detected moving away from the passage outside—not only songbirds, but seamen too, the mate and the ship’s cook and the cabin boy; while up on deck Captain Bearman, who had been secretly listening himself at one of the ventilators, was roaring and cursing because his ship was lying all unmanned, at the mercy of the elements.
not any; not one
From this reading Yes, she sang as no one, surely, had ever heard her sing before.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading When he had finished, stealthy forms might have been detected moving away from the passage outside—not only songbirds, but seamen too, the mate and the ship’s cook and the cabin boy; while up on deck Captain Bearman, who had been secretly listening himself at one of the ventilators, was roaring and cursing because his ship was lying all unmanned, at the mercy of the elements.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading The impresario had tuned her up for big money; but now she was singing just for him.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading When he had finished, stealthy forms might have been detected moving away from the passage outside—not only songbirds, but seamen too, the mate and the ship’s cook and the cabin boy; while up on deck Captain Bearman, who had been secretly listening himself at one of the ventilators, was roaring and cursing because his ship was lying all unmanned, at the mercy of the elements.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading And so she sang him the old songs down in the stuffy little cabin; and his eyes kept right on glistening, though he smiled up at her from time to time quite happily.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading And so she sang him the old songs down in the stuffy little cabin; and his eyes kept right on glistening, though he smiled up at her from time to time quite happily.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Yes, she sang as no one, surely, had ever heard her sing before.
and nothing more
From this reading When he had finished, stealthy forms might have been detected moving away from the passage outside—not only songbirds, but seamen too, the mate and the ship’s cook and the cabin boy; while up on deck Captain Bearman, who had been secretly listening himself at one of the ventilators, was roaring and cursing because his ship was lying all unmanned, at the mercy of the elements.
relating to or being on or near the outer side or limit
From this reading When he had finished, stealthy forms might have been detected moving away from the passage outside—not only songbirds, but seamen too, the mate and the ship’s cook and the cabin boy; while up on deck Captain Bearman, who had been secretly listening himself at one of the ventilators, was roaring and cursing because his ship was lying all unmanned, at the mercy of the elements.
the act of passing from one state or place to the next
From this reading When he had finished, stealthy forms might have been detected moving away from the passage outside—not only songbirds, but seamen too, the mate and the ship’s cook and the cabin boy; while up on deck Captain Bearman, who had been secretly listening himself at one of the ventilators, was roaring and cursing because his ship was lying all unmanned, at the mercy of the elements.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading And so she sang him the old songs down in the stuffy little cabin; and his eyes kept right on glistening, though he smiled up at her from time to time quite happily.
in accordance with truth or fact or reality
From this reading It was really a shocking state of affairs.
precisely, exactly
From this reading And so she sang him the old songs down in the stuffy little cabin; and his eyes kept right on glistening, though he smiled up at her from time to time quite happily.
roaringnounUS /ˈrɔːrɪŋ/
a deep prolonged loud noise
From this reading When he had finished, stealthy forms might have been detected moving away from the passage outside—not only songbirds, but seamen too, the mate and the ship’s cook and the cabin boy; while up on deck Captain Bearman, who had been secretly listening himself at one of the ventilators, was roaring and cursing because his ship was lying all unmanned, at the mercy of the elements.
North American woodland herb similar to and used as substitute for the Chinese ginseng
From this reading And so she sang him the old songs down in the stuffy little cabin; and his eyes kept right on glistening, though he smiled up at her from time to time quite happily.
seamennounUS /ˈsiːmən/
plural of “seaman” — a man who serves as a sailor
From this reading When he had finished, stealthy forms might have been detected moving away from the passage outside—not only songbirds, but seamen too, the mate and the ship’s cook and the cabin boy; while up on deck Captain Bearman, who had been secretly listening himself at one of the ventilators, was roaring and cursing because his ship was lying all unmanned, at the mercy of the elements.
secretlyadverbUS /ˈsiːkrɪtli/
in secrecy; not openly
From this reading When he had finished, stealthy forms might have been detected moving away from the passage outside—not only songbirds, but seamen too, the mate and the ship’s cook and the cabin boy; while up on deck Captain Bearman, who had been secretly listening himself at one of the ventilators, was roaring and cursing because his ship was lying all unmanned, at the mercy of the elements.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading And so she sang him the old songs down in the stuffy little cabin; and his eyes kept right on glistening, though he smiled up at her from time to time quite happily.
transport commercially
From this reading When he had finished, stealthy forms might have been detected moving away from the passage outside—not only songbirds, but seamen too, the mate and the ship’s cook and the cabin boy; while up on deck Captain Bearman, who had been secretly listening himself at one of the ventilators, was roaring and cursing because his ship was lying all unmanned, at the mercy of the elements.
ship'snounUS /ʃɪps/
possessive form of “ship” — a vessel that carries passengers or freight
From this reading When he had finished, stealthy forms might have been detected moving away from the passage outside—not only songbirds, but seamen too, the mate and the ship’s cook and the cabin boy; while up on deck Captain Bearman, who had been secretly listening himself at one of the ventilators, was roaring and cursing because his ship was lying all unmanned, at the mercy of the elements.
shockingadjectiveUS /ˈʃɑːkɪŋ/
glaringly vivid and graphic; marked by sensationalism
From this reading It was really a shocking state of affairs.
deliver by singing
From this reading Yes, she sang as no one, surely, had ever heard her sing before.
the act of singing vocal music
From this reading The impresario had tuned her up for big money; but now she was singing just for him.
past form of “smile” — change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure
From this reading And so she sang him the old songs down in the stuffy little cabin; and his eyes kept right on glistening, though he smiled up at her from time to time quite happily.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading And so she sang him the old songs down in the stuffy little cabin; and his eyes kept right on glistening, though he smiled up at her from time to time quite happily.
songbirdsnounUS /ˈsɔːŋbɜːrdz/
plural of “songbird” — any bird having a musical call
From this reading When he had finished, stealthy forms might have been detected moving away from the passage outside—not only songbirds, but seamen too, the mate and the ship’s cook and the cabin boy; while up on deck Captain Bearman, who had been secretly listening himself at one of the ventilators, was roaring and cursing because his ship was lying all unmanned, at the mercy of the elements.
plural of “song” — a short musical composition with words
From this reading And so she sang him the old songs down in the stuffy little cabin; and his eyes kept right on glistening, though he smiled up at her from time to time quite happily.
the territory occupied by one of the constituent administrative districts of a nation
From this reading It was really a shocking state of affairs.
stealthyadjectiveUS /ˈstelθi/
marked by quiet and caution and secrecy; taking pains to avoid being observed
From this reading When he had finished, stealthy forms might have been detected moving away from the passage outside—not only songbirds, but seamen too, the mate and the ship’s cook and the cabin boy; while up on deck Captain Bearman, who had been secretly listening himself at one of the ventilators, was roaring and cursing because his ship was lying all unmanned, at the mercy of the elements.
stuffyadjectiveUS /ˈstʌfi/
lacking fresh air
From this reading And so she sang him the old songs down in the stuffy little cabin; and his eyes kept right on glistening, though he smiled up at her from time to time quite happily.
definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)
From this reading Yes, she sang as no one, surely, had ever heard her sing before.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading And so she sang him the old songs down in the stuffy little cabin; and his eyes kept right on glistening, though he smiled up at her from time to time quite happily.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading And so she sang him the old songs down in the stuffy little cabin; and his eyes kept right on glistening, though he smiled up at her from time to time quite happily.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading And so she sang him the old songs down in the stuffy little cabin; and his eyes kept right on glistening, though he smiled up at her from time to time quite happily.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading And so she sang him the old songs down in the stuffy little cabin; and his eyes kept right on glistening, though he smiled up at her from time to time quite happily.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading When he had finished, stealthy forms might have been detected moving away from the passage outside—not only songbirds, but seamen too, the mate and the ship’s cook and the cabin boy; while up on deck Captain Bearman, who had been secretly listening himself at one of the ventilators, was roaring and cursing because his ship was lying all unmanned, at the mercy of the elements.
tunedverbUS /tuːnd/
past form of “tune” — adjust for (better) functioning
From this reading The impresario had tuned her up for big money; but now she was singing just for him.
unmannedadjectiveUS /ənˈmænd/
lacking a crew
From this reading When he had finished, stealthy forms might have been detected moving away from the passage outside—not only songbirds, but seamen too, the mate and the ship’s cook and the cabin boy; while up on deck Captain Bearman, who had been secretly listening himself at one of the ventilators, was roaring and cursing because his ship was lying all unmanned, at the mercy of the elements.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading And so she sang him the old songs down in the stuffy little cabin; and his eyes kept right on glistening, though he smiled up at her from time to time quite happily.
ventilators
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When he had finished, stealthy forms might have been detected moving away from the passage outside—not only songbirds, but seamen too, the mate and the ship’s cook and the cabin boy; while up on deck Captain Bearman, who had been secretly listening himself at one of the ventilators, was roaring and cursing because his ship was lying all unmanned, at the mercy of the elements.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The impresario had tuned her up for big money; but now she was singing just for him.
at the time that
From this reading When he had finished, stealthy forms might have been detected moving away from the passage outside—not only songbirds, but seamen too, the mate and the ship’s cook and the cabin boy; while up on deck Captain Bearman, who had been secretly listening himself at one of the ventilators, was roaring and cursing because his ship was lying all unmanned, at the mercy of the elements.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading When he had finished, stealthy forms might have been detected moving away from the passage outside—not only songbirds, but seamen too, the mate and the ship’s cook and the cabin boy; while up on deck Captain Bearman, who had been secretly listening himself at one of the ventilators, was roaring and cursing because his ship was lying all unmanned, at the mercy of the elements.
which person or people
From this reading When he had finished, stealthy forms might have been detected moving away from the passage outside—not only songbirds, but seamen too, the mate and the ship’s cook and the cabin boy; while up on deck Captain Bearman, who had been secretly listening himself at one of the ventilators, was roaring and cursing because his ship was lying all unmanned, at the mercy of the elements.
an affirmative
From this reading Yes, she sang as no one, surely, had ever heard her sing before.
