used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The Island With the first streaks of dawn, Peter, who had been sleeping soundly in the open, with his feet towards the still glowing embers, shook himself like a great mastiff, and stretched his cramped limbs.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading It had been a strange sensation sleeping on the hard ground after days and weeks on the ocean.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading The flood-tide was making, and the wavelets were lapping against the edge of the serrated reef.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The Island With the first streaks of dawn, Peter, who had been sleeping soundly in the open, with his feet towards the still glowing embers, shook himself like a great mastiff, and stretched his cramped limbs.
(sometimes followed by “of”) having or showing knowledge or understanding or realization or perception
From this reading Some moments elapsed before he was fully aware of his surroundings.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The Island With the first streaks of dawn, Peter, who had been sleeping soundly in the open, with his feet towards the still glowing embers, shook himself like a great mastiff, and stretched his cramped limbs.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Some moments elapsed before he was fully aware of his surroundings.
crampedadjectiveUS /kræmpt/
constricted in size
From this reading The Island With the first streaks of dawn, Peter, who had been sleeping soundly in the open, with his feet towards the still glowing embers, shook himself like a great mastiff, and stretched his cramped limbs.
the first light of day
From this reading The Island With the first streaks of dawn, Peter, who had been sleeping soundly in the open, with his feet towards the still glowing embers, shook himself like a great mastiff, and stretched his cramped limbs.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading It had been a strange sensation sleeping on the hard ground after days and weeks on the ocean.
the boundary of a surface
From this reading The flood-tide was making, and the wavelets were lapping against the edge of the serrated reef.
elapsedadjectiveUS /ɪˈlæpst/
(of time) having passed or slipped by
From this reading Some moments elapsed before he was fully aware of his surroundings.
embersnounUS /ˈembərz/
plural of “ember” — a hot fragment of wood or coal that is left from a fire and is glowing or smoldering
From this reading The Island With the first streaks of dawn, Peter, who had been sleeping soundly in the open, with his feet towards the still glowing embers, shook himself like a great mastiff, and stretched his cramped limbs.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading The Island With the first streaks of dawn, Peter, who had been sleeping soundly in the open, with his feet towards the still glowing embers, shook himself like a great mastiff, and stretched his cramped limbs.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading The Island With the first streaks of dawn, Peter, who had been sleeping soundly in the open, with his feet towards the still glowing embers, shook himself like a great mastiff, and stretched his cramped limbs.
flood-tide
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The flood-tide was making, and the wavelets were lapping against the edge of the serrated reef.
to the greatest degree or extent; completely or entirely; (“full” in this sense is used as a combining form)
From this reading Some moments elapsed before he was fully aware of his surroundings.
glowingadjectiveUS /ˈɡloʊɪŋ/
highly enthusiastic
From this reading The Island With the first streaks of dawn, Peter, who had been sleeping soundly in the open, with his feet towards the still glowing embers, shook himself like a great mastiff, and stretched his cramped limbs.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading The Island With the first streaks of dawn, Peter, who had been sleeping soundly in the open, with his feet towards the still glowing embers, shook himself like a great mastiff, and stretched his cramped limbs.
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading It had been a strange sensation sleeping on the hard ground after days and weeks on the ocean.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The Island With the first streaks of dawn, Peter, who had been sleeping soundly in the open, with his feet towards the still glowing embers, shook himself like a great mastiff, and stretched his cramped limbs.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading It had been a strange sensation sleeping on the hard ground after days and weeks on the ocean.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Some moments elapsed before he was fully aware of his surroundings.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading The Island With the first streaks of dawn, Peter, who had been sleeping soundly in the open, with his feet towards the still glowing embers, shook himself like a great mastiff, and stretched his cramped limbs.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The Island With the first streaks of dawn, Peter, who had been sleeping soundly in the open, with his feet towards the still glowing embers, shook himself like a great mastiff, and stretched his cramped limbs.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The Island With the first streaks of dawn, Peter, who had been sleeping soundly in the open, with his feet towards the still glowing embers, shook himself like a great mastiff, and stretched his cramped limbs.
a land mass (smaller than a continent) that is surrounded by water
From this reading The Island With the first streaks of dawn, Peter, who had been sleeping soundly in the open, with his feet towards the still glowing embers, shook himself like a great mastiff, and stretched his cramped limbs.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It had been a strange sensation sleeping on the hard ground after days and weeks on the ocean.
lappingnounUS /ˈlæpɪŋ/
covering with a design in which one element covers a part of another (as with tiles or shingles)
From this reading The flood-tide was making, and the wavelets were lapping against the edge of the serrated reef.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading The Island With the first streaks of dawn, Peter, who had been sleeping soundly in the open, with his feet towards the still glowing embers, shook himself like a great mastiff, and stretched his cramped limbs.
plural of “limb” — one of the jointed appendages of an animal used for locomotion or grasping: arm; leg; wing; flipper
From this reading The Island With the first streaks of dawn, Peter, who had been sleeping soundly in the open, with his feet towards the still glowing embers, shook himself like a great mastiff, and stretched his cramped limbs.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading He looked seawards.
the act that results in something coming to be
From this reading The flood-tide was making, and the wavelets were lapping against the edge of the serrated reef.
mastiffnounUS /ˈmæstəf/
an old breed of powerful deep-chested smooth-coated dog used chiefly as a watchdog and guard dog
From this reading The Island With the first streaks of dawn, Peter, who had been sleeping soundly in the open, with his feet towards the still glowing embers, shook himself like a great mastiff, and stretched his cramped limbs.
plural of “moment” — a particular point in time
From this reading Some moments elapsed before he was fully aware of his surroundings.
a large body of water constituting a principal part of the hydrosphere
From this reading It had been a strange sensation sleeping on the hard ground after days and weeks on the ocean.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The Island With the first streaks of dawn, Peter, who had been sleeping soundly in the open, with his feet towards the still glowing embers, shook himself like a great mastiff, and stretched his cramped limbs.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading It had been a strange sensation sleeping on the hard ground after days and weeks on the ocean.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading The Island With the first streaks of dawn, Peter, who had been sleeping soundly in the open, with his feet towards the still glowing embers, shook himself like a great mastiff, and stretched his cramped limbs.
disciple of Jesus and leader of the Apostles; regarded by Catholics as the vicar of Christ on earth and first Pope
From this reading The Island With the first streaks of dawn, Peter, who had been sleeping soundly in the open, with his feet towards the still glowing embers, shook himself like a great mastiff, and stretched his cramped limbs.
reefnounUS /riːf/
a submerged ridge of rock or coral near the surface of the water
From this reading The flood-tide was making, and the wavelets were lapping against the edge of the serrated reef.
seawardsadverb
in the direction of the sea
From this reading He looked seawards.
an unelaborated elementary awareness of stimulation
From this reading It had been a strange sensation sleeping on the hard ground after days and weeks on the ocean.
serratedadjectiveUS /ˈsereɪtɪd/
notched like a saw with teeth pointing toward the apex
From this reading The flood-tide was making, and the wavelets were lapping against the edge of the serrated reef.
a disassembled barrel; the parts packed for storage or shipment
From this reading The Island With the first streaks of dawn, Peter, who had been sleeping soundly in the open, with his feet towards the still glowing embers, shook himself like a great mastiff, and stretched his cramped limbs.
the state of being asleep
From this reading The Island With the first streaks of dawn, Peter, who had been sleeping soundly in the open, with his feet towards the still glowing embers, shook himself like a great mastiff, and stretched his cramped limbs.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Some moments elapsed before he was fully aware of his surroundings.
soundlyadverbUS /ˈsaʊndli/
deeply or completely
From this reading The Island With the first streaks of dawn, Peter, who had been sleeping soundly in the open, with his feet towards the still glowing embers, shook himself like a great mastiff, and stretched his cramped limbs.
not in physical motion
From this reading The Island With the first streaks of dawn, Peter, who had been sleeping soundly in the open, with his feet towards the still glowing embers, shook himself like a great mastiff, and stretched his cramped limbs.
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading It had been a strange sensation sleeping on the hard ground after days and weeks on the ocean.
streaksnounUS /striːks/
plural of “streak” — an unbroken series of events
From this reading The Island With the first streaks of dawn, Peter, who had been sleeping soundly in the open, with his feet towards the still glowing embers, shook himself like a great mastiff, and stretched his cramped limbs.
(of muscles) relieved of stiffness by stretching
From this reading The Island With the first streaks of dawn, Peter, who had been sleeping soundly in the open, with his feet towards the still glowing embers, shook himself like a great mastiff, and stretched his cramped limbs.
surroundingsnounUS /sərˈaʊndɪŋz/
the environmental condition
From this reading Some moments elapsed before he was fully aware of his surroundings.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The Island With the first streaks of dawn, Peter, who had been sleeping soundly in the open, with his feet towards the still glowing embers, shook himself like a great mastiff, and stretched his cramped limbs.
in the direction of
From this reading The Island With the first streaks of dawn, Peter, who had been sleeping soundly in the open, with his feet towards the still glowing embers, shook himself like a great mastiff, and stretched his cramped limbs.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Some moments elapsed before he was fully aware of his surroundings.
wavelets
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The flood-tide was making, and the wavelets were lapping against the edge of the serrated reef.
plural of “week” — any period of seven consecutive days
From this reading It had been a strange sensation sleeping on the hard ground after days and weeks on the ocean.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The flood-tide was making, and the wavelets were lapping against the edge of the serrated reef.
which person or people
From this reading The Island With the first streaks of dawn, Peter, who had been sleeping soundly in the open, with his feet towards the still glowing embers, shook himself like a great mastiff, and stretched his cramped limbs.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The Island With the first streaks of dawn, Peter, who had been sleeping soundly in the open, with his feet towards the still glowing embers, shook himself like a great mastiff, and stretched his cramped limbs.
