used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A WAY OUT.
(usually followed by “to”) having the necessary means or skill or know-how or authority to do something
From this reading He and Noel would have to wait a long, long time ere it was possible to get home by way of the beach, even if they were able to climb down from their chamber in the rock.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading Long shafts of golden light were slanting through the window-like opening across the cave.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He and Noel would have to wait a long, long time ere it was possible to get home by way of the beach, even if they were able to climb down from their chamber in the rock.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading WATCHING the waves as they flowed into the cave, Duke came to the conclusion that it was barely high tide.
barelyadverbUS /ˈberli/
only a very short time before
From this reading WATCHING the waves as they flowed into the cave, Duke came to the conclusion that it was barely high tide.
an area of sand sloping down to the water of a sea or lake
From this reading He and Noel would have to wait a long, long time ere it was possible to get home by way of the beach, even if they were able to climb down from their chamber in the rock.
next to; at the side of
From this reading As he sat beside his brother, Duke tried hard to wait patiently, but to sit still is never easy for a boy so restless as he.
a youthful male person
From this reading As he sat beside his brother, Duke tried hard to wait patiently, but to sit still is never easy for a boy so restless as he.
a male with the same parents as someone else
From this reading As he sat beside his brother, Duke tried hard to wait patiently, but to sit still is never easy for a boy so restless as he.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading As he sat beside his brother, Duke tried hard to wait patiently, but to sit still is never easy for a boy so restless as he.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading He and Noel would have to wait a long, long time ere it was possible to get home by way of the beach, even if they were able to climb down from their chamber in the rock.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading WATCHING the waves as they flowed into the cave, Duke came to the conclusion that it was barely high tide.
a geological formation consisting of an underground enclosure with access from the surface of the ground or from the sea
From this reading WATCHING the waves as they flowed into the cave, Duke came to the conclusion that it was barely high tide.
a natural or artificial enclosed space
From this reading He and Noel would have to wait a long, long time ere it was possible to get home by way of the beach, even if they were able to climb down from their chamber in the rock.
go upward with gradual or continuous progress
From this reading He and Noel would have to wait a long, long time ere it was possible to get home by way of the beach, even if they were able to climb down from their chamber in the rock.
a position or opinion or judgment reached after consideration
From this reading WATCHING the waves as they flowed into the cave, Duke came to the conclusion that it was barely high tide.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading He and Noel would have to wait a long, long time ere it was possible to get home by way of the beach, even if they were able to climb down from their chamber in the rock.
a British peer of the highest rank
From this reading WATCHING the waves as they flowed into the cave, Duke came to the conclusion that it was barely high tide.
posing no difficulty; requiring little effort
From this reading As he sat beside his brother, Duke tried hard to wait patiently, but to sit still is never easy for a boy so restless as he.
an old word for “before”
From this reading He and Noel would have to wait a long, long time ere it was possible to get home by way of the beach, even if they were able to climb down from their chamber in the rock.
divisible by two
From this reading He and Noel would have to wait a long, long time ere it was possible to get home by way of the beach, even if they were able to climb down from their chamber in the rock.
flowedverbUS /floʊd/
past form of “flow” — move or progress freely as if in a stream
From this reading WATCHING the waves as they flowed into the cave, Duke came to the conclusion that it was barely high tide.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading As he sat beside his brother, Duke tried hard to wait patiently, but to sit still is never easy for a boy so restless as he.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading He and Noel would have to wait a long, long time ere it was possible to get home by way of the beach, even if they were able to climb down from their chamber in the rock.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading He and Noel would have to wait a long, long time ere it was possible to get home by way of the beach, even if they were able to climb down from their chamber in the rock.
having the deep slightly brownish color of gold
From this reading Long shafts of golden light were slanting through the window-like opening across the cave.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading As he sat beside his brother, Duke tried hard to wait patiently, but to sit still is never easy for a boy so restless as he.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading He and Noel would have to wait a long, long time ere it was possible to get home by way of the beach, even if they were able to climb down from their chamber in the rock.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He and Noel would have to wait a long, long time ere it was possible to get home by way of the beach, even if they were able to climb down from their chamber in the rock.
greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading WATCHING the waves as they flowed into the cave, Duke came to the conclusion that it was barely high tide.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading As he sat beside his brother, Duke tried hard to wait patiently, but to sit still is never easy for a boy so restless as he.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading He and Noel would have to wait a long, long time ere it was possible to get home by way of the beach, even if they were able to climb down from their chamber in the rock.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading He and Noel would have to wait a long, long time ere it was possible to get home by way of the beach, even if they were able to climb down from their chamber in the rock.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He and Noel would have to wait a long, long time ere it was possible to get home by way of the beach, even if they were able to climb down from their chamber in the rock.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading WATCHING the waves as they flowed into the cave, Duke came to the conclusion that it was barely high tide.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading As he sat beside his brother, Duke tried hard to wait patiently, but to sit still is never easy for a boy so restless as he.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading WATCHING the waves as they flowed into the cave, Duke came to the conclusion that it was barely high tide.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading Long shafts of golden light were slanting through the window-like opening across the cave.
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 He and Noel would have to wait a long, long time ere it was possible to get home by way of the beach, even if they were able to climb down from their chamber in the rock.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading As he sat beside his brother, Duke tried hard to wait patiently, but to sit still is never easy for a boy so restless as he.
NoelnounUS /noʊˈel/
period extending from Dec. 24 to Jan. 6
From this reading He and Noel would have to wait a long, long time ere it was possible to get home by way of the beach, even if they were able to climb down from their chamber in the rock.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He and Noel would have to wait a long, long time ere it was possible to get home by way of the beach, even if they were able to climb down from their chamber in the rock.
an open or empty space in or between things
From this reading Long shafts of golden light were slanting through the window-like opening across the cave.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading A WAY OUT.
patientlyadverbUS /ˈpeɪʃəntli/
with patience; in a patient manner
From this reading As he sat beside his brother, Duke tried hard to wait patiently, but to sit still is never easy for a boy so restless as he.
capable of happening or existing
From this reading He and Noel would have to wait a long, long time ere it was possible to get home by way of the beach, even if they were able to climb down from their chamber in the rock.
restlessadjectiveUS /ˈrestləs/
worried and uneasy
From this reading As he sat beside his brother, Duke tried hard to wait patiently, but to sit still is never easy for a boy so restless as he.
a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading He and Noel would have to wait a long, long time ere it was possible to get home by way of the beach, even if they were able to climb down from their chamber in the rock.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading As he sat beside his brother, Duke tried hard to wait patiently, but to sit still is never easy for a boy so restless as he.
shaftsnounUS /ʃæfts/
plural of “shaft” — a line that forms the length of an arrow pointer
From this reading Long shafts of golden light were slanting through the window-like opening across the cave.
be seated
From this reading As he sat beside his brother, Duke tried hard to wait patiently, but to sit still is never easy for a boy so restless as he.
slantingadjectiveUS /ˈslæntɪŋ/
having an oblique or slanted direction
From this reading Long shafts of golden light were slanting through the window-like opening across the cave.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading As he sat beside his brother, Duke tried hard to wait patiently, but to sit still is never easy for a boy so restless as he.
not in physical motion
From this reading As he sat beside his brother, Duke tried hard to wait patiently, but to sit still is never easy for a boy so restless as he.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading WATCHING the waves as they flowed into the cave, Duke came to the conclusion that it was barely high tide.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading WATCHING the waves as they flowed into the cave, Duke came to the conclusion that it was barely high tide.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading He and Noel would have to wait a long, long time ere it was possible to get home by way of the beach, even if they were able to climb down from their chamber in the rock.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading WATCHING the waves as they flowed into the cave, Duke came to the conclusion that it was barely high tide.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading Long shafts of golden light were slanting through the window-like opening across the cave.
the periodic rise and fall of the sea level under the gravitational pull of the moon
From this reading WATCHING the waves as they flowed into the cave, Duke came to the conclusion that it was barely high tide.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading He and Noel would have to wait a long, long time ere it was possible to get home by way of the beach, even if they were able to climb down from their chamber in the rock.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading WATCHING the waves as they flowed into the cave, Duke came to the conclusion that it was barely high tide.
tested and proved useful or correct
From this reading As he sat beside his brother, Duke tried hard to wait patiently, but to sit still is never easy for a boy so restless as he.
stay in one place and anticipate or expect something
From this reading He and Noel would have to wait a long, long time ere it was possible to get home by way of the beach, even if they were able to climb down from their chamber in the rock.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading WATCHING the waves as they flowed into the cave, Duke came to the conclusion that it was barely high tide.
the act of observing; taking a patient look
From this reading WATCHING the waves as they flowed into the cave, Duke came to the conclusion that it was barely high tide.
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 WATCHING the waves as they flowed into the cave, Duke came to the conclusion that it was barely high tide.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading A WAY OUT.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading He and Noel would have to wait a long, long time ere it was possible to get home by way of the beach, even if they were able to climb down from their chamber in the rock.
window-like
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Long shafts of golden light were slanting through the window-like opening across the cave.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading He and Noel would have to wait a long, long time ere it was possible to get home by way of the beach, even if they were able to climb down from their chamber in the rock.
