used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A LETTER FOR ALEC So it came about that when the _Bertha B_ sailed for the oyster grounds next morning, Alec was not aboard of her.
on a ship, train, plane or other vehicle
From this reading A LETTER FOR ALEC So it came about that when the _Bertha B_ sailed for the oyster grounds next morning, Alec was not aboard of her.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading A LETTER FOR ALEC So it came about that when the _Bertha B_ sailed for the oyster grounds next morning, Alec was not aboard of her.
achedverbUS /eɪkt/
past form of “ache” — feel physical pain
From this reading His head still ached, and he did not feel very well.
take a risk in the hope of a favorable outcome
From this reading He pulled on his clothes and set about helping the cook, who knew nothing whatever about Alec's adventure.
ALEC
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A LETTER FOR ALEC So it came about that when the _Bertha B_ sailed for the oyster grounds next morning, Alec was not aboard of her.
Alec's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He pulled on his clothes and set about helping the cook, who knew nothing whatever about Alec's adventure.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He passed a restless night in his bunk, and was astir the moment Dick arrived to start breakfast.
past form of “arrive” — reach a destination; arrive by movement or progress
From this reading He passed a restless night in his bunk, and was astir the moment Dick arrived to start breakfast.
astiradjective
out of bed
From this reading He passed a restless night in his bunk, and was astir the moment Dick arrived to start breakfast.
aerobic rod-shaped spore-producing bacterium; often occurring in chainlike formations; found primarily in soil
From this reading A LETTER FOR ALEC So it came about that when the _Bertha B_ sailed for the oyster grounds next morning, Alec was not aboard of her.
Bertha
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A LETTER FOR ALEC So it came about that when the _Bertha B_ sailed for the oyster grounds next morning, Alec was not aboard of her.
eat an early morning meal
From this reading He passed a restless night in his bunk, and was astir the moment Dick arrived to start breakfast.
bunknounUS /bʌŋk/
a long trough for feeding cattle
From this reading He passed a restless night in his bunk, and was astir the moment Dick arrived to start breakfast.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading A LETTER FOR ALEC So it came about that when the _Bertha B_ sailed for the oyster grounds next morning, Alec was not aboard of her.
casknounUS /kæsk/
the quantity a cask will hold
From this reading He raked the fire, put on fresh coal, filled the coffee-pot with water from the cask on deck, and tried to make himself unobtrusively helpful.
clothing in general
From this reading He pulled on his clothes and set about helping the cook, who knew nothing whatever about Alec's adventure.
coalnounUS /koʊl/
fossil fuel consisting of carbonized vegetable matter deposited in the Carboniferous period
From this reading He raked the fire, put on fresh coal, filled the coffee-pot with water from the cask on deck, and tried to make himself unobtrusively helpful.
coffee-pot
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He raked the fire, put on fresh coal, filled the coffee-pot with water from the cask on deck, and tried to make himself unobtrusively helpful.
prepare a hot meal
From this reading He pulled on his clothes and set about helping the cook, who knew nothing whatever about Alec's adventure.
any of various platforms built into a vessel
From this reading He raked the fire, put on fresh coal, filled the coffee-pot with water from the cask on deck, and tried to make himself unobtrusively helpful.
someone who is a detective
From this reading He passed a restless night in his bunk, and was astir the moment Dick arrived to start breakfast.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading His head still ached, and he did not feel very well.
undergo an emotional sensation or be in a particular state of mind
From this reading His head still ached, and he did not feel very well.
(usually followed by “with” or used as a combining form) generously supplied with
From this reading He raked the fire, put on fresh coal, filled the coffee-pot with water from the cask on deck, and tried to make himself unobtrusively helpful.
start firing a weapon
From this reading He raked the fire, put on fresh coal, filled the coffee-pot with water from the cask on deck, and tried to make himself unobtrusively helpful.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading A LETTER FOR ALEC So it came about that when the _Bertha B_ sailed for the oyster grounds next morning, Alec was not aboard of her.
recently made, produced, or harvested
From this reading He raked the fire, put on fresh coal, filled the coffee-pot with water from the cask on deck, and tried to make himself unobtrusively helpful.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading He raked the fire, put on fresh coal, filled the coffee-pot with water from the cask on deck, and tried to make himself unobtrusively helpful.
your basis for belief or disbelief; knowledge on which to base belief
From this reading A LETTER FOR ALEC So it came about that when the _Bertha B_ sailed for the oyster grounds next morning, Alec was not aboard of her.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He passed a restless night in his bunk, and was astir the moment Dick arrived to start breakfast.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading His head still ached, and he did not feel very well.
helpfuladjectiveUS /ˈhelpfəl/
providing assistance or serving a useful function
From this reading He raked the fire, put on fresh coal, filled the coffee-pot with water from the cask on deck, and tried to make himself unobtrusively helpful.
helpingnounUS /ˈhelpɪŋ/
an individual quantity of food or drink taken as part of a meal
From this reading He pulled on his clothes and set about helping the cook, who knew nothing whatever about Alec's adventure.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading A LETTER FOR ALEC So it came about that when the _Bertha B_ sailed for the oyster grounds next morning, Alec was not aboard of her.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading He raked the fire, put on fresh coal, filled the coffee-pot with water from the cask on deck, and tried to make himself unobtrusively helpful.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He passed a restless night in his bunk, and was astir the moment Dick arrived to start breakfast.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He passed a restless night in his bunk, and was astir the moment Dick arrived to start breakfast.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading A LETTER FOR ALEC So it came about that when the _Bertha B_ sailed for the oyster grounds next morning, Alec was not aboard of her.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading He pulled on his clothes and set about helping the cook, who knew nothing whatever about Alec's adventure.
a written message addressed to a person or organization
From this reading A LETTER FOR ALEC So it came about that when the _Bertha B_ sailed for the oyster grounds next morning, Alec was not aboard of her.
engage in
From this reading He raked the fire, put on fresh coal, filled the coffee-pot with water from the cask on deck, and tried to make himself unobtrusively helpful.
a particular point in time
From this reading He passed a restless night in his bunk, and was astir the moment Dick arrived to start breakfast.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading A LETTER FOR ALEC So it came about that when the _Bertha B_ sailed for the oyster grounds next morning, Alec was not aboard of her.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading A LETTER FOR ALEC So it came about that when the _Bertha B_ sailed for the oyster grounds next morning, Alec was not aboard of her.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading He passed a restless night in his bunk, and was astir the moment Dick arrived to start breakfast.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading A LETTER FOR ALEC So it came about that when the _Bertha B_ sailed for the oyster grounds next morning, Alec was not aboard of her.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading He pulled on his clothes and set about helping the cook, who knew nothing whatever about Alec's adventure.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A LETTER FOR ALEC So it came about that when the _Bertha B_ sailed for the oyster grounds next morning, Alec was not aboard of her.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading He pulled on his clothes and set about helping the cook, who knew nothing whatever about Alec's adventure.
oysternounUS /ˈɔɪstər/
marine mollusks having a rough irregular shell; found on the sea bed mostly in coastal waters
From this reading A LETTER FOR ALEC So it came about that when the _Bertha B_ sailed for the oyster grounds next morning, Alec was not aboard of her.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading He passed a restless night in his bunk, and was astir the moment Dick arrived to start breakfast.
past form of “pull” — cause to move by pulling
From this reading He pulled on his clothes and set about helping the cook, who knew nothing whatever about Alec's adventure.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading He raked the fire, put on fresh coal, filled the coffee-pot with water from the cask on deck, and tried to make himself unobtrusively helpful.
rakedverbUS /reɪkt/
past form of “rake” — move through with or as if with a rake
From this reading He raked the fire, put on fresh coal, filled the coffee-pot with water from the cask on deck, and tried to make himself unobtrusively helpful.
restlessadjectiveUS /ˈrestləs/
worried and uneasy
From this reading He passed a restless night in his bunk, and was astir the moment Dick arrived to start breakfast.
past form of “sail” — traverse or travel on (a body of water)
From this reading A LETTER FOR ALEC So it came about that when the _Bertha B_ sailed for the oyster grounds next morning, Alec was not aboard of her.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading He pulled on his clothes and set about helping the cook, who knew nothing whatever about Alec's adventure.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading A LETTER FOR ALEC So it came about that when the _Bertha B_ sailed for the oyster grounds next morning, Alec was not aboard of her.
take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading He passed a restless night in his bunk, and was astir the moment Dick arrived to start breakfast.
not in physical motion
From this reading His head still ached, and he did not feel very well.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading A LETTER FOR ALEC So it came about that when the _Bertha B_ sailed for the oyster grounds next morning, Alec was not aboard of her.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A LETTER FOR ALEC So it came about that when the _Bertha B_ sailed for the oyster grounds next morning, Alec was not aboard of her.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He passed a restless night in his bunk, and was astir the moment Dick arrived to start breakfast.
tested and proved useful or correct
From this reading He raked the fire, put on fresh coal, filled the coffee-pot with water from the cask on deck, and tried to make himself unobtrusively helpful.
unobtrusivelyadverb
in an unobtrusive manner
From this reading He raked the fire, put on fresh coal, filled the coffee-pot with water from the cask on deck, and tried to make himself unobtrusively helpful.
precisely as stated
From this reading His head still ached, and he did not feel very well.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading A LETTER FOR ALEC So it came about that when the _Bertha B_ sailed for the oyster grounds next morning, Alec was not aboard of her.
binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent
From this reading He raked the fire, put on fresh coal, filled the coffee-pot with water from the cask on deck, and tried to make himself unobtrusively helpful.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading His head still ached, and he did not feel very well.
any or all of a kind, it does not matter which
From this reading He pulled on his clothes and set about helping the cook, who knew nothing whatever about Alec's adventure.
at the time that
From this reading A LETTER FOR ALEC So it came about that when the _Bertha B_ sailed for the oyster grounds next morning, Alec was not aboard of her.
which person or people
From this reading He pulled on his clothes and set about helping the cook, who knew nothing whatever about Alec's adventure.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He raked the fire, put on fresh coal, filled the coffee-pot with water from the cask on deck, and tried to make himself unobtrusively helpful.
