used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Astern of her the Olympians towered high above the forests of Washington, a great serrated ridge of frosted silver that cut coldly white against the blue of the morning sky.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading Astern of her the Olympians towered high above the forests of Washington, a great serrated ridge of frosted silver that cut coldly white against the blue of the morning sky.
anew
From this reading Then she stopped again, heaving her bows high out of the oily sea, while everything in her banged and rattled.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading Astern of her the Olympians towered high above the forests of Washington, a great serrated ridge of frosted silver that cut coldly white against the blue of the morning sky.
at or in the front
From this reading To starboard the shore of Vancouver Island rose, a faint blur of misty pines, and ahead the sea was dimmed by drifting vapors out of which the long swell swung glassily.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading To starboard the shore of Vancouver Island rose, a faint blur of misty pines, and ahead the sea was dimmed by drifting vapors out of which the long swell swung glassily.
Asternadverb
stern foremost or backward
From this reading Astern of her the Olympians towered high above the forests of Washington, a great serrated ridge of frosted silver that cut coldly white against the blue of the morning sky.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading TO WINDWARD Two days had slipped away since Jimmy joined the _Tyee_, when, with her dew-wet canvas slatting at every roll, she crept out from the narrow waters into the Pacific.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading TO WINDWARD Two days had slipped away since Jimmy joined the _Tyee_, when, with her dew-wet canvas slatting at every roll, she crept out from the narrow waters into the Pacific.
bangedverbUS /bæŋd/
past form of “bang” — strike violently
From this reading Then she stopped again, heaving her bows high out of the oily sea, while everything in her banged and rattled.
of the color intermediate between green and violet; having a color similar to that of a clear unclouded sky
From this reading Astern of her the Olympians towered high above the forests of Washington, a great serrated ridge of frosted silver that cut coldly white against the blue of the morning sky.
blurverbUS /blɜːr/
become glassy; lose clear vision
From this reading To starboard the shore of Vancouver Island rose, a faint blur of misty pines, and ahead the sea was dimmed by drifting vapors out of which the long swell swung glassily.
bowsnounUS /baʊz/
plural of “bow” — a knot with two loops and loose ends; used to tie shoelaces
From this reading Then she stopped again, heaving her bows high out of the oily sea, while everything in her banged and rattled.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading To starboard the shore of Vancouver Island rose, a faint blur of misty pines, and ahead the sea was dimmed by drifting vapors out of which the long swell swung glassily.
canvasnounUS /ˈkænvəs/
a heavy, closely woven fabric (used for clothing or chairs or sails or tents)
From this reading TO WINDWARD Two days had slipped away since Jimmy joined the _Tyee_, when, with her dew-wet canvas slatting at every roll, she crept out from the narrow waters into the Pacific.
coldlyadverbUS /ˈkoʊldli/
lacking warmth of feeling; in a cold, unemotional manner
From this reading Astern of her the Olympians towered high above the forests of Washington, a great serrated ridge of frosted silver that cut coldly white against the blue of the morning sky.
crawledverbUS /krɔːld/
past form of “crawl” — move slowly; in the case of people or animals with the body near the ground
From this reading At times a wandering zephyr crisped it with a darker smear, and the _Tyee_ crawled ahead a little.
inflected form of “creep” — move slowly; in the case of people or animals with the body near the ground
From this reading TO WINDWARD Two days had slipped away since Jimmy joined the _Tyee_, when, with her dew-wet canvas slatting at every roll, she crept out from the narrow waters into the Pacific.
crisped
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At times a wandering zephyr crisped it with a darker smear, and the _Tyee_ crawled ahead a little.
separate with or as if with an instrument
From this reading Astern of her the Olympians towered high above the forests of Washington, a great serrated ridge of frosted silver that cut coldly white against the blue of the morning sky.
darkeradjectiveUS /ˈdɑːrkər/
comparative of “dark” — devoid of or deficient in light or brightness; shadowed or black
From this reading At times a wandering zephyr crisped it with a darker smear, and the _Tyee_ crawled ahead a little.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading TO WINDWARD Two days had slipped away since Jimmy joined the _Tyee_, when, with her dew-wet canvas slatting at every roll, she crept out from the narrow waters into the Pacific.
dew-wet
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading TO WINDWARD Two days had slipped away since Jimmy joined the _Tyee_, when, with her dew-wet canvas slatting at every roll, she crept out from the narrow waters into the Pacific.
dimmedadjectiveUS /dɪmd/
made dim or less bright
From this reading To starboard the shore of Vancouver Island rose, a faint blur of misty pines, and ahead the sea was dimmed by drifting vapors out of which the long swell swung glassily.
driftingnounUS /ˈdrɪftɪŋ/
aimless wandering from place to place
From this reading To starboard the shore of Vancouver Island rose, a faint blur of misty pines, and ahead the sea was dimmed by drifting vapors out of which the long swell swung glassily.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading TO WINDWARD Two days had slipped away since Jimmy joined the _Tyee_, when, with her dew-wet canvas slatting at every roll, she crept out from the narrow waters into the Pacific.
all things; all of a situation
From this reading Then she stopped again, heaving her bows high out of the oily sea, while everything in her banged and rattled.
deficient in magnitude; barely perceptible; lacking clarity or brightness or loudness etc
From this reading To starboard the shore of Vancouver Island rose, a faint blur of misty pines, and ahead the sea was dimmed by drifting vapors out of which the long swell swung glassily.
forestsnounUS /ˈfɔːrəsts/
plural of “forest” — the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area
From this reading Astern of her the Olympians towered high above the forests of Washington, a great serrated ridge of frosted silver that cut coldly white against the blue of the morning sky.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading TO WINDWARD Two days had slipped away since Jimmy joined the _Tyee_, when, with her dew-wet canvas slatting at every roll, she crept out from the narrow waters into the Pacific.
frostedadjectiveUS /ˈfrɔːstəd/
(of glass) having a roughened coating resembling frost
From this reading Astern of her the Olympians towered high above the forests of Washington, a great serrated ridge of frosted silver that cut coldly white against the blue of the morning sky.
glassily
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To starboard the shore of Vancouver Island rose, a faint blur of misty pines, and ahead the sea was dimmed by drifting vapors out of which the long swell swung glassily.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading Astern of her the Olympians towered high above the forests of Washington, a great serrated ridge of frosted silver that cut coldly white against the blue of the morning sky.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading TO WINDWARD Two days had slipped away since Jimmy joined the _Tyee_, when, with her dew-wet canvas slatting at every roll, she crept out from the narrow waters into the Pacific.
heavingnounUS /ˈhiːvɪŋ/
an upward movement (especially a rhythmical rising and falling)
From this reading Then she stopped again, heaving her bows high out of the oily sea, while everything in her banged and rattled.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading TO WINDWARD Two days had slipped away since Jimmy joined the _Tyee_, when, with her dew-wet canvas slatting at every roll, she crept out from the narrow waters into the Pacific.
greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading Astern of her the Olympians towered high above the forests of Washington, a great serrated ridge of frosted silver that cut coldly white against the blue of the morning sky.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Then she stopped again, heaving her bows high out of the oily sea, while everything in her banged and rattled.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading TO WINDWARD Two days had slipped away since Jimmy joined the _Tyee_, when, with her dew-wet canvas slatting at every roll, she crept out from the narrow waters into the Pacific.
a land mass (smaller than a continent) that is surrounded by water
From this reading To starboard the shore of Vancouver Island rose, a faint blur of misty pines, and ahead the sea was dimmed by drifting vapors out of which the long swell swung glassily.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading At times a wandering zephyr crisped it with a darker smear, and the _Tyee_ crawled ahead a little.
to move or force, especially in an effort to get something open
From this reading TO WINDWARD Two days had slipped away since Jimmy joined the _Tyee_, when, with her dew-wet canvas slatting at every roll, she crept out from the narrow waters into the Pacific.
of or relating to two people who are married to each other
From this reading TO WINDWARD Two days had slipped away since Jimmy joined the _Tyee_, when, with her dew-wet canvas slatting at every roll, she crept out from the narrow waters into the Pacific.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading At times a wandering zephyr crisped it with a darker smear, and the _Tyee_ crawled ahead a little.
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 To starboard the shore of Vancouver Island rose, a faint blur of misty pines, and ahead the sea was dimmed by drifting vapors out of which the long swell swung glassily.
mistyadjectiveUS /ˈmɪsti/
filled or abounding with fog or mist
From this reading To starboard the shore of Vancouver Island rose, a faint blur of misty pines, and ahead the sea was dimmed by drifting vapors out of which the long swell swung glassily.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading Astern of her the Olympians towered high above the forests of Washington, a great serrated ridge of frosted silver that cut coldly white against the blue of the morning sky.
make or become more narrow or restricted
From this reading TO WINDWARD Two days had slipped away since Jimmy joined the _Tyee_, when, with her dew-wet canvas slatting at every roll, she crept out from the narrow waters into the Pacific.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Astern of her the Olympians towered high above the forests of Washington, a great serrated ridge of frosted silver that cut coldly white against the blue of the morning sky.
oilyadjectiveUS /ˈɔɪli/
containing an unusual amount of grease or oil
From this reading Then she stopped again, heaving her bows high out of the oily sea, while everything in her banged and rattled.
OlympiansnounUS /oʊˈlɪmpiənz/
plural of “olympian” — an athlete who participates in the Olympic games
From this reading Astern of her the Olympians towered high above the forests of Washington, a great serrated ridge of frosted silver that cut coldly white against the blue of the morning sky.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading TO WINDWARD Two days had slipped away since Jimmy joined the _Tyee_, when, with her dew-wet canvas slatting at every roll, she crept out from the narrow waters into the Pacific.
PacificnounUS /pəˈsɪfɪk/
the largest ocean in the world
From this reading TO WINDWARD Two days had slipped away since Jimmy joined the _Tyee_, when, with her dew-wet canvas slatting at every roll, she crept out from the narrow waters into the Pacific.
pinesnounUS /paɪnz/
plural of “pine” — a coniferous tree
From this reading To starboard the shore of Vancouver Island rose, a faint blur of misty pines, and ahead the sea was dimmed by drifting vapors out of which the long swell swung glassily.
rattledadjectiveUS /ˈrætəld/
thrown into a state of agitated confusion; (“rattled” is an informal term)
From this reading Then she stopped again, heaving her bows high out of the oily sea, while everything in her banged and rattled.
ridgenounUS /rɪdʒ/
a long narrow natural elevation or striation
From this reading Astern of her the Olympians towered high above the forests of Washington, a great serrated ridge of frosted silver that cut coldly white against the blue of the morning sky.
move by turning over or rotating
From this reading TO WINDWARD Two days had slipped away since Jimmy joined the _Tyee_, when, with her dew-wet canvas slatting at every roll, she crept out from the narrow waters into the Pacific.
any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading To starboard the shore of Vancouver Island rose, a faint blur of misty pines, and ahead the sea was dimmed by drifting vapors out of which the long swell swung glassily.
a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
From this reading To starboard the shore of Vancouver Island rose, a faint blur of misty pines, and ahead the sea was dimmed by drifting vapors out of which the long swell swung glassily.
serratedadjectiveUS /ˈsereɪtɪd/
notched like a saw with teeth pointing toward the apex
From this reading Astern of her the Olympians towered high above the forests of Washington, a great serrated ridge of frosted silver that cut coldly white against the blue of the morning sky.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading TO WINDWARD Two days had slipped away since Jimmy joined the _Tyee_, when, with her dew-wet canvas slatting at every roll, she crept out from the narrow waters into the Pacific.
the land along the edge of a body of water
From this reading To starboard the shore of Vancouver Island rose, a faint blur of misty pines, and ahead the sea was dimmed by drifting vapors out of which the long swell swung glassily.
a soft white precious univalent metallic element having the highest electrical and thermal conductivity of any metal; occurs in argentite and in free form; used in coins and jewelry and tableware and photography
From this reading Astern of her the Olympians towered high above the forests of Washington, a great serrated ridge of frosted silver that cut coldly white against the blue of the morning sky.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading TO WINDWARD Two days had slipped away since Jimmy joined the _Tyee_, when, with her dew-wet canvas slatting at every roll, she crept out from the narrow waters into the Pacific.
the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading Astern of her the Olympians towered high above the forests of Washington, a great serrated ridge of frosted silver that cut coldly white against the blue of the morning sky.
slatting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading TO WINDWARD Two days had slipped away since Jimmy joined the _Tyee_, when, with her dew-wet canvas slatting at every roll, she crept out from the narrow waters into the Pacific.
inflected form of “slip” — move stealthily
From this reading TO WINDWARD Two days had slipped away since Jimmy joined the _Tyee_, when, with her dew-wet canvas slatting at every roll, she crept out from the narrow waters into the Pacific.
smearnounUS /smɪr/
slanderous defamation
From this reading At times a wandering zephyr crisped it with a darker smear, and the _Tyee_ crawled ahead a little.
starboardnounUS /ˈstɑːrbərd/
the right side of a ship or aircraft to someone who is aboard and facing the bow or nose
From this reading To starboard the shore of Vancouver Island rose, a faint blur of misty pines, and ahead the sea was dimmed by drifting vapors out of which the long swell swung glassily.
(of a nose) blocked
From this reading Then she stopped again, heaving her bows high out of the oily sea, while everything in her banged and rattled.
swellverbUS /swel/
increase in size, magnitude, number, or intensity
From this reading To starboard the shore of Vancouver Island rose, a faint blur of misty pines, and ahead the sea was dimmed by drifting vapors out of which the long swell swung glassily.
inflected form of “swing” — move in a curve or arc, usually with the intent of hitting
From this reading To starboard the shore of Vancouver Island rose, a faint blur of misty pines, and ahead the sea was dimmed by drifting vapors out of which the long swell swung glassily.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Astern of her the Olympians towered high above the forests of Washington, a great serrated ridge of frosted silver that cut coldly white against the blue of the morning sky.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading TO WINDWARD Two days had slipped away since Jimmy joined the _Tyee_, when, with her dew-wet canvas slatting at every roll, she crept out from the narrow waters into the Pacific.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then she stopped again, heaving her bows high out of the oily sea, while everything in her banged and rattled.
a more or less definite period of time now or previously present
From this reading At times a wandering zephyr crisped it with a darker smear, and the _Tyee_ crawled ahead a little.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading TO WINDWARD Two days had slipped away since Jimmy joined the _Tyee_, when, with her dew-wet canvas slatting at every roll, she crept out from the narrow waters into the Pacific.
toweredverbUS /ˈtaʊərd/
past form of “tower” — appear very large or occupy a commanding position
From this reading Astern of her the Olympians towered high above the forests of Washington, a great serrated ridge of frosted silver that cut coldly white against the blue of the morning sky.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading TO WINDWARD Two days had slipped away since Jimmy joined the _Tyee_, when, with her dew-wet canvas slatting at every roll, she crept out from the narrow waters into the Pacific.
Tyee
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading TO WINDWARD Two days had slipped away since Jimmy joined the _Tyee_, when, with her dew-wet canvas slatting at every roll, she crept out from the narrow waters into the Pacific.
VancouvernounUS /vænˈkuːvər/
English navigator remembered for his exploration of the Pacific coast of North America (1757-1798)
From this reading To starboard the shore of Vancouver Island rose, a faint blur of misty pines, and ahead the sea was dimmed by drifting vapors out of which the long swell swung glassily.
vaporsnounUS /ˈveɪpərz/
a state of depression
From this reading To starboard the shore of Vancouver Island rose, a faint blur of misty pines, and ahead the sea was dimmed by drifting vapors out of which the long swell swung glassily.
migratory
From this reading At times a wandering zephyr crisped it with a darker smear, and the _Tyee_ crawled ahead a little.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading To starboard the shore of Vancouver Island rose, a faint blur of misty pines, and ahead the sea was dimmed by drifting vapors out of which the long swell swung glassily.
the capital of the United States in the District of Columbia and a tourist mecca; George Washington commissioned Charles L'Enfant to lay out the city in 1791
From this reading Astern of her the Olympians towered high above the forests of Washington, a great serrated ridge of frosted silver that cut coldly white against the blue of the morning sky.
United States actress and singer (1896-1977)
From this reading TO WINDWARD Two days had slipped away since Jimmy joined the _Tyee_, when, with her dew-wet canvas slatting at every roll, she crept out from the narrow waters into the Pacific.
at the time that
From this reading TO WINDWARD Two days had slipped away since Jimmy joined the _Tyee_, when, with her dew-wet canvas slatting at every roll, she crept out from the narrow waters into the Pacific.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading To starboard the shore of Vancouver Island rose, a faint blur of misty pines, and ahead the sea was dimmed by drifting vapors out of which the long swell swung glassily.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading Then she stopped again, heaving her bows high out of the oily sea, while everything in her banged and rattled.
a Caucasian
From this reading Astern of her the Olympians towered high above the forests of Washington, a great serrated ridge of frosted silver that cut coldly white against the blue of the morning sky.
WINDWARDnounUS /ˈwɪndwərd/
the direction from which the wind is coming
From this reading TO WINDWARD Two days had slipped away since Jimmy joined the _Tyee_, when, with her dew-wet canvas slatting at every roll, she crept out from the narrow waters into the Pacific.
in the company of; together with
From this reading TO WINDWARD Two days had slipped away since Jimmy joined the _Tyee_, when, with her dew-wet canvas slatting at every roll, she crept out from the narrow waters into the Pacific.
zephyrnounUS /ˈzefər/
a slight wind (usually refreshing)
From this reading At times a wandering zephyr crisped it with a darker smear, and the _Tyee_ crawled ahead a little.
