used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading During all the seasons that I had been a radio operator on the Great Lakes I had been hearing a strange tale about him.
on a ship, train, plane or other vehicle
From this reading Even before the new skipper came aboard the _Chippewa_ in the flour-covered pier in Superior, I knew that this trip was not going to be like other trips.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading During all the seasons that I had been a radio operator on the Great Lakes I had been hearing a strange tale about him.
(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 During all the seasons that I had been a radio operator on the Great Lakes I had been hearing a strange tale about him.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Rumors, like Lake Erie squalls, are stirred up in a hurry, and usually die down as quickly, but this one was different.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading It drifted about with the wind from one end of the Lakes to the other, and windlike, it came first from one direction, then another.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Rumors, like Lake Erie squalls, are stirred up in a hurry, and usually die down as quickly, but this one was different.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Rumors, like Lake Erie squalls, are stirred up in a hurry, and usually die down as quickly, but this one was different.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Even before the new skipper came aboard the _Chippewa_ in the flour-covered pier in Superior, I knew that this trip was not going to be like other trips.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading During all the seasons that I had been a radio operator on the Great Lakes I had been hearing a strange tale about him.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Even before the new skipper came aboard the _Chippewa_ in the flour-covered pier in Superior, I knew that this trip was not going to be like other trips.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Rumors, like Lake Erie squalls, are stirred up in a hurry, and usually die down as quickly, but this one was different.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Even before the new skipper came aboard the _Chippewa_ in the flour-covered pier in Superior, I knew that this trip was not going to be like other trips.
ChippewanounUS /ˈtʃɪpəwɑː/
a member of an Algonquian people who lived west of Lake Superior
From this reading Even before the new skipper came aboard the _Chippewa_ in the flour-covered pier in Superior, I knew that this trip was not going to be like other trips.
didn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It didn’t die.
pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life
From this reading Rumors, like Lake Erie squalls, are stirred up in a hurry, and usually die down as quickly, but this one was different.
unlike in nature or quality or form or degree
From this reading Rumors, like Lake Erie squalls, are stirred up in a hurry, and usually die down as quickly, but this one was different.
a line leading to a place or point
From this reading It drifted about with the wind from one end of the Lakes to the other, and windlike, it came first from one direction, then another.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Rumors, like Lake Erie squalls, are stirred up in a hurry, and usually die down as quickly, but this one was different.
driftedverbUS /ˈdrɪftəd/
past form of “drift” — be in motion due to some air or water current
From this reading It drifted about with the wind from one end of the Lakes to the other, and windlike, it came first from one direction, then another.
all through a period, or at some point within it
From this reading During all the seasons that I had been a radio operator on the Great Lakes I had been hearing a strange tale about him.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading It drifted about with the wind from one end of the Lakes to the other, and windlike, it came first from one direction, then another.
ErienounUS /ˈɪri/
a member of an Iroquoian people formerly living on the south shore of Lake Erie in northern Ohio and northwest Pennsylvania and western New York
From this reading Rumors, like Lake Erie squalls, are stirred up in a hurry, and usually die down as quickly, but this one was different.
divisible by two
From this reading Even before the new skipper came aboard the _Chippewa_ in the flour-covered pier in Superior, I knew that this trip was not going to be like other trips.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading It drifted about with the wind from one end of the Lakes to the other, and windlike, it came first from one direction, then another.
flour-covered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Even before the new skipper came aboard the _Chippewa_ in the flour-covered pier in Superior, I knew that this trip was not going to be like other trips.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading It drifted about with the wind from one end of the Lakes to the other, and windlike, it came first from one direction, then another.
the act of departing
From this reading Even before the new skipper came aboard the _Chippewa_ in the flour-covered pier in Superior, I knew that this trip was not going to be like other trips.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading During all the seasons that I had been a radio operator on the Great Lakes I had been hearing a strange tale about him.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading During all the seasons that I had been a radio operator on the Great Lakes I had been hearing a strange tale about him.
(law) a proceeding (usually by a court) where evidence is taken for the purpose of determining an issue of fact and reaching a decision based on that evidence
From this reading During all the seasons that I had been a radio operator on the Great Lakes I had been hearing a strange tale about him.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading During all the seasons that I had been a radio operator on the Great Lakes I had been hearing a strange tale about him.
a condition of urgency making it necessary to hurry
From this reading Rumors, like Lake Erie squalls, are stirred up in a hurry, and usually die down as quickly, but this one was different.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading Even before the new skipper came aboard the _Chippewa_ in the flour-covered pier in Superior, I knew that this trip was not going to be like other trips.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Even before the new skipper came aboard the _Chippewa_ in the flour-covered pier in Superior, I knew that this trip was not going to be like other trips.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It didn’t die.
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 Even before the new skipper came aboard the _Chippewa_ in the flour-covered pier in Superior, I knew that this trip was not going to be like other trips.
a body of (usually fresh) water surrounded by land
From this reading Rumors, like Lake Erie squalls, are stirred up in a hurry, and usually die down as quickly, but this one was different.
LakesnounUS /leɪks/
plural of “lake” — a body of (usually fresh) water surrounded by land
From this reading During all the seasons that I had been a radio operator on the Great Lakes I had been hearing a strange tale about him.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Even before the new skipper came aboard the _Chippewa_ in the flour-covered pier in Superior, I knew that this trip was not going to be like other trips.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading Even before the new skipper came aboard the _Chippewa_ in the flour-covered pier in Superior, I knew that this trip was not going to be like other trips.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Even before the new skipper came aboard the _Chippewa_ in the flour-covered pier in Superior, I knew that this trip was not going to be like other trips.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It drifted about with the wind from one end of the Lakes to the other, and windlike, it came first from one direction, then another.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading During all the seasons that I had been a radio operator on the Great Lakes I had been hearing a strange tale about him.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Rumors, like Lake Erie squalls, are stirred up in a hurry, and usually die down as quickly, but this one was different.
operatornounUS /ˈɑːpəreɪtər/
(mathematics) a symbol or function representing a mathematical operation
From this reading During all the seasons that I had been a radio operator on the Great Lakes I had been hearing a strange tale about him.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading Even before the new skipper came aboard the _Chippewa_ in the flour-covered pier in Superior, I knew that this trip was not going to be like other trips.
piernounUS /pɪr/
a platform built out from the shore into the water and supported by piles; provides access to ships and boats
From this reading Even before the new skipper came aboard the _Chippewa_ in the flour-covered pier in Superior, I knew that this trip was not going to be like other trips.
with speed
From this reading Rumors, like Lake Erie squalls, are stirred up in a hurry, and usually die down as quickly, but this one was different.
radionounUS /ˈreɪdioʊ/
medium for communication
From this reading During all the seasons that I had been a radio operator on the Great Lakes I had been hearing a strange tale about him.
RumorsnounUS /ˈruːmərz/
plural of “rumor” — gossip (usually a mixture of truth and untruth) passed around by word of mouth
From this reading Rumors, like Lake Erie squalls, are stirred up in a hurry, and usually die down as quickly, but this one was different.
seasonsnounUS /ˈsiːzənz/
plural of “season” — a period of the year marked by special events or activities in some field
From this reading During all the seasons that I had been a radio operator on the Great Lakes I had been hearing a strange tale about him.
skippernounUS /ˈskɪpər/
a student who fails to attend classes
From this reading Even before the new skipper came aboard the _Chippewa_ in the flour-covered pier in Superior, I knew that this trip was not going to be like other trips.
squallsnounUS /skwɔːlz/
plural of “squall” — sudden violent winds; often accompanied by precipitation
From this reading Rumors, like Lake Erie squalls, are stirred up in a hurry, and usually die down as quickly, but this one was different.
being excited or provoked to the expression of an emotion
From this reading Rumors, like Lake Erie squalls, are stirred up in a hurry, and usually die down as quickly, but this one was different.
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading During all the seasons that I had been a radio operator on the Great Lakes I had been hearing a strange tale about him.
of high or superior quality or performance
From this reading Even before the new skipper came aboard the _Chippewa_ in the flour-covered pier in Superior, I knew that this trip was not going to be like other trips.
a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading During all the seasons that I had been a radio operator on the Great Lakes I had been hearing a strange tale about him.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Even before the new skipper came aboard the _Chippewa_ in the flour-covered pier in Superior, I knew that this trip was not going to be like other trips.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Even before the new skipper came aboard the _Chippewa_ in the flour-covered pier in Superior, I knew that this trip was not going to be like other trips.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading It drifted about with the wind from one end of the Lakes to the other, and windlike, it came first from one direction, then another.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Even before the new skipper came aboard the _Chippewa_ in the flour-covered pier in Superior, I knew that this trip was not going to be like other trips.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Even before the new skipper came aboard the _Chippewa_ in the flour-covered pier in Superior, I knew that this trip was not going to be like other trips.
a journey for some purpose (usually including the return)
From this reading Even before the new skipper came aboard the _Chippewa_ in the flour-covered pier in Superior, I knew that this trip was not going to be like other trips.
tripsnounUS /trɪps/
plural of “trip” — a journey for some purpose (usually including the return)
From this reading Even before the new skipper came aboard the _Chippewa_ in the flour-covered pier in Superior, I knew that this trip was not going to be like other trips.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Rumors, like Lake Erie squalls, are stirred up in a hurry, and usually die down as quickly, but this one was different.
under normal conditions
From this reading Rumors, like Lake Erie squalls, are stirred up in a hurry, and usually die down as quickly, but this one was different.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Even before the new skipper came aboard the _Chippewa_ in the flour-covered pier in Superior, I knew that this trip was not going to be like other trips.
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading It drifted about with the wind from one end of the Lakes to the other, and windlike, it came first from one direction, then another.
windlike
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It drifted about with the wind from one end of the Lakes to the other, and windlike, it came first from one direction, then another.
in the company of; together with
From this reading It drifted about with the wind from one end of the Lakes to the other, and windlike, it came first from one direction, then another.
