used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A NIGHT OF THRILLS We declined the offer of a roof that night, preferring to sleep in the open here, for the evening was quite warm.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading The tin receptacles holding our photographic plates and films were carefully coated with a covering of melted paraffine; for almost anything might happen, in the one hundred miles of rapid water that separated us from our home.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Lee’s Ferry was an interesting place, both for its old and its new associations.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The tin receptacles holding our photographic plates and films were carefully coated with a covering of melted paraffine; for almost anything might happen, in the one hundred miles of rapid water that separated us from our home.
any thing at all
From this reading The tin receptacles holding our photographic plates and films were carefully coated with a covering of melted paraffine; for almost anything might happen, in the one hundred miles of rapid water that separated us from our home.
associationsnounUS /əˌsoʊsiˈeɪʃənz/
plural of “association” — a formal organization of people or groups of people
From this reading Lee’s Ferry was an interesting place, both for its old and its new associations.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading We went to work the next morning when the whistle sounded at the dredge.
on the far side of; further than
From this reading Beyond caulking a few leaks in the boats, little was done with them.
plural of “boat” — a small vessel for travel on water
From this reading Beyond caulking a few leaks in the boats, little was done with them.
the two together, not just one
From this reading Lee’s Ferry was an interesting place, both for its old and its new associations.
taking care or paying attention
From this reading The tin receptacles holding our photographic plates and films were carefully coated with a covering of melted paraffine; for almost anything might happen, in the one hundred miles of rapid water that separated us from our home.
caulkingnounUS /ˈkɔːkɪŋ/
a waterproof filler and sealant that is used in building and repair to make watertight
From this reading Beyond caulking a few leaks in the boats, little was done with them.
coatedadjectiveUS /ˈkoʊtəd/
having a coating; covered with an outer layer or film; often used in combination
From this reading The tin receptacles holding our photographic plates and films were carefully coated with a covering of melted paraffine; for almost anything might happen, in the one hundred miles of rapid water that separated us from our home.
coveringnounUS /ˈkʌvərɪŋ/
a natural object that covers or envelops
From this reading The tin receptacles holding our photographic plates and films were carefully coated with a covering of melted paraffine; for almost anything might happen, in the one hundred miles of rapid water that separated us from our home.
declinedverbUS /dɪˈklaɪnd/
past form of “decline” — grow worse
From this reading A NIGHT OF THRILLS We declined the offer of a roof that night, preferring to sleep in the open here, for the evening was quite warm.
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading Beyond caulking a few leaks in the boats, little was done with them.
dredgeverbUS /dredʒ/
cover before cooking
From this reading We went to work the next morning when the whistle sounded at the dredge.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading A NIGHT OF THRILLS We declined the offer of a roof that night, preferring to sleep in the open here, for the evening was quite warm.
FerryverbUS /ˈferi/
transport from one place to another
From this reading Lee’s Ferry was an interesting place, both for its old and its new associations.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading Beyond caulking a few leaks in the boats, little was done with them.
filmsnounUS /fɪlmz/
plural of “film” — a form of entertainment that enacts a story by sound and a sequence of images giving the illusion of continuous movement
From this reading The tin receptacles holding our photographic plates and films were carefully coated with a covering of melted paraffine; for almost anything might happen, in the one hundred miles of rapid water that separated us from our home.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading A NIGHT OF THRILLS We declined the offer of a roof that night, preferring to sleep in the open here, for the evening was quite warm.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The tin receptacles holding our photographic plates and films were carefully coated with a covering of melted paraffine; for almost anything might happen, in the one hundred miles of rapid water that separated us from our home.
come to pass
From this reading The tin receptacles holding our photographic plates and films were carefully coated with a covering of melted paraffine; for almost anything might happen, in the one hundred miles of rapid water that separated us from our home.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading A NIGHT OF THRILLS We declined the offer of a roof that night, preferring to sleep in the open here, for the evening was quite warm.
the act of retaining something
From this reading The tin receptacles holding our photographic plates and films were carefully coated with a covering of melted paraffine; for almost anything might happen, in the one hundred miles of rapid water that separated us from our home.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading The tin receptacles holding our photographic plates and films were carefully coated with a covering of melted paraffine; for almost anything might happen, in the one hundred miles of rapid water that separated us from our home.
ten 10s
From this reading The tin receptacles holding our photographic plates and films were carefully coated with a covering of melted paraffine; for almost anything might happen, in the one hundred miles of rapid water that separated us from our home.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading A NIGHT OF THRILLS We declined the offer of a roof that night, preferring to sleep in the open here, for the evening was quite warm.
arousing or holding the attention
From this reading Lee’s Ferry was an interesting place, both for its old and its new associations.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading Lee’s Ferry was an interesting place, both for its old and its new associations.
leaksnounUS /liːks/
plural of “leak” — an accidental hole that allows something (fluid or light etc.) to enter or escape
From this reading Beyond caulking a few leaks in the boats, little was done with them.
Lee'snounUS /liːz/
possessive form of “lee” — United States filmmaker whose works explore the richness of black culture in America (born in 1957)
From this reading Lee’s Ferry was an interesting place, both for its old and its new associations.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Beyond caulking a few leaks in the boats, little was done with them.
meltedadjectiveUS /ˈmeltəd/
changed from a solid to a liquid state
From this reading The tin receptacles holding our photographic plates and films were carefully coated with a covering of melted paraffine; for almost anything might happen, in the one hundred miles of rapid water that separated us from our home.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading The tin receptacles holding our photographic plates and films were carefully coated with a covering of melted paraffine; for almost anything might happen, in the one hundred miles of rapid water that separated us from our home.
plural of “mile” — a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters
From this reading The tin receptacles holding our photographic plates and films were carefully coated with a covering of melted paraffine; for almost anything might happen, in the one hundred miles of rapid water that separated us from our home.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading We went to work the next morning when the whistle sounded at the dredge.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading Lee’s Ferry was an interesting place, both for its old and its new associations.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading We went to work the next morning when the whistle sounded at the dredge.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading A NIGHT OF THRILLS We declined the offer of a roof that night, preferring to sleep in the open here, for the evening was quite warm.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A NIGHT OF THRILLS We declined the offer of a roof that night, preferring to sleep in the open here, for the evening was quite warm.
make available or accessible, provide or furnish
From this reading A NIGHT OF THRILLS We declined the offer of a roof that night, preferring to sleep in the open here, for the evening was quite warm.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading Lee’s Ferry was an interesting place, both for its old and its new associations.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The tin receptacles holding our photographic plates and films were carefully coated with a covering of melted paraffine; for almost anything might happen, in the one hundred miles of rapid water that separated us from our home.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading A NIGHT OF THRILLS We declined the offer of a roof that night, preferring to sleep in the open here, for the evening was quite warm.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading The tin receptacles holding our photographic plates and films were carefully coated with a covering of melted paraffine; for almost anything might happen, in the one hundred miles of rapid water that separated us from our home.
paraffine
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The tin receptacles holding our photographic plates and films were carefully coated with a covering of melted paraffine; for almost anything might happen, in the one hundred miles of rapid water that separated us from our home.
photographicadjectiveUS /ˌfoʊtəˈɡræfɪk/
relating to photography or obtained by using photography
From this reading The tin receptacles holding our photographic plates and films were carefully coated with a covering of melted paraffine; for almost anything might happen, in the one hundred miles of rapid water that separated us from our home.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading Lee’s Ferry was an interesting place, both for its old and its new associations.
platesnounUS /pleɪts/
plural of “plate” — (baseball) base consisting of a rubber slab where the batter stands; it must be touched by a base runner in order to score
From this reading The tin receptacles holding our photographic plates and films were carefully coated with a covering of melted paraffine; for almost anything might happen, in the one hundred miles of rapid water that separated us from our home.
preferringverbUS /prɪˈfɜːrɪŋ/
inflected form of “prefer” — like better; value more highly
From this reading A NIGHT OF THRILLS We declined the offer of a roof that night, preferring to sleep in the open here, for the evening was quite warm.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading A NIGHT OF THRILLS We declined the offer of a roof that night, preferring to sleep in the open here, for the evening was quite warm.
rapidadjectiveUS /ˈræpəd/
done or occurring in a brief period of time
From this reading The tin receptacles holding our photographic plates and films were carefully coated with a covering of melted paraffine; for almost anything might happen, in the one hundred miles of rapid water that separated us from our home.
receptaclesnounUS /rɪˈseptɪkəlz/
plural of “receptacle” — a container that is used to put or keep things in
From this reading The tin receptacles holding our photographic plates and films were carefully coated with a covering of melted paraffine; for almost anything might happen, in the one hundred miles of rapid water that separated us from our home.
a protective covering that covers or forms the top of a building
From this reading A NIGHT OF THRILLS We declined the offer of a roof that night, preferring to sleep in the open here, for the evening was quite warm.
being or feeling set or kept apart from others
From this reading The tin receptacles holding our photographic plates and films were carefully coated with a covering of melted paraffine; for almost anything might happen, in the one hundred miles of rapid water that separated us from our home.
a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended
From this reading A NIGHT OF THRILLS We declined the offer of a roof that night, preferring to sleep in the open here, for the evening was quite warm.
past form of “sound” — appear in a certain way
From this reading We went to work the next morning when the whistle sounded at the dredge.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading A NIGHT OF THRILLS We declined the offer of a roof that night, preferring to sleep in the open here, for the evening was quite warm.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A NIGHT OF THRILLS We declined the offer of a roof that night, preferring to sleep in the open here, for the evening was quite warm.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Beyond caulking a few leaks in the boats, little was done with them.
THRILLSnounUS /θrɪlz/
plural of “thrill” — the swift release of a store of affective force
From this reading A NIGHT OF THRILLS We declined the offer of a roof that night, preferring to sleep in the open here, for the evening was quite warm.
tinnounUS /tɪn/
a silvery malleable metallic element that resists corrosion; used in many alloys and to coat other metals to prevent corrosion; obtained chiefly from cassiterite where it occurs as tin oxide
From this reading The tin receptacles holding our photographic plates and films were carefully coated with a covering of melted paraffine; for almost anything might happen, in the one hundred miles of rapid water that separated us from our home.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading A NIGHT OF THRILLS We declined the offer of a roof that night, preferring to sleep in the open here, for the evening was quite warm.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The tin receptacles holding our photographic plates and films were carefully coated with a covering of melted paraffine; for almost anything might happen, in the one hundred miles of rapid water that separated us from our home.
having or producing a comfortable and agreeable degree of heat or imparting or maintaining heat
From this reading A NIGHT OF THRILLS We declined the offer of a roof that night, preferring to sleep in the open here, for the evening was quite warm.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading A NIGHT OF THRILLS We declined the offer of a roof that night, preferring to sleep in the open here, for the evening was quite warm.
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 The tin receptacles holding our photographic plates and films were carefully coated with a covering of melted paraffine; for almost anything might happen, in the one hundred miles of rapid water that separated us from our home.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading A NIGHT OF THRILLS We declined the offer of a roof that night, preferring to sleep in the open here, for the evening was quite warm.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading We went to work the next morning when the whistle sounded at the dredge.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The tin receptacles holding our photographic plates and films were carefully coated with a covering of melted paraffine; for almost anything might happen, in the one hundred miles of rapid water that separated us from our home.
at the time that
From this reading We went to work the next morning when the whistle sounded at the dredge.
whistleverbUS /ˈwɪsəl/
make whistling sounds
From this reading We went to work the next morning when the whistle sounded at the dredge.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Beyond caulking a few leaks in the boats, little was done with them.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading We went to work the next morning when the whistle sounded at the dredge.
