used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading As Ned looked round the deck, he thought that he had never seen a finer set of sailors.
admiralsnounUS /ˈædmərəlz/
plural of “admiral” — the supreme commander of a fleet; ranks above a vice admiral and below a fleet admiral
From this reading The one sailed the ship, the other fought it; and the admirals were, in those days, more frequently known as generals, and held that position on shore.
(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 All were picked men, hardy and experienced, and for the most part young.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The one sailed the ship, the other fought it; and the admirals were, in those days, more frequently known as generals, and held that position on shore.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The one sailed the ship, the other fought it; and the admirals were, in those days, more frequently known as generals, and held that position on shore.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Some had made previous voyages to the West Indies, but the greater portion were new to that country.
an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant
From this reading They looked the men on whom a captain could rely, to the last.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading They looked the men on whom a captain could rely, to the last.
a politically organized body of people under a single government
From this reading Some had made previous voyages to the West Indies, but the greater portion were new to that country.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading The one sailed the ship, the other fought it; and the admirals were, in those days, more frequently known as generals, and held that position on shore.
any of various platforms built into a vessel
From this reading As Ned looked round the deck, he thought that he had never seen a finer set of sailors.
having experience; having knowledge or skill from observation or participation
From this reading All were picked men, hardy and experienced, and for the most part young.
fineradjectiveUS /ˈfaɪnər/
(comparative of “fine”) greater in quality or excellence
From this reading As Ned looked round the deck, he thought that he had never seen a finer set of sailors.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading All were picked men, hardy and experienced, and for the most part young.
inflected form of “fight” — be engaged in a fight; carry on a fight
From this reading The one sailed the ship, the other fought it; and the admirals were, in those days, more frequently known as generals, and held that position on shore.
many times at short intervals
From this reading The one sailed the ship, the other fought it; and the admirals were, in those days, more frequently known as generals, and held that position on shore.
generalsnounUS /ˈdʒenərəlz/
plural of “general” — a general officer of the highest rank
From this reading The one sailed the ship, the other fought it; and the admirals were, in those days, more frequently known as generals, and held that position on shore.
greater in size or importance or degree
From this reading Some had made previous voyages to the West Indies, but the greater portion were new to that country.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading As Ned looked round the deck, he thought that he had never seen a finer set of sailors.
hardyadjectiveUS /ˈhɑːrdi/
having rugged physical strength; inured to fatigue or hardships
From this reading All were picked men, hardy and experienced, and for the most part young.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading As Ned looked round the deck, he thought that he had never seen a finer set of sailors.
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading The one sailed the ship, the other fought it; and the admirals were, in those days, more frequently known as generals, and held that position on shore.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The one sailed the ship, the other fought it; and the admirals were, in those days, more frequently known as generals, and held that position on shore.
IndiesnounUS /ˈɪndiz/
plural of “indie” — a pop group not affiliated with a major record company
From this reading Some had made previous voyages to the West Indies, but the greater portion were new to that country.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The one sailed the ship, the other fought it; and the admirals were, in those days, more frequently known as generals, and held that position on shore.
apprehended with certainty
From this reading The one sailed the ship, the other fought it; and the admirals were, in those days, more frequently known as generals, and held that position on shore.
immediately past
From this reading They looked the men on whom a captain could rely, to the last.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading As Ned looked round the deck, he thought that he had never seen a finer set of sailors.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading Some had made previous voyages to the West Indies, but the greater portion were new to that country.
the force of workers available
From this reading All were picked men, hardy and experienced, and for the most part young.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading The one sailed the ship, the other fought it; and the admirals were, in those days, more frequently known as generals, and held that position on shore.
used to form the superlative
From this reading All were picked men, hardy and experienced, and for the most part young.
Ned
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As Ned looked round the deck, he thought that he had never seen a finer set of sailors.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading As Ned looked round the deck, he thought that he had never seen a finer set of sailors.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading Some had made previous voyages to the West Indies, but the greater portion were new to that country.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading As Ned looked round the deck, he thought that he had never seen a finer set of sailors.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The one sailed the ship, the other fought it; and the admirals were, in those days, more frequently known as generals, and held that position on shore.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The one sailed the ship, the other fought it; and the admirals were, in those days, more frequently known as generals, and held that position on shore.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading The one sailed the ship, the other fought it; and the admirals were, in those days, more frequently known as generals, and held that position on shore.
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading All were picked men, hardy and experienced, and for the most part young.
past form of “pick” — select carefully from a group
From this reading All were picked men, hardy and experienced, and for the most part young.
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading Some had made previous voyages to the West Indies, but the greater portion were new to that country.
the particular portion of space occupied by something
From this reading The one sailed the ship, the other fought it; and the admirals were, in those days, more frequently known as generals, and held that position on shore.
just preceding something else in time or order
From this reading Some had made previous voyages to the West Indies, but the greater portion were new to that country.
relyverbUS /rɪˈlaɪ/
have faith or confidence in
From this reading They looked the men on whom a captain could rely, to the last.
a charge of ammunition for a single shot
From this reading As Ned looked round the deck, he thought that he had never seen a finer set of sailors.
past form of “sail” — traverse or travel on (a body of water)
From this reading The one sailed the ship, the other fought it; and the admirals were, in those days, more frequently known as generals, and held that position on shore.
sailorsnounUS /ˈseɪlərz/
plural of “sailor” — any member of a ship's crew
From this reading As Ned looked round the deck, he thought that he had never seen a finer set of sailors.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading As Ned looked round the deck, he thought that he had never seen a finer set of sailors.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading As Ned looked round the deck, he thought that he had never seen a finer set of sailors.
transport commercially
From this reading The one sailed the ship, the other fought it; and the admirals were, in those days, more frequently known as generals, and held that position on shore.
the land along the edge of a body of water
From this reading The one sailed the ship, the other fought it; and the admirals were, in those days, more frequently known as generals, and held that position on shore.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Some had made previous voyages to the West Indies, but the greater portion were new to that country.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The one sailed the ship, the other fought it; and the admirals were, in those days, more frequently known as generals, and held that position on shore.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The one sailed the ship, the other fought it; and the admirals were, in those days, more frequently known as generals, and held that position on shore.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They looked the men on whom a captain could rely, to the last.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading The one sailed the ship, the other fought it; and the admirals were, in those days, more frequently known as generals, and held that position on shore.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading As Ned looked round the deck, he thought that he had never seen a finer set of sailors.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Some had made previous voyages to the West Indies, but the greater portion were new to that country.
voyagesnounUS /ˈvɔɪədʒəz/
plural of “voyage” — an act of traveling by water
From this reading Some had made previous voyages to the West Indies, but the greater portion were new to that country.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The one sailed the ship, the other fought it; and the admirals were, in those days, more frequently known as generals, and held that position on shore.
the countries of (originally) Europe and (now including) North America and South America
From this reading Some had made previous voyages to the West Indies, but the greater portion were new to that country.
the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading They looked the men on whom a captain could rely, to the last.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading All were picked men, hardy and experienced, and for the most part young.
