adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He had left the hatch slightly open, and a confused uproar reached him from outside; the wail of wind-tossed trees; the furious splash of ripples against the bows; and the drumming of the halyards upon the mast.
againstprepositionUS /əˈɡenst/
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading He had left the hatch slightly open, and a confused uproar reached him from outside; the wail of wind-tossed trees; the furious splash of ripples against the bows; and the drumming of the halyards upon the mast.
alsoadverbUS /ˈɔːlsoʊ/
in addition
From this reading A natural reluctance to leave his helpless companion had mainly prevented him from doing this, but he had also been encouraged by the possibility of obtaining a deer now and then.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading CARROLL SEEKS HELP Carroll slept for several hours before he awakened and sat up on the locker, shivering.
awakenedadjectiveUS /əˈweɪkənd/
aroused or activated
From this reading CARROLL SEEKS HELP Carroll slept for several hours before he awakened and sat up on the locker, shivering.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Filling his pipe, he set himself to think, and promptly decided that it would have been better had he gone down to the sloop in the beginning, before the provisions had been spoiled.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading CARROLL SEEKS HELP Carroll slept for several hours before he awakened and sat up on the locker, shivering.
beginningnounUS /bɪˈɡɪnɪŋ/
the event consisting of the start of something
From this reading Filling his pipe, he set himself to think, and promptly decided that it would have been better had he gone down to the sloop in the beginning, before the provisions had been spoiled.
betteradjectiveUS /ˈbetər/
(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another
From this reading Filling his pipe, he set himself to think, and promptly decided that it would have been better had he gone down to the sloop in the beginning, before the provisions had been spoiled.
blowingnounUS /ˈbloʊɪŋ/
processing that involves blowing a gas
From this reading There was no doubt that it was blowing hard, but the wind was off the land and the sloop in shelter.
bowsnounUS /baʊz/
plural of “bow” — a knot with two loops and loose ends; used to tie shoelaces
From this reading He had left the hatch slightly open, and a confused uproar reached him from outside; the wail of wind-tossed trees; the furious splash of ripples against the bows; and the drumming of the halyards upon the mast.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading There was no doubt that it was blowing hard, but the wind was off the land and the sloop in shelter.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading A natural reluctance to leave his helpless companion had mainly prevented him from doing this, but he had also been encouraged by the possibility of obtaining a deer now and then.
CARROLLnounUS /ˈkærəl/
English author; Charles Dodgson was an Oxford don of mathematics who is remembered for the children's stories he wrote under the pen name Lewis Carroll (1832-1898)
From this reading CARROLL SEEKS HELP Carroll slept for several hours before he awakened and sat up on the locker, shivering.
companionnounUS /kəmˈpænjən/
a friend who is frequently in the company of another
From this reading A natural reluctance to leave his helpless companion had mainly prevented him from doing this, but he had also been encouraged by the possibility of obtaining a deer now and then.
confusedadjectiveUS /kənˈfjuːzd/
perplexed by many conflicting situations or statements; filled with bewilderment
From this reading He had left the hatch slightly open, and a confused uproar reached him from outside; the wail of wind-tossed trees; the furious splash of ripples against the bows; and the drumming of the halyards upon the mast.
decidedadjectiveUS /ˌdɪˈsaɪdɪd/
recognizable; marked
From this reading Filling his pipe, he set himself to think, and promptly decided that it would have been better had he gone down to the sloop in the beginning, before the provisions had been spoiled.
deernounUS /dɪr/
distinguished from Bovidae by the male's having solid deciduous antlers
From this reading A natural reluctance to leave his helpless companion had mainly prevented him from doing this, but he had also been encouraged by the possibility of obtaining a deer now and then.
doingverbUS /ˈduːɪŋ/
-ing form of “do” — engage in
From this reading A natural reluctance to leave his helpless companion had mainly prevented him from doing this, but he had also been encouraged by the possibility of obtaining a deer now and then.
doubtnounUS /daʊt/
the state of being unsure of something
From this reading There was no doubt that it was blowing hard, but the wind was off the land and the sloop in shelter.
downadjectiveUS /daʊn/
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Filling his pipe, he set himself to think, and promptly decided that it would have been better had he gone down to the sloop in the beginning, before the provisions had been spoiled.
drummingnounUS /ˈdrʌmɪŋ/
the act of playing drums
From this reading He had left the hatch slightly open, and a confused uproar reached him from outside; the wail of wind-tossed trees; the furious splash of ripples against the bows; and the drumming of the halyards upon the mast.
encouragedadjectiveUS /enˈkɜːrɪdʒd/
inspired with confidence
From this reading A natural reluctance to leave his helpless companion had mainly prevented him from doing this, but he had also been encouraged by the possibility of obtaining a deer now and then.
FillingnounUS /ˈfɪlɪŋ/
any material that fills a space or container
From this reading Filling his pipe, he set himself to think, and promptly decided that it would have been better had he gone down to the sloop in the beginning, before the provisions had been spoiled.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading CARROLL SEEKS HELP Carroll slept for several hours before he awakened and sat up on the locker, shivering.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading He had left the hatch slightly open, and a confused uproar reached him from outside; the wail of wind-tossed trees; the furious splash of ripples against the bows; and the drumming of the halyards upon the mast.
furiousadjectiveUS /ˈfjʊriəs/
marked by extreme and violent energy
From this reading He had left the hatch slightly open, and a confused uproar reached him from outside; the wail of wind-tossed trees; the furious splash of ripples against the bows; and the drumming of the halyards upon the mast.
goneadjectiveUS /ɡɔːn/
destroyed or killed
From this reading Filling his pipe, he set himself to think, and promptly decided that it would have been better had he gone down to the sloop in the beginning, before the provisions had been spoiled.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He had left the hatch slightly open, and a confused uproar reached him from outside; the wail of wind-tossed trees; the furious splash of ripples against the bows; and the drumming of the halyards upon the mast.
halyards
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had left the hatch slightly open, and a confused uproar reached him from outside; the wail of wind-tossed trees; the furious splash of ripples against the bows; and the drumming of the halyards upon the mast.
hardadjectiveUS /hɑːrd/
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading There was no doubt that it was blowing hard, but the wind was off the land and the sloop in shelter.
hatchverbUS /hætʃ/
emerge from the eggs
From this reading He had left the hatch slightly open, and a confused uproar reached him from outside; the wail of wind-tossed trees; the furious splash of ripples against the bows; and the drumming of the halyards upon the mast.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Filling his pipe, he set himself to think, and promptly decided that it would have been better had he gone down to the sloop in the beginning, before the provisions had been spoiled.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading CARROLL SEEKS HELP Carroll slept for several hours before he awakened and sat up on the locker, shivering.
HELPverbUS /help/
give help or assistance; be of service
From this reading CARROLL SEEKS HELP Carroll slept for several hours before he awakened and sat up on the locker, shivering.
helplessadjectiveUS /ˈhelpləs/
lacking in or deprived of strength or power
From this reading A natural reluctance to leave his helpless companion had mainly prevented him from doing this, but he had also been encouraged by the possibility of obtaining a deer now and then.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He had left the hatch slightly open, and a confused uproar reached him from outside; the wail of wind-tossed trees; the furious splash of ripples against the bows; and the drumming of the halyards upon the mast.
himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading Filling his pipe, he set himself to think, and promptly decided that it would have been better had he gone down to the sloop in the beginning, before the provisions had been spoiled.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Filling his pipe, he set himself to think, and promptly decided that it would have been better had he gone down to the sloop in the beginning, before the provisions had been spoiled.
hoursnounUS /ˈaʊərz/
a period of time assigned for work
From this reading CARROLL SEEKS HELP Carroll slept for several hours before he awakened and sat up on the locker, shivering.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading There was no doubt that it was blowing hard, but the wind was off the land and the sloop in shelter.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading There was no doubt that it was blowing hard, but the wind was off the land and the sloop in shelter.
landnounUS /lænd/
the land on which real estate is located
From this reading There was no doubt that it was blowing hard, but the wind was off the land and the sloop in shelter.
leaveverbUS /liːv/
go away from a place
From this reading A natural reluctance to leave his helpless companion had mainly prevented him from doing this, but he had also been encouraged by the possibility of obtaining a deer now and then.
leftnounUS /left/
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading He had left the hatch slightly open, and a confused uproar reached him from outside; the wail of wind-tossed trees; the furious splash of ripples against the bows; and the drumming of the halyards upon the mast.
lockernounUS /ˈlɑːkər/
a storage compartment for clothes and valuables; usually it has a lock
From this reading CARROLL SEEKS HELP Carroll slept for several hours before he awakened and sat up on the locker, shivering.
mainlyadverbUS /ˈmeɪnli/
for the most part
From this reading A natural reluctance to leave his helpless companion had mainly prevented him from doing this, but he had also been encouraged by the possibility of obtaining a deer now and then.
mastnounUS /mæst/
a vertical spar for supporting sails
From this reading He had left the hatch slightly open, and a confused uproar reached him from outside; the wail of wind-tossed trees; the furious splash of ripples against the bows; and the drumming of the halyards upon the mast.
naturaladjectiveUS /ˈnætʃərəl/
in accordance with nature; relating to or concerning nature
From this reading A natural reluctance to leave his helpless companion had mainly prevented him from doing this, but he had also been encouraged by the possibility of obtaining a deer now and then.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading There was no doubt that it was blowing hard, but the wind was off the land and the sloop in shelter.
nowadverbUS /naʊ/
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading A natural reluctance to leave his helpless companion had mainly prevented him from doing this, but he had also been encouraged by the possibility of obtaining a deer now and then.
obtainingverbUS /əbˈteɪnɪŋ/
-ing form of “obtain” — come into possession of
From this reading A natural reluctance to leave his helpless companion had mainly prevented him from doing this, but he had also been encouraged by the possibility of obtaining a deer now and then.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He had left the hatch slightly open, and a confused uproar reached him from outside; the wail of wind-tossed trees; the furious splash of ripples against the bows; and the drumming of the halyards upon the mast.
offadverbUS /ɔːf/
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading There was no doubt that it was blowing hard, but the wind was off the land and the sloop in shelter.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading CARROLL SEEKS HELP Carroll slept for several hours before he awakened and sat up on the locker, shivering.
openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/
To move from a closed position.
From this reading He had left the hatch slightly open, and a confused uproar reached him from outside; the wail of wind-tossed trees; the furious splash of ripples against the bows; and the drumming of the halyards upon the mast.
outsideadjectiveUS /ˈaʊtˈsaɪd/
relating to or being on or near the outer side or limit
From this reading He had left the hatch slightly open, and a confused uproar reached him from outside; the wail of wind-tossed trees; the furious splash of ripples against the bows; and the drumming of the halyards upon the mast.
pipenounUS /paɪp/
a tube with a small bowl at one end; used for smoking tobacco
From this reading Filling his pipe, he set himself to think, and promptly decided that it would have been better had he gone down to the sloop in the beginning, before the provisions had been spoiled.
possibilitynounUS /ˌpɑːsəˈbɪlətiː/
a future prospect or potential
From this reading A natural reluctance to leave his helpless companion had mainly prevented him from doing this, but he had also been encouraged by the possibility of obtaining a deer now and then.
preventedverbUS /prɪˈventɪd/
past form of “prevent” — keep from happening or arising; make impossible
From this reading A natural reluctance to leave his helpless companion had mainly prevented him from doing this, but he had also been encouraged by the possibility of obtaining a deer now and then.
promptlyadverbUS /ˈprɑːmptli/
with little or no delay
From this reading Filling his pipe, he set himself to think, and promptly decided that it would have been better had he gone down to the sloop in the beginning, before the provisions had been spoiled.
provisionsnounUS /prəˈvɪʒənz/
a stock or supply of foods
From this reading Filling his pipe, he set himself to think, and promptly decided that it would have been better had he gone down to the sloop in the beginning, before the provisions had been spoiled.
reachedverbUS /riːtʃt/
past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading He had left the hatch slightly open, and a confused uproar reached him from outside; the wail of wind-tossed trees; the furious splash of ripples against the bows; and the drumming of the halyards upon the mast.
reluctancenounUS /rɪˈlʌktəns/
(physics) opposition to magnetic flux (analogous to electric resistance)
From this reading A natural reluctance to leave his helpless companion had mainly prevented him from doing this, but he had also been encouraged by the possibility of obtaining a deer now and then.
ripplesnounUS /ˈrɪpəlz/
plural of “ripple” — a small wave on the surface of a liquid
From this reading He had left the hatch slightly open, and a confused uproar reached him from outside; the wail of wind-tossed trees; the furious splash of ripples against the bows; and the drumming of the halyards upon the mast.
satnounUS /sæt/
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading CARROLL SEEKS HELP Carroll slept for several hours before he awakened and sat up on the locker, shivering.
SEEKSnounUS /siːks/
plural of “seek” — the movement of a read/write head to a specific data track on a disk
From this reading CARROLL SEEKS HELP Carroll slept for several hours before he awakened and sat up on the locker, shivering.
setverbUS /set/
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading Filling his pipe, he set himself to think, and promptly decided that it would have been better had he gone down to the sloop in the beginning, before the provisions had been spoiled.
severaladjectiveUS /ˈsevrəl/
(used with count nouns) of an indefinite number more than 2 or 3 but not many
From this reading CARROLL SEEKS HELP Carroll slept for several hours before he awakened and sat up on the locker, shivering.
shelternounUS /ˈʃeltər/
a structure that provides privacy and protection from danger
From this reading There was no doubt that it was blowing hard, but the wind was off the land and the sloop in shelter.
shiveringnounUS /ˈʃɪvərɪŋ/
a sensation of cold that often marks the start of an infection and the development of a fever
From this reading CARROLL SEEKS HELP Carroll slept for several hours before he awakened and sat up on the locker, shivering.
sleptverbUS /slept/
inflected form of “sleep” — be asleep
From this reading CARROLL SEEKS HELP Carroll slept for several hours before he awakened and sat up on the locker, shivering.
slightlyadverbUS /ˈslaɪtli/
to a small degree or extent
From this reading He had left the hatch slightly open, and a confused uproar reached him from outside; the wail of wind-tossed trees; the furious splash of ripples against the bows; and the drumming of the halyards upon the mast.
sloopnounUS /sluːp/
a sailing vessel with a single mast set about one third of the boat's length aft of the bow
From this reading There was no doubt that it was blowing hard, but the wind was off the land and the sloop in shelter.
splashverbUS /splæʃ/
cause (a liquid) to spatter about, especially with force
From this reading He had left the hatch slightly open, and a confused uproar reached him from outside; the wail of wind-tossed trees; the furious splash of ripples against the bows; and the drumming of the halyards upon the mast.
spoiledadjectiveUS /spɔɪld/
having the character or disposition harmed by pampering or oversolicitous attention
From this reading Filling his pipe, he set himself to think, and promptly decided that it would have been better had he gone down to the sloop in the beginning, before the provisions had been spoiled.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading There was no doubt that it was blowing hard, but the wind was off the land and the sloop in shelter.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading CARROLL SEEKS HELP Carroll slept for several hours before he awakened and sat up on the locker, shivering.
thenadverbUS /ðen/
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading A natural reluctance to leave his helpless companion had mainly prevented him from doing this, but he had also been encouraged by the possibility of obtaining a deer now and then.
ThereadverbUS /ðer/
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was no doubt that it was blowing hard, but the wind was off the land and the sloop in shelter.
thinkverbUS /θɪŋk/
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading Filling his pipe, he set himself to think, and promptly decided that it would have been better had he gone down to the sloop in the beginning, before the provisions had been spoiled.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading A natural reluctance to leave his helpless companion had mainly prevented him from doing this, but he had also been encouraged by the possibility of obtaining a deer now and then.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Filling his pipe, he set himself to think, and promptly decided that it would have been better had he gone down to the sloop in the beginning, before the provisions had been spoiled.
treesnounUS /triːz/
plural of “tree” — a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
From this reading He had left the hatch slightly open, and a confused uproar reached him from outside; the wail of wind-tossed trees; the furious splash of ripples against the bows; and the drumming of the halyards upon the mast.
upadjectiveUS /ʌp/
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading CARROLL SEEKS HELP Carroll slept for several hours before he awakened and sat up on the locker, shivering.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading He had left the hatch slightly open, and a confused uproar reached him from outside; the wail of wind-tossed trees; the furious splash of ripples against the bows; and the drumming of the halyards upon the mast.
uproarnounUS /ˈʌprɔːr/
a state of commotion and noise and confusion
From this reading He had left the hatch slightly open, and a confused uproar reached him from outside; the wail of wind-tossed trees; the furious splash of ripples against the bows; and the drumming of the halyards upon the mast.
wailverbUS /weɪl/
emit long loud cries
From this reading He had left the hatch slightly open, and a confused uproar reached him from outside; the wail of wind-tossed trees; the furious splash of ripples against the bows; and the drumming of the halyards upon the mast.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There was no doubt that it was blowing hard, but the wind was off the land and the sloop in shelter.
windnounUS /waɪnd/
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading There was no doubt that it was blowing hard, but the wind was off the land and the sloop in shelter.
wind-tossed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had left the hatch slightly open, and a confused uproar reached him from outside; the wail of wind-tossed trees; the furious splash of ripples against the bows; and the drumming of the halyards upon the mast.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Filling his pipe, he set himself to think, and promptly decided that it would have been better had he gone down to the sloop in the beginning, before the provisions had been spoiled.
