used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading They had just circled the last pleasure yacht anchored before the island and were squared away for a trip down the bay, when their attention was attracted by a small motor boat apparently stranded in mid-channel.
anchoredverbUS /ˈæŋkərd/
past form of “anchor” — fix firmly and stably
From this reading They had just circled the last pleasure yacht anchored before the island and were squared away for a trip down the bay, when their attention was attracted by a small motor boat apparently stranded in mid-channel.
Belonging to the very distant past and no longer in existence or deeply revered.
From this reading “The ferry will run them down if they don’t watch out,” said Ruth, reaching for their ancient brass field glass.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading They had just circled the last pleasure yacht anchored before the island and were squared away for a trip down the bay, when their attention was attracted by a small motor boat apparently stranded in mid-channel.
from appearances alone
From this reading They had just circled the last pleasure yacht anchored before the island and were squared away for a trip down the bay, when their attention was attracted by a small motor boat apparently stranded in mid-channel.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading She dropped the glass to stare at the boat with the naked eye.
the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others
From this reading They had just circled the last pleasure yacht anchored before the island and were squared away for a trip down the bay, when their attention was attracted by a small motor boat apparently stranded in mid-channel.
past form of “attract” — direct toward itself or oneself by means of some psychological power or physical attributes
From this reading They had just circled the last pleasure yacht anchored before the island and were squared away for a trip down the bay, when their attention was attracted by a small motor boat apparently stranded in mid-channel.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading They had just circled the last pleasure yacht anchored before the island and were squared away for a trip down the bay, when their attention was attracted by a small motor boat apparently stranded in mid-channel.
an indentation of a shoreline larger than a cove but smaller than a gulf
From this reading They had just circled the last pleasure yacht anchored before the island and were squared away for a trip down the bay, when their attention was attracted by a small motor boat apparently stranded in mid-channel.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading They had just circled the last pleasure yacht anchored before the island and were squared away for a trip down the bay, when their attention was attracted by a small motor boat apparently stranded in mid-channel.
a small vessel for travel on water
From this reading They had just circled the last pleasure yacht anchored before the island and were squared away for a trip down the bay, when their attention was attracted by a small motor boat apparently stranded in mid-channel.
brassnounUS /bræs/
an alloy of copper and zinc
From this reading “The ferry will run them down if they don’t watch out,” said Ruth, reaching for their ancient brass field glass.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading They had just circled the last pleasure yacht anchored before the island and were squared away for a trip down the bay, when their attention was attracted by a small motor boat apparently stranded in mid-channel.
circledverbUS /ˈsɜːrkəld/
past form of “circle” — travel around something
From this reading They had just circled the last pleasure yacht anchored before the island and were squared away for a trip down the bay, when their attention was attracted by a small motor boat apparently stranded in mid-channel.
CovenounUS /koʊv/
a small inlet
From this reading “It’s your little friend the Secret Service man from Witches Cove,” she told Pearl.
don't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “The ferry will run them down if they don’t watch out,” said Ruth, reaching for their ancient brass field glass.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading They had just circled the last pleasure yacht anchored before the island and were squared away for a trip down the bay, when their attention was attracted by a small motor boat apparently stranded in mid-channel.
inflected form of “drop” — let fall to the ground
From this reading She dropped the glass to stare at the boat with the naked eye.
the organ of sight
From this reading She dropped the glass to stare at the boat with the naked eye.
ferryverbUS /ˈferi/
transport from one place to another
From this reading “The ferry will run them down if they don’t watch out,” said Ruth, reaching for their ancient brass field glass.
a piece of land cleared of trees and usually enclosed
From this reading “The ferry will run them down if they don’t watch out,” said Ruth, reaching for their ancient brass field glass.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading They had just circled the last pleasure yacht anchored before the island and were squared away for a trip down the bay, when their attention was attracted by a small motor boat apparently stranded in mid-channel.
a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading “It’s your little friend the Secret Service man from Witches Cove,” she told Pearl.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading “It’s your little friend the Secret Service man from Witches Cove,” she told Pearl.
a brittle transparent solid with irregular atomic structure
From this reading “The ferry will run them down if they don’t watch out,” said Ruth, reaching for their ancient brass field glass.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading They had just circled the last pleasure yacht anchored before the island and were squared away for a trip down the bay, when their attention was attracted by a small motor boat apparently stranded in mid-channel.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading “The ferry will run them down if they don’t watch out,” said Ruth, reaching for their ancient brass field glass.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading They had just circled the last pleasure yacht anchored before the island and were squared away for a trip down the bay, when their attention was attracted by a small motor boat apparently stranded in mid-channel.
a land mass (smaller than a continent) that is surrounded by water
From this reading They had just circled the last pleasure yacht anchored before the island and were squared away for a trip down the bay, when their attention was attracted by a small motor boat apparently stranded in mid-channel.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading “It—well, now what?”
It's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “It’s your little friend the Secret Service man from Witches Cove,” she told Pearl.
and nothing more
From this reading They had just circled the last pleasure yacht anchored before the island and were squared away for a trip down the bay, when their attention was attracted by a small motor boat apparently stranded in mid-channel.
immediately past
From this reading They had just circled the last pleasure yacht anchored before the island and were squared away for a trip down the bay, when their attention was attracted by a small motor boat apparently stranded in mid-channel.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading “It’s your little friend the Secret Service man from Witches Cove,” she told Pearl.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading “It’s your little friend the Secret Service man from Witches Cove,” she told Pearl.
mid-channel
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They had just circled the last pleasure yacht anchored before the island and were squared away for a trip down the bay, when their attention was attracted by a small motor boat apparently stranded in mid-channel.
motornounUS /ˈmoʊtər/
machine that converts other forms of energy into mechanical energy and so imparts motion
From this reading They had just circled the last pleasure yacht anchored before the island and were squared away for a trip down the bay, when their attention was attracted by a small motor boat apparently stranded in mid-channel.
nakedadjectiveUS /ˈneɪkəd/
completely unclothed
From this reading She dropped the glass to stare at the boat with the naked eye.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading “It—well, now what?”
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading “The ferry will run them down if they don’t watch out,” said Ruth, reaching for their ancient brass field glass.
PearlnounUS /pɜːrl/
a smooth lustrous round structure inside the shell of a clam or oyster; much valued as a jewel
From this reading “It’s your little friend the Secret Service man from Witches Cove,” she told Pearl.
a fundamental feeling that is hard to define but that people desire to experience
From this reading They had just circled the last pleasure yacht anchored before the island and were squared away for a trip down the bay, when their attention was attracted by a small motor boat apparently stranded in mid-channel.
the act of physically reaching or thrusting out
From this reading “The ferry will run them down if they don’t watch out,” said Ruth, reaching for their ancient brass field glass.
move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time
From this reading “The ferry will run them down if they don’t watch out,” said Ruth, reaching for their ancient brass field glass.
United States professional baseball player famous for hitting home runs (1895-1948)
From this reading “The ferry will run them down if they don’t watch out,” said Ruth, reaching for their ancient brass field glass.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “The ferry will run them down if they don’t watch out,” said Ruth, reaching for their ancient brass field glass.
Something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others.
From this reading “It’s your little friend the Secret Service man from Witches Cove,” she told Pearl.
work done by one person or group that benefits another
From this reading “It’s your little friend the Secret Service man from Witches Cove,” she told Pearl.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She dropped the glass to stare at the boat with the naked eye.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading They had just circled the last pleasure yacht anchored before the island and were squared away for a trip down the bay, when their attention was attracted by a small motor boat apparently stranded in mid-channel.
squaredadjectiveUS /skwerd/
having been made square
From this reading They had just circled the last pleasure yacht anchored before the island and were squared away for a trip down the bay, when their attention was attracted by a small motor boat apparently stranded in mid-channel.
stareverbUS /ster/
look at with fixed eyes
From this reading She dropped the glass to stare at the boat with the naked eye.
strandedadjectiveUS /ˈstrændɪd/
cut off or left behind
From this reading They had just circled the last pleasure yacht anchored before the island and were squared away for a trip down the bay, when their attention was attracted by a small motor boat apparently stranded in mid-channel.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading They had just circled the last pleasure yacht anchored before the island and were squared away for a trip down the bay, when their attention was attracted by a small motor boat apparently stranded in mid-channel.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading They had just circled the last pleasure yacht anchored before the island and were squared away for a trip down the bay, when their attention was attracted by a small motor boat apparently stranded in mid-channel.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading “The ferry will run them down if they don’t watch out,” said Ruth, reaching for their ancient brass field glass.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They had just circled the last pleasure yacht anchored before the island and were squared away for a trip down the bay, when their attention was attracted by a small motor boat apparently stranded in mid-channel.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading She dropped the glass to stare at the boat with the naked eye.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading “It’s your little friend the Secret Service man from Witches Cove,” she told Pearl.
a journey for some purpose (usually including the return)
From this reading They had just circled the last pleasure yacht anchored before the island and were squared away for a trip down the bay, when their attention was attracted by a small motor boat apparently stranded in mid-channel.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading They had just circled the last pleasure yacht anchored before the island and were squared away for a trip down the bay, when their attention was attracted by a small motor boat apparently stranded in mid-channel.
look attentively
From this reading “The ferry will run them down if they don’t watch out,” said Ruth, reaching for their ancient brass field glass.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading “It—well, now what?”
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading They had just circled the last pleasure yacht anchored before the island and were squared away for a trip down the bay, when their attention was attracted by a small motor boat apparently stranded in mid-channel.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading “It—well, now what?”
at the time that
From this reading They had just circled the last pleasure yacht anchored before the island and were squared away for a trip down the bay, when their attention was attracted by a small motor boat apparently stranded in mid-channel.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading “The ferry will run them down if they don’t watch out,” said Ruth, reaching for their ancient brass field glass.
WitchesnounUS /ˈwɪtʃəz/
plural of “witch” — a female sorcerer or magician
From this reading “It’s your little friend the Secret Service man from Witches Cove,” she told Pearl.
in the company of; together with
From this reading She dropped the glass to stare at the boat with the naked eye.
yachtnounUS /jɑːt/
an expensive vessel propelled by sail or power and used for cruising or racing
From this reading They had just circled the last pleasure yacht anchored before the island and were squared away for a trip down the bay, when their attention was attracted by a small motor boat apparently stranded in mid-channel.
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “It’s your little friend the Secret Service man from Witches Cove,” she told Pearl.
