used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading "If by any chance I should not turn up, Sebastian, when you want to come away, you had better go down to the boat and wait there for a quarter of an hour, and then push off.
(usually followed by “to”) having the necessary means or skill or know-how or authority to do something
From this reading You may not be able to row much, but you could certainly manage to get over to the other side, and then you would only have to let her drift."
(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 I don’t say that it is likely at all, but there is nothing like being prepared for all emergencies."
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading "If by any chance I should not turn up, Sebastian, when you want to come away, you had better go down to the boat and wait there for a quarter of an hour, and then push off.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "If by any chance I should not turn up, Sebastian, when you want to come away, you had better go down to the boat and wait there for a quarter of an hour, and then push off.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading "If by any chance I should not turn up, Sebastian, when you want to come away, you had better go down to the boat and wait there for a quarter of an hour, and then push off.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading I don’t say that it is likely at all, but there is nothing like being prepared for all emergencies."
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading "If by any chance I should not turn up, Sebastian, when you want to come away, you had better go down to the boat and wait there for a quarter of an hour, and then push off.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading You may not be able to row much, but you could certainly manage to get over to the other side, and then you would only have to let her drift."
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading I don’t say that it is likely at all, but there is nothing like being prepared for all emergencies."
(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 "If by any chance I should not turn up, Sebastian, when you want to come away, you had better go down to the boat and wait there for a quarter of an hour, and then push off.
a small vessel for travel on water
From this reading "If by any chance I should not turn up, Sebastian, when you want to come away, you had better go down to the boat and wait there for a quarter of an hour, and then push off.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading You may not be able to row much, but you could certainly manage to get over to the other side, and then you would only have to let her drift."
showing who or what does the action
From this reading "If by any chance I should not turn up, Sebastian, when you want to come away, you had better go down to the boat and wait there for a quarter of an hour, and then push off.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading "Yes; but there can be no reason why we should not come away together."
definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)
From this reading You may not be able to row much, but you could certainly manage to get over to the other side, and then you would only have to let her drift."
a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances
From this reading "If by any chance I should not turn up, Sebastian, when you want to come away, you had better go down to the boat and wait there for a quarter of an hour, and then push off.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading "If by any chance I should not turn up, Sebastian, when you want to come away, you had better go down to the boat and wait there for a quarter of an hour, and then push off.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading You may not be able to row much, but you could certainly manage to get over to the other side, and then you would only have to let her drift."
don't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I don’t say that it is likely at all, but there is nothing like being prepared for all emergencies."
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading "If by any chance I should not turn up, Sebastian, when you want to come away, you had better go down to the boat and wait there for a quarter of an hour, and then push off.
driftverbUS /drɪft/
be in motion due to some air or water current
From this reading You may not be able to row much, but you could certainly manage to get over to the other side, and then you would only have to let her drift."
emergenciesnounUS /ɪˈmɜːrdʒənsiz/
plural of “emergency” — a sudden unforeseen crisis (usually involving danger) that requires immediate action
From this reading I don’t say that it is likely at all, but there is nothing like being prepared for all emergencies."
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading "If by any chance I should not turn up, Sebastian, when you want to come away, you had better go down to the boat and wait there for a quarter of an hour, and then push off.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading You may not be able to row much, but you could certainly manage to get over to the other side, and then you would only have to let her drift."
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading "If by any chance I should not turn up, Sebastian, when you want to come away, you had better go down to the boat and wait there for a quarter of an hour, and then push off.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading "If by any chance I should not turn up, Sebastian, when you want to come away, you had better go down to the boat and wait there for a quarter of an hour, and then push off.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading You may not be able to row much, but you could certainly manage to get over to the other side, and then you would only have to let her drift."
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading You may not be able to row much, but you could certainly manage to get over to the other side, and then you would only have to let her drift."
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading "If by any chance I should not turn up, Sebastian, when you want to come away, you had better go down to the boat and wait there for a quarter of an hour, and then push off.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "If by any chance I should not turn up, Sebastian, when you want to come away, you had better go down to the boat and wait there for a quarter of an hour, and then push off.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading "If by any chance I should not turn up, Sebastian, when you want to come away, you had better go down to the boat and wait there for a quarter of an hour, and then push off.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading I don’t say that it is likely at all, but there is nothing like being prepared for all emergencies."
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "Well, you see, one or other of us may be suspected, and it may be necessary to slip off.
letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading You may not be able to row much, but you could certainly manage to get over to the other side, and then you would only have to let her drift."
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading I don’t say that it is likely at all, but there is nothing like being prepared for all emergencies."
has a good chance of being the case or of coming about
From this reading I don’t say that it is likely at all, but there is nothing like being prepared for all emergencies."
be successful; achieve a goal
From this reading You may not be able to row much, but you could certainly manage to get over to the other side, and then you would only have to let her drift."
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading You may not be able to row much, but you could certainly manage to get over to the other side, and then you would only have to let her drift."
to a great degree or extent
From this reading You may not be able to row much, but you could certainly manage to get over to the other side, and then you would only have to let her drift."
absolutely essential
From this reading "Well, you see, one or other of us may be suspected, and it may be necessary to slip off.
not any; not one
From this reading "Yes; but there can be no reason why we should not come away together."
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading "If by any chance I should not turn up, Sebastian, when you want to come away, you had better go down to the boat and wait there for a quarter of an hour, and then push off.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading I don’t say that it is likely at all, but there is nothing like being prepared for all emergencies."
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "If by any chance I should not turn up, Sebastian, when you want to come away, you had better go down to the boat and wait there for a quarter of an hour, and then push off.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading "If by any chance I should not turn up, Sebastian, when you want to come away, you had better go down to the boat and wait there for a quarter of an hour, and then push off.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading "Well, you see, one or other of us may be suspected, and it may be necessary to slip off.
and nothing more
From this reading You may not be able to row much, but you could certainly manage to get over to the other side, and then you would only have to let her drift."
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading "Well, you see, one or other of us may be suspected, and it may be necessary to slip off.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading You may not be able to row much, but you could certainly manage to get over to the other side, and then you would only have to let her drift."
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading You may not be able to row much, but you could certainly manage to get over to the other side, and then you would only have to let her drift."
made ready or fit or suitable beforehand
From this reading I don’t say that it is likely at all, but there is nothing like being prepared for all emergencies."
pushverbUS /pʊʃ/
move with force
From this reading "If by any chance I should not turn up, Sebastian, when you want to come away, you had better go down to the boat and wait there for a quarter of an hour, and then push off.
one of four equal parts
From this reading "If by any chance I should not turn up, Sebastian, when you want to come away, you had better go down to the boat and wait there for a quarter of an hour, and then push off.
a rational motive for a belief or action
From this reading "Yes; but there can be no reason why we should not come away together."
an arrangement of objects or people side by side in a line
From this reading You may not be able to row much, but you could certainly manage to get over to the other side, and then you would only have to let her drift."
express in words
From this reading I don’t say that it is likely at all, but there is nothing like being prepared for all emergencies."
Sebastian
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "If by any chance I should not turn up, Sebastian, when you want to come away, you had better go down to the boat and wait there for a quarter of an hour, and then push off.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading "Well, you see, one or other of us may be suspected, and it may be necessary to slip off.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading "If by any chance I should not turn up, Sebastian, when you want to come away, you had better go down to the boat and wait there for a quarter of an hour, and then push off.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading You may not be able to row much, but you could certainly manage to get over to the other side, and then you would only have to let her drift."
move stealthily
From this reading "Well, you see, one or other of us may be suspected, and it may be necessary to slip off.
believed likely
From this reading "Well, you see, one or other of us may be suspected, and it may be necessary to slip off.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading I don’t say that it is likely at all, but there is nothing like being prepared for all emergencies."
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "If by any chance I should not turn up, Sebastian, when you want to come away, you had better go down to the boat and wait there for a quarter of an hour, and then push off.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading "If by any chance I should not turn up, Sebastian, when you want to come away, you had better go down to the boat and wait there for a quarter of an hour, and then push off.
in or at that place or location
From this reading "If by any chance I should not turn up, Sebastian, when you want to come away, you had better go down to the boat and wait there for a quarter of an hour, and then push off.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "If by any chance I should not turn up, Sebastian, when you want to come away, you had better go down to the boat and wait there for a quarter of an hour, and then push off.
in contact with each other or in proximity
From this reading "Yes; but there can be no reason why we should not come away together."
change orientation or direction, also in the abstract sense
From this reading "If by any chance I should not turn up, Sebastian, when you want to come away, you had better go down to the boat and wait there for a quarter of an hour, and then push off.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading "If by any chance I should not turn up, Sebastian, when you want to come away, you had better go down to the boat and wait there for a quarter of an hour, and then push off.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "Well, you see, one or other of us may be suspected, and it may be necessary to slip off.
stay in one place and anticipate or expect something
From this reading "If by any chance I should not turn up, Sebastian, when you want to come away, you had better go down to the boat and wait there for a quarter of an hour, and then push off.
feel or have a desire for; want strongly
From this reading "If by any chance I should not turn up, Sebastian, when you want to come away, you had better go down to the boat and wait there for a quarter of an hour, and then push off.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading "Yes; but there can be no reason why we should not come away together."
(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 "Well, you see, one or other of us may be suspected, and it may be necessary to slip off.
at the time that
From this reading "If by any chance I should not turn up, Sebastian, when you want to come away, you had better go down to the boat and wait there for a quarter of an hour, and then push off.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading "Yes; but there can be no reason why we should not come away together."
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading You may not be able to row much, but you could certainly manage to get over to the other side, and then you would only have to let her drift."
an affirmative
From this reading "Yes; but there can be no reason why we should not come away together."
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "If by any chance I should not turn up, Sebastian, when you want to come away, you had better go down to the boat and wait there for a quarter of an hour, and then push off.
