used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The breeze had almost entirely died away, leaving the canvas aloft motionless, the schooner barely moving through a slightly heaving sea, in the midst of a dull-gray mist.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading It was a dismal outlook, the decks wet, the sails dripping moisture, and nothing to look about upon but wreaths of fog.
(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 It was all gray, gloomy, mysterious--a narrow stretch of water, disappearing so suddenly the eye could not determine ocean from sky.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading The breeze had almost entirely died away, leaving the canvas aloft motionless, the schooner barely moving through a slightly heaving sea, in the midst of a dull-gray mist.
aloftadverbUS /əˈlɔːft/
at or on or to the masthead or upper rigging of a ship
From this reading The breeze had almost entirely died away, leaving the canvas aloft motionless, the schooner barely moving through a slightly heaving sea, in the midst of a dull-gray mist.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading OPENING THE TREASURE CHEST The dawn came slowly, and with but little increase of light.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Even as the sun rose, its rays failed to penetrate this cloud bank, or yield slightest color to the scene.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading The breeze had almost entirely died away, leaving the canvas aloft motionless, the schooner barely moving through a slightly heaving sea, in the midst of a dull-gray mist.
sloping land (especially the slope beside a body of water)
From this reading Even as the sun rose, its rays failed to penetrate this cloud bank, or yield slightest color to the scene.
barelyadverbUS /ˈberli/
only a very short time before
From this reading The breeze had almost entirely died away, leaving the canvas aloft motionless, the schooner barely moving through a slightly heaving sea, in the midst of a dull-gray mist.
a slight wind (usually refreshing)
From this reading The breeze had almost entirely died away, leaving the canvas aloft motionless, the schooner barely moving through a slightly heaving sea, in the midst of a dull-gray mist.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading OPENING THE TREASURE CHEST The dawn came slowly, and with but little increase of light.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading OPENING THE TREASURE CHEST The dawn came slowly, and with but little increase of light.
canvasnounUS /ˈkænvəs/
a heavy, closely woven fabric (used for clothing or chairs or sails or tents)
From this reading The breeze had almost entirely died away, leaving the canvas aloft motionless, the schooner barely moving through a slightly heaving sea, in the midst of a dull-gray mist.
the part of the human torso between the neck and the diaphragm or the corresponding part in other vertebrates
From this reading OPENING THE TREASURE CHEST The dawn came slowly, and with but little increase of light.
make overcast or cloudy
From this reading Even as the sun rose, its rays failed to penetrate this cloud bank, or yield slightest color to the scene.
a visual attribute of things that results from the light they emit or transmit or reflect
From this reading Even as the sun rose, its rays failed to penetrate this cloud bank, or yield slightest color to the scene.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading It was all gray, gloomy, mysterious--a narrow stretch of water, disappearing so suddenly the eye could not determine ocean from sky.
the first light of day
From this reading OPENING THE TREASURE CHEST The dawn came slowly, and with but little increase of light.
decksnounUS /deks/
plural of “deck” — any of various platforms built into a vessel
From this reading It was a dismal outlook, the decks wet, the sails dripping moisture, and nothing to look about upon but wreaths of fog.
determineverbUS /dəˈtɜːrmən/
establish after a calculation, investigation, experiment, survey, or study
From this reading It was all gray, gloomy, mysterious--a narrow stretch of water, disappearing so suddenly the eye could not determine ocean from sky.
past form of “die” — pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life
From this reading The breeze had almost entirely died away, leaving the canvas aloft motionless, the schooner barely moving through a slightly heaving sea, in the midst of a dull-gray mist.
disappearingnounUS /ˌdɪsəˈpɪrɪŋ/
the act of leaving secretly or without explanation
From this reading It was all gray, gloomy, mysterious--a narrow stretch of water, disappearing so suddenly the eye could not determine ocean from sky.
dismaladjectiveUS /ˈdɪzməl/
causing dejection
From this reading It was a dismal outlook, the decks wet, the sails dripping moisture, and nothing to look about upon but wreaths of fog.
drippingnounUS /ˈdrɪpɪŋ/
a liquid (as water) that flows in drops (as from the eaves of house)
From this reading It was a dismal outlook, the decks wet, the sails dripping moisture, and nothing to look about upon but wreaths of fog.
dull-gray
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The breeze had almost entirely died away, leaving the canvas aloft motionless, the schooner barely moving through a slightly heaving sea, in the midst of a dull-gray mist.
to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally for “wholly”)
From this reading The breeze had almost entirely died away, leaving the canvas aloft motionless, the schooner barely moving through a slightly heaving sea, in the midst of a dull-gray mist.
divisible by two
From this reading Even as the sun rose, its rays failed to penetrate this cloud bank, or yield slightest color to the scene.
the organ of sight
From this reading It was all gray, gloomy, mysterious--a narrow stretch of water, disappearing so suddenly the eye could not determine ocean from sky.
past form of “fail” — fail to do something; leave something undone
From this reading Even as the sun rose, its rays failed to penetrate this cloud bank, or yield slightest color to the scene.
fognounUS /fɑːɡ/
droplets of water vapor suspended in the air near the ground
From this reading It was a dismal outlook, the decks wet, the sails dripping moisture, and nothing to look about upon but wreaths of fog.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading It was all gray, gloomy, mysterious--a narrow stretch of water, disappearing so suddenly the eye could not determine ocean from sky.
depressingly dark
From this reading It was all gray, gloomy, mysterious--a narrow stretch of water, disappearing so suddenly the eye could not determine ocean from sky.
a neutral achromatic color midway between white and black
From this reading It was all gray, gloomy, mysterious--a narrow stretch of water, disappearing so suddenly the eye could not determine ocean from sky.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The breeze had almost entirely died away, leaving the canvas aloft motionless, the schooner barely moving through a slightly heaving sea, in the midst of a dull-gray mist.
heavingnounUS /ˈhiːvɪŋ/
an upward movement (especially a rhythmical rising and falling)
From this reading The breeze had almost entirely died away, leaving the canvas aloft motionless, the schooner barely moving through a slightly heaving sea, in the midst of a dull-gray mist.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The breeze had almost entirely died away, leaving the canvas aloft motionless, the schooner barely moving through a slightly heaving sea, in the midst of a dull-gray mist.
increasenounUS /ˌɪnˈkriːs/
a quantity that is added
From this reading OPENING THE TREASURE CHEST The dawn came slowly, and with but little increase of light.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was a dismal outlook, the decks wet, the sails dripping moisture, and nothing to look about upon but wreaths of fog.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading Even as the sun rose, its rays failed to penetrate this cloud bank, or yield slightest color to the scene.
the act of departing
From this reading The breeze had almost entirely died away, leaving the canvas aloft motionless, the schooner barely moving through a slightly heaving sea, in the midst of a dull-gray mist.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading OPENING THE TREASURE CHEST The dawn came slowly, and with but little increase of light.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading OPENING THE TREASURE CHEST The dawn came slowly, and with but little increase of light.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading It was a dismal outlook, the decks wet, the sails dripping moisture, and nothing to look about upon but wreaths of fog.
the location of something surrounded by other things
From this reading The breeze had almost entirely died away, leaving the canvas aloft motionless, the schooner barely moving through a slightly heaving sea, in the midst of a dull-gray mist.
become covered with mist
From this reading The breeze had almost entirely died away, leaving the canvas aloft motionless, the schooner barely moving through a slightly heaving sea, in the midst of a dull-gray mist.
moisturenounUS /ˈmɔɪstʃər/
wetness caused by water
From this reading It was a dismal outlook, the decks wet, the sails dripping moisture, and nothing to look about upon but wreaths of fog.
not in physical motion
From this reading The breeze had almost entirely died away, leaving the canvas aloft motionless, the schooner barely moving through a slightly heaving sea, in the midst of a dull-gray mist.
in motion
From this reading The breeze had almost entirely died away, leaving the canvas aloft motionless, the schooner barely moving through a slightly heaving sea, in the midst of a dull-gray mist.
of an obscure nature
From this reading It was all gray, gloomy, mysterious--a narrow stretch of water, disappearing so suddenly the eye could not determine ocean from sky.
make or become more narrow or restricted
From this reading It was all gray, gloomy, mysterious--a narrow stretch of water, disappearing so suddenly the eye could not determine ocean from sky.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading It was all gray, gloomy, mysterious--a narrow stretch of water, disappearing so suddenly the eye could not determine ocean from sky.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading It was a dismal outlook, the decks wet, the sails dripping moisture, and nothing to look about upon but wreaths of fog.
a large body of water constituting a principal part of the hydrosphere
From this reading It was all gray, gloomy, mysterious--a narrow stretch of water, disappearing so suddenly the eye could not determine ocean from sky.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading OPENING THE TREASURE CHEST The dawn came slowly, and with but little increase of light.
an open or empty space in or between things
From this reading OPENING THE TREASURE CHEST The dawn came slowly, and with but little increase of light.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Even as the sun rose, its rays failed to penetrate this cloud bank, or yield slightest color to the scene.
outlooknounUS /ˈaʊtlʊk/
a habitual or characteristic mental attitude that determines how you will interpret and respond to situations
From this reading It was a dismal outlook, the decks wet, the sails dripping moisture, and nothing to look about upon but wreaths of fog.
penetrateverbUS /ˈpenətreɪt/
pass into or through, often by overcoming resistance
From this reading Even as the sun rose, its rays failed to penetrate this cloud bank, or yield slightest color to the scene.
raysnounUS /reɪz/
plural of “ray” — a column of light (as from a beacon)
From this reading Even as the sun rose, its rays failed to penetrate this cloud bank, or yield slightest color to the scene.
any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading Even as the sun rose, its rays failed to penetrate this cloud bank, or yield slightest color to the scene.
sailsnounUS /seɪlz/
plural of “sail” — a large piece of fabric (usually canvas fabric) by means of which wind is used to propel a sailing vessel
From this reading It was a dismal outlook, the decks wet, the sails dripping moisture, and nothing to look about upon but wreaths of fog.
the place where some action occurs
From this reading Even as the sun rose, its rays failed to penetrate this cloud bank, or yield slightest color to the scene.
schoonernounUS /ˈskuːnər/
a large beer glass
From this reading The breeze had almost entirely died away, leaving the canvas aloft motionless, the schooner barely moving through a slightly heaving sea, in the midst of a dull-gray mist.
a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
From this reading The breeze had almost entirely died away, leaving the canvas aloft motionless, the schooner barely moving through a slightly heaving sea, in the midst of a dull-gray mist.
the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading It was all gray, gloomy, mysterious--a narrow stretch of water, disappearing so suddenly the eye could not determine ocean from sky.
superlative of “slight” — (quantifier used with mass nouns) small in quantity or degree; not much or almost none or (with “a”) at least some
From this reading Even as the sun rose, its rays failed to penetrate this cloud bank, or yield slightest color to the scene.
to a small degree or extent
From this reading The breeze had almost entirely died away, leaving the canvas aloft motionless, the schooner barely moving through a slightly heaving sea, in the midst of a dull-gray mist.
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading OPENING THE TREASURE CHEST The dawn came slowly, and with but little increase of light.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading It was all gray, gloomy, mysterious--a narrow stretch of water, disappearing so suddenly the eye could not determine ocean from sky.
stretchverbUS /stretʃ/
occupy a large, elongated area
From this reading It was all gray, gloomy, mysterious--a narrow stretch of water, disappearing so suddenly the eye could not determine ocean from sky.
happening unexpectedly
From this reading It was all gray, gloomy, mysterious--a narrow stretch of water, disappearing so suddenly the eye could not determine ocean from sky.
the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system
From this reading Even as the sun rose, its rays failed to penetrate this cloud bank, or yield slightest color to the scene.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading OPENING THE TREASURE CHEST The dawn came slowly, and with but little increase of light.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Even as the sun rose, its rays failed to penetrate this cloud bank, or yield slightest color to the scene.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading The breeze had almost entirely died away, leaving the canvas aloft motionless, the schooner barely moving through a slightly heaving sea, in the midst of a dull-gray mist.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It was a dismal outlook, the decks wet, the sails dripping moisture, and nothing to look about upon but wreaths of fog.
accumulated wealth in the form of money or jewels etc.
From this reading OPENING THE TREASURE CHEST The dawn came slowly, and with but little increase of light.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading It was a dismal outlook, the decks wet, the sails dripping moisture, and nothing to look about upon but wreaths of fog.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was a dismal outlook, the decks wet, the sails dripping moisture, and nothing to look about upon but wreaths of fog.
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 It was all gray, gloomy, mysterious--a narrow stretch of water, disappearing so suddenly the eye could not determine ocean from sky.
covered or soaked with a liquid such as water
From this reading It was a dismal outlook, the decks wet, the sails dripping moisture, and nothing to look about upon but wreaths of fog.
in the company of; together with
From this reading OPENING THE TREASURE CHEST The dawn came slowly, and with but little increase of light.
wreathsnounUS /riːθs/
plural of “wreath” — flower arrangement consisting of a circular band of foliage or flowers for ornamental purposes
From this reading It was a dismal outlook, the decks wet, the sails dripping moisture, and nothing to look about upon but wreaths of fog.
be the cause or source of
From this reading Even as the sun rose, its rays failed to penetrate this cloud bank, or yield slightest color to the scene.
