used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A land-loom came into our view, A hull-down took from sight, The hulls of tugs and steamers blue-- But we wished it was night.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading A herd of porpoises then came And bobbed about our ship: We had no wish to see a fish-- The sky-line seemed to dip.
afloatadjectiveUS /əˈfloʊt/
aimlessly drifting
From this reading The waves were some unpleasant heights; They bumped the trusty boat We lay beneath the seats and sights, And wished we weren’t afloat.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading “The mate was sick, the Captain too, The passengers and ‘hand’; The breeze was strong enough to slew The boat around the strand.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading “The mate was sick, the Captain too, The passengers and ‘hand’; The breeze was strong enough to slew The boat around the strand.
Directly under; in or to a lower position than.
From this reading The waves were some unpleasant heights; They bumped the trusty boat We lay beneath the seats and sights, And wished we weren’t afloat.
of the color intermediate between green and violet; having a color similar to that of a clear unclouded sky
From this reading A land-loom came into our view, A hull-down took from sight, The hulls of tugs and steamers blue-- But we wished it was night.
a small vessel for travel on water
From this reading “The mate was sick, the Captain too, The passengers and ‘hand’; The breeze was strong enough to slew The boat around the strand.
bobbed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A herd of porpoises then came And bobbed about our ship: We had no wish to see a fish-- The sky-line seemed to dip.
a slight wind (usually refreshing)
From this reading “The mate was sick, the Captain too, The passengers and ‘hand’; The breeze was strong enough to slew The boat around the strand.
bumpedverbUS /bʌmpt/
past form of “bump” — knock against with force or violence
From this reading The waves were some unpleasant heights; They bumped the trusty boat We lay beneath the seats and sights, And wished we weren’t afloat.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading A land-loom came into our view, A hull-down took from sight, The hulls of tugs and steamers blue-- But we wished it was night.
past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading “My poem is called ‘Sea-sick,’” explained Elizabeth.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading A land-loom came into our view, A hull-down took from sight, The hulls of tugs and steamers blue-- But we wished it was night.
an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant
From this reading “The mate was sick, the Captain too, The passengers and ‘hand’; The breeze was strong enough to slew The boat around the strand.
dipverbUS /dɪp/
immerse briefly into a liquid so as to wet, coat, or saturate
From this reading A herd of porpoises then came And bobbed about our ship: We had no wish to see a fish-- The sky-line seemed to dip.
daughter of George VI who became the Queen of England and Northern Ireland in 1952 on the death of her father (1926-)
From this reading “My poem is called ‘Sea-sick,’” explained Elizabeth.
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading “The mate was sick, the Captain too, The passengers and ‘hand’; The breeze was strong enough to slew The boat around the strand.
past form of “explain” — make plain and comprehensible
From this reading “My poem is called ‘Sea-sick,’” explained Elizabeth.
any of various mostly cold-blooded aquatic vertebrates usually having scales and breathing through gills
From this reading A herd of porpoises then came And bobbed about our ship: We had no wish to see a fish-- The sky-line seemed to dip.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading A land-loom came into our view, A hull-down took from sight, The hulls of tugs and steamers blue-- But we wished it was night.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading A herd of porpoises then came And bobbed about our ship: We had no wish to see a fish-- The sky-line seemed to dip.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading “The mate was sick, the Captain too, The passengers and ‘hand’; The breeze was strong enough to slew The boat around the strand.
heightsnounUS /haɪts/
a high place
From this reading The waves were some unpleasant heights; They bumped the trusty boat We lay beneath the seats and sights, And wished we weren’t afloat.
herdnounUS /hɜːrd/
a group of cattle or sheep or other domestic mammals all of the same kind that are herded by humans
From this reading A herd of porpoises then came And bobbed about our ship: We had no wish to see a fish-- The sky-line seemed to dip.
hull-down
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A land-loom came into our view, A hull-down took from sight, The hulls of tugs and steamers blue-- But we wished it was night.
hullsnounUS /hʌlz/
plural of “hull” — dry outer covering of a fruit or seed or nut
From this reading A land-loom came into our view, A hull-down took from sight, The hulls of tugs and steamers blue-- But we wished it was night.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading A land-loom came into our view, A hull-down took from sight, The hulls of tugs and steamers blue-- But we wished it was night.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “My poem is called ‘Sea-sick,’” explained Elizabeth.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading A land-loom came into our view, A hull-down took from sight, The hulls of tugs and steamers blue-- But we wished it was night.
land-loom
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A land-loom came into our view, A hull-down took from sight, The hulls of tugs and steamers blue-- But we wished it was night.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading The waves were some unpleasant heights; They bumped the trusty boat We lay beneath the seats and sights, And wished we weren’t afloat.
the officer below the master on a commercial ship
From this reading “The mate was sick, the Captain too, The passengers and ‘hand’; The breeze was strong enough to slew The boat around the strand.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading “My poem is called ‘Sea-sick,’” explained Elizabeth.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading A land-loom came into our view, A hull-down took from sight, The hulls of tugs and steamers blue-- But we wished it was night.
not any; not one
From this reading A herd of porpoises then came And bobbed about our ship: We had no wish to see a fish-- The sky-line seemed to dip.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A land-loom came into our view, A hull-down took from sight, The hulls of tugs and steamers blue-- But we wished it was night.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading A land-loom came into our view, A hull-down took from sight, The hulls of tugs and steamers blue-- But we wished it was night.
plural of “passenger” — a traveler riding in a vehicle (a boat or bus or car or plane or train etc) who is not operating it
From this reading “The mate was sick, the Captain too, The passengers and ‘hand’; The breeze was strong enough to slew The boat around the strand.
a composition written in metrical feet forming rhythmical lines
From this reading “My poem is called ‘Sea-sick,’” explained Elizabeth.
porpoisesnounUS /ˈpɔːrpəsəz/
plural of “porpoise” — any of several small gregarious cetacean mammals having a blunt snout and many teeth
From this reading A herd of porpoises then came And bobbed about our ship: We had no wish to see a fish-- The sky-line seemed to dip.
Sea-sick
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “My poem is called ‘Sea-sick,’” explained Elizabeth.
seatsnounUS /siːts/
an area that includes places where several people can sit
From this reading The waves were some unpleasant heights; They bumped the trusty boat We lay beneath the seats and sights, And wished we weren’t afloat.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading A herd of porpoises then came And bobbed about our ship: We had no wish to see a fish-- The sky-line seemed to dip.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading A herd of porpoises then came And bobbed about our ship: We had no wish to see a fish-- The sky-line seemed to dip.
transport commercially
From this reading A herd of porpoises then came And bobbed about our ship: We had no wish to see a fish-- The sky-line seemed to dip.
affected by an impairment of normal physical or mental function
From this reading “The mate was sick, the Captain too, The passengers and ‘hand’; The breeze was strong enough to slew The boat around the strand.
an instance of visual perception
From this reading A land-loom came into our view, A hull-down took from sight, The hulls of tugs and steamers blue-- But we wished it was night.
sightsnounUS /saɪts/
an optical instrument for aiding the eye in aiming, as on a firearm or surveying instrument
From this reading The waves were some unpleasant heights; They bumped the trusty boat We lay beneath the seats and sights, And wished we weren’t afloat.
sky-line
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A herd of porpoises then came And bobbed about our ship: We had no wish to see a fish-- The sky-line seemed to dip.
slewverbUS /sluː/
turn sharply; change direction abruptly
From this reading “The mate was sick, the Captain too, The passengers and ‘hand’; The breeze was strong enough to slew The boat around the strand.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading The waves were some unpleasant heights; They bumped the trusty boat We lay beneath the seats and sights, And wished we weren’t afloat.
steamersnounUS /ˈstiːmərz/
plural of “steamer” — a clam that is usually steamed in the shell
From this reading A land-loom came into our view, A hull-down took from sight, The hulls of tugs and steamers blue-- But we wished it was night.
strandnounUS /strænd/
a pattern forming a unity within a larger structural whole
From this reading “The mate was sick, the Captain too, The passengers and ‘hand’; The breeze was strong enough to slew The boat around the strand.
having strength or power greater than average or expected
From this reading “The mate was sick, the Captain too, The passengers and ‘hand’; The breeze was strong enough to slew The boat around the strand.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “The mate was sick, the Captain too, The passengers and ‘hand’; The breeze was strong enough to slew The boat around the strand.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading A herd of porpoises then came And bobbed about our ship: We had no wish to see a fish-- The sky-line seemed to dip.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The waves were some unpleasant heights; They bumped the trusty boat We lay beneath the seats and sights, And wished we weren’t afloat.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “The mate was sick, the Captain too, The passengers and ‘hand’; The breeze was strong enough to slew The boat around the strand.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading “The mate was sick, the Captain too, The passengers and ‘hand’; The breeze was strong enough to slew The boat around the strand.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading A land-loom came into our view, A hull-down took from sight, The hulls of tugs and steamers blue-- But we wished it was night.
trustynounUS /ˈtrʌsti/
a convict who is considered trustworthy and granted special privileges
From this reading The waves were some unpleasant heights; They bumped the trusty boat We lay beneath the seats and sights, And wished we weren’t afloat.
tugsnounUS /tʌɡz/
plural of “tug” — a sudden abrupt pull
From this reading A land-loom came into our view, A hull-down took from sight, The hulls of tugs and steamers blue-- But we wished it was night.
offensive or disagreeable; causing discomfort or unhappiness
From this reading The waves were some unpleasant heights; They bumped the trusty boat We lay beneath the seats and sights, And wished we weren’t afloat.
a way of regarding situations or topics etc.
From this reading A land-loom came into our view, A hull-down took from sight, The hulls of tugs and steamers blue-- But we wished it was night.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “The mate was sick, the Captain too, The passengers and ‘hand’; The breeze was strong enough to slew The boat around the strand.
plural of “wave” — one of a series of ridges that moves across the surface of a liquid (especially across a large body of water)
From this reading The waves were some unpleasant heights; They bumped the trusty boat We lay beneath the seats and sights, And wished we weren’t afloat.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading The waves were some unpleasant heights; They bumped the trusty boat We lay beneath the seats and sights, And wished we weren’t afloat.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The waves were some unpleasant heights; They bumped the trusty boat We lay beneath the seats and sights, And wished we weren’t afloat.
weren't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The waves were some unpleasant heights; They bumped the trusty boat We lay beneath the seats and sights, And wished we weren’t afloat.
hope for; have a wish
From this reading A herd of porpoises then came And bobbed about our ship: We had no wish to see a fish-- The sky-line seemed to dip.
past form of “wish” — hope for; have a wish
From this reading The waves were some unpleasant heights; They bumped the trusty boat We lay beneath the seats and sights, And wished we weren’t afloat.
