used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading THE LAGOON After a few days, _Columbine_ sailed west, and one night lurched slowly across the languid swell towards the coast.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Mist drifted about the forest ahead and he heard an ominous roar of surf.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading THE LAGOON After a few days, _Columbine_ sailed west, and one night lurched slowly across the languid swell towards the coast.
AfterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading THE LAGOON After a few days, _Columbine_ sailed west, and one night lurched slowly across the languid swell towards the coast.
at or in the front
From this reading Mist drifted about the forest ahead and he heard an ominous roar of surf.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading Although no break in the coast was distinguishable, the schooner was obviously drifting with the tide toward an opening.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Mist drifted about the forest ahead and he heard an ominous roar of surf.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE LAGOON After a few days, _Columbine_ sailed west, and one night lurched slowly across the languid swell towards the coast.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading There was a full moon, but Marston, standing near the negro pilot at the wheel, could not see much.
inflected form of “blow” — exhale hard
From this reading The wind was light and blew off the land, laden with a smell of spices and river mud.
terminate
From this reading Although no break in the coast was distinguishable, the schooner was obviously drifting with the tide toward an opening.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading There was a full moon, but Marston, standing near the negro pilot at the wheel, could not see much.
the shore of a sea or ocean
From this reading THE LAGOON After a few days, _Columbine_ sailed west, and one night lurched slowly across the languid swell towards the coast.
ColumbinenounUS /ˈkɑːləmbaɪn/
a plant of the genus Aquilegia having irregular showy spurred flowers; north temperate regions especially mountains
From this reading THE LAGOON After a few days, _Columbine_ sailed west, and one night lurched slowly across the languid swell towards the coast.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading There was a full moon, but Marston, standing near the negro pilot at the wheel, could not see much.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading THE LAGOON After a few days, _Columbine_ sailed west, and one night lurched slowly across the languid swell towards the coast.
distinguishableadjectiveUS /dɪˈstɪŋɡwɪʃəbəl/
capable of being perceived as different or distinct
From this reading Although no break in the coast was distinguishable, the schooner was obviously drifting with the tide toward an opening.
driftedverbUS /ˈdrɪftəd/
past form of “drift” — be in motion due to some air or water current
From this reading Mist drifted about the forest ahead and he heard an ominous roar of surf.
driftingnounUS /ˈdrɪftɪŋ/
aimless wandering from place to place
From this reading Although no break in the coast was distinguishable, the schooner was obviously drifting with the tide toward an opening.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading THE LAGOON After a few days, _Columbine_ sailed west, and one night lurched slowly across the languid swell towards the coast.
the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area
From this reading Mist drifted about the forest ahead and he heard an ominous roar of surf.
containing as much or as many as is possible or normal
From this reading There was a full moon, but Marston, standing near the negro pilot at the wheel, could not see much.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Mist drifted about the forest ahead and he heard an ominous roar of surf.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading Mist drifted about the forest ahead and he heard an ominous roar of surf.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Although no break in the coast was distinguishable, the schooner was obviously drifting with the tide toward an opening.
ladenadjectiveUS /ˈleɪdən/
filled with a great quantity
From this reading The wind was light and blew off the land, laden with a smell of spices and river mud.
LAGOONnounUS /ləˈɡuːn/
a body of water cut off from a larger body by a reef of sand or coral
From this reading THE LAGOON After a few days, _Columbine_ sailed west, and one night lurched slowly across the languid swell towards the coast.
the land on which real estate is located
From this reading The wind was light and blew off the land, laden with a smell of spices and river mud.
languidadjectiveUS /ˈlæŋɡwəd/
lacking spirit or liveliness
From this reading THE LAGOON After a few days, _Columbine_ sailed west, and one night lurched slowly across the languid swell towards the coast.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading The wind was light and blew off the land, laden with a smell of spices and river mud.
lurchedverbUS /lɜːrtʃt/
past form of “lurch” — walk as if unable to control one's movements
From this reading THE LAGOON After a few days, _Columbine_ sailed west, and one night lurched slowly across the languid swell towards the coast.
Marston
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a full moon, but Marston, standing near the negro pilot at the wheel, could not see much.
become covered with mist
From this reading Mist drifted about the forest ahead and he heard an ominous roar of surf.
the natural satellite of the Earth
From this reading There was a full moon, but Marston, standing near the negro pilot at the wheel, could not see much.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading There was a full moon, but Marston, standing near the negro pilot at the wheel, could not see much.
water soaked soil; soft wet earth
From this reading The wind was light and blew off the land, laden with a smell of spices and river mud.
near in time or place or relationship
From this reading There was a full moon, but Marston, standing near the negro pilot at the wheel, could not see much.
negronounUS /ˈniːɡroʊ/
a person with African ancestry, "Negro" and "Negroid" are archaic and pejorative today
From this reading There was a full moon, but Marston, standing near the negro pilot at the wheel, could not see much.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading THE LAGOON After a few days, _Columbine_ sailed west, and one night lurched slowly across the languid swell towards the coast.
not any; not one
From this reading Although no break in the coast was distinguishable, the schooner was obviously drifting with the tide toward an opening.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading There was a full moon, but Marston, standing near the negro pilot at the wheel, could not see much.
obviouslyadverbUS /ˈɑːbviəsli/
unmistakably (“plain” is often used informally for “plainly”)
From this reading Although no break in the coast was distinguishable, the schooner was obviously drifting with the tide toward an opening.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Mist drifted about the forest ahead and he heard an ominous roar of surf.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading The wind was light and blew off the land, laden with a smell of spices and river mud.
ominousadjectiveUS /ˈɑːmənəs/
threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments
From this reading Mist drifted about the forest ahead and he heard an ominous roar of surf.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading THE LAGOON After a few days, _Columbine_ sailed west, and one night lurched slowly across the languid swell towards the coast.
an open or empty space in or between things
From this reading Although no break in the coast was distinguishable, the schooner was obviously drifting with the tide toward an opening.
pilotverbUS /ˈpaɪlət/
operate an airplane
From this reading There was a full moon, but Marston, standing near the negro pilot at the wheel, could not see much.
a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)
From this reading The wind was light and blew off the land, laden with a smell of spices and river mud.
make a loud noise, as of wind, water, or vehicles
From this reading Mist drifted about the forest ahead and he heard an ominous roar of surf.
past form of “sail” — traverse or travel on (a body of water)
From this reading THE LAGOON After a few days, _Columbine_ sailed west, and one night lurched slowly across the languid swell towards the coast.
schoonernounUS /ˈskuːnər/
a large beer glass
From this reading Although no break in the coast was distinguishable, the schooner was obviously drifting with the tide toward an opening.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading There was a full moon, but Marston, standing near the negro pilot at the wheel, could not see much.
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading THE LAGOON After a few days, _Columbine_ sailed west, and one night lurched slowly across the languid swell towards the coast.
the sensation that results when olfactory receptors in the nose are stimulated by particular chemicals in gaseous form
From this reading The wind was light and blew off the land, laden with a smell of spices and river mud.
spicesnounUS /ˈspaɪsəz/
plural of “spice” — aromatic substances of vegetable origin used as a preservative
From this reading The wind was light and blew off the land, laden with a smell of spices and river mud.
having a supporting base
From this reading There was a full moon, but Marston, standing near the negro pilot at the wheel, could not see much.
surfnounUS /sɜːrf/
waves breaking on the shore
From this reading Mist drifted about the forest ahead and he heard an ominous roar of surf.
swellverbUS /swel/
increase in size, magnitude, number, or intensity
From this reading THE LAGOON After a few days, _Columbine_ sailed west, and one night lurched slowly across the languid swell towards the coast.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE LAGOON After a few days, _Columbine_ sailed west, and one night lurched slowly across the languid swell towards the coast.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was a full moon, but Marston, standing near the negro pilot at the wheel, could not see much.
the periodic rise and fall of the sea level under the gravitational pull of the moon
From this reading Although no break in the coast was distinguishable, the schooner was obviously drifting with the tide toward an opening.
towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/
in the direction of
From this reading Although no break in the coast was distinguishable, the schooner was obviously drifting with the tide toward an opening.
in the direction of
From this reading THE LAGOON After a few days, _Columbine_ sailed west, and one night lurched slowly across the languid swell towards the coast.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There was a full moon, but Marston, standing near the negro pilot at the wheel, could not see much.
the countries of (originally) Europe and (now including) North America and South America
From this reading THE LAGOON After a few days, _Columbine_ sailed west, and one night lurched slowly across the languid swell towards the coast.
change directions as if revolving on a pivot
From this reading There was a full moon, but Marston, standing near the negro pilot at the wheel, could not see much.
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading The wind was light and blew off the land, laden with a smell of spices and river mud.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Although no break in the coast was distinguishable, the schooner was obviously drifting with the tide toward an opening.
