You encounter the following sentence while reading:
Fickle winds are factors to consider when understanding the speed of the ocean current.
You have not heard the word "current" used in this way before, so you look it up in the dictionary and find the following:
Current Adj)
1) belonging to the present time; happening or being used or done now N)
2) a body of water or air moving in a definite direction, especially through a surrounding body of water
3) a flow of electricity which results from the ordered directional movement of electrically charged particles
4) a quantity representing the rate of flow of electric charge
Which of the definitions in the dictionary best fits the sentence: "Fickle winds are factors to consider when understanding the speed of the ocean current"?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The definition is "a body of water or air moving in a definite direction, especially through a surrounding body of water",which refers to a noun. It fits the sentence in question because the ocean is a body of water. 
Definition 1 is incorrect. The definition is "belonging to the present time; happening or being used or done now," which refers to an adjective. It does not fit the sentence in question because a noun is needed. 
Definition 3 is incorrect. The definition is "a flow of electricity which results from the ordered directional movement of electrically charged particles," which refers to a noun. However, it does not fit the sentence in question because it does not refer to electricity. 
Definition 4 is incorrect. The definition is "a quantity representing the rate of flow of electric charge," which refers to a noun. It does not fit the sentence in question because the quantity of electricity is not the topic.

You Encounter the Following Sentence While Reading