Chapter XVII · Chapter 17

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading "Well, lads," he began, "just as this other affair I was telling you about happened further down south, so the other was a goodish bit to the north.

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading "Well, lads," he began, "just as this other affair I was telling you about happened further down south, so the other was a goodish bit to the north.

a vaguely specified concern

From this reading "Well, lads," he began, "just as this other affair I was telling you about happened further down south, so the other was a goodish bit to the north.

anew

From this reading THE following evening, as the twilight was falling, the lads again gathered round the old sailor.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading We were bound for the Persian Gulf, and I fancy the captain got wrong with his reckonings.

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading THE following evening, as the twilight was falling, the lads again gathered round the old sailor.

earlier than; in front of

From this reading He had had trouble before we sailed; had lost his wife sudden, I heard, and, more's the pity, he took to drink.

inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

From this reading "Well, lads," he began, "just as this other affair I was telling you about happened further down south, so the other was a goodish bit to the north.

a small piece or quantity of something

From this reading "Well, lads," he began, "just as this other affair I was telling you about happened further down south, so the other was a goodish bit to the north.

confined by bonds

From this reading We were bound for the Persian Gulf, and I fancy the captain got wrong with his reckonings.

an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant

From this reading We were bound for the Persian Gulf, and I fancy the captain got wrong with his reckonings.

involving or causing danger or risk; liable to hurt or harm

From this reading IN DANGEROUS SEAS.

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading "Well, lads," he began, "just as this other affair I was telling you about happened further down south, so the other was a goodish bit to the north.

take in liquids

From this reading He had had trouble before we sailed; had lost his wife sudden, I heard, and, more's the pity, he took to drink.

the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)

From this reading THE following evening, as the twilight was falling, the lads again gathered round the old sailor.

decreasing in amount or degree

From this reading THE following evening, as the twilight was falling, the lads again gathered round the old sailor.

something many people believe that is false

From this reading We were bound for the Persian Gulf, and I fancy the captain got wrong with his reckonings.

about to be mentioned or specified

From this reading THE following evening, as the twilight was falling, the lads again gathered round the old sailor.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading We were bound for the Persian Gulf, and I fancy the captain got wrong with his reckonings.

to or at a greater extent or degree or a more advanced stage (“further” is used more often than “farther” in this abstract sense)

From this reading "Well, lads," he began, "just as this other affair I was telling you about happened further down south, so the other was a goodish bit to the north.

brought together in one place

From this reading THE following evening, as the twilight was falling, the lads again gathered round the old sailor.

moderately good of its kind

From this reading "Well, lads," he began, "just as this other affair I was telling you about happened further down south, so the other was a goodish bit to the north.

inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading We were bound for the Persian Gulf, and I fancy the captain got wrong with his reckonings.

an arm of a sea or ocean partly enclosed by land; larger than a bay

From this reading We were bound for the Persian Gulf, and I fancy the captain got wrong with his reckonings.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading He had had trouble before we sailed; had lost his wife sudden, I heard, and, more's the pity, he took to drink.

past form of “happen” — come to pass

From this reading "Well, lads," he began, "just as this other affair I was telling you about happened further down south, so the other was a goodish bit to the north.

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading "Well, lads," he began, "just as this other affair I was telling you about happened further down south, so the other was a goodish bit to the north.

detected or perceived by the sense of hearing

From this reading He had had trouble before we sailed; had lost his wife sudden, I heard, and, more's the pity, he took to drink.

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading We were bound for the Persian Gulf, and I fancy the captain got wrong with his reckonings.

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading "Well, lads," he began, "just as this other affair I was telling you about happened further down south, so the other was a goodish bit to the north.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading IN DANGEROUS SEAS.

and nothing more

From this reading "Well, lads," he began, "just as this other affair I was telling you about happened further down south, so the other was a goodish bit to the north.

plural of “lad” — a boy or man

From this reading THE following evening, as the twilight was falling, the lads again gathered round the old sailor.

no longer in your possession or control; unable to be found or recovered

From this reading He had had trouble before we sailed; had lost his wife sudden, I heard, and, more's the pity, he took to drink.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He had had trouble before we sailed; had lost his wife sudden, I heard, and, more's the pity, he took to drink.

the region of the United States lying to the north of the Mason-Dixon line

From this reading "Well, lads," he began, "just as this other affair I was telling you about happened further down south, so the other was a goodish bit to the north.

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading THE following evening, as the twilight was falling, the lads again gathered round the old sailor.

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading "Well, lads," he began, "just as this other affair I was telling you about happened further down south, so the other was a goodish bit to the north.

a native or inhabitant of Iran

From this reading We were bound for the Persian Gulf, and I fancy the captain got wrong with his reckonings.

a feeling of sympathy and sorrow for the misfortunes of others

From this reading He had had trouble before we sailed; had lost his wife sudden, I heard, and, more's the pity, he took to drink.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading We were bound for the Persian Gulf, and I fancy the captain got wrong with his reckonings.

a charge of ammunition for a single shot

From this reading THE following evening, as the twilight was falling, the lads again gathered round the old sailor.

past form of “sail” — traverse or travel on (a body of water)

From this reading He had had trouble before we sailed; had lost his wife sudden, I heard, and, more's the pity, he took to drink.

any member of a ship's crew

From this reading THE following evening, as the twilight was falling, the lads again gathered round the old sailor.

plural of “sea” — a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land

From this reading IN DANGEROUS SEAS.

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading "Well, lads," he began, "just as this other affair I was telling you about happened further down south, so the other was a goodish bit to the north.

the region of the United States lying to the south of the Mason-Dixon line

From this reading "Well, lads," he began, "just as this other affair I was telling you about happened further down south, so the other was a goodish bit to the north.

happening without warning or in a short space of time

From this reading He had had trouble before we sailed; had lost his wife sudden, I heard, and, more's the pity, he took to drink.

disclosing unintentionally something concealed

From this reading "Well, lads," he began, "just as this other affair I was telling you about happened further down south, so the other was a goodish bit to the north.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading THE following evening, as the twilight was falling, the lads again gathered round the old sailor.

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading "Well, lads," he began, "just as this other affair I was telling you about happened further down south, so the other was a goodish bit to the north.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading "Well, lads," he began, "just as this other affair I was telling you about happened further down south, so the other was a goodish bit to the north.

inflected form of “take” — carry out

From this reading He had had trouble before we sailed; had lost his wife sudden, I heard, and, more's the pity, he took to drink.

a source of difficulty

From this reading He had had trouble before we sailed; had lost his wife sudden, I heard, and, more's the pity, he took to drink.

the time of day immediately following sunset

From this reading THE following evening, as the twilight was falling, the lads again gathered round the old sailor.

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading THE following evening, as the twilight was falling, the lads again gathered round the old sailor.

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading We were bound for the Persian Gulf, and I fancy the captain got wrong with his reckonings.

(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, lads," he began, "just as this other affair I was telling you about happened further down south, so the other was a goodish bit to the north.

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading We were bound for the Persian Gulf, and I fancy the captain got wrong with his reckonings.

a married woman; a man's partner in marriage

From this reading He had had trouble before we sailed; had lost his wife sudden, I heard, and, more's the pity, he took to drink.

in the company of; together with

From this reading We were bound for the Persian Gulf, and I fancy the captain got wrong with his reckonings.

not correct; not in conformity with fact or truth

From this reading We were bound for the Persian Gulf, and I fancy the captain got wrong with his reckonings.

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading "Well, lads," he began, "just as this other affair I was telling you about happened further down south, so the other was a goodish bit to the north.