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Chapter XX
THE RUSSIAN BARK. We soon began to think the captain was mistaken in saying there would be lots of ships coming this way. But then, we couldn't see very far. Ships may have passed within a few miles of us, without our knowing anything about it. It was very different from being high up on a ship's deck, or in her rigging.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading “Ships may have passed within a few miles of us, without our knowing anything about it.”
any thing at all
From this reading “Ships may have passed within a few miles of us, without our knowing anything about it.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “We soon began to think the captain was mistaken in saying there would be lots of ships coming this way.”
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading “It was very different from being high up on a ship's deck, or in her rigging.”
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading “We soon began to think the captain was mistaken in saying there would be lots of ships coming this way.”
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading “It was very different from being high up on a ship's deck, or in her rigging.”
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “Ships may have passed within a few miles of us, without our knowing anything about it.”
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading “Ships may have passed within a few miles of us, without our knowing anything about it.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Ships may have passed within a few miles of us, without our knowing anything about it.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “We soon began to think the captain was mistaken in saying there would be lots of ships coming this way.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “We soon began to think the captain was mistaken in saying there would be lots of ships coming this way.”
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading “Ships may have passed within a few miles of us, without our knowing anything about it.”
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading “Ships may have passed within a few miles of us, without our knowing anything about it.”
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading “We soon began to think the captain was mistaken in saying there would be lots of ships coming this way.”
Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Ships may have passed within a few miles of us, without our knowing anything about it.
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Ships may have passed within a few miles of us, without our knowing anything about it.
any thing at all
From this reading Ships may have passed within a few miles of us, without our knowing anything about it.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE RUSSIAN BARK.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading We soon began to think the captain was mistaken in saying there would be lots of ships coming this way.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading We soon began to think the captain was mistaken in saying there would be lots of ships coming this way.
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading It was very different from being high up on a ship's deck, or in her rigging.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But then, we couldn't see very far.
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading We soon began to think the captain was mistaken in saying there would be lots of ships coming this way.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We soon began to think the captain was mistaken in saying there would be lots of ships coming this way.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But then, we couldn't see very far.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was very different from being high up on a ship's deck, or in her rigging.
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading It was very different from being high up on a ship's deck, or in her rigging.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But then, we couldn't see very far.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ships may have passed within a few miles of us, without our knowing anything about it.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading It was very different from being high up on a ship's deck, or in her rigging.
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Ships may have passed within a few miles of us, without our knowing anything about it.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading It was very different from being high up on a ship's deck, or in her rigging.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was very different from being high up on a ship's deck, or in her rigging.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading We soon began to think the captain was mistaken in saying there would be lots of ships coming this way.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Ships may have passed within a few miles of us, without our knowing anything about it.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ships may have passed within a few miles of us, without our knowing anything about it.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We soon began to think the captain was mistaken in saying there would be lots of ships coming this way.
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading Ships may have passed within a few miles of us, without our knowing anything about it.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ships may have passed within a few miles of us, without our knowing anything about it.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We soon began to think the captain was mistaken in saying there would be lots of ships coming this way.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading We soon began to think the captain was mistaken in saying there would be lots of ships coming this way.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading It was very different from being high up on a ship's deck, or in her rigging.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading It was very different from being high up on a ship's deck, or in her rigging.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading Ships may have passed within a few miles of us, without our knowing anything about it.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Ships may have passed within a few miles of us, without our knowing anything about it.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was very different from being high up on a ship's deck, or in her rigging.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE RUSSIAN BARK.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We soon began to think the captain was mistaken in saying there would be lots of ships coming this way.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But then, we couldn't see very far.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was very different from being high up on a ship's deck, or in her rigging.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We soon began to think the captain was mistaken in saying there would be lots of ships coming this way.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We soon began to think the captain was mistaken in saying there would be lots of ships coming this way.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE RUSSIAN BARK.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But then, we couldn't see very far.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We soon began to think the captain was mistaken in saying there would be lots of ships coming this way.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading We soon began to think the captain was mistaken in saying there would be lots of ships coming this way.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading We soon began to think the captain was mistaken in saying there would be lots of ships coming this way.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading We soon began to think the captain was mistaken in saying there would be lots of ships coming this way.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was very different from being high up on a ship's deck, or in her rigging.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Ships may have passed within a few miles of us, without our knowing anything about it.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But then, we couldn't see very far.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading We soon began to think the captain was mistaken in saying there would be lots of ships coming this way.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We soon began to think the captain was mistaken in saying there would be lots of ships coming this way.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading We soon began to think the captain was mistaken in saying there would be lots of ships coming this way.
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading Ships may have passed within a few miles of us, without our knowing anything about it.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading Ships may have passed within a few miles of us, without our knowing anything about it.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading We soon began to think the captain was mistaken in saying there would be lots of ships coming this way.
