aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading The whale boats were about twenty-five feet long, rigged with leg-of-mutton sails and jibs.
perform an action, or work out or perform (an action)
From this reading Long John was to act as boatsteerer for Mr. Winchester, Little Johnny for Mr. Landers, and Mendez for Gabriel.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading TURTLES AND PORPOISES We slipped out of Turtle bay one moonlight night and stood southward.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Long John was to act as boatsteerer for Mr. Winchester, Little Johnny for Mr. Landers, and Mendez for Gabriel.
an indentation of a shoreline larger than a cove but smaller than a gulf
From this reading TURTLES AND PORPOISES We slipped out of Turtle bay one moonlight night and stood southward.
a small vessel for travel on water
From this reading Captain Winchester was to head the starboard boat; Mr. Landers the larboard boat; and Gabriel the waist boat.
plural of “boat” — a small vessel for travel on water
From this reading We were now in sperm whale waters and the crews of the whale boats were selected.
boatsteerer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Long John was to act as boatsteerer for Mr. Winchester, Little Johnny for Mr. Landers, and Mendez for Gabriel.
an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant
From this reading Captain Winchester was to head the starboard boat; Mr. Landers the larboard boat; and Gabriel the waist boat.
crewsnounUS /kruːz/
plural of “crew” — the men and women who man a vehicle (ship, aircraft, etc.)
From this reading We were now in sperm whale waters and the crews of the whale boats were selected.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading The whale boats were about twenty-five feet long, rigged with leg-of-mutton sails and jibs.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Long John was to act as boatsteerer for Mr. Winchester, Little Johnny for Mr. Landers, and Mendez for Gabriel.
GabrielnounUS /ˈɡeɪbriəl/
(Bible) the archangel who was the messenger of God
From this reading Captain Winchester was to head the starboard boat; Mr. Landers the larboard boat; and Gabriel the waist boat.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading Captain Winchester was to head the starboard boat; Mr. Landers the larboard boat; and Gabriel the waist boat.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading We were now in sperm whale waters and the crews of the whale boats were selected.
jibs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The whale boats were about twenty-five feet long, rigged with leg-of-mutton sails and jibs.
a room or building equipped with one or more toilets
From this reading Long John was to act as boatsteerer for Mr. Winchester, Little Johnny for Mr. Landers, and Mendez for Gabriel.
“Johnny” was applied as a nickname for Confederate soldiers by the Federal soldiers in the American Civil War; “greyback” derived from their grey Confederate uniforms
From this reading Long John was to act as boatsteerer for Mr. Winchester, Little Johnny for Mr. Landers, and Mendez for Gabriel.
LandersnounUS /ˈlændərz/
plural of “lander” — a town in central Wyoming
From this reading Captain Winchester was to head the starboard boat; Mr. Landers the larboard boat; and Gabriel the waist boat.
larboardnoun
the left side of a ship or aircraft to someone who is aboard and facing the bow or nose
From this reading Captain Winchester was to head the starboard boat; Mr. Landers the larboard boat; and Gabriel the waist boat.
leg-of-mutton
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The whale boats were about twenty-five feet long, rigged with leg-of-mutton sails and jibs.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Long John was to act as boatsteerer for Mr. Winchester, Little Johnny for Mr. Landers, and Mendez for Gabriel.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading Long John was to act as boatsteerer for Mr. Winchester, Little Johnny for Mr. Landers, and Mendez for Gabriel.
Mendez
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Long John was to act as boatsteerer for Mr. Winchester, Little Johnny for Mr. Landers, and Mendez for Gabriel.
the light of the Moon
From this reading TURTLES AND PORPOISES We slipped out of Turtle bay one moonlight night and stood southward.
a form of address for a man
From this reading Captain Winchester was to head the starboard boat; Mr. Landers the larboard boat; and Gabriel the waist boat.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading TURTLES AND PORPOISES We slipped out of Turtle bay one moonlight night and stood southward.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading We were now in sperm whale waters and the crews of the whale boats were selected.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading TURTLES AND PORPOISES We slipped out of Turtle bay one moonlight night and stood southward.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading TURTLES AND PORPOISES We slipped out of Turtle bay one moonlight night and stood southward.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading TURTLES AND PORPOISES We slipped out of Turtle bay one moonlight night and stood southward.
PORPOISESnounUS /ˈpɔːrpəsəz/
plural of “porpoise” — any of several small gregarious cetacean mammals having a blunt snout and many teeth
From this reading TURTLES AND PORPOISES We slipped out of Turtle bay one moonlight night and stood southward.
riggedadjectiveUS /rɪɡd/
fitted or equipped with necessary rigging (sails and shrouds and stays etc)
From this reading The whale boats were about twenty-five feet long, rigged with leg-of-mutton sails and jibs.
sailsnounUS /seɪlz/
plural of “sail” — a large piece of fabric (usually canvas fabric) by means of which wind is used to propel a sailing vessel
From this reading The whale boats were about twenty-five feet long, rigged with leg-of-mutton sails and jibs.
selectedadjectiveUS /səˈlektɪd/
chosen in preference to another
From this reading We were now in sperm whale waters and the crews of the whale boats were selected.
inflected form of “slip” — move stealthily
From this reading TURTLES AND PORPOISES We slipped out of Turtle bay one moonlight night and stood southward.
southwardadverbUS /ˈsaʊθwərd/
toward the south
From this reading TURTLES AND PORPOISES We slipped out of Turtle bay one moonlight night and stood southward.
spermnounUS /spɜːrm/
the male reproductive cell; the male gamete
From this reading We were now in sperm whale waters and the crews of the whale boats were selected.
starboardnounUS /ˈstɑːrbərd/
the right side of a ship or aircraft to someone who is aboard and facing the bow or nose
From this reading Captain Winchester was to head the starboard boat; Mr. Landers the larboard boat; and Gabriel the waist boat.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading TURTLES AND PORPOISES We slipped out of Turtle bay one moonlight night and stood southward.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading We were now in sperm whale waters and the crews of the whale boats were selected.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Captain Winchester was to head the starboard boat; Mr. Landers the larboard boat; and Gabriel the waist boat.
TurtlenounUS /ˈtɜːrtəl/
a sweater or jersey with a high close-fitting collar
From this reading TURTLES AND PORPOISES We slipped out of Turtle bay one moonlight night and stood southward.
TURTLESnounUS /ˈtɜːrtəlz/
plural of “turtle” — a sweater or jersey with a high close-fitting collar
From this reading TURTLES AND PORPOISES We slipped out of Turtle bay one moonlight night and stood southward.
twenty-fiveadjectiveUS /ˈtwentifaɪv/
being five more than twenty
From this reading The whale boats were about twenty-five feet long, rigged with leg-of-mutton sails and jibs.
the narrowing of the body between the ribs and hips
From this reading Captain Winchester was to head the starboard boat; Mr. Landers the larboard boat; and Gabriel the waist boat.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Captain Winchester was to head the starboard boat; Mr. Landers the larboard boat; and Gabriel the waist boat.
United States actress and singer (1896-1977)
From this reading We were now in sperm whale waters and the crews of the whale boats were selected.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading TURTLES AND PORPOISES We slipped out of Turtle bay one moonlight night and stood southward.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading We were now in sperm whale waters and the crews of the whale boats were selected.
whalenounUS /weɪl/
a very large person; impressive in size or qualities
From this reading We were now in sperm whale waters and the crews of the whale boats were selected.
WinchesternounUS /ˈwɪntʃestər/
a city in southern England; administrative center of Hampshire
From this reading Captain Winchester was to head the starboard boat; Mr. Landers the larboard boat; and Gabriel the waist boat.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The whale boats were about twenty-five feet long, rigged with leg-of-mutton sails and jibs.
