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An Ocean Tragedy
An Ocean Tragedy

Chapter XXXIV

Cover illustration for An Ocean Tragedy
Context Illustration Reading 1/69 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
CONCLUSION.
Our passage home was extraordinarily long.
It took us seventy-five days to arrive at the English Channel from the latitude of the volcanic island.
The captain thought himself under a spell, and swore that he believed his barque was to be made a ‘Flying Dutchman’ of.
Yet she was a clipper keel, moulded in exquisite conformity with all theories of swiftness in sailing, and when a fresh and favourable wind blew she ate through it as though with the iron bite of a powerful steamer.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
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A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

An Ocean Tragedy

Chapter XXXIV

Reading 1/69 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
CONCLUSION.
Line 2
Our passage home was extraordinarily long.
Line 3
It took us seventy-five days to arrive at the English Channel from the latitude of the volcanic island.
Line 4
The captain thought himself under a spell, and swore that he believed his barque was to be made a ‘Flying Dutchman’ of.
Line 5
Yet she was a clipper keel, moulded in exquisite conformity with all theories of swiftness in sailing, and when a fresh and favourable wind blew she ate through it as though with the iron bite of a powerful steamer.

Learner Dictionary

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.

Captain noun US /ˈcaptain/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading “The captain thought himself under a spell, and swore that he believed his barque was to be made a ‘Flying Dutchman’ of.”

Himself pronoun US /hɪmˈself/

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading “The captain thought himself under a spell, and swore that he believed his barque was to be made a ‘Flying Dutchman’ of.”

Latitude noun US /ˈlætəˌtuːd/

distance north or south of the equator

From this reading “It took us seventy-five days to arrive at the English Channel from the latitude of the volcanic island.”

Long noun US /long/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Our passage home was extraordinarily long.”

Passage noun US /ˈpassage/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading “Our passage home was extraordinarily long.”

Though conjunction US /ðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading “Yet she was a clipper keel, moulded in exquisite conformity with all theories of swiftness in sailing, and when a fresh and favourable wind blew she ate through it as though with the iron bite of a powerful steamer.”

Thought noun US /thought/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The captain thought himself under a spell, and swore that he believed his barque was to be made a ‘Flying Dutchman’ of.”

Through noun US /ˈthrough/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading “Yet she was a clipper keel, moulded in exquisite conformity with all theories of swiftness in sailing, and when a fresh and favourable wind blew she ate through it as though with the iron bite of a powerful steamer.”

Took noun US /took/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “It took us seventy-five days to arrive at the English Channel from the latitude of the volcanic island.”

Under preposition US /ˈʌndər/

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading “The captain thought himself under a spell, and swore that he believed his barque was to be made a ‘Flying Dutchman’ of.”

Wind noun US /wind/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Yet she was a clipper keel, moulded in exquisite conformity with all theories of swiftness in sailing, and when a fresh and favourable wind blew she ate through it as though with the iron bite of a powerful steamer.”

Yet conjunction US /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading “Yet she was a clipper keel, moulded in exquisite conformity with all theories of swiftness in sailing, and when a fresh and favourable wind blew she ate through it as though with the iron bite of a powerful steamer.”

All words in this reading · 66

Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

adeterminerUS /ə/

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

From this reading The captain thought himself under a spell, and swore that he believed his barque was to be made a ‘Flying Dutchman’ of.

all

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

From this reading Yet she was a clipper keel, moulded in exquisite conformity with all theories of swiftness in sailing, and when a fresh and favourable wind blew she ate through it as though with the iron bite of a powerful steamer.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading The captain thought himself under a spell, and swore that he believed his barque was to be made a ‘Flying Dutchman’ of.

arrive

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

From this reading It took us seventy-five days to arrive at the English Channel from the latitude of the volcanic island.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Yet she was a clipper keel, moulded in exquisite conformity with all theories of swiftness in sailing, and when a fresh and favourable wind blew she ate through it as though with the iron bite of a powerful steamer.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading It took us seventy-five days to arrive at the English Channel from the latitude of the volcanic island.

ate

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

From this reading Yet she was a clipper keel, moulded in exquisite conformity with all theories of swiftness in sailing, and when a fresh and favourable wind blew she ate through it as though with the iron bite of a powerful steamer.

barque

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

From this reading The captain thought himself under a spell, and swore that he believed his barque was to be made a ‘Flying Dutchman’ of.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading The captain thought himself under a spell, and swore that he believed his barque was to be made a ‘Flying Dutchman’ of.

believed

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

From this reading The captain thought himself under a spell, and swore that he believed his barque was to be made a ‘Flying Dutchman’ of.

bite

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

From this reading Yet she was a clipper keel, moulded in exquisite conformity with all theories of swiftness in sailing, and when a fresh and favourable wind blew she ate through it as though with the iron bite of a powerful steamer.

blew

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

From this reading Yet she was a clipper keel, moulded in exquisite conformity with all theories of swiftness in sailing, and when a fresh and favourable wind blew she ate through it as though with the iron bite of a powerful steamer.

captainnounUS /ˈcaptain/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading The captain thought himself under a spell, and swore that he believed his barque was to be made a ‘Flying Dutchman’ of.

Channel

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

From this reading It took us seventy-five days to arrive at the English Channel from the latitude of the volcanic island.

clipper

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

From this reading Yet she was a clipper keel, moulded in exquisite conformity with all theories of swiftness in sailing, and when a fresh and favourable wind blew she ate through it as though with the iron bite of a powerful steamer.

CONCLUSION

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

From this reading CONCLUSION.

conformity

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

From this reading Yet she was a clipper keel, moulded in exquisite conformity with all theories of swiftness in sailing, and when a fresh and favourable wind blew she ate through it as though with the iron bite of a powerful steamer.

days

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

From this reading It took us seventy-five days to arrive at the English Channel from the latitude of the volcanic island.

Dutchman

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

From this reading The captain thought himself under a spell, and swore that he believed his barque was to be made a ‘Flying Dutchman’ of.

English

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

From this reading It took us seventy-five days to arrive at the English Channel from the latitude of the volcanic island.

exquisite

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

From this reading Yet she was a clipper keel, moulded in exquisite conformity with all theories of swiftness in sailing, and when a fresh and favourable wind blew she ate through it as though with the iron bite of a powerful steamer.

extraordinarily

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

From this reading Our passage home was extraordinarily long.

favourable

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

From this reading Yet she was a clipper keel, moulded in exquisite conformity with all theories of swiftness in sailing, and when a fresh and favourable wind blew she ate through it as though with the iron bite of a powerful steamer.

Flying

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

From this reading The captain thought himself under a spell, and swore that he believed his barque was to be made a ‘Flying Dutchman’ of.

fresh

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

From this reading Yet she was a clipper keel, moulded in exquisite conformity with all theories of swiftness in sailing, and when a fresh and favourable wind blew she ate through it as though with the iron bite of a powerful steamer.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading It took us seventy-five days to arrive at the English Channel from the latitude of the volcanic island.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading The captain thought himself under a spell, and swore that he believed his barque was to be made a ‘Flying Dutchman’ of.

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading The captain thought himself under a spell, and swore that he believed his barque was to be made a ‘Flying Dutchman’ of.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading The captain thought himself under a spell, and swore that he believed his barque was to be made a ‘Flying Dutchman’ of.

home

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

From this reading Our passage home was extraordinarily long.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Yet she was a clipper keel, moulded in exquisite conformity with all theories of swiftness in sailing, and when a fresh and favourable wind blew she ate through it as though with the iron bite of a powerful steamer.

iron

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

From this reading Yet she was a clipper keel, moulded in exquisite conformity with all theories of swiftness in sailing, and when a fresh and favourable wind blew she ate through it as though with the iron bite of a powerful steamer.

island

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

From this reading It took us seventy-five days to arrive at the English Channel from the latitude of the volcanic island.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It took us seventy-five days to arrive at the English Channel from the latitude of the volcanic island.

keel

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

From this reading Yet she was a clipper keel, moulded in exquisite conformity with all theories of swiftness in sailing, and when a fresh and favourable wind blew she ate through it as though with the iron bite of a powerful steamer.

latitudenounUS /ˈlætəˌtuːd/

distance north or south of the equator

From this reading It took us seventy-five days to arrive at the English Channel from the latitude of the volcanic island.

longnounUS /long/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Our passage home was extraordinarily long.

made

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

From this reading The captain thought himself under a spell, and swore that he believed his barque was to be made a ‘Flying Dutchman’ of.

moulded

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

From this reading Yet she was a clipper keel, moulded in exquisite conformity with all theories of swiftness in sailing, and when a fresh and favourable wind blew she ate through it as though with the iron bite of a powerful steamer.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading It took us seventy-five days to arrive at the English Channel from the latitude of the volcanic island.

OurdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading Our passage home was extraordinarily long.

passagenounUS /ˈpassage/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading Our passage home was extraordinarily long.

powerful

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

From this reading Yet she was a clipper keel, moulded in exquisite conformity with all theories of swiftness in sailing, and when a fresh and favourable wind blew she ate through it as though with the iron bite of a powerful steamer.

sailing

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

From this reading Yet she was a clipper keel, moulded in exquisite conformity with all theories of swiftness in sailing, and when a fresh and favourable wind blew she ate through it as though with the iron bite of a powerful steamer.

seventy-five

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

From this reading It took us seventy-five days to arrive at the English Channel from the latitude of the volcanic island.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Yet she was a clipper keel, moulded in exquisite conformity with all theories of swiftness in sailing, and when a fresh and favourable wind blew she ate through it as though with the iron bite of a powerful steamer.

spell

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

From this reading The captain thought himself under a spell, and swore that he believed his barque was to be made a ‘Flying Dutchman’ of.

steamer

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

From this reading Yet she was a clipper keel, moulded in exquisite conformity with all theories of swiftness in sailing, and when a fresh and favourable wind blew she ate through it as though with the iron bite of a powerful steamer.

swiftness

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

From this reading Yet she was a clipper keel, moulded in exquisite conformity with all theories of swiftness in sailing, and when a fresh and favourable wind blew she ate through it as though with the iron bite of a powerful steamer.

swore

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

From this reading The captain thought himself under a spell, and swore that he believed his barque was to be made a ‘Flying Dutchman’ of.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading The captain thought himself under a spell, and swore that he believed his barque was to be made a ‘Flying Dutchman’ of.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading It took us seventy-five days to arrive at the English Channel from the latitude of the volcanic island.

theories

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

From this reading Yet she was a clipper keel, moulded in exquisite conformity with all theories of swiftness in sailing, and when a fresh and favourable wind blew she ate through it as though with the iron bite of a powerful steamer.

thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading Yet she was a clipper keel, moulded in exquisite conformity with all theories of swiftness in sailing, and when a fresh and favourable wind blew she ate through it as though with the iron bite of a powerful steamer.

thoughtnounUS /thought/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The captain thought himself under a spell, and swore that he believed his barque was to be made a ‘Flying Dutchman’ of.

throughnounUS /ˈthrough/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading Yet she was a clipper keel, moulded in exquisite conformity with all theories of swiftness in sailing, and when a fresh and favourable wind blew she ate through it as though with the iron bite of a powerful steamer.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading It took us seventy-five days to arrive at the English Channel from the latitude of the volcanic island.

tooknounUS /took/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading It took us seventy-five days to arrive at the English Channel from the latitude of the volcanic island.

underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading The captain thought himself under a spell, and swore that he believed his barque was to be made a ‘Flying Dutchman’ of.

uspronounUS /ʌs/

the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading It took us seventy-five days to arrive at the English Channel from the latitude of the volcanic island.

volcanic

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

From this reading It took us seventy-five days to arrive at the English Channel from the latitude of the volcanic island.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Our passage home was extraordinarily long.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading Yet she was a clipper keel, moulded in exquisite conformity with all theories of swiftness in sailing, and when a fresh and favourable wind blew she ate through it as though with the iron bite of a powerful steamer.

windnounUS /wind/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Yet she was a clipper keel, moulded in exquisite conformity with all theories of swiftness in sailing, and when a fresh and favourable wind blew she ate through it as though with the iron bite of a powerful steamer.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Yet she was a clipper keel, moulded in exquisite conformity with all theories of swiftness in sailing, and when a fresh and favourable wind blew she ate through it as though with the iron bite of a powerful steamer.

YetconjunctionUS /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading Yet she was a clipper keel, moulded in exquisite conformity with all theories of swiftness in sailing, and when a fresh and favourable wind blew she ate through it as though with the iron bite of a powerful steamer.