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adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading HELD AS HOSTAGES TO BLACKBEARD TO discover the pestilent Blackbeard in Carolina waters was like a thunderbolt from a clear sky.
Adventure
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From this reading The master of the _Plymouth Adventure_, so pious and sedate, was a brave man to whom the thought of surrender was intolerable.
AndconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading And most of these unsavory gentry were mere salt-water burglars who had little taste for hard fighting.
apt
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From this reading Captain Wellsby had felt confident that he could beat off the ordinary pirate craft which was apt to be smaller than his own stout ship.
ASconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading HELD AS HOSTAGES TO BLACKBEARD TO discover the pestilent Blackbeard in Carolina waters was like a thunderbolt from a clear sky.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Captain Wellsby had felt confident that he could beat off the ordinary pirate craft which was apt to be smaller than his own stout ship.
beat
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From this reading Captain Wellsby had felt confident that he could beat off the ordinary pirate craft which was apt to be smaller than his own stout ship.
BLACKBEARD
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From this reading HELD AS HOSTAGES TO BLACKBEARD TO discover the pestilent Blackbeard in Carolina waters was like a thunderbolt from a clear sky.
brave
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The master of the _Plymouth Adventure_, so pious and sedate, was a brave man to whom the thought of surrender was intolerable.
burglars
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And most of these unsavory gentry were mere salt-water burglars who had little taste for hard fighting.
CaptainnounUS /ˈcaptain/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Captain Wellsby had felt confident that he could beat off the ordinary pirate craft which was apt to be smaller than his own stout ship.
Carolina
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From this reading HELD AS HOSTAGES TO BLACKBEARD TO discover the pestilent Blackbeard in Carolina waters was like a thunderbolt from a clear sky.
clear
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From this reading HELD AS HOSTAGES TO BLACKBEARD TO discover the pestilent Blackbeard in Carolina waters was like a thunderbolt from a clear sky.
confident
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From this reading Captain Wellsby had felt confident that he could beat off the ordinary pirate craft which was apt to be smaller than his own stout ship.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Captain Wellsby had felt confident that he could beat off the ordinary pirate craft which was apt to be smaller than his own stout ship.
craftnounUS /kræft/
a boat or ship in this chapter’s sailing situation
From this reading Captain Wellsby had felt confident that he could beat off the ordinary pirate craft which was apt to be smaller than his own stout ship.
discover
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From this reading HELD AS HOSTAGES TO BLACKBEARD TO discover the pestilent Blackbeard in Carolina waters was like a thunderbolt from a clear sky.
felt
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From this reading Captain Wellsby had felt confident that he could beat off the ordinary pirate craft which was apt to be smaller than his own stout ship.
fighting
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From this reading And most of these unsavory gentry were mere salt-water burglars who had little taste for hard fighting.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading And most of these unsavory gentry were mere salt-water burglars who had little taste for hard fighting.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading HELD AS HOSTAGES TO BLACKBEARD TO discover the pestilent Blackbeard in Carolina waters was like a thunderbolt from a clear sky.
gentry
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From this reading And most of these unsavory gentry were mere salt-water burglars who had little taste for hard fighting.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Captain Wellsby had felt confident that he could beat off the ordinary pirate craft which was apt to be smaller than his own stout ship.
hard
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From this reading And most of these unsavory gentry were mere salt-water burglars who had little taste for hard fighting.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Captain Wellsby had felt confident that he could beat off the ordinary pirate craft which was apt to be smaller than his own stout ship.
HELD
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From this reading HELD AS HOSTAGES TO BLACKBEARD TO discover the pestilent Blackbeard in Carolina waters was like a thunderbolt from a clear sky.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Captain Wellsby had felt confident that he could beat off the ordinary pirate craft which was apt to be smaller than his own stout ship.
HOSTAGES
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From this reading HELD AS HOSTAGES TO BLACKBEARD TO discover the pestilent Blackbeard in Carolina waters was like a thunderbolt from a clear sky.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading HELD AS HOSTAGES TO BLACKBEARD TO discover the pestilent Blackbeard in Carolina waters was like a thunderbolt from a clear sky.
intolerable
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From this reading The master of the _Plymouth Adventure_, so pious and sedate, was a brave man to whom the thought of surrender was intolerable.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading From what he knew of Blackbeard, it was useless to try to parley for the lives of his passengers.
knew
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From this reading From what he knew of Blackbeard, it was useless to try to parley for the lives of his passengers.
like
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From this reading HELD AS HOSTAGES TO BLACKBEARD TO discover the pestilent Blackbeard in Carolina waters was like a thunderbolt from a clear sky.
littlenounUS /little/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading And most of these unsavory gentry were mere salt-water burglars who had little taste for hard fighting.
lives
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From what he knew of Blackbeard, it was useless to try to parley for the lives of his passengers.
man
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From this reading The master of the _Plymouth Adventure_, so pious and sedate, was a brave man to whom the thought of surrender was intolerable.
master
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The master of the _Plymouth Adventure_, so pious and sedate, was a brave man to whom the thought of surrender was intolerable.
mere
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And most of these unsavory gentry were mere salt-water burglars who had little taste for hard fighting.
most
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From this reading And most of these unsavory gentry were mere salt-water burglars who had little taste for hard fighting.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading And most of these unsavory gentry were mere salt-water burglars who had little taste for hard fighting.
off
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Captain Wellsby had felt confident that he could beat off the ordinary pirate craft which was apt to be smaller than his own stout ship.
ordinary
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Captain Wellsby had felt confident that he could beat off the ordinary pirate craft which was apt to be smaller than his own stout ship.
own
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Captain Wellsby had felt confident that he could beat off the ordinary pirate craft which was apt to be smaller than his own stout ship.
parley
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From this reading From what he knew of Blackbeard, it was useless to try to parley for the lives of his passengers.
passengers
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From this reading From what he knew of Blackbeard, it was useless to try to parley for the lives of his passengers.
pestilent
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From this reading HELD AS HOSTAGES TO BLACKBEARD TO discover the pestilent Blackbeard in Carolina waters was like a thunderbolt from a clear sky.
pious
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The master of the _Plymouth Adventure_, so pious and sedate, was a brave man to whom the thought of surrender was intolerable.
pirate
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Captain Wellsby had felt confident that he could beat off the ordinary pirate craft which was apt to be smaller than his own stout ship.
Plymouth
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The master of the _Plymouth Adventure_, so pious and sedate, was a brave man to whom the thought of surrender was intolerable.
salt-water
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And most of these unsavory gentry were mere salt-water burglars who had little taste for hard fighting.
sedate
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The master of the _Plymouth Adventure_, so pious and sedate, was a brave man to whom the thought of surrender was intolerable.
shipnounUS /ship/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Captain Wellsby had felt confident that he could beat off the ordinary pirate craft which was apt to be smaller than his own stout ship.
sky
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HELD AS HOSTAGES TO BLACKBEARD TO discover the pestilent Blackbeard in Carolina waters was like a thunderbolt from a clear sky.
smaller
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Captain Wellsby had felt confident that he could beat off the ordinary pirate craft which was apt to be smaller than his own stout ship.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The master of the _Plymouth Adventure_, so pious and sedate, was a brave man to whom the thought of surrender was intolerable.
stout
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Captain Wellsby had felt confident that he could beat off the ordinary pirate craft which was apt to be smaller than his own stout ship.
surrender
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The master of the _Plymouth Adventure_, so pious and sedate, was a brave man to whom the thought of surrender was intolerable.
tasteverbUS /teɪst/
To perceive flavor through the mouth.
From this reading And most of these unsavory gentry were mere salt-water burglars who had little taste for hard fighting.
thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Captain Wellsby had felt confident that he could beat off the ordinary pirate craft which was apt to be smaller than his own stout ship.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Captain Wellsby had felt confident that he could beat off the ordinary pirate craft which was apt to be smaller than his own stout ship.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading HELD AS HOSTAGES TO BLACKBEARD TO discover the pestilent Blackbeard in Carolina waters was like a thunderbolt from a clear sky.
thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading And most of these unsavory gentry were mere salt-water burglars who had little taste for hard fighting.
thoughtnounUS /thought/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The master of the _Plymouth Adventure_, so pious and sedate, was a brave man to whom the thought of surrender was intolerable.
thunderbolt
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HELD AS HOSTAGES TO BLACKBEARD TO discover the pestilent Blackbeard in Carolina waters was like a thunderbolt from a clear sky.
TOparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading HELD AS HOSTAGES TO BLACKBEARD TO discover the pestilent Blackbeard in Carolina waters was like a thunderbolt from a clear sky.
try
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From what he knew of Blackbeard, it was useless to try to parley for the lives of his passengers.
unsavory
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And most of these unsavory gentry were mere salt-water burglars who had little taste for hard fighting.
useless
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From what he knew of Blackbeard, it was useless to try to parley for the lives of his passengers.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading HELD AS HOSTAGES TO BLACKBEARD TO discover the pestilent Blackbeard in Carolina waters was like a thunderbolt from a clear sky.
waters
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HELD AS HOSTAGES TO BLACKBEARD TO discover the pestilent Blackbeard in Carolina waters was like a thunderbolt from a clear sky.
Wellsby
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Captain Wellsby had felt confident that he could beat off the ordinary pirate craft which was apt to be smaller than his own stout ship.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading And most of these unsavory gentry were mere salt-water burglars who had little taste for hard fighting.
whatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading From what he knew of Blackbeard, it was useless to try to parley for the lives of his passengers.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Captain Wellsby had felt confident that he could beat off the ordinary pirate craft which was apt to be smaller than his own stout ship.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading And most of these unsavory gentry were mere salt-water burglars who had little taste for hard fighting.
whompronounUS /huːm/
the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The master of the _Plymouth Adventure_, so pious and sedate, was a brave man to whom the thought of surrender was intolerable.
