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 It was a half-grown lad who flung this despairing question out; the wind carried the sound of his voice off over the billows; but there came no answer.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading All around, the sea rose and fell in mountainous waves, on which the poor wreck tossed about, as helpless as a cork.
All
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All around, the sea rose and fell in mountainous waves, on which the poor wreck tossed about, as helpless as a cork.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading A brigantine, battered by the tropical hurricane sweeping up from the Caribbean Sea, was staggering along like a wounded beast.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Her masts had long since gone by the board, and upon the stump of the mizzen-stick a bit of canvas like a goose-wing had been spread in the useless endeavor to maintain steerageway.
answer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a half-grown lad who flung this despairing question out; the wind carried the sound of his voice off over the billows; but there came no answer.
aroundprepositionUS /ərˈaʊnd/
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading All around, the sea rose and fell in mountainous waves, on which the poor wreck tossed about, as helpless as a cork.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading All around, the sea rose and fell in mountainous waves, on which the poor wreck tossed about, as helpless as a cork.
battered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A brigantine, battered by the tropical hurricane sweeping up from the Caribbean Sea, was staggering along like a wounded beast.
beast
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A brigantine, battered by the tropical hurricane sweeping up from the Caribbean Sea, was staggering along like a wounded beast.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Her masts had long since gone by the board, and upon the stump of the mizzen-stick a bit of canvas like a goose-wing had been spread in the useless endeavor to maintain steerageway.
billows
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a half-grown lad who flung this despairing question out; the wind carried the sound of his voice off over the billows; but there came no answer.
bit
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her masts had long since gone by the board, and upon the stump of the mizzen-stick a bit of canvas like a goose-wing had been spread in the useless endeavor to maintain steerageway.
board
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her masts had long since gone by the board, and upon the stump of the mizzen-stick a bit of canvas like a goose-wing had been spread in the useless endeavor to maintain steerageway.
brigantine
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A brigantine, battered by the tropical hurricane sweeping up from the Caribbean Sea, was staggering along like a wounded beast.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading It was a half-grown lad who flung this despairing question out; the wind carried the sound of his voice off over the billows; but there came no answer.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading A brigantine, battered by the tropical hurricane sweeping up from the Caribbean Sea, was staggering along like a wounded beast.
came
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a half-grown lad who flung this despairing question out; the wind carried the sound of his voice off over the billows; but there came no answer.
canvas
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her masts had long since gone by the board, and upon the stump of the mizzen-stick a bit of canvas like a goose-wing had been spread in the useless endeavor to maintain steerageway.
Caribbean
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A brigantine, battered by the tropical hurricane sweeping up from the Caribbean Sea, was staggering along like a wounded beast.
carried
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a half-grown lad who flung this despairing question out; the wind carried the sound of his voice off over the billows; but there came no answer.
cork
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All around, the sea rose and fell in mountainous waves, on which the poor wreck tossed about, as helpless as a cork.
despairing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a half-grown lad who flung this despairing question out; the wind carried the sound of his voice off over the billows; but there came no answer.
endeavor
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her masts had long since gone by the board, and upon the stump of the mizzen-stick a bit of canvas like a goose-wing had been spread in the useless endeavor to maintain steerageway.
evernounUS /ever/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading "Will we ever weather this terrible storm?"
fell
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All around, the sea rose and fell in mountainous waves, on which the poor wreck tossed about, as helpless as a cork.
flung
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a half-grown lad who flung this despairing question out; the wind carried the sound of his voice off over the billows; but there came no answer.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading A brigantine, battered by the tropical hurricane sweeping up from the Caribbean Sea, was staggering along like a wounded beast.
gone
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her masts had long since gone by the board, and upon the stump of the mizzen-stick a bit of canvas like a goose-wing had been spread in the useless endeavor to maintain steerageway.
goose-wing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her masts had long since gone by the board, and upon the stump of the mizzen-stick a bit of canvas like a goose-wing had been spread in the useless endeavor to maintain steerageway.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Her masts had long since gone by the board, and upon the stump of the mizzen-stick a bit of canvas like a goose-wing had been spread in the useless endeavor to maintain steerageway.
half-grown
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a half-grown lad who flung this despairing question out; the wind carried the sound of his voice off over the billows; but there came no answer.
helpless
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All around, the sea rose and fell in mountainous waves, on which the poor wreck tossed about, as helpless as a cork.
HerdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Her masts had long since gone by the board, and upon the stump of the mizzen-stick a bit of canvas like a goose-wing had been spread in the useless endeavor to maintain steerageway.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading It was a half-grown lad who flung this despairing question out; the wind carried the sound of his voice off over the billows; but there came no answer.
hurricane
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A brigantine, battered by the tropical hurricane sweeping up from the Caribbean Sea, was staggering along like a wounded beast.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Her masts had long since gone by the board, and upon the stump of the mizzen-stick a bit of canvas like a goose-wing had been spread in the useless endeavor to maintain steerageway.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was a half-grown lad who flung this despairing question out; the wind carried the sound of his voice off over the billows; but there came no answer.
lad
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a half-grown lad who flung this despairing question out; the wind carried the sound of his voice off over the billows; but there came no answer.
like
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A brigantine, battered by the tropical hurricane sweeping up from the Caribbean Sea, was staggering along like a wounded beast.
longnounUS /long/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Her masts had long since gone by the board, and upon the stump of the mizzen-stick a bit of canvas like a goose-wing had been spread in the useless endeavor to maintain steerageway.
maintain
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her masts had long since gone by the board, and upon the stump of the mizzen-stick a bit of canvas like a goose-wing had been spread in the useless endeavor to maintain steerageway.
masts
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her masts had long since gone by the board, and upon the stump of the mizzen-stick a bit of canvas like a goose-wing had been spread in the useless endeavor to maintain steerageway.
mizzen-stick
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her masts had long since gone by the board, and upon the stump of the mizzen-stick a bit of canvas like a goose-wing had been spread in the useless endeavor to maintain steerageway.
mountainous
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All around, the sea rose and fell in mountainous waves, on which the poor wreck tossed about, as helpless as a cork.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading It was a half-grown lad who flung this despairing question out; the wind carried the sound of his voice off over the billows; but there came no answer.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It was a half-grown lad who flung this despairing question out; the wind carried the sound of his voice off over the billows; but there came no answer.
off
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a half-grown lad who flung this despairing question out; the wind carried the sound of his voice off over the billows; but there came no answer.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading All around, the sea rose and fell in mountainous waves, on which the poor wreck tossed about, as helpless as a cork.
out
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a half-grown lad who flung this despairing question out; the wind carried the sound of his voice off over the billows; but there came no answer.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading It was a half-grown lad who flung this despairing question out; the wind carried the sound of his voice off over the billows; but there came no answer.
poornounUS /poor/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading All around, the sea rose and fell in mountainous waves, on which the poor wreck tossed about, as helpless as a cork.
questionnounUS /ˈquestion/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading It was a half-grown lad who flung this despairing question out; the wind carried the sound of his voice off over the billows; but there came no answer.
rose
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All around, the sea rose and fell in mountainous waves, on which the poor wreck tossed about, as helpless as a cork.
Sea
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A brigantine, battered by the tropical hurricane sweeping up from the Caribbean Sea, was staggering along like a wounded beast.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading Her masts had long since gone by the board, and upon the stump of the mizzen-stick a bit of canvas like a goose-wing had been spread in the useless endeavor to maintain steerageway.
sound
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a half-grown lad who flung this despairing question out; the wind carried the sound of his voice off over the billows; but there came no answer.
spread
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her masts had long since gone by the board, and upon the stump of the mizzen-stick a bit of canvas like a goose-wing had been spread in the useless endeavor to maintain steerageway.
staggering
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A brigantine, battered by the tropical hurricane sweeping up from the Caribbean Sea, was staggering along like a wounded beast.
steerageway
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her masts had long since gone by the board, and upon the stump of the mizzen-stick a bit of canvas like a goose-wing had been spread in the useless endeavor to maintain steerageway.
storm
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Will we ever weather this terrible storm?"
stump
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her masts had long since gone by the board, and upon the stump of the mizzen-stick a bit of canvas like a goose-wing had been spread in the useless endeavor to maintain steerageway.
sweeping
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A brigantine, battered by the tropical hurricane sweeping up from the Caribbean Sea, was staggering along like a wounded beast.
terriblenounUS /ˈterrible/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading "Will we ever weather this terrible storm?"
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It was a half-grown lad who flung this despairing question out; the wind carried the sound of his voice off over the billows; but there came no answer.
there
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a half-grown lad who flung this despairing question out; the wind carried the sound of his voice off over the billows; but there came no answer.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading "Will we ever weather this terrible storm?"
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Her masts had long since gone by the board, and upon the stump of the mizzen-stick a bit of canvas like a goose-wing had been spread in the useless endeavor to maintain steerageway.
tossed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All around, the sea rose and fell in mountainous waves, on which the poor wreck tossed about, as helpless as a cork.
tropical
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A brigantine, battered by the tropical hurricane sweeping up from the Caribbean Sea, was staggering along like a wounded beast.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A brigantine, battered by the tropical hurricane sweeping up from the Caribbean Sea, was staggering along like a wounded beast.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Her masts had long since gone by the board, and upon the stump of the mizzen-stick a bit of canvas like a goose-wing had been spread in the useless endeavor to maintain steerageway.
useless
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her masts had long since gone by the board, and upon the stump of the mizzen-stick a bit of canvas like a goose-wing had been spread in the useless endeavor to maintain steerageway.
voice
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a half-grown lad who flung this despairing question out; the wind carried the sound of his voice off over the billows; but there came no answer.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was a half-grown lad who flung this despairing question out; the wind carried the sound of his voice off over the billows; but there came no answer.
waves
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All around, the sea rose and fell in mountainous waves, on which the poor wreck tossed about, as helpless as a cork.
wepronounUS /wiː/
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading "Will we ever weather this terrible storm?"
weather
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Will we ever weather this terrible storm?"
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading All around, the sea rose and fell in mountainous waves, on which the poor wreck tossed about, as helpless as a cork.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading It was a half-grown lad who flung this despairing question out; the wind carried the sound of his voice off over the billows; but there came no answer.
Willmodal verbUS /wɪl/
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading "Will we ever weather this terrible storm?"
windnounUS /wind/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It was a half-grown lad who flung this despairing question out; the wind carried the sound of his voice off over the billows; but there came no answer.
wounded
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A brigantine, battered by the tropical hurricane sweeping up from the Caribbean Sea, was staggering along like a wounded beast.
wreck
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All around, the sea rose and fell in mountainous waves, on which the poor wreck tossed about, as helpless as a cork.
