Chapter II

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

From this reading Do not mistake me!—he was not a first-class passenger nor an acquaintance.

on a ship, train, plane or other vehicle

From this reading ENGAGING BOYS—LAGOS It was at Seccondee on the Gold Coast that “John” came aboard.

personal knowledge or information about someone or something

From this reading Do not mistake me!—he was not a first-class passenger nor an acquaintance.

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

From this reading Far from it; he was one of a motley crowd of jabbering natives which, with an extraordinary conglomeration of hand-carried household belongings, were put aboard from surf boats and herded on to the open after-deck—already stacked with sacks of Kola nuts from Sierra Leone—like so many head of frightened sheep.

prior to a specified or implied time

From this reading Far from it; he was one of a motley crowd of jabbering natives which, with an extraordinary conglomeration of hand-carried household belongings, were put aboard from surf boats and herded on to the open after-deck—already stacked with sacks of Kola nuts from Sierra Leone—like so many head of frightened sheep.

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading Do not mistake me!—he was not a first-class passenger nor an acquaintance.

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

From this reading Far from it; he was one of a motley crowd of jabbering natives which, with an extraordinary conglomeration of hand-carried household belongings, were put aboard from surf boats and herded on to the open after-deck—already stacked with sacks of Kola nuts from Sierra Leone—like so many head of frightened sheep.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading ENGAGING BOYS—LAGOS It was at Seccondee on the Gold Coast that “John” came aboard.

something owned; any tangible or intangible possession that is owned by someone

From this reading Far from it; he was one of a motley crowd of jabbering natives which, with an extraordinary conglomeration of hand-carried household belongings, were put aboard from surf boats and herded on to the open after-deck—already stacked with sacks of Kola nuts from Sierra Leone—like so many head of frightened sheep.

plural of “boat” — a small vessel for travel on water

From this reading Far from it; he was one of a motley crowd of jabbering natives which, with an extraordinary conglomeration of hand-carried household belongings, were put aboard from surf boats and herded on to the open after-deck—already stacked with sacks of Kola nuts from Sierra Leone—like so many head of frightened sheep.

plural of “boy” — a youthful male person

From this reading ENGAGING BOYS—LAGOS It was at Seccondee on the Gold Coast that “John” came aboard.

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading ENGAGING BOYS—LAGOS It was at Seccondee on the Gold Coast that “John” came aboard.

definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)

From this reading John was certainly not of a race or rank to claim intimate acquaintance.

an assertion of a right (as to money or property)

From this reading John was certainly not of a race or rank to claim intimate acquaintance.

the shore of a sea or ocean

From this reading ENGAGING BOYS—LAGOS It was at Seccondee on the Gold Coast that “John” came aboard.

a rounded spherical form

From this reading Far from it; he was one of a motley crowd of jabbering natives which, with an extraordinary conglomeration of hand-carried household belongings, were put aboard from surf boats and herded on to the open after-deck—already stacked with sacks of Kola nuts from Sierra Leone—like so many head of frightened sheep.

cause to herd, drive, or crowd together

From this reading Far from it; he was one of a motley crowd of jabbering natives which, with an extraordinary conglomeration of hand-carried household belongings, were put aboard from surf boats and herded on to the open after-deck—already stacked with sacks of Kola nuts from Sierra Leone—like so many head of frightened sheep.

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading Do not mistake me!—he was not a first-class passenger nor an acquaintance.

attracting or delighting

From this reading ENGAGING BOYS—LAGOS It was at Seccondee on the Gold Coast that “John” came aboard.

beyond what is ordinary or usual; highly unusual or exceptional or remarkable

From this reading Far from it; he was one of a motley crowd of jabbering natives which, with an extraordinary conglomeration of hand-carried household belongings, were put aboard from surf boats and herded on to the open after-deck—already stacked with sacks of Kola nuts from Sierra Leone—like so many head of frightened sheep.

to a considerable degree; very much

From this reading Far from it; he was one of a motley crowd of jabbering natives which, with an extraordinary conglomeration of hand-carried household belongings, were put aboard from surf boats and herded on to the open after-deck—already stacked with sacks of Kola nuts from Sierra Leone—like so many head of frightened sheep.

very good; of the highest quality

From this reading Do not mistake me!—he was not a first-class passenger nor an acquaintance.

made afraid

From this reading Far from it; he was one of a motley crowd of jabbering natives which, with an extraordinary conglomeration of hand-carried household belongings, were put aboard from surf boats and herded on to the open after-deck—already stacked with sacks of Kola nuts from Sierra Leone—like so many head of frightened sheep.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Far from it; he was one of a motley crowd of jabbering natives which, with an extraordinary conglomeration of hand-carried household belongings, were put aboard from surf boats and herded on to the open after-deck—already stacked with sacks of Kola nuts from Sierra Leone—like so many head of frightened sheep.

coins made of gold

From this reading ENGAGING BOYS—LAGOS It was at Seccondee on the Gold Coast that “John” came aboard.

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

From this reading Far from it; he was one of a motley crowd of jabbering natives which, with an extraordinary conglomeration of hand-carried household belongings, were put aboard from surf boats and herded on to the open after-deck—already stacked with sacks of Kola nuts from Sierra Leone—like so many head of frightened sheep.

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

From this reading Do not mistake me!—he was not a first-class passenger nor an acquaintance.

the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains

From this reading Far from it; he was one of a motley crowd of jabbering natives which, with an extraordinary conglomeration of hand-carried household belongings, were put aboard from surf boats and herded on to the open after-deck—already stacked with sacks of Kola nuts from Sierra Leone—like so many head of frightened sheep.

past form of “herd” — cause to herd, drive, or crowd together

From this reading Far from it; he was one of a motley crowd of jabbering natives which, with an extraordinary conglomeration of hand-carried household belongings, were put aboard from surf boats and herded on to the open after-deck—already stacked with sacks of Kola nuts from Sierra Leone—like so many head of frightened sheep.

a social unit living together

From this reading Far from it; he was one of a motley crowd of jabbering natives which, with an extraordinary conglomeration of hand-carried household belongings, were put aboard from surf boats and herded on to the open after-deck—already stacked with sacks of Kola nuts from Sierra Leone—like so many head of frightened sheep.

marked by close acquaintance, association, or familiarity

From this reading John was certainly not of a race or rank to claim intimate acquaintance.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading ENGAGING BOYS—LAGOS It was at Seccondee on the Gold Coast that “John” came aboard.

rapid and indistinct speech

From this reading Far from it; he was one of a motley crowd of jabbering natives which, with an extraordinary conglomeration of hand-carried household belongings, were put aboard from surf boats and herded on to the open after-deck—already stacked with sacks of Kola nuts from Sierra Leone—like so many head of frightened sheep.

a room or building equipped with one or more toilets

From this reading ENGAGING BOYS—LAGOS It was at Seccondee on the Gold Coast that “John” came aboard.

tree bearing large brown nuts containing e.g. caffeine; source of cola extract

From this reading Far from it; he was one of a motley crowd of jabbering natives which, with an extraordinary conglomeration of hand-carried household belongings, were put aboard from surf boats and herded on to the open after-deck—already stacked with sacks of Kola nuts from Sierra Leone—like so many head of frightened sheep.

chief port and economic center of Nigeria; located in southwestern Nigeria on the Gulf of Guinea; former capital of Nigeria

From this reading ENGAGING BOYS—LAGOS It was at Seccondee on the Gold Coast that “John” came aboard.

the basic unit of money in Sierra Leone; equal to 100 cents

From this reading Far from it; he was one of a motley crowd of jabbering natives which, with an extraordinary conglomeration of hand-carried household belongings, were put aboard from surf boats and herded on to the open after-deck—already stacked with sacks of Kola nuts from Sierra Leone—like so many head of frightened sheep.

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading Far from it; he was one of a motley crowd of jabbering natives which, with an extraordinary conglomeration of hand-carried household belongings, were put aboard from surf boats and herded on to the open after-deck—already stacked with sacks of Kola nuts from Sierra Leone—like so many head of frightened sheep.

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number

From this reading Far from it; he was one of a motley crowd of jabbering natives which, with an extraordinary conglomeration of hand-carried household belongings, were put aboard from surf boats and herded on to the open after-deck—already stacked with sacks of Kola nuts from Sierra Leone—like so many head of frightened sheep.

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Do not mistake me!—he was not a first-class passenger nor an acquaintance.

a wrong action attributable to bad judgment or ignorance or inattention

From this reading Do not mistake me!—he was not a first-class passenger nor an acquaintance.

a collection containing a variety of sorts of things

From this reading Far from it; he was one of a motley crowd of jabbering natives which, with an extraordinary conglomeration of hand-carried household belongings, were put aboard from surf boats and herded on to the open after-deck—already stacked with sacks of Kola nuts from Sierra Leone—like so many head of frightened sheep.

plural of “native” — an indigenous person who was born in a particular place

From this reading Far from it; he was one of a motley crowd of jabbering natives which, with an extraordinary conglomeration of hand-carried household belongings, were put aboard from surf boats and herded on to the open after-deck—already stacked with sacks of Kola nuts from Sierra Leone—like so many head of frightened sheep.

not any; not one

From this reading No!

and not; used after a negative to add a second negative

From this reading Do not mistake me!—he was not a first-class passenger nor an acquaintance.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Do not mistake me!—he was not a first-class passenger nor an acquaintance.

informal or slang terms for mentally irregular

From this reading Far from it; he was one of a motley crowd of jabbering natives which, with an extraordinary conglomeration of hand-carried household belongings, were put aboard from surf boats and herded on to the open after-deck—already stacked with sacks of Kola nuts from Sierra Leone—like so many head of frightened sheep.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Far from it; he was one of a motley crowd of jabbering natives which, with an extraordinary conglomeration of hand-carried household belongings, were put aboard from surf boats and herded on to the open after-deck—already stacked with sacks of Kola nuts from Sierra Leone—like so many head of frightened sheep.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading ENGAGING BOYS—LAGOS It was at Seccondee on the Gold Coast that “John” came aboard.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Far from it; he was one of a motley crowd of jabbering natives which, with an extraordinary conglomeration of hand-carried household belongings, were put aboard from surf boats and herded on to the open after-deck—already stacked with sacks of Kola nuts from Sierra Leone—like so many head of frightened sheep.

To move from a closed position.

From this reading Far from it; he was one of a motley crowd of jabbering natives which, with an extraordinary conglomeration of hand-carried household belongings, were put aboard from surf boats and herded on to the open after-deck—already stacked with sacks of Kola nuts from Sierra Leone—like so many head of frightened sheep.

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading John was certainly not of a race or rank to claim intimate acquaintance.

a traveler riding in a vehicle (a boat or bus or car or plane or train etc) who is not operating it

From this reading Do not mistake me!—he was not a first-class passenger nor an acquaintance.

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading Far from it; he was one of a motley crowd of jabbering natives which, with an extraordinary conglomeration of hand-carried household belongings, were put aboard from surf boats and herded on to the open after-deck—already stacked with sacks of Kola nuts from Sierra Leone—like so many head of frightened sheep.

any competition

From this reading John was certainly not of a race or rank to claim intimate acquaintance.

a row or line of people (especially soldiers or police) standing abreast of one another

From this reading John was certainly not of a race or rank to claim intimate acquaintance.

plural of “sack” — a bag made of paper or plastic for holding customer's purchases

From this reading Far from it; he was one of a motley crowd of jabbering natives which, with an extraordinary conglomeration of hand-carried household belongings, were put aboard from surf boats and herded on to the open after-deck—already stacked with sacks of Kola nuts from Sierra Leone—like so many head of frightened sheep.

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

From this reading ENGAGING BOYS—LAGOS It was at Seccondee on the Gold Coast that “John” came aboard.

woolly usually horned ruminant mammal related to the goat

From this reading Far from it; he was one of a motley crowd of jabbering natives which, with an extraordinary conglomeration of hand-carried household belongings, were put aboard from surf boats and herded on to the open after-deck—already stacked with sacks of Kola nuts from Sierra Leone—like so many head of frightened sheep.

a range of mountains (usually with jagged peaks and irregular outline)

From this reading Far from it; he was one of a motley crowd of jabbering natives which, with an extraordinary conglomeration of hand-carried household belongings, were put aboard from surf boats and herded on to the open after-deck—already stacked with sacks of Kola nuts from Sierra Leone—like so many head of frightened sheep.

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading Far from it; he was one of a motley crowd of jabbering natives which, with an extraordinary conglomeration of hand-carried household belongings, were put aboard from surf boats and herded on to the open after-deck—already stacked with sacks of Kola nuts from Sierra Leone—like so many head of frightened sheep.

arranged in a stack

From this reading Far from it; he was one of a motley crowd of jabbering natives which, with an extraordinary conglomeration of hand-carried household belongings, were put aboard from surf boats and herded on to the open after-deck—already stacked with sacks of Kola nuts from Sierra Leone—like so many head of frightened sheep.

waves breaking on the shore

From this reading Far from it; he was one of a motley crowd of jabbering natives which, with an extraordinary conglomeration of hand-carried household belongings, were put aboard from surf boats and herded on to the open after-deck—already stacked with sacks of Kola nuts from Sierra Leone—like so many head of frightened sheep.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading ENGAGING BOYS—LAGOS It was at Seccondee on the Gold Coast that “John” came aboard.

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

From this reading ENGAGING BOYS—LAGOS It was at Seccondee on the Gold Coast that “John” came aboard.

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

From this reading Far from it; he was one of a motley crowd of jabbering natives which, with an extraordinary conglomeration of hand-carried household belongings, were put aboard from surf boats and herded on to the open after-deck—already stacked with sacks of Kola nuts from Sierra Leone—like so many head of frightened sheep.

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

From this reading ENGAGING BOYS—LAGOS It was at Seccondee on the Gold Coast that “John” came aboard.

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading Far from it; he was one of a motley crowd of jabbering natives which, with an extraordinary conglomeration of hand-carried household belongings, were put aboard from surf boats and herded on to the open after-deck—already stacked with sacks of Kola nuts from Sierra Leone—like so many head of frightened sheep.

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading Far from it; he was one of a motley crowd of jabbering natives which, with an extraordinary conglomeration of hand-carried household belongings, were put aboard from surf boats and herded on to the open after-deck—already stacked with sacks of Kola nuts from Sierra Leone—like so many head of frightened sheep.

in the company of; together with

From this reading Far from it; he was one of a motley crowd of jabbering natives which, with an extraordinary conglomeration of hand-carried household belongings, were put aboard from surf boats and herded on to the open after-deck—already stacked with sacks of Kola nuts from Sierra Leone—like so many head of frightened sheep.