used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading For a fortnight after they reached Vancouver Wyllard and Dampier were very busy.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading They had various difficulties to contend with, for while they would have preferred to slip away to sea as quietly as possible a British vessel's movements are fenced about with many formalities, and they did not wish to ship a white man who could be dispensed with.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading For a fortnight after they reached Vancouver Wyllard and Dampier were very busy.
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading Wyllard fancied there were sailormen and sealers in Vancouver and down Puget Sound who would have gone with him, but there was a certain probability of their discussing their exploits afterwards in the saloons ashore, which was about the last thing that he desired.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading For a fortnight after they reached Vancouver Wyllard and Dampier were very busy.
past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading It appeared essential that he should avoid notoriety as much as possible.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading They had various difficulties to contend with, for while they would have preferred to slip away to sea as quietly as possible a British vessel's movements are fenced about with many formalities, and they did not wish to ship a white man who could be dispensed with.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading They had various difficulties to contend with, for while they would have preferred to slip away to sea as quietly as possible a British vessel's movements are fenced about with many formalities, and they did not wish to ship a white man who could be dispensed with.
ashoreadverbUS /əˈʃɔːr/
towards the shore from the water
From this reading Wyllard fancied there were sailormen and sealers in Vancouver and down Puget Sound who would have gone with him, but there was a certain probability of their discussing their exploits afterwards in the saloons ashore, which was about the last thing that he desired.
stay clear from; keep away from; keep out of the way of someone or something
From this reading It appeared essential that he should avoid notoriety as much as possible.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading They had various difficulties to contend with, for while they would have preferred to slip away to sea as quietly as possible a British vessel's movements are fenced about with many formalities, and they did not wish to ship a white man who could be dispensed with.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading They had various difficulties to contend with, for while they would have preferred to slip away to sea as quietly as possible a British vessel's movements are fenced about with many formalities, and they did not wish to ship a white man who could be dispensed with.
an area of sand sloping down to the water of a sea or lake
From this reading THE BEACH.
the people of Great Britain
From this reading They had various difficulties to contend with, for while they would have preferred to slip away to sea as quietly as possible a British vessel's movements are fenced about with many formalities, and they did not wish to ship a white man who could be dispensed with.
actively or fully engaged or occupied
From this reading For a fortnight after they reached Vancouver Wyllard and Dampier were very busy.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Wyllard fancied there were sailormen and sealers in Vancouver and down Puget Sound who would have gone with him, but there was a certain probability of their discussing their exploits afterwards in the saloons ashore, which was about the last thing that he desired.
definite but not specified or identified
From this reading Wyllard fancied there were sailormen and sealers in Vancouver and down Puget Sound who would have gone with him, but there was a certain probability of their discussing their exploits afterwards in the saloons ashore, which was about the last thing that he desired.
contendverbUS /kənˈtend/
maintain or assert
From this reading They had various difficulties to contend with, for while they would have preferred to slip away to sea as quietly as possible a British vessel's movements are fenced about with many formalities, and they did not wish to ship a white man who could be dispensed with.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading They had various difficulties to contend with, for while they would have preferred to slip away to sea as quietly as possible a British vessel's movements are fenced about with many formalities, and they did not wish to ship a white man who could be dispensed with.
Dampier
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For a fortnight after they reached Vancouver Wyllard and Dampier were very busy.
wanted intensely
From this reading Wyllard fancied there were sailormen and sealers in Vancouver and down Puget Sound who would have gone with him, but there was a certain probability of their discussing their exploits afterwards in the saloons ashore, which was about the last thing that he desired.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading They had various difficulties to contend with, for while they would have preferred to slip away to sea as quietly as possible a British vessel's movements are fenced about with many formalities, and they did not wish to ship a white man who could be dispensed with.
plural of “difficulty” — an effort that is inconvenient
From this reading They had various difficulties to contend with, for while they would have preferred to slip away to sea as quietly as possible a British vessel's movements are fenced about with many formalities, and they did not wish to ship a white man who could be dispensed with.
discussingverbUS /dɪˈskʌsɪŋ/
-ing form of “discuss” — to consider or examine in speech or writing
From this reading Wyllard fancied there were sailormen and sealers in Vancouver and down Puget Sound who would have gone with him, but there was a certain probability of their discussing their exploits afterwards in the saloons ashore, which was about the last thing that he desired.
dispensedadjectiveUS /dɪˈspenst/
distributed or weighted out in carefully determined portions
From this reading They had various difficulties to contend with, for while they would have preferred to slip away to sea as quietly as possible a British vessel's movements are fenced about with many formalities, and they did not wish to ship a white man who could be dispensed with.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Wyllard fancied there were sailormen and sealers in Vancouver and down Puget Sound who would have gone with him, but there was a certain probability of their discussing their exploits afterwards in the saloons ashore, which was about the last thing that he desired.
essentialadjectiveUS /eˈsenʃəl/
absolutely necessary; vitally necessary
From this reading It appeared essential that he should avoid notoriety as much as possible.
exploitsnounUS /ˈeksplɔɪts/
plural of “exploit” — a notable achievement
From this reading Wyllard fancied there were sailormen and sealers in Vancouver and down Puget Sound who would have gone with him, but there was a certain probability of their discussing their exploits afterwards in the saloons ashore, which was about the last thing that he desired.
formed or conceived by the imagination
From this reading Wyllard fancied there were sailormen and sealers in Vancouver and down Puget Sound who would have gone with him, but there was a certain probability of their discussing their exploits afterwards in the saloons ashore, which was about the last thing that he desired.
fencedverbUS /fenst/
past form of “fence” — enclose with a fence
From this reading They had various difficulties to contend with, for while they would have preferred to slip away to sea as quietly as possible a British vessel's movements are fenced about with many formalities, and they did not wish to ship a white man who could be dispensed with.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For a fortnight after they reached Vancouver Wyllard and Dampier were very busy.
formalitiesnounUS /fɔːrˈmælətiz/
a requirement of etiquette or custom
From this reading They had various difficulties to contend with, for while they would have preferred to slip away to sea as quietly as possible a British vessel's movements are fenced about with many formalities, and they did not wish to ship a white man who could be dispensed with.
fortnightnounUS /ˈfɔːrtnaɪt/
a period of fourteen consecutive days
From this reading For a fortnight after they reached Vancouver Wyllard and Dampier were very busy.
destroyed or killed
From this reading Wyllard fancied there were sailormen and sealers in Vancouver and down Puget Sound who would have gone with him, but there was a certain probability of their discussing their exploits afterwards in the saloons ashore, which was about the last thing that he desired.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading They had various difficulties to contend with, for while they would have preferred to slip away to sea as quietly as possible a British vessel's movements are fenced about with many formalities, and they did not wish to ship a white man who could be dispensed with.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading They had various difficulties to contend with, for while they would have preferred to slip away to sea as quietly as possible a British vessel's movements are fenced about with many formalities, and they did not wish to ship a white man who could be dispensed with.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Wyllard fancied there were sailormen and sealers in Vancouver and down Puget Sound who would have gone with him, but there was a certain probability of their discussing their exploits afterwards in the saloons ashore, which was about the last thing that he desired.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Wyllard fancied there were sailormen and sealers in Vancouver and down Puget Sound who would have gone with him, but there was a certain probability of their discussing their exploits afterwards in the saloons ashore, which was about the last thing that he desired.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Wyllard fancied there were sailormen and sealers in Vancouver and down Puget Sound who would have gone with him, but there was a certain probability of their discussing their exploits afterwards in the saloons ashore, which was about the last thing that he desired.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It appeared essential that he should avoid notoriety as much as possible.
immediately past
From this reading Wyllard fancied there were sailormen and sealers in Vancouver and down Puget Sound who would have gone with him, but there was a certain probability of their discussing their exploits afterwards in the saloons ashore, which was about the last thing that he desired.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading They had various difficulties to contend with, for while they would have preferred to slip away to sea as quietly as possible a British vessel's movements are fenced about with many formalities, and they did not wish to ship a white man who could be dispensed with.
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 They had various difficulties to contend with, for while they would have preferred to slip away to sea as quietly as possible a British vessel's movements are fenced about with many formalities, and they did not wish to ship a white man who could be dispensed with.
plural of “movement” — a change of position that does not entail a change of location
From this reading They had various difficulties to contend with, for while they would have preferred to slip away to sea as quietly as possible a British vessel's movements are fenced about with many formalities, and they did not wish to ship a white man who could be dispensed with.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading It appeared essential that he should avoid notoriety as much as possible.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading They had various difficulties to contend with, for while they would have preferred to slip away to sea as quietly as possible a British vessel's movements are fenced about with many formalities, and they did not wish to ship a white man who could be dispensed with.
notorietynounUS /ˌnoʊtərˈaɪəti/
the state of being known for some unfavorable act or quality
From this reading It appeared essential that he should avoid notoriety as much as possible.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Wyllard fancied there were sailormen and sealers in Vancouver and down Puget Sound who would have gone with him, but there was a certain probability of their discussing their exploits afterwards in the saloons ashore, which was about the last thing that he desired.
capable of happening or existing
From this reading They had various difficulties to contend with, for while they would have preferred to slip away to sea as quietly as possible a British vessel's movements are fenced about with many formalities, and they did not wish to ship a white man who could be dispensed with.
more desirable than another
From this reading They had various difficulties to contend with, for while they would have preferred to slip away to sea as quietly as possible a British vessel's movements are fenced about with many formalities, and they did not wish to ship a white man who could be dispensed with.
probabilitynounUS /ˌprɑːbəˈbɪlətiː/
a measure of how likely it is that some event will occur; a number expressing the ratio of favorable cases to the whole number of cases possible
From this reading Wyllard fancied there were sailormen and sealers in Vancouver and down Puget Sound who would have gone with him, but there was a certain probability of their discussing their exploits afterwards in the saloons ashore, which was about the last thing that he desired.
Puget
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Wyllard fancied there were sailormen and sealers in Vancouver and down Puget Sound who would have gone with him, but there was a certain probability of their discussing their exploits afterwards in the saloons ashore, which was about the last thing that he desired.
with low volume
From this reading They had various difficulties to contend with, for while they would have preferred to slip away to sea as quietly as possible a British vessel's movements are fenced about with many formalities, and they did not wish to ship a white man who could be dispensed with.
past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading For a fortnight after they reached Vancouver Wyllard and Dampier were very busy.
sailormen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Wyllard fancied there were sailormen and sealers in Vancouver and down Puget Sound who would have gone with him, but there was a certain probability of their discussing their exploits afterwards in the saloons ashore, which was about the last thing that he desired.
saloonsnounUS /səˈluːnz/
plural of “saloon” — a room or establishment where alcoholic drinks are served over a counter
From this reading Wyllard fancied there were sailormen and sealers in Vancouver and down Puget Sound who would have gone with him, but there was a certain probability of their discussing their exploits afterwards in the saloons ashore, which was about the last thing that he desired.
a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
From this reading They had various difficulties to contend with, for while they would have preferred to slip away to sea as quietly as possible a British vessel's movements are fenced about with many formalities, and they did not wish to ship a white man who could be dispensed with.
sealers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Wyllard fancied there were sailormen and sealers in Vancouver and down Puget Sound who would have gone with him, but there was a certain probability of their discussing their exploits afterwards in the saloons ashore, which was about the last thing that he desired.
transport commercially
From this reading They had various difficulties to contend with, for while they would have preferred to slip away to sea as quietly as possible a British vessel's movements are fenced about with many formalities, and they did not wish to ship a white man who could be dispensed with.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading It appeared essential that he should avoid notoriety as much as possible.
move stealthily
From this reading They had various difficulties to contend with, for while they would have preferred to slip away to sea as quietly as possible a British vessel's movements are fenced about with many formalities, and they did not wish to ship a white man who could be dispensed with.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading Wyllard fancied there were sailormen and sealers in Vancouver and down Puget Sound who would have gone with him, but there was a certain probability of their discussing their exploits afterwards in the saloons ashore, which was about the last thing that he desired.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Wyllard fancied there were sailormen and sealers in Vancouver and down Puget Sound who would have gone with him, but there was a certain probability of their discussing their exploits afterwards in the saloons ashore, which was about the last thing that he desired.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE BEACH.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Wyllard fancied there were sailormen and sealers in Vancouver and down Puget Sound who would have gone with him, but there was a certain probability of their discussing their exploits afterwards in the saloons ashore, which was about the last thing that he desired.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Wyllard fancied there were sailormen and sealers in Vancouver and down Puget Sound who would have gone with him, but there was a certain probability of their discussing their exploits afterwards in the saloons ashore, which was about the last thing that he desired.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading For a fortnight after they reached Vancouver Wyllard and Dampier were very busy.
a special situation
From this reading Wyllard fancied there were sailormen and sealers in Vancouver and down Puget Sound who would have gone with him, but there was a certain probability of their discussing their exploits afterwards in the saloons ashore, which was about the last thing that he desired.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading They had various difficulties to contend with, for while they would have preferred to slip away to sea as quietly as possible a British vessel's movements are fenced about with many formalities, and they did not wish to ship a white man who could be dispensed with.
VancouvernounUS /vænˈkuːvər/
English navigator remembered for his exploration of the Pacific coast of North America (1757-1798)
From this reading For a fortnight after they reached Vancouver Wyllard and Dampier were very busy.
of many different kinds purposefully arranged but lacking any uniformity
From this reading They had various difficulties to contend with, for while they would have preferred to slip away to sea as quietly as possible a British vessel's movements are fenced about with many formalities, and they did not wish to ship a white man who could be dispensed with.
precisely as stated
From this reading For a fortnight after they reached Vancouver Wyllard and Dampier were very busy.
vessel'snounUS /ˈvesəlz/
possessive form of “vessel” — a tube in which a body fluid circulates
From this reading They had various difficulties to contend with, for while they would have preferred to slip away to sea as quietly as possible a British vessel's movements are fenced about with many formalities, and they did not wish to ship a white man who could be dispensed with.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Wyllard fancied there were sailormen and sealers in Vancouver and down Puget Sound who would have gone with him, but there was a certain probability of their discussing their exploits afterwards in the saloons ashore, which was about the last thing that he desired.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading For a fortnight after they reached Vancouver Wyllard and Dampier were very busy.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Wyllard fancied there were sailormen and sealers in Vancouver and down Puget Sound who would have gone with him, but there was a certain probability of their discussing their exploits afterwards in the saloons ashore, which was about the last thing that he desired.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading They had various difficulties to contend with, for while they would have preferred to slip away to sea as quietly as possible a British vessel's movements are fenced about with many formalities, and they did not wish to ship a white man who could be dispensed with.
a Caucasian
From this reading They had various difficulties to contend with, for while they would have preferred to slip away to sea as quietly as possible a British vessel's movements are fenced about with many formalities, and they did not wish to ship a white man who could be dispensed with.
which person or people
From this reading They had various difficulties to contend with, for while they would have preferred to slip away to sea as quietly as possible a British vessel's movements are fenced about with many formalities, and they did not wish to ship a white man who could be dispensed with.
hope for; have a wish
From this reading They had various difficulties to contend with, for while they would have preferred to slip away to sea as quietly as possible a British vessel's movements are fenced about with many formalities, and they did not wish to ship a white man who could be dispensed with.
in the company of; together with
From this reading They had various difficulties to contend with, for while they would have preferred to slip away to sea as quietly as possible a British vessel's movements are fenced about with many formalities, and they did not wish to ship a white man who could be dispensed with.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading They had various difficulties to contend with, for while they would have preferred to slip away to sea as quietly as possible a British vessel's movements are fenced about with many formalities, and they did not wish to ship a white man who could be dispensed with.
Wyllard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For a fortnight after they reached Vancouver Wyllard and Dampier were very busy.
