adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He pulled himself together with a low laugh and faced the breaking seas of ice and the north.
airnounUS /er/
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading The breaking of the ice, the moaning discontent in the air, and the growling monotone of the giant currents had driven other men mad; but they held a fascination for him.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He pulled himself together with a low laugh and faced the breaking seas of ice and the north.
blue-blackadjective
of black tinged with blue
From this reading The rumble and thunder of crumbling floes came from out of a purple chaos that was growing blue-black in the distance.
breakingnounUS /ˈbreɪkɪŋ/
the act of breaking something
From this reading He pulled himself together with a low laugh and faced the breaking seas of ice and the north.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The breaking of the ice, the moaning discontent in the air, and the growling monotone of the giant currents had driven other men mad; but they held a fascination for him.
cameverbUS /keɪm/
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading The rumble and thunder of crumbling floes came from out of a purple chaos that was growing blue-black in the distance.
chaosnounUS /ˈkeɪɑːs/
a state of extreme confusion and disorder
From this reading The rumble and thunder of crumbling floes came from out of a purple chaos that was growing blue-black in the distance.
crumblingverbUS /ˈkrʌmbəlɪŋ/
-ing form of “crumble” — fall apart
From this reading The rumble and thunder of crumbling floes came from out of a purple chaos that was growing blue-black in the distance.
currentsnounUS /ˈkɜːrənts/
plural of “current” — a flow of electricity through a conductor
From this reading The breaking of the ice, the moaning discontent in the air, and the growling monotone of the giant currents had driven other men mad; but they held a fascination for him.
discontentnounUS /dɪskənˈtent/
a longing for something better than the present situation
From this reading The breaking of the ice, the moaning discontent in the air, and the growling monotone of the giant currents had driven other men mad; but they held a fascination for him.
distancenounUS /ˈdɪstəns/
the property created by the space between two objects or points
From this reading The rumble and thunder of crumbling floes came from out of a purple chaos that was growing blue-black in the distance.
drawnadjectiveUS /drɔːn/
showing the wearing effects of overwork or care or suffering
From this reading The gloom of night had drawn the horizon nearer.
drivenadjectiveUS /ˈdrɪvən/
compelled forcibly by an outside agency
From this reading The breaking of the ice, the moaning discontent in the air, and the growling monotone of the giant currents had driven other men mad; but they held a fascination for him.
facedadjectiveUS /feɪst/
having a face or facing especially of a specified kind or number; often used in combination
From this reading He pulled himself together with a low laugh and faced the breaking seas of ice and the north.
fascinationnounUS /ˌfæsəˈneɪʃən/
the state of being intensely interested (as by awe or terror)
From this reading The breaking of the ice, the moaning discontent in the air, and the growling monotone of the giant currents had driven other men mad; but they held a fascination for him.
floes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The rumble and thunder of crumbling floes came from out of a purple chaos that was growing blue-black in the distance.
ForprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For several minutes he stood listening and looking into nothingness.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The rumble and thunder of crumbling floes came from out of a purple chaos that was growing blue-black in the distance.
giantnounUS /ˈdʒaɪənt/
any creature of exceptional size
From this reading The breaking of the ice, the moaning discontent in the air, and the growling monotone of the giant currents had driven other men mad; but they held a fascination for him.
gloomnounUS /ɡluːm/
a state of partial or total darkness
From this reading The gloom of night had drawn the horizon nearer.
growingnounUS /ˈɡroʊɪŋ/
(biology) the process of an individual organism growing organically; a purely biological unfolding of events involved in an organism changing gradually from a simple to a more complex level
From this reading The rumble and thunder of crumbling floes came from out of a purple chaos that was growing blue-black in the distance.
growlingnounUS /ˈɡroʊlɪŋ/
a gruff or angry utterance (suggestive of the growling of an animal)
From this reading The breaking of the ice, the moaning discontent in the air, and the growling monotone of the giant currents had driven other men mad; but they held a fascination for him.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The gloom of night had drawn the horizon nearer.
HepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He pulled himself together with a low laugh and faced the breaking seas of ice and the north.
heldadjectiveUS /held/
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading The breaking of the ice, the moaning discontent in the air, and the growling monotone of the giant currents had driven other men mad; but they held a fascination for him.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The breaking of the ice, the moaning discontent in the air, and the growling monotone of the giant currents had driven other men mad; but they held a fascination for him.
himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading He pulled himself together with a low laugh and faced the breaking seas of ice and the north.
horizonnounUS /hərˈaɪzən/
the line at which the sky and Earth appear to meet
From this reading The gloom of night had drawn the horizon nearer.
icenounUS /aɪs/
water frozen in the solid state
From this reading He pulled himself together with a low laugh and faced the breaking seas of ice and the north.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The rumble and thunder of crumbling floes came from out of a purple chaos that was growing blue-black in the distance.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading For several minutes he stood listening and looking into nothingness.
laughnounUS /læf/
the sound of laughing
From this reading He pulled himself together with a low laugh and faced the breaking seas of ice and the north.
listeningnounUS /ˈlɪsənɪŋ/
the act of hearing attentively
From this reading For several minutes he stood listening and looking into nothingness.
lookingnounUS /ˈlʊkɪŋ/
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading For several minutes he stood listening and looking into nothingness.
lowadjectiveUS /loʊ/
less than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading He pulled himself together with a low laugh and faced the breaking seas of ice and the north.
madadjectiveUS /mæd/
roused to anger
From this reading The breaking of the ice, the moaning discontent in the air, and the growling monotone of the giant currents had driven other men mad; but they held a fascination for him.
mennounUS /men/
the force of workers available
From this reading The breaking of the ice, the moaning discontent in the air, and the growling monotone of the giant currents had driven other men mad; but they held a fascination for him.
minutesnounUS /ˈmɪnəts/
a written account of what transpired at a meeting
From this reading For several minutes he stood listening and looking into nothingness.
moaningverbUS /ˈmoʊnɪŋ/
-ing form of “moan” — indicate pain, discomfort, or displeasure
From this reading The breaking of the ice, the moaning discontent in the air, and the growling monotone of the giant currents had driven other men mad; but they held a fascination for him.
monotonenounUS /ˈmɑːnətoʊn/
an unchanging intonation
From this reading The breaking of the ice, the moaning discontent in the air, and the growling monotone of the giant currents had driven other men mad; but they held a fascination for him.
neareradverbUS /ˈnɪrər/
(comparative of “near” or “close”) within a shorter distance
From this reading The gloom of night had drawn the horizon nearer.
nightnounUS /naɪt/
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading The gloom of night had drawn the horizon nearer.
northnounUS /nɔːrθ/
the region of the United States lying to the north of the Mason-Dixon line
From this reading He pulled himself together with a low laugh and faced the breaking seas of ice and the north.
nothingnessnounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋnəs/
the state of nonexistence
From this reading For several minutes he stood listening and looking into nothingness.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He pulled himself together with a low laugh and faced the breaking seas of ice and the north.
otheradjectiveUS /ˈʌðər/
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading The breaking of the ice, the moaning discontent in the air, and the growling monotone of the giant currents had driven other men mad; but they held a fascination for him.
outadjectiveUS /aʊt/
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading The rumble and thunder of crumbling floes came from out of a purple chaos that was growing blue-black in the distance.
pulledverbUS /pʊld/
past form of “pull” — cause to move by pulling
From this reading He pulled himself together with a low laugh and faced the breaking seas of ice and the north.
purplenounUS /ˈpɜːrpəl/
a purple color or pigment
From this reading The rumble and thunder of crumbling floes came from out of a purple chaos that was growing blue-black in the distance.
rumbleverbUS /ˈrʌmbəl/
make a low noise
From this reading The rumble and thunder of crumbling floes came from out of a purple chaos that was growing blue-black in the distance.
seasnounUS /siːz/
plural of “sea” — a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
From this reading He pulled himself together with a low laugh and faced the breaking seas of ice and the north.
severaladjectiveUS /ˈsevrəl/
(used with count nouns) of an indefinite number more than 2 or 3 but not many
From this reading For several minutes he stood listening and looking into nothingness.
stoodverbUS /stʊd/
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading For several minutes he stood listening and looking into nothingness.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The rumble and thunder of crumbling floes came from out of a purple chaos that was growing blue-black in the distance.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading He pulled himself together with a low laugh and faced the breaking seas of ice and the north.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The breaking of the ice, the moaning discontent in the air, and the growling monotone of the giant currents had driven other men mad; but they held a fascination for him.
thunderverbUS /ˈθʌndər/
move fast, noisily, and heavily
From this reading The rumble and thunder of crumbling floes came from out of a purple chaos that was growing blue-black in the distance.
togetheradverbUS /təˈɡeðər/
in contact with each other or in proximity
From this reading He pulled himself together with a low laugh and faced the breaking seas of ice and the north.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The rumble and thunder of crumbling floes came from out of a purple chaos that was growing blue-black in the distance.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading He pulled himself together with a low laugh and faced the breaking seas of ice and the north.
