used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading THE GREAT ADVENTURE The news that old Captain Jules Fontaine, the retired pearl diver, whose history was a mystery to most of the inhabitants at Cape May, was to take Madge Morton down to the bottom of Delaware Bay with him spread through the town and seaside resort like wildfire.
take a risk in the hope of a favorable outcome
From this reading THE GREAT ADVENTURE The news that old Captain Jules Fontaine, the retired pearl diver, whose history was a mystery to most of the inhabitants at Cape May, was to take Madge Morton down to the bottom of Delaware Bay with him spread through the town and seaside resort like wildfire.
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading It was in vain that the houseboat party and Captain Jules tried to keep the affair a secret.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE GREAT ADVENTURE The news that old Captain Jules Fontaine, the retired pearl diver, whose history was a mystery to most of the inhabitants at Cape May, was to take Madge Morton down to the bottom of Delaware Bay with him spread through the town and seaside resort like wildfire.
arrangementsnounUS /ərˈeɪndʒmənts/
plural of “arrangement” — the thing arranged or agreed to
From this reading There were necessary arrangements to be made, men to be engaged to assist in the diving operations; it was impossible to deny everything.
assistverbUS /əˈsɪst/
give help or assistance; be of service
From this reading There were necessary arrangements to be made, men to be engaged to assist in the diving operations; it was impossible to deny everything.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading THE GREAT ADVENTURE The news that old Captain Jules Fontaine, the retired pearl diver, whose history was a mystery to most of the inhabitants at Cape May, was to take Madge Morton down to the bottom of Delaware Bay with him spread through the town and seaside resort like wildfire.
an indentation of a shoreline larger than a cove but smaller than a gulf
From this reading THE GREAT ADVENTURE The news that old Captain Jules Fontaine, the retired pearl diver, whose history was a mystery to most of the inhabitants at Cape May, was to take Madge Morton down to the bottom of Delaware Bay with him spread through the town and seaside resort like wildfire.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading There were necessary arrangements to be made, men to be engaged to assist in the diving operations; it was impossible to deny everything.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading Then the story began to grow.
the lower side of anything
From this reading THE GREAT ADVENTURE The news that old Captain Jules Fontaine, the retired pearl diver, whose history was a mystery to most of the inhabitants at Cape May, was to take Madge Morton down to the bottom of Delaware Bay with him spread through the town and seaside resort like wildfire.
CapenounUS /keɪp/
a strip of land projecting into a body of water
From this reading THE GREAT ADVENTURE The news that old Captain Jules Fontaine, the retired pearl diver, whose history was a mystery to most of the inhabitants at Cape May, was to take Madge Morton down to the bottom of Delaware Bay with him spread through the town and seaside resort like wildfire.
an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant
From this reading THE GREAT ADVENTURE The news that old Captain Jules Fontaine, the retired pearl diver, whose history was a mystery to most of the inhabitants at Cape May, was to take Madge Morton down to the bottom of Delaware Bay with him spread through the town and seaside resort like wildfire.
DelawarenounUS /ˈdeləwer/
a river that rises in the Catskills in southeastern New York and flows southward along the border of Pennsylvania with New York and New Jersey to northern Delaware where it empties into Delaware Bay
From this reading THE GREAT ADVENTURE The news that old Captain Jules Fontaine, the retired pearl diver, whose history was a mystery to most of the inhabitants at Cape May, was to take Madge Morton down to the bottom of Delaware Bay with him spread through the town and seaside resort like wildfire.
declare untrue; contradict
From this reading There were necessary arrangements to be made, men to be engaged to assist in the diving operations; it was impossible to deny everything.
divernounUS /ˈdaɪvər/
someone who works underwater
From this reading THE GREAT ADVENTURE The news that old Captain Jules Fontaine, the retired pearl diver, whose history was a mystery to most of the inhabitants at Cape May, was to take Madge Morton down to the bottom of Delaware Bay with him spread through the town and seaside resort like wildfire.
divingnounUS /ˈdaɪvɪŋ/
an athletic competition that involves diving into water
From this reading There were necessary arrangements to be made, men to be engaged to assist in the diving operations; it was impossible to deny everything.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading THE GREAT ADVENTURE The news that old Captain Jules Fontaine, the retired pearl diver, whose history was a mystery to most of the inhabitants at Cape May, was to take Madge Morton down to the bottom of Delaware Bay with him spread through the town and seaside resort like wildfire.
having ones attention or mind or energy engaged
From this reading There were necessary arrangements to be made, men to be engaged to assist in the diving operations; it was impossible to deny everything.
all things; all of a situation
From this reading There were necessary arrangements to be made, men to be engaged to assist in the diving operations; it was impossible to deny everything.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading At first the plan seemed to outsiders like mere midsummer madness.
Fontaine
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE GREAT ADVENTURE The news that old Captain Jules Fontaine, the retired pearl diver, whose history was a mystery to most of the inhabitants at Cape May, was to take Madge Morton down to the bottom of Delaware Bay with him spread through the town and seaside resort like wildfire.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading THE GREAT ADVENTURE The news that old Captain Jules Fontaine, the retired pearl diver, whose history was a mystery to most of the inhabitants at Cape May, was to take Madge Morton down to the bottom of Delaware Bay with him spread through the town and seaside resort like wildfire.
pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading Then the story began to grow.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading THE GREAT ADVENTURE The news that old Captain Jules Fontaine, the retired pearl diver, whose history was a mystery to most of the inhabitants at Cape May, was to take Madge Morton down to the bottom of Delaware Bay with him spread through the town and seaside resort like wildfire.
the aggregate of past events
From this reading THE GREAT ADVENTURE The news that old Captain Jules Fontaine, the retired pearl diver, whose history was a mystery to most of the inhabitants at Cape May, was to take Madge Morton down to the bottom of Delaware Bay with him spread through the town and seaside resort like wildfire.
houseboatnounUS /ˈhaʊsboʊt/
a barge that is designed and equipped for use as a dwelling
From this reading It was in vain that the houseboat party and Captain Jules tried to keep the affair a secret.
not capable of occurring or being accomplished or dealt with
From this reading There were necessary arrangements to be made, men to be engaged to assist in the diving operations; it was impossible to deny everything.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It was in vain that the houseboat party and Captain Jules tried to keep the affair a secret.
plural of “inhabitant” — a person who inhabits a particular place
From this reading THE GREAT ADVENTURE The news that old Captain Jules Fontaine, the retired pearl diver, whose history was a mystery to most of the inhabitants at Cape May, was to take Madge Morton down to the bottom of Delaware Bay with him spread through the town and seaside resort like wildfire.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was in vain that the houseboat party and Captain Jules tried to keep the affair a secret.
Jules
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE GREAT ADVENTURE The news that old Captain Jules Fontaine, the retired pearl diver, whose history was a mystery to most of the inhabitants at Cape May, was to take Madge Morton down to the bottom of Delaware Bay with him spread through the town and seaside resort like wildfire.
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading It was in vain that the houseboat party and Captain Jules tried to keep the affair a secret.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading THE GREAT ADVENTURE The news that old Captain Jules Fontaine, the retired pearl diver, whose history was a mystery to most of the inhabitants at Cape May, was to take Madge Morton down to the bottom of Delaware Bay with him spread through the town and seaside resort like wildfire.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading There were necessary arrangements to be made, men to be engaged to assist in the diving operations; it was impossible to deny everything.
Madge
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE GREAT ADVENTURE The news that old Captain Jules Fontaine, the retired pearl diver, whose history was a mystery to most of the inhabitants at Cape May, was to take Madge Morton down to the bottom of Delaware Bay with him spread through the town and seaside resort like wildfire.
madnessnounUS /ˈmædnəs/
obsolete terms for legal insanity
From this reading At first the plan seemed to outsiders like mere midsummer madness.
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading THE GREAT ADVENTURE The news that old Captain Jules Fontaine, the retired pearl diver, whose history was a mystery to most of the inhabitants at Cape May, was to take Madge Morton down to the bottom of Delaware Bay with him spread through the town and seaside resort like wildfire.
the force of workers available
From this reading There were necessary arrangements to be made, men to be engaged to assist in the diving operations; it was impossible to deny everything.
being nothing more than specified
From this reading At first the plan seemed to outsiders like mere midsummer madness.
midsummernounUS /ˈmɪdˈsʌmər/
June 21, when the sun is at its northernmost point
From this reading At first the plan seemed to outsiders like mere midsummer madness.
MortonnounUS /ˈmɔːrtən/
United States jazz musician who moved from ragtime to New Orleans jazz (1885-1941)
From this reading THE GREAT ADVENTURE The news that old Captain Jules Fontaine, the retired pearl diver, whose history was a mystery to most of the inhabitants at Cape May, was to take Madge Morton down to the bottom of Delaware Bay with him spread through the town and seaside resort like wildfire.
used to form the superlative
From this reading THE GREAT ADVENTURE The news that old Captain Jules Fontaine, the retired pearl diver, whose history was a mystery to most of the inhabitants at Cape May, was to take Madge Morton down to the bottom of Delaware Bay with him spread through the town and seaside resort like wildfire.
something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained
From this reading THE GREAT ADVENTURE The news that old Captain Jules Fontaine, the retired pearl diver, whose history was a mystery to most of the inhabitants at Cape May, was to take Madge Morton down to the bottom of Delaware Bay with him spread through the town and seaside resort like wildfire.
absolutely essential
From this reading There were necessary arrangements to be made, men to be engaged to assist in the diving operations; it was impossible to deny everything.
information about recent and important events
From this reading THE GREAT ADVENTURE The news that old Captain Jules Fontaine, the retired pearl diver, whose history was a mystery to most of the inhabitants at Cape May, was to take Madge Morton down to the bottom of Delaware Bay with him spread through the town and seaside resort like wildfire.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE GREAT ADVENTURE The news that old Captain Jules Fontaine, the retired pearl diver, whose history was a mystery to most of the inhabitants at Cape May, was to take Madge Morton down to the bottom of Delaware Bay with him spread through the town and seaside resort like wildfire.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading THE GREAT ADVENTURE The news that old Captain Jules Fontaine, the retired pearl diver, whose history was a mystery to most of the inhabitants at Cape May, was to take Madge Morton down to the bottom of Delaware Bay with him spread through the town and seaside resort like wildfire.
operationsnounUS /ˌɑːpərˈeɪʃənz/
financial transactions at a brokerage; having to do with the execution of trades and keeping customer records
From this reading There were necessary arrangements to be made, men to be engaged to assist in the diving operations; it was impossible to deny everything.
outsidersnounUS /aʊtˈsaɪdərz/
plural of “outsider” — someone who is excluded from or is not a member of a group
From this reading At first the plan seemed to outsiders like mere midsummer madness.
an organization to gain political power
From this reading It was in vain that the houseboat party and Captain Jules tried to keep the affair a secret.
pearlnounUS /pɜːrl/
a smooth lustrous round structure inside the shell of a clam or oyster; much valued as a jewel
From this reading THE GREAT ADVENTURE The news that old Captain Jules Fontaine, the retired pearl diver, whose history was a mystery to most of the inhabitants at Cape May, was to take Madge Morton down to the bottom of Delaware Bay with him spread through the town and seaside resort like wildfire.
have the will and intention to carry out some action
From this reading At first the plan seemed to outsiders like mere midsummer madness.
resortnounUS /rɪˈzɔːrt/
a hotel located in a resort area
From this reading THE GREAT ADVENTURE The news that old Captain Jules Fontaine, the retired pearl diver, whose history was a mystery to most of the inhabitants at Cape May, was to take Madge Morton down to the bottom of Delaware Bay with him spread through the town and seaside resort like wildfire.
no longer active in your work or profession
From this reading THE GREAT ADVENTURE The news that old Captain Jules Fontaine, the retired pearl diver, whose history was a mystery to most of the inhabitants at Cape May, was to take Madge Morton down to the bottom of Delaware Bay with him spread through the town and seaside resort like wildfire.
seasidenounUS /ˈsiːsaɪd/
the shore of a sea or ocean regarded as a resort
From this reading THE GREAT ADVENTURE The news that old Captain Jules Fontaine, the retired pearl diver, whose history was a mystery to most of the inhabitants at Cape May, was to take Madge Morton down to the bottom of Delaware Bay with him spread through the town and seaside resort like wildfire.
Something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others.
From this reading It was in vain that the houseboat party and Captain Jules tried to keep the affair a secret.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading At first the plan seemed to outsiders like mere midsummer madness.
distribute or disperse widely
From this reading THE GREAT ADVENTURE The news that old Captain Jules Fontaine, the retired pearl diver, whose history was a mystery to most of the inhabitants at Cape May, was to take Madge Morton down to the bottom of Delaware Bay with him spread through the town and seaside resort like wildfire.
a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading Then the story began to grow.
carry out
From this reading THE GREAT ADVENTURE The news that old Captain Jules Fontaine, the retired pearl diver, whose history was a mystery to most of the inhabitants at Cape May, was to take Madge Morton down to the bottom of Delaware Bay with him spread through the town and seaside resort like wildfire.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading THE GREAT ADVENTURE The news that old Captain Jules Fontaine, the retired pearl diver, whose history was a mystery to most of the inhabitants at Cape May, was to take Madge Morton down to the bottom of Delaware Bay with him spread through the town and seaside resort like wildfire.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE GREAT ADVENTURE The news that old Captain Jules Fontaine, the retired pearl diver, whose history was a mystery to most of the inhabitants at Cape May, was to take Madge Morton down to the bottom of Delaware Bay with him spread through the town and seaside resort like wildfire.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then the story began to grow.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There were necessary arrangements to be made, men to be engaged to assist in the diving operations; it was impossible to deny everything.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading THE GREAT ADVENTURE The news that old Captain Jules Fontaine, the retired pearl diver, whose history was a mystery to most of the inhabitants at Cape May, was to take Madge Morton down to the bottom of Delaware Bay with him spread through the town and seaside resort like wildfire.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE GREAT ADVENTURE The news that old Captain Jules Fontaine, the retired pearl diver, whose history was a mystery to most of the inhabitants at Cape May, was to take Madge Morton down to the bottom of Delaware Bay with him spread through the town and seaside resort like wildfire.
an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city
From this reading THE GREAT ADVENTURE The news that old Captain Jules Fontaine, the retired pearl diver, whose history was a mystery to most of the inhabitants at Cape May, was to take Madge Morton down to the bottom of Delaware Bay with him spread through the town and seaside resort like wildfire.
tested and proved useful or correct
From this reading It was in vain that the houseboat party and Captain Jules tried to keep the affair a secret.
characteristic of false pride; having an exaggerated sense of self-importance
From this reading It was in vain that the houseboat party and Captain Jules tried to keep the affair a secret.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading THE GREAT ADVENTURE The news that old Captain Jules Fontaine, the retired pearl diver, whose history was a mystery to most of the inhabitants at Cape May, was to take Madge Morton down to the bottom of Delaware Bay with him spread through the town and seaside resort like wildfire.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading There were necessary arrangements to be made, men to be engaged to assist in the diving operations; it was impossible to deny everything.
belonging to which person
From this reading THE GREAT ADVENTURE The news that old Captain Jules Fontaine, the retired pearl diver, whose history was a mystery to most of the inhabitants at Cape May, was to take Madge Morton down to the bottom of Delaware Bay with him spread through the town and seaside resort like wildfire.
wildfirenounUS /ˈwaɪldfaɪər/
a raging and rapidly spreading conflagration
From this reading THE GREAT ADVENTURE The news that old Captain Jules Fontaine, the retired pearl diver, whose history was a mystery to most of the inhabitants at Cape May, was to take Madge Morton down to the bottom of Delaware Bay with him spread through the town and seaside resort like wildfire.
in the company of; together with
From this reading THE GREAT ADVENTURE The news that old Captain Jules Fontaine, the retired pearl diver, whose history was a mystery to most of the inhabitants at Cape May, was to take Madge Morton down to the bottom of Delaware Bay with him spread through the town and seaside resort like wildfire.
