used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He now came to the resolution of acquainting the first of the men who should come down with my situation, thinking it better to let me take my chance with the mutineers than perish of thirst in the hold,—for it had been ten days since I was first imprisoned, and my jug of water was not a plentiful supply even for four.
forsaken by owner or inhabitants
From this reading For some minutes after the cook had left the forecastle, Augustus abandoned himself to despair, never hoping to leave the berth alive.
acquainting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He now came to the resolution of acquainting the first of the men who should come down with my situation, thinking it better to let me take my chance with the mutineers than perish of thirst in the hold,—for it had been ten days since I was first imprisoned, and my jug of water was not a plentiful supply even for four.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading For some minutes after the cook had left the forecastle, Augustus abandoned himself to despair, never hoping to leave the berth alive.
aliveadjectiveUS /əˈlaɪv/
possessing life
From this reading For some minutes after the cook had left the forecastle, Augustus abandoned himself to despair, never hoping to leave the berth alive.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading As he was thinking on this subject, the idea came all at once into his head that it might be possible to communicate with me by the way of the main hold.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He now came to the resolution of acquainting the first of the men who should come down with my situation, thinking it better to let me take my chance with the mutineers than perish of thirst in the hold,—for it had been ten days since I was first imprisoned, and my jug of water was not a plentiful supply even for four.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading In any other circumstances, the difficulty and hazard of the undertaking would have prevented him from attempting it; but now he had, at all events, little prospect of life, and consequently little to lose, he bent his whole mind, therefore, upon the task.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As he was thinking on this subject, the idea came all at once into his head that it might be possible to communicate with me by the way of the main hold.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading As he was thinking on this subject, the idea came all at once into his head that it might be possible to communicate with me by the way of the main hold.
attemptingverbUS /əˈtemptɪŋ/
-ing form of “attempt” — make an effort or attempt
From this reading In any other circumstances, the difficulty and hazard of the undertaking would have prevented him from attempting it; but now he had, at all events, little prospect of life, and consequently little to lose, he bent his whole mind, therefore, upon the task.
AugustusnounUS /ɑːˈɡʌstəs/
Roman statesman who established the Roman Empire and became emperor in 27 BC; defeated Mark Antony and Cleopatra in 31 BC at Actium (63 BC - AD 14)
From this reading For some minutes after the cook had left the forecastle, Augustus abandoned himself to despair, never hoping to leave the berth alive.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading As he was thinking on this subject, the idea came all at once into his head that it might be possible to communicate with me by the way of the main hold.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading He now came to the resolution of acquainting the first of the men who should come down with my situation, thinking it better to let me take my chance with the mutineers than perish of thirst in the hold,—for it had been ten days since I was first imprisoned, and my jug of water was not a plentiful supply even for four.
a relatively permanent inclination to react in a particular way
From this reading In any other circumstances, the difficulty and hazard of the undertaking would have prevented him from attempting it; but now he had, at all events, little prospect of life, and consequently little to lose, he bent his whole mind, therefore, upon the task.
berthnounUS /bɜːrθ/
a job in an organization
From this reading For some minutes after the cook had left the forecastle, Augustus abandoned himself to despair, never hoping to leave the berth alive.
(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another
From this reading He now came to the resolution of acquainting the first of the men who should come down with my situation, thinking it better to let me take my chance with the mutineers than perish of thirst in the hold,—for it had been ten days since I was first imprisoned, and my jug of water was not a plentiful supply even for four.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading In any other circumstances, the difficulty and hazard of the undertaking would have prevented him from attempting it; but now he had, at all events, little prospect of life, and consequently little to lose, he bent his whole mind, therefore, upon the task.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading As he was thinking on this subject, the idea came all at once into his head that it might be possible to communicate with me by the way of the main hold.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading He now came to the resolution of acquainting the first of the men who should come down with my situation, thinking it better to let me take my chance with the mutineers than perish of thirst in the hold,—for it had been ten days since I was first imprisoned, and my jug of water was not a plentiful supply even for four.
a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances
From this reading He now came to the resolution of acquainting the first of the men who should come down with my situation, thinking it better to let me take my chance with the mutineers than perish of thirst in the hold,—for it had been ten days since I was first imprisoned, and my jug of water was not a plentiful supply even for four.
your overall circumstances or condition in life (including everything that happens to you)
From this reading In any other circumstances, the difficulty and hazard of the undertaking would have prevented him from attempting it; but now he had, at all events, little prospect of life, and consequently little to lose, he bent his whole mind, therefore, upon the task.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading He now came to the resolution of acquainting the first of the men who should come down with my situation, thinking it better to let me take my chance with the mutineers than perish of thirst in the hold,—for it had been ten days since I was first imprisoned, and my jug of water was not a plentiful supply even for four.
communicateverbUS /kəˈmjuːnəkeɪt/
transmit information
From this reading As he was thinking on this subject, the idea came all at once into his head that it might be possible to communicate with me by the way of the main hold.
consequentlyadverbUS /ˈkɑːnsəkwəntli/
(sentence connectors) because of the reason given
From this reading In any other circumstances, the difficulty and hazard of the undertaking would have prevented him from attempting it; but now he had, at all events, little prospect of life, and consequently little to lose, he bent his whole mind, therefore, upon the task.
the process of giving careful thought to something
From this reading His handcuffs were the first consideration.
prepare a hot meal
From this reading For some minutes after the cook had left the forecastle, Augustus abandoned himself to despair, never hoping to leave the berth alive.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading He now came to the resolution of acquainting the first of the men who should come down with my situation, thinking it better to let me take my chance with the mutineers than perish of thirst in the hold,—for it had been ten days since I was first imprisoned, and my jug of water was not a plentiful supply even for four.
a state in which all hope is lost or absent
From this reading For some minutes after the cook had left the forecastle, Augustus abandoned himself to despair, never hoping to leave the berth alive.
an effort that is inconvenient
From this reading In any other circumstances, the difficulty and hazard of the undertaking would have prevented him from attempting it; but now he had, at all events, little prospect of life, and consequently little to lose, he bent his whole mind, therefore, upon the task.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading He now came to the resolution of acquainting the first of the men who should come down with my situation, thinking it better to let me take my chance with the mutineers than perish of thirst in the hold,—for it had been ten days since I was first imprisoned, and my jug of water was not a plentiful supply even for four.
divisible by two
From this reading He now came to the resolution of acquainting the first of the men who should come down with my situation, thinking it better to let me take my chance with the mutineers than perish of thirst in the hold,—for it had been ten days since I was first imprisoned, and my jug of water was not a plentiful supply even for four.
plural of “event” — something that happens at a given place and time
From this reading In any other circumstances, the difficulty and hazard of the undertaking would have prevented him from attempting it; but now he had, at all events, little prospect of life, and consequently little to lose, he bent his whole mind, therefore, upon the task.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading He now came to the resolution of acquainting the first of the men who should come down with my situation, thinking it better to let me take my chance with the mutineers than perish of thirst in the hold,—for it had been ten days since I was first imprisoned, and my jug of water was not a plentiful supply even for four.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For some minutes after the cook had left the forecastle, Augustus abandoned himself to despair, never hoping to leave the berth alive.
forecastlenoun
living quarters consisting of a superstructure in the bow of a merchant ship where the crew is housed
From this reading For some minutes after the cook had left the forecastle, Augustus abandoned himself to despair, never hoping to leave the berth alive.
the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one
From this reading He now came to the resolution of acquainting the first of the men who should come down with my situation, thinking it better to let me take my chance with the mutineers than perish of thirst in the hold,—for it had been ten days since I was first imprisoned, and my jug of water was not a plentiful supply even for four.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading In any other circumstances, the difficulty and hazard of the undertaking would have prevented him from attempting it; but now he had, at all events, little prospect of life, and consequently little to lose, he bent his whole mind, therefore, upon the task.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading For some minutes after the cook had left the forecastle, Augustus abandoned himself to despair, never hoping to leave the berth alive.
handcuffsnounUS /ˈhændkʌfs/
plural of “handcuff” — shackle that consists of a metal loop that can be locked around the wrist; usually used in pairs
From this reading His handcuffs were the first consideration.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading In any other circumstances, the difficulty and hazard of the undertaking would have prevented him from attempting it; but now he had, at all events, little prospect of life, and consequently little to lose, he bent his whole mind, therefore, upon the task.
hazardnounUS /ˈhæzərd/
a source of danger; a possibility of incurring loss or misfortune
From this reading In any other circumstances, the difficulty and hazard of the undertaking would have prevented him from attempting it; but now he had, at all events, little prospect of life, and consequently little to lose, he bent his whole mind, therefore, upon the task.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He now came to the resolution of acquainting the first of the men who should come down with my situation, thinking it better to let me take my chance with the mutineers than perish of thirst in the hold,—for it had been ten days since I was first imprisoned, and my jug of water was not a plentiful supply even for four.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading As he was thinking on this subject, the idea came all at once into his head that it might be possible to communicate with me by the way of the main hold.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading In any other circumstances, the difficulty and hazard of the undertaking would have prevented him from attempting it; but now he had, at all events, little prospect of life, and consequently little to lose, he bent his whole mind, therefore, upon the task.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading For some minutes after the cook had left the forecastle, Augustus abandoned himself to despair, never hoping to leave the berth alive.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading As he was thinking on this subject, the idea came all at once into his head that it might be possible to communicate with me by the way of the main hold.
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading He now came to the resolution of acquainting the first of the men who should come down with my situation, thinking it better to let me take my chance with the mutineers than perish of thirst in the hold,—for it had been ten days since I was first imprisoned, and my jug of water was not a plentiful supply even for four.
hopingverbUS /ˈhoʊpɪŋ/
-ing form of “hope” — expect and wish
From this reading For some minutes after the cook had left the forecastle, Augustus abandoned himself to despair, never hoping to leave the berth alive.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading He now came to the resolution of acquainting the first of the men who should come down with my situation, thinking it better to let me take my chance with the mutineers than perish of thirst in the hold,—for it had been ten days since I was first imprisoned, and my jug of water was not a plentiful supply even for four.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading As he was thinking on this subject, the idea came all at once into his head that it might be possible to communicate with me by the way of the main hold.
imprisonedadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈprɪzənd/
being in captivity
From this reading He now came to the resolution of acquainting the first of the men who should come down with my situation, thinking it better to let me take my chance with the mutineers than perish of thirst in the hold,—for it had been ten days since I was first imprisoned, and my jug of water was not a plentiful supply even for four.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He now came to the resolution of acquainting the first of the men who should come down with my situation, thinking it better to let me take my chance with the mutineers than perish of thirst in the hold,—for it had been ten days since I was first imprisoned, and my jug of water was not a plentiful supply even for four.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading As he was thinking on this subject, the idea came all at once into his head that it might be possible to communicate with me by the way of the main hold.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He now came to the resolution of acquainting the first of the men who should come down with my situation, thinking it better to let me take my chance with the mutineers than perish of thirst in the hold,—for it had been ten days since I was first imprisoned, and my jug of water was not a plentiful supply even for four.
jugnounUS /dʒʌɡ/
a large bottle with a narrow mouth
From this reading He now came to the resolution of acquainting the first of the men who should come down with my situation, thinking it better to let me take my chance with the mutineers than perish of thirst in the hold,—for it had been ten days since I was first imprisoned, and my jug of water was not a plentiful supply even for four.
go away from a place
From this reading For some minutes after the cook had left the forecastle, Augustus abandoned himself to despair, never hoping to leave the berth alive.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading For some minutes after the cook had left the forecastle, Augustus abandoned himself to despair, never hoping to leave the berth alive.
letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading He now came to the resolution of acquainting the first of the men who should come down with my situation, thinking it better to let me take my chance with the mutineers than perish of thirst in the hold,—for it had been ten days since I was first imprisoned, and my jug of water was not a plentiful supply even for four.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading In any other circumstances, the difficulty and hazard of the undertaking would have prevented him from attempting it; but now he had, at all events, little prospect of life, and consequently little to lose, he bent his whole mind, therefore, upon the task.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading In any other circumstances, the difficulty and hazard of the undertaking would have prevented him from attempting it; but now he had, at all events, little prospect of life, and consequently little to lose, he bent his whole mind, therefore, upon the task.
fail to keep or to maintain; cease to have, either physically or in an abstract sense
From this reading In any other circumstances, the difficulty and hazard of the undertaking would have prevented him from attempting it; but now he had, at all events, little prospect of life, and consequently little to lose, he bent his whole mind, therefore, upon the task.
most important element
From this reading As he was thinking on this subject, the idea came all at once into his head that it might be possible to communicate with me by the way of the main hold.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He now came to the resolution of acquainting the first of the men who should come down with my situation, thinking it better to let me take my chance with the mutineers than perish of thirst in the hold,—for it had been ten days since I was first imprisoned, and my jug of water was not a plentiful supply even for four.
the force of workers available
From this reading He now came to the resolution of acquainting the first of the men who should come down with my situation, thinking it better to let me take my chance with the mutineers than perish of thirst in the hold,—for it had been ten days since I was first imprisoned, and my jug of water was not a plentiful supply even for four.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading As he was thinking on this subject, the idea came all at once into his head that it might be possible to communicate with me by the way of the main hold.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading In any other circumstances, the difficulty and hazard of the undertaking would have prevented him from attempting it; but now he had, at all events, little prospect of life, and consequently little to lose, he bent his whole mind, therefore, upon the task.
a written account of what transpired at a meeting
From this reading For some minutes after the cook had left the forecastle, Augustus abandoned himself to despair, never hoping to leave the berth alive.
mutineersnounUS /ˌmjuːtɪˈnɪrz/
plural of “mutineer” — someone who is openly rebellious and refuses to obey authorities (especially seamen or soldiers)
From this reading He now came to the resolution of acquainting the first of the men who should come down with my situation, thinking it better to let me take my chance with the mutineers than perish of thirst in the hold,—for it had been ten days since I was first imprisoned, and my jug of water was not a plentiful supply even for four.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading He now came to the resolution of acquainting the first of the men who should come down with my situation, thinking it better to let me take my chance with the mutineers than perish of thirst in the hold,—for it had been ten days since I was first imprisoned, and my jug of water was not a plentiful supply even for four.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading For some minutes after the cook had left the forecastle, Augustus abandoned himself to despair, never hoping to leave the berth alive.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading He now came to the resolution of acquainting the first of the men who should come down with my situation, thinking it better to let me take my chance with the mutineers than perish of thirst in the hold,—for it had been ten days since I was first imprisoned, and my jug of water was not a plentiful supply even for four.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading He now came to the resolution of acquainting the first of the men who should come down with my situation, thinking it better to let me take my chance with the mutineers than perish of thirst in the hold,—for it had been ten days since I was first imprisoned, and my jug of water was not a plentiful supply even for four.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He now came to the resolution of acquainting the first of the men who should come down with my situation, thinking it better to let me take my chance with the mutineers than perish of thirst in the hold,—for it had been ten days since I was first imprisoned, and my jug of water was not a plentiful supply even for four.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading As he was thinking on this subject, the idea came all at once into his head that it might be possible to communicate with me by the way of the main hold.
on one occasion
From this reading As he was thinking on this subject, the idea came all at once into his head that it might be possible to communicate with me by the way of the main hold.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading In any other circumstances, the difficulty and hazard of the undertaking would have prevented him from attempting it; but now he had, at all events, little prospect of life, and consequently little to lose, he bent his whole mind, therefore, upon the task.
perishverbUS /ˈperɪʃ/
pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life
From this reading He now came to the resolution of acquainting the first of the men who should come down with my situation, thinking it better to let me take my chance with the mutineers than perish of thirst in the hold,—for it had been ten days since I was first imprisoned, and my jug of water was not a plentiful supply even for four.
plentifuladjectiveUS /ˈplentəfəl/
existing in great number or quantity
From this reading He now came to the resolution of acquainting the first of the men who should come down with my situation, thinking it better to let me take my chance with the mutineers than perish of thirst in the hold,—for it had been ten days since I was first imprisoned, and my jug of water was not a plentiful supply even for four.
capable of happening or existing
From this reading As he was thinking on this subject, the idea came all at once into his head that it might be possible to communicate with me by the way of the main hold.
preventedverbUS /prɪˈventɪd/
past form of “prevent” — keep from happening or arising; make impossible
From this reading In any other circumstances, the difficulty and hazard of the undertaking would have prevented him from attempting it; but now he had, at all events, little prospect of life, and consequently little to lose, he bent his whole mind, therefore, upon the task.
the possibility of future success
From this reading In any other circumstances, the difficulty and hazard of the undertaking would have prevented him from attempting it; but now he had, at all events, little prospect of life, and consequently little to lose, he bent his whole mind, therefore, upon the task.
a formal expression by a meeting; agreed to by a vote
From this reading He now came to the resolution of acquainting the first of the men who should come down with my situation, thinking it better to let me take my chance with the mutineers than perish of thirst in the hold,—for it had been ten days since I was first imprisoned, and my jug of water was not a plentiful supply even for four.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading He now came to the resolution of acquainting the first of the men who should come down with my situation, thinking it better to let me take my chance with the mutineers than perish of thirst in the hold,—for it had been ten days since I was first imprisoned, and my jug of water was not a plentiful supply even for four.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading He now came to the resolution of acquainting the first of the men who should come down with my situation, thinking it better to let me take my chance with the mutineers than perish of thirst in the hold,—for it had been ten days since I was first imprisoned, and my jug of water was not a plentiful supply even for four.
the general state of things; the combination of circumstances at a given time
From this reading He now came to the resolution of acquainting the first of the men who should come down with my situation, thinking it better to let me take my chance with the mutineers than perish of thirst in the hold,—for it had been ten days since I was first imprisoned, and my jug of water was not a plentiful supply even for four.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading For some minutes after the cook had left the forecastle, Augustus abandoned himself to despair, never hoping to leave the berth alive.
the subject matter of a conversation or discussion
From this reading As he was thinking on this subject, the idea came all at once into his head that it might be possible to communicate with me by the way of the main hold.
give something useful or necessary to
From this reading He now came to the resolution of acquainting the first of the men who should come down with my situation, thinking it better to let me take my chance with the mutineers than perish of thirst in the hold,—for it had been ten days since I was first imprisoned, and my jug of water was not a plentiful supply even for four.
carry out
From this reading He now came to the resolution of acquainting the first of the men who should come down with my situation, thinking it better to let me take my chance with the mutineers than perish of thirst in the hold,—for it had been ten days since I was first imprisoned, and my jug of water was not a plentiful supply even for four.
any piece of work that is undertaken or attempted
From this reading In any other circumstances, the difficulty and hazard of the undertaking would have prevented him from attempting it; but now he had, at all events, little prospect of life, and consequently little to lose, he bent his whole mind, therefore, upon the task.
the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system
From this reading He now came to the resolution of acquainting the first of the men who should come down with my situation, thinking it better to let me take my chance with the mutineers than perish of thirst in the hold,—for it had been ten days since I was first imprisoned, and my jug of water was not a plentiful supply even for four.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading He now came to the resolution of acquainting the first of the men who should come down with my situation, thinking it better to let me take my chance with the mutineers than perish of thirst in the hold,—for it had been ten days since I was first imprisoned, and my jug of water was not a plentiful supply even for four.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading As he was thinking on this subject, the idea came all at once into his head that it might be possible to communicate with me by the way of the main hold.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading For some minutes after the cook had left the forecastle, Augustus abandoned himself to despair, never hoping to leave the berth alive.
for that reason; as a result
From this reading In any other circumstances, the difficulty and hazard of the undertaking would have prevented him from attempting it; but now he had, at all events, little prospect of life, and consequently little to lose, he bent his whole mind, therefore, upon the task.
the process of using your mind to consider something carefully
From this reading He now came to the resolution of acquainting the first of the men who should come down with my situation, thinking it better to let me take my chance with the mutineers than perish of thirst in the hold,—for it had been ten days since I was first imprisoned, and my jug of water was not a plentiful supply even for four.
thirstnounUS /θɜːrst/
a physiological need to drink
From this reading He now came to the resolution of acquainting the first of the men who should come down with my situation, thinking it better to let me take my chance with the mutineers than perish of thirst in the hold,—for it had been ten days since I was first imprisoned, and my jug of water was not a plentiful supply even for four.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading As he was thinking on this subject, the idea came all at once into his head that it might be possible to communicate with me by the way of the main hold.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading For some minutes after the cook had left the forecastle, Augustus abandoned himself to despair, never hoping to leave the berth alive.
undertakingnounUS /ˈʌndərteɪkɪŋ/
any piece of work that is undertaken or attempted
From this reading In any other circumstances, the difficulty and hazard of the undertaking would have prevented him from attempting it; but now he had, at all events, little prospect of life, and consequently little to lose, he bent his whole mind, therefore, upon the task.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading In any other circumstances, the difficulty and hazard of the undertaking would have prevented him from attempting it; but now he had, at all events, little prospect of life, and consequently little to lose, he bent his whole mind, therefore, upon the task.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He now came to the resolution of acquainting the first of the men who should come down with my situation, thinking it better to let me take my chance with the mutineers than perish of thirst in the hold,—for it had been ten days since I was first imprisoned, and my jug of water was not a plentiful supply even for four.
binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent
From this reading He now came to the resolution of acquainting the first of the men who should come down with my situation, thinking it better to let me take my chance with the mutineers than perish of thirst in the hold,—for it had been ten days since I was first imprisoned, and my jug of water was not a plentiful supply even for four.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading As he was thinking on this subject, the idea came all at once into his head that it might be possible to communicate with me by the way of the main hold.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading His handcuffs were the first consideration.
which person or people
From this reading He now came to the resolution of acquainting the first of the men who should come down with my situation, thinking it better to let me take my chance with the mutineers than perish of thirst in the hold,—for it had been ten days since I was first imprisoned, and my jug of water was not a plentiful supply even for four.
including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete
From this reading In any other circumstances, the difficulty and hazard of the undertaking would have prevented him from attempting it; but now he had, at all events, little prospect of life, and consequently little to lose, he bent his whole mind, therefore, upon the task.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He now came to the resolution of acquainting the first of the men who should come down with my situation, thinking it better to let me take my chance with the mutineers than perish of thirst in the hold,—for it had been ten days since I was first imprisoned, and my jug of water was not a plentiful supply even for four.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading In any other circumstances, the difficulty and hazard of the undertaking would have prevented him from attempting it; but now he had, at all events, little prospect of life, and consequently little to lose, he bent his whole mind, therefore, upon the task.
