adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Otoo and I were on the beach in Samoa--we really were on the beach and hard aground--when my chance came to go as recruiter on a blackbird brig.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Otoo signed on before the mast; and for the next half-dozen years, in as many ships, we knocked about the wildest portions of Melanesia.
agroundadjectiveUS /əˈɡraʊnd/
stuck in a place where a ship can no longer float
From this reading Otoo and I were on the beach in Samoa--we really were on the beach and hard aground--when my chance came to go as recruiter on a blackbird brig.
alwaysadverbUS /ˈɔːlweɪz/
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading Otoo saw to it that he always pulled stroke-oar in my boat.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Otoo and I were on the beach in Samoa--we really were on the beach and hard aground--when my chance came to go as recruiter on a blackbird brig.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Otoo and I were on the beach in Samoa--we really were on the beach and hard aground--when my chance came to go as recruiter on a blackbird brig.
beachnounUS /biːtʃ/
an area of sand sloping down to the water of a sea or lake
From this reading Otoo and I were on the beach in Samoa--we really were on the beach and hard aground--when my chance came to go as recruiter on a blackbird brig.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading I had had some experience in blackbirding before I went pearling in the Paumotus.
blackbirdnounUS /ˈblækbərd/
any bird of the family Icteridae whose male is black or predominantly black
From this reading Otoo and I were on the beach in Samoa--we really were on the beach and hard aground--when my chance came to go as recruiter on a blackbird brig.
blackbirding
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had had some experience in blackbirding before I went pearling in the Paumotus.
boatnounUS /boʊt/
a small vessel for travel on water
From this reading Otoo saw to it that he always pulled stroke-oar in my boat.
brignounUS /brɪɡ/
two-masted sailing vessel square-rigged on both masts
From this reading Otoo and I were on the beach in Samoa--we really were on the beach and hard aground--when my chance came to go as recruiter on a blackbird brig.
cameverbUS /keɪm/
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Otoo and I were on the beach in Samoa--we really were on the beach and hard aground--when my chance came to go as recruiter on a blackbird brig.
chancenounUS /tʃæns/
a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances
From this reading Otoo and I were on the beach in Samoa--we really were on the beach and hard aground--when my chance came to go as recruiter on a blackbird brig.
experienceverbUS /ɪkˈspɪriəns/
undergo or live through a difficult experience
From this reading I had had some experience in blackbirding before I went pearling in the Paumotus.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Otoo signed on before the mast; and for the next half-dozen years, in as many ships, we knocked about the wildest portions of Melanesia.
giveverbUS /ɡɪv/
cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading Of numerous instances, let me give one.
goverbUS /ɡoʊ/
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading Otoo and I were on the beach in Samoa--we really were on the beach and hard aground--when my chance came to go as recruiter on a blackbird brig.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading I had had some experience in blackbirding before I went pearling in the Paumotus.
half-dozenadjectiveUS /ˈhæfdʌzən/
denoting a quantity consisting of six items or units
From this reading Otoo signed on before the mast; and for the next half-dozen years, in as many ships, we knocked about the wildest portions of Melanesia.
hardadjectiveUS /hɑːrd/
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading Otoo and I were on the beach in Samoa--we really were on the beach and hard aground--when my chance came to go as recruiter on a blackbird brig.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Otoo saw to it that he always pulled stroke-oar in my boat.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I had had some experience in blackbirding before I went pearling in the Paumotus.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading I had had some experience in blackbirding before I went pearling in the Paumotus.
instancesnounUS /ˈɪnstənsəz/
plural of “instance” — an occurrence of something
From this reading Of numerous instances, let me give one.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Otoo saw to it that he always pulled stroke-oar in my boat.
knockedverbUS /nɑːkt/
past form of “knock” — deliver a sharp blow or push
From this reading Otoo signed on before the mast; and for the next half-dozen years, in as many ships, we knocked about the wildest portions of Melanesia.
letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading Of numerous instances, let me give one.
manyadjectiveUS /ˈmeni/
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 Otoo signed on before the mast; and for the next half-dozen years, in as many ships, we knocked about the wildest portions of Melanesia.
mastnounUS /mæst/
a vertical spar for supporting sails
From this reading Otoo signed on before the mast; and for the next half-dozen years, in as many ships, we knocked about the wildest portions of Melanesia.
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Of numerous instances, let me give one.
Melanesianoun
the islands in the southwestern part of Oceania
From this reading Otoo signed on before the mast; and for the next half-dozen years, in as many ships, we knocked about the wildest portions of Melanesia.
mydeterminerUS /maɪ/
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading Otoo and I were on the beach in Samoa--we really were on the beach and hard aground--when my chance came to go as recruiter on a blackbird brig.
nextadjectiveUS /nekst/
immediately following in time or order
From this reading Otoo signed on before the mast; and for the next half-dozen years, in as many ships, we knocked about the wildest portions of Melanesia.
numerousadjectiveUS /ˈnuːmərəs/
amounting to a large indefinite number
From this reading Of numerous instances, let me give one.
OfprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Of numerous instances, let me give one.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Otoo and I were on the beach in Samoa--we really were on the beach and hard aground--when my chance came to go as recruiter on a blackbird brig.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Of numerous instances, let me give one.
Otoo
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Otoo and I were on the beach in Samoa--we really were on the beach and hard aground--when my chance came to go as recruiter on a blackbird brig.
Paumotus
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had had some experience in blackbirding before I went pearling in the Paumotus.
pearlingverbUS /ˈpɜːrlɪŋ/
-ing form of “pearl” — gather pearls, from oysters in the ocean
From this reading I had had some experience in blackbirding before I went pearling in the Paumotus.
portionsnounUS /ˈpɔːrʃənz/
plural of “portion” — something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading Otoo signed on before the mast; and for the next half-dozen years, in as many ships, we knocked about the wildest portions of Melanesia.
pulledverbUS /pʊld/
past form of “pull” — cause to move by pulling
From this reading Otoo saw to it that he always pulled stroke-oar in my boat.
reallyadverbUS /ˈrɪli/
in accordance with truth or fact or reality
From this reading Otoo and I were on the beach in Samoa--we really were on the beach and hard aground--when my chance came to go as recruiter on a blackbird brig.
recruiternounUS /rɪˈkruːtər/
someone who supplies members or employees
From this reading Otoo and I were on the beach in Samoa--we really were on the beach and hard aground--when my chance came to go as recruiter on a blackbird brig.
SamoanounUS /səˈmoʊə/
a constitutional monarchy on the western part of the islands of Samoa in the South Pacific
From this reading Otoo and I were on the beach in Samoa--we really were on the beach and hard aground--when my chance came to go as recruiter on a blackbird brig.
sawverbUS /sɔː/
cut with a saw
From this reading Otoo saw to it that he always pulled stroke-oar in my boat.
shipsnounUS /ʃɪps/
plural of “ship” — a vessel that carries passengers or freight
From this reading Otoo signed on before the mast; and for the next half-dozen years, in as many ships, we knocked about the wildest portions of Melanesia.
signedadjectiveUS /saɪnd/
having a handwritten signature
From this reading Otoo signed on before the mast; and for the next half-dozen years, in as many ships, we knocked about the wildest portions of Melanesia.
someadjectiveUS /sʌm/
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading I had had some experience in blackbirding before I went pearling in the Paumotus.
stroke-oar
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Otoo saw to it that he always pulled stroke-oar in my boat.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Otoo saw to it that he always pulled stroke-oar in my boat.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading I had had some experience in blackbirding before I went pearling in the Paumotus.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Otoo and I were on the beach in Samoa--we really were on the beach and hard aground--when my chance came to go as recruiter on a blackbird brig.
wepronounUS /wiː/
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading Otoo and I were on the beach in Samoa--we really were on the beach and hard aground--when my chance came to go as recruiter on a blackbird brig.
wentverbUS /went/
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading I had had some experience in blackbirding before I went pearling in the Paumotus.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Otoo and I were on the beach in Samoa--we really were on the beach and hard aground--when my chance came to go as recruiter on a blackbird brig.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading Otoo and I were on the beach in Samoa--we really were on the beach and hard aground--when my chance came to go as recruiter on a blackbird brig.
wildestadjectiveUS /ˈwaɪldɪst/
superlative of “wild” — marked by extreme lack of restraint or control
From this reading Otoo signed on before the mast; and for the next half-dozen years, in as many ships, we knocked about the wildest portions of Melanesia.
yearsnounUS /jɪrz/
a late time of life
From this reading Otoo signed on before the mast; and for the next half-dozen years, in as many ships, we knocked about the wildest portions of Melanesia.
