Chapter I · Chapter 1

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading ________________________________________________________________________ This is an excellent book, telling of the adventures of three midshipmen and a much older sailor from a British warship that goes aground off the coast of Africa, well offshore, and sinks with all hands.

plural of “adventure” — a wild and exciting undertaking (not necessarily lawful)

From this reading ________________________________________________________________________ This is an excellent book, telling of the adventures of three midshipmen and a much older sailor from a British warship that goes aground off the coast of Africa, well offshore, and sinks with all hands.

aimlessly drifting

From this reading However these four find themselves afloat on a spar, which they paddle with their hands for several days until they reach the shore of Africa.

the second largest continent; located to the south of Europe and bordered to the west by the South Atlantic and to the east by the Indian Ocean

From this reading ________________________________________________________________________ This is an excellent book, telling of the adventures of three midshipmen and a much older sailor from a British warship that goes aground off the coast of Africa, well offshore, and sinks with all hands.

later than; following

From this reading Shortly after this they are taken prisoner by some Arabs, who intend to take them north to a town where they can be sold as slaves.

stuck in a place where a ship can no longer float

From this reading ________________________________________________________________________ This is an excellent book, telling of the adventures of three midshipmen and a much older sailor from a British warship that goes aground off the coast of Africa, well offshore, and sinks with all hands.

(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 ________________________________________________________________________ This is an excellent book, telling of the adventures of three midshipmen and a much older sailor from a British warship that goes aground off the coast of Africa, well offshore, and sinks with all hands.

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading ________________________________________________________________________ This is an excellent book, telling of the adventures of three midshipmen and a much older sailor from a British warship that goes aground off the coast of Africa, well offshore, and sinks with all hands.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading ________________________________________________________________________ This is an excellent book, telling of the adventures of three midshipmen and a much older sailor from a British warship that goes aground off the coast of Africa, well offshore, and sinks with all hands.

plural of “arab” — a member of a Semitic people originally from the Arabian peninsula and surrounding territories who speaks Arabic and who inhabits much of the Middle East and northern Africa

From this reading Shortly after this they are taken prisoner by some Arabs, who intend to take them north to a town where they can be sold as slaves.

the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading Shortly after this they are taken prisoner by some Arabs, who intend to take them north to a town where they can be sold as slaves.

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading Shortly after this they are taken prisoner by some Arabs, who intend to take them north to a town where they can be sold as slaves.

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading Shortly after this they are taken prisoner by some Arabs, who intend to take them north to a town where they can be sold as slaves.

a written work or composition that has been published (printed on pages bound together)

From this reading ________________________________________________________________________ This is an excellent book, telling of the adventures of three midshipmen and a much older sailor from a British warship that goes aground off the coast of Africa, well offshore, and sinks with all hands.

a youthful male person

From this reading The Boy Slaves, by Captain Mayne Reid.

the people of Great Britain

From this reading ________________________________________________________________________ This is an excellent book, telling of the adventures of three midshipmen and a much older sailor from a British warship that goes aground off the coast of Africa, well offshore, and sinks with all hands.

showing who or what does the action

From this reading The Boy Slaves, by Captain Mayne Reid.

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading Shortly after this they are taken prisoner by some Arabs, who intend to take them north to a town where they can be sold as slaves.

an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant

From this reading The Boy Slaves, by Captain Mayne Reid.

the shore of a sea or ocean

From this reading ________________________________________________________________________ This is an excellent book, telling of the adventures of three midshipmen and a much older sailor from a British warship that goes aground off the coast of Africa, well offshore, and sinks with all hands.

the time during which someone's life continues

From this reading However these four find themselves afloat on a spar, which they paddle with their hands for several days until they reach the shore of Africa.

plural of “deal” — a particular instance of buying or selling

From this reading The book deals with their adventures as they are driven north to be sold.

compelled forcibly by an outside agency

From this reading The book deals with their adventures as they are driven north to be sold.

very good; of the highest quality

From this reading ________________________________________________________________________ This is an excellent book, telling of the adventures of three midshipmen and a much older sailor from a British warship that goes aground off the coast of Africa, well offshore, and sinks with all hands.

come upon, as if by accident; meet with

From this reading However these four find themselves afloat on a spar, which they paddle with their hands for several days until they reach the shore of Africa.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading However these four find themselves afloat on a spar, which they paddle with their hands for several days until they reach the shore of Africa.

the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one

From this reading However these four find themselves afloat on a spar, which they paddle with their hands for several days until they reach the shore of Africa.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading ________________________________________________________________________ This is an excellent book, telling of the adventures of three midshipmen and a much older sailor from a British warship that goes aground off the coast of Africa, well offshore, and sinks with all hands.

plural of “go” — a time period for working (after which you will be relieved by someone else)

From this reading ________________________________________________________________________ This is an excellent book, telling of the adventures of three midshipmen and a much older sailor from a British warship that goes aground off the coast of Africa, well offshore, and sinks with all hands.

(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child

From this reading ________________________________________________________________________ This is an excellent book, telling of the adventures of three midshipmen and a much older sailor from a British warship that goes aground off the coast of Africa, well offshore, and sinks with all hands.

used to add a contrasting statement

From this reading However these four find themselves afloat on a spar, which they paddle with their hands for several days until they reach the shore of Africa.

have in mind as a purpose

From this reading Shortly after this they are taken prisoner by some Arabs, who intend to take them north to a town where they can be sold as slaves.

the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading ________________________________________________________________________ This is an excellent book, telling of the adventures of three midshipmen and a much older sailor from a British warship that goes aground off the coast of Africa, well offshore, and sinks with all hands.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The Boy Slaves, by Captain Mayne Reid.

plural of “midshipman” — a temporary rank held by young naval officers in training

From this reading ________________________________________________________________________ This is an excellent book, telling of the adventures of three midshipmen and a much older sailor from a British warship that goes aground off the coast of Africa, well offshore, and sinks with all hands.

to a great degree or extent

From this reading ________________________________________________________________________ This is an excellent book, telling of the adventures of three midshipmen and a much older sailor from a British warship that goes aground off the coast of Africa, well offshore, and sinks with all hands.

the region of the United States lying to the north of the Mason-Dixon line

From this reading Shortly after this they are taken prisoner by some Arabs, who intend to take them north to a town where they can be sold as slaves.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading ________________________________________________________________________ This is an excellent book, telling of the adventures of three midshipmen and a much older sailor from a British warship that goes aground off the coast of Africa, well offshore, and sinks with all hands.

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading ________________________________________________________________________ This is an excellent book, telling of the adventures of three midshipmen and a much older sailor from a British warship that goes aground off the coast of Africa, well offshore, and sinks with all hands.

away from shore; away from land

From this reading ________________________________________________________________________ This is an excellent book, telling of the adventures of three midshipmen and a much older sailor from a British warship that goes aground off the coast of Africa, well offshore, and sinks with all hands.

advanced in years; (“aged” is pronounced as two syllables)

From this reading ________________________________________________________________________ This is an excellent book, telling of the adventures of three midshipmen and a much older sailor from a British warship that goes aground off the coast of Africa, well offshore, and sinks with all hands.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading However these four find themselves afloat on a spar, which they paddle with their hands for several days until they reach the shore of Africa.

propel with a paddle

From this reading However these four find themselves afloat on a spar, which they paddle with their hands for several days until they reach the shore of Africa.

a person who is confined; especially a prisoner of war

From this reading Shortly after this they are taken prisoner by some Arabs, who intend to take them north to a town where they can be sold as slaves.

reach a destination, either real or abstract

From this reading However these four find themselves afloat on a spar, which they paddle with their hands for several days until they reach the shore of Africa.

Scottish philosopher of common sense who opposed the ideas of David Hume (1710-1796)

From this reading The Boy Slaves, by Captain Mayne Reid.

any member of a ship's crew

From this reading ________________________________________________________________________ This is an excellent book, telling of the adventures of three midshipmen and a much older sailor from a British warship that goes aground off the coast of Africa, well offshore, and sinks with all hands.

(used with count nouns) of an indefinite number more than 2 or 3 but not many

From this reading However these four find themselves afloat on a spar, which they paddle with their hands for several days until they reach the shore of Africa.

the land along the edge of a body of water

From this reading However these four find themselves afloat on a spar, which they paddle with their hands for several days until they reach the shore of Africa.

for a short time

From this reading Shortly after this they are taken prisoner by some Arabs, who intend to take them north to a town where they can be sold as slaves.

plural of “sink” — plumbing fixture consisting of a water basin fixed to a wall or floor and having a drainpipe

From this reading ________________________________________________________________________ This is an excellent book, telling of the adventures of three midshipmen and a much older sailor from a British warship that goes aground off the coast of Africa, well offshore, and sinks with all hands.

plural of “slave” — a person who is owned by someone

From this reading The Boy Slaves, by Captain Mayne Reid.

disposed of to a purchaser

From this reading Shortly after this they are taken prisoner by some Arabs, who intend to take them north to a town where they can be sold as slaves.

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading Shortly after this they are taken prisoner by some Arabs, who intend to take them north to a town where they can be sold as slaves.

furnish with spars

From this reading However these four find themselves afloat on a spar, which they paddle with their hands for several days until they reach the shore of Africa.

carry out

From this reading Shortly after this they are taken prisoner by some Arabs, who intend to take them north to a town where they can be sold as slaves.

understood in a certain way; made sense of

From this reading Shortly after this they are taken prisoner by some Arabs, who intend to take them north to a town where they can be sold as slaves.

disclosing unintentionally something concealed

From this reading ________________________________________________________________________ This is an excellent book, telling of the adventures of three midshipmen and a much older sailor from a British warship that goes aground off the coast of Africa, well offshore, and sinks with all hands.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading ________________________________________________________________________ This is an excellent book, telling of the adventures of three midshipmen and a much older sailor from a British warship that goes aground off the coast of Africa, well offshore, and sinks with all hands.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading The Boy Slaves, by Captain Mayne Reid.

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading However these four find themselves afloat on a spar, which they paddle with their hands for several days until they reach the shore of Africa.

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading Shortly after this they are taken prisoner by some Arabs, who intend to take them north to a town where they can be sold as slaves.

used when the people doing the action are also its object

From this reading However these four find themselves afloat on a spar, which they paddle with their hands for several days until they reach the shore of Africa.

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading However these four find themselves afloat on a spar, which they paddle with their hands for several days until they reach the shore of Africa.

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading However these four find themselves afloat on a spar, which they paddle with their hands for several days until they reach the shore of Africa.

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading ________________________________________________________________________ This is an excellent book, telling of the adventures of three midshipmen and a much older sailor from a British warship that goes aground off the coast of Africa, well offshore, and sinks with all hands.

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one

From this reading ________________________________________________________________________ This is an excellent book, telling of the adventures of three midshipmen and a much older sailor from a British warship that goes aground off the coast of Africa, well offshore, and sinks with all hands.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading Shortly after this they are taken prisoner by some Arabs, who intend to take them north to a town where they can be sold as slaves.

an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city

From this reading Shortly after this they are taken prisoner by some Arabs, who intend to take them north to a town where they can be sold as slaves.

up to a particular time

From this reading However these four find themselves afloat on a spar, which they paddle with their hands for several days until they reach the shore of Africa.

a government ship that is available for waging war

From this reading ________________________________________________________________________ This is an excellent book, telling of the adventures of three midshipmen and a much older sailor from a British warship that goes aground off the coast of Africa, well offshore, and sinks with all hands.

(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)

From this reading ________________________________________________________________________ This is an excellent book, telling of the adventures of three midshipmen and a much older sailor from a British warship that goes aground off the coast of Africa, well offshore, and sinks with all hands.

in or at the place that

From this reading Shortly after this they are taken prisoner by some Arabs, who intend to take them north to a town where they can be sold as slaves.

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading However these four find themselves afloat on a spar, which they paddle with their hands for several days until they reach the shore of Africa.

which person or people

From this reading Shortly after this they are taken prisoner by some Arabs, who intend to take them north to a town where they can be sold as slaves.

in the company of; together with

From this reading ________________________________________________________________________ This is an excellent book, telling of the adventures of three midshipmen and a much older sailor from a British warship that goes aground off the coast of Africa, well offshore, and sinks with all hands.