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The Boy Tar
The Boy Tar

Chapter III

Cover illustration for The Boy Tar
Context Illustration Reading 1/80 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
So far as being washed away was concerned, I had no longer anything to fear.
The post itself might go, but not without me, or I without it.
From that time forward I was as much part of the signal-staff as the barrel at its top--indeed, more, I fancy--for a ship's hawser would not have bound me faster to it than did the flaps of that strong corduroy.
Had the keeping close to the signal-staff been all that was wanted I should have done well enough, but, alas!
I was not yet out of danger; and it was not long ere I perceived that my situation was but little improved.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Boy Tar

Chapter III

Reading 1/80 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
So far as being washed away was concerned, I had no longer anything to fear.
Line 2
The post itself might go, but not without me, or I without it.
Line 3
From that time forward I was as much part of the signal-staff as the barrel at its top--indeed, more, I fancy--for a ship's hawser would not have bound me faster to it than did the flaps of that strong corduroy.
Line 4
Had the keeping close to the signal-staff been all that was wanted I should have done well enough, but, alas!
Line 5
I was not yet out of danger; and it was not long ere I perceived that my situation was but little improved.

Learner Dictionary

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.

Alas exclamation US /əˈlæs/

used to show sadness, pity, or regret

From this reading “Had the keeping close to the signal-staff been all that was wanted I should have done well enough, but, alas!”

Anything pronoun US /ˈeniθɪŋ/

any thing at all

From this reading “So far as being washed away was concerned, I had no longer anything to fear.”

Been auxiliary verb US /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading “Had the keeping close to the signal-staff been all that was wanted I should have done well enough, but, alas!”

Being auxiliary verb US /ˈbiːɪŋ/

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading “So far as being washed away was concerned, I had no longer anything to fear.”

Done noun US /done/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Had the keeping close to the signal-staff been all that was wanted I should have done well enough, but, alas!”

Ere conjunction US /er/

an old word for “before”

From this reading “I was not yet out of danger; and it was not long ere I perceived that my situation was but little improved.”

Forward noun US /forward/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “From that time forward I was as much part of the signal-staff as the barrel at its top--indeed, more, I fancy--for a ship's hawser would not have bound me faster to it than did the flaps of that strong corduroy.”

Have auxiliary verb US /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “From that time forward I was as much part of the signal-staff as the barrel at its top--indeed, more, I fancy--for a ship's hawser would not have bound me faster to it than did the flaps of that strong corduroy.”

Itself pronoun US /ˌɪtˈself/

used when the thing doing the action is also its object

From this reading “The post itself might go, but not without me, or I without it.”

Little noun US /little/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “I was not yet out of danger; and it was not long ere I perceived that my situation was but little improved.”

Long noun US /long/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “I was not yet out of danger; and it was not long ere I perceived that my situation was but little improved.”

Might modal verb US /maɪt/

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading “The post itself might go, but not without me, or I without it.”

Part noun US /part/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “From that time forward I was as much part of the signal-staff as the barrel at its top--indeed, more, I fancy--for a ship's hawser would not have bound me faster to it than did the flaps of that strong corduroy.”

Time noun US /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “From that time forward I was as much part of the signal-staff as the barrel at its top--indeed, more, I fancy--for a ship's hawser would not have bound me faster to it than did the flaps of that strong corduroy.”

Well noun US /well/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Had the keeping close to the signal-staff been all that was wanted I should have done well enough, but, alas!”

Without preposition US /wɪˈθaʊt/

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading “The post itself might go, but not without me, or I without it.”

Would modal verb US /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading “From that time forward I was as much part of the signal-staff as the barrel at its top--indeed, more, I fancy--for a ship's hawser would not have bound me faster to it than did the flaps of that strong corduroy.”

Yet conjunction US /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading “I was not yet out of danger; and it was not long ere I perceived that my situation was but little improved.”

All words in this reading · 75

Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

adeterminerUS /ə/

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

From this reading From that time forward I was as much part of the signal-staff as the barrel at its top--indeed, more, I fancy--for a ship's hawser would not have bound me faster to it than did the flaps of that strong corduroy.

alasexclamationUS /əˈlæs/

used to show sadness, pity, or regret

From this reading Had the keeping close to the signal-staff been all that was wanted I should have done well enough, but, alas!

all

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

From this reading Had the keeping close to the signal-staff been all that was wanted I should have done well enough, but, alas!

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading I was not yet out of danger; and it was not long ere I perceived that my situation was but little improved.

anythingpronounUS /ˈeniθɪŋ/

any thing at all

From this reading So far as being washed away was concerned, I had no longer anything to fear.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading So far as being washed away was concerned, I had no longer anything to fear.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading From that time forward I was as much part of the signal-staff as the barrel at its top--indeed, more, I fancy--for a ship's hawser would not have bound me faster to it than did the flaps of that strong corduroy.

away

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

From this reading So far as being washed away was concerned, I had no longer anything to fear.

barrel

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

From this reading From that time forward I was as much part of the signal-staff as the barrel at its top--indeed, more, I fancy--for a ship's hawser would not have bound me faster to it than did the flaps of that strong corduroy.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading Had the keeping close to the signal-staff been all that was wanted I should have done well enough, but, alas!

beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading So far as being washed away was concerned, I had no longer anything to fear.

bound

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

From this reading From that time forward I was as much part of the signal-staff as the barrel at its top--indeed, more, I fancy--for a ship's hawser would not have bound me faster to it than did the flaps of that strong corduroy.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading The post itself might go, but not without me, or I without it.

close

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

From this reading Had the keeping close to the signal-staff been all that was wanted I should have done well enough, but, alas!

concerned

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

From this reading So far as being washed away was concerned, I had no longer anything to fear.

corduroy

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

From this reading From that time forward I was as much part of the signal-staff as the barrel at its top--indeed, more, I fancy--for a ship's hawser would not have bound me faster to it than did the flaps of that strong corduroy.

danger

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

From this reading I was not yet out of danger; and it was not long ere I perceived that my situation was but little improved.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading From that time forward I was as much part of the signal-staff as the barrel at its top--indeed, more, I fancy--for a ship's hawser would not have bound me faster to it than did the flaps of that strong corduroy.

donenounUS /done/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Had the keeping close to the signal-staff been all that was wanted I should have done well enough, but, alas!

enough

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

From this reading Had the keeping close to the signal-staff been all that was wanted I should have done well enough, but, alas!

ereconjunctionUS /er/

an old word for “before”

From this reading I was not yet out of danger; and it was not long ere I perceived that my situation was but little improved.

fancy

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

From this reading From that time forward I was as much part of the signal-staff as the barrel at its top--indeed, more, I fancy--for a ship's hawser would not have bound me faster to it than did the flaps of that strong corduroy.

far

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

From this reading So far as being washed away was concerned, I had no longer anything to fear.

faster

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

From this reading From that time forward I was as much part of the signal-staff as the barrel at its top--indeed, more, I fancy--for a ship's hawser would not have bound me faster to it than did the flaps of that strong corduroy.

fear

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

From this reading So far as being washed away was concerned, I had no longer anything to fear.

flaps

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

From this reading From that time forward I was as much part of the signal-staff as the barrel at its top--indeed, more, I fancy--for a ship's hawser would not have bound me faster to it than did the flaps of that strong corduroy.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading From that time forward I was as much part of the signal-staff as the barrel at its top--indeed, more, I fancy--for a ship's hawser would not have bound me faster to it than did the flaps of that strong corduroy.

forwardnounUS /forward/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading From that time forward I was as much part of the signal-staff as the barrel at its top--indeed, more, I fancy--for a ship's hawser would not have bound me faster to it than did the flaps of that strong corduroy.

FromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading From that time forward I was as much part of the signal-staff as the barrel at its top--indeed, more, I fancy--for a ship's hawser would not have bound me faster to it than did the flaps of that strong corduroy.

go

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

From this reading The post itself might go, but not without me, or I without it.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading So far as being washed away was concerned, I had no longer anything to fear.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading From that time forward I was as much part of the signal-staff as the barrel at its top--indeed, more, I fancy--for a ship's hawser would not have bound me faster to it than did the flaps of that strong corduroy.

hawser

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

From this reading From that time forward I was as much part of the signal-staff as the barrel at its top--indeed, more, I fancy--for a ship's hawser would not have bound me faster to it than did the flaps of that strong corduroy.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading So far as being washed away was concerned, I had no longer anything to fear.

improved

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

From this reading I was not yet out of danger; and it was not long ere I perceived that my situation was but little improved.

indeed

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

From this reading From that time forward I was as much part of the signal-staff as the barrel at its top--indeed, more, I fancy--for a ship's hawser would not have bound me faster to it than did the flaps of that strong corduroy.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading The post itself might go, but not without me, or I without it.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading From that time forward I was as much part of the signal-staff as the barrel at its top--indeed, more, I fancy--for a ship's hawser would not have bound me faster to it than did the flaps of that strong corduroy.

itselfpronounUS /ˌɪtˈself/

used when the thing doing the action is also its object

From this reading The post itself might go, but not without me, or I without it.

keeping

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

From this reading Had the keeping close to the signal-staff been all that was wanted I should have done well enough, but, alas!

littlenounUS /little/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading I was not yet out of danger; and it was not long ere I perceived that my situation was but little improved.

longnounUS /long/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading I was not yet out of danger; and it was not long ere I perceived that my situation was but little improved.

longer

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

From this reading So far as being washed away was concerned, I had no longer anything to fear.

mepronounUS /miː/

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading The post itself might go, but not without me, or I without it.

mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading The post itself might go, but not without me, or I without it.

more

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

From this reading From that time forward I was as much part of the signal-staff as the barrel at its top--indeed, more, I fancy--for a ship's hawser would not have bound me faster to it than did the flaps of that strong corduroy.

much

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

From this reading From that time forward I was as much part of the signal-staff as the barrel at its top--indeed, more, I fancy--for a ship's hawser would not have bound me faster to it than did the flaps of that strong corduroy.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading I was not yet out of danger; and it was not long ere I perceived that my situation was but little improved.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading So far as being washed away was concerned, I had no longer anything to fear.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading The post itself might go, but not without me, or I without it.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading From that time forward I was as much part of the signal-staff as the barrel at its top--indeed, more, I fancy--for a ship's hawser would not have bound me faster to it than did the flaps of that strong corduroy.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading The post itself might go, but not without me, or I without it.

out

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

From this reading I was not yet out of danger; and it was not long ere I perceived that my situation was but little improved.

partnounUS /part/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading From that time forward I was as much part of the signal-staff as the barrel at its top--indeed, more, I fancy--for a ship's hawser would not have bound me faster to it than did the flaps of that strong corduroy.

perceived

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

From this reading I was not yet out of danger; and it was not long ere I perceived that my situation was but little improved.

post

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

From this reading The post itself might go, but not without me, or I without it.

ship's

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

From this reading From that time forward I was as much part of the signal-staff as the barrel at its top--indeed, more, I fancy--for a ship's hawser would not have bound me faster to it than did the flaps of that strong corduroy.

shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading Had the keeping close to the signal-staff been all that was wanted I should have done well enough, but, alas!

signal-staff

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

From this reading From that time forward I was as much part of the signal-staff as the barrel at its top--indeed, more, I fancy--for a ship's hawser would not have bound me faster to it than did the flaps of that strong corduroy.

situation

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

From this reading I was not yet out of danger; and it was not long ere I perceived that my situation was but little improved.

SoconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading So far as being washed away was concerned, I had no longer anything to fear.

strong

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

From this reading From that time forward I was as much part of the signal-staff as the barrel at its top--indeed, more, I fancy--for a ship's hawser would not have bound me faster to it than did the flaps of that strong corduroy.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading From that time forward I was as much part of the signal-staff as the barrel at its top--indeed, more, I fancy--for a ship's hawser would not have bound me faster to it than did the flaps of that strong corduroy.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading From that time forward I was as much part of the signal-staff as the barrel at its top--indeed, more, I fancy--for a ship's hawser would not have bound me faster to it than did the flaps of that strong corduroy.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading The post itself might go, but not without me, or I without it.

timenounUS /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading From that time forward I was as much part of the signal-staff as the barrel at its top--indeed, more, I fancy--for a ship's hawser would not have bound me faster to it than did the flaps of that strong corduroy.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading So far as being washed away was concerned, I had no longer anything to fear.

top

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

From this reading From that time forward I was as much part of the signal-staff as the barrel at its top--indeed, more, I fancy--for a ship's hawser would not have bound me faster to it than did the flaps of that strong corduroy.

wanted

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

From this reading Had the keeping close to the signal-staff been all that was wanted I should have done well enough, but, alas!

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading So far as being washed away was concerned, I had no longer anything to fear.

washed

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

From this reading So far as being washed away was concerned, I had no longer anything to fear.

well

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

From this reading Had the keeping close to the signal-staff been all that was wanted I should have done well enough, but, alas!

withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading The post itself might go, but not without me, or I without it.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading From that time forward I was as much part of the signal-staff as the barrel at its top--indeed, more, I fancy--for a ship's hawser would not have bound me faster to it than did the flaps of that strong corduroy.

yetconjunctionUS /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading I was not yet out of danger; and it was not long ere I perceived that my situation was but little improved.