Chapter IX

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

From this reading “Wall, we ain’t a calc’latin’ on that,” replied Cap’n Pem, “but jes’ the same, we wouldn’t be so bad off ef she didn’t.

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

From this reading We’ve got a-plenty o’ grub an’ if wusser come to wusser I reckon we could salt down enough Jackasses an’ albatrosses an’ sea elephants to keep us alive fer quite some spell.

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

From this reading “Wall, we ain’t a calc’latin’ on that,” replied Cap’n Pem, “but jes’ the same, we wouldn’t be so bad off ef she didn’t.

plural of “albatross” — (figurative) something that hinders or handicaps

From this reading We’ve got a-plenty o’ grub an’ if wusser come to wusser I reckon we could salt down enough Jackasses an’ albatrosses an’ sea elephants to keep us alive fer quite some spell.

possessing life

From this reading We’ve got a-plenty o’ grub an’ if wusser come to wusser I reckon we could salt down enough Jackasses an’ albatrosses an’ sea elephants to keep us alive fer quite some spell.

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

From this reading We’ve got a-plenty o’ grub an’ if wusser come to wusser I reckon we could salt down enough Jackasses an’ albatrosses an’ sea elephants to keep us alive fer quite some spell.

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

From this reading SPINNING YARNS “Suppose she should be wrecked and never came back!” asked Tom as they turned away from watching the bark sail.

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

From this reading SPINNING YARNS “Suppose she should be wrecked and never came back!” asked Tom as they turned away from watching the bark sail.

past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody

From this reading SPINNING YARNS “Suppose she should be wrecked and never came back!” asked Tom as they turned away from watching the bark sail.

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading SPINNING YARNS “Suppose she should be wrecked and never came back!” asked Tom as they turned away from watching the bark sail.

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading SPINNING YARNS “Suppose she should be wrecked and never came back!” asked Tom as they turned away from watching the bark sail.

having undesirable or negative qualities

From this reading “Wall, we ain’t a calc’latin’ on that,” replied Cap’n Pem, “but jes’ the same, we wouldn’t be so bad off ef she didn’t.

tough protective covering of the woody stems and roots of trees and other woody plants

From this reading SPINNING YARNS “Suppose she should be wrecked and never came back!” asked Tom as they turned away from watching the bark sail.

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

From this reading SPINNING YARNS “Suppose she should be wrecked and never came back!” asked Tom as they turned away from watching the bark sail.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading ’Twouldn’t be the fust time folks has been lef’ down this way count o’ their ships not turnin’ up in time.”

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading “Wall, we ain’t a calc’latin’ on that,” replied Cap’n Pem, “but jes’ the same, we wouldn’t be so bad off ef she didn’t.

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

From this reading “Wall, we ain’t a calc’latin’ on that,” replied Cap’n Pem, “but jes’ the same, we wouldn’t be so bad off ef she didn’t.

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading SPINNING YARNS “Suppose she should be wrecked and never came back!” asked Tom as they turned away from watching the bark sail.

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

From this reading “Wall, we ain’t a calc’latin’ on that,” replied Cap’n Pem, “but jes’ the same, we wouldn’t be so bad off ef she didn’t.

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading We’ve got a-plenty o’ grub an’ if wusser come to wusser I reckon we could salt down enough Jackasses an’ albatrosses an’ sea elephants to keep us alive fer quite some spell.

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading We’ve got a-plenty o’ grub an’ if wusser come to wusser I reckon we could salt down enough Jackasses an’ albatrosses an’ sea elephants to keep us alive fer quite some spell.

determine the number or amount of

From this reading ’Twouldn’t be the fust time folks has been lef’ down this way count o’ their ships not turnin’ up in time.”

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

From this reading “Wall, we ain’t a calc’latin’ on that,” replied Cap’n Pem, “but jes’ the same, we wouldn’t be so bad off ef she didn’t.

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading We’ve got a-plenty o’ grub an’ if wusser come to wusser I reckon we could salt down enough Jackasses an’ albatrosses an’ sea elephants to keep us alive fer quite some spell.

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

From this reading “Wall, we ain’t a calc’latin’ on that,” replied Cap’n Pem, “but jes’ the same, we wouldn’t be so bad off ef she didn’t.

plural of “elephant” — five-toed pachyderm

From this reading We’ve got a-plenty o’ grub an’ if wusser come to wusser I reckon we could salt down enough Jackasses an’ albatrosses an’ sea elephants to keep us alive fer quite some spell.

an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose

From this reading We’ve got a-plenty o’ grub an’ if wusser come to wusser I reckon we could salt down enough Jackasses an’ albatrosses an’ sea elephants to keep us alive fer quite some spell.

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

From this reading We’ve got a-plenty o’ grub an’ if wusser come to wusser I reckon we could salt down enough Jackasses an’ albatrosses an’ sea elephants to keep us alive fer quite some spell.

your parents

From this reading ’Twouldn’t be the fust time folks has been lef’ down this way count o’ their ships not turnin’ up in time.”

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading SPINNING YARNS “Suppose she should be wrecked and never came back!” asked Tom as they turned away from watching the bark sail.

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

From this reading ’Twouldn’t be the fust time folks has been lef’ down this way count o’ their ships not turnin’ up in time.”

inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading We’ve got a-plenty o’ grub an’ if wusser come to wusser I reckon we could salt down enough Jackasses an’ albatrosses an’ sea elephants to keep us alive fer quite some spell.

informal terms for a meal

From this reading We’ve got a-plenty o’ grub an’ if wusser come to wusser I reckon we could salt down enough Jackasses an’ albatrosses an’ sea elephants to keep us alive fer quite some spell.

come to pass

From this reading “What _would_ happen to us?”

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

From this reading ’Twouldn’t be the fust time folks has been lef’ down this way count o’ their ships not turnin’ up in time.”

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

From this reading We’ve got a-plenty o’ grub an’ if wusser come to wusser I reckon we could salt down enough Jackasses an’ albatrosses an’ sea elephants to keep us alive fer quite some spell.

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading We’ve got a-plenty o’ grub an’ if wusser come to wusser I reckon we could salt down enough Jackasses an’ albatrosses an’ sea elephants to keep us alive fer quite some spell.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading ’Twouldn’t be the fust time folks has been lef’ down this way count o’ their ships not turnin’ up in time.”

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

From this reading We’ve got a-plenty o’ grub an’ if wusser come to wusser I reckon we could salt down enough Jackasses an’ albatrosses an’ sea elephants to keep us alive fer quite some spell.

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

From this reading “Wall, we ain’t a calc’latin’ on that,” replied Cap’n Pem, “but jes’ the same, we wouldn’t be so bad off ef she didn’t.

cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”

From this reading We’ve got a-plenty o’ grub an’ if wusser come to wusser I reckon we could salt down enough Jackasses an’ albatrosses an’ sea elephants to keep us alive fer quite some spell.

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

From this reading ’Twouldn’t be the fust time folks has been lef’ down this way count o’ their ships not turnin’ up in time.”

not ever; at no time in the past or future

From this reading SPINNING YARNS “Suppose she should be wrecked and never came back!” asked Tom as they turned away from watching the bark sail.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading ’Twouldn’t be the fust time folks has been lef’ down this way count o’ their ships not turnin’ up in time.”

a nonmetallic bivalent element that is normally a colorless odorless tasteless nonflammable diatomic gas; constitutes 21 percent of the atmosphere by volume; the most abundant element in the earth's crust

From this reading We’ve got a-plenty o’ grub an’ if wusser come to wusser I reckon we could salt down enough Jackasses an’ albatrosses an’ sea elephants to keep us alive fer quite some spell.

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

From this reading “Wall, we ain’t a calc’latin’ on that,” replied Cap’n Pem, “but jes’ the same, we wouldn’t be so bad off ef she didn’t.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading “Wall, we ain’t a calc’latin’ on that,” replied Cap’n Pem, “but jes’ the same, we wouldn’t be so bad off ef she didn’t.

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

From this reading “Wall, we ain’t a calc’latin’ on that,” replied Cap’n Pem, “but jes’ the same, we wouldn’t be so bad off ef she didn’t.

to a degree (not used with a negative)

From this reading We’ve got a-plenty o’ grub an’ if wusser come to wusser I reckon we could salt down enough Jackasses an’ albatrosses an’ sea elephants to keep us alive fer quite some spell.

expect, believe, or suppose

From this reading We’ve got a-plenty o’ grub an’ if wusser come to wusser I reckon we could salt down enough Jackasses an’ albatrosses an’ sea elephants to keep us alive fer quite some spell.

inflected form of “reply” — react verbally

From this reading “Wall, we ain’t a calc’latin’ on that,” replied Cap’n Pem, “but jes’ the same, we wouldn’t be so bad off ef she didn’t.

traverse or travel on (a body of water)

From this reading SPINNING YARNS “Suppose she should be wrecked and never came back!” asked Tom as they turned away from watching the bark sail.

a compound formed by replacing hydrogen in an acid by a metal (or a radical that acts like a metal)

From this reading We’ve got a-plenty o’ grub an’ if wusser come to wusser I reckon we could salt down enough Jackasses an’ albatrosses an’ sea elephants to keep us alive fer quite some spell.

Identical; not different.

From this reading “Wall, we ain’t a calc’latin’ on that,” replied Cap’n Pem, “but jes’ the same, we wouldn’t be so bad off ef she didn’t.

a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land

From this reading We’ve got a-plenty o’ grub an’ if wusser come to wusser I reckon we could salt down enough Jackasses an’ albatrosses an’ sea elephants to keep us alive fer quite some spell.

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading SPINNING YARNS “Suppose she should be wrecked and never came back!” asked Tom as they turned away from watching the bark sail.

plural of “ship” — a vessel that carries passengers or freight

From this reading ’Twouldn’t be the fust time folks has been lef’ down this way count o’ their ships not turnin’ up in time.”

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading SPINNING YARNS “Suppose she should be wrecked and never came back!” asked Tom as they turned away from watching the bark sail.

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading “Wall, we ain’t a calc’latin’ on that,” replied Cap’n Pem, “but jes’ the same, we wouldn’t be so bad off ef she didn’t.

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

From this reading We’ve got a-plenty o’ grub an’ if wusser come to wusser I reckon we could salt down enough Jackasses an’ albatrosses an’ sea elephants to keep us alive fer quite some spell.

orally recite the letters of or give the spelling of

From this reading We’ve got a-plenty o’ grub an’ if wusser come to wusser I reckon we could salt down enough Jackasses an’ albatrosses an’ sea elephants to keep us alive fer quite some spell.

creating thread

From this reading SPINNING YARNS “Suppose she should be wrecked and never came back!” asked Tom as they turned away from watching the bark sail.

express a supposition

From this reading SPINNING YARNS “Suppose she should be wrecked and never came back!” asked Tom as they turned away from watching the bark sail.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading “Wall, we ain’t a calc’latin’ on that,” replied Cap’n Pem, “but jes’ the same, we wouldn’t be so bad off ef she didn’t.

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

From this reading SPINNING YARNS “Suppose she should be wrecked and never came back!” asked Tom as they turned away from watching the bark sail.

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading ’Twouldn’t be the fust time folks has been lef’ down this way count o’ their ships not turnin’ up in time.”

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

From this reading SPINNING YARNS “Suppose she should be wrecked and never came back!” asked Tom as they turned away from watching the bark sail.

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

From this reading ’Twouldn’t be the fust time folks has been lef’ down this way count o’ their ships not turnin’ up in time.”

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading ’Twouldn’t be the fust time folks has been lef’ down this way count o’ their ships not turnin’ up in time.”

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

From this reading “What _would_ happen to us?”

male cat

From this reading SPINNING YARNS “Suppose she should be wrecked and never came back!” asked Tom as they turned away from watching the bark sail.

moved around an axis or center

From this reading SPINNING YARNS “Suppose she should be wrecked and never came back!” asked Tom as they turned away from watching the bark sail.

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

From this reading ’Twouldn’t be the fust time folks has been lef’ down this way count o’ their ships not turnin’ up in time.”

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

From this reading ’Twouldn’t be the fust time folks has been lef’ down this way count o’ their ships not turnin’ up in time.”

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading ’Twouldn’t be the fust time folks has been lef’ down this way count o’ their ships not turnin’ up in time.”

the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading “What _would_ happen to us?”

an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure

From this reading “Wall, we ain’t a calc’latin’ on that,” replied Cap’n Pem, “but jes’ the same, we wouldn’t be so bad off ef she didn’t.

the act of observing; taking a patient look

From this reading SPINNING YARNS “Suppose she should be wrecked and never came back!” asked Tom as they turned away from watching the bark sail.

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading ’Twouldn’t be the fust time folks has been lef’ down this way count o’ their ships not turnin’ up in time.”

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading “Wall, we ain’t a calc’latin’ on that,” replied Cap’n Pem, “but jes’ the same, we wouldn’t be so bad off ef she didn’t.

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

From this reading We’ve got a-plenty o’ grub an’ if wusser come to wusser I reckon we could salt down enough Jackasses an’ albatrosses an’ sea elephants to keep us alive fer quite some spell.

used to ask for information about something

From this reading “What _would_ happen to us?”

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

From this reading “What _would_ happen to us?”

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

From this reading “Wall, we ain’t a calc’latin’ on that,” replied Cap’n Pem, “but jes’ the same, we wouldn’t be so bad off ef she didn’t.

destroyed in an accident

From this reading SPINNING YARNS “Suppose she should be wrecked and never came back!” asked Tom as they turned away from watching the bark sail.

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

From this reading We’ve got a-plenty o’ grub an’ if wusser come to wusser I reckon we could salt down enough Jackasses an’ albatrosses an’ sea elephants to keep us alive fer quite some spell.

plural of “yarn” — the act of giving an account describing incidents or a course of events

From this reading SPINNING YARNS “Suppose she should be wrecked and never came back!” asked Tom as they turned away from watching the bark sail.