Chapter I

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading “Hum; don’t know about the ‘brave sailor’ part of it,” smiled Ned Strong pleasantly, as the dark-skinned speaker halted him and his companion Herc Taylor in the shadow of the gray wall of the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

(of mail) marked with a destination

From this reading The man who had addressed the two stalwart, sunburned young fellows wearing the natty uniform of Uncle Sam’s sea-fighters flourished his silver-headed cane as if in token of having attained an object.

the form of “be” used with “I”

From this reading “Pardon me--but surely I am not mistaken,--you two young men are brave sailors on board the _Beale_?”

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

From this reading The man who had addressed the two stalwart, sunburned young fellows wearing the natty uniform of Uncle Sam’s sea-fighters flourished his silver-headed cane as if in token of having attained an object.

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

From this reading “Hum; don’t know about the ‘brave sailor’ part of it,” smiled Ned Strong pleasantly, as the dark-skinned speaker halted him and his companion Herc Taylor in the shadow of the gray wall of the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

eagerly desirous

From this reading “The _Beale_--the torpedo-boat destroyer?” he asked, as if he were anxious to make quite sure of his ground.

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

From this reading “Pardon me--but surely I am not mistaken,--you two young men are brave sailors on board the _Beale_?”

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

From this reading “Hum; don’t know about the ‘brave sailor’ part of it,” smiled Ned Strong pleasantly, as the dark-skinned speaker halted him and his companion Herc Taylor in the shadow of the gray wall of the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

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

From this reading “The _Beale_--the torpedo-boat destroyer?” he asked, as if he were anxious to make quite sure of his ground.

achieved or reached

From this reading The man who had addressed the two stalwart, sunburned young fellows wearing the natty uniform of Uncle Sam’s sea-fighters flourished his silver-headed cane as if in token of having attained an object.

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

From this reading “We are on board the _Beale_, though, or will be shortly.”

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

From this reading “Pardon me--but surely I am not mistaken,--you two young men are brave sailors on board the _Beale_?”

a committee having supervisory powers

From this reading “Pardon me--but surely I am not mistaken,--you two young men are brave sailors on board the _Beale_?”

possessing or displaying courage; able to face and deal with danger or fear without flinching

From this reading “Pardon me--but surely I am not mistaken,--you two young men are brave sailors on board the _Beale_?”

a borough of New York City

From this reading “Hum; don’t know about the ‘brave sailor’ part of it,” smiled Ned Strong pleasantly, as the dark-skinned speaker halted him and his companion Herc Taylor in the shadow of the gray wall of the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading “Pardon me--but surely I am not mistaken,--you two young men are brave sailors on board the _Beale_?”

a stick that people can lean on to help them walk

From this reading The man who had addressed the two stalwart, sunburned young fellows wearing the natty uniform of Uncle Sam’s sea-fighters flourished his silver-headed cane as if in token of having attained an object.

a friend who is frequently in the company of another

From this reading “Hum; don’t know about the ‘brave sailor’ part of it,” smiled Ned Strong pleasantly, as the dark-skinned speaker halted him and his companion Herc Taylor in the shadow of the gray wall of the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

naturally having skin of a dark color

From this reading “Hum; don’t know about the ‘brave sailor’ part of it,” smiled Ned Strong pleasantly, as the dark-skinned speaker halted him and his companion Herc Taylor in the shadow of the gray wall of the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

a small fast lightly armored but heavily armed warship

From this reading “The _Beale_--the torpedo-boat destroyer?” he asked, as if he were anxious to make quite sure of his ground.

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

From this reading “Hum; don’t know about the ‘brave sailor’ part of it,” smiled Ned Strong pleasantly, as the dark-skinned speaker halted him and his companion Herc Taylor in the shadow of the gray wall of the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

plural of “fellow” — a boy or man

From this reading The man who had addressed the two stalwart, sunburned young fellows wearing the natty uniform of Uncle Sam’s sea-fighters flourished his silver-headed cane as if in token of having attained an object.

past form of “flourish” — grow vigorously

From this reading The man who had addressed the two stalwart, sunburned young fellows wearing the natty uniform of Uncle Sam’s sea-fighters flourished his silver-headed cane as if in token of having attained an object.

a neutral achromatic color midway between white and black

From this reading “Hum; don’t know about the ‘brave sailor’ part of it,” smiled Ned Strong pleasantly, as the dark-skinned speaker halted him and his companion Herc Taylor in the shadow of the gray wall of the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

the solid part of the earth's surface

From this reading “The _Beale_--the torpedo-boat destroyer?” he asked, as if he were anxious to make quite sure of his ground.

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

From this reading The man who had addressed the two stalwart, sunburned young fellows wearing the natty uniform of Uncle Sam’s sea-fighters flourished his silver-headed cane as if in token of having attained an object.

past form of “halt” — cause to stop

From this reading “Hum; don’t know about the ‘brave sailor’ part of it,” smiled Ned Strong pleasantly, as the dark-skinned speaker halted him and his companion Herc Taylor in the shadow of the gray wall of the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

the -ing form of “have”

From this reading The man who had addressed the two stalwart, sunburned young fellows wearing the natty uniform of Uncle Sam’s sea-fighters flourished his silver-headed cane as if in token of having attained an object.

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading “The _Beale_--the torpedo-boat destroyer?” he asked, as if he were anxious to make quite sure of his ground.

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

From this reading “Hum; don’t know about the ‘brave sailor’ part of it,” smiled Ned Strong pleasantly, as the dark-skinned speaker halted him and his companion Herc Taylor in the shadow of the gray wall of the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading “Hum; don’t know about the ‘brave sailor’ part of it,” smiled Ned Strong pleasantly, as the dark-skinned speaker halted him and his companion Herc Taylor in the shadow of the gray wall of the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading “Hum; don’t know about the ‘brave sailor’ part of it,” smiled Ned Strong pleasantly, as the dark-skinned speaker halted him and his companion Herc Taylor in the shadow of the gray wall of the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

sing with closed lips

From this reading “Hum; don’t know about the ‘brave sailor’ part of it,” smiled Ned Strong pleasantly, as the dark-skinned speaker halted him and his companion Herc Taylor in the shadow of the gray wall of the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

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

From this reading “Pardon me--but surely I am not mistaken,--you two young men are brave sailors on board the _Beale_?”

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading The man who had addressed the two stalwart, sunburned young fellows wearing the natty uniform of Uncle Sam’s sea-fighters flourished his silver-headed cane as if in token of having attained an object.

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

From this reading “Hum; don’t know about the ‘brave sailor’ part of it,” smiled Ned Strong pleasantly, as the dark-skinned speaker halted him and his companion Herc Taylor in the shadow of the gray wall of the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading “Hum; don’t know about the ‘brave sailor’ part of it,” smiled Ned Strong pleasantly, as the dark-skinned speaker halted him and his companion Herc Taylor in the shadow of the gray wall of the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading “Hum; don’t know about the ‘brave sailor’ part of it,” smiled Ned Strong pleasantly, as the dark-skinned speaker halted him and his companion Herc Taylor in the shadow of the gray wall of the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

engage in

From this reading “The _Beale_--the torpedo-boat destroyer?” he asked, as if he were anxious to make quite sure of his ground.

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading The man who had addressed the two stalwart, sunburned young fellows wearing the natty uniform of Uncle Sam’s sea-fighters flourished his silver-headed cane as if in token of having attained an object.

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

From this reading “Pardon me--but surely I am not mistaken,--you two young men are brave sailors on board the _Beale_?”

the force of workers available

From this reading “Pardon me--but surely I am not mistaken,--you two young men are brave sailors on board the _Beale_?”

wrong in e.g. opinion or judgment

From this reading “Pardon me--but surely I am not mistaken,--you two young men are brave sailors on board the _Beale_?”

marked by up-to-dateness in dress and manners

From this reading The man who had addressed the two stalwart, sunburned young fellows wearing the natty uniform of Uncle Sam’s sea-fighters flourished his silver-headed cane as if in token of having attained an object.

an organization of military vessels belonging to a country and available for sea warfare

From this reading “Hum; don’t know about the ‘brave sailor’ part of it,” smiled Ned Strong pleasantly, as the dark-skinned speaker halted him and his companion Herc Taylor in the shadow of the gray wall of the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

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

From this reading “Hum; don’t know about the ‘brave sailor’ part of it,” smiled Ned Strong pleasantly, as the dark-skinned speaker halted him and his companion Herc Taylor in the shadow of the gray wall of the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading “Pardon me--but surely I am not mistaken,--you two young men are brave sailors on board the _Beale_?”

a tangible and visible entity; an entity that can cast a shadow

From this reading The man who had addressed the two stalwart, sunburned young fellows wearing the natty uniform of Uncle Sam’s sea-fighters flourished his silver-headed cane as if in token of having attained an object.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading “Hum; don’t know about the ‘brave sailor’ part of it,” smiled Ned Strong pleasantly, as the dark-skinned speaker halted him and his companion Herc Taylor in the shadow of the gray wall of the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading “Pardon me--but surely I am not mistaken,--you two young men are brave sailors on board the _Beale_?”

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading “We are on board the _Beale_, though, or will be shortly.”

accept an excuse for

From this reading “Pardon me--but surely I am not mistaken,--you two young men are brave sailors on board the _Beale_?”

something determined in relation to something that includes it

From this reading “Hum; don’t know about the ‘brave sailor’ part of it,” smiled Ned Strong pleasantly, as the dark-skinned speaker halted him and his companion Herc Taylor in the shadow of the gray wall of the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

in a cheerful manner

From this reading “Hum; don’t know about the ‘brave sailor’ part of it,” smiled Ned Strong pleasantly, as the dark-skinned speaker halted him and his companion Herc Taylor in the shadow of the gray wall of the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

to a degree (not used with a negative)

From this reading “The _Beale_--the torpedo-boat destroyer?” he asked, as if he were anxious to make quite sure of his ground.

any member of a ship's crew

From this reading “Hum; don’t know about the ‘brave sailor’ part of it,” smiled Ned Strong pleasantly, as the dark-skinned speaker halted him and his companion Herc Taylor in the shadow of the gray wall of the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

plural of “sailor” — any member of a ship's crew

From this reading “Pardon me--but surely I am not mistaken,--you two young men are brave sailors on board the _Beale_?”

possessive form of “sam” — a guided missile fired from land or shipboard against an airborne target

From this reading The man who had addressed the two stalwart, sunburned young fellows wearing the natty uniform of Uncle Sam’s sea-fighters flourished his silver-headed cane as if in token of having attained an object.

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

From this reading The man who had addressed the two stalwart, sunburned young fellows wearing the natty uniform of Uncle Sam’s sea-fighters flourished his silver-headed cane as if in token of having attained an object.

A dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface.

From this reading “Hum; don’t know about the ‘brave sailor’ part of it,” smiled Ned Strong pleasantly, as the dark-skinned speaker halted him and his companion Herc Taylor in the shadow of the gray wall of the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

for a short time

From this reading “We are on board the _Beale_, though, or will be shortly.”

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

From this reading The man who had addressed the two stalwart, sunburned young fellows wearing the natty uniform of Uncle Sam’s sea-fighters flourished his silver-headed cane as if in token of having attained an object.

past form of “smile” — change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure

From this reading “Hum; don’t know about the ‘brave sailor’ part of it,” smiled Ned Strong pleasantly, as the dark-skinned speaker halted him and his companion Herc Taylor in the shadow of the gray wall of the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

someone who expresses in language; someone who talks (especially someone who delivers a public speech or someone especially garrulous)

From this reading “Hum; don’t know about the ‘brave sailor’ part of it,” smiled Ned Strong pleasantly, as the dark-skinned speaker halted him and his companion Herc Taylor in the shadow of the gray wall of the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

having rugged physical strength; inured to fatigue or hardships

From this reading The man who had addressed the two stalwart, sunburned young fellows wearing the natty uniform of Uncle Sam’s sea-fighters flourished his silver-headed cane as if in token of having attained an object.

having strength or power greater than average or expected

From this reading “Hum; don’t know about the ‘brave sailor’ part of it,” smiled Ned Strong pleasantly, as the dark-skinned speaker halted him and his companion Herc Taylor in the shadow of the gray wall of the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

suffering from overexposure to direct sunlight

From this reading The man who had addressed the two stalwart, sunburned young fellows wearing the natty uniform of Uncle Sam’s sea-fighters flourished his silver-headed cane as if in token of having attained an object.

having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured

From this reading “The _Beale_--the torpedo-boat destroyer?” he asked, as if he were anxious to make quite sure of his ground.

definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)

From this reading “Pardon me--but surely I am not mistaken,--you two young men are brave sailors on board the _Beale_?”

United States composer and music critic (1885-1966)

From this reading “Hum; don’t know about the ‘brave sailor’ part of it,” smiled Ned Strong pleasantly, as the dark-skinned speaker halted him and his companion Herc Taylor in the shadow of the gray wall of the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

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

From this reading “Pardon me--but surely I am not mistaken,--you two young men are brave sailors on board the _Beale_?”

in spite of the fact that

From this reading “We are on board the _Beale_, though, or will be shortly.”

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

From this reading “The _Beale_--the torpedo-boat destroyer?” he asked, as if he were anxious to make quite sure of his ground.

an individual instance of a type of symbol

From this reading The man who had addressed the two stalwart, sunburned young fellows wearing the natty uniform of Uncle Sam’s sea-fighters flourished his silver-headed cane as if in token of having attained an object.

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

From this reading “The _Beale_--the torpedo-boat destroyer?” he asked, as if he were anxious to make quite sure of his ground.

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading “Pardon me--but surely I am not mistaken,--you two young men are brave sailors on board the _Beale_?”

the brother of your father or mother; the husband of your aunt

From this reading The man who had addressed the two stalwart, sunburned young fellows wearing the natty uniform of Uncle Sam’s sea-fighters flourished his silver-headed cane as if in token of having attained an object.

always the same; showing a single form or character in all occurrences

From this reading The man who had addressed the two stalwart, sunburned young fellows wearing the natty uniform of Uncle Sam’s sea-fighters flourished his silver-headed cane as if in token of having attained an object.

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 “Hum; don’t know about the ‘brave sailor’ part of it,” smiled Ned Strong pleasantly, as the dark-skinned speaker halted him and his companion Herc Taylor in the shadow of the gray wall of the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading “We are on board the _Beale_, though, or will be shortly.”

(geology) the mechanical process of wearing or grinding something down (as by particles washing over it)

From this reading The man who had addressed the two stalwart, sunburned young fellows wearing the natty uniform of Uncle Sam’s sea-fighters flourished his silver-headed cane as if in token of having attained an object.

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

From this reading “The _Beale_--the torpedo-boat destroyer?” he asked, as if he were anxious to make quite sure of his ground.

which person or people

From this reading The man who had addressed the two stalwart, sunburned young fellows wearing the natty uniform of Uncle Sam’s sea-fighters flourished his silver-headed cane as if in token of having attained an object.

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading “We are on board the _Beale_, though, or will be shortly.”

a unit of length equal to 3 feet; defined as 91.44 centimeters; originally taken to be the average length of a stride

From this reading “Hum; don’t know about the ‘brave sailor’ part of it,” smiled Ned Strong pleasantly, as the dark-skinned speaker halted him and his companion Herc Taylor in the shadow of the gray wall of the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading “Pardon me--but surely I am not mistaken,--you two young men are brave sailors on board the _Beale_?”

(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth

From this reading “Pardon me--but surely I am not mistaken,--you two young men are brave sailors on board the _Beale_?”