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 For what sailor entering this icy and tempestuous tract of waters but knows that here he must expect to find Nature in her most violent moods, crueller and more unreckonable than a mad woman, who one moment looks with a silent sinister sullenness upon you, and the next is shrieking with devilish laughter as she makes as if to spring upon you?

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

From this reading But there was an inveteracy in the gale which had driven us down to this part that bore heavily upon our spirits.

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

From this reading For what sailor entering this icy and tempestuous tract of waters but knows that here he must expect to find Nature in her most violent moods, crueller and more unreckonable than a mad woman, who one moment looks with a silent sinister sullenness upon you, and the next is shrieking with devilish laughter as she makes as if to spring upon you?

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

From this reading The loss of the spars I have named was no great matter, nor were we to be intimidated by such weather as was to be expected off Cape Horn.

any heavy material used to stabilize a ship or airship

From this reading It was impossible to trim the ballast.

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

From this reading The loss of the spars I have named was no great matter, nor were we to be intimidated by such weather as was to be expected off Cape Horn.

cause to be bored

From this reading But there was an inveteracy in the gale which had driven us down to this part that bore heavily upon our spirits.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading For what sailor entering this icy and tempestuous tract of waters but knows that here he must expect to find Nature in her most violent moods, crueller and more unreckonable than a mad woman, who one moment looks with a silent sinister sullenness upon you, and the next is shrieking with devilish laughter as she makes as if to spring upon you?

showing who or what does the action

From this reading The loss of the spars I have named was no great matter, nor were we to be intimidated by such weather as was to be expected off Cape Horn.

a strip of land projecting into a body of water

From this reading The loss of the spars I have named was no great matter, nor were we to be intimidated by such weather as was to be expected off Cape Horn.

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

From this reading For what sailor entering this icy and tempestuous tract of waters but knows that here he must expect to find Nature in her most violent moods, crueller and more unreckonable than a mad woman, who one moment looks with a silent sinister sullenness upon you, and the next is shrieking with devilish laughter as she makes as if to spring upon you?

showing the cunning or ingenuity or wickedness typical of a devil

From this reading For what sailor entering this icy and tempestuous tract of waters but knows that here he must expect to find Nature in her most violent moods, crueller and more unreckonable than a mad woman, who one moment looks with a silent sinister sullenness upon you, and the next is shrieking with devilish laughter as she makes as if to spring upon you?

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading But there was an inveteracy in the gale which had driven us down to this part that bore heavily upon our spirits.

compelled forcibly by an outside agency

From this reading But there was an inveteracy in the gale which had driven us down to this part that bore heavily upon our spirits.

a movement into or inward

From this reading For what sailor entering this icy and tempestuous tract of waters but knows that here he must expect to find Nature in her most violent moods, crueller and more unreckonable than a mad woman, who one moment looks with a silent sinister sullenness upon you, and the next is shrieking with devilish laughter as she makes as if to spring upon you?

regard something as probable or likely

From this reading For what sailor entering this icy and tempestuous tract of waters but knows that here he must expect to find Nature in her most violent moods, crueller and more unreckonable than a mad woman, who one moment looks with a silent sinister sullenness upon you, and the next is shrieking with devilish laughter as she makes as if to spring upon you?

considered likely or probable to happen or arrive

From this reading The loss of the spars I have named was no great matter, nor were we to be intimidated by such weather as was to be expected off Cape Horn.

come upon, as if by accident; meet with

From this reading For what sailor entering this icy and tempestuous tract of waters but knows that here he must expect to find Nature in her most violent moods, crueller and more unreckonable than a mad woman, who one moment looks with a silent sinister sullenness upon you, and the next is shrieking with devilish laughter as she makes as if to spring upon you?

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading For what sailor entering this icy and tempestuous tract of waters but knows that here he must expect to find Nature in her most violent moods, crueller and more unreckonable than a mad woman, who one moment looks with a silent sinister sullenness upon you, and the next is shrieking with devilish laughter as she makes as if to spring upon you?

a strong wind moving 45-90 knots; force 7 to 10 on Beaufort scale

From this reading But there was an inveteracy in the gale which had driven us down to this part that bore heavily upon our spirits.

relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

From this reading The loss of the spars I have named was no great matter, nor were we to be intimidated by such weather as was to be expected off Cape Horn.

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

From this reading But there was an inveteracy in the gale which had driven us down to this part that bore heavily upon our spirits.

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading The loss of the spars I have named was no great matter, nor were we to be intimidated by such weather as was to be expected off Cape Horn.

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

From this reading For what sailor entering this icy and tempestuous tract of waters but knows that here he must expect to find Nature in her most violent moods, crueller and more unreckonable than a mad woman, who one moment looks with a silent sinister sullenness upon you, and the next is shrieking with devilish laughter as she makes as if to spring upon you?

to a considerable degree

From this reading But there was an inveteracy in the gale which had driven us down to this part that bore heavily upon our spirits.

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading For what sailor entering this icy and tempestuous tract of waters but knows that here he must expect to find Nature in her most violent moods, crueller and more unreckonable than a mad woman, who one moment looks with a silent sinister sullenness upon you, and the next is shrieking with devilish laughter as she makes as if to spring upon you?

in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is

From this reading For what sailor entering this icy and tempestuous tract of waters but knows that here he must expect to find Nature in her most violent moods, crueller and more unreckonable than a mad woman, who one moment looks with a silent sinister sullenness upon you, and the next is shrieking with devilish laughter as she makes as if to spring upon you?

a noisemaker (as at parties or games) that makes a loud noise when you blow through it

From this reading The loss of the spars I have named was no great matter, nor were we to be intimidated by such weather as was to be expected off Cape Horn.

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

From this reading The loss of the spars I have named was no great matter, nor were we to be intimidated by such weather as was to be expected off Cape Horn.

a large mass of ice floating at sea; usually broken off of a polar glacier

From this reading THE ICEBERG.

devoid of warmth and cordiality; expressive of unfriendliness or disdain

From this reading For what sailor entering this icy and tempestuous tract of waters but knows that here he must expect to find Nature in her most violent moods, crueller and more unreckonable than a mad woman, who one moment looks with a silent sinister sullenness upon you, and the next is shrieking with devilish laughter as she makes as if to spring upon you?

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading For what sailor entering this icy and tempestuous tract of waters but knows that here he must expect to find Nature in her most violent moods, crueller and more unreckonable than a mad woman, who one moment looks with a silent sinister sullenness upon you, and the next is shrieking with devilish laughter as she makes as if to spring upon you?

not capable of occurring or being accomplished or dealt with

From this reading It was impossible to trim the ballast.

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

From this reading For what sailor entering this icy and tempestuous tract of waters but knows that here he must expect to find Nature in her most violent moods, crueller and more unreckonable than a mad woman, who one moment looks with a silent sinister sullenness upon you, and the next is shrieking with devilish laughter as she makes as if to spring upon you?

made timid or fearful as by threats

From this reading The loss of the spars I have named was no great matter, nor were we to be intimidated by such weather as was to be expected off Cape Horn.

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

From this reading But there was an inveteracy in the gale which had driven us down to this part that bore heavily upon our spirits.

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

From this reading For what sailor entering this icy and tempestuous tract of waters but knows that here he must expect to find Nature in her most violent moods, crueller and more unreckonable than a mad woman, who one moment looks with a silent sinister sullenness upon you, and the next is shrieking with devilish laughter as she makes as if to spring upon you?

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was impossible to trim the ballast.

plural of “know” — the fact of being aware of information that is known to few people

From this reading For what sailor entering this icy and tempestuous tract of waters but knows that here he must expect to find Nature in her most violent moods, crueller and more unreckonable than a mad woman, who one moment looks with a silent sinister sullenness upon you, and the next is shrieking with devilish laughter as she makes as if to spring upon you?

the sound of laughing

From this reading For what sailor entering this icy and tempestuous tract of waters but knows that here he must expect to find Nature in her most violent moods, crueller and more unreckonable than a mad woman, who one moment looks with a silent sinister sullenness upon you, and the next is shrieking with devilish laughter as she makes as if to spring upon you?

plural of “look” — the feelings expressed on a person's face

From this reading For what sailor entering this icy and tempestuous tract of waters but knows that here he must expect to find Nature in her most violent moods, crueller and more unreckonable than a mad woman, who one moment looks with a silent sinister sullenness upon you, and the next is shrieking with devilish laughter as she makes as if to spring upon you?

something that is lost

From this reading The loss of the spars I have named was no great matter, nor were we to be intimidated by such weather as was to be expected off Cape Horn.

roused to anger

From this reading For what sailor entering this icy and tempestuous tract of waters but knows that here he must expect to find Nature in her most violent moods, crueller and more unreckonable than a mad woman, who one moment looks with a silent sinister sullenness upon you, and the next is shrieking with devilish laughter as she makes as if to spring upon you?

plural of “make” — a recognizable kind

From this reading For what sailor entering this icy and tempestuous tract of waters but knows that here he must expect to find Nature in her most violent moods, crueller and more unreckonable than a mad woman, who one moment looks with a silent sinister sullenness upon you, and the next is shrieking with devilish laughter as she makes as if to spring upon you?

a vaguely specified concern

From this reading The loss of the spars I have named was no great matter, nor were we to be intimidated by such weather as was to be expected off Cape Horn.

a particular point in time

From this reading For what sailor entering this icy and tempestuous tract of waters but knows that here he must expect to find Nature in her most violent moods, crueller and more unreckonable than a mad woman, who one moment looks with a silent sinister sullenness upon you, and the next is shrieking with devilish laughter as she makes as if to spring upon you?

plural of “mood” — a characteristic (habitual or relatively temporary) state of feeling

From this reading For what sailor entering this icy and tempestuous tract of waters but knows that here he must expect to find Nature in her most violent moods, crueller and more unreckonable than a mad woman, who one moment looks with a silent sinister sullenness upon you, and the next is shrieking with devilish laughter as she makes as if to spring upon you?

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading For what sailor entering this icy and tempestuous tract of waters but knows that here he must expect to find Nature in her most violent moods, crueller and more unreckonable than a mad woman, who one moment looks with a silent sinister sullenness upon you, and the next is shrieking with devilish laughter as she makes as if to spring upon you?

used to form the superlative

From this reading For what sailor entering this icy and tempestuous tract of waters but knows that here he must expect to find Nature in her most violent moods, crueller and more unreckonable than a mad woman, who one moment looks with a silent sinister sullenness upon you, and the next is shrieking with devilish laughter as she makes as if to spring upon you?

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading For what sailor entering this icy and tempestuous tract of waters but knows that here he must expect to find Nature in her most violent moods, crueller and more unreckonable than a mad woman, who one moment looks with a silent sinister sullenness upon you, and the next is shrieking with devilish laughter as she makes as if to spring upon you?

past form of “name” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading The loss of the spars I have named was no great matter, nor were we to be intimidated by such weather as was to be expected off Cape Horn.

the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized

From this reading For what sailor entering this icy and tempestuous tract of waters but knows that here he must expect to find Nature in her most violent moods, crueller and more unreckonable than a mad woman, who one moment looks with a silent sinister sullenness upon you, and the next is shrieking with devilish laughter as she makes as if to spring upon you?

immediately following in time or order

From this reading For what sailor entering this icy and tempestuous tract of waters but knows that here he must expect to find Nature in her most violent moods, crueller and more unreckonable than a mad woman, who one moment looks with a silent sinister sullenness upon you, and the next is shrieking with devilish laughter as she makes as if to spring upon you?

not any; not one

From this reading The loss of the spars I have named was no great matter, nor were we to be intimidated by such weather as was to be expected off Cape Horn.

and not; used after a negative to add a second negative

From this reading The loss of the spars I have named was no great matter, nor were we to be intimidated by such weather as was to be expected off Cape Horn.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The loss of the spars I have named was no great matter, nor were we to be intimidated by such weather as was to be expected off Cape Horn.

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

From this reading The loss of the spars I have named was no great matter, nor were we to be intimidated by such weather as was to be expected off Cape Horn.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading For what sailor entering this icy and tempestuous tract of waters but knows that here he must expect to find Nature in her most violent moods, crueller and more unreckonable than a mad woman, who one moment looks with a silent sinister sullenness upon you, and the next is shrieking with devilish laughter as she makes as if to spring upon you?

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading But there was an inveteracy in the gale which had driven us down to this part that bore heavily upon our spirits.

something determined in relation to something that includes it

From this reading But there was an inveteracy in the gale which had driven us down to this part that bore heavily upon our spirits.

any member of a ship's crew

From this reading For what sailor entering this icy and tempestuous tract of waters but knows that here he must expect to find Nature in her most violent moods, crueller and more unreckonable than a mad woman, who one moment looks with a silent sinister sullenness upon you, and the next is shrieking with devilish laughter as she makes as if to spring upon you?

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

From this reading For what sailor entering this icy and tempestuous tract of waters but knows that here he must expect to find Nature in her most violent moods, crueller and more unreckonable than a mad woman, who one moment looks with a silent sinister sullenness upon you, and the next is shrieking with devilish laughter as she makes as if to spring upon you?

sharp piercing cry

From this reading For what sailor entering this icy and tempestuous tract of waters but knows that here he must expect to find Nature in her most violent moods, crueller and more unreckonable than a mad woman, who one moment looks with a silent sinister sullenness upon you, and the next is shrieking with devilish laughter as she makes as if to spring upon you?

marked by absence of sound

From this reading For what sailor entering this icy and tempestuous tract of waters but knows that here he must expect to find Nature in her most violent moods, crueller and more unreckonable than a mad woman, who one moment looks with a silent sinister sullenness upon you, and the next is shrieking with devilish laughter as she makes as if to spring upon you?

threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments

From this reading For what sailor entering this icy and tempestuous tract of waters but knows that here he must expect to find Nature in her most violent moods, crueller and more unreckonable than a mad woman, who one moment looks with a silent sinister sullenness upon you, and the next is shrieking with devilish laughter as she makes as if to spring upon you?

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

From this reading The loss of the spars I have named was no great matter, nor were we to be intimidated by such weather as was to be expected off Cape Horn.

an alcoholic beverage that is distilled rather than fermented

From this reading But there was an inveteracy in the gale which had driven us down to this part that bore heavily upon our spirits.

the season of growth

From this reading For what sailor entering this icy and tempestuous tract of waters but knows that here he must expect to find Nature in her most violent moods, crueller and more unreckonable than a mad woman, who one moment looks with a silent sinister sullenness upon you, and the next is shrieking with devilish laughter as she makes as if to spring upon you?

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading The loss of the spars I have named was no great matter, nor were we to be intimidated by such weather as was to be expected off Cape Horn.

a gloomy ill-tempered feeling

From this reading For what sailor entering this icy and tempestuous tract of waters but knows that here he must expect to find Nature in her most violent moods, crueller and more unreckonable than a mad woman, who one moment looks with a silent sinister sullenness upon you, and the next is shrieking with devilish laughter as she makes as if to spring upon you?

characterized by violent emotions or behavior

From this reading For what sailor entering this icy and tempestuous tract of waters but knows that here he must expect to find Nature in her most violent moods, crueller and more unreckonable than a mad woman, who one moment looks with a silent sinister sullenness upon you, and the next is shrieking with devilish laughter as she makes as if to spring upon you?

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading For what sailor entering this icy and tempestuous tract of waters but knows that here he must expect to find Nature in her most violent moods, crueller and more unreckonable than a mad woman, who one moment looks with a silent sinister sullenness upon you, and the next is shrieking with devilish laughter as she makes as if to spring upon you?

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading For what sailor entering this icy and tempestuous tract of waters but knows that here he must expect to find Nature in her most violent moods, crueller and more unreckonable than a mad woman, who one moment looks with a silent sinister sullenness upon you, and the next is shrieking with devilish laughter as she makes as if to spring upon you?

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

From this reading THE ICEBERG.

in or at that place or location

From this reading But there was an inveteracy in the gale which had driven us down to this part that bore heavily upon our spirits.

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

From this reading For what sailor entering this icy and tempestuous tract of waters but knows that here he must expect to find Nature in her most violent moods, crueller and more unreckonable than a mad woman, who one moment looks with a silent sinister sullenness upon you, and the next is shrieking with devilish laughter as she makes as if to spring upon you?

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

From this reading The loss of the spars I have named was no great matter, nor were we to be intimidated by such weather as was to be expected off Cape Horn.

an extended area of land

From this reading For what sailor entering this icy and tempestuous tract of waters but knows that here he must expect to find Nature in her most violent moods, crueller and more unreckonable than a mad woman, who one moment looks with a silent sinister sullenness upon you, and the next is shrieking with devilish laughter as she makes as if to spring upon you?

remove the edges from and cut down to the desired size

From this reading It was impossible to trim the ballast.

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

From this reading For what sailor entering this icy and tempestuous tract of waters but knows that here he must expect to find Nature in her most violent moods, crueller and more unreckonable than a mad woman, who one moment looks with a silent sinister sullenness upon you, and the next is shrieking with devilish laughter as she makes as if to spring upon you?

a formal word for “on”

From this reading For what sailor entering this icy and tempestuous tract of waters but knows that here he must expect to find Nature in her most violent moods, crueller and more unreckonable than a mad woman, who one moment looks with a silent sinister sullenness upon you, and the next is shrieking with devilish laughter as she makes as if to spring upon you?

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

From this reading But there was an inveteracy in the gale which had driven us down to this part that bore heavily upon our spirits.

acting with or marked by or resulting from great force or energy or emotional intensity

From this reading For what sailor entering this icy and tempestuous tract of waters but knows that here he must expect to find Nature in her most violent moods, crueller and more unreckonable than a mad woman, who one moment looks with a silent sinister sullenness upon you, and the next is shrieking with devilish laughter as she makes as if to spring upon you?

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

From this reading The loss of the spars I have named was no great matter, nor were we to be intimidated by such weather as was to be expected off Cape Horn.

United States actress and singer (1896-1977)

From this reading For what sailor entering this icy and tempestuous tract of waters but knows that here he must expect to find Nature in her most violent moods, crueller and more unreckonable than a mad woman, who one moment looks with a silent sinister sullenness upon you, and the next is shrieking with devilish laughter as she makes as if to spring upon you?

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading The loss of the spars I have named was no great matter, nor were we to be intimidated by such weather as was to be expected off Cape Horn.

the atmospheric conditions that comprise the state of the atmosphere in terms of temperature and wind and clouds and precipitation

From this reading The loss of the spars I have named was no great matter, nor were we to be intimidated by such weather as was to be expected off Cape Horn.

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

From this reading The loss of the spars I have named was no great matter, nor were we to be intimidated by such weather as was to be expected off Cape Horn.

used to ask for information about something

From this reading For what sailor entering this icy and tempestuous tract of waters but knows that here he must expect to find Nature in her most violent moods, crueller and more unreckonable than a mad woman, who one moment looks with a silent sinister sullenness upon you, and the next is shrieking with devilish laughter as she makes as if to spring upon you?

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

From this reading But there was an inveteracy in the gale which had driven us down to this part that bore heavily upon our spirits.

which person or people

From this reading For what sailor entering this icy and tempestuous tract of waters but knows that here he must expect to find Nature in her most violent moods, crueller and more unreckonable than a mad woman, who one moment looks with a silent sinister sullenness upon you, and the next is shrieking with devilish laughter as she makes as if to spring upon you?

in the company of; together with

From this reading For what sailor entering this icy and tempestuous tract of waters but knows that here he must expect to find Nature in her most violent moods, crueller and more unreckonable than a mad woman, who one moment looks with a silent sinister sullenness upon you, and the next is shrieking with devilish laughter as she makes as if to spring upon you?

an adult female person (as opposed to a man)

From this reading For what sailor entering this icy and tempestuous tract of waters but knows that here he must expect to find Nature in her most violent moods, crueller and more unreckonable than a mad woman, who one moment looks with a silent sinister sullenness upon you, and the next is shrieking with devilish laughter as she makes as if to spring upon you?

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading For what sailor entering this icy and tempestuous tract of waters but knows that here he must expect to find Nature in her most violent moods, crueller and more unreckonable than a mad woman, who one moment looks with a silent sinister sullenness upon you, and the next is shrieking with devilish laughter as she makes as if to spring upon you?