used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The Ice Pilot placed the captain as he listened to the apology—Marr was of a nature to brook no excuse.
past form of “act” — perform an action, or work out or perform (an action)
From this reading He had determined upon sailing the _Pole Star_ for a voyage of discovery and profit, and he had acted outside the law in order to obtain a crew.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He had determined upon sailing the _Pole Star_ for a voyage of discovery and profit, and he had acted outside the law in order to obtain a crew.
apologynounUS /əˈpɑːlədʒiː/
an expression of regret at having caused trouble for someone
From this reading The Ice Pilot placed the captain as he listened to the apology—Marr was of a nature to brook no excuse.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The Ice Pilot placed the captain as he listened to the apology—Marr was of a nature to brook no excuse.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading There seemed no fathoming the beard-hidden face of the captain, and Stirling leaned back, dropping his eyes to the rug at his feet, where he studied the polished points of his shore boots.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading There seemed no fathoming the beard-hidden face of the captain, and Stirling leaned back, dropping his eyes to the rug at his feet, where he studied the polished points of his shore boots.
BarbarynounUS /ˈbɑːrbəri/
a region of northern Africa on the Mediterranean coast between Egypt and Gibraltar; was used as a base for pirates from the 16th to 19th centuries
From this reading This was not unusual upon the Coast of Barbary.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Stirling, as honest as a dollar, had seen the same method employed before, and he puzzled his brain for a deeper motive, which might be behind the little skipper’s steel-gray eyes.
beard-hidden
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There seemed no fathoming the beard-hidden face of the captain, and Stirling leaned back, dropping his eyes to the rug at his feet, where he studied the polished points of his shore boots.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Stirling, as honest as a dollar, had seen the same method employed before, and he puzzled his brain for a deeper motive, which might be behind the little skipper’s steel-gray eyes.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading Stirling, as honest as a dollar, had seen the same method employed before, and he puzzled his brain for a deeper motive, which might be behind the little skipper’s steel-gray eyes.
plural of “boot” — footwear that covers the whole foot and lower leg
From this reading There seemed no fathoming the beard-hidden face of the captain, and Stirling leaned back, dropping his eyes to the rug at his feet, where he studied the polished points of his shore boots.
that part of the central nervous system that includes all the higher nervous centers; enclosed within the skull; continuous with the spinal cord
From this reading Stirling, as honest as a dollar, had seen the same method employed before, and he puzzled his brain for a deeper motive, which might be behind the little skipper’s steel-gray eyes.
brooknounUS /brʊk/
a natural stream of water smaller than a river (and often a tributary of a river)
From this reading The Ice Pilot placed the captain as he listened to the apology—Marr was of a nature to brook no excuse.
an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant
From this reading The Ice Pilot placed the captain as he listened to the apology—Marr was of a nature to brook no excuse.
the shore of a sea or ocean
From this reading This was not unusual upon the Coast of Barbary.
the men and women who man a vehicle (ship, aircraft, etc.)
From this reading He had determined upon sailing the _Pole Star_ for a voyage of discovery and profit, and he had acted outside the law in order to obtain a crew.
comparative of “deeply” — to a great depth psychologically or emotionally
From this reading Stirling, as honest as a dollar, had seen the same method employed before, and he puzzled his brain for a deeper motive, which might be behind the little skipper’s steel-gray eyes.
characterized by great determination
From this reading He had determined upon sailing the _Pole Star_ for a voyage of discovery and profit, and he had acted outside the law in order to obtain a crew.
the act of discovering something
From this reading He had determined upon sailing the _Pole Star_ for a voyage of discovery and profit, and he had acted outside the law in order to obtain a crew.
dollarnounUS /ˈdɑːlər/
the basic monetary unit in many countries; equal to 100 cents
From this reading Stirling, as honest as a dollar, had seen the same method employed before, and he puzzled his brain for a deeper motive, which might be behind the little skipper’s steel-gray eyes.
droppingadjectiveUS /ˈdrɑːpɪŋ/
coming down freely under the influence of gravity
From this reading There seemed no fathoming the beard-hidden face of the captain, and Stirling leaned back, dropping his eyes to the rug at his feet, where he studied the polished points of his shore boots.
having your services engaged for; or having a job especially one that pays wages or a salary
From this reading Stirling, as honest as a dollar, had seen the same method employed before, and he puzzled his brain for a deeper motive, which might be behind the little skipper’s steel-gray eyes.
accept an excuse for
From this reading The Ice Pilot placed the captain as he listened to the apology—Marr was of a nature to brook no excuse.
opinion or judgment
From this reading Stirling, as honest as a dollar, had seen the same method employed before, and he puzzled his brain for a deeper motive, which might be behind the little skipper’s steel-gray eyes.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading There seemed no fathoming the beard-hidden face of the captain, and Stirling leaned back, dropping his eyes to the rug at his feet, where he studied the polished points of his shore boots.
fathoming
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There seemed no fathoming the beard-hidden face of the captain, and Stirling leaned back, dropping his eyes to the rug at his feet, where he studied the polished points of his shore boots.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading There seemed no fathoming the beard-hidden face of the captain, and Stirling leaned back, dropping his eyes to the rug at his feet, where he studied the polished points of his shore boots.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He had determined upon sailing the _Pole Star_ for a voyage of discovery and profit, and he had acted outside the law in order to obtain a crew.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He had determined upon sailing the _Pole Star_ for a voyage of discovery and profit, and he had acted outside the law in order to obtain a crew.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The Ice Pilot placed the captain as he listened to the apology—Marr was of a nature to brook no excuse.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Stirling, as honest as a dollar, had seen the same method employed before, and he puzzled his brain for a deeper motive, which might be behind the little skipper’s steel-gray eyes.
not disposed to cheat or defraud; not deceptive or fraudulent
From this reading Stirling, as honest as a dollar, had seen the same method employed before, and he puzzled his brain for a deeper motive, which might be behind the little skipper’s steel-gray eyes.
water frozen in the solid state
From this reading The Ice Pilot placed the captain as he listened to the apology—Marr was of a nature to brook no excuse.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He had determined upon sailing the _Pole Star_ for a voyage of discovery and profit, and he had acted outside the law in order to obtain a crew.
the collection of rules imposed by authority
From this reading He had determined upon sailing the _Pole Star_ for a voyage of discovery and profit, and he had acted outside the law in order to obtain a crew.
past form of “lean” — to incline or bend from a vertical position
From this reading There seemed no fathoming the beard-hidden face of the captain, and Stirling leaned back, dropping his eyes to the rug at his feet, where he studied the polished points of his shore boots.
past form of “listen” — hear with intention
From this reading The Ice Pilot placed the captain as he listened to the apology—Marr was of a nature to brook no excuse.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Stirling, as honest as a dollar, had seen the same method employed before, and he puzzled his brain for a deeper motive, which might be behind the little skipper’s steel-gray eyes.
Marr
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Ice Pilot placed the captain as he listened to the apology—Marr was of a nature to brook no excuse.
a way of doing something, especially a systematic way; implies an orderly logical arrangement (usually in steps)
From this reading Stirling, as honest as a dollar, had seen the same method employed before, and he puzzled his brain for a deeper motive, which might be behind the little skipper’s steel-gray eyes.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading Stirling, as honest as a dollar, had seen the same method employed before, and he puzzled his brain for a deeper motive, which might be behind the little skipper’s steel-gray eyes.
motivenounUS /ˈmoʊtɪv/
the psychological feature that arouses an organism to action toward a desired goal; the reason for the action; that which gives purpose and direction to behavior
From this reading Stirling, as honest as a dollar, had seen the same method employed before, and he puzzled his brain for a deeper motive, which might be behind the little skipper’s steel-gray eyes.
the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized
From this reading The Ice Pilot placed the captain as he listened to the apology—Marr was of a nature to brook no excuse.
not any; not one
From this reading The Ice Pilot placed the captain as he listened to the apology—Marr was of a nature to brook no excuse.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading This was not unusual upon the Coast of Barbary.
come into possession of
From this reading He had determined upon sailing the _Pole Star_ for a voyage of discovery and profit, and he had acted outside the law in order to obtain a crew.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The Ice Pilot placed the captain as he listened to the apology—Marr was of a nature to brook no excuse.
(often plural) a command given by a superior (e.g., a military or law enforcement officer) that must be obeyed
From this reading He had determined upon sailing the _Pole Star_ for a voyage of discovery and profit, and he had acted outside the law in order to obtain a crew.
relating to or being on or near the outer side or limit
From this reading He had determined upon sailing the _Pole Star_ for a voyage of discovery and profit, and he had acted outside the law in order to obtain a crew.
PilotverbUS /ˈpaɪlət/
operate an airplane
From this reading The Ice Pilot placed the captain as he listened to the apology—Marr was of a nature to brook no excuse.
situated in a particular spot or position
From this reading The Ice Pilot placed the captain as he listened to the apology—Marr was of a nature to brook no excuse.
plural of “point” — a geometric element that has position but no extension
From this reading There seemed no fathoming the beard-hidden face of the captain, and Stirling leaned back, dropping his eyes to the rug at his feet, where he studied the polished points of his shore boots.
PolenounUS /poʊl/
a long (usually round) rod of wood or metal or plastic
From this reading He had determined upon sailing the _Pole Star_ for a voyage of discovery and profit, and he had acted outside the law in order to obtain a crew.
polishedadjectiveUS /ˈpɑːlɪʃt/
perfected or made shiny and smooth
From this reading There seemed no fathoming the beard-hidden face of the captain, and Stirling leaned back, dropping his eyes to the rug at his feet, where he studied the polished points of his shore boots.
profitnounUS /ˈprɑːfət/
the excess of revenues over outlays in a given period of time (including depreciation and other non-cash expenses)
From this reading He had determined upon sailing the _Pole Star_ for a voyage of discovery and profit, and he had acted outside the law in order to obtain a crew.
filled with bewilderment
From this reading Stirling, as honest as a dollar, had seen the same method employed before, and he puzzled his brain for a deeper motive, which might be behind the little skipper’s steel-gray eyes.
rugnounUS /rʌɡ/
floor covering consisting of a piece of thick heavy fabric (usually with nap or pile)
From this reading There seemed no fathoming the beard-hidden face of the captain, and Stirling leaned back, dropping his eyes to the rug at his feet, where he studied the polished points of his shore boots.
sailingnounUS /ˈseɪlɪŋ/
the work of a sailor
From this reading He had determined upon sailing the _Pole Star_ for a voyage of discovery and profit, and he had acted outside the law in order to obtain a crew.
Identical; not different.
From this reading Stirling, as honest as a dollar, had seen the same method employed before, and he puzzled his brain for a deeper motive, which might be behind the little skipper’s steel-gray eyes.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading There seemed no fathoming the beard-hidden face of the captain, and Stirling leaned back, dropping his eyes to the rug at his feet, where he studied the polished points of his shore boots.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading Stirling, as honest as a dollar, had seen the same method employed before, and he puzzled his brain for a deeper motive, which might be behind the little skipper’s steel-gray eyes.
the land along the edge of a body of water
From this reading There seemed no fathoming the beard-hidden face of the captain, and Stirling leaned back, dropping his eyes to the rug at his feet, where he studied the polished points of his shore boots.
skipper'snounUS /ˈskɪpərz/
possessive form of “skipper” — a student who fails to attend classes
From this reading Stirling, as honest as a dollar, had seen the same method employed before, and he puzzled his brain for a deeper motive, which might be behind the little skipper’s steel-gray eyes.
(astronomy) a celestial body of hot gases that radiates energy derived from thermonuclear reactions in the interior
From this reading He had determined upon sailing the _Pole Star_ for a voyage of discovery and profit, and he had acted outside the law in order to obtain a crew.
steel-gray
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Stirling, as honest as a dollar, had seen the same method employed before, and he puzzled his brain for a deeper motive, which might be behind the little skipper’s steel-gray eyes.
Stirling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Stirling, as honest as a dollar, had seen the same method employed before, and he puzzled his brain for a deeper motive, which might be behind the little skipper’s steel-gray eyes.
produced or marked by conscious design or premeditation
From this reading There seemed no fathoming the beard-hidden face of the captain, and Stirling leaned back, dropping his eyes to the rug at his feet, where he studied the polished points of his shore boots.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The Ice Pilot placed the captain as he listened to the apology—Marr was of a nature to brook no excuse.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There seemed no fathoming the beard-hidden face of the captain, and Stirling leaned back, dropping his eyes to the rug at his feet, where he studied the polished points of his shore boots.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This was not unusual upon the Coast of Barbary.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The Ice Pilot placed the captain as he listened to the apology—Marr was of a nature to brook no excuse.
not usual or common or ordinary
From this reading This was not unusual upon the Coast of Barbary.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading He had determined upon sailing the _Pole Star_ for a voyage of discovery and profit, and he had acted outside the law in order to obtain a crew.
an act of traveling by water
From this reading He had determined upon sailing the _Pole Star_ for a voyage of discovery and profit, and he had acted outside the law in order to obtain a crew.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The Ice Pilot placed the captain as he listened to the apology—Marr was of a nature to brook no excuse.
in or at the place that
From this reading There seemed no fathoming the beard-hidden face of the captain, and Stirling leaned back, dropping his eyes to the rug at his feet, where he studied the polished points of his shore boots.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Stirling, as honest as a dollar, had seen the same method employed before, and he puzzled his brain for a deeper motive, which might be behind the little skipper’s steel-gray eyes.
