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The Land of Desolation
The Land of Desolation

Chapter II

Chapter 2 of The Land of Desolation is here in full — 17 sentences across 4 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/3 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
ICE AND BREAKERS.
On a gloomy night in the month of July, 1585, the ship _Sunshine_, of fifty tons, fitted out,” as the old chronicles inform us, by divers opulent merchants of London, for the discovery of a north-west passage, came, in a thick and heavy mist, to a place where there was a mighty roaring as of waves dashing on a rocky shore.”
The captain of this ship was brave old John Davis, who, when he had discovered his perilous situation, put off in a boat, and thereby discovered that his ship was embayed in fields and hills of ice, the crashing together of which made the fearful sounds that he had heard.”
The ship drifted helplessly through the night, and when the morning dawned, the people saw the tops of mountains white with snow, and of a sugar-loaf shape, standing above the clouds; while at their base the land was deformed and rocky, and the shore was everywhere beset with ice, which made such irksome noise that the land was called The Land of Desolation.’”
On a gloomy night in the month of July, 1869, the ship _Panther_, of three hundred and fifty tons, fitted out for a summer voyage by a party in pursuit of pleasure, came in like manner, through a thick and heavy mist, to a place where there was a mighty roaring as of waves dashing on a rocky shore.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Land of Desolation

Chapter II

Chapter 2 of The Land of Desolation is here in full — 17 sentences across 4 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/3 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
ICE AND BREAKERS.
/aɪs ənd ˈbreɪkərz/
Line 2
On a gloomy night in the month of July, 1585, the ship _Sunshine_, of fifty tons, “fitted out,” as the old chronicles inform us, “by divers opulent merchants of London, for the discovery of a north-west passage, came, in a thick and heavy mist, to a place where there was a mighty roaring as of waves dashing on a rocky shore.”
Line 3
The captain of this ship was brave old John Davis, who, when he had discovered his perilous situation, put off in a boat, and thereby discovered that his ship wasembayed in fields and hills of ice, the crashing together of which made the fearful sounds that he had heard.”
Line 4
The ship drifted helplessly through the night, and when the morning dawned, “the people saw the tops of mountains white with snow, and of a sugar-loaf shape, standing above the clouds; while at their base the land was deformed and rocky, and the shore was everywhere beset with ice, which made such irksome noise that the land was calledThe Land of Desolation.’”
Line 5
On a gloomy night in the month of July, 1869, the ship _Panther_, of three hundred and fifty tons, fitted out for a summer voyage by a party in pursuit of pleasure, came in like manner, through a thick and heavy mist, to a place where there was a mighty roaring as of waves dashing on a rocky shore.

Learner Dictionary

These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.

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

beset verb US /bɪˈset/

annoy continually or chronically

From this reading “The ship drifted helplessly through the night, and when the morning dawned, “the people saw the tops of mountains white with snow, and of a sugar-loaf shape, standing above the clouds; while at their base the land was deformed and rocky, and the shore was everywhere beset with ice, which made such irksome noise that the land was called ‘The Land of Desolation.’””

breakers noun US /ˈbreɪkərz/

waves breaking on the shore

From this reading “ICE AND BREAKERS.”

chronicles noun US /ˈkrɑːnɪkəlz/

plural of “chronicle” — a record or narrative description of past events

From this reading “On a gloomy night in the month of July, 1585, the ship _Sunshine_, of fifty tons, “fitted out,” as the old chronicles inform us, “by divers opulent merchants of London, for the discovery of a north-west passage, came, in a thick and heavy mist, to a place where there was a mighty roaring as of waves dashing on a rocky shore.””

deformed adjective US /dɪˈfɔːrmd/

so badly formed or out of shape as to be ugly

From this reading “The ship drifted helplessly through the night, and when the morning dawned, “the people saw the tops of mountains white with snow, and of a sugar-loaf shape, standing above the clouds; while at their base the land was deformed and rocky, and the shore was everywhere beset with ice, which made such irksome noise that the land was called ‘The Land of Desolation.’””

divers adjective US /ˈdaɪvərz/

many and different

From this reading “On a gloomy night in the month of July, 1585, the ship _Sunshine_, of fifty tons, “fitted out,” as the old chronicles inform us, “by divers opulent merchants of London, for the discovery of a north-west passage, came, in a thick and heavy mist, to a place where there was a mighty roaring as of waves dashing on a rocky shore.””

irksome adjective US /ˈɜːrksəm/

so lacking in interest as to cause mental weariness

From this reading “The ship drifted helplessly through the night, and when the morning dawned, “the people saw the tops of mountains white with snow, and of a sugar-loaf shape, standing above the clouds; while at their base the land was deformed and rocky, and the shore was everywhere beset with ice, which made such irksome noise that the land was called ‘The Land of Desolation.’””

opulent adjective US /ˈɑːpjələnt/

ostentatiously rich and superior in quality

From this reading “On a gloomy night in the month of July, 1585, the ship _Sunshine_, of fifty tons, “fitted out,” as the old chronicles inform us, “by divers opulent merchants of London, for the discovery of a north-west passage, came, in a thick and heavy mist, to a place where there was a mighty roaring as of waves dashing on a rocky shore.””

Panther noun US /ˈpænθər/

a large spotted feline of tropical America similar to the leopard; in some classifications considered a member of the genus Felis

Word partnerships in these lines

English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.

Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.

fifty tons noun + noun

In this reading “On a gloomy night in the month of July, 1585, the ship _Sunshine_, of fifty tons, “fitted out,” as the old chronicles inform us, “by divers opulent merchants of London, for the discovery of a north-west passage, came, in a thick and heavy mist, to a place where there was a mighty roaring as of waves dashing on a rocky shore.””

perilous situation adjective + noun

In this reading “The captain of this ship was brave old John Davis, who, when he had discovered his perilous situation, put off in a boat, and thereby discovered that his ship was “embayed in fields and hills of ice, the crashing together of which made the fearful sounds that he had heard.””

rocky shore adjective + noun

In this reading “On a gloomy night in the month of July, 1585, the ship _Sunshine_, of fifty tons, “fitted out,” as the old chronicles inform us, “by divers opulent merchants of London, for the discovery of a north-west passage, came, in a thick and heavy mist, to a place where there was a mighty roaring as of waves dashing on a rocky shore.””

three hundred noun + noun

being one hundred more than two hundred

In this reading “On a gloomy night in the month of July, 1869, the ship _Panther_, of three hundred and fifty tons, fitted out for a summer voyage by a party in pursuit of pleasure, came in like manner, through a thick and heavy mist, to a place where there was a mighty roaring as of waves dashing on a rocky shore.”

morning dawned noun + noun counted as “morning dawn”

In this reading “The ship drifted helplessly through the night, and when the morning dawned, “the people saw the tops of mountains white with snow, and of a sugar-loaf shape, standing above the clouds; while at their base the land was deformed and rocky, and the shore was everywhere beset with ice, which made such irksome noise that the land was called ‘The Land of Desolation.’””

put off verb + particle

hold back to a later time

In this reading “The captain of this ship was brave old John Davis, who, when he had discovered his perilous situation, put off in a boat, and thereby discovered that his ship was “embayed in fields and hills of ice, the crashing together of which made the fearful sounds that he had heard.””

beset with verb + particle

In this reading “The ship drifted helplessly through the night, and when the morning dawned, “the people saw the tops of mountains white with snow, and of a sugar-loaf shape, standing above the clouds; while at their base the land was deformed and rocky, and the shore was everywhere beset with ice, which made such irksome noise that the land was called ‘The Land of Desolation.’””

old chronicles adjective + noun counted as “old chronicle”

In this reading “On a gloomy night in the month of July, 1585, the ship _Sunshine_, of fifty tons, “fitted out,” as the old chronicles inform us, “by divers opulent merchants of London, for the discovery of a north-west passage, came, in a thick and heavy mist, to a place where there was a mighty roaring as of waves dashing on a rocky shore.””

All words in this reading · 117

Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.

Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

1585

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

From this reading On a gloomy night in the month of July, 1585, the ship _Sunshine_, of fifty tons, “fitted out,” as the old chronicles inform us, “by divers opulent merchants of London, for the discovery of a north-west passage, came, in a thick and heavy mist, to a place where there was a mighty roaring as of waves dashing on a rocky shore.”

1869

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

From this reading On a gloomy night in the month of July, 1869, the ship _Panther_, of three hundred and fifty tons, fitted out for a summer voyage by a party in pursuit of pleasure, came in like manner, through a thick and heavy mist, to a place where there was a mighty roaring as of waves dashing on a rocky shore.

adeterminerUS /ə/

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

From this reading On a gloomy night in the month of July, 1585, the ship _Sunshine_, of fifty tons, “fitted out,” as the old chronicles inform us, “by divers opulent merchants of London, for the discovery of a north-west passage, came, in a thick and heavy mist, to a place where there was a mighty roaring as of waves dashing on a rocky shore.”

aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/

higher than, or over, something

From this reading The ship drifted helplessly through the night, and when the morning dawned, “the people saw the tops of mountains white with snow, and of a sugar-loaf shape, standing above the clouds; while at their base the land was deformed and rocky, and the shore was everywhere beset with ice, which made such irksome noise that the land was called ‘The Land of Desolation.’”

ANDconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading ICE AND BREAKERS.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading On a gloomy night in the month of July, 1585, the ship _Sunshine_, of fifty tons, “fitted out,” as the old chronicles inform us, “by divers opulent merchants of London, for the discovery of a north-west passage, came, in a thick and heavy mist, to a place where there was a mighty roaring as of waves dashing on a rocky shore.”

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading The ship drifted helplessly through the night, and when the morning dawned, “the people saw the tops of mountains white with snow, and of a sugar-loaf shape, standing above the clouds; while at their base the land was deformed and rocky, and the shore was everywhere beset with ice, which made such irksome noise that the land was called ‘The Land of Desolation.’”

basenounUS /beɪs/

installation from which a military force initiates operations

From this reading The ship drifted helplessly through the night, and when the morning dawned, “the people saw the tops of mountains white with snow, and of a sugar-loaf shape, standing above the clouds; while at their base the land was deformed and rocky, and the shore was everywhere beset with ice, which made such irksome noise that the land was called ‘The Land of Desolation.’”

besetverbUS /bɪˈset/

annoy continually or chronically

From this reading The ship drifted helplessly through the night, and when the morning dawned, “the people saw the tops of mountains white with snow, and of a sugar-loaf shape, standing above the clouds; while at their base the land was deformed and rocky, and the shore was everywhere beset with ice, which made such irksome noise that the land was called ‘The Land of Desolation.’”

boatnounUS /boʊt/

a small vessel for travel on water

From this reading The captain of this ship was brave old John Davis, who, when he had discovered his perilous situation, put off in a boat, and thereby discovered that his ship was “embayed in fields and hills of ice, the crashing together of which made the fearful sounds that he had heard.”

braveadjectiveUS /breɪv/

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

From this reading The captain of this ship was brave old John Davis, who, when he had discovered his perilous situation, put off in a boat, and thereby discovered that his ship was “embayed in fields and hills of ice, the crashing together of which made the fearful sounds that he had heard.”

BREAKERSnounUS /ˈbreɪkərz/

waves breaking on the shore

From this reading ICE AND BREAKERS.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading On a gloomy night in the month of July, 1585, the ship _Sunshine_, of fifty tons, “fitted out,” as the old chronicles inform us, “by divers opulent merchants of London, for the discovery of a north-west passage, came, in a thick and heavy mist, to a place where there was a mighty roaring as of waves dashing on a rocky shore.”

calledverbUS /kɔːld/

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

From this reading The ship drifted helplessly through the night, and when the morning dawned, “the people saw the tops of mountains white with snow, and of a sugar-loaf shape, standing above the clouds; while at their base the land was deformed and rocky, and the shore was everywhere beset with ice, which made such irksome noise that the land was called ‘The Land of Desolation.’”

cameverbUS /keɪm/

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

From this reading On a gloomy night in the month of July, 1585, the ship _Sunshine_, of fifty tons, “fitted out,” as the old chronicles inform us, “by divers opulent merchants of London, for the discovery of a north-west passage, came, in a thick and heavy mist, to a place where there was a mighty roaring as of waves dashing on a rocky shore.”

captainnounUS /ˈkæptən/

an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant

From this reading The captain of this ship was brave old John Davis, who, when he had discovered his perilous situation, put off in a boat, and thereby discovered that his ship was “embayed in fields and hills of ice, the crashing together of which made the fearful sounds that he had heard.”

chroniclesnounUS /ˈkrɑːnɪkəlz/

plural of “chronicle” — a record or narrative description of past events

From this reading On a gloomy night in the month of July, 1585, the ship _Sunshine_, of fifty tons, “fitted out,” as the old chronicles inform us, “by divers opulent merchants of London, for the discovery of a north-west passage, came, in a thick and heavy mist, to a place where there was a mighty roaring as of waves dashing on a rocky shore.”

cloudsnounUS /klaʊdz/

plural of “cloud” — any collection of particles (e.g., smoke or dust) or gases that is visible

From this reading The ship drifted helplessly through the night, and when the morning dawned, “the people saw the tops of mountains white with snow, and of a sugar-loaf shape, standing above the clouds; while at their base the land was deformed and rocky, and the shore was everywhere beset with ice, which made such irksome noise that the land was called ‘The Land of Desolation.’”

crashingadjectiveUS /ˈkræʃɪŋ/

informal intensifiers

From this reading The captain of this ship was brave old John Davis, who, when he had discovered his perilous situation, put off in a boat, and thereby discovered that his ship was “embayed in fields and hills of ice, the crashing together of which made the fearful sounds that he had heard.”

dashingadjectiveUS /ˈdæʃɪŋ/

lively and spirited

From this reading On a gloomy night in the month of July, 1585, the ship _Sunshine_, of fifty tons, “fitted out,” as the old chronicles inform us, “by divers opulent merchants of London, for the discovery of a north-west passage, came, in a thick and heavy mist, to a place where there was a mighty roaring as of waves dashing on a rocky shore.”

DavisnounUS /ˈdeɪvəs/

English navigator who explored the Arctic while searching for the Northwest Passage (1550-1605)

From this reading The captain of this ship was brave old John Davis, who, when he had discovered his perilous situation, put off in a boat, and thereby discovered that his ship was “embayed in fields and hills of ice, the crashing together of which made the fearful sounds that he had heard.”

dawnedverbUS /dɔːnd/

past form of “dawn” — become clear or enter one's consciousness or emotions

From this reading The ship drifted helplessly through the night, and when the morning dawned, “the people saw the tops of mountains white with snow, and of a sugar-loaf shape, standing above the clouds; while at their base the land was deformed and rocky, and the shore was everywhere beset with ice, which made such irksome noise that the land was called ‘The Land of Desolation.’”

deformedadjectiveUS /dɪˈfɔːrmd/

so badly formed or out of shape as to be ugly

From this reading The ship drifted helplessly through the night, and when the morning dawned, “the people saw the tops of mountains white with snow, and of a sugar-loaf shape, standing above the clouds; while at their base the land was deformed and rocky, and the shore was everywhere beset with ice, which made such irksome noise that the land was called ‘The Land of Desolation.’”

DesolationnounUS /ˌdesəˈleɪʃən/

the state of being decayed or destroyed

From this reading The ship drifted helplessly through the night, and when the morning dawned, “the people saw the tops of mountains white with snow, and of a sugar-loaf shape, standing above the clouds; while at their base the land was deformed and rocky, and the shore was everywhere beset with ice, which made such irksome noise that the land was called ‘The Land of Desolation.’”

discoveredadjectiveUS /dɪˈskʌvərd/

discovered or determined by scientific observation

From this reading The captain of this ship was brave old John Davis, who, when he had discovered his perilous situation, put off in a boat, and thereby discovered that his ship was “embayed in fields and hills of ice, the crashing together of which made the fearful sounds that he had heard.”

discoverynounUS /dɪˈskʌvəri/

the act of discovering something

From this reading On a gloomy night in the month of July, 1585, the ship _Sunshine_, of fifty tons, “fitted out,” as the old chronicles inform us, “by divers opulent merchants of London, for the discovery of a north-west passage, came, in a thick and heavy mist, to a place where there was a mighty roaring as of waves dashing on a rocky shore.”

diversadjectiveUS /ˈdaɪvərz/

many and different

From this reading On a gloomy night in the month of July, 1585, the ship _Sunshine_, of fifty tons, “fitted out,” as the old chronicles inform us, “by divers opulent merchants of London, for the discovery of a north-west passage, came, in a thick and heavy mist, to a place where there was a mighty roaring as of waves dashing on a rocky shore.”

driftedverbUS /ˈdrɪftəd/

past form of “drift” — be in motion due to some air or water current

From this reading The ship drifted helplessly through the night, and when the morning dawned, “the people saw the tops of mountains white with snow, and of a sugar-loaf shape, standing above the clouds; while at their base the land was deformed and rocky, and the shore was everywhere beset with ice, which made such irksome noise that the land was called ‘The Land of Desolation.’”

embayed

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

From this reading The captain of this ship was brave old John Davis, who, when he had discovered his perilous situation, put off in a boat, and thereby discovered that his ship was “embayed in fields and hills of ice, the crashing together of which made the fearful sounds that he had heard.”

everywhereadverbUS /ˈevriwer/

to or in any or all places

From this reading The ship drifted helplessly through the night, and when the morning dawned, “the people saw the tops of mountains white with snow, and of a sugar-loaf shape, standing above the clouds; while at their base the land was deformed and rocky, and the shore was everywhere beset with ice, which made such irksome noise that the land was called ‘The Land of Desolation.’”

fearfuladjectiveUS /ˈfɪrfəl/

experiencing or showing fear

From this reading The captain of this ship was brave old John Davis, who, when he had discovered his perilous situation, put off in a boat, and thereby discovered that his ship was “embayed in fields and hills of ice, the crashing together of which made the fearful sounds that he had heard.”

fieldsnounUS /fiːldz/

United States comedian and film actor (1880-1946)

From this reading The captain of this ship was brave old John Davis, who, when he had discovered his perilous situation, put off in a boat, and thereby discovered that his ship was “embayed in fields and hills of ice, the crashing together of which made the fearful sounds that he had heard.”

fiftynounUS /ˈfɪfti/

the cardinal number that is the product of ten and five

From this reading On a gloomy night in the month of July, 1585, the ship _Sunshine_, of fifty tons, “fitted out,” as the old chronicles inform us, “by divers opulent merchants of London, for the discovery of a north-west passage, came, in a thick and heavy mist, to a place where there was a mighty roaring as of waves dashing on a rocky shore.”

fittedadjectiveUS /ˈfɪtəd/

being the right size and shape to fit as desired

From this reading On a gloomy night in the month of July, 1585, the ship _Sunshine_, of fifty tons, “fitted out,” as the old chronicles inform us, “by divers opulent merchants of London, for the discovery of a north-west passage, came, in a thick and heavy mist, to a place where there was a mighty roaring as of waves dashing on a rocky shore.”

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading On a gloomy night in the month of July, 1585, the ship _Sunshine_, of fifty tons, “fitted out,” as the old chronicles inform us, “by divers opulent merchants of London, for the discovery of a north-west passage, came, in a thick and heavy mist, to a place where there was a mighty roaring as of waves dashing on a rocky shore.”

gloomyadjectiveUS /ˈɡluːmi/

depressingly dark

From this reading On a gloomy night in the month of July, 1585, the ship _Sunshine_, of fifty tons, “fitted out,” as the old chronicles inform us, “by divers opulent merchants of London, for the discovery of a north-west passage, came, in a thick and heavy mist, to a place where there was a mighty roaring as of waves dashing on a rocky shore.”

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading The captain of this ship was brave old John Davis, who, when he had discovered his perilous situation, put off in a boat, and thereby discovered that his ship was “embayed in fields and hills of ice, the crashing together of which made the fearful sounds that he had heard.”

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading The captain of this ship was brave old John Davis, who, when he had discovered his perilous situation, put off in a boat, and thereby discovered that his ship was “embayed in fields and hills of ice, the crashing together of which made the fearful sounds that he had heard.”

heardadjectiveUS /hɜːrd/

detected or perceived by the sense of hearing

From this reading The captain of this ship was brave old John Davis, who, when he had discovered his perilous situation, put off in a boat, and thereby discovered that his ship was “embayed in fields and hills of ice, the crashing together of which made the fearful sounds that he had heard.”

heavyadjectiveUS /ˈhevi/

of comparatively great physical weight or density

From this reading On a gloomy night in the month of July, 1585, the ship _Sunshine_, of fifty tons, “fitted out,” as the old chronicles inform us, “by divers opulent merchants of London, for the discovery of a north-west passage, came, in a thick and heavy mist, to a place where there was a mighty roaring as of waves dashing on a rocky shore.”

helplesslyadverbUS /ˈhelpləsli/

in a helpless manner

From this reading The ship drifted helplessly through the night, and when the morning dawned, “the people saw the tops of mountains white with snow, and of a sugar-loaf shape, standing above the clouds; while at their base the land was deformed and rocky, and the shore was everywhere beset with ice, which made such irksome noise that the land was called ‘The Land of Desolation.’”

hillsnounUS /hɪlz/

plural of “hill” — a local and well-defined elevation of the land

From this reading The captain of this ship was brave old John Davis, who, when he had discovered his perilous situation, put off in a boat, and thereby discovered that his ship was “embayed in fields and hills of ice, the crashing together of which made the fearful sounds that he had heard.”

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading The captain of this ship was brave old John Davis, who, when he had discovered his perilous situation, put off in a boat, and thereby discovered that his ship was “embayed in fields and hills of ice, the crashing together of which made the fearful sounds that he had heard.”

hundrednounUS /ˈhʌndrəd/

ten 10s

From this reading On a gloomy night in the month of July, 1869, the ship _Panther_, of three hundred and fifty tons, fitted out for a summer voyage by a party in pursuit of pleasure, came in like manner, through a thick and heavy mist, to a place where there was a mighty roaring as of waves dashing on a rocky shore.

ICEnounUS /aɪs/

water frozen in the solid state

From this reading ICE AND BREAKERS.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading On a gloomy night in the month of July, 1585, the ship _Sunshine_, of fifty tons, “fitted out,” as the old chronicles inform us, “by divers opulent merchants of London, for the discovery of a north-west passage, came, in a thick and heavy mist, to a place where there was a mighty roaring as of waves dashing on a rocky shore.”

informverbUS /ˌɪnˈfɔːrm/

impart knowledge of some fact, state of affairs, or event to

From this reading On a gloomy night in the month of July, 1585, the ship _Sunshine_, of fifty tons, “fitted out,” as the old chronicles inform us, “by divers opulent merchants of London, for the discovery of a north-west passage, came, in a thick and heavy mist, to a place where there was a mighty roaring as of waves dashing on a rocky shore.”

irksomeadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrksəm/

so lacking in interest as to cause mental weariness

From this reading The ship drifted helplessly through the night, and when the morning dawned, “the people saw the tops of mountains white with snow, and of a sugar-loaf shape, standing above the clouds; while at their base the land was deformed and rocky, and the shore was everywhere beset with ice, which made such irksome noise that the land was called ‘The Land of Desolation.’”

JohnnounUS /dʒɑːn/

a room or building equipped with one or more toilets

From this reading The captain of this ship was brave old John Davis, who, when he had discovered his perilous situation, put off in a boat, and thereby discovered that his ship was “embayed in fields and hills of ice, the crashing together of which made the fearful sounds that he had heard.”

JulynounUS /ˌdʒuːˈlaɪ/

the month following June and preceding August

From this reading On a gloomy night in the month of July, 1585, the ship _Sunshine_, of fifty tons, “fitted out,” as the old chronicles inform us, “by divers opulent merchants of London, for the discovery of a north-west passage, came, in a thick and heavy mist, to a place where there was a mighty roaring as of waves dashing on a rocky shore.”

landnounUS /lænd/

the land on which real estate is located

From this reading The ship drifted helplessly through the night, and when the morning dawned, “the people saw the tops of mountains white with snow, and of a sugar-loaf shape, standing above the clouds; while at their base the land was deformed and rocky, and the shore was everywhere beset with ice, which made such irksome noise that the land was called ‘The Land of Desolation.’”

likeverbUS /laɪk/

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading On a gloomy night in the month of July, 1869, the ship _Panther_, of three hundred and fifty tons, fitted out for a summer voyage by a party in pursuit of pleasure, came in like manner, through a thick and heavy mist, to a place where there was a mighty roaring as of waves dashing on a rocky shore.

LondonnounUS /ˈlʌndən/

the capital and largest city of England; located on the Thames in southeastern England; financial and industrial and cultural center

From this reading On a gloomy night in the month of July, 1585, the ship _Sunshine_, of fifty tons, “fitted out,” as the old chronicles inform us, “by divers opulent merchants of London, for the discovery of a north-west passage, came, in a thick and heavy mist, to a place where there was a mighty roaring as of waves dashing on a rocky shore.”

madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading The captain of this ship was brave old John Davis, who, when he had discovered his perilous situation, put off in a boat, and thereby discovered that his ship was “embayed in fields and hills of ice, the crashing together of which made the fearful sounds that he had heard.”

mannernounUS /ˈmænər/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading On a gloomy night in the month of July, 1869, the ship _Panther_, of three hundred and fifty tons, fitted out for a summer voyage by a party in pursuit of pleasure, came in like manner, through a thick and heavy mist, to a place where there was a mighty roaring as of waves dashing on a rocky shore.

merchantsnounUS /ˈmɜːrtʃənts/

plural of “merchant” — a businessperson engaged in retail trade

From this reading On a gloomy night in the month of July, 1585, the ship _Sunshine_, of fifty tons, “fitted out,” as the old chronicles inform us, “by divers opulent merchants of London, for the discovery of a north-west passage, came, in a thick and heavy mist, to a place where there was a mighty roaring as of waves dashing on a rocky shore.”

mightyadjectiveUS /ˈmaɪti/

having or showing great strength or force or intensity

From this reading On a gloomy night in the month of July, 1585, the ship _Sunshine_, of fifty tons, “fitted out,” as the old chronicles inform us, “by divers opulent merchants of London, for the discovery of a north-west passage, came, in a thick and heavy mist, to a place where there was a mighty roaring as of waves dashing on a rocky shore.”

mistverbUS /mɪst/

become covered with mist

From this reading On a gloomy night in the month of July, 1585, the ship _Sunshine_, of fifty tons, “fitted out,” as the old chronicles inform us, “by divers opulent merchants of London, for the discovery of a north-west passage, came, in a thick and heavy mist, to a place where there was a mighty roaring as of waves dashing on a rocky shore.”

monthnounUS /mʌnθ/

one of the twelve divisions of the calendar year

From this reading On a gloomy night in the month of July, 1585, the ship _Sunshine_, of fifty tons, “fitted out,” as the old chronicles inform us, “by divers opulent merchants of London, for the discovery of a north-west passage, came, in a thick and heavy mist, to a place where there was a mighty roaring as of waves dashing on a rocky shore.”

morningnounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading The ship drifted helplessly through the night, and when the morning dawned, “the people saw the tops of mountains white with snow, and of a sugar-loaf shape, standing above the clouds; while at their base the land was deformed and rocky, and the shore was everywhere beset with ice, which made such irksome noise that the land was called ‘The Land of Desolation.’”

mountainsnounUS /ˈmaʊntənz/

plural of “mountain” — a land mass that projects well above its surroundings; higher than a hill

From this reading The ship drifted helplessly through the night, and when the morning dawned, “the people saw the tops of mountains white with snow, and of a sugar-loaf shape, standing above the clouds; while at their base the land was deformed and rocky, and the shore was everywhere beset with ice, which made such irksome noise that the land was called ‘The Land of Desolation.’”

nightnounUS /naɪt/

the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside

From this reading On a gloomy night in the month of July, 1585, the ship _Sunshine_, of fifty tons, “fitted out,” as the old chronicles inform us, “by divers opulent merchants of London, for the discovery of a north-west passage, came, in a thick and heavy mist, to a place where there was a mighty roaring as of waves dashing on a rocky shore.”

noisenounUS /nɔɪz/

sound of any kind (especially unintelligible or dissonant sound)

From this reading The ship drifted helplessly through the night, and when the morning dawned, “the people saw the tops of mountains white with snow, and of a sugar-loaf shape, standing above the clouds; while at their base the land was deformed and rocky, and the shore was everywhere beset with ice, which made such irksome noise that the land was called ‘The Land of Desolation.’”

north-westadverb

to, toward, or in the northwest

From this reading On a gloomy night in the month of July, 1585, the ship _Sunshine_, of fifty tons, “fitted out,” as the old chronicles inform us, “by divers opulent merchants of London, for the discovery of a north-west passage, came, in a thick and heavy mist, to a place where there was a mighty roaring as of waves dashing on a rocky shore.”

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading On a gloomy night in the month of July, 1585, the ship _Sunshine_, of fifty tons, “fitted out,” as the old chronicles inform us, “by divers opulent merchants of London, for the discovery of a north-west passage, came, in a thick and heavy mist, to a place where there was a mighty roaring as of waves dashing on a rocky shore.”

offadverbUS /ɔːf/

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

From this reading The captain of this ship was brave old John Davis, who, when he had discovered his perilous situation, put off in a boat, and thereby discovered that his ship was “embayed in fields and hills of ice, the crashing together of which made the fearful sounds that he had heard.”

oldadjectiveUS /oʊld/

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading On a gloomy night in the month of July, 1585, the ship _Sunshine_, of fifty tons, “fitted out,” as the old chronicles inform us, “by divers opulent merchants of London, for the discovery of a north-west passage, came, in a thick and heavy mist, to a place where there was a mighty roaring as of waves dashing on a rocky shore.”

OnprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading On a gloomy night in the month of July, 1585, the ship _Sunshine_, of fifty tons, “fitted out,” as the old chronicles inform us, “by divers opulent merchants of London, for the discovery of a north-west passage, came, in a thick and heavy mist, to a place where there was a mighty roaring as of waves dashing on a rocky shore.”

opulentadjectiveUS /ˈɑːpjələnt/

ostentatiously rich and superior in quality

From this reading On a gloomy night in the month of July, 1585, the ship _Sunshine_, of fifty tons, “fitted out,” as the old chronicles inform us, “by divers opulent merchants of London, for the discovery of a north-west passage, came, in a thick and heavy mist, to a place where there was a mighty roaring as of waves dashing on a rocky shore.”

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading On a gloomy night in the month of July, 1585, the ship _Sunshine_, of fifty tons, “fitted out,” as the old chronicles inform us, “by divers opulent merchants of London, for the discovery of a north-west passage, came, in a thick and heavy mist, to a place where there was a mighty roaring as of waves dashing on a rocky shore.”

PanthernounUS /ˈpænθər/

a large spotted feline of tropical America similar to the leopard; in some classifications considered a member of the genus Felis

From this reading On a gloomy night in the month of July, 1869, the ship _Panther_, of three hundred and fifty tons, fitted out for a summer voyage by a party in pursuit of pleasure, came in like manner, through a thick and heavy mist, to a place where there was a mighty roaring as of waves dashing on a rocky shore.

partynounUS /ˈpɑːrti/

an organization to gain political power

From this reading On a gloomy night in the month of July, 1869, the ship _Panther_, of three hundred and fifty tons, fitted out for a summer voyage by a party in pursuit of pleasure, came in like manner, through a thick and heavy mist, to a place where there was a mighty roaring as of waves dashing on a rocky shore.

passagenounUS /ˈpæsədʒ/

the act of passing from one state or place to the next

From this reading On a gloomy night in the month of July, 1585, the ship _Sunshine_, of fifty tons, “fitted out,” as the old chronicles inform us, “by divers opulent merchants of London, for the discovery of a north-west passage, came, in a thick and heavy mist, to a place where there was a mighty roaring as of waves dashing on a rocky shore.”

peoplenounUS /ˈpiːpəl/

(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively

From this reading The ship drifted helplessly through the night, and when the morning dawned, “the people saw the tops of mountains white with snow, and of a sugar-loaf shape, standing above the clouds; while at their base the land was deformed and rocky, and the shore was everywhere beset with ice, which made such irksome noise that the land was called ‘The Land of Desolation.’”

perilousadjectiveUS /ˈperələs/

fraught with danger

From this reading The captain of this ship was brave old John Davis, who, when he had discovered his perilous situation, put off in a boat, and thereby discovered that his ship was “embayed in fields and hills of ice, the crashing together of which made the fearful sounds that he had heard.”

placenounUS /pleɪs/

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading On a gloomy night in the month of July, 1585, the ship _Sunshine_, of fifty tons, “fitted out,” as the old chronicles inform us, “by divers opulent merchants of London, for the discovery of a north-west passage, came, in a thick and heavy mist, to a place where there was a mighty roaring as of waves dashing on a rocky shore.”

pleasurenounUS /ˈpleʒər/

a fundamental feeling that is hard to define but that people desire to experience

From this reading On a gloomy night in the month of July, 1869, the ship _Panther_, of three hundred and fifty tons, fitted out for a summer voyage by a party in pursuit of pleasure, came in like manner, through a thick and heavy mist, to a place where there was a mighty roaring as of waves dashing on a rocky shore.

pursuitnounUS /pərˈsuːt/

the act of pursuing in an effort to overtake or capture

From this reading On a gloomy night in the month of July, 1869, the ship _Panther_, of three hundred and fifty tons, fitted out for a summer voyage by a party in pursuit of pleasure, came in like manner, through a thick and heavy mist, to a place where there was a mighty roaring as of waves dashing on a rocky shore.

putverbUS /pʊt/

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading The captain of this ship was brave old John Davis, who, when he had discovered his perilous situation, put off in a boat, and thereby discovered that his ship was “embayed in fields and hills of ice, the crashing together of which made the fearful sounds that he had heard.”

roaringnounUS /ˈrɔːrɪŋ/

a deep prolonged loud noise

From this reading On a gloomy night in the month of July, 1585, the ship _Sunshine_, of fifty tons, “fitted out,” as the old chronicles inform us, “by divers opulent merchants of London, for the discovery of a north-west passage, came, in a thick and heavy mist, to a place where there was a mighty roaring as of waves dashing on a rocky shore.”

rockyadjectiveUS /ˈrɑːki/

abounding in rocks or stones

From this reading On a gloomy night in the month of July, 1585, the ship _Sunshine_, of fifty tons, “fitted out,” as the old chronicles inform us, “by divers opulent merchants of London, for the discovery of a north-west passage, came, in a thick and heavy mist, to a place where there was a mighty roaring as of waves dashing on a rocky shore.”

sawverbUS /sɔː/

cut with a saw

From this reading The ship drifted helplessly through the night, and when the morning dawned, “the people saw the tops of mountains white with snow, and of a sugar-loaf shape, standing above the clouds; while at their base the land was deformed and rocky, and the shore was everywhere beset with ice, which made such irksome noise that the land was called ‘The Land of Desolation.’”

shapenounUS /ʃeɪp/

any spatial attributes (especially as defined by outline)

From this reading The ship drifted helplessly through the night, and when the morning dawned, “the people saw the tops of mountains white with snow, and of a sugar-loaf shape, standing above the clouds; while at their base the land was deformed and rocky, and the shore was everywhere beset with ice, which made such irksome noise that the land was called ‘The Land of Desolation.’”

shipverbUS /ʃɪp/

transport commercially

From this reading On a gloomy night in the month of July, 1585, the ship _Sunshine_, of fifty tons, “fitted out,” as the old chronicles inform us, “by divers opulent merchants of London, for the discovery of a north-west passage, came, in a thick and heavy mist, to a place where there was a mighty roaring as of waves dashing on a rocky shore.”

shorenounUS /ʃɔːr/

the land along the edge of a body of water

From this reading On a gloomy night in the month of July, 1585, the ship _Sunshine_, of fifty tons, “fitted out,” as the old chronicles inform us, “by divers opulent merchants of London, for the discovery of a north-west passage, came, in a thick and heavy mist, to a place where there was a mighty roaring as of waves dashing on a rocky shore.”

situationnounUS /ˌsɪtʃuːˈeɪʃən/

the general state of things; the combination of circumstances at a given time

From this reading The captain of this ship was brave old John Davis, who, when he had discovered his perilous situation, put off in a boat, and thereby discovered that his ship was “embayed in fields and hills of ice, the crashing together of which made the fearful sounds that he had heard.”

snownounUS /snoʊ/

precipitation falling from clouds in the form of ice crystals

From this reading The ship drifted helplessly through the night, and when the morning dawned, “the people saw the tops of mountains white with snow, and of a sugar-loaf shape, standing above the clouds; while at their base the land was deformed and rocky, and the shore was everywhere beset with ice, which made such irksome noise that the land was called ‘The Land of Desolation.’”

soundsnounUS /saʊndz/

plural of “sound” — the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause

From this reading The captain of this ship was brave old John Davis, who, when he had discovered his perilous situation, put off in a boat, and thereby discovered that his ship was “embayed in fields and hills of ice, the crashing together of which made the fearful sounds that he had heard.”

standingadjectiveUS /ˈstændɪŋ/

having a supporting base

From this reading The ship drifted helplessly through the night, and when the morning dawned, “the people saw the tops of mountains white with snow, and of a sugar-loaf shape, standing above the clouds; while at their base the land was deformed and rocky, and the shore was everywhere beset with ice, which made such irksome noise that the land was called ‘The Land of Desolation.’”

suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading The ship drifted helplessly through the night, and when the morning dawned, “the people saw the tops of mountains white with snow, and of a sugar-loaf shape, standing above the clouds; while at their base the land was deformed and rocky, and the shore was everywhere beset with ice, which made such irksome noise that the land was called ‘The Land of Desolation.’”

sugar-loaf

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

From this reading The ship drifted helplessly through the night, and when the morning dawned, “the people saw the tops of mountains white with snow, and of a sugar-loaf shape, standing above the clouds; while at their base the land was deformed and rocky, and the shore was everywhere beset with ice, which made such irksome noise that the land was called ‘The Land of Desolation.’”

summernounUS /ˈsʌmər/

the warmest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox

From this reading On a gloomy night in the month of July, 1869, the ship _Panther_, of three hundred and fifty tons, fitted out for a summer voyage by a party in pursuit of pleasure, came in like manner, through a thick and heavy mist, to a place where there was a mighty roaring as of waves dashing on a rocky shore.

SunshinenounUS /ˈsʌnʃaɪn/

the rays of the sun

From this reading On a gloomy night in the month of July, 1585, the ship _Sunshine_, of fifty tons, “fitted out,” as the old chronicles inform us, “by divers opulent merchants of London, for the discovery of a north-west passage, came, in a thick and heavy mist, to a place where there was a mighty roaring as of waves dashing on a rocky shore.”

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading The captain of this ship was brave old John Davis, who, when he had discovered his perilous situation, put off in a boat, and thereby discovered that his ship was “embayed in fields and hills of ice, the crashing together of which made the fearful sounds that he had heard.”

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading On a gloomy night in the month of July, 1585, the ship _Sunshine_, of fifty tons, “fitted out,” as the old chronicles inform us, “by divers opulent merchants of London, for the discovery of a north-west passage, came, in a thick and heavy mist, to a place where there was a mighty roaring as of waves dashing on a rocky shore.”

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading The ship drifted helplessly through the night, and when the morning dawned, “the people saw the tops of mountains white with snow, and of a sugar-loaf shape, standing above the clouds; while at their base the land was deformed and rocky, and the shore was everywhere beset with ice, which made such irksome noise that the land was called ‘The Land of Desolation.’”

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading On a gloomy night in the month of July, 1585, the ship _Sunshine_, of fifty tons, “fitted out,” as the old chronicles inform us, “by divers opulent merchants of London, for the discovery of a north-west passage, came, in a thick and heavy mist, to a place where there was a mighty roaring as of waves dashing on a rocky shore.”

therebyadverbUS /ˈðerˈbaɪ/

by that means or because of that

From this reading The captain of this ship was brave old John Davis, who, when he had discovered his perilous situation, put off in a boat, and thereby discovered that his ship was “embayed in fields and hills of ice, the crashing together of which made the fearful sounds that he had heard.”

thickadjectiveUS /θɪk/

not thin; of a specific thickness or of relatively great extent from one surface to the opposite usually in the smallest of the three solid dimensions

From this reading On a gloomy night in the month of July, 1585, the ship _Sunshine_, of fifty tons, “fitted out,” as the old chronicles inform us, “by divers opulent merchants of London, for the discovery of a north-west passage, came, in a thick and heavy mist, to a place where there was a mighty roaring as of waves dashing on a rocky shore.”

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading The captain of this ship was brave old John Davis, who, when he had discovered his perilous situation, put off in a boat, and thereby discovered that his ship was “embayed in fields and hills of ice, the crashing together of which made the fearful sounds that he had heard.”

threenounUS /θriː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one

From this reading On a gloomy night in the month of July, 1869, the ship _Panther_, of three hundred and fifty tons, fitted out for a summer voyage by a party in pursuit of pleasure, came in like manner, through a thick and heavy mist, to a place where there was a mighty roaring as of waves dashing on a rocky shore.

throughprepositionUS /θruː/

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading The ship drifted helplessly through the night, and when the morning dawned, “the people saw the tops of mountains white with snow, and of a sugar-loaf shape, standing above the clouds; while at their base the land was deformed and rocky, and the shore was everywhere beset with ice, which made such irksome noise that the land was called ‘The Land of Desolation.’”

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading On a gloomy night in the month of July, 1585, the ship _Sunshine_, of fifty tons, “fitted out,” as the old chronicles inform us, “by divers opulent merchants of London, for the discovery of a north-west passage, came, in a thick and heavy mist, to a place where there was a mighty roaring as of waves dashing on a rocky shore.”

togetheradverbUS /təˈɡeðər/

in contact with each other or in proximity

From this reading The captain of this ship was brave old John Davis, who, when he had discovered his perilous situation, put off in a boat, and thereby discovered that his ship was “embayed in fields and hills of ice, the crashing together of which made the fearful sounds that he had heard.”

tonsnounUS /tʌnz/

a large number or amount

From this reading On a gloomy night in the month of July, 1585, the ship _Sunshine_, of fifty tons, “fitted out,” as the old chronicles inform us, “by divers opulent merchants of London, for the discovery of a north-west passage, came, in a thick and heavy mist, to a place where there was a mighty roaring as of waves dashing on a rocky shore.”

topsadjectiveUS /tɑːps/

of the highest quality

From this reading The ship drifted helplessly through the night, and when the morning dawned, “the people saw the tops of mountains white with snow, and of a sugar-loaf shape, standing above the clouds; while at their base the land was deformed and rocky, and the shore was everywhere beset with ice, which made such irksome noise that the land was called ‘The Land of Desolation.’”

uspronounUS /ʌs/

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

From this reading On a gloomy night in the month of July, 1585, the ship _Sunshine_, of fifty tons, “fitted out,” as the old chronicles inform us, “by divers opulent merchants of London, for the discovery of a north-west passage, came, in a thick and heavy mist, to a place where there was a mighty roaring as of waves dashing on a rocky shore.”

voyagenounUS /ˈvɔɪədʒ/

an act of traveling by water

From this reading On a gloomy night in the month of July, 1869, the ship _Panther_, of three hundred and fifty tons, fitted out for a summer voyage by a party in pursuit of pleasure, came in like manner, through a thick and heavy mist, to a place where there was a mighty roaring as of waves dashing on a rocky shore.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading On a gloomy night in the month of July, 1585, the ship _Sunshine_, of fifty tons, “fitted out,” as the old chronicles inform us, “by divers opulent merchants of London, for the discovery of a north-west passage, came, in a thick and heavy mist, to a place where there was a mighty roaring as of waves dashing on a rocky shore.”

wavesnounUS /weɪvz/

plural of “wave” — one of a series of ridges that moves across the surface of a liquid (especially across a large body of water)

From this reading On a gloomy night in the month of July, 1585, the ship _Sunshine_, of fifty tons, “fitted out,” as the old chronicles inform us, “by divers opulent merchants of London, for the discovery of a north-west passage, came, in a thick and heavy mist, to a place where there was a mighty roaring as of waves dashing on a rocky shore.”

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading The captain of this ship was brave old John Davis, who, when he had discovered his perilous situation, put off in a boat, and thereby discovered that his ship was “embayed in fields and hills of ice, the crashing together of which made the fearful sounds that he had heard.”

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading On a gloomy night in the month of July, 1585, the ship _Sunshine_, of fifty tons, “fitted out,” as the old chronicles inform us, “by divers opulent merchants of London, for the discovery of a north-west passage, came, in a thick and heavy mist, to a place where there was a mighty roaring as of waves dashing on a rocky shore.”

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading The captain of this ship was brave old John Davis, who, when he had discovered his perilous situation, put off in a boat, and thereby discovered that his ship was “embayed in fields and hills of ice, the crashing together of which made the fearful sounds that he had heard.”

whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/

during the time that

From this reading The ship drifted helplessly through the night, and when the morning dawned, “the people saw the tops of mountains white with snow, and of a sugar-loaf shape, standing above the clouds; while at their base the land was deformed and rocky, and the shore was everywhere beset with ice, which made such irksome noise that the land was called ‘The Land of Desolation.’”

whitenounUS /waɪt/

a Caucasian

From this reading The ship drifted helplessly through the night, and when the morning dawned, “the people saw the tops of mountains white with snow, and of a sugar-loaf shape, standing above the clouds; while at their base the land was deformed and rocky, and the shore was everywhere beset with ice, which made such irksome noise that the land was called ‘The Land of Desolation.’”

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading The captain of this ship was brave old John Davis, who, when he had discovered his perilous situation, put off in a boat, and thereby discovered that his ship was “embayed in fields and hills of ice, the crashing together of which made the fearful sounds that he had heard.”

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading The ship drifted helplessly through the night, and when the morning dawned, “the people saw the tops of mountains white with snow, and of a sugar-loaf shape, standing above the clouds; while at their base the land was deformed and rocky, and the shore was everywhere beset with ice, which made such irksome noise that the land was called ‘The Land of Desolation.’”

Chapter 2 of The Land of Desolation by I. I. (Isaac Israel) Hayes holds 17 sentences, grouped into 4 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.

What does chapter 2 of The Land of Desolation contain?

Chapter 2 holds 17 sentences of The Land of Desolation, unabridged, divided into 4 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 2 of The Land of Desolation by I. I. (Isaac Israel) Hayes exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 17 sentences, grouped into 4 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.

How do I study chapter 2 of The Land of Desolation?

Work through the 4 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 4 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.

Can chapter 2 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 2 can be played aloud in United States English.

Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.

Questions about reading The Land of Desolation

Common questions about reading The Land of Desolation by I. I. (Isaac Israel) Hayes on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Land of Desolation?

Yes. All 3145 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #59217 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Land of Desolation is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #59217, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Land of Desolation take to read?

About 262 minutes of reading across 629 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Land of Desolation section by section

How to work through The Land of Desolation section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 39 chapters of The Land of Desolation to begin.

  2. Read one section

    Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.

  3. Listen and tap

    Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in The Land of Desolation

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Land of Desolation, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Being
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Land of Desolation; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Personal
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Land of Desolation; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Narrative
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Land of Desolation; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Observation
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Land of Desolation; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.