used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading At last, when we were fully prepared to refuse to proceed unless we saw some reasonable prospect of being fed while at sea, a boat-load of stores came off, accompanied by a new recruit to take the place of Charley, who was busy mat-making in Rangoon gaol.
(usually followed by “to”) having the necessary means or skill or know-how or authority to do something
From this reading He was an old acquaintance of mine, having been cook of a barque called the _Gemsbok_, which lay at Auckland during one of my visits--a fair-haired, happy-go-lucky Englishman; but a very poor sailor, however able he might have been as a cook.
having companions or an escort
From this reading At last, when we were fully prepared to refuse to proceed unless we saw some reasonable prospect of being fed while at sea, a boat-load of stores came off, accompanied by a new recruit to take the place of Charley, who was busy mat-making in Rangoon gaol.
personal knowledge or information about someone or something
From this reading He was an old acquaintance of mine, having been cook of a barque called the _Gemsbok_, which lay at Auckland during one of my visits--a fair-haired, happy-go-lucky Englishman; but a very poor sailor, however able he might have been as a cook.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading And now--our cargo being all on board, sails bent, and hatches battened down--we began to look forward to the homeward passage.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading But our anticipations were in no sense pleasurable, for, although we had certainly lived well while in port, we had as yet received no stores for sea use, and we were in grievous doubt as to the intentions of our commander in this respect.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading He was an old acquaintance of mine, having been cook of a barque called the _Gemsbok_, which lay at Auckland during one of my visits--a fair-haired, happy-go-lucky Englishman; but a very poor sailor, however able he might have been as a cook.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading And now--our cargo being all on board, sails bent, and hatches battened down--we began to look forward to the homeward passage.
anticipationsnounUS /ænˌtɪsəˈpeɪʃənz/
plural of “anticipation” — an expectation
From this reading But our anticipations were in no sense pleasurable, for, although we had certainly lived well while in port, we had as yet received no stores for sea use, and we were in grievous doubt as to the intentions of our commander in this respect.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading But our anticipations were in no sense pleasurable, for, although we had certainly lived well while in port, we had as yet received no stores for sea use, and we were in grievous doubt as to the intentions of our commander in this respect.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At last, when we were fully prepared to refuse to proceed unless we saw some reasonable prospect of being fed while at sea, a boat-load of stores came off, accompanied by a new recruit to take the place of Charley, who was busy mat-making in Rangoon gaol.
AucklandnounUS /ˈɑːklənd/
the largest city and principal port of New Zealand
From this reading He was an old acquaintance of mine, having been cook of a barque called the _Gemsbok_, which lay at Auckland during one of my visits--a fair-haired, happy-go-lucky Englishman; but a very poor sailor, however able he might have been as a cook.
barquenoun
a sailing ship with 3 (or more) masts
From this reading He was an old acquaintance of mine, having been cook of a barque called the _Gemsbok_, which lay at Auckland during one of my visits--a fair-haired, happy-go-lucky Englishman; but a very poor sailor, however able he might have been as a cook.
battened
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And now--our cargo being all on board, sails bent, and hatches battened down--we began to look forward to the homeward passage.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading He was an old acquaintance of mine, having been cook of a barque called the _Gemsbok_, which lay at Auckland during one of my visits--a fair-haired, happy-go-lucky Englishman; but a very poor sailor, however able he might have been as a cook.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading And now--our cargo being all on board, sails bent, and hatches battened down--we began to look forward to the homeward passage.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading And now--our cargo being all on board, sails bent, and hatches battened down--we began to look forward to the homeward passage.
a relatively permanent inclination to react in a particular way
From this reading And now--our cargo being all on board, sails bent, and hatches battened down--we began to look forward to the homeward passage.
a committee having supervisory powers
From this reading And now--our cargo being all on board, sails bent, and hatches battened down--we began to look forward to the homeward passage.
boat-load
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At last, when we were fully prepared to refuse to proceed unless we saw some reasonable prospect of being fed while at sea, a boat-load of stores came off, accompanied by a new recruit to take the place of Charley, who was busy mat-making in Rangoon gaol.
actively or fully engaged or occupied
From this reading At last, when we were fully prepared to refuse to proceed unless we saw some reasonable prospect of being fed while at sea, a boat-load of stores came off, accompanied by a new recruit to take the place of Charley, who was busy mat-making in Rangoon gaol.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But our anticipations were in no sense pleasurable, for, although we had certainly lived well while in port, we had as yet received no stores for sea use, and we were in grievous doubt as to the intentions of our commander in this respect.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading At last, when we were fully prepared to refuse to proceed unless we saw some reasonable prospect of being fed while at sea, a boat-load of stores came off, accompanied by a new recruit to take the place of Charley, who was busy mat-making in Rangoon gaol.
past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading He was an old acquaintance of mine, having been cook of a barque called the _Gemsbok_, which lay at Auckland during one of my visits--a fair-haired, happy-go-lucky Englishman; but a very poor sailor, however able he might have been as a cook.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading At last, when we were fully prepared to refuse to proceed unless we saw some reasonable prospect of being fed while at sea, a boat-load of stores came off, accompanied by a new recruit to take the place of Charley, who was busy mat-making in Rangoon gaol.
cargonounUS /ˈkɑːrɡoʊ/
goods carried by a large vehicle
From this reading And now--our cargo being all on board, sails bent, and hatches battened down--we began to look forward to the homeward passage.
definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)
From this reading But our anticipations were in no sense pleasurable, for, although we had certainly lived well while in port, we had as yet received no stores for sea use, and we were in grievous doubt as to the intentions of our commander in this respect.
Charley
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At last, when we were fully prepared to refuse to proceed unless we saw some reasonable prospect of being fed while at sea, a boat-load of stores came off, accompanied by a new recruit to take the place of Charley, who was busy mat-making in Rangoon gaol.
an officer in command of a military unit
From this reading But our anticipations were in no sense pleasurable, for, although we had certainly lived well while in port, we had as yet received no stores for sea use, and we were in grievous doubt as to the intentions of our commander in this respect.
prepare a hot meal
From this reading He was an old acquaintance of mine, having been cook of a barque called the _Gemsbok_, which lay at Auckland during one of my visits--a fair-haired, happy-go-lucky Englishman; but a very poor sailor, however able he might have been as a cook.
plural of “difficulty” — an effort that is inconvenient
From this reading HOMEWARD-BOUND IN DIFFICULTIES.
the state of being unsure of something
From this reading But our anticipations were in no sense pleasurable, for, although we had certainly lived well while in port, we had as yet received no stores for sea use, and we were in grievous doubt as to the intentions of our commander in this respect.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading And now--our cargo being all on board, sails bent, and hatches battened down--we began to look forward to the homeward passage.
all through a period, or at some point within it
From this reading He was an old acquaintance of mine, having been cook of a barque called the _Gemsbok_, which lay at Auckland during one of my visits--a fair-haired, happy-go-lucky Englishman; but a very poor sailor, however able he might have been as a cook.
EnglishmannounUS /ˈɪŋɡlɪʃmən/
a man who is a native or inhabitant of England
From this reading He was an old acquaintance of mine, having been cook of a barque called the _Gemsbok_, which lay at Auckland during one of my visits--a fair-haired, happy-go-lucky Englishman; but a very poor sailor, however able he might have been as a cook.
fair-hairedadjective
favorite
From this reading He was an old acquaintance of mine, having been cook of a barque called the _Gemsbok_, which lay at Auckland during one of my visits--a fair-haired, happy-go-lucky Englishman; but a very poor sailor, however able he might have been as a cook.
fednounUS /fed/
any federal law-enforcement officer
From this reading At last, when we were fully prepared to refuse to proceed unless we saw some reasonable prospect of being fed while at sea, a boat-load of stores came off, accompanied by a new recruit to take the place of Charley, who was busy mat-making in Rangoon gaol.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading But our anticipations were in no sense pleasurable, for, although we had certainly lived well while in port, we had as yet received no stores for sea use, and we were in grievous doubt as to the intentions of our commander in this respect.
at or to or toward the front
From this reading And now--our cargo being all on board, sails bent, and hatches battened down--we began to look forward to the homeward passage.
to the greatest degree or extent; completely or entirely; (“full” in this sense is used as a combining form)
From this reading At last, when we were fully prepared to refuse to proceed unless we saw some reasonable prospect of being fed while at sea, a boat-load of stores came off, accompanied by a new recruit to take the place of Charley, who was busy mat-making in Rangoon gaol.
gaolnoun
a correctional institution used to detain persons who are in the lawful custody of the government (either accused persons awaiting trial or convicted persons serving a sentence)
From this reading At last, when we were fully prepared to refuse to proceed unless we saw some reasonable prospect of being fed while at sea, a boat-load of stores came off, accompanied by a new recruit to take the place of Charley, who was busy mat-making in Rangoon gaol.
GemsboknounUS /ˈɡemzbɑːk/
large South African oryx with a broad black band along its flanks
From this reading He was an old acquaintance of mine, having been cook of a barque called the _Gemsbok_, which lay at Auckland during one of my visits--a fair-haired, happy-go-lucky Englishman; but a very poor sailor, however able he might have been as a cook.
grievousadjectiveUS /ˈɡriːvəs/
causing fear or anxiety by threatening great harm
From this reading But our anticipations were in no sense pleasurable, for, although we had certainly lived well while in port, we had as yet received no stores for sea use, and we were in grievous doubt as to the intentions of our commander in this respect.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading But our anticipations were in no sense pleasurable, for, although we had certainly lived well while in port, we had as yet received no stores for sea use, and we were in grievous doubt as to the intentions of our commander in this respect.
happy-go-luckyadjective
cheerfully irresponsible
From this reading He was an old acquaintance of mine, having been cook of a barque called the _Gemsbok_, which lay at Auckland during one of my visits--a fair-haired, happy-go-lucky Englishman; but a very poor sailor, however able he might have been as a cook.
hatchesnounUS /ˈhætʃɪz/
plural of “hatch” — the production of young from an egg
From this reading And now--our cargo being all on board, sails bent, and hatches battened down--we began to look forward to the homeward passage.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading He was an old acquaintance of mine, having been cook of a barque called the _Gemsbok_, which lay at Auckland during one of my visits--a fair-haired, happy-go-lucky Englishman; but a very poor sailor, however able he might have been as a cook.
havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading He was an old acquaintance of mine, having been cook of a barque called the _Gemsbok_, which lay at Auckland during one of my visits--a fair-haired, happy-go-lucky Englishman; but a very poor sailor, however able he might have been as a cook.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He was an old acquaintance of mine, having been cook of a barque called the _Gemsbok_, which lay at Auckland during one of my visits--a fair-haired, happy-go-lucky Englishman; but a very poor sailor, however able he might have been as a cook.
homewardadverbUS /ˈhoʊmwərd/
toward home
From this reading And now--our cargo being all on board, sails bent, and hatches battened down--we began to look forward to the homeward passage.
HOMEWARD-BOUNDadjective
oriented toward home
From this reading HOMEWARD-BOUND IN DIFFICULTIES.
used to add a contrasting statement
From this reading He was an old acquaintance of mine, having been cook of a barque called the _Gemsbok_, which lay at Auckland during one of my visits--a fair-haired, happy-go-lucky Englishman; but a very poor sailor, however able he might have been as a cook.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading HOMEWARD-BOUND IN DIFFICULTIES.
intentionsnounUS /ˌɪnˈtentʃənz/
plural of “intention” — an anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your planned actions
From this reading But our anticipations were in no sense pleasurable, for, although we had certainly lived well while in port, we had as yet received no stores for sea use, and we were in grievous doubt as to the intentions of our commander in this respect.
immediately past
From this reading At last, when we were fully prepared to refuse to proceed unless we saw some reasonable prospect of being fed while at sea, a boat-load of stores came off, accompanied by a new recruit to take the place of Charley, who was busy mat-making in Rangoon gaol.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading He was an old acquaintance of mine, having been cook of a barque called the _Gemsbok_, which lay at Auckland during one of my visits--a fair-haired, happy-go-lucky Englishman; but a very poor sailor, however able he might have been as a cook.
past form of “live” — be an inhabitant of or reside in
From this reading But our anticipations were in no sense pleasurable, for, although we had certainly lived well while in port, we had as yet received no stores for sea use, and we were in grievous doubt as to the intentions of our commander in this respect.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading And now--our cargo being all on board, sails bent, and hatches battened down--we began to look forward to the homeward passage.
mat-making
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At last, when we were fully prepared to refuse to proceed unless we saw some reasonable prospect of being fed while at sea, a boat-load of stores came off, accompanied by a new recruit to take the place of Charley, who was busy mat-making in Rangoon gaol.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading He was an old acquaintance of mine, having been cook of a barque called the _Gemsbok_, which lay at Auckland during one of my visits--a fair-haired, happy-go-lucky Englishman; but a very poor sailor, however able he might have been as a cook.
the one or ones belonging to the person speaking
From this reading He was an old acquaintance of mine, having been cook of a barque called the _Gemsbok_, which lay at Auckland during one of my visits--a fair-haired, happy-go-lucky Englishman; but a very poor sailor, however able he might have been as a cook.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading He was an old acquaintance of mine, having been cook of a barque called the _Gemsbok_, which lay at Auckland during one of my visits--a fair-haired, happy-go-lucky Englishman; but a very poor sailor, however able he might have been as a cook.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading At last, when we were fully prepared to refuse to proceed unless we saw some reasonable prospect of being fed while at sea, a boat-load of stores came off, accompanied by a new recruit to take the place of Charley, who was busy mat-making in Rangoon gaol.
not any; not one
From this reading But our anticipations were in no sense pleasurable, for, although we had certainly lived well while in port, we had as yet received no stores for sea use, and we were in grievous doubt as to the intentions of our commander in this respect.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading And now--our cargo being all on board, sails bent, and hatches battened down--we began to look forward to the homeward passage.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading But our anticipations were in no sense pleasurable, for, although we had certainly lived well while in port, we had as yet received no stores for sea use, and we were in grievous doubt as to the intentions of our commander in this respect.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading At last, when we were fully prepared to refuse to proceed unless we saw some reasonable prospect of being fed while at sea, a boat-load of stores came off, accompanied by a new recruit to take the place of Charley, who was busy mat-making in Rangoon gaol.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading He was an old acquaintance of mine, having been cook of a barque called the _Gemsbok_, which lay at Auckland during one of my visits--a fair-haired, happy-go-lucky Englishman; but a very poor sailor, however able he might have been as a cook.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading And now--our cargo being all on board, sails bent, and hatches battened down--we began to look forward to the homeward passage.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading He was an old acquaintance of mine, having been cook of a barque called the _Gemsbok_, which lay at Auckland during one of my visits--a fair-haired, happy-go-lucky Englishman; but a very poor sailor, however able he might have been as a cook.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading And now--our cargo being all on board, sails bent, and hatches battened down--we began to look forward to the homeward passage.
the act of passing from one state or place to the next
From this reading And now--our cargo being all on board, sails bent, and hatches battened down--we began to look forward to the homeward passage.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading At last, when we were fully prepared to refuse to proceed unless we saw some reasonable prospect of being fed while at sea, a boat-load of stores came off, accompanied by a new recruit to take the place of Charley, who was busy mat-making in Rangoon gaol.
pleasurableadjectiveUS /ˈpleʒərəbəl/
affording satisfaction or pleasure
From this reading But our anticipations were in no sense pleasurable, for, although we had certainly lived well while in port, we had as yet received no stores for sea use, and we were in grievous doubt as to the intentions of our commander in this respect.
deserving or inciting pity
From this reading He was an old acquaintance of mine, having been cook of a barque called the _Gemsbok_, which lay at Auckland during one of my visits--a fair-haired, happy-go-lucky Englishman; but a very poor sailor, however able he might have been as a cook.
a place (seaport or airport) where people and merchandise can enter or leave a country
From this reading But our anticipations were in no sense pleasurable, for, although we had certainly lived well while in port, we had as yet received no stores for sea use, and we were in grievous doubt as to the intentions of our commander in this respect.
made ready or fit or suitable beforehand
From this reading At last, when we were fully prepared to refuse to proceed unless we saw some reasonable prospect of being fed while at sea, a boat-load of stores came off, accompanied by a new recruit to take the place of Charley, who was busy mat-making in Rangoon gaol.
continue talking
From this reading At last, when we were fully prepared to refuse to proceed unless we saw some reasonable prospect of being fed while at sea, a boat-load of stores came off, accompanied by a new recruit to take the place of Charley, who was busy mat-making in Rangoon gaol.
the possibility of future success
From this reading At last, when we were fully prepared to refuse to proceed unless we saw some reasonable prospect of being fed while at sea, a boat-load of stores came off, accompanied by a new recruit to take the place of Charley, who was busy mat-making in Rangoon gaol.
RangoonnounUS /ræŋˈɡuːn/
the capital and largest city of Myanmar; located in the south near the Irrawaddy river delta
From this reading At last, when we were fully prepared to refuse to proceed unless we saw some reasonable prospect of being fed while at sea, a boat-load of stores came off, accompanied by a new recruit to take the place of Charley, who was busy mat-making in Rangoon gaol.
reasonableadjectiveUS /ˈriːzənəbəl/
showing reason or sound judgment
From this reading At last, when we were fully prepared to refuse to proceed unless we saw some reasonable prospect of being fed while at sea, a boat-load of stores came off, accompanied by a new recruit to take the place of Charley, who was busy mat-making in Rangoon gaol.
conforming to the established language usage of educated native speakers
From this reading But our anticipations were in no sense pleasurable, for, although we had certainly lived well while in port, we had as yet received no stores for sea use, and we were in grievous doubt as to the intentions of our commander in this respect.
recruitverbUS /rəˈkruːt/
register formally as a participant or member
From this reading At last, when we were fully prepared to refuse to proceed unless we saw some reasonable prospect of being fed while at sea, a boat-load of stores came off, accompanied by a new recruit to take the place of Charley, who was busy mat-making in Rangoon gaol.
show unwillingness towards
From this reading At last, when we were fully prepared to refuse to proceed unless we saw some reasonable prospect of being fed while at sea, a boat-load of stores came off, accompanied by a new recruit to take the place of Charley, who was busy mat-making in Rangoon gaol.
(usually preceded by “in”) a detail or point
From this reading But our anticipations were in no sense pleasurable, for, although we had certainly lived well while in port, we had as yet received no stores for sea use, and we were in grievous doubt as to the intentions of our commander in this respect.
any member of a ship's crew
From this reading He was an old acquaintance of mine, having been cook of a barque called the _Gemsbok_, which lay at Auckland during one of my visits--a fair-haired, happy-go-lucky Englishman; but a very poor sailor, however able he might have been as a cook.
sailsnounUS /seɪlz/
plural of “sail” — a large piece of fabric (usually canvas fabric) by means of which wind is used to propel a sailing vessel
From this reading And now--our cargo being all on board, sails bent, and hatches battened down--we began to look forward to the homeward passage.
cut with a saw
From this reading At last, when we were fully prepared to refuse to proceed unless we saw some reasonable prospect of being fed while at sea, a boat-load of stores came off, accompanied by a new recruit to take the place of Charley, who was busy mat-making in Rangoon gaol.
a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
From this reading But our anticipations were in no sense pleasurable, for, although we had certainly lived well while in port, we had as yet received no stores for sea use, and we were in grievous doubt as to the intentions of our commander in this respect.
a general conscious awareness
From this reading But our anticipations were in no sense pleasurable, for, although we had certainly lived well while in port, we had as yet received no stores for sea use, and we were in grievous doubt as to the intentions of our commander in this respect.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading At last, when we were fully prepared to refuse to proceed unless we saw some reasonable prospect of being fed while at sea, a boat-load of stores came off, accompanied by a new recruit to take the place of Charley, who was busy mat-making in Rangoon gaol.
storesnounUS /stɔːrz/
plural of “store” — a mercantile establishment for the retail sale of goods or services
From this reading But our anticipations were in no sense pleasurable, for, although we had certainly lived well while in port, we had as yet received no stores for sea use, and we were in grievous doubt as to the intentions of our commander in this respect.
carry out
From this reading At last, when we were fully prepared to refuse to proceed unless we saw some reasonable prospect of being fed while at sea, a boat-load of stores came off, accompanied by a new recruit to take the place of Charley, who was busy mat-making in Rangoon gaol.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading And now--our cargo being all on board, sails bent, and hatches battened down--we began to look forward to the homeward passage.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading But our anticipations were in no sense pleasurable, for, although we had certainly lived well while in port, we had as yet received no stores for sea use, and we were in grievous doubt as to the intentions of our commander in this respect.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading And now--our cargo being all on board, sails bent, and hatches battened down--we began to look forward to the homeward passage.
except if; if not
From this reading At last, when we were fully prepared to refuse to proceed unless we saw some reasonable prospect of being fed while at sea, a boat-load of stores came off, accompanied by a new recruit to take the place of Charley, who was busy mat-making in Rangoon gaol.
the act of using
From this reading But our anticipations were in no sense pleasurable, for, although we had certainly lived well while in port, we had as yet received no stores for sea use, and we were in grievous doubt as to the intentions of our commander in this respect.
precisely as stated
From this reading He was an old acquaintance of mine, having been cook of a barque called the _Gemsbok_, which lay at Auckland during one of my visits--a fair-haired, happy-go-lucky Englishman; but a very poor sailor, however able he might have been as a cook.
visitsnounUS /ˈvɪzɪts/
plural of “visit” — the act of going to see some person or place or thing for a short time
From this reading He was an old acquaintance of mine, having been cook of a barque called the _Gemsbok_, which lay at Auckland during one of my visits--a fair-haired, happy-go-lucky Englishman; but a very poor sailor, however able he might have been as a cook.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading At last, when we were fully prepared to refuse to proceed unless we saw some reasonable prospect of being fed while at sea, a boat-load of stores came off, accompanied by a new recruit to take the place of Charley, who was busy mat-making in Rangoon gaol.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading And now--our cargo being all on board, sails bent, and hatches battened down--we began to look forward to the homeward passage.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading But our anticipations were in no sense pleasurable, for, although we had certainly lived well while in port, we had as yet received no stores for sea use, and we were in grievous doubt as to the intentions of our commander in this respect.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading But our anticipations were in no sense pleasurable, for, although we had certainly lived well while in port, we had as yet received no stores for sea use, and we were in grievous doubt as to the intentions of our commander in this respect.
at the time that
From this reading At last, when we were fully prepared to refuse to proceed unless we saw some reasonable prospect of being fed while at sea, a boat-load of stores came off, accompanied by a new recruit to take the place of Charley, who was busy mat-making in Rangoon gaol.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading He was an old acquaintance of mine, having been cook of a barque called the _Gemsbok_, which lay at Auckland during one of my visits--a fair-haired, happy-go-lucky Englishman; but a very poor sailor, however able he might have been as a cook.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading But our anticipations were in no sense pleasurable, for, although we had certainly lived well while in port, we had as yet received no stores for sea use, and we were in grievous doubt as to the intentions of our commander in this respect.
which person or people
From this reading At last, when we were fully prepared to refuse to proceed unless we saw some reasonable prospect of being fed while at sea, a boat-load of stores came off, accompanied by a new recruit to take the place of Charley, who was busy mat-making in Rangoon gaol.
but in spite of that
From this reading But our anticipations were in no sense pleasurable, for, although we had certainly lived well while in port, we had as yet received no stores for sea use, and we were in grievous doubt as to the intentions of our commander in this respect.
