tried unsuccessfully
From this reading Even had the submarine boys attempted to bolt they would have found it impossible.
boltnounUS /boʊlt/
a discharge of lightning accompanied by thunder
From this reading Even had the submarine boys attempted to bolt they would have found it impossible.
plural of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading Even had the submarine boys attempted to bolt they would have found it impossible.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading BUT SOMETHING HAPPENED!
cadetsnounUS /kəˈdets/
plural of “cadet” — a military trainee (as at a military academy)
From this reading The cadets closed quickly in upon them.
not open or affording passage or access
From this reading The cadets closed quickly in upon them.
divisible by two
From this reading Even had the submarine boys attempted to bolt they would have found it impossible.
set up or found
From this reading Even had the submarine boys attempted to bolt they would have found it impossible.
expect, believe, or suppose
From this reading Nor was Jack's guess in the least wrong.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Even had the submarine boys attempted to bolt they would have found it impossible.
past form of “happen” — come to pass
From this reading BUT SOMETHING HAPPENED!
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Even had the submarine boys attempted to bolt they would have found it impossible.
not capable of occurring or being accomplished or dealt with
From this reading Even had the submarine boys attempted to bolt they would have found it impossible.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Nor was Jack's guess in the least wrong.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Even had the submarine boys attempted to bolt they would have found it impossible.
Jack'snounUS /dʒæks/
possessive form of “jack” — a small worthless amount
From this reading Nor was Jack's guess in the least wrong.
the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree
From this reading Nor was Jack's guess in the least wrong.
and not; used after a negative to add a second negative
From this reading Nor was Jack's guess in the least wrong.
with speed
From this reading The cadets closed quickly in upon them.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading BUT SOMETHING HAPPENED!
submarinenounUS /ˈsʌbməriːn/
a submersible warship usually armed with torpedoes
From this reading Even had the submarine boys attempted to bolt they would have found it impossible.
confined on all sides
From this reading They were surrounded.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Nor was Jack's guess in the least wrong.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading The cadets closed quickly in upon them.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Even had the submarine boys attempted to bolt they would have found it impossible.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Even had the submarine boys attempted to bolt they would have found it impossible.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading The cadets closed quickly in upon them.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Nor was Jack's guess in the least wrong.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading They were surrounded.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Even had the submarine boys attempted to bolt they would have found it impossible.
not correct; not in conformity with fact or truth
From this reading Nor was Jack's guess in the least wrong.