Chapter IV

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

From this reading A PUZZLED CAPTAIN Amid a confusing sound of tooting whistles, the clanging of bells, hoarse commands shouted back and forth, the _Silver Star_ made her way through the shipping of the harbor, and pointed her nose toward the mysterious Pacific--the ocean that held so many strange lands and islands,--the ocean on whose broad bosom perhaps, Tom’s father and mother were drifting helplessly about, in a wreck.

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading A PUZZLED CAPTAIN Amid a confusing sound of tooting whistles, the clanging of bells, hoarse commands shouted back and forth, the _Silver Star_ made her way through the shipping of the harbor, and pointed her nose toward the mysterious Pacific--the ocean that held so many strange lands and islands,--the ocean on whose broad bosom perhaps, Tom’s father and mother were drifting helplessly about, in a wreck.

anew

From this reading But Tom did not dare dwell on that terrible possibility and, for the time being, he resolutely put all thoughts of never seeing his parents again, out of his mind.

at or in the front

From this reading “I’m just going to find them!” he cried bravely, though he knew he had a hard task ahead of him.

(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 But Tom did not dare dwell on that terrible possibility and, for the time being, he resolutely put all thoughts of never seeing his parents again, out of his mind.

in the middle of; surrounded by

From this reading A PUZZLED CAPTAIN Amid a confusing sound of tooting whistles, the clanging of bells, hoarse commands shouted back and forth, the _Silver Star_ made her way through the shipping of the harbor, and pointed her nose toward the mysterious Pacific--the ocean that held so many strange lands and islands,--the ocean on whose broad bosom perhaps, Tom’s father and mother were drifting helplessly about, in a wreck.

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

From this reading A PUZZLED CAPTAIN Amid a confusing sound of tooting whistles, the clanging of bells, hoarse commands shouted back and forth, the _Silver Star_ made her way through the shipping of the harbor, and pointed her nose toward the mysterious Pacific--the ocean that held so many strange lands and islands,--the ocean on whose broad bosom perhaps, Tom’s father and mother were drifting helplessly about, in a wreck.

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

From this reading But just now the busy scenes that were taking place, as the steamer started off on her voyage, held his attention, and for a moment he even forgot the mysterious passenger who had gone to his cabin in such a hurry.

the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others

From this reading But just now the busy scenes that were taking place, as the steamer started off on her voyage, held his attention, and for a moment he even forgot the mysterious passenger who had gone to his cabin in such a hurry.

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading A PUZZLED CAPTAIN Amid a confusing sound of tooting whistles, the clanging of bells, hoarse commands shouted back and forth, the _Silver Star_ made her way through the shipping of the harbor, and pointed her nose toward the mysterious Pacific--the ocean that held so many strange lands and islands,--the ocean on whose broad bosom perhaps, Tom’s father and mother were drifting helplessly about, in a wreck.

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading But Tom did not dare dwell on that terrible possibility and, for the time being, he resolutely put all thoughts of never seeing his parents again, out of his mind.

plural of “bell” — a hollow device made of metal that makes a ringing sound when struck

From this reading A PUZZLED CAPTAIN Amid a confusing sound of tooting whistles, the clanging of bells, hoarse commands shouted back and forth, the _Silver Star_ made her way through the shipping of the harbor, and pointed her nose toward the mysterious Pacific--the ocean that held so many strange lands and islands,--the ocean on whose broad bosom perhaps, Tom’s father and mother were drifting helplessly about, in a wreck.

Directly under; in or to a lower position than.

From this reading Or mayhap they lay beneath the waves.

the chest considered as the place where secret thoughts are kept

From this reading A PUZZLED CAPTAIN Amid a confusing sound of tooting whistles, the clanging of bells, hoarse commands shouted back and forth, the _Silver Star_ made her way through the shipping of the harbor, and pointed her nose toward the mysterious Pacific--the ocean that held so many strange lands and islands,--the ocean on whose broad bosom perhaps, Tom’s father and mother were drifting helplessly about, in a wreck.

in a courageous manner

From this reading “I’m just going to find them!” he cried bravely, though he knew he had a hard task ahead of him.

having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other

From this reading A PUZZLED CAPTAIN Amid a confusing sound of tooting whistles, the clanging of bells, hoarse commands shouted back and forth, the _Silver Star_ made her way through the shipping of the harbor, and pointed her nose toward the mysterious Pacific--the ocean that held so many strange lands and islands,--the ocean on whose broad bosom perhaps, Tom’s father and mother were drifting helplessly about, in a wreck.

actively or fully engaged or occupied

From this reading But just now the busy scenes that were taking place, as the steamer started off on her voyage, held his attention, and for a moment he even forgot the mysterious passenger who had gone to his cabin in such a hurry.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But Tom did not dare dwell on that terrible possibility and, for the time being, he resolutely put all thoughts of never seeing his parents again, out of his mind.

small room on a ship or boat where people sleep

From this reading But just now the busy scenes that were taking place, as the steamer started off on her voyage, held his attention, and for a moment he even forgot the mysterious passenger who had gone to his cabin in such a hurry.

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

From this reading A PUZZLED CAPTAIN Amid a confusing sound of tooting whistles, the clanging of bells, hoarse commands shouted back and forth, the _Silver Star_ made her way through the shipping of the harbor, and pointed her nose toward the mysterious Pacific--the ocean that held so many strange lands and islands,--the ocean on whose broad bosom perhaps, Tom’s father and mother were drifting helplessly about, in a wreck.

having a loud resonant metallic sound

From this reading A PUZZLED CAPTAIN Amid a confusing sound of tooting whistles, the clanging of bells, hoarse commands shouted back and forth, the _Silver Star_ made her way through the shipping of the harbor, and pointed her nose toward the mysterious Pacific--the ocean that held so many strange lands and islands,--the ocean on whose broad bosom perhaps, Tom’s father and mother were drifting helplessly about, in a wreck.

plural of “command” — an authoritative direction or instruction to do something

From this reading A PUZZLED CAPTAIN Amid a confusing sound of tooting whistles, the clanging of bells, hoarse commands shouted back and forth, the _Silver Star_ made her way through the shipping of the harbor, and pointed her nose toward the mysterious Pacific--the ocean that held so many strange lands and islands,--the ocean on whose broad bosom perhaps, Tom’s father and mother were drifting helplessly about, in a wreck.

causing confusion or disorientation

From this reading A PUZZLED CAPTAIN Amid a confusing sound of tooting whistles, the clanging of bells, hoarse commands shouted back and forth, the _Silver Star_ made her way through the shipping of the harbor, and pointed her nose toward the mysterious Pacific--the ocean that held so many strange lands and islands,--the ocean on whose broad bosom perhaps, Tom’s father and mother were drifting helplessly about, in a wreck.

inflected form of “cry” — utter a sudden loud cry

From this reading “I’m just going to find them!” he cried bravely, though he knew he had a hard task ahead of him.

take upon oneself; act presumptuously, without permission

From this reading But Tom did not dare dwell on that terrible possibility and, for the time being, he resolutely put all thoughts of never seeing his parents again, out of his mind.

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading But Tom did not dare dwell on that terrible possibility and, for the time being, he resolutely put all thoughts of never seeing his parents again, out of his mind.

aimless wandering from place to place

From this reading A PUZZLED CAPTAIN Amid a confusing sound of tooting whistles, the clanging of bells, hoarse commands shouted back and forth, the _Silver Star_ made her way through the shipping of the harbor, and pointed her nose toward the mysterious Pacific--the ocean that held so many strange lands and islands,--the ocean on whose broad bosom perhaps, Tom’s father and mother were drifting helplessly about, in a wreck.

think moodily or anxiously about something

From this reading But Tom did not dare dwell on that terrible possibility and, for the time being, he resolutely put all thoughts of never seeing his parents again, out of his mind.

divisible by two

From this reading But just now the busy scenes that were taking place, as the steamer started off on her voyage, held his attention, and for a moment he even forgot the mysterious passenger who had gone to his cabin in such a hurry.

a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)

From this reading A PUZZLED CAPTAIN Amid a confusing sound of tooting whistles, the clanging of bells, hoarse commands shouted back and forth, the _Silver Star_ made her way through the shipping of the harbor, and pointed her nose toward the mysterious Pacific--the ocean that held so many strange lands and islands,--the ocean on whose broad bosom perhaps, Tom’s father and mother were drifting helplessly about, in a wreck.

come upon, as if by accident; meet with

From this reading “I’m just going to find them!” he cried bravely, though he knew he had a hard task ahead of him.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading But Tom did not dare dwell on that terrible possibility and, for the time being, he resolutely put all thoughts of never seeing his parents again, out of his mind.

inflected form of “forget” — dismiss from the mind; stop remembering

From this reading But just now the busy scenes that were taking place, as the steamer started off on her voyage, held his attention, and for a moment he even forgot the mysterious passenger who had gone to his cabin in such a hurry.

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

From this reading A PUZZLED CAPTAIN Amid a confusing sound of tooting whistles, the clanging of bells, hoarse commands shouted back and forth, the _Silver Star_ made her way through the shipping of the harbor, and pointed her nose toward the mysterious Pacific--the ocean that held so many strange lands and islands,--the ocean on whose broad bosom perhaps, Tom’s father and mother were drifting helplessly about, in a wreck.

the act of departing

From this reading “I’m just going to find them!” he cried bravely, though he knew he had a hard task ahead of him.

destroyed or killed

From this reading But just now the busy scenes that were taking place, as the steamer started off on her voyage, held his attention, and for a moment he even forgot the mysterious passenger who had gone to his cabin in such a hurry.

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

From this reading “I’m just going to find them!” he cried bravely, though he knew he had a hard task ahead of him.

maintain (a theory, thoughts, or feelings)

From this reading A PUZZLED CAPTAIN Amid a confusing sound of tooting whistles, the clanging of bells, hoarse commands shouted back and forth, the _Silver Star_ made her way through the shipping of the harbor, and pointed her nose toward the mysterious Pacific--the ocean that held so many strange lands and islands,--the ocean on whose broad bosom perhaps, Tom’s father and mother were drifting helplessly about, in a wreck.

not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure

From this reading “I’m just going to find them!” he cried bravely, though he knew he had a hard task ahead of him.

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

From this reading But Tom did not dare dwell on that terrible possibility and, for the time being, he resolutely put all thoughts of never seeing his parents again, out of his mind.

occupied or in the control of; often used in combination

From this reading A PUZZLED CAPTAIN Amid a confusing sound of tooting whistles, the clanging of bells, hoarse commands shouted back and forth, the _Silver Star_ made her way through the shipping of the harbor, and pointed her nose toward the mysterious Pacific--the ocean that held so many strange lands and islands,--the ocean on whose broad bosom perhaps, Tom’s father and mother were drifting helplessly about, in a wreck.

in a helpless manner

From this reading A PUZZLED CAPTAIN Amid a confusing sound of tooting whistles, the clanging of bells, hoarse commands shouted back and forth, the _Silver Star_ made her way through the shipping of the harbor, and pointed her nose toward the mysterious Pacific--the ocean that held so many strange lands and islands,--the ocean on whose broad bosom perhaps, Tom’s father and mother were drifting helplessly about, in a wreck.

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

From this reading A PUZZLED CAPTAIN Amid a confusing sound of tooting whistles, the clanging of bells, hoarse commands shouted back and forth, the _Silver Star_ made her way through the shipping of the harbor, and pointed her nose toward the mysterious Pacific--the ocean that held so many strange lands and islands,--the ocean on whose broad bosom perhaps, Tom’s father and mother were drifting helplessly about, in a wreck.

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading “I’m just going to find them!” he cried bravely, though he knew he had a hard task ahead of him.

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

From this reading But Tom did not dare dwell on that terrible possibility and, for the time being, he resolutely put all thoughts of never seeing his parents again, out of his mind.

deep and harsh sounding as if from shouting or illness or emotion

From this reading A PUZZLED CAPTAIN Amid a confusing sound of tooting whistles, the clanging of bells, hoarse commands shouted back and forth, the _Silver Star_ made her way through the shipping of the harbor, and pointed her nose toward the mysterious Pacific--the ocean that held so many strange lands and islands,--the ocean on whose broad bosom perhaps, Tom’s father and mother were drifting helplessly about, in a wreck.

a condition of urgency making it necessary to hurry

From this reading But just now the busy scenes that were taking place, as the steamer started off on her voyage, held his attention, and for a moment he even forgot the mysterious passenger who had gone to his cabin in such a hurry.

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

From this reading “I’m just going to find them!” he cried bravely, though he knew he had a hard task ahead of him.

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

From this reading A PUZZLED CAPTAIN Amid a confusing sound of tooting whistles, the clanging of bells, hoarse commands shouted back and forth, the _Silver Star_ made her way through the shipping of the harbor, and pointed her nose toward the mysterious Pacific--the ocean that held so many strange lands and islands,--the ocean on whose broad bosom perhaps, Tom’s father and mother were drifting helplessly about, in a wreck.

plural of “island” — a land mass (smaller than a continent) that is surrounded by water

From this reading A PUZZLED CAPTAIN Amid a confusing sound of tooting whistles, the clanging of bells, hoarse commands shouted back and forth, the _Silver Star_ made her way through the shipping of the harbor, and pointed her nose toward the mysterious Pacific--the ocean that held so many strange lands and islands,--the ocean on whose broad bosom perhaps, Tom’s father and mother were drifting helplessly about, in a wreck.

and nothing more

From this reading “I’m just going to find them!” he cried bravely, though he knew he had a hard task ahead of him.

inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading “I’m just going to find them!” he cried bravely, though he knew he had a hard task ahead of him.

plural of “land” — the land on which real estate is located

From this reading A PUZZLED CAPTAIN Amid a confusing sound of tooting whistles, the clanging of bells, hoarse commands shouted back and forth, the _Silver Star_ made her way through the shipping of the harbor, and pointed her nose toward the mysterious Pacific--the ocean that held so many strange lands and islands,--the ocean on whose broad bosom perhaps, Tom’s father and mother were drifting helplessly about, in a wreck.

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading Or mayhap they lay beneath the waves.

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading A PUZZLED CAPTAIN Amid a confusing sound of tooting whistles, the clanging of bells, hoarse commands shouted back and forth, the _Silver Star_ made her way through the shipping of the harbor, and pointed her nose toward the mysterious Pacific--the ocean that held so many strange lands and islands,--the ocean on whose broad bosom perhaps, Tom’s father and mother were drifting helplessly about, in a wreck.

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number

From this reading A PUZZLED CAPTAIN Amid a confusing sound of tooting whistles, the clanging of bells, hoarse commands shouted back and forth, the _Silver Star_ made her way through the shipping of the harbor, and pointed her nose toward the mysterious Pacific--the ocean that held so many strange lands and islands,--the ocean on whose broad bosom perhaps, Tom’s father and mother were drifting helplessly about, in a wreck.

by chance

From this reading Or mayhap they lay beneath the waves.

The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.

From this reading But Tom did not dare dwell on that terrible possibility and, for the time being, he resolutely put all thoughts of never seeing his parents again, out of his mind.

a particular point in time

From this reading But just now the busy scenes that were taking place, as the steamer started off on her voyage, held his attention, and for a moment he even forgot the mysterious passenger who had gone to his cabin in such a hurry.

a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)

From this reading A PUZZLED CAPTAIN Amid a confusing sound of tooting whistles, the clanging of bells, hoarse commands shouted back and forth, the _Silver Star_ made her way through the shipping of the harbor, and pointed her nose toward the mysterious Pacific--the ocean that held so many strange lands and islands,--the ocean on whose broad bosom perhaps, Tom’s father and mother were drifting helplessly about, in a wreck.

of an obscure nature

From this reading A PUZZLED CAPTAIN Amid a confusing sound of tooting whistles, the clanging of bells, hoarse commands shouted back and forth, the _Silver Star_ made her way through the shipping of the harbor, and pointed her nose toward the mysterious Pacific--the ocean that held so many strange lands and islands,--the ocean on whose broad bosom perhaps, Tom’s father and mother were drifting helplessly about, in a wreck.

not ever; at no time in the past or future

From this reading But Tom did not dare dwell on that terrible possibility and, for the time being, he resolutely put all thoughts of never seeing his parents again, out of his mind.

the organ of smell and entrance to the respiratory tract; the prominent part of the face of man or other mammals

From this reading A PUZZLED CAPTAIN Amid a confusing sound of tooting whistles, the clanging of bells, hoarse commands shouted back and forth, the _Silver Star_ made her way through the shipping of the harbor, and pointed her nose toward the mysterious Pacific--the ocean that held so many strange lands and islands,--the ocean on whose broad bosom perhaps, Tom’s father and mother were drifting helplessly about, in a wreck.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading But Tom did not dare dwell on that terrible possibility and, for the time being, he resolutely put all thoughts of never seeing his parents again, out of his mind.

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading But just now the busy scenes that were taking place, as the steamer started off on her voyage, held his attention, and for a moment he even forgot the mysterious passenger who had gone to his cabin in such a hurry.

a large body of water constituting a principal part of the hydrosphere

From this reading A PUZZLED CAPTAIN Amid a confusing sound of tooting whistles, the clanging of bells, hoarse commands shouted back and forth, the _Silver Star_ made her way through the shipping of the harbor, and pointed her nose toward the mysterious Pacific--the ocean that held so many strange lands and islands,--the ocean on whose broad bosom perhaps, Tom’s father and mother were drifting helplessly about, in a wreck.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading A PUZZLED CAPTAIN Amid a confusing sound of tooting whistles, the clanging of bells, hoarse commands shouted back and forth, the _Silver Star_ made her way through the shipping of the harbor, and pointed her nose toward the mysterious Pacific--the ocean that held so many strange lands and islands,--the ocean on whose broad bosom perhaps, Tom’s father and mother were drifting helplessly about, in a wreck.

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

From this reading But just now the busy scenes that were taking place, as the steamer started off on her voyage, held his attention, and for a moment he even forgot the mysterious passenger who had gone to his cabin in such a hurry.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading A PUZZLED CAPTAIN Amid a confusing sound of tooting whistles, the clanging of bells, hoarse commands shouted back and forth, the _Silver Star_ made her way through the shipping of the harbor, and pointed her nose toward the mysterious Pacific--the ocean that held so many strange lands and islands,--the ocean on whose broad bosom perhaps, Tom’s father and mother were drifting helplessly about, in a wreck.

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading Or mayhap they lay beneath the waves.

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading But Tom did not dare dwell on that terrible possibility and, for the time being, he resolutely put all thoughts of never seeing his parents again, out of his mind.

the largest ocean in the world

From this reading A PUZZLED CAPTAIN Amid a confusing sound of tooting whistles, the clanging of bells, hoarse commands shouted back and forth, the _Silver Star_ made her way through the shipping of the harbor, and pointed her nose toward the mysterious Pacific--the ocean that held so many strange lands and islands,--the ocean on whose broad bosom perhaps, Tom’s father and mother were drifting helplessly about, in a wreck.

plural of “parent” — a father or mother; one who begets or one who gives birth to or nurtures and raises a child; a relative who plays the role of guardian

From this reading But Tom did not dare dwell on that terrible possibility and, for the time being, he resolutely put all thoughts of never seeing his parents again, out of his mind.

a traveler riding in a vehicle (a boat or bus or car or plane or train etc) who is not operating it

From this reading But just now the busy scenes that were taking place, as the steamer started off on her voyage, held his attention, and for a moment he even forgot the mysterious passenger who had gone to his cabin in such a hurry.

by chance

From this reading A PUZZLED CAPTAIN Amid a confusing sound of tooting whistles, the clanging of bells, hoarse commands shouted back and forth, the _Silver Star_ made her way through the shipping of the harbor, and pointed her nose toward the mysterious Pacific--the ocean that held so many strange lands and islands,--the ocean on whose broad bosom perhaps, Tom’s father and mother were drifting helplessly about, in a wreck.

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading But just now the busy scenes that were taking place, as the steamer started off on her voyage, held his attention, and for a moment he even forgot the mysterious passenger who had gone to his cabin in such a hurry.

having a point

From this reading A PUZZLED CAPTAIN Amid a confusing sound of tooting whistles, the clanging of bells, hoarse commands shouted back and forth, the _Silver Star_ made her way through the shipping of the harbor, and pointed her nose toward the mysterious Pacific--the ocean that held so many strange lands and islands,--the ocean on whose broad bosom perhaps, Tom’s father and mother were drifting helplessly about, in a wreck.

a future prospect or potential

From this reading But Tom did not dare dwell on that terrible possibility and, for the time being, he resolutely put all thoughts of never seeing his parents again, out of his mind.

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading But Tom did not dare dwell on that terrible possibility and, for the time being, he resolutely put all thoughts of never seeing his parents again, out of his mind.

filled with bewilderment

From this reading A PUZZLED CAPTAIN Amid a confusing sound of tooting whistles, the clanging of bells, hoarse commands shouted back and forth, the _Silver Star_ made her way through the shipping of the harbor, and pointed her nose toward the mysterious Pacific--the ocean that held so many strange lands and islands,--the ocean on whose broad bosom perhaps, Tom’s father and mother were drifting helplessly about, in a wreck.

showing firm determination or purpose

From this reading But Tom did not dare dwell on that terrible possibility and, for the time being, he resolutely put all thoughts of never seeing his parents again, out of his mind.

plural of “scene” — the place where some action occurs

From this reading But just now the busy scenes that were taking place, as the steamer started off on her voyage, held his attention, and for a moment he even forgot the mysterious passenger who had gone to his cabin in such a hurry.

perception by means of the eyes

From this reading But Tom did not dare dwell on that terrible possibility and, for the time being, he resolutely put all thoughts of never seeing his parents again, out of his mind.

the commercial enterprise of moving goods and materials

From this reading A PUZZLED CAPTAIN Amid a confusing sound of tooting whistles, the clanging of bells, hoarse commands shouted back and forth, the _Silver Star_ made her way through the shipping of the harbor, and pointed her nose toward the mysterious Pacific--the ocean that held so many strange lands and islands,--the ocean on whose broad bosom perhaps, Tom’s father and mother were drifting helplessly about, in a wreck.

in a vehement outcry

From this reading A PUZZLED CAPTAIN Amid a confusing sound of tooting whistles, the clanging of bells, hoarse commands shouted back and forth, the _Silver Star_ made her way through the shipping of the harbor, and pointed her nose toward the mysterious Pacific--the ocean that held so many strange lands and islands,--the ocean on whose broad bosom perhaps, Tom’s father and mother were drifting helplessly about, in a wreck.

a soft white precious univalent metallic element having the highest electrical and thermal conductivity of any metal; occurs in argentite and in free form; used in coins and jewelry and tableware and photography

From this reading A PUZZLED CAPTAIN Amid a confusing sound of tooting whistles, the clanging of bells, hoarse commands shouted back and forth, the _Silver Star_ made her way through the shipping of the harbor, and pointed her nose toward the mysterious Pacific--the ocean that held so many strange lands and islands,--the ocean on whose broad bosom perhaps, Tom’s father and mother were drifting helplessly about, in a wreck.

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading A PUZZLED CAPTAIN Amid a confusing sound of tooting whistles, the clanging of bells, hoarse commands shouted back and forth, the _Silver Star_ made her way through the shipping of the harbor, and pointed her nose toward the mysterious Pacific--the ocean that held so many strange lands and islands,--the ocean on whose broad bosom perhaps, Tom’s father and mother were drifting helplessly about, in a wreck.

the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause

From this reading A PUZZLED CAPTAIN Amid a confusing sound of tooting whistles, the clanging of bells, hoarse commands shouted back and forth, the _Silver Star_ made her way through the shipping of the harbor, and pointed her nose toward the mysterious Pacific--the ocean that held so many strange lands and islands,--the ocean on whose broad bosom perhaps, Tom’s father and mother were drifting helplessly about, in a wreck.

(astronomy) a celestial body of hot gases that radiates energy derived from thermonuclear reactions in the interior

From this reading A PUZZLED CAPTAIN Amid a confusing sound of tooting whistles, the clanging of bells, hoarse commands shouted back and forth, the _Silver Star_ made her way through the shipping of the harbor, and pointed her nose toward the mysterious Pacific--the ocean that held so many strange lands and islands,--the ocean on whose broad bosom perhaps, Tom’s father and mother were drifting helplessly about, in a wreck.

past form of “start” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

From this reading But just now the busy scenes that were taking place, as the steamer started off on her voyage, held his attention, and for a moment he even forgot the mysterious passenger who had gone to his cabin in such a hurry.

a clam that is usually steamed in the shell

From this reading But just now the busy scenes that were taking place, as the steamer started off on her voyage, held his attention, and for a moment he even forgot the mysterious passenger who had gone to his cabin in such a hurry.

being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird

From this reading A PUZZLED CAPTAIN Amid a confusing sound of tooting whistles, the clanging of bells, hoarse commands shouted back and forth, the _Silver Star_ made her way through the shipping of the harbor, and pointed her nose toward the mysterious Pacific--the ocean that held so many strange lands and islands,--the ocean on whose broad bosom perhaps, Tom’s father and mother were drifting helplessly about, in a wreck.

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading But just now the busy scenes that were taking place, as the steamer started off on her voyage, held his attention, and for a moment he even forgot the mysterious passenger who had gone to his cabin in such a hurry.

the act of someone who picks up or takes something

From this reading But just now the busy scenes that were taking place, as the steamer started off on her voyage, held his attention, and for a moment he even forgot the mysterious passenger who had gone to his cabin in such a hurry.

any piece of work that is undertaken or attempted

From this reading “I’m just going to find them!” he cried bravely, though he knew he had a hard task ahead of him.

causing fear or dread or terror

From this reading But Tom did not dare dwell on that terrible possibility and, for the time being, he resolutely put all thoughts of never seeing his parents again, out of his mind.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading A PUZZLED CAPTAIN Amid a confusing sound of tooting whistles, the clanging of bells, hoarse commands shouted back and forth, the _Silver Star_ made her way through the shipping of the harbor, and pointed her nose toward the mysterious Pacific--the ocean that held so many strange lands and islands,--the ocean on whose broad bosom perhaps, Tom’s father and mother were drifting helplessly about, in a wreck.

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

From this reading A PUZZLED CAPTAIN Amid a confusing sound of tooting whistles, the clanging of bells, hoarse commands shouted back and forth, the _Silver Star_ made her way through the shipping of the harbor, and pointed her nose toward the mysterious Pacific--the ocean that held so many strange lands and islands,--the ocean on whose broad bosom perhaps, Tom’s father and mother were drifting helplessly about, in a wreck.

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading “I’m just going to find them!” he cried bravely, though he knew he had a hard task ahead of him.

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Or mayhap they lay beneath the waves.

in spite of the fact that

From this reading “I’m just going to find them!” he cried bravely, though he knew he had a hard task ahead of him.

plural of “thought” — the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

From this reading But Tom did not dare dwell on that terrible possibility and, for the time being, he resolutely put all thoughts of never seeing his parents again, out of his mind.

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading A PUZZLED CAPTAIN Amid a confusing sound of tooting whistles, the clanging of bells, hoarse commands shouted back and forth, the _Silver Star_ made her way through the shipping of the harbor, and pointed her nose toward the mysterious Pacific--the ocean that held so many strange lands and islands,--the ocean on whose broad bosom perhaps, Tom’s father and mother were drifting helplessly about, in a wreck.

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading But Tom did not dare dwell on that terrible possibility and, for the time being, he resolutely put all thoughts of never seeing his parents again, out of his mind.

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

From this reading “I’m just going to find them!” he cried bravely, though he knew he had a hard task ahead of him.

male cat

From this reading But Tom did not dare dwell on that terrible possibility and, for the time being, he resolutely put all thoughts of never seeing his parents again, out of his mind.

possessive form of “tom” — male cat

From this reading A PUZZLED CAPTAIN Amid a confusing sound of tooting whistles, the clanging of bells, hoarse commands shouted back and forth, the _Silver Star_ made her way through the shipping of the harbor, and pointed her nose toward the mysterious Pacific--the ocean that held so many strange lands and islands,--the ocean on whose broad bosom perhaps, Tom’s father and mother were drifting helplessly about, in a wreck.

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

From this reading A PUZZLED CAPTAIN Amid a confusing sound of tooting whistles, the clanging of bells, hoarse commands shouted back and forth, the _Silver Star_ made her way through the shipping of the harbor, and pointed her nose toward the mysterious Pacific--the ocean that held so many strange lands and islands,--the ocean on whose broad bosom perhaps, Tom’s father and mother were drifting helplessly about, in a wreck.

in the direction of

From this reading A PUZZLED CAPTAIN Amid a confusing sound of tooting whistles, the clanging of bells, hoarse commands shouted back and forth, the _Silver Star_ made her way through the shipping of the harbor, and pointed her nose toward the mysterious Pacific--the ocean that held so many strange lands and islands,--the ocean on whose broad bosom perhaps, Tom’s father and mother were drifting helplessly about, in a wreck.

an act of traveling by water

From this reading But just now the busy scenes that were taking place, as the steamer started off on her voyage, held his attention, and for a moment he even forgot the mysterious passenger who had gone to his cabin in such a hurry.

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 Or mayhap they lay beneath the waves.

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading A PUZZLED CAPTAIN Amid a confusing sound of tooting whistles, the clanging of bells, hoarse commands shouted back and forth, the _Silver Star_ made her way through the shipping of the harbor, and pointed her nose toward the mysterious Pacific--the ocean that held so many strange lands and islands,--the ocean on whose broad bosom perhaps, Tom’s father and mother were drifting helplessly about, in a wreck.

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

From this reading A PUZZLED CAPTAIN Amid a confusing sound of tooting whistles, the clanging of bells, hoarse commands shouted back and forth, the _Silver Star_ made her way through the shipping of the harbor, and pointed her nose toward the mysterious Pacific--the ocean that held so many strange lands and islands,--the ocean on whose broad bosom perhaps, Tom’s father and mother were drifting helplessly about, in a wreck.

plural of “whistle” — the sound made by something moving rapidly or by steam coming out of a small aperture

From this reading A PUZZLED CAPTAIN Amid a confusing sound of tooting whistles, the clanging of bells, hoarse commands shouted back and forth, the _Silver Star_ made her way through the shipping of the harbor, and pointed her nose toward the mysterious Pacific--the ocean that held so many strange lands and islands,--the ocean on whose broad bosom perhaps, Tom’s father and mother were drifting helplessly about, in a wreck.

which person or people

From this reading But just now the busy scenes that were taking place, as the steamer started off on her voyage, held his attention, and for a moment he even forgot the mysterious passenger who had gone to his cabin in such a hurry.

belonging to which person

From this reading A PUZZLED CAPTAIN Amid a confusing sound of tooting whistles, the clanging of bells, hoarse commands shouted back and forth, the _Silver Star_ made her way through the shipping of the harbor, and pointed her nose toward the mysterious Pacific--the ocean that held so many strange lands and islands,--the ocean on whose broad bosom perhaps, Tom’s father and mother were drifting helplessly about, in a wreck.

something or someone that has suffered ruin or dilapidation

From this reading A PUZZLED CAPTAIN Amid a confusing sound of tooting whistles, the clanging of bells, hoarse commands shouted back and forth, the _Silver Star_ made her way through the shipping of the harbor, and pointed her nose toward the mysterious Pacific--the ocean that held so many strange lands and islands,--the ocean on whose broad bosom perhaps, Tom’s father and mother were drifting helplessly about, in a wreck.