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A Maid of the Silver Sea
A Maid of the Silver Sea

Chapter XXVII

Cover illustration for A Maid of the Silver Sea
Context Illustration Reading 1/38 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
HOW THE OTHERS CAME TO MAKE AN END He woke next morning with a start.
The sun was high, by the shadow of his doorway; and by that same token the tide would be at half-ebb, if not lower, and the gates of his fortress at his enemy’s mercy.
He picked up his gun, listened anxiously for sound of him, and then crept cautiously out, with a quick glance along each slope.
Nothing!--nothing but the cheerful sun and the cloudless sky, and the empty blue plain of the sea, and the birds circling and diving and squabbling as usual--and Nance’s little parcel lying where she had dropped it.
He had had other things to think about last night.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

A Maid of the Silver Sea

Chapter XXVII

Reading 1/38 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
HOW THE OTHERS CAME TO MAKE AN END He woke next morning with a start.
Line 2
The sun was high, by the shadow of his doorway; and by that same token the tide would be at half-ebb, if not lower, and the gates of his fortress at his enemy’s mercy.
Line 3
He picked up his gun, listened anxiously for sound of him, and then crept cautiously out, with a quick glance along each slope.
Line 4
Nothing!--nothing but the cheerful sun and the cloudless sky, and the empty blue plain of the sea, and the birds circling and diving and squabbling as usual--and Nance’s little parcel lying where she had dropped it.
Line 5
He had had other things to think about last night.

Learner Dictionary

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

About preposition US /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading “He had had other things to think about last night.”

Along preposition US /əˈlɔːŋ/

following the length of something from one end toward the other

From this reading “He picked up his gun, listened anxiously for sound of him, and then crept cautiously out, with a quick glance along each slope.”

Last noun US /last/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “He had had other things to think about last night.”

Little noun US /little/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Nothing!--nothing but the cheerful sun and the cloudless sky, and the empty blue plain of the sea, and the birds circling and diving and squabbling as usual--and Nance’s little parcel lying where she had dropped it.”

MAKE noun US /make/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “HOW THE OTHERS CAME TO MAKE AN END He woke next morning with a start.”

Morning noun US /morning/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “HOW THE OTHERS CAME TO MAKE AN END He woke next morning with a start.”

Next noun US /next/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “HOW THE OTHERS CAME TO MAKE AN END He woke next morning with a start.”

Nothing pronoun US /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading “Nothing!--nothing but the cheerful sun and the cloudless sky, and the empty blue plain of the sea, and the birds circling and diving and squabbling as usual--and Nance’s little parcel lying where she had dropped it.”

Same noun US /same/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The sun was high, by the shadow of his doorway; and by that same token the tide would be at half-ebb, if not lower, and the gates of his fortress at his enemy’s mercy.”

Shadow noun US /ˈʃæd.oʊ/

A dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface.

From this reading “The sun was high, by the shadow of his doorway; and by that same token the tide would be at half-ebb, if not lower, and the gates of his fortress at his enemy’s mercy.”

Start noun US /start/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “HOW THE OTHERS CAME TO MAKE AN END He woke next morning with a start.”

Think noun US /think/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “He had had other things to think about last night.”

Would modal verb US /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading “The sun was high, by the shadow of his doorway; and by that same token the tide would be at half-ebb, if not lower, and the gates of his fortress at his enemy’s mercy.”

All words in this reading · 86

Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

adeterminerUS /ə/

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

From this reading HOW THE OTHERS CAME TO MAKE AN END He woke next morning with a start.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading He had had other things to think about last night.

alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/

following the length of something from one end toward the other

From this reading He picked up his gun, listened anxiously for sound of him, and then crept cautiously out, with a quick glance along each slope.

ANdeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading HOW THE OTHERS CAME TO MAKE AN END He woke next morning with a start.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading The sun was high, by the shadow of his doorway; and by that same token the tide would be at half-ebb, if not lower, and the gates of his fortress at his enemy’s mercy.

anxiously

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

From this reading He picked up his gun, listened anxiously for sound of him, and then crept cautiously out, with a quick glance along each slope.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Nothing!--nothing but the cheerful sun and the cloudless sky, and the empty blue plain of the sea, and the birds circling and diving and squabbling as usual--and Nance’s little parcel lying where she had dropped it.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading The sun was high, by the shadow of his doorway; and by that same token the tide would be at half-ebb, if not lower, and the gates of his fortress at his enemy’s mercy.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading The sun was high, by the shadow of his doorway; and by that same token the tide would be at half-ebb, if not lower, and the gates of his fortress at his enemy’s mercy.

birds

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

From this reading Nothing!--nothing but the cheerful sun and the cloudless sky, and the empty blue plain of the sea, and the birds circling and diving and squabbling as usual--and Nance’s little parcel lying where she had dropped it.

blue

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

From this reading Nothing!--nothing but the cheerful sun and the cloudless sky, and the empty blue plain of the sea, and the birds circling and diving and squabbling as usual--and Nance’s little parcel lying where she had dropped it.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Nothing!--nothing but the cheerful sun and the cloudless sky, and the empty blue plain of the sea, and the birds circling and diving and squabbling as usual--and Nance’s little parcel lying where she had dropped it.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading The sun was high, by the shadow of his doorway; and by that same token the tide would be at half-ebb, if not lower, and the gates of his fortress at his enemy’s mercy.

CAME

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

From this reading HOW THE OTHERS CAME TO MAKE AN END He woke next morning with a start.

cautiously

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

From this reading He picked up his gun, listened anxiously for sound of him, and then crept cautiously out, with a quick glance along each slope.

cheerful

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

From this reading Nothing!--nothing but the cheerful sun and the cloudless sky, and the empty blue plain of the sea, and the birds circling and diving and squabbling as usual--and Nance’s little parcel lying where she had dropped it.

circling

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

From this reading Nothing!--nothing but the cheerful sun and the cloudless sky, and the empty blue plain of the sea, and the birds circling and diving and squabbling as usual--and Nance’s little parcel lying where she had dropped it.

cloudless

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

From this reading Nothing!--nothing but the cheerful sun and the cloudless sky, and the empty blue plain of the sea, and the birds circling and diving and squabbling as usual--and Nance’s little parcel lying where she had dropped it.

crept

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

From this reading He picked up his gun, listened anxiously for sound of him, and then crept cautiously out, with a quick glance along each slope.

diving

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

From this reading Nothing!--nothing but the cheerful sun and the cloudless sky, and the empty blue plain of the sea, and the birds circling and diving and squabbling as usual--and Nance’s little parcel lying where she had dropped it.

doorway

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

From this reading The sun was high, by the shadow of his doorway; and by that same token the tide would be at half-ebb, if not lower, and the gates of his fortress at his enemy’s mercy.

dropped

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

From this reading Nothing!--nothing but the cheerful sun and the cloudless sky, and the empty blue plain of the sea, and the birds circling and diving and squabbling as usual--and Nance’s little parcel lying where she had dropped it.

eachdeterminerUS /iːtʃ/

every one of two or more people or things, taken separately

From this reading He picked up his gun, listened anxiously for sound of him, and then crept cautiously out, with a quick glance along each slope.

empty

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

From this reading Nothing!--nothing but the cheerful sun and the cloudless sky, and the empty blue plain of the sea, and the birds circling and diving and squabbling as usual--and Nance’s little parcel lying where she had dropped it.

END

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

From this reading HOW THE OTHERS CAME TO MAKE AN END He woke next morning with a start.

enemy's

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

From this reading The sun was high, by the shadow of his doorway; and by that same token the tide would be at half-ebb, if not lower, and the gates of his fortress at his enemy’s mercy.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading He picked up his gun, listened anxiously for sound of him, and then crept cautiously out, with a quick glance along each slope.

fortress

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

From this reading The sun was high, by the shadow of his doorway; and by that same token the tide would be at half-ebb, if not lower, and the gates of his fortress at his enemy’s mercy.

gates

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

From this reading The sun was high, by the shadow of his doorway; and by that same token the tide would be at half-ebb, if not lower, and the gates of his fortress at his enemy’s mercy.

glance

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

From this reading He picked up his gun, listened anxiously for sound of him, and then crept cautiously out, with a quick glance along each slope.

gun

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

From this reading He picked up his gun, listened anxiously for sound of him, and then crept cautiously out, with a quick glance along each slope.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Nothing!--nothing but the cheerful sun and the cloudless sky, and the empty blue plain of the sea, and the birds circling and diving and squabbling as usual--and Nance’s little parcel lying where she had dropped it.

half-ebb

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

From this reading The sun was high, by the shadow of his doorway; and by that same token the tide would be at half-ebb, if not lower, and the gates of his fortress at his enemy’s mercy.

HepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading HOW THE OTHERS CAME TO MAKE AN END He woke next morning with a start.

high

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

From this reading The sun was high, by the shadow of his doorway; and by that same token the tide would be at half-ebb, if not lower, and the gates of his fortress at his enemy’s mercy.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading He picked up his gun, listened anxiously for sound of him, and then crept cautiously out, with a quick glance along each slope.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading The sun was high, by the shadow of his doorway; and by that same token the tide would be at half-ebb, if not lower, and the gates of his fortress at his enemy’s mercy.

HOW

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

From this reading HOW THE OTHERS CAME TO MAKE AN END He woke next morning with a start.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading The sun was high, by the shadow of his doorway; and by that same token the tide would be at half-ebb, if not lower, and the gates of his fortress at his enemy’s mercy.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Nothing!--nothing but the cheerful sun and the cloudless sky, and the empty blue plain of the sea, and the birds circling and diving and squabbling as usual--and Nance’s little parcel lying where she had dropped it.

lastnounUS /last/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading He had had other things to think about last night.

listened

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

From this reading He picked up his gun, listened anxiously for sound of him, and then crept cautiously out, with a quick glance along each slope.

littlenounUS /little/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Nothing!--nothing but the cheerful sun and the cloudless sky, and the empty blue plain of the sea, and the birds circling and diving and squabbling as usual--and Nance’s little parcel lying where she had dropped it.

lower

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

From this reading The sun was high, by the shadow of his doorway; and by that same token the tide would be at half-ebb, if not lower, and the gates of his fortress at his enemy’s mercy.

lying

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

From this reading Nothing!--nothing but the cheerful sun and the cloudless sky, and the empty blue plain of the sea, and the birds circling and diving and squabbling as usual--and Nance’s little parcel lying where she had dropped it.

MAKEnounUS /make/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading HOW THE OTHERS CAME TO MAKE AN END He woke next morning with a start.

mercy

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

From this reading The sun was high, by the shadow of his doorway; and by that same token the tide would be at half-ebb, if not lower, and the gates of his fortress at his enemy’s mercy.

morningnounUS /morning/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading HOW THE OTHERS CAME TO MAKE AN END He woke next morning with a start.

Nance's

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

From this reading Nothing!--nothing but the cheerful sun and the cloudless sky, and the empty blue plain of the sea, and the birds circling and diving and squabbling as usual--and Nance’s little parcel lying where she had dropped it.

nextnounUS /next/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading HOW THE OTHERS CAME TO MAKE AN END He woke next morning with a start.

night

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

From this reading He had had other things to think about last night.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading The sun was high, by the shadow of his doorway; and by that same token the tide would be at half-ebb, if not lower, and the gates of his fortress at his enemy’s mercy.

NothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading Nothing!--nothing but the cheerful sun and the cloudless sky, and the empty blue plain of the sea, and the birds circling and diving and squabbling as usual--and Nance’s little parcel lying where she had dropped it.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The sun was high, by the shadow of his doorway; and by that same token the tide would be at half-ebb, if not lower, and the gates of his fortress at his enemy’s mercy.

other

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

From this reading He had had other things to think about last night.

OTHERS

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

From this reading HOW THE OTHERS CAME TO MAKE AN END He woke next morning with a start.

out

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

From this reading He picked up his gun, listened anxiously for sound of him, and then crept cautiously out, with a quick glance along each slope.

parcel

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

From this reading Nothing!--nothing but the cheerful sun and the cloudless sky, and the empty blue plain of the sea, and the birds circling and diving and squabbling as usual--and Nance’s little parcel lying where she had dropped it.

picked

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

From this reading He picked up his gun, listened anxiously for sound of him, and then crept cautiously out, with a quick glance along each slope.

plain

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

From this reading Nothing!--nothing but the cheerful sun and the cloudless sky, and the empty blue plain of the sea, and the birds circling and diving and squabbling as usual--and Nance’s little parcel lying where she had dropped it.

quick

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

From this reading He picked up his gun, listened anxiously for sound of him, and then crept cautiously out, with a quick glance along each slope.

samenounUS /same/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The sun was high, by the shadow of his doorway; and by that same token the tide would be at half-ebb, if not lower, and the gates of his fortress at his enemy’s mercy.

sea

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

From this reading Nothing!--nothing but the cheerful sun and the cloudless sky, and the empty blue plain of the sea, and the birds circling and diving and squabbling as usual--and Nance’s little parcel lying where she had dropped it.

shadownounUS /ˈʃæd.oʊ/

A dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface.

From this reading The sun was high, by the shadow of his doorway; and by that same token the tide would be at half-ebb, if not lower, and the gates of his fortress at his enemy’s mercy.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Nothing!--nothing but the cheerful sun and the cloudless sky, and the empty blue plain of the sea, and the birds circling and diving and squabbling as usual--and Nance’s little parcel lying where she had dropped it.

sky

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

From this reading Nothing!--nothing but the cheerful sun and the cloudless sky, and the empty blue plain of the sea, and the birds circling and diving and squabbling as usual--and Nance’s little parcel lying where she had dropped it.

slope

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

From this reading He picked up his gun, listened anxiously for sound of him, and then crept cautiously out, with a quick glance along each slope.

sound

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

From this reading He picked up his gun, listened anxiously for sound of him, and then crept cautiously out, with a quick glance along each slope.

squabbling

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

From this reading Nothing!--nothing but the cheerful sun and the cloudless sky, and the empty blue plain of the sea, and the birds circling and diving and squabbling as usual--and Nance’s little parcel lying where she had dropped it.

startnounUS /start/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading HOW THE OTHERS CAME TO MAKE AN END He woke next morning with a start.

sun

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

From this reading The sun was high, by the shadow of his doorway; and by that same token the tide would be at half-ebb, if not lower, and the gates of his fortress at his enemy’s mercy.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading The sun was high, by the shadow of his doorway; and by that same token the tide would be at half-ebb, if not lower, and the gates of his fortress at his enemy’s mercy.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading HOW THE OTHERS CAME TO MAKE AN END He woke next morning with a start.

then

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

From this reading He picked up his gun, listened anxiously for sound of him, and then crept cautiously out, with a quick glance along each slope.

things

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

From this reading He had had other things to think about last night.

thinknounUS /think/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading He had had other things to think about last night.

tide

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

From this reading The sun was high, by the shadow of his doorway; and by that same token the tide would be at half-ebb, if not lower, and the gates of his fortress at his enemy’s mercy.

TOparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading HOW THE OTHERS CAME TO MAKE AN END He woke next morning with a start.

token

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

From this reading The sun was high, by the shadow of his doorway; and by that same token the tide would be at half-ebb, if not lower, and the gates of his fortress at his enemy’s mercy.

up

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

From this reading He picked up his gun, listened anxiously for sound of him, and then crept cautiously out, with a quick glance along each slope.

usual

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

From this reading Nothing!--nothing but the cheerful sun and the cloudless sky, and the empty blue plain of the sea, and the birds circling and diving and squabbling as usual--and Nance’s little parcel lying where she had dropped it.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading The sun was high, by the shadow of his doorway; and by that same token the tide would be at half-ebb, if not lower, and the gates of his fortress at his enemy’s mercy.

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading Nothing!--nothing but the cheerful sun and the cloudless sky, and the empty blue plain of the sea, and the birds circling and diving and squabbling as usual--and Nance’s little parcel lying where she had dropped it.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading HOW THE OTHERS CAME TO MAKE AN END He woke next morning with a start.

woke

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

From this reading HOW THE OTHERS CAME TO MAKE AN END He woke next morning with a start.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading The sun was high, by the shadow of his doorway; and by that same token the tide would be at half-ebb, if not lower, and the gates of his fortress at his enemy’s mercy.