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Omoo: Adventures in the South Seas
Omoo: Adventures in the South Seas

Chapter XXXIII · The Journey Round the Beach

Cover illustration for Omoo: Adventures in the South Seas
Context Illustration Reading 1/26 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
It was on the fourth day of the first month of the Hegira, or flight from Tamai (we now reckoned our time thus), that, rising bright and early, we were up and away out of the valley of Martair before the fishermen even were stirring.
It was the earliest dawn.
The morning only showed itself along the lower edge of a bank of purple clouds pierced by the misty peaks of Tahiti.
The tropical day seemed too languid to rise.
Sometimes, starting fitfully, it decked the clouds with faint edgings of pink and gray, which, fading away, left all dim again.
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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.

Omoo: Adventures in the South Seas

Chapter XXXIII · The Journey Round the Beach

Reading 1/26 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
It was on the fourth day of the first month of the Hegira, or flight from Tamai (we now reckoned our time thus), that, rising bright and early, we were up and away out of the valley of Martair before the fishermen even were stirring.
Line 2
It was the earliest dawn.
Line 3
The morning only showed itself along the lower edge of a bank of purple clouds pierced by the misty peaks of Tahiti.
Line 4
The tropical day seemed too languid to rise.
Line 5
Sometimes, starting fitfully, it decked the clouds with faint edgings of pink and gray, which, fading away, left all dim again.

Learner Dictionary

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

Again noun US /again/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Sometimes, starting fitfully, it decked the clouds with faint edgings of pink and gray, which, fading away, left all dim again.”

Along preposition US /əˈlɔːŋ/

following the length of something from one end toward the other

From this reading “The morning only showed itself along the lower edge of a bank of purple clouds pierced by the misty peaks of Tahiti.”

Before preposition US /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading “It was on the fourth day of the first month of the Hegira, or flight from Tamai (we now reckoned our time thus), that, rising bright and early, we were up and away out of the valley of Martair before the fishermen even were stirring.”

Even noun US /even/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “It was on the fourth day of the first month of the Hegira, or flight from Tamai (we now reckoned our time thus), that, rising bright and early, we were up and away out of the valley of Martair before the fishermen even were stirring.”

First noun US /first/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “It was on the fourth day of the first month of the Hegira, or flight from Tamai (we now reckoned our time thus), that, rising bright and early, we were up and away out of the valley of Martair before the fishermen even were stirring.”

Fourth noun US /fourth/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “It was on the fourth day of the first month of the Hegira, or flight from Tamai (we now reckoned our time thus), that, rising bright and early, we were up and away out of the valley of Martair before the fishermen even were stirring.”

Itself pronoun US /ˌɪtˈself/

used when the thing doing the action is also its object

From this reading “The morning only showed itself along the lower edge of a bank of purple clouds pierced by the misty peaks of Tahiti.”

Left noun US /left/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Sometimes, starting fitfully, it decked the clouds with faint edgings of pink and gray, which, fading away, left all dim again.”

Morning noun US /morning/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The morning only showed itself along the lower edge of a bank of purple clouds pierced by the misty peaks of Tahiti.”

Seemed noun US /seemed/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The tropical day seemed too languid to rise.”

Sometimes noun US /sometimes/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Sometimes, starting fitfully, it decked the clouds with faint edgings of pink and gray, which, fading away, left all dim again.”

Time noun US /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “It was on the fourth day of the first month of the Hegira, or flight from Tamai (we now reckoned our time thus), that, rising bright and early, we were up and away out of the valley of Martair before the fishermen even were stirring.”

All words in this reading · 74

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 The morning only showed itself along the lower edge of a bank of purple clouds pierced by the misty peaks of Tahiti.

againnounUS /again/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Sometimes, starting fitfully, it decked the clouds with faint edgings of pink and gray, which, fading away, left all dim again.

all

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

From this reading Sometimes, starting fitfully, it decked the clouds with faint edgings of pink and gray, which, fading away, left all dim again.

alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/

following the length of something from one end toward the other

From this reading The morning only showed itself along the lower edge of a bank of purple clouds pierced by the misty peaks of Tahiti.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading It was on the fourth day of the first month of the Hegira, or flight from Tamai (we now reckoned our time thus), that, rising bright and early, we were up and away out of the valley of Martair before the fishermen even were stirring.

away

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

From this reading It was on the fourth day of the first month of the Hegira, or flight from Tamai (we now reckoned our time thus), that, rising bright and early, we were up and away out of the valley of Martair before the fishermen even were stirring.

bank

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

From this reading The morning only showed itself along the lower edge of a bank of purple clouds pierced by the misty peaks of Tahiti.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading It was on the fourth day of the first month of the Hegira, or flight from Tamai (we now reckoned our time thus), that, rising bright and early, we were up and away out of the valley of Martair before the fishermen even were stirring.

bright

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

From this reading It was on the fourth day of the first month of the Hegira, or flight from Tamai (we now reckoned our time thus), that, rising bright and early, we were up and away out of the valley of Martair before the fishermen even were stirring.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading The morning only showed itself along the lower edge of a bank of purple clouds pierced by the misty peaks of Tahiti.

clouds

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

From this reading The morning only showed itself along the lower edge of a bank of purple clouds pierced by the misty peaks of Tahiti.

dawn

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

From this reading It was the earliest dawn.

day

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

From this reading It was on the fourth day of the first month of the Hegira, or flight from Tamai (we now reckoned our time thus), that, rising bright and early, we were up and away out of the valley of Martair before the fishermen even were stirring.

decked

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

From this reading Sometimes, starting fitfully, it decked the clouds with faint edgings of pink and gray, which, fading away, left all dim again.

dim

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

From this reading Sometimes, starting fitfully, it decked the clouds with faint edgings of pink and gray, which, fading away, left all dim again.

earliest

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

From this reading It was the earliest dawn.

early

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

From this reading It was on the fourth day of the first month of the Hegira, or flight from Tamai (we now reckoned our time thus), that, rising bright and early, we were up and away out of the valley of Martair before the fishermen even were stirring.

edge

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

From this reading The morning only showed itself along the lower edge of a bank of purple clouds pierced by the misty peaks of Tahiti.

edgings

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

From this reading Sometimes, starting fitfully, it decked the clouds with faint edgings of pink and gray, which, fading away, left all dim again.

evennounUS /even/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading It was on the fourth day of the first month of the Hegira, or flight from Tamai (we now reckoned our time thus), that, rising bright and early, we were up and away out of the valley of Martair before the fishermen even were stirring.

fading

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

From this reading Sometimes, starting fitfully, it decked the clouds with faint edgings of pink and gray, which, fading away, left all dim again.

faint

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

From this reading Sometimes, starting fitfully, it decked the clouds with faint edgings of pink and gray, which, fading away, left all dim again.

firstnounUS /first/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading It was on the fourth day of the first month of the Hegira, or flight from Tamai (we now reckoned our time thus), that, rising bright and early, we were up and away out of the valley of Martair before the fishermen even were stirring.

fishermen

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

From this reading It was on the fourth day of the first month of the Hegira, or flight from Tamai (we now reckoned our time thus), that, rising bright and early, we were up and away out of the valley of Martair before the fishermen even were stirring.

fitfully

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

From this reading Sometimes, starting fitfully, it decked the clouds with faint edgings of pink and gray, which, fading away, left all dim again.

flight

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

From this reading It was on the fourth day of the first month of the Hegira, or flight from Tamai (we now reckoned our time thus), that, rising bright and early, we were up and away out of the valley of Martair before the fishermen even were stirring.

fourthnounUS /fourth/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading It was on the fourth day of the first month of the Hegira, or flight from Tamai (we now reckoned our time thus), that, rising bright and early, we were up and away out of the valley of Martair before the fishermen even were stirring.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading It was on the fourth day of the first month of the Hegira, or flight from Tamai (we now reckoned our time thus), that, rising bright and early, we were up and away out of the valley of Martair before the fishermen even were stirring.

gray

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

From this reading Sometimes, starting fitfully, it decked the clouds with faint edgings of pink and gray, which, fading away, left all dim again.

Hegira

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

From this reading It was on the fourth day of the first month of the Hegira, or flight from Tamai (we now reckoned our time thus), that, rising bright and early, we were up and away out of the valley of Martair before the fishermen even were stirring.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was on the fourth day of the first month of the Hegira, or flight from Tamai (we now reckoned our time thus), that, rising bright and early, we were up and away out of the valley of Martair before the fishermen even were stirring.

itselfpronounUS /ˌɪtˈself/

used when the thing doing the action is also its object

From this reading The morning only showed itself along the lower edge of a bank of purple clouds pierced by the misty peaks of Tahiti.

languid

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

From this reading The tropical day seemed too languid to rise.

leftnounUS /left/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Sometimes, starting fitfully, it decked the clouds with faint edgings of pink and gray, which, fading away, left all dim again.

lower

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

From this reading The morning only showed itself along the lower edge of a bank of purple clouds pierced by the misty peaks of Tahiti.

Martair

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

From this reading It was on the fourth day of the first month of the Hegira, or flight from Tamai (we now reckoned our time thus), that, rising bright and early, we were up and away out of the valley of Martair before the fishermen even were stirring.

misty

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

From this reading The morning only showed itself along the lower edge of a bank of purple clouds pierced by the misty peaks of Tahiti.

month

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

From this reading It was on the fourth day of the first month of the Hegira, or flight from Tamai (we now reckoned our time thus), that, rising bright and early, we were up and away out of the valley of Martair before the fishermen even were stirring.

morningnounUS /morning/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The morning only showed itself along the lower edge of a bank of purple clouds pierced by the misty peaks of Tahiti.

now

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

From this reading It was on the fourth day of the first month of the Hegira, or flight from Tamai (we now reckoned our time thus), that, rising bright and early, we were up and away out of the valley of Martair before the fishermen even were stirring.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading It was on the fourth day of the first month of the Hegira, or flight from Tamai (we now reckoned our time thus), that, rising bright and early, we were up and away out of the valley of Martair before the fishermen even were stirring.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading It was on the fourth day of the first month of the Hegira, or flight from Tamai (we now reckoned our time thus), that, rising bright and early, we were up and away out of the valley of Martair before the fishermen even were stirring.

only

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

From this reading The morning only showed itself along the lower edge of a bank of purple clouds pierced by the misty peaks of Tahiti.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading It was on the fourth day of the first month of the Hegira, or flight from Tamai (we now reckoned our time thus), that, rising bright and early, we were up and away out of the valley of Martair before the fishermen even were stirring.

ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading It was on the fourth day of the first month of the Hegira, or flight from Tamai (we now reckoned our time thus), that, rising bright and early, we were up and away out of the valley of Martair before the fishermen even were stirring.

out

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

From this reading It was on the fourth day of the first month of the Hegira, or flight from Tamai (we now reckoned our time thus), that, rising bright and early, we were up and away out of the valley of Martair before the fishermen even were stirring.

peaks

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

From this reading The morning only showed itself along the lower edge of a bank of purple clouds pierced by the misty peaks of Tahiti.

pierced

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

From this reading The morning only showed itself along the lower edge of a bank of purple clouds pierced by the misty peaks of Tahiti.

pink

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

From this reading Sometimes, starting fitfully, it decked the clouds with faint edgings of pink and gray, which, fading away, left all dim again.

purple

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

From this reading The morning only showed itself along the lower edge of a bank of purple clouds pierced by the misty peaks of Tahiti.

reckoned

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

From this reading It was on the fourth day of the first month of the Hegira, or flight from Tamai (we now reckoned our time thus), that, rising bright and early, we were up and away out of the valley of Martair before the fishermen even were stirring.

rise

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

From this reading The tropical day seemed too languid to rise.

rising

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

From this reading It was on the fourth day of the first month of the Hegira, or flight from Tamai (we now reckoned our time thus), that, rising bright and early, we were up and away out of the valley of Martair before the fishermen even were stirring.

seemednounUS /seemed/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The tropical day seemed too languid to rise.

showed

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

From this reading The morning only showed itself along the lower edge of a bank of purple clouds pierced by the misty peaks of Tahiti.

Sometimes

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

From this reading Sometimes, starting fitfully, it decked the clouds with faint edgings of pink and gray, which, fading away, left all dim again.

starting

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

From this reading Sometimes, starting fitfully, it decked the clouds with faint edgings of pink and gray, which, fading away, left all dim again.

stirring

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

From this reading It was on the fourth day of the first month of the Hegira, or flight from Tamai (we now reckoned our time thus), that, rising bright and early, we were up and away out of the valley of Martair before the fishermen even were stirring.

Tahiti

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

From this reading The morning only showed itself along the lower edge of a bank of purple clouds pierced by the misty peaks of Tahiti.

Tamai

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

From this reading It was on the fourth day of the first month of the Hegira, or flight from Tamai (we now reckoned our time thus), that, rising bright and early, we were up and away out of the valley of Martair before the fishermen even were stirring.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading It was on the fourth day of the first month of the Hegira, or flight from Tamai (we now reckoned our time thus), that, rising bright and early, we were up and away out of the valley of Martair before the fishermen even were stirring.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading It was on the fourth day of the first month of the Hegira, or flight from Tamai (we now reckoned our time thus), that, rising bright and early, we were up and away out of the valley of Martair before the fishermen even were stirring.

thus

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

From this reading It was on the fourth day of the first month of the Hegira, or flight from Tamai (we now reckoned our time thus), that, rising bright and early, we were up and away out of the valley of Martair before the fishermen even were stirring.

timenounUS /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading It was on the fourth day of the first month of the Hegira, or flight from Tamai (we now reckoned our time thus), that, rising bright and early, we were up and away out of the valley of Martair before the fishermen even were stirring.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading The tropical day seemed too languid to rise.

too

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

From this reading The tropical day seemed too languid to rise.

tropical

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

From this reading The tropical day seemed too languid to rise.

up

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

From this reading It was on the fourth day of the first month of the Hegira, or flight from Tamai (we now reckoned our time thus), that, rising bright and early, we were up and away out of the valley of Martair before the fishermen even were stirring.

valley

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

From this reading It was on the fourth day of the first month of the Hegira, or flight from Tamai (we now reckoned our time thus), that, rising bright and early, we were up and away out of the valley of Martair before the fishermen even were stirring.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading It was on the fourth day of the first month of the Hegira, or flight from Tamai (we now reckoned our time thus), that, rising bright and early, we were up and away out of the valley of Martair before the fishermen even were stirring.

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading It was on the fourth day of the first month of the Hegira, or flight from Tamai (we now reckoned our time thus), that, rising bright and early, we were up and away out of the valley of Martair before the fishermen even were stirring.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading It was on the fourth day of the first month of the Hegira, or flight from Tamai (we now reckoned our time thus), that, rising bright and early, we were up and away out of the valley of Martair before the fishermen even were stirring.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading Sometimes, starting fitfully, it decked the clouds with faint edgings of pink and gray, which, fading away, left all dim again.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Sometimes, starting fitfully, it decked the clouds with faint edgings of pink and gray, which, fading away, left all dim again.