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Chapter X
I gave the boat's motor another notch of the electric throttle, and the bat's-wing murmur increased to a low humming. As if drawn by invisible hands the laden launch approached the yacht's bow on the seaward side. The need for haste was pricking me as sharply as it was Van Dyck, but prudent care came first. As matters stood, we were as helpless as a packed pleasure boat. One armed man at the yacht's rail could have held us off, encumbered as we were.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading “I gave the boat's motor another notch of the electric throttle, and the bat's-wing murmur increased to a low humming.”
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading “One armed man at the yacht's rail could have held us off, encumbered as we were.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “The need for haste was pricking me as sharply as it was Van Dyck, but prudent care came first.”
members of a ship’s crew
From this reading “As if drawn by invisible hands the laden launch approached the yacht's bow on the seaward side.”
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “One armed man at the yacht's rail could have held us off, encumbered as we were.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “The need for haste was pricking me as sharply as it was Van Dyck, but prudent care came first.”
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading “One armed man at the yacht's rail could have held us off, encumbered as we were.”
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading “The need for haste was pricking me as sharply as it was Van Dyck, but prudent care came first.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “As matters stood, we were as helpless as a packed pleasure boat.”
Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading I gave the boat's motor another notch of the electric throttle, and the bat's-wing murmur increased to a low humming.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading I gave the boat's motor another notch of the electric throttle, and the bat's-wing murmur increased to a low humming.
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading I gave the boat's motor another notch of the electric throttle, and the bat's-wing murmur increased to a low humming.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As if drawn by invisible hands the laden launch approached the yacht's bow on the seaward side.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One armed man at the yacht's rail could have held us off, encumbered as we were.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As if drawn by invisible hands the laden launch approached the yacht's bow on the seaward side.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading One armed man at the yacht's rail could have held us off, encumbered as we were.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I gave the boat's motor another notch of the electric throttle, and the bat's-wing murmur increased to a low humming.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As matters stood, we were as helpless as a packed pleasure boat.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I gave the boat's motor another notch of the electric throttle, and the bat's-wing murmur increased to a low humming.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As if drawn by invisible hands the laden launch approached the yacht's bow on the seaward side.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The need for haste was pricking me as sharply as it was Van Dyck, but prudent care came first.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading As if drawn by invisible hands the laden launch approached the yacht's bow on the seaward side.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The need for haste was pricking me as sharply as it was Van Dyck, but prudent care came first.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The need for haste was pricking me as sharply as it was Van Dyck, but prudent care came first.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading One armed man at the yacht's rail could have held us off, encumbered as we were.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As if drawn by invisible hands the laden launch approached the yacht's bow on the seaward side.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The need for haste was pricking me as sharply as it was Van Dyck, but prudent care came first.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I gave the boat's motor another notch of the electric throttle, and the bat's-wing murmur increased to a low humming.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One armed man at the yacht's rail could have held us off, encumbered as we were.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The need for haste was pricking me as sharply as it was Van Dyck, but prudent care came first.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The need for haste was pricking me as sharply as it was Van Dyck, but prudent care came first.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I gave the boat's motor another notch of the electric throttle, and the bat's-wing murmur increased to a low humming.
members of a ship’s crew
From this reading As if drawn by invisible hands the laden launch approached the yacht's bow on the seaward side.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The need for haste was pricking me as sharply as it was Van Dyck, but prudent care came first.
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading One armed man at the yacht's rail could have held us off, encumbered as we were.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One armed man at the yacht's rail could have held us off, encumbered as we were.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As matters stood, we were as helpless as a packed pleasure boat.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I gave the boat's motor another notch of the electric throttle, and the bat's-wing murmur increased to a low humming.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I gave the boat's motor another notch of the electric throttle, and the bat's-wing murmur increased to a low humming.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading As if drawn by invisible hands the laden launch approached the yacht's bow on the seaward side.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I gave the boat's motor another notch of the electric throttle, and the bat's-wing murmur increased to a low humming.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As if drawn by invisible hands the laden launch approached the yacht's bow on the seaward side.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The need for haste was pricking me as sharply as it was Van Dyck, but prudent care came first.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As if drawn by invisible hands the laden launch approached the yacht's bow on the seaward side.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As if drawn by invisible hands the laden launch approached the yacht's bow on the seaward side.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I gave the boat's motor another notch of the electric throttle, and the bat's-wing murmur increased to a low humming.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One armed man at the yacht's rail could have held us off, encumbered as we were.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As matters stood, we were as helpless as a packed pleasure boat.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The need for haste was pricking me as sharply as it was Van Dyck, but prudent care came first.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I gave the boat's motor another notch of the electric throttle, and the bat's-wing murmur increased to a low humming.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I gave the boat's motor another notch of the electric throttle, and the bat's-wing murmur increased to a low humming.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The need for haste was pricking me as sharply as it was Van Dyck, but prudent care came first.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I gave the boat's motor another notch of the electric throttle, and the bat's-wing murmur increased to a low humming.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading I gave the boat's motor another notch of the electric throttle, and the bat's-wing murmur increased to a low humming.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One armed man at the yacht's rail could have held us off, encumbered as we were.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading As if drawn by invisible hands the laden launch approached the yacht's bow on the seaward side.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading One armed man at the yacht's rail could have held us off, encumbered as we were.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As matters stood, we were as helpless as a packed pleasure boat.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As matters stood, we were as helpless as a packed pleasure boat.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The need for haste was pricking me as sharply as it was Van Dyck, but prudent care came first.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The need for haste was pricking me as sharply as it was Van Dyck, but prudent care came first.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One armed man at the yacht's rail could have held us off, encumbered as we were.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As if drawn by invisible hands the laden launch approached the yacht's bow on the seaward side.
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading The need for haste was pricking me as sharply as it was Van Dyck, but prudent care came first.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As if drawn by invisible hands the laden launch approached the yacht's bow on the seaward side.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading As matters stood, we were as helpless as a packed pleasure boat.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading I gave the boat's motor another notch of the electric throttle, and the bat's-wing murmur increased to a low humming.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I gave the boat's motor another notch of the electric throttle, and the bat's-wing murmur increased to a low humming.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading I gave the boat's motor another notch of the electric throttle, and the bat's-wing murmur increased to a low humming.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading One armed man at the yacht's rail could have held us off, encumbered as we were.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The need for haste was pricking me as sharply as it was Van Dyck, but prudent care came first.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The need for haste was pricking me as sharply as it was Van Dyck, but prudent care came first.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading As matters stood, we were as helpless as a packed pleasure boat.
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading As matters stood, we were as helpless as a packed pleasure boat.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As if drawn by invisible hands the laden launch approached the yacht's bow on the seaward side.
