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Thrice Armed

Chapter IX

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Context Illustration Reading 1/38 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
MERRIL TIGHTENS THE SCREW The _Sorata_ went to sea again next morning, and one night a week later she bore up for Vancouver before a westerly breeze.
A thin crescent moon had just cleared the dim white line of the mainland snow, and the sea glittered faintly in her frothing wake under a vast sweep of dusky blue.
The big topsail swayed across it, blotting out the stars, and there was a rhythmic splashing beneath the bows.
Anthea Merril stood at the tiller outlined against the heave of sea, for the night was warm and she was dressed in white.
Nellie Austerly sat on a locker in the cockpit, and her father on the saloon skylights with a cigar in his hand.
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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.

Thrice Armed

Chapter IX

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

Line 1
MERRIL TIGHTENS THE SCREW The _Sorata_ went to sea again next morning, and one night a week later she bore up for Vancouver before a westerly breeze.
Line 2
A thin crescent moon had just cleared the dim white line of the mainland snow, and the sea glittered faintly in her frothing wake under a vast sweep of dusky blue.
Line 3
The big topsail swayed across it, blotting out the stars, and there was a rhythmic splashing beneath the bows.
Line 4
Anthea Merril stood at the tiller outlined against the heave of sea, for the night was warm and she was dressed in white.
Line 5
Nellie Austerly sat on a locker in the cockpit, and her father on the saloon skylights with a cigar in his hand.

Learner Dictionary

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

Across preposition US /əˈkrɔːs/

from one side of something to the other

From this reading “The big topsail swayed across it, blotting out the stars, and there was a rhythmic splashing beneath the bows.”

Again noun US /again/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “MERRIL TIGHTENS THE SCREW The _Sorata_ went to sea again next morning, and one night a week later she bore up for Vancouver before a westerly breeze.”

Against preposition US /əˈɡenst/

touching and pressing; in opposition to

From this reading “Anthea Merril stood at the tiller outlined against the heave of sea, for the night was warm and she was dressed in white.”

Before preposition US /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading “MERRIL TIGHTENS THE SCREW The _Sorata_ went to sea again next morning, and one night a week later she bore up for Vancouver before a westerly breeze.”

Beneath preposition US /bɪˈniːθ/

Directly under; in or to a lower position than.

From this reading “The big topsail swayed across it, blotting out the stars, and there was a rhythmic splashing beneath the bows.”

Hand noun US /hand/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Nellie Austerly sat on a locker in the cockpit, and her father on the saloon skylights with a cigar in his hand.”

Morning noun US /morning/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “MERRIL TIGHTENS THE SCREW The _Sorata_ went to sea again next morning, and one night a week later she bore up for Vancouver before a westerly breeze.”

Next noun US /next/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “MERRIL TIGHTENS THE SCREW The _Sorata_ went to sea again next morning, and one night a week later she bore up for Vancouver before a westerly breeze.”

One pronoun US /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading “MERRIL TIGHTENS THE SCREW The _Sorata_ went to sea again next morning, and one night a week later she bore up for Vancouver before a westerly breeze.”

Stood noun US /stood/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Anthea Merril stood at the tiller outlined against the heave of sea, for the night was warm and she was dressed in white.”

Thin adjective US /θɪn/

Having little thickness or extent.

From this reading “A thin crescent moon had just cleared the dim white line of the mainland snow, and the sea glittered faintly in her frothing wake under a vast sweep of dusky blue.”

Under preposition US /ˈʌndər/

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading “A thin crescent moon had just cleared the dim white line of the mainland snow, and the sea glittered faintly in her frothing wake under a vast sweep of dusky blue.”

Went noun US /went/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “MERRIL TIGHTENS THE SCREW The _Sorata_ went to sea again next morning, and one night a week later she bore up for Vancouver before a westerly breeze.”

All words in this reading · 84

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 MERRIL TIGHTENS THE SCREW The _Sorata_ went to sea again next morning, and one night a week later she bore up for Vancouver before a westerly breeze.

acrossprepositionUS /əˈkrɔːs/

from one side of something to the other

From this reading The big topsail swayed across it, blotting out the stars, and there was a rhythmic splashing beneath the bows.

againnounUS /again/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading MERRIL TIGHTENS THE SCREW The _Sorata_ went to sea again next morning, and one night a week later she bore up for Vancouver before a westerly breeze.

againstprepositionUS /əˈɡenst/

touching and pressing; in opposition to

From this reading Anthea Merril stood at the tiller outlined against the heave of sea, for the night was warm and she was dressed in white.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading MERRIL TIGHTENS THE SCREW The _Sorata_ went to sea again next morning, and one night a week later she bore up for Vancouver before a westerly breeze.

Anthea

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

From this reading Anthea Merril stood at the tiller outlined against the heave of sea, for the night was warm and she was dressed in white.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Anthea Merril stood at the tiller outlined against the heave of sea, for the night was warm and she was dressed in white.

Austerly

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

From this reading Nellie Austerly sat on a locker in the cockpit, and her father on the saloon skylights with a cigar in his hand.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading MERRIL TIGHTENS THE SCREW The _Sorata_ went to sea again next morning, and one night a week later she bore up for Vancouver before a westerly breeze.

beneathprepositionUS /bɪˈniːθ/

Directly under; in or to a lower position than.

From this reading The big topsail swayed across it, blotting out the stars, and there was a rhythmic splashing beneath the bows.

big

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

From this reading The big topsail swayed across it, blotting out the stars, and there was a rhythmic splashing beneath the bows.

blotting

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

From this reading The big topsail swayed across it, blotting out the stars, and there was a rhythmic splashing beneath the bows.

blue

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

From this reading A thin crescent moon had just cleared the dim white line of the mainland snow, and the sea glittered faintly in her frothing wake under a vast sweep of dusky blue.

bore

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

From this reading MERRIL TIGHTENS THE SCREW The _Sorata_ went to sea again next morning, and one night a week later she bore up for Vancouver before a westerly breeze.

bows

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

From this reading The big topsail swayed across it, blotting out the stars, and there was a rhythmic splashing beneath the bows.

breeze

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

From this reading MERRIL TIGHTENS THE SCREW The _Sorata_ went to sea again next morning, and one night a week later she bore up for Vancouver before a westerly breeze.

cigar

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

From this reading Nellie Austerly sat on a locker in the cockpit, and her father on the saloon skylights with a cigar in his hand.

cleared

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

From this reading A thin crescent moon had just cleared the dim white line of the mainland snow, and the sea glittered faintly in her frothing wake under a vast sweep of dusky blue.

cockpit

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

From this reading Nellie Austerly sat on a locker in the cockpit, and her father on the saloon skylights with a cigar in his hand.

crescent

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

From this reading A thin crescent moon had just cleared the dim white line of the mainland snow, and the sea glittered faintly in her frothing wake under a vast sweep of dusky blue.

dim

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

From this reading A thin crescent moon had just cleared the dim white line of the mainland snow, and the sea glittered faintly in her frothing wake under a vast sweep of dusky blue.

dressed

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

From this reading Anthea Merril stood at the tiller outlined against the heave of sea, for the night was warm and she was dressed in white.

dusky

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

From this reading A thin crescent moon had just cleared the dim white line of the mainland snow, and the sea glittered faintly in her frothing wake under a vast sweep of dusky blue.

faintly

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

From this reading A thin crescent moon had just cleared the dim white line of the mainland snow, and the sea glittered faintly in her frothing wake under a vast sweep of dusky blue.

father

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

From this reading Nellie Austerly sat on a locker in the cockpit, and her father on the saloon skylights with a cigar in his hand.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading MERRIL TIGHTENS THE SCREW The _Sorata_ went to sea again next morning, and one night a week later she bore up for Vancouver before a westerly breeze.

frothing

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

From this reading A thin crescent moon had just cleared the dim white line of the mainland snow, and the sea glittered faintly in her frothing wake under a vast sweep of dusky blue.

glittered

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

From this reading A thin crescent moon had just cleared the dim white line of the mainland snow, and the sea glittered faintly in her frothing wake under a vast sweep of dusky blue.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading A thin crescent moon had just cleared the dim white line of the mainland snow, and the sea glittered faintly in her frothing wake under a vast sweep of dusky blue.

hand

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

From this reading Nellie Austerly sat on a locker in the cockpit, and her father on the saloon skylights with a cigar in his hand.

heave

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

From this reading Anthea Merril stood at the tiller outlined against the heave of sea, for the night was warm and she was dressed in white.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading A thin crescent moon had just cleared the dim white line of the mainland snow, and the sea glittered faintly in her frothing wake under a vast sweep of dusky blue.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Nellie Austerly sat on a locker in the cockpit, and her father on the saloon skylights with a cigar in his hand.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading A thin crescent moon had just cleared the dim white line of the mainland snow, and the sea glittered faintly in her frothing wake under a vast sweep of dusky blue.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading The big topsail swayed across it, blotting out the stars, and there was a rhythmic splashing beneath the bows.

just

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

From this reading A thin crescent moon had just cleared the dim white line of the mainland snow, and the sea glittered faintly in her frothing wake under a vast sweep of dusky blue.

later

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

From this reading MERRIL TIGHTENS THE SCREW The _Sorata_ went to sea again next morning, and one night a week later she bore up for Vancouver before a westerly breeze.

line

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

From this reading A thin crescent moon had just cleared the dim white line of the mainland snow, and the sea glittered faintly in her frothing wake under a vast sweep of dusky blue.

locker

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

From this reading Nellie Austerly sat on a locker in the cockpit, and her father on the saloon skylights with a cigar in his hand.

mainland

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

From this reading A thin crescent moon had just cleared the dim white line of the mainland snow, and the sea glittered faintly in her frothing wake under a vast sweep of dusky blue.

MERRIL

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

From this reading MERRIL TIGHTENS THE SCREW The _Sorata_ went to sea again next morning, and one night a week later she bore up for Vancouver before a westerly breeze.

moon

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

From this reading A thin crescent moon had just cleared the dim white line of the mainland snow, and the sea glittered faintly in her frothing wake under a vast sweep of dusky blue.

morningnounUS /morning/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading MERRIL TIGHTENS THE SCREW The _Sorata_ went to sea again next morning, and one night a week later she bore up for Vancouver before a westerly breeze.

Nellie

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

From this reading Nellie Austerly sat on a locker in the cockpit, and her father on the saloon skylights with a cigar in his hand.

nextnounUS /next/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading MERRIL TIGHTENS THE SCREW The _Sorata_ went to sea again next morning, and one night a week later she bore up for Vancouver before a westerly breeze.

night

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

From this reading MERRIL TIGHTENS THE SCREW The _Sorata_ went to sea again next morning, and one night a week later she bore up for Vancouver before a westerly breeze.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading A thin crescent moon had just cleared the dim white line of the mainland snow, and the sea glittered faintly in her frothing wake under a vast sweep of dusky blue.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Nellie Austerly sat on a locker in the cockpit, and her father on the saloon skylights with a cigar in his hand.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading MERRIL TIGHTENS THE SCREW The _Sorata_ went to sea again next morning, and one night a week later she bore up for Vancouver before a westerly breeze.

out

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

From this reading The big topsail swayed across it, blotting out the stars, and there was a rhythmic splashing beneath the bows.

outlined

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

From this reading Anthea Merril stood at the tiller outlined against the heave of sea, for the night was warm and she was dressed in white.

rhythmic

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

From this reading The big topsail swayed across it, blotting out the stars, and there was a rhythmic splashing beneath the bows.

saloon

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

From this reading Nellie Austerly sat on a locker in the cockpit, and her father on the saloon skylights with a cigar in his hand.

sat

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

From this reading Nellie Austerly sat on a locker in the cockpit, and her father on the saloon skylights with a cigar in his hand.

SCREW

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

From this reading MERRIL TIGHTENS THE SCREW The _Sorata_ went to sea again next morning, and one night a week later she bore up for Vancouver before a westerly breeze.

sea

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

From this reading MERRIL TIGHTENS THE SCREW The _Sorata_ went to sea again next morning, and one night a week later she bore up for Vancouver before a westerly breeze.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading MERRIL TIGHTENS THE SCREW The _Sorata_ went to sea again next morning, and one night a week later she bore up for Vancouver before a westerly breeze.

skylights

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

From this reading Nellie Austerly sat on a locker in the cockpit, and her father on the saloon skylights with a cigar in his hand.

snow

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

From this reading A thin crescent moon had just cleared the dim white line of the mainland snow, and the sea glittered faintly in her frothing wake under a vast sweep of dusky blue.

Sorata

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

From this reading MERRIL TIGHTENS THE SCREW The _Sorata_ went to sea again next morning, and one night a week later she bore up for Vancouver before a westerly breeze.

splashing

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

From this reading The big topsail swayed across it, blotting out the stars, and there was a rhythmic splashing beneath the bows.

stars

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

From this reading The big topsail swayed across it, blotting out the stars, and there was a rhythmic splashing beneath the bows.

stoodnounUS /stood/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Anthea Merril stood at the tiller outlined against the heave of sea, for the night was warm and she was dressed in white.

swayed

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

From this reading The big topsail swayed across it, blotting out the stars, and there was a rhythmic splashing beneath the bows.

sweep

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

From this reading A thin crescent moon had just cleared the dim white line of the mainland snow, and the sea glittered faintly in her frothing wake under a vast sweep of dusky blue.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading MERRIL TIGHTENS THE SCREW The _Sorata_ went to sea again next morning, and one night a week later she bore up for Vancouver before a westerly breeze.

there

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

From this reading The big topsail swayed across it, blotting out the stars, and there was a rhythmic splashing beneath the bows.

thinadjectiveUS /θɪn/

Having little thickness or extent.

From this reading A thin crescent moon had just cleared the dim white line of the mainland snow, and the sea glittered faintly in her frothing wake under a vast sweep of dusky blue.

TIGHTENS

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

From this reading MERRIL TIGHTENS THE SCREW The _Sorata_ went to sea again next morning, and one night a week later she bore up for Vancouver before a westerly breeze.

tiller

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

From this reading Anthea Merril stood at the tiller outlined against the heave of sea, for the night was warm and she was dressed in white.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading MERRIL TIGHTENS THE SCREW The _Sorata_ went to sea again next morning, and one night a week later she bore up for Vancouver before a westerly breeze.

topsail

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

From this reading The big topsail swayed across it, blotting out the stars, and there was a rhythmic splashing beneath the bows.

underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading A thin crescent moon had just cleared the dim white line of the mainland snow, and the sea glittered faintly in her frothing wake under a vast sweep of dusky blue.

up

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

From this reading MERRIL TIGHTENS THE SCREW The _Sorata_ went to sea again next morning, and one night a week later she bore up for Vancouver before a westerly breeze.

Vancouver

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

From this reading MERRIL TIGHTENS THE SCREW The _Sorata_ went to sea again next morning, and one night a week later she bore up for Vancouver before a westerly breeze.

vast

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

From this reading A thin crescent moon had just cleared the dim white line of the mainland snow, and the sea glittered faintly in her frothing wake under a vast sweep of dusky blue.

wake

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

From this reading A thin crescent moon had just cleared the dim white line of the mainland snow, and the sea glittered faintly in her frothing wake under a vast sweep of dusky blue.

warm

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

From this reading Anthea Merril stood at the tiller outlined against the heave of sea, for the night was warm and she was dressed in white.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading The big topsail swayed across it, blotting out the stars, and there was a rhythmic splashing beneath the bows.

week

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

From this reading MERRIL TIGHTENS THE SCREW The _Sorata_ went to sea again next morning, and one night a week later she bore up for Vancouver before a westerly breeze.

wentnounUS /went/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading MERRIL TIGHTENS THE SCREW The _Sorata_ went to sea again next morning, and one night a week later she bore up for Vancouver before a westerly breeze.

westerly

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

From this reading MERRIL TIGHTENS THE SCREW The _Sorata_ went to sea again next morning, and one night a week later she bore up for Vancouver before a westerly breeze.

white

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

From this reading A thin crescent moon had just cleared the dim white line of the mainland snow, and the sea glittered faintly in her frothing wake under a vast sweep of dusky blue.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Nellie Austerly sat on a locker in the cockpit, and her father on the saloon skylights with a cigar in his hand.