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Treasure Island
Treasure Island

Chapter XXVI · Israel Hands

The wind, serving us to a desire, now hauled into the west.

The wind, serving us to a desire, now hauled into the west.…
Context Illustration Reading 1/26 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
The wind, serving us to a desire, now hauled into the west.
We could run so much the easier from the north-east corner of the island to the mouth of the North Inlet.
Only, as we had no power to anchor and dared not beach her till the tide had flowed a good deal farther, time hung on our hands.
The coxswain told me how to lay the ship to; after a good many trials I succeeded, and we both sat in silence over another meal.
“Cap’n,” said he at length with that same uncomfortable smile, “here’s my old shipmate, O’Brien; s’pose you was to heave him overboard.
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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.

Treasure Island

Chapter XXVI · Israel Hands

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

Line 1
The wind, serving us to a desire, now hauled into the west.
Line 2
We could run so much the easier from the north-east corner of the island to the mouth of the North Inlet.
Line 3
Only, as we had no power to anchor and dared not beach her till the tide had flowed a good deal farther, time hung on our hands.
Line 4
The coxswain told me how to lay the ship to; after a good many trials I succeeded, and we both sat in silence over another meal.
Line 5
“Cap’n,” said he at length with that same uncomfortable smile, “here’s my old shipmate, O’Brien; s’pose you was to heave him overboard.

Learner Dictionary

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

wind noun US /wind/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The wind, serving us to a desire, now hauled into the west.”

Collocations
The wind,a source-grounded phrase from section 1
serving usa source-grounded phrase from section 1
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 The wind, serving us to a desire, now hauled into the west.

afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading The coxswain told me how to lay the ship to; after a good many trials I succeeded, and we both sat in silence over another meal.

anchor

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

From this reading Only, as we had no power to anchor and dared not beach her till the tide had flowed a good deal farther, time hung on our hands.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Only, as we had no power to anchor and dared not beach her till the tide had flowed a good deal farther, time hung on our hands.

anothernounUS /ˈanother/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading The coxswain told me how to lay the ship to; after a good many trials I succeeded, and we both sat in silence over another meal.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Only, as we had no power to anchor and dared not beach her till the tide had flowed a good deal farther, time hung on our hands.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading “Cap’n,” said he at length with that same uncomfortable smile, “here’s my old shipmate, O’Brien; s’pose you was to heave him overboard.

beach

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

From this reading Only, as we had no power to anchor and dared not beach her till the tide had flowed a good deal farther, time hung on our hands.

bothdeterminerUS /boʊθ/

the two together, not just one

From this reading The coxswain told me how to lay the ship to; after a good many trials I succeeded, and we both sat in silence over another meal.

Cap'n

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

From this reading “Cap’n,” said he at length with that same uncomfortable smile, “here’s my old shipmate, O’Brien; s’pose you was to heave him overboard.

corner

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

From this reading We could run so much the easier from the north-east corner of the island to the mouth of the North Inlet.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading We could run so much the easier from the north-east corner of the island to the mouth of the North Inlet.

coxswainnounUS /ˈkɑːksən/

the person who steers a small boat

From this reading The coxswain told me how to lay the ship to; after a good many trials I succeeded, and we both sat in silence over another meal.

dared

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

From this reading Only, as we had no power to anchor and dared not beach her till the tide had flowed a good deal farther, time hung on our hands.

deal

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

From this reading Only, as we had no power to anchor and dared not beach her till the tide had flowed a good deal farther, time hung on our hands.

desire

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

From this reading The wind, serving us to a desire, now hauled into the west.

easier

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

From this reading We could run so much the easier from the north-east corner of the island to the mouth of the North Inlet.

farther

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

From this reading Only, as we had no power to anchor and dared not beach her till the tide had flowed a good deal farther, time hung on our hands.

flowed

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

From this reading Only, as we had no power to anchor and dared not beach her till the tide had flowed a good deal farther, time hung on our hands.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading We could run so much the easier from the north-east corner of the island to the mouth of the North Inlet.

goodnounUS /good/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Only, as we had no power to anchor and dared not beach her till the tide had flowed a good deal farther, time hung on our hands.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Only, as we had no power to anchor and dared not beach her till the tide had flowed a good deal farther, time hung on our hands.

handsplural nounUS /hændz/

members of a ship’s crew

From this reading Only, as we had no power to anchor and dared not beach her till the tide had flowed a good deal farther, time hung on our hands.

hauled

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

From this reading The wind, serving us to a desire, now hauled into the west.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading “Cap’n,” said he at length with that same uncomfortable smile, “here’s my old shipmate, O’Brien; s’pose you was to heave him overboard.

heave

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

From this reading “Cap’n,” said he at length with that same uncomfortable smile, “here’s my old shipmate, O’Brien; s’pose you was to heave him overboard.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading Only, as we had no power to anchor and dared not beach her till the tide had flowed a good deal farther, time hung on our hands.

here's

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

From this reading “Cap’n,” said he at length with that same uncomfortable smile, “here’s my old shipmate, O’Brien; s’pose you was to heave him overboard.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading “Cap’n,” said he at length with that same uncomfortable smile, “here’s my old shipmate, O’Brien; s’pose you was to heave him overboard.

how

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

From this reading The coxswain told me how to lay the ship to; after a good many trials I succeeded, and we both sat in silence over another meal.

hung

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

From this reading Only, as we had no power to anchor and dared not beach her till the tide had flowed a good deal farther, time hung on our hands.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading The coxswain told me how to lay the ship to; after a good many trials I succeeded, and we both sat in silence over another meal.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading The coxswain told me how to lay the ship to; after a good many trials I succeeded, and we both sat in silence over another meal.

Inlet

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

From this reading We could run so much the easier from the north-east corner of the island to the mouth of the North Inlet.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading The wind, serving us to a desire, now hauled into the west.

island

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

From this reading We could run so much the easier from the north-east corner of the island to the mouth of the North Inlet.

lay

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

From this reading The coxswain told me how to lay the ship to; after a good many trials I succeeded, and we both sat in silence over another meal.

lengthnounUS /leŋθ/

a period of time or extent

From this reading “Cap’n,” said he at length with that same uncomfortable smile, “here’s my old shipmate, O’Brien; s’pose you was to heave him overboard.

many

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

From this reading The coxswain told me how to lay the ship to; after a good many trials I succeeded, and we both sat in silence over another meal.

mepronounUS /miː/

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading The coxswain told me how to lay the ship to; after a good many trials I succeeded, and we both sat in silence over another meal.

meal

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

From this reading The coxswain told me how to lay the ship to; after a good many trials I succeeded, and we both sat in silence over another meal.

mouth

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

From this reading We could run so much the easier from the north-east corner of the island to the mouth of the North Inlet.

much

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

From this reading We could run so much the easier from the north-east corner of the island to the mouth of the North Inlet.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading “Cap’n,” said he at length with that same uncomfortable smile, “here’s my old shipmate, O’Brien; s’pose you was to heave him overboard.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading Only, as we had no power to anchor and dared not beach her till the tide had flowed a good deal farther, time hung on our hands.

North

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

From this reading We could run so much the easier from the north-east corner of the island to the mouth of the North Inlet.

north-east

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

From this reading We could run so much the easier from the north-east corner of the island to the mouth of the North Inlet.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Only, as we had no power to anchor and dared not beach her till the tide had flowed a good deal farther, time hung on our hands.

now

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

From this reading The wind, serving us to a desire, now hauled into the west.

O'Brien

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

From this reading “Cap’n,” said he at length with that same uncomfortable smile, “here’s my old shipmate, O’Brien; s’pose you was to heave him overboard.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading We could run so much the easier from the north-east corner of the island to the mouth of the North Inlet.

old

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

From this reading “Cap’n,” said he at length with that same uncomfortable smile, “here’s my old shipmate, O’Brien; s’pose you was to heave him overboard.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Only, as we had no power to anchor and dared not beach her till the tide had flowed a good deal farther, time hung on our hands.

Only

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

From this reading Only, as we had no power to anchor and dared not beach her till the tide had flowed a good deal farther, time hung on our hands.

ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading Only, as we had no power to anchor and dared not beach her till the tide had flowed a good deal farther, time hung on our hands.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading The coxswain told me how to lay the ship to; after a good many trials I succeeded, and we both sat in silence over another meal.

overboardadverbUS /ˈoʊvərbɔːrd/

from a ship into the water

From this reading “Cap’n,” said he at length with that same uncomfortable smile, “here’s my old shipmate, O’Brien; s’pose you was to heave him overboard.

power

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

From this reading Only, as we had no power to anchor and dared not beach her till the tide had flowed a good deal farther, time hung on our hands.

run

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

From this reading We could run so much the easier from the north-east corner of the island to the mouth of the North Inlet.

s'pose

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

From this reading “Cap’n,” said he at length with that same uncomfortable smile, “here’s my old shipmate, O’Brien; s’pose you was to heave him overboard.

said

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

From this reading “Cap’n,” said he at length with that same uncomfortable smile, “here’s my old shipmate, O’Brien; s’pose you was to heave him overboard.

samenounUS /same/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Cap’n,” said he at length with that same uncomfortable smile, “here’s my old shipmate, O’Brien; s’pose you was to heave him overboard.

sat

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

From this reading The coxswain told me how to lay the ship to; after a good many trials I succeeded, and we both sat in silence over another meal.

serving

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

From this reading The wind, serving us to a desire, now hauled into the west.

shipnounUS /ship/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The coxswain told me how to lay the ship to; after a good many trials I succeeded, and we both sat in silence over another meal.

shipmate

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

From this reading “Cap’n,” said he at length with that same uncomfortable smile, “here’s my old shipmate, O’Brien; s’pose you was to heave him overboard.

silencenounUS /ˈsaɪ.ləns/

Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.

From this reading The coxswain told me how to lay the ship to; after a good many trials I succeeded, and we both sat in silence over another meal.

smile

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

From this reading “Cap’n,” said he at length with that same uncomfortable smile, “here’s my old shipmate, O’Brien; s’pose you was to heave him overboard.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading We could run so much the easier from the north-east corner of the island to the mouth of the North Inlet.

succeeded

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

From this reading The coxswain told me how to lay the ship to; after a good many trials I succeeded, and we both sat in silence over another meal.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading “Cap’n,” said he at length with that same uncomfortable smile, “here’s my old shipmate, O’Brien; s’pose you was to heave him overboard.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading The wind, serving us to a desire, now hauled into the west.

tide

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

From this reading Only, as we had no power to anchor and dared not beach her till the tide had flowed a good deal farther, time hung on our hands.

tillprepositionUS /tɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading Only, as we had no power to anchor and dared not beach her till the tide had flowed a good deal farther, time hung on our hands.

timenounUS /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Only, as we had no power to anchor and dared not beach her till the tide had flowed a good deal farther, time hung on our hands.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading The wind, serving us to a desire, now hauled into the west.

toldnounUS /told/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The coxswain told me how to lay the ship to; after a good many trials I succeeded, and we both sat in silence over another meal.

trials

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

From this reading The coxswain told me how to lay the ship to; after a good many trials I succeeded, and we both sat in silence over another meal.

uncomfortable

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

From this reading “Cap’n,” said he at length with that same uncomfortable smile, “here’s my old shipmate, O’Brien; s’pose you was to heave him overboard.

uspronounUS /ʌs/

the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading The wind, serving us to a desire, now hauled into the west.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading “Cap’n,” said he at length with that same uncomfortable smile, “here’s my old shipmate, O’Brien; s’pose you was to heave him overboard.

WepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading We could run so much the easier from the north-east corner of the island to the mouth of the North Inlet.

west

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

From this reading The wind, serving us to a desire, now hauled into the west.

windnounUS /wind/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The wind, serving us to a desire, now hauled into the west.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading “Cap’n,” said he at length with that same uncomfortable smile, “here’s my old shipmate, O’Brien; s’pose you was to heave him overboard.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading “Cap’n,” said he at length with that same uncomfortable smile, “here’s my old shipmate, O’Brien; s’pose you was to heave him overboard.

Chapter Quiz

What is the central narrative or theme conveyed in this section of Chapter 28: In The Enemy’S Camp?

Which core linguistic virtue or character attribute is emphasized in this passage?

According to the text: "The red glare of the torch, lighting up the interior of the block house,...", what tone does the author establish?

Shadowing Practice

Narrator: The red glare of the torch, lighting up the interior of the block house,
Narrator: could not, for the life of me, decide whether he were laughing at my