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adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The crew of the derelict brig _Resolute_ had certainly not been idle during the year and a half and over they had been prisoners on the cannibal islands.
againnounUS /again/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Here was a chance for these islanders, such as might not occur again in a score of years.
alive
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From this reading It was perhaps a lucky day for the natives when their boats drew up upon the beach with the sailors, more dead than alive, without arms or clothes, except what they wore, completely at the mercy of the naked and fierce-looking savages that crowded round them.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The crew of the derelict brig _Resolute_ had certainly not been idle during the year and a half and over they had been prisoners on the cannibal islands.
arms
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From this reading It was perhaps a lucky day for the natives when their boats drew up upon the beach with the sailors, more dead than alive, without arms or clothes, except what they wore, completely at the mercy of the naked and fierce-looking savages that crowded round them.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Here was a chance for these islanders, such as might not occur again in a score of years.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading It was perhaps a lucky day for the natives when their boats drew up upon the beach with the sailors, more dead than alive, without arms or clothes, except what they wore, completely at the mercy of the naked and fierce-looking savages that crowded round them.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Nothing could be more to their taste than the programme mapped out by their chief, and to be carried out on the following day.
beach
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From this reading It was perhaps a lucky day for the natives when their boats drew up upon the beach with the sailors, more dead than alive, without arms or clothes, except what they wore, completely at the mercy of the naked and fierce-looking savages that crowded round them.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The crew of the derelict brig _Resolute_ had certainly not been idle during the year and a half and over they had been prisoners on the cannibal islands.
boats
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From this reading It was perhaps a lucky day for the natives when their boats drew up upon the beach with the sailors, more dead than alive, without arms or clothes, except what they wore, completely at the mercy of the naked and fierce-looking savages that crowded round them.
brig
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From this reading The crew of the derelict brig _Resolute_ had certainly not been idle during the year and a half and over they had been prisoners on the cannibal islands.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Nothing could be more to their taste than the programme mapped out by their chief, and to be carried out on the following day.
CANNIBAL
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From this reading IN CANNIBAL ISLANDS.
carried
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From this reading Nothing could be more to their taste than the programme mapped out by their chief, and to be carried out on the following day.
certainly
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From this reading The crew of the derelict brig _Resolute_ had certainly not been idle during the year and a half and over they had been prisoners on the cannibal islands.
chance
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From this reading Here was a chance for these islanders, such as might not occur again in a score of years.
chief
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From this reading Nothing could be more to their taste than the programme mapped out by their chief, and to be carried out on the following day.
clothes
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From this reading It was perhaps a lucky day for the natives when their boats drew up upon the beach with the sailors, more dead than alive, without arms or clothes, except what they wore, completely at the mercy of the naked and fierce-looking savages that crowded round them.
completely
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From this reading It was perhaps a lucky day for the natives when their boats drew up upon the beach with the sailors, more dead than alive, without arms or clothes, except what they wore, completely at the mercy of the naked and fierce-looking savages that crowded round them.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Nothing could be more to their taste than the programme mapped out by their chief, and to be carried out on the following day.
crewnounUS /crew/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The crew of the derelict brig _Resolute_ had certainly not been idle during the year and a half and over they had been prisoners on the cannibal islands.
crowded
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From this reading It was perhaps a lucky day for the natives when their boats drew up upon the beach with the sailors, more dead than alive, without arms or clothes, except what they wore, completely at the mercy of the naked and fierce-looking savages that crowded round them.
day
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was perhaps a lucky day for the natives when their boats drew up upon the beach with the sailors, more dead than alive, without arms or clothes, except what they wore, completely at the mercy of the naked and fierce-looking savages that crowded round them.
deadnounUS /dead/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It was perhaps a lucky day for the natives when their boats drew up upon the beach with the sailors, more dead than alive, without arms or clothes, except what they wore, completely at the mercy of the naked and fierce-looking savages that crowded round them.
derelict
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From this reading The crew of the derelict brig _Resolute_ had certainly not been idle during the year and a half and over they had been prisoners on the cannibal islands.
drewnounUS /drew/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It was perhaps a lucky day for the natives when their boats drew up upon the beach with the sailors, more dead than alive, without arms or clothes, except what they wore, completely at the mercy of the naked and fierce-looking savages that crowded round them.
duringprepositionUS /ˈdʊrɪŋ/
all through a period, or at some point within it
From this reading The crew of the derelict brig _Resolute_ had certainly not been idle during the year and a half and over they had been prisoners on the cannibal islands.
exceptprepositionUS /ɪkˈsept/
apart from; not including
From this reading It was perhaps a lucky day for the natives when their boats drew up upon the beach with the sailors, more dead than alive, without arms or clothes, except what they wore, completely at the mercy of the naked and fierce-looking savages that crowded round them.
fierce-looking
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From this reading It was perhaps a lucky day for the natives when their boats drew up upon the beach with the sailors, more dead than alive, without arms or clothes, except what they wore, completely at the mercy of the naked and fierce-looking savages that crowded round them.
following
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Nothing could be more to their taste than the programme mapped out by their chief, and to be carried out on the following day.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading It was perhaps a lucky day for the natives when their boats drew up upon the beach with the sailors, more dead than alive, without arms or clothes, except what they wore, completely at the mercy of the naked and fierce-looking savages that crowded round them.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The crew of the derelict brig _Resolute_ had certainly not been idle during the year and a half and over they had been prisoners on the cannibal islands.
halfnounUS /half/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The crew of the derelict brig _Resolute_ had certainly not been idle during the year and a half and over they had been prisoners on the cannibal islands.
HerenounUS /here/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Here was a chance for these islanders, such as might not occur again in a score of years.
idle
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From this reading The crew of the derelict brig _Resolute_ had certainly not been idle during the year and a half and over they had been prisoners on the cannibal islands.
INprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading IN CANNIBAL ISLANDS.
islanders
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From this reading Here was a chance for these islanders, such as might not occur again in a score of years.
ISLANDS
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From this reading IN CANNIBAL ISLANDS.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was perhaps a lucky day for the natives when their boats drew up upon the beach with the sailors, more dead than alive, without arms or clothes, except what they wore, completely at the mercy of the naked and fierce-looking savages that crowded round them.
lucky
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was perhaps a lucky day for the natives when their boats drew up upon the beach with the sailors, more dead than alive, without arms or clothes, except what they wore, completely at the mercy of the naked and fierce-looking savages that crowded round them.
mapped
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From this reading Nothing could be more to their taste than the programme mapped out by their chief, and to be carried out on the following day.
mercy
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From this reading It was perhaps a lucky day for the natives when their boats drew up upon the beach with the sailors, more dead than alive, without arms or clothes, except what they wore, completely at the mercy of the naked and fierce-looking savages that crowded round them.
mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading Here was a chance for these islanders, such as might not occur again in a score of years.
more
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From this reading It was perhaps a lucky day for the natives when their boats drew up upon the beach with the sailors, more dead than alive, without arms or clothes, except what they wore, completely at the mercy of the naked and fierce-looking savages that crowded round them.
naked
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From this reading It was perhaps a lucky day for the natives when their boats drew up upon the beach with the sailors, more dead than alive, without arms or clothes, except what they wore, completely at the mercy of the naked and fierce-looking savages that crowded round them.
natives
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was perhaps a lucky day for the natives when their boats drew up upon the beach with the sailors, more dead than alive, without arms or clothes, except what they wore, completely at the mercy of the naked and fierce-looking savages that crowded round them.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The crew of the derelict brig _Resolute_ had certainly not been idle during the year and a half and over they had been prisoners on the cannibal islands.
NothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/
not one thing; not anything
From this reading Nothing could be more to their taste than the programme mapped out by their chief, and to be carried out on the following day.
occur
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Here was a chance for these islanders, such as might not occur again in a score of years.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The crew of the derelict brig _Resolute_ had certainly not been idle during the year and a half and over they had been prisoners on the cannibal islands.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The crew of the derelict brig _Resolute_ had certainly not been idle during the year and a half and over they had been prisoners on the cannibal islands.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading It was perhaps a lucky day for the natives when their boats drew up upon the beach with the sailors, more dead than alive, without arms or clothes, except what they wore, completely at the mercy of the naked and fierce-looking savages that crowded round them.
out
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Nothing could be more to their taste than the programme mapped out by their chief, and to be carried out on the following day.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading The crew of the derelict brig _Resolute_ had certainly not been idle during the year and a half and over they had been prisoners on the cannibal islands.
perhaps
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From this reading It was perhaps a lucky day for the natives when their boats drew up upon the beach with the sailors, more dead than alive, without arms or clothes, except what they wore, completely at the mercy of the naked and fierce-looking savages that crowded round them.
prisoners
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The crew of the derelict brig _Resolute_ had certainly not been idle during the year and a half and over they had been prisoners on the cannibal islands.
programme
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Nothing could be more to their taste than the programme mapped out by their chief, and to be carried out on the following day.
Resolute
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The crew of the derelict brig _Resolute_ had certainly not been idle during the year and a half and over they had been prisoners on the cannibal islands.
round
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was perhaps a lucky day for the natives when their boats drew up upon the beach with the sailors, more dead than alive, without arms or clothes, except what they wore, completely at the mercy of the naked and fierce-looking savages that crowded round them.
sailors
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was perhaps a lucky day for the natives when their boats drew up upon the beach with the sailors, more dead than alive, without arms or clothes, except what they wore, completely at the mercy of the naked and fierce-looking savages that crowded round them.
savages
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was perhaps a lucky day for the natives when their boats drew up upon the beach with the sailors, more dead than alive, without arms or clothes, except what they wore, completely at the mercy of the naked and fierce-looking savages that crowded round them.
scorenounUS /score/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Here was a chance for these islanders, such as might not occur again in a score of years.
suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading Here was a chance for these islanders, such as might not occur again in a score of years.
tasteverbUS /teɪst/
To perceive flavor through the mouth.
From this reading Nothing could be more to their taste than the programme mapped out by their chief, and to be carried out on the following day.
thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading It was perhaps a lucky day for the natives when their boats drew up upon the beach with the sailors, more dead than alive, without arms or clothes, except what they wore, completely at the mercy of the naked and fierce-looking savages that crowded round them.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was perhaps a lucky day for the natives when their boats drew up upon the beach with the sailors, more dead than alive, without arms or clothes, except what they wore, completely at the mercy of the naked and fierce-looking savages that crowded round them.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The crew of the derelict brig _Resolute_ had certainly not been idle during the year and a half and over they had been prisoners on the cannibal islands.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading It was perhaps a lucky day for the natives when their boats drew up upon the beach with the sailors, more dead than alive, without arms or clothes, except what they wore, completely at the mercy of the naked and fierce-looking savages that crowded round them.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading It was perhaps a lucky day for the natives when their boats drew up upon the beach with the sailors, more dead than alive, without arms or clothes, except what they wore, completely at the mercy of the naked and fierce-looking savages that crowded round them.
thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading Here was a chance for these islanders, such as might not occur again in a score of years.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The crew of the derelict brig _Resolute_ had certainly not been idle during the year and a half and over they had been prisoners on the cannibal islands.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Nothing could be more to their taste than the programme mapped out by their chief, and to be carried out on the following day.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was perhaps a lucky day for the natives when their boats drew up upon the beach with the sailors, more dead than alive, without arms or clothes, except what they wore, completely at the mercy of the naked and fierce-looking savages that crowded round them.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading It was perhaps a lucky day for the natives when their boats drew up upon the beach with the sailors, more dead than alive, without arms or clothes, except what they wore, completely at the mercy of the naked and fierce-looking savages that crowded round them.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was perhaps a lucky day for the natives when their boats drew up upon the beach with the sailors, more dead than alive, without arms or clothes, except what they wore, completely at the mercy of the naked and fierce-looking savages that crowded round them.
whatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading It was perhaps a lucky day for the natives when their boats drew up upon the beach with the sailors, more dead than alive, without arms or clothes, except what they wore, completely at the mercy of the naked and fierce-looking savages that crowded round them.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading It was perhaps a lucky day for the natives when their boats drew up upon the beach with the sailors, more dead than alive, without arms or clothes, except what they wore, completely at the mercy of the naked and fierce-looking savages that crowded round them.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading It was perhaps a lucky day for the natives when their boats drew up upon the beach with the sailors, more dead than alive, without arms or clothes, except what they wore, completely at the mercy of the naked and fierce-looking savages that crowded round them.
withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading It was perhaps a lucky day for the natives when their boats drew up upon the beach with the sailors, more dead than alive, without arms or clothes, except what they wore, completely at the mercy of the naked and fierce-looking savages that crowded round them.
wore
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was perhaps a lucky day for the natives when their boats drew up upon the beach with the sailors, more dead than alive, without arms or clothes, except what they wore, completely at the mercy of the naked and fierce-looking savages that crowded round them.
year
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The crew of the derelict brig _Resolute_ had certainly not been idle during the year and a half and over they had been prisoners on the cannibal islands.
years
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Here was a chance for these islanders, such as might not occur again in a score of years.