Vocabulary ladder

Moby-Dick

CHAPTER 1. Loomings.

False friends15 entries

You know these words. In this book they mean something else.

deliberately
on purpose
insular
sitting on an island
your caravan
your party of travellers crossing together
romantic landscape
wild, beautiful country of the kind painters like
the chief element
the main thing
deliberate
think hard about
a pedestrian trip
a journey made on foot
mild image
gentle, soft-looking face
fountain
pool of spring water
such offices
such jobs in charge of a ship
served
treated
The urbane activity
The smooth, polite readiness
the bill
the printed list of what is to be performed
barbarous
wild and strange to us
the wild conceits
the wild imaginings

Idioms45 entries

Fixed expressions with a settled meaning of their own. Worth learning once.

growing grim about the mouth
starting to set my lips hard and look sour
get such an upper hand of me
take such control of me
I account it high time
I decide it is well past time
in their degree
each in his own way
out of sight of land×2
far enough out that no land could be seen
seemingly bound for a dive
looking as if they mean to jump in
Once more
Here is another example
Say you are
Suppose you are
ten to one
almost certainly
crazy to go to sea
wanting very badly to go to sea
the key to it all
the thing that explains everything
grow hazy about the eyes
start seeing things dimly
as a general thing
usually
something of a salt
a bit of an old sailor
For my part
As for me
quite as much as I can do
already all I can manage
and what not
and so on
And as for
And about
I never fancied broiling fowls
I never liked the thought of roasting birds
not to say
or even
rather order me about some
give me a good many orders
unpleasant enough
quite unpleasant
It touches one’s sense of honor
It hurts a man's pride
lording it
behaving like the boss over everyone
stand in awe of you
be afraid of you and think you great
a keen one
one that hits you hard
grin and bear it
take it without complaining
in time
after a while
What of it
What does it matter
some old hunks of a sea-captain
some bad-tempered old sea captain
thinks anything the less of me
has a lower opinion of me
make a point of paying me
take care to pay me
for my trouble
for the work I do
that I ever heard of
as far as I know
On the contrary
The other way round
all the difference in the world
an enormous difference
on no account
in no case
for the most part
mostly
gets his atmosphere at second hand
breathes air that has already passed over the sailors in front of him
take it into my head
suddenly decide
I take it that
I suppose that
cajoling me into the delusion
sweet-talking me into the false belief
be social with it
live easily alongside it
on friendly terms
to be friends
two and two
in pairs

Phrasal verbs13 entries

A verb and a small word that together mean something the two words do not.

driving off
getting rid of
bringing up the rear
walking at the back
take to
go aboard
pent up
kept inside all day with no way out
come of
are born into
wears off
gets less and less until it is gone
amount to
count for
order me about
keep telling me what to do
thump and punch me about
hit and knock me around
is passed round
is given to each person in turn
drawn up
written out
It came in
It was put in
put me down for
entered my name for

Noun phrases4 entries

A group of words naming a person or a thing, explained together.

some time or other
at some point in their lives
the glory and distinction
the pride and the respect of others
toils, trials, and tribulations
hard work, tests and troubles
old hunks
that same bad-tempered old man

Old word forms59 entries

Old forms of words you know. Learn them once.

If they but knew it
If only they knew it
cherish very nearly the same feelings
feel almost exactly the same
towards the ocean with me
towards the sea as I do
from thence
from there
of week days
on working days
How then is this?
So why is this?
What do they here?
What are they doing here?
Nothing will content them but
Nothing satisfies them except
yonder×2
over there
will not suffice
is not enough
nigh
near
thither
to that place
Take almost any path you please
Take almost any path you like
set his feet a-going
start him walking
if water there be
if there is any water
athirst
thirsty
to paint you
to paint for you
were within
were inside the trunk
here sleeps his meadow
the grass field lies still, as if asleep
goes a sleepy smoke
smoke drifts up slowly from its chimney
lies thus tranced
lies as still as if under a spell
all were vain
it would all be for nothing
eye were fixed upon
eye were looking steadily at
the one charm wanting
the one thing missing that would make it lovely
buy him a coat
buy himself a coat
Now,
So, to be clear
mean to have it inferred
want anyone to think
For to go
Because to go
you must needs have
you have to have
don’t sleep of nights
do not sleep at night
of every kind whatsoever
of any kind at all
going as cook
taking the cook's job on the ship
on ship-board
on a ship
yet
but
It is out of
It is because of
True
I admit
And more than all
And worst of all
just previous to
just before
Well, then
So, in that case
Again,
Another reason:
whereas
while by contrast
entailed upon us
passed down to us
what will compare with it
what can match it
For as in this world
Because, just as in this world
little suspect it
hardly guess it
wherefore
why
having repeatedly smelt the sea
having been out at sea again and again
must have run something like this
was probably printed like this
BY ONE ISHMAEL
by a man called Ishmael, the narrator himself, named the way you name someone nobody knows
induced me to set about performing
got me to start playing
sway me to my wish
push me towards what I wanted
Not ignoring what is good
I do notice good things too
quick to perceive a horror
quick to see a thing that frightens me
would they let me
if the horrors would allow it
it is but well
it is only sensible
the inmates of the place one lodges in
the others living in the house where you have a room
By reason of these things
Because of all this
swayed me to my purpose
pushed me towards what I meant to do
mid most of them all
right in the middle of them all

Words142 entries

In the order you will meet them.

Loomings
shapes coming dimly into sight, the way a far-off thing first shows itselfthe working vocabulary of a trade or field
in my purse
in the small bag men carried coins inan object or practice the period took for granted
particular×2
special
sail×2
travel by ship
regulating the circulation
getting my blood moving properly againthe working vocabulary of a trade or field
involuntarily
without meaning to
coffin warehouses
shops where the boxes for the dead were made and storedan object or practice the period took for granted
my hypos
my low, hopeless mood, a short word of that day for feeling deeply depressedan object or practice the period took for granted
moral principle
sense of right and wrong
methodically
in a careful, orderly way
pistol and ball
a gun and its lead shot, meaning killing himselfan object or practice the period took for granted
waterward
towards the water
that noble mole
the great stone wall built out into the wateran object or practice the period took for granted
water-gazers
people standing and staring at the water
Circumambulate
Walk all the way roundthe working vocabulary of a trade or field
northward
towards the north
mortal men
men who will one day die
reveries
waking dreams
the spiles
the wooden posts driven into the river bedthe working vocabulary of a trade or field
the pier-heads
the far ends of the landing platformsthe working vocabulary of a trade or field
the bulwarks
the raised sides of a ship's deckthe working vocabulary of a trade or field
high aloft in the rigging
far up among the ropes that hold the sailsthe working vocabulary of a trade or field
striving
trying hard
seaward peep
quick look out to sea
landsmen
people who live and work on land
lath and plaster
walls of thin wood strips covered over with a smooth grey coatan object or practice the period took for granted
clinched to desks
fixed to office desks as if with nails
pacing
walking with steady steps
extremest
furthest out
loitering
standing about with nothing to do
the shady lee
the cool dark side, out of the windthe working vocabulary of a trade or field
warehouses
big buildings where goods were keptan object or practice the period took for granted
leagues
a league is about three milesmoney
Inlanders
people who live far from the seathe working vocabulary of a trade or field
alleys
narrow passages between buildings
unite
come together
compasses
the instruments whose needles point north for a shipan object or practice the period took for granted
high land of lakes
hill country with lakes in itthe working vocabulary of a trade or field
a dale
a valley
absent-minded
with his thoughts far away
infallibly
for certain
a metaphysical professor
a teacher of deep questions about the worldthe working vocabulary of a trade or field
dreamiest
most like something out of sleep
shadiest
with the most shade
enchanting
lovely enough to hold you
employs
uses
a hollow trunk
a tree stem empty inside
a hermit and a crucifix
a man living alone for religion, and a cross with the figure of Christ on itan object or practice the period took for granted
cottage
a small country house
woodlands
land covered with trees
overlapping spurs of mountains
ridges running down from the mountains, one behind anotherthe working vocabulary of a trade or field
pine-tree
a tall tree with needles instead of leaves
shepherd’s×2
belonging to the man who keeps sheep
scores on scores of miles
many tens of miles, a score being twentymoney
wade
walk through something that comes up your legs
Tiger-lilies
tall orange flowers with dark spotsthe working vocabulary of a trade or field
handfuls
as much as a hand will hold
robust
strong and full of life
a mystical vibration
a strange feeling inside that you could not explainthe working vocabulary of a trade or field
a separate deity
a god of its ownthe working vocabulary of a trade or field
grasp
take hold of
tormenting
that gave him no peace
plunged
threw himself down
over conscious of my lungs
too aware of my own breathingthe working vocabulary of a trade or field
quarrelsome
ready to argue
a Commodore
an officer above a captain, set over several shipsrank
I abominate
I hate
honorable
deserving respect
barques, brigs, schooners
sailing ships of different sizes, with different numbers of masts and sailsthe working vocabulary of a trade or field
confess
admit
considerable
quite a lot of
a sort of officer
one of the senior men on a ship, who give the ordersrank
respectfully×2
politely
reverentially
with deep respect
a broiled fowl
a bird cooked over the firean object or practice the period took for granted
idolatrous dotings
loving them so much they treated them as gods
broiled ibis
a long-legged wading bird, cooked over a firean object or practice the period took for granted
roasted river horse
the great fat animal of African rivers, cooked in an ovenan object or practice the period took for granted
mummies
bodies dried and wrapped in cloth so they would keep for everan object or practice the period took for granted
bake-houses
buildings holding the great ovens bread was baked inan object or practice the period took for granted
right before the mast
as one of the common crew, who lived forward of the maststhe working vocabulary of a trade or field
plumb down into the forecastle
straight down into the crew's quarters at the frontthe working vocabulary of a trade or field
aloft
high up in the maststhe working vocabulary of a trade or field
to the royal mast-head
up to the very top of the highest sailthe working vocabulary of a trade or field
spar
a pole that carries a sailthe working vocabulary of a trade or field
grasshopper
a small green jumping insect
meadow
a field of grass
the tar-pot
the pot of thick black sticky stuff sailors spread over ropes and decks to keep water outan object or practice the period took for granted
country schoolmaster
a village teacheran object or practice the period took for granted
transition
change from one thing to another
assure
promise
broom
a brush on a long handle for sweeping
sweep down the decks
brush the floors of the ship cleanthe working vocabulary of a trade or field
indignity
insult to a person's worth
promptly
without delay
obey
do as I am told
all hands
everyone on boardthe working vocabulary of a trade or field
rub
press and move a hand over
shoulder-blades
the flat bones in the upper back
be content
be satisfied
infliction
punishment laid on a person
marvellous
amazing
earnestly
seriously
a monied man
a rich manan object or practice the period took for granted
wholesome
good for the body
the fore-castle deck
the raised floor at the front of the ship, where the crew livedthe working vocabulary of a trade or field
head winds
winds blowing straight at the front of a shipthe working vocabulary of a trade or field
prevalent
common
winds from astern
winds pushing from behindthe working vocabulary of a trade or field
violate
break
the Commodore
the senior officer, ranking above a captainrank
the quarter-deck
the raised floor at the back, where the officers walkthe working vocabulary of a trade or field
forecastle
the crew's quarters at the front of the shipthe working vocabulary of a trade or field
the commonalty
the ordinary people
a merchant sailor
a sailor on a trading shipthe working vocabulary of a trade or field
constant
never stopping
surveillance
constant watching
dogs me
follows me everywhere
unaccountable
that nobody can explain
doubtless
no doubt
brief interlude and solo
a short piece put in between, performed by one person alonethe working vocabulary of a trade or field
more extensive performances
longer shows
Grand Contested Election
a big vote fought hard between rivalsthe working vocabulary of a trade or field
BLOODY
with many killed and wounded
shabby
small and low-grade
magnificent
grand
high tragedies
serious plays that end in deaththe working vocabulary of a trade or field
genteel comedies
polite funny plays about well-off peoplethe working vocabulary of a trade or field
jolly parts in farces
cheerful parts in wild, silly playsthe working vocabulary of a trade or field
circumstances
the facts of how it happened
cunningly
cleverly and slyly
disguises
outfits worn to hide who you are
discriminating judgment
a careful decision about which way was better
motives
reasons for doing a thing
portentous
seeming to warn of something terrible
roused
woke up and set going
undeliverable, nameless perils
dangers no one can save you from and no one can name
the attending marvels
the wonders that go with it
inducements
reasons to say yes
tormented
given no rest
my inmost soul
the deepest part of me
endless processions
lines of them without end

Words inside the phrases111 entries

These were explained above as part of a longer phrase. Here is what each one means on its own.

abominate
hate deeply
archangel
an angel of the highest rank
astern
behind a ship
barques
sailing ships with three masts, rigged in one certain way
brigs
small sailing ships with two masts
broiled
cooked over a flame
broiling
cooking over a flame
bulwarks
the raised sides round a ship's deck
cajoling
getting a person to agree by sweet talk
caravan
a party of travellers crossing dry country together
cataract
a great fall of water down a height
cheerfully
in a happy, willing way
circulation
the movement of blood round the body
clinched
held down tight
commonalty
ordinary people, as against their rulers
conceits
pictures the mind invents
consign
hand over for good
coral
hard rock-like matter built in warm seas by very small animals
crucifix
a cross with the figure of Christ on it
dale
a valley
decoction
a strong liquid boiled out of herbs
deity
a god
delusion
a false belief held firmly
discriminating
good at telling one thing from another
dotings
a foolish, doting love
dreamy
soft and far away, as in sleep
drizzly
with light rain falling steadily
entailed
handed down as a burden that cannot be shaken off
everlasting
never ending
fancied
liked the thought of
farces
plays meant only to make people laugh, full of silly turns
flourish
a grand movement of the arm that others are meant to see
fore
at the front of a ship
fowls
birds kept for eating
freewill
a person's own free choosing
genteel
polite and well-off in manner
grim
hard and without a smile
grin
a wide smile showing the teeth
hazy
dim, as if seen through mist
hermit
a man who lives quite alone for religion
hollow
empty inside
hunks
a mean, bad-tempered old man
hypos
low spirits, a short word of that day for a sinking of the mind
ibis
a wading bird with long legs and a curved bill
idolatrous
worshipping a thing as if it were a god
inferred
taken as true from what was said, without being told
inmates
the people living inside a place
inmost
deepest inside
interlude
a short piece between two longer ones
isles
small islands
itch
a restless wanting that will not leave you
jolly
cheerful and full of fun
judgmatically
with good sense
judiciously
wisely and carefully
lath
a thin strip of wood, many of them nailed up to hold plaster
mast
the tall pole that carries a ship's sails
maxim
a short saying that lays down a rule
mazy
twisting this way and that
metaphysical
about deep questions of what is real
mole
a heavy stone wall built out into water to guard a harbour
monied
having a lot of money
nameless
having no name that anyone can put to it
needles
the thin bars in a compass that swing to point north
orchard
a piece of ground planted with fruit trees
overlapping
lying partly over one another
pedestrian
done on foot
peep
a quick look
pent
shut in with no way out
perceive
see or notice
perdition
being lost for ever after death
perils
dangers
philosophical
calm about pain and death, as a deep thinker is
pier
a platform built out over water for ships
pistol
a small gun held in one hand
plaster
a soft grey paste spread on a wall, which goes hard
plumb
straight down
pyramids
the huge pointed stone tombs of Egypt
reefs
ridges of rock or stone just under the water
regulating
keeping something running at the right rate
rigging
all the ropes that carry a ship's masts and sails
roasted
cooked in an oven or over a fire
schoolmaster
a man who teaches in a school
schooners
fast sailing ships with their sails set along the length
seaward
towards the sea
sentinels
guards standing on watch
shady
out of the sun
sighs
long soft breaths of sadness
smelt
took in the smell of
spiles
heavy wooden posts driven into a river bed
spleen
a low, angry gloom; also an organ in the body, where old medicine placed that feeling
suffice
be enough
surrounds
is on every side of
sway
push a person one way
swayed
pushed one way
sweep
clean a floor with a brush
swung
moved through the air while still fixed at one end
thence
from that place
thieves
people who take what is not theirs
toils
long hard work
tranced
held still as if asleep with the eyes open
tribulations
troubles that go on and wear a person down
unbiased
not leaning to one side
undeliverable
such that nobody can be saved from it
ungraspable
that can never be taken hold of
urbane
smooth and polite in manner
vibration
a quick shaking, here a stirring inside a person
virtue
a power in a thing to do what it does
watery
of the sea
wedded
married, joined for life
wharves
built platforms at the water's edge where ships tie up
whatsoever
of any sort at all