Vocabulary ladder

Moby-Dick

CHAPTER 2. The Carpet-Bag.

False friends8 entries

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

Quitting
Leaving
weary
tiring
that quarter of the town
that part of the town
presently
soon after
the sign of
the board outside an inn showing its name; so, the inn called
the very spot
exactly the right place
queer
strange
toasting
warming through

Idioms13 entries

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

tucked it under my arm
held it against my side
candidates for the pains and penalties
young men who choose for themselves the hard work and the cost
I, for one
as for me
of late
lately
give chase to the Leviathan
go after the great sea beast
so goes the story
as people tell it
don’t be too particular
do not be too fussy
in a most miserable plight
in very bad condition
are stopping the way
are blocking the door
by instinct
without thinking about it
on either hand
on both sides
all but deserted
almost completely empty
for the time
just then

Phrasal verbs12 entries

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

started for
began travelling towards
sally out
set off suddenly
put forth
left the shore
go on
keep walking
picked myself up
stood up again after my fall
pushed on
went further in
backing out
stepping out again the way I came
kept up
went on making
stop up
block
thrust in
push in
plug up
block
keep out×2
stop the wind getting in

Noun phrases1 entry

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

pooh, pooh
nonsense, nonsense

Old word forms35 entries

Old forms of words you know. Learn them once.

Much was I disappointed
I was very disappointed
no way of reaching that place would offer
there would be no way to get there
stop at this same New Bedford
stay for a time in this same town
thence to embark
and go on board from there
it may as well be related
I should say here
had no idea of so doing
had no intention of doing that
For my mind was made up
Because I had decided
amazingly pleased me
which I liked very much
yet×2
but
her great original
the first of the two, the one the other copied
And where but from Nantucket
And from what place other than that island
nigh
near
Now
So
ere I could embark
before I could go on board
a matter of concernment
something to worry about
nay
no, worse than that
in your wisdom you may conclude to lodge
you may decide, in your good sense, to stay the night
for everywhere else
because everywhere else
again thought I
I thought again
within×2
inside the inn
proceeding from
coming out of
meant for the uses of the public
meant for anyone to walk into
thought I×2
I thought: the question after it is in my head, not said aloud
must needs be
has to be
in that particular connexion
with those two words put together like that
whether thou lookest out at it
whether you see it through a window
thou observest
you watch
the wight Death
Death, written about as if he were a living person
he might
even if he were to
But what thinks
But what does he think
Would he not far rather
Would he not very much prefer to
lay him down lengthwise
lie down flat, his whole body stretched out along it
yea, ye gods!
yes indeed! a cry of surprise that calls on all the powers of heaven
Now,
Think of it:
a-whaling
off to hunt whales

Words101 entries

In the order you will meet them.

Carpet-Bag×2
a soft travelling bag made of thick woven clothan object or practice the period took for granted
duly
as planned
the little packet
the small boat that carried mail and people on a set runan object or practice the period took for granted
sailed
left port
to sail
to travel by ship
a Nantucket craft
a ship from Nantucketthe working vocabulary of a trade or field
boisterous
loud, wild and full of energy
monopolising
taking the whole of
stranded
washed up on the shore and left there
aboriginal whalemen
the first whale hunters of that coastthe working vocabulary of a trade or field
canoes
long narrow boats moved by paddlesan object or practice the period took for granted
adventurous little sloop
bold little sailing boat with one mastthe working vocabulary of a trade or field
partly laden with imported cobblestones
half loaded with round paving stones brought in from somewhere elsean object or practice the period took for granted
a harpoon
a long spear with a hook near the point, thrown into a whalethe working vocabulary of a trade or field
the bowsprit
the pole sticking forward from the front of a boatthe working vocabulary of a trade or field
my destined port
the harbour I was going tothe working vocabulary of a trade or field
dubious-looking
looking bad, promising nothing good
dismal
dark and sad
bitingly
so sharply it hurt
cheerless
with nothing in it to make you feel better
a few pieces of silver
a few silver coins, barely any money at allmoney
dreary×2
grey and dull
shouldering my bag
carrying my bag on my shoulder
the gloom
the near-darkness
inquire
ask about
With halting steps
Stopping and starting as I walked
paced
walked up and down
jolly
cheerful and full of noise
fervent rays
strong warm beams of light
congealed
frozen solid
asphaltic
black and solid like a made road
pavement
the hard walking strip at the side of a streetan object or practice the period took for granted
flinty projections
stone-hard lumps sticking up
remorseless service
hard use that never stopped
the soles
the bottom parts of the boots
the broad glare
the wide spread of bright light
tinkling
making a light ringing sound
patched
mended with pieces over the holes
waterward
towards the water
doubtless
no doubt
the cheeriest
the most welcoming
inns
houses that sold drink and rented out bedsan object or practice the period took for granted
a tomb
a stone room built for the dead
smoky
blurred by smoke
invitingly
in a way that seemed to welcome me in
a careless look
It looked as if no one took care of it
an ash-box
a box for the grey dust left after a fire has burnt outan object or practice the period took for granted
the porch
the covered entrance in front of the dooran object or practice the period took for granted
the flying particles
the tiny bits of dust in the air
ashes
the grey dust left after a fire
interior
inner
to peer
to look closely, trying to see
beating a book
striking the open Bible with his hand as he preachedan object or practice the period took for granted
a pulpit
the raised box a preacher speaks froman object or practice the period took for granted
the preacher’s text
the line from the Bible the man speaking to them had taken as his subjectthe working vocabulary of a trade or field
weeping
crying
wailing
crying out loud and long
teeth-gnashing
grinding the teeth together in pain
muttered
said in a low voice to myself
Wretched entertainment
A poor welcome, poor food and no bed
at the sign of
at the house whose painted board readsan object or practice the period took for granted
dim×2
weak and faint
the docks
the places where ships tie up and loadthe working vocabulary of a trade or field
forlorn
sad and left alone
creaking
a dry rubbing noise
a swinging sign
a painted board hung out over the street, moving in the wind, to show what the house isan object or practice the period took for granted
faintly representing
showing, but only just
ominous
looking like a sign of something bad coming
an emigrant
someone who has left his own place to live elsewhere
dilapidated
falling to pieces
carted here
pulled here on wheels from somewhere else
some burnt district
a part of a town that had burned down in a big firean object or practice the period took for granted
swinging
hanging and moving in the wind
cheap lodgings
a cheap room for the night
pea coffee
thin, muddy coffee, made weak so that a little serves many peoplean object or practice the period took for granted
a gable-ended old house
an old house whose end wall rises to a point under the roofan object or practice the period took for granted
bleak
bare and cold
tempestuous
wild and stormy
howling
a long loud crying noise
his feet on the hob
his feet up on the iron shelf beside the firean object or practice the period took for granted
that sashless window
a window frame with no glass in it at allan object or practice the period took for granted
the only glazier
the only man whose trade is putting glass into windows. Here the frost is the only glass there is.an object or practice the period took for granted
old black-letter, thou reasonest well
old book in heavy pointed type, you argue wellan object or practice the period took for granted
the chinks
the narrow gaps
crannies
small cracks
a little lint
a little soft fluff scraped off cloth, used to stop up holesan object or practice the period took for granted
rags
torn scraps of cloth
a corn-cob
the hard middle piece that yellow corn seeds grow on, left over once the seeds are gonean object or practice the period took for granted
his red silken wrapper
his loose red silk indoor gownan object or practice the period took for granted
frosty
freezing cold and clear
oriental summer climes
warm eastern lands
everlasting conservatories
glass rooms kept warm all year for growing plantsan object or practice the period took for granted
the privilege
the special right
my own coals
my own fire of black lumps dug out of the groundan object or practice the period took for granted
the line of the equator
the line drawn round the middle of the world, where it is hottestthe working vocabulary of a trade or field
the curbstone
the raised stone edge at the side of the roadan object or practice the period took for granted
an iceberg
a floating mountain of ice
moored
tied up in placethe working vocabulary of a trade or field
a temperance society
a club whose members promised to give up all strong drinkan object or practice the period took for granted
scrape
rub hard to clear
frosted
covered in white ice

Words inside the phrases66 entries

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

aboriginal
belonging to the first people of a land
adventurous
ready to take risks
blubbering
crying noisily
bowsprit
the pole sticking forward from the front of a boat
carted
hauled along on wheels
chattering
knocking together, as teeth do in the cold
cheeriest
the most welcoming and warm
chinks
narrow gaps
cobblestones
round stones once used to pave a street
concernment
a matter that worries you
conservatories
glass rooms kept warm for growing plants
copestone
the last stone set on the very top of a wall
creak
the dry noise old wood or a hinge makes
curbstone
the raised stone edge at the side of a road
destined
that a person is bound for
docks
the places where ships tie up and load
embark
go on board a ship
emigrant
a person who has left his own place to live elsewhere
equator
the line round the middle of the world, where it is hottest
everlasting
lasting for ever
extant
still in existence
faintly
only just enough to be seen
fervent
burning strongly
fiery
full of fire
flinty
as hard as stone
gable
the end wall of a house, rising to a point under the roof
glare
a hard bright light
glazier
the workman who fits glass into windows
glitters
shines with small flashes of light
gloom
near-darkness
grapnels
small hooked weights thrown on a rope to catch hold of something
halting
stopping and starting
harpoon
a long barbed spear thrown into a whale
iceberg
a floating mountain of ice
laden
loaded
lengthwise
along the long way of a thing
lint
soft fluff scraped off cloth, once used to fill holes
lodgings
a room rented for the night
maketh
makes
negro
a black person, under the word used in that century
oriental
of the countries of the east
orphans
children whose parents are dead
packet
a boat that carried mail and people on a set run
palsied
gone weak and shaking, as a body does with illness
plight
a bad state a person is in
pooh
a sound a person makes to say nonsense
porch
the covered entrance in front of a door
preacher
a man who speaks to people about God
projections
parts that stick out
pulpit
the raised box a preacher speaks from
remorseless
never letting up, never sorry
sashless
with no frame holding glass in it
shiverings
shakings of the body from cold
sighs
long soft breaths of sadness
silken
made of silk, the smooth cloth
sloop
a small sailing boat with one mast
tatters
torn rags of clothing
temperance
the giving up of wine and beer
tepid
only slightly warm
thence
from that place
thrust
push hard
tomb
a stone room built to hold the dead
tossed
thrown about by the waves
tucked
pushed into a tight place so it stays
wight
a person, in old English
zephyr
a light, soft wind