Moby Dick; Or, The Whale — Page 15

Vocabulary

Ces

Demonstrative adjective meaning 'these' or 'those'

choses

Things; objects or matters of any kind

sont

Third person plural of 'être'; 'are'

réciproques

Mutual or reciprocal; applying equally both ways

la

Definite article feminine singular; 'the'

balle

Ball; small round object used in games

rebondit

Bounces back; springs off a surface

pour

For; in order to; preposition of purpose

mieux

Better; in a more effective or improved way

bondir

To leap or spring forward suddenly

en

In; on; preposition indicating manner or location

avant

Forward; ahead in space or time

car

Because; for; conjunction giving a reason

maintenant

Now; at the present moment in time

dévoilant

Revealing; uncovering something previously hidden

les

Definite article plural; 'the'

repaires

Lairs or hideouts; secret dwelling places

de

Of; from; preposition indicating possession or origin

baleine

Whale; large marine mammal

baleiniers

Whalers; ships or people engaged in whaling

semblent

Seem; appear to be in a certain way

avoir

To have; auxiliary and main verb

indirectement

Indirectly; not in a straight or direct manner

découvert

Discovered; found or uncovered something new

nouveaux

New; masculine plural form of 'nouveau'

indices

Clues or hints pointing toward something

menant

Leading; guiding toward a destination or result

à

To; at; preposition of direction or location

ce

This; demonstrative pronoun or adjective

même

Same; even; emphasizing identity or similarity

mystique

Mystical; having a mysterious or spiritual quality

Passage

Passage; a route or way through somewhere

du

Contraction of 'de le'; of the

Nord-Ouest

Northwest; direction between north and west

_Tiré de_

Taken from; indicating the source of a quote

_Quelque chose_

Something; an unspecified thing or matter

_inédit_

Unpublished; not previously released or printed

Il

He; it; third person masculine singular pronoun

est

Is; third person singular of 'être'

impossible

Impossible; not able to occur or be done

croiser

To cross paths with; to encounter while passing

un

A; an; indefinite article masculine singular

baleinier

Whaling ship; vessel used to hunt whales

sur

On; upon; preposition indicating position above

l'

Elided definite article before a vowel sound

océan

Ocean; a vast body of salt water

sans

Without; lacking something or someone

être

To be; fundamental linking or auxiliary verb

frappé

Struck; strongly impressed or affected by something

par

By; through; preposition of agent or means

son

His; her; its; possessive adjective singular

aspect

Aspect; appearance or visual impression of something

approche

Approach; the way of coming near to something

Le

Definite article masculine singular; 'the'

navire

Ship; a large vessel for sea travel

sous

Under; beneath; preposition of position below

voilure

Sails collectively; the sail area of a ship

réduite

Reduced; diminished in size or extent

avec

With; accompanied by or using something

des

Some; of the; indefinite plural article

vigies

Lookouts; sailors posted to watch for hazards

aux

Contraction of 'à les'; to the, at the

mâts

Masts; vertical poles supporting a ship's sails

hune

Top; platform partway up a ship's mast

scrutant

Scrutinizing; examining something carefully and intently

avidement

Eagerly; with keen desire or avid attention

le

Definite article masculine singular; 'the'

vaste

Vast; very large or wide in extent

espace

Space; an open or empty expanse area

qui

Who; which; relative pronoun introducing a clause

entoure

Surrounds; encircles something on all sides

présente

Presents; displays a particular appearance or quality

air

Air; look or appearance; manner of something

totalement

Totally; completely; in an absolute manner

différent

Different; not the same; unlike another thing

ceux

Those; demonstrative pronoun referring to people or things

engagés

Engaged; involved or committed to an activity

dans

In; inside; preposition of location or time

voyage

Voyage or trip; a journey to a destination

ordinaire

Ordinary; usual, common, not special or remarkable

piétons

Pedestrians; people travelling on foot

alentours

Surroundings; the area around a particular place

Londres

London; the capital city of England

ailleurs

Elsewhere; in or to another place

se

Reflexive pronoun; oneself, himself, herself, themselves

souviendront

Will remember; future tense of 'se souvenir'

peut-être

Perhaps; maybe; expressing uncertainty or possibility

d'

Elided preposition 'de' before a vowel sound

vu

Seen; past participle of 'voir'

grands

Large; great; masculine plural of 'grand'

os

Bones; hard structures forming a skeleton

courbés

Curved; bent into an arc or curve

dressés

Erected; set up vertically in a place

verticalement

Vertically; in an upright or straight-up direction

terre

Earth; ground; land as opposed to sea

soit

Either; or; subjunctive of 'être' expressing alternatives

former

To form; to create or shape something

arches

Arches; curved structures spanning an opening

au-dessus

Above; over; at a higher level than

portails

Gateways; large ornamental gates or entrances

comme

As; like; in the manner of something

entrées

Entrances; ways into a building or place

alcôves

Alcoves; small recessed sections within a room

on

One; we; indefinite subject pronoun in French

leur

Their; them; possessive or indirect object pronoun

aura

Will have; future tense of 'avoir'

dit

Said; told; past participle of 'dire'

que

That; which; conjunction or relative pronoun

c'

Elided form of 'ce'; it; this

étaient

Were; imperfect tense of 'être'

côtes

Ribs; also coast; bones of the rib cage

baleines

Whales; large marine mammals of the ocean

Ce

This; it; demonstrative pronoun or adjective

n'

Negation particle 'ne' elided before a vowel

lorsque

When; at the time that something happened

canots

Canoes or small boats used at sea

revinrent

Came back; returned; simple past of 'revenir'

poursuite

Pursuit; the act of chasing after something

ces

These; those; demonstrative adjective plural form

Blancs

White men; used historically to refer to Europeans

virent

Saw; simple past tense of 'voir'

sanglante

Bloody; covered in or involving blood

possession

Possession; ownership or control of something

sauvages

Savages; wild; historically used term for indigenous people

enrôlés

Enrolled; enlisted into a crew or group

parmi

Among; in the middle of a group

équipage

Crew; the team of people manning a ship

généralement

Generally; usually; in most cases or situations

bien

Well; good; adverb indicating quality or degree

connu

Known; familiar; past participle of 'connaître'

équipages

Crews; groups of sailors working on ships

navires

Ships; large sea-going vessels for transport

américains

Americans; people or things from the United States

peu

Few; little; a small amount or number

reviennent

Return; come back; present tense of 'revenir'

jamais

Never; ever; negation of frequency in time

bord

Board; side of a ship; on board

lesquels

Which; whom; relative pronoun masculine plural form

ils

They; third person masculine plural pronoun

partis

Left; departed; past participle of 'partir'

Soudain

Suddenly; all at once without warning

une

A; an; indefinite article feminine singular

masse

Mass; a large heavy body or bulk

puissante

Powerful; having great strength or force

émergea

Emerged; came out from below a surface

eau

Water; the liquid essential to life

s'

Elided reflexive pronoun 'se' before a vowel

élança

Launched itself; shot upward suddenly with force

perpendiculairement

Perpendicularly; at a right angle to the surface

airs

Air; sky; the atmosphere above the ground

C'

Elided form of 'ce'; it; this

était

Was; third person singular imperfect of 'être'