Won from the Waves — Page 9

Vocabulary

Que

That; conjunction introducing a subordinate clause

le

The; definite masculine singular article

navire

Ship; a large vessel for sea travel

eût

Had; past subjunctive of avoir (to have)

heurté

Struck; hit or collided with something

quelque

Some; an indefinite determiner indicating an unspecified thing

chose

Thing; a general term for an object or matter

et

And; basic coordinating conjunction

fût

Were/was; past subjunctive of être (to be)

en

In; preposition indicating location or state

grand

Great; large or serious in degree

péril

Peril; serious and immediate danger or risk

il

He/it; third person singular masculine pronoun

n'

Not; first part of French negation ne...pas

y

There; pronoun replacing a previously mentioned place

avait

Had; imperfect tense of avoir (to have)

aucun

No/none; negative determiner meaning not any

doute

Doubt; uncertainty or lack of conviction about something

là

There; adverb indicating a specific place or point

dessus

Above/on top; adverb indicating position above

mais

But; coordinating conjunction showing contrast

lorsqu'

When; conjunction meaning at the moment that

ils

They; third person plural masculine pronoun

contemplèrent

Contemplated; gazed at or observed something thoughtfully

les

The; definite plural article for masculine or feminine

vagues

Waves; rolling masses of water on the sea

sombres

Dark; gloomy or dim in appearance or mood

houleuses

Rough/choppy; describes turbulent, swelling sea waves

qui

Who/which; relative pronoun linking clauses

déferlaient

Were breaking; waves rolling and crashing onto shore

d'

Of; contraction of de before a vowel sound

écume

Foam/froth; white bubbly mass on sea surface

à

At/to; preposition indicating direction or location

peine

Hardly/barely; scarcely or with great difficulty

visibles

Visible; able to be seen or perceived

dans

In/within; preposition indicating location inside something

crépuscule

Twilight; the dim period just after sunset

rapidement

Rapidly; in a fast or swift manner

déclinant

Declining; fading or diminishing gradually

qu'

That/which; conjunction or pronoun before vowel

sentirent

Felt; perceived through senses, past tense

la

The; definite feminine singular article

violente

Violent; extremely strong or forceful

rafale

Gust; a sudden strong burst of wind

contre

Against; preposition indicating opposition or contact

laquelle

Which; feminine relative pronoun referring to a noun

eux

Them; stressed third person masculine plural pronoun

mêmes

Themselves/same; used for emphasis or identity

pouvaient

Could; imperfect tense of pouvoir (to be able)

se

Themselves; reflexive pronoun for third person

tenir

To hold/stand; to maintain one's position or grip

debout

Upright/standing; in a vertical standing position

sur

On/upon; preposition indicating position above a surface

jetée

Pier/jetty; a structure extending into the sea

glissante

Slippery; having a surface that causes loss of grip

hardis

Bold/daring; brave and courageous in facing danger

courageux

Courageous; showing bravery in difficult situations

comme

As/like; conjunction or preposition of comparison

l'

The; definite article contracted before vowel

étaient

Were; imperfect tense of être (to be)

hésitèrent

Hesitated; paused with uncertainty before acting

s'

Oneself; reflexive pronoun contracted before vowel

aventurer

To venture; to risk going into a dangerous situation

au

To the; contraction of à + le

secours

Rescue/help; aid given in an emergency situation

du

Of the; contraction of de + le

malheureux

Unfortunate/wretched; unhappy or suffering greatly

équipage

Crew; the people working aboard a ship

Bien

Well; adverb indicating degree or affirmation

avant

Before; indicating time preceding an event

atteindre

To reach; to arrive at or make contact with

épave

Wreck; the remains of a destroyed ship

obscurité

Darkness; absence of light; a dark condition

océan

Ocean; a vast body of salt water

agité

Agitated/rough; disturbed and turbulent in motion

doutaient

Doubted; were uncertain or skeptical about something

même

Even/same; used for emphasis or equivalence

de

Of/from; very common French preposition

pouvoir

To be able; verb expressing ability or possibility

faire

To do/make; essential high-frequency French verb

sortir

To go out; to exit or launch out from

leur

Their; third person plural possessive adjective

embarcation

Boat; a small vessel used for water travel

face

Face/front; in the presence or direction of

furieuse

Furious; extremely violent or intensely powerful

tempête

Storm; a violent weather event with strong winds

fit

Made/did; simple past of faire (to do)

quelques

A few; small indefinite number of things

pas

Steps; footsteps taken when walking

Son

His/her/its; third person singular possessive adjective

cœur

Heart; the organ or seat of emotion

était

Was; imperfect tense of être (to be)

profondément

Deeply; to a great or intense degree

troublé

Troubled; disturbed or upset emotionally

Il

He; third person singular masculine subject pronoun

jamais

Never/ever; adverb of frequency or negation

manqué

Missed/lacked; failed to do or be present

si

If/so; conjunction or adverb of condition

une

A/an; indefinite feminine singular article

pouvait

Could; imperfect singular of pouvoir (to be able)

mer

Sea; a large body of salt water

être

To be; fundamental French auxiliary and linking verb

parmi

Among; in the middle of a group

premiers

First; earliest or foremost in a group

élancer

To dash/spring; to rush forward quickly

ses

His/her; third person singular plural possessive adjective

semblables

Fellow human beings; people of the same kind

un

A/an/one; indefinite masculine singular article

été

Been; past participle of être (to be)

jeté

Thrown; cast or hurled with force

ces

These/those; demonstrative plural determiner

perfides

Treacherous; deceitfully dangerous or untrustworthy

bancs

Shoals/banks; shallow underwater ridges of sand

sable

Sand; fine granular material found on beaches

Le

The; definite masculine singular article

risque

Risk; possibility of danger or negative outcome

savait

Knew; imperfect tense of savoir (to know)

avec

With; preposition indicating accompaniment or means

forces

Strength/forces; physical power or energy

son

His/her/its; possessive adjective, singular

épuisées

Exhausted; completely drained of strength or energy

pourrait

Could; conditional tense of pouvoir (to be able)

rejetée

Thrown back; repelled or cast back by force

milieu

Middle/midst; the central point or environment

des

Of the/some; plural indefinite or partitive article

brisants

Breakers; waves that crash violently on rocks

fracassée

Smashed; violently broken into pieces

rivage

Shore; the land along the edge of water

ou

Or; coordinating conjunction presenting alternatives

bien

Well/or else; used to introduce an alternative

parvenaient

Managed/reached; succeeded in getting to a place

où

Where; relative or interrogative adverb of place

plus

More/no more; adverb of degree or negation

danger

Danger; a situation involving risk of harm

attendait

Was waiting; imperfect of attendre (to wait)

pourraient

Could; conditional plural of pouvoir (to be able)

échouer

To fail/run aground; to be stranded on shore

approcher

To approach; to come near to something

suffisamment

Sufficiently; to a degree that is enough

pour

For/in order to; preposition of purpose

sauver

To save; to rescue someone from danger

quiconque

Anyone/whoever; indefinite pronoun meaning any person

gens

People; persons in general or a group

bord

On board; aboard a ship or vessel

Chaque

Each/every; determiner referring to all individually

moment

Moment; a brief period of time

retard

Delay; lateness or time lost through waiting

augmentait

Was increasing; imperfect of augmenter (to increase)

devait

Had to/must have; imperfect of devoir

couru

Run; past participle of courir (to run)