100 words to know before reading Moby-Dick

1. Relating to sexual or gender identities that are not heterosexual or cisgender.
2. Strange, odd, or unconventional.

body, and brain; I see him now. He was ever dusting his old lexicons and grammars, with a queer handkerchief, mockingly embellished with all the gay flags of all the known nations of the world.

1. A massive sea creature mentioned in the Bible, often symbolizing chaos.
2. Something very large or powerful, like a giant ship or organization.

bird’s eye view of what has been promiscuously said, thought, fancied, and sung of Leviathan, by many nations and generations, including our own. So fare thee well, poor devil of a Sub-Sub,

1. (adjective) Harsh, strict, or severe in manner or appearance.
2. (noun) The rear part of a ship or boat.

gaping jaws mistake the way.” Dryden’s Annus Mirabilis. “While the whale is floating at the stern of the ship, they cut off his head, and tow it with a boat as near the shore as it will come; but

1. Long journeys, especially by sea or space.
2. Travels or expeditions to distant places.

by his brother, William Comstock. Another Version of the whale-ship Globe narrative. “The voyages of the Dutch and English to the Northern Ocean, in order, if possible, to discover a passage

1. A long journey involving travel by sea or in space.
2. The act or process of traveling from one place to another.

as I may say, by a hundred to one; than we have to the northward of us.” Captain Cowley’s Voyage Round the Globe, AD 1729. “… and the breath of the whale is frequently attended with such an

1. The curved bones forming the chest wall, protecting the lungs and heart.
2. A cut of meat from the rib section of an animal.

colt, with the mere appliance of a rope tied to the root of his tail.” A Chapter on Whaling in Ribs and Trucks. “On one occasion I saw two of these monsters (whales) probably male and female,

1. A piece of fabric attached to a boat to catch wind and propel it forward.
2. To travel on water using sails or a sailing vessel.

but as for me, I am tormented with an everlasting itch for things remote. I love to sail forbidden seas, and land on barbarous coasts. Not ignoring what is good, I am quick to perceive a

1. In or into the air; flying or floating above the ground.
2. At a height; high up in the air.

I could clear out Hampton Court and the Tuileries for ye! But gulp down your tears and hie aloft to the royal-mast with your hearts; for your friends who have gone before are clearing out the

1. A person who works on a ship or boat.
2. Someone skilled in navigating or operating vessels.

Ah! how cheerfully we consign ourselves to perdition! Finally, I always go to sea as a sailor, because of the wholesome exercise and pure air of the forecastle deck. For as in this world,

1. The forward part of a ship where the crew's quarters are located.
2. A raised deck at the front of a ship, often used for navigation or observation.

Commodore on the quarterdeck gets his atmosphere at second hand from the sailors on the forecastle. He thinks he breathes it first; but not so. In much the same way do the commonalty lead their

1. A long spear-like weapon used for hunting large fish or whales.
2. A tool with a barbed point, often attached to a rope, for catching marine animals.

almost choked me, are these ashes from that destroyed city, Gomorrah? But “The Crossed Harpoons,” and “The Sword-Fish?”—this, then must needs be the sign of “The Trap.” However, I picked

1. Happy and cheerful in mood or appearance.
2. (British informal) Very; extremely (e.g., "jolly good").

for magnificent parts in high tragedies, and short and easy parts in genteel comedies, and jolly parts in farces—though I cannot tell why this was exactly; yet, now that I recall all the

1. The reflexive form of "you," referring to the person being addressed.
2. Used to emphasize the subject "you."

on a crazy old sea chest that did double duty as a washstand and centre table; “there, make yourself comfortable now, and good night to ye.” I turned round from eyeing the bed, but he had

1. A person who eats the flesh of their own species.
2. An animal that feeds on others of its own kind.

grass by a long-armed mower. You shuddered as you gazed, and wondered what monstrous cannibal and savage could ever have gone a death-harvesting with such a hacking, horrifying implement.

1. Used to emphasize a statement or response.
2. Truly or certainly (often expressing agreement).

flasks; and in those jaws of swift destruction, like another cursed Jonah (by which name indeed they called him), bustles a little withered old man, who, for their money, dearly sells the

1. A person who uses a harpoon, especially in hunting whales or large fish.
2. A crew member on a whaling ship responsible for throwing harpoons.

“you’ll have the nightmare to a dead sartainty.” “Landlord,” I whispered, “that ain’t the harpooneer is it?” “Oh, no,” said he, looking a sort of diabolically funny, “the harpooneer is a dark

1. A lightweight axe used as a tool or weapon by Native Americans.
2. A type of missile or weapon, such as the Tomahawk cruise missile.

the heads of his own brothers. He might take a fancy to mine—heavens! look at that tomahawk! But there was no time for shuddering, for now the savage went about something that completely

1. A long spear-like weapon used for hunting large fish or marine mammals.
2. To strike or catch with a harpoon.

years ago did Nathan Swain kill fifteen whales between a sunrise and a sunset. And that harpoon—so like a corkscrew now—was flung in Javan seas, and run away with by a whale, years afterwards

1. Men who hunt or work with whales, especially in the whaling industry.
2. Crew members on whaling ships engaged in catching and processing whales.

rebounds, only to bound forward again; for now in laying open the haunts of the whale, the whalemen seem to have indirectly hit upon new clues to that same mystic Northwest Passage.” From

1. Crew members on a whaling ship who handle harpoons.
2. Skilled individuals responsible for throwing harpoons at whales.

taken near Shetland, that had above a barrel of herrings in his belly. … One of our harpooneers told me that he caught once a whale in Spitzbergen that was white all over.” A Voyage to

1. Near in time or place (adverb or adjective).
2. Close to happening or being (adjective).

crammed it down into the bag. He now took off his hat—a new beaver hat—when I came nigh singing out with fresh surprise. There was no hair on his head—none to speak of at

1. A form of precipitation consisting of small ice pellets or frozen raindrops.
2. A mixture of rain and snow falling at the same time.

and certainly had not come in his carriage, for his tarpaulin hat ran down with melting sleet, and his great pilot cloth jacket seemed almost to drag him to the floor with the weight of the

1. People who work on ships or boats, especially as crew members.
2. Members of a navy, typically enlisted personnel.

the most part the Commodore on the quarterdeck gets his atmosphere at second hand from the sailors on the forecastle. He thinks he breathes it first; but not so. In much the same way do the

1. A raised platform or lectern in a church where a preacher delivers a sermon.
2. A position of authority or influence, especially in religious matters.

turned round in their rows to peer; and beyond, a black Angel of Doom was beating a book in a pulpit. It was a negro church; and the preacher’s text was about the blackness of darkness, and the

1. Before (archaic or poetic)
2. In the presence of (archaic)

dreadful late, you had better be turning flukes—it’s a nice bed; Sal and me slept in that ere bed the night we were spliced. There’s plenty of room for two to kick about in that bed; it’s an

1. Deep sorrow or distress.
2. An exclamation of grief or lamentation.

Truth to the face of Falsehood! That was it! “This, shipmates, this is that other lesson; and woe to that pilot of the living God who slights it. Woe to him whom this world charms from Gospel

1. A feeling of great pleasure or joy.
2. Something that gives great pleasure.

the proud gods and commodores of this earth, ever stands forth his own inexorable self. Delight is to him whose strong arms yet support him, when the ship of this base treacherous world has

1. The part of the face above the eyebrows and below the hairline.
2. The front or forward part of something.

answer that his house was full—not a bed unoccupied. “But avast,” he added, tapping his forehead, “you hain’t no objections to sharing a harpooneer’s blanket, have ye? I s’pose you are goin’

1. A thick soup or stew, often made with seafood or vegetables.
2. A dish typically containing clams, fish, or corn in a creamy or tomato-based broth.

XV Chowder It was quite late in the evening when the little Moss came snugly to anchor, and Queequeg and I

1. The evening meal, typically lighter than dinner.
2. A social gathering where a light evening meal is served.

so turned out that we should sleep together, he must undress and get into bed before I did. Supper over, the company went back to the barroom, when, knowing not what else to do with myself, I

1. A marine or freshwater mollusk with a hinged shell.
2. To gather or collect something (e.g., clamshells).

the matter a moment, and then upstairs we went, and I was ushered into a small room, cold as a clam, and furnished, sure enough, with a prodigious bed, almost big enough indeed for any four

1. A member of the Religious Society of Friends, a Christian group emphasizing inner light and pacifism.
2. A person who shakes or trembles, often due to fear or illness.

and still a man, who, if indeed peculiar, it only results again from another phase of the Quaker, modified by individual circumstances. Like Captain Peleg, Captain Bildad was a well-to-do,

1. Belonging to you (archaic or poetic form of "your").
2. Short for "thyroid" in medical contexts (informal).

who coming to lay him down, can say with his final breath—O Father!—chiefly known to me by Thy rod—mortal or immortal, here I die. I have striven to be Thine, more than to be this world’s, or

1. (archaic) You (singular), used as the object of a verb or preposition.
2. (poetic) A form of 'you' in older or religious texts.

fancied, and sung of Leviathan, by many nations and generations, including our own. So fare thee well, poor devil of a Sub-Sub, whose commentator I am. Thou belongest to that hopeless, sallow

1. Defensive walls or barriers for protection.
2. Strong supports or safeguards against danger.

in a wide, low, straggling entry with old-fashioned wainscots, reminding one of the bulwarks of some condemned old craft. On one side hung a very large oil-painting so thoroughly besmoked,

1. A hard-shelled clam found along the Atlantic coast of North America, often used in cooking.
2. Another term for the quahog, a species of edible clam (Mercenaria mercenaria).

the ship’s papers. We must have Hedgehog there, I mean Quohog, in one of our boats. Look ye, Quohog, we’ll give ye the ninetieth lay, and that’s more than ever was given a harpooneer yet out of

1. Large pieces of fabric attached to a boat to catch wind and propel it forward.
2. The collective term for all sails on a ship.

to sleep between billows; so at nightfall, the Nantucketer, out of sight of land, furls his sails, and lays him to his rest, while under his very pillow rush herds of walruses and whales.

1. At or toward the rear of a ship or aircraft.
2. In nautical terms, the rear section of a vessel.

Wave after wave thus leaps into the ship, and finding no speedy vent runs roaring fore and aft, till the mariners come nigh to drowning while yet afloat. And ever, as the white moon shows her

1. A tiller or wheel for steering a ship or boat.
2. A position of leadership or control.

but deftly travelled over sheaves of sea-ivory. Scorning a turnstile wheel at her reverend helm, she sported there a tiller; and that tiller was in one mass, curiously carved from the long

1. The side or direction sheltered from the wind.
2. Pertaining to the side away from the wind.

as if still nervously agitated. “Whew!” he whistled at last—“the squall’s gone off to leeward, I think. Bildad, thou used to be good at sharpening a lance, mend that pen, will ye. My

1. Used as a reflexive pronoun to refer to a group previously mentioned.
2. Used for emphasis to refer to a group previously mentioned.

Besides, passengers get seasick—grow quarrelsome—don’t sleep of nights—do not enjoy themselves much, as a general thing;—no, I never go as a passenger; nor, though I am something of a salt,

1. Moved across water using sails or wind power.
2. Traveled smoothly or effortlessly.

They told me in Nantucket, though it certainly seems a curious story, that when he sailed the old Categut whaleman, his crew, upon arriving home, were mostly all carried ashore to the

1. The state of being worthy of honor or respect.
2. A composed or serious manner.

it; but, say what you will, there is no real dignity in whaling. No dignity in whaling? The dignity of our calling the very heavens attest. Cetus is a constellation in the South! No more! Drive

1. A small container, typically made of glass or plastic, used for holding liquids.
2. A laboratory glassware with a narrow neck used for mixing, heating, or storing chemicals.

are divided into wrought nails and cut nails; so mankind may be similarly divided. Little Flask was one of the wrought ones; made to clinch tight and last long. They called him King-Post on

1. A percussion instrument with small metal jingles, played by shaking or hitting with the hand.
2. A circular frame drum, often used in folk and popular music.

shirr!—but spoken of once! and only this evening—it makes me jingle all over like my tambourine—that anaconda of an old man swore ’em in to hunt him! Oh, thou big white God aloft there

1. Hard, white material from tusks and teeth of elephants and other animals.
2. A creamy white color resembling ivory.

when he drops seething into the yawning jaws awaiting him; and the whale shoots-to all his ivory teeth, like so many white bolts, upon his prison. Then Jonah prayed unto the Lord out of the

1. Behind or toward the rear of a ship or aircraft.
2. In a backward direction.

XXIX Enter Ahab; To Him, Stubb Some days elapsed, and ice and icebergs all astern, the Pequod now went rolling through the bright Quito spring, which, at sea, almost perpetually

1. A hanging bed or couch made of fabric or netting, suspended between two points.
2. A fertile area in the southern U.S. with hardwood trees and lush vegetation.

a man striking a whale. Of things not properly belonging to the room, there was a hammock lashed up, and thrown upon the floor in one corner; also a large seaman’s bag, containing the

1. The study of whales, dolphins, and porpoises.
2. A branch of marine biology focused on cetaceans.

whale statements, however authentic, in these extracts, for veritable gospel cetology. Far from it. As touching the ancient authors generally, as well as the poets here appearing,

1. A sheet of paper folded once to form two leaves (four pages) of a book.
2. A large book size made from such sheets.

into chapters), and these shall comprehend them all, both small and large. I, the Folio Whale; II, the Octavo Whale; III, the Duodecimo Whale. As the type of the Folio I present the

1. A book size resulting from folding sheets into eight leaves (about 6x9 inches).
2. A book or page of this size.

and these shall comprehend them all, both small and large. I, the Folio Whale; II, the Octavo Whale; III, the Duodecimo Whale. As the type of the Folio I present the “Sperm Whale”; of the

1. A small, toothed whale with a blunt snout and a triangular dorsal fin.
2. Any marine mammal of the family Phocoenidae, related to dolphins.

whales. I, The “Huzza Porpoise”; II, the “Algerine Porpoise”; III, the “Mealymouthed Porpoise.” To those who have not chanced specially to study the subject, it may possibly seem strange,

1. Showed or demonstrated clearly.
2. Provided evidence or proof of something.

which, in some honest-hearted men, restrain the gush of daredevil daring, so often evinced by others in the more perilous vicissitudes of the fishery. “I will have no man in my boat,” said

1. Strange or unusual in a way that is surprising or noticeable.
2. Distinctive or unique to a particular person, place, or thing.

of Tyerman and Bennett. “Nantucket itself,” said Mr. Webster, “is a very striking and peculiar portion of the National interest. There is a population of eight or nine thousand persons living

1. A person responsible for managing or overseeing something, such as property or an event.
2. A flight attendant on an aircraft.

him. He was naturally a very nervous, shuddering sort of little fellow, this bread-faced steward; the progeny of a bankrupt baker and a hospital nurse. And what with the standing spectacle of

1. The top section of a ship's mast.
2. The title or logo of a newspaper or magazine, typically at the top of the front page.

“Three points off the lee bow, sir.” “Raise up your wheel. Steady!” “Steady, sir.” “Masthead ahoy! Do you see that whale now?” “Ay ay, sir! A shoal of Sperm Whales! There she blows! There

1. The top section of a ship's mast.
2. The title or logo of a newspaper or magazine at the top of the front page.

being struck by her near appearance. The vessel under short sail, with lookouts at the mastheads, eagerly scanning the wide expanse around them, has a totally different air from those engaged in

1. A large black bird known for its intelligence and loud cawing sound.
2. To boast or brag loudly about something.

look.” “Well, that’s funny.” “And I, you, and he; and we, ye, and they, are all bats; and I’m a crow, especially when I stand a’top of this pine tree here. Caw! caw! caw! caw! caw! caw! Ain’t I a

1. A nickname for Herman Melville's novel *Moby-Dick*.
2. Slang for a large or impressive object or thing.

he fantails like a split jib in a squall. Death and devils! men, it is Moby Dick ye have seen—Moby Dick—Moby Dick!” “Captain Ahab,” said Starbuck, who, with Stubb and Flask, had thus far been

1. The forehead or the ridge of hair above the eye.
2. The edge of a steep place, like a cliff.

terrific, because more spiritual terrors, which sometimes menace you from the concentrating brow of an enraged and mighty man. But were the coming narrative to reveal in any instance, the

1. A small seed found in fruits like apples and oranges.
2. A short, high-pitched sound, often electronic.

now for it! Azore sailor. Ascending, and pitching the tambourine up the scuttle. Here you are, Pip; and there’s the windlass-bitts; up you mount! Now, boys! The half of them dance to the

1. A sudden, violent windstorm often accompanied by rain or snow.
2. A loud, harsh cry or noise.

in all sorts of directions, and kicking off his shoes, he strikes into a sharp but noiseless squall of a hornpipe right over the Grand Turk’s head; and then, by a dexterous sleight, pitching his

1. A color or shade.
2. The attribute of a color by which it is perceived as red, blue, green, etc.

foam, all spangled with golden gleamings. Nor was it his unwonted magnitude, nor his remarkable hue, nor yet his deformed lower jaw, that so much invested the whale with natural terror, as that

1. The central structural beam of a ship or boat, running along the bottom from bow to stern.
2. To capsize or overturn, especially of a boat or ship.

direst jeopardy; she must fly all hospitality; one touch of land, though it but graze the keel, would make her shudder through and through. With all her might she crowds all sail off shore; in

1. A period of time between two events or points.
2. The difference in pitch between two musical notes.

nothing, out of himself, to employ or excite Ahab, now; and thus chase away, for that one interval, the clouds that layer upon layer were piled upon his brow, as ever all clouds choose the

1. A long pole with a flat blade at one end, used for rowing a boat.
2. To propel or steer a boat using oars.

to leeward!” “Aye, aye, sir,” cheerily cried little King-Post, sweeping round his great steering oar. “Lay back!” addressing his crew. “There!—there!—there again! There she blows right ahead,

1. Long poles with flat blades used for rowing boats.
2. The act of propelling a boat using oars.

sunlight, that smiled on, as if at a birth or a bridal. His three boats stove around him, and oars and men both whirling in the eddies; one captain, seizing the line-knife from his broken prow,

1. A tube or pipe for pouring liquid (e.g., teapot spout).
2. To eject liquid or steam forcefully.

no less than forty years ago.” Ibid. “No, Sir, ’tis a Right Whale,” answered Tom; “I saw his spout; he threw up a pair of as pretty rainbows as a Christian would wish to look at. He’s a raal

1. Caught sight of; saw or noticed something from a distance.
2. Made known or revealed; disclosed.

For there and then, for several consecutive years, Moby Dick had been periodically descried, lingering in those waters for awhile, as the sun, in its annual round, loiters for a predicted

1. The capital city of Peru.
2. A type of bean, also known as butter bean.

saying, too; churches more plentiful than billiard-tables, and forever open—and “Corrupt as Lima.” So, too, Venice; I have been there; the holy city of the blessed evangelist, St. Mark!—St.

1. The flat, triangular parts of a whale's tail.
2. Unlikely or accidental successes or strokes of luck.

I suppose now ye feel considerable proud of having served in those marchant ships. But flukes! man, what makes thee want to go a whaling, eh?—it looks a little suspicious, don’t it,

1. The internal framework of bones supporting the body.
2. A basic structure or outline of something.

phraseology, now enable me to present the whole story such as it may prove in the mere skeleton I give.

1. Next to or along the side of something.
2. In cooperation or association with someone or something.

appears to the eye of the whaleman when in his own absolute body the whale is moored alongside the whale-ship so that he can be fairly stepped upon there. It may be worth while, therefore,

1. The number equivalent to four times ten (40).
2. A term used to describe a quantity or age.

some to the king. … The best whales were catched in his own country, of which some were forty-eight, some fifty yards long. He said that he was one of six who had killed sixty in two days.”

1. A small pointed missile thrown or shot as a weapon.
2. A sudden, quick movement.

fangs of some incurable idea; such an one, could he be found, would seem the very man to dart his iron and lift his lance against the most appalling of all brutes. Or, if for any reason

1. The woolly coat of a sheep or similar animal.
2. A soft, warm fabric made from wool or synthetic fibers.

for de small fry ob sharks, dat can’t get into de scrouge to help demselves.” “Well done, old Fleece!” cried Stubb, “that’s Christianity; go on.” “No use goin’ on; de dam willains will keep a

1. A tool with two hinged arms used for gripping or lifting objects.
2. Kitchen utensil for handling hot food or coals.

Everyone knows what a multitude of things—beds, saucepans, knives and forks, shovels and tongs, napkins, nutcrackers, and whatnot, are indispensable to the business of housekeeping. Just so

1. The thick layer of fat under the skin of marine mammals, used for insulation and energy storage.
2. To cry noisily and uncontrollably.

in moody phrase ejaculates:— “Roll on, thou deep and dark blue ocean, roll! Ten thousand blubber-hunters sweep over thee in vain.” Very often do the captains of such ships take those

1. A suit in playing cards marked with black, pointed symbols.
2. A tool with a sharp-edged metal blade used for digging.

can be at times considerably diminished, by vigorously stirring them up with sharp whaling-spades, a procedure notwithstanding, which, in some instances, only seems to tickle them into still

1. Raised or lifted up, often using ropes or machinery.
2. Displayed or shown prominently, like a flag.

of her company; especially by Radney the mate. He commanded the upper sails to be well hoisted, sheeted home anew, and every way expanded to the breeze. Now this Radney, I suppose, was as

1. A large wine bottle holding about 3 liters, equivalent to four standard bottles.
2. A king of Israel mentioned in the Bible (1 Kings 11-14).

the Town-Ho’s company told us of!” Stubb here alluded to a strange story told of the Jeroboam, and a certain man among her crew, some time previous when the Pequod spoke the Town-Ho.

1. A large cask or barrel for holding liquids, especially beer or wine.
2. A unit of liquid capacity, typically equal to 252 gallons.

LXXVII The Great Heidelburgh Tun Now comes the Baling of the Case. But to comprehend it aright, you must know something of the

1. A rounded protuberance on the back of a camel or other animal.
2. A small hill or mound.

detached bodily distinctions, which the whale, in his kinds, presents. How then? The baleen, hump, back-fin, and teeth; these are things whose peculiarities are indiscriminately dispersed among

1. The number equivalent to seven times ten (70).
2. A decade in someone's life when they are between 70 and 79 years old.

when you come to make a teenth of it, you will then see, I say, that the seven hundred and seventy-seventh part of a farthing is a good deal less than seven hundred and seventy-seven gold

1. Narrow passages of water connecting two larger bodies.
2. Difficult or distressing situations.

Tom! thou famed leviathan, scarred like an iceberg, who so long did’st lurk in the Oriental straits of that name, whose spout was oft seen from the palmy beach of Ombay? Was it not so, O New

1. A group of animals, especially hoofed mammals, living or moving together.
2. To gather, lead, or manage a group of animals.

though they would well grace the hand of man, remain wholly inexplicable. In an extensive herd, so remarkable, occasionally, are these mystic gestures, that I have heard hunters who have

1. A group of wives, concubines, or female associates of a polygamous man.
2. A separate living space for women in some traditional households.

saying his prayers, and warning each young Leviathan from his amorous errors. Now, as the harem of whales is called by the fishermen a school, so is the lord and master of that school

1. A tool with a sharp-edged metal blade used for digging or cutting earth.
2. A playing card in the suit of spades, marked with a black symbol resembling a pointed leaf.

it’s but a dim scrawl;—what’s this?” As he was studying it out, Starbuck took a long cutting-spade pole, and with his knife slightly split the end, to insert the letter there, and in that way,

1. A waxy substance produced in the digestive system of sperm whales.
2. Used in perfumery for its ability to fix and enhance scents.

now that I think of it, it may contain something worth a good deal more than oil; yes, ambergris. I wonder now if our old man has thought of that. It’s worth trying. Yes, I’m for it;” and so

1. A breed of dairy cattle originating from Guernsey, known for rich milk.
2. A type of knitted woolen sweater, often worn by fishermen.

at times. Marking all this, Stubb argued well for his scheme, and turning to the Guernsey-man had a little chat with him, during which the stranger mate expressed his detestation of his

1. A French title of respect for a man, equivalent to "Mr." or "sir."
2. Used as a polite form of address for a man in French-speaking contexts.

that the other whale, the dried one, is far more deadly than the blasted one; in fine, Monsieur, he conjures us, as we value our lives, to cut loose from these fish.” Instantly the captain ran

1. Barrels, typically made of wood, used for storing liquids like wine or whiskey.
2. Large containers, often metal, for holding liquids or other substances.

ice-covered trees all glittering in the clear, cold air. Huge hills and mountains of casks on casks were piled upon her wharves, and side by side the world-wandering whale ships lay silent and

1. A playful or humorous term, often used as a nonsense word.
2. A slang term for a mistake or blunder.

very severe in my diet. Oh! a great watcher, and very dietetically severe, is Dr. Bunger. (Bunger, you dog, laugh out! why don’t ye? You know you’re a precious jolly rascal.) But, heave ahead,

1. A skilled worker who builds or repairs wooden structures.
2. A person who works with wood, crafting furniture or frameworks.

at it with the marlinspike—“that is the captain’s work, not mine; he ordered the carpenter to make it; he had that club-hammer there put to the end, to knock someone’s brains out with, I

1. A person who forges and shapes iron or steel by hand.
2. A craftsman who makes and repairs metal objects, tools, and horseshoes.

something in this slippery world that can hold, man. What’s Prometheus about there?—the blacksmith, I mean—what’s he about? He must be forging the buckle-screw, sir, now. Right. It’s a

1. Sudden, forceful expulsion of air from the nose and mouth due to irritation.
2. Reflex action caused by allergens, colds, or irritants.

this works better sneezes. Halloa, this bone dust is sneezes—why it’s sneezes—yes it’s sneezes—bless my soul, it won’t let me speak! This is what an old fellow gets now for working in dead

1. A muzzle-loaded, smoothbore firearm used from the 16th to 19th centuries.
2. A long gun fired from the shoulder, typically used by infantry.

sleep, as if Starbuck’s voice had caused the long dumb dream to speak. The yet levelled musket shook like a drunkard’s arm against the panel; Starbuck seemed wrestling with an angel; but

1. A box or container in which a deceased person is buried or cremated.
2. (Verb) To place or enclose something in a coffin.

a tall straight jet of misty spray, and these words underneath—“The Spouter Inn:—Peter Coffin.” Coffin?—Spouter?—Rather ominous in that particular connection, thought I. But it is a common

1. A cylinder or spool for winding thread, film, or other flexible materials.
2. A lively dance or piece of music, often of Scottish or Irish origin.

presumed average rate of progression every hour. It had been thus with the Pequod. The wooden reel and angular log attached hung, long untouched, just beneath the railing of the after bulwarks.

1. A floating device anchored in water to mark locations or hazards.
2. To keep afloat or support something.

orders, lines were secured to it at different points, so that ere long every boat was a buoy; the sunken whale being suspended a few inches beneath them by the cords. By very heedful