The Explorer Chapter 14-15

On the River (p164-p176)At the top of the cliff (p178-p185

Word Definition (Collins COBUILD) Synonymsashore(p.164)

Someone or something that comes ashore comes from the sea onto the shore.

reassuring(p.166)

If you reassure someone, you say or do things to make them stop worrying about something.

encouraging, comforting, heartening, bolstering

tense(p.166)

If you are tense, you are anxious and nervous and cannot relax.

nervous, apprehensive, anxious, on edge

thrum(p.166)

When something such as a machine or engine thrums, it makes a low beating sound.

drum, reverberate,

speculative(p.168)

A piece of information that is speculative is based on guesses rather than knowledge. Someone who has a speculative expression seems to be trying to guess something about a person or thing.

uncertain, conjectural, risky, tentative

battered(p.169)

Something that is battered is old and in poor condition because it has been used a lot.

damaged, broken-down, wrecked, dilapidated

huffed(p.169)

If you huff, you indicate that you are annoyed or offended about something, usually by the way that you say something.

puff, blow, exhale

beckoning(p.169)

If you beckon to someone, you signal to them to come to you. gesturing, signing, waving, calling, summoning, motioning

lavishly(p.170)

If you say that someone is lavish in the way they behave, you mean that they give, spend, or use a lot of something.

extravagantly, excessively, liberally, freely, effusively, bountifully

nocturnal(p.171)

Nocturnal means occurring at night. Nocturnal creatures are active mainly at night.

sprightly(p.172)

A sprightly person, especially an old person, is lively and active.

lively, spirited, active, energetic, active, animated

hordes(p.172)

If you describe a crowd of people as a horde, you mean that the crowd is very large and excited and, often, rather frightening or unpleasant.

crowd, mob, swarm, throng

extension(p.178)

Something that is an extension of something else is a development of it that includes or affects more people, things, or activities.

expansion, continuation, broadening, widening

territory(p.180)

Territory is land with a particular character. An animal's territory is an area which it regards as its own and which it defends when other animals try to enter it.

district, area, land, terrain

agonisingly(p.181)

If you agonise over something, you feel very anxious about it and spend a long time thinking about it.

painfully, excruciatingly, tortuously

The Explorer Chapter 14-15

On the River (p164-p176)At the top of the cliff (p178-p185

retreated(p.181)

If you retreat, you move away from something or someone. recoil, withdraw, recede

hewn(p.185)

If you hew stone or wood, you cut it, for example with an axe. cut, chop, hack, axe, carve, sculpt