Question

Difficulty: EasyInferring Vocabulary Meaning from Context

During the intense winter gale off the northern coast, the crew worked tirelessly to secure loose cargo and adjust the vessel's heading. Although heavy swells battered the hull for several hours, the sturdy ship managed to weather the tempest without suffering structural damage. By morning, calm seas allowed the sailors to resume their scheduled patrol route.

As used in the passage, what does the word "weather" most nearly mean?

  1. A
    forecast in advance
  2. B
    atmospheric conditions
  3. endure successfullyAnswer
  4. D
    succumb to

Answer

The word "weather" in this context means to endure successfully.
In the sentence, the phrase "managed to weather the tempest without suffering structural damage" illustrates that the vessel survived and withstood the violent storm. Thus, the verb "weather" signifies enduring or holding out against severe conditions.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Determine the part of speech and grammatical function of the target word in the sentence.
The word "weather" is used as a transitive verb indicating an action taken by "the sturdy ship" toward "the tempest."
Identifying the grammatical role prevents selecting the common noun definition related to climate.
2
Analyze surrounding contextual clues and descriptive phrases.
The passage highlights that the ship faced heavy swells "without suffering structural damage" and resumed its route the next morning.
Contextual details clarify that the ship overcame the storm's hazards without failing.
3
Substitute the candidate definitions into the sentence to verify intended meaning.
Replacing "weather" with "endure successfully" maintains the author's logical point and tone.
Verification ensures the chosen definition fits the passage precisely.

Key Concept

Inferring Vocabulary Meaning from Context
Rate this question