Question

in this excerpt from the poem \old ironsides\ by oliver wendell holmes, what is the meaning of the word tread?
her deck, once red with heroes blood
where knelt the vanquished foe,
when winds were hurrying oer the flood
and waves were white below,
no more shall feel the victors tread,
or know the conquered knee;-
a. crush
b. pace
c. quell
d. trudge
e. march

Explanation:

In the context of the poem, "tread" is used to describe the action of the victor. "Trudge" means to walk with heavy steps, often in a laborious way. Considering the historical and poetic context of the ship's deck (where battles took place), "trudge" fits well as it implies a heavy - footed movement that could be associated with a victor's walk on the deck. "Crush" (A) is more about forcefully pressing something. "Pace" (B) is a more general term for walking at a certain speed. "Quell" (C) means to suppress. "March" (E) is a more formal, often military - style walking in an orderly way.

Answer:

D. trudge