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A Crooked Mile
A Crooked Mile

Chapter VIII

Chapter 8 of A Crooked Mile is here in full — 354 sentences across 71 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for A Crooked Mile
Context Illustration Reading 1/70 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
"That hoary old lie, that Socialism means sharing----" "Oh, at any artists' colourman's----" "No; it will probably be published privately----" "Van Gogh----" "Oh, you're _entirely_ wrong!----" And then, in the middle of a sudden and mysterious lull, the man who had come without his safety-lamp was heard addressing Cosimo again:--
"Well, what about t' new paaper?
Owt settled yet?...
Nay, ye needn't look; Wilkinson telled me; it's all right; nowt 'at's said 'll go beyond these fower walls.
Wilkinson's gotten a rare list together, names an' right, I can tell ye!
0:00 / 0:00
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

A Crooked Mile

Chapter VIII

Chapter 8 of A Crooked Mile is here in full — 354 sentences across 71 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/70 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
"That hoary old lie, that Socialism means sharing----" "Oh, at any artists' colourman's----" "No; it will probably be published privately----" "Van Gogh----" "Oh, you're _entirely_ wrong!----" And then, in the middle of a sudden and mysterious lull, the man who had come without his safety-lamp was heard addressing Cosimo again:--
Line 2
"Well, what about t' new paaper?
Line 3
Owt settled yet?...
Line 4
Nay, ye needn't look; Wilkinson telled me; it's all right; nowt 'at's said 'll go beyond these fower walls.
Line 5
Wilkinson's gotten a rare list together, names an' right, I can tell ye!
/ˈwɪlkɪnsənz ˈɡɑːtən ə rer lɪst təˈɡeðər neɪmz æn raɪt aɪ kæn tel jiː/

Learner Dictionary

These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.

Gogh noun US /ɡoʊ/

Dutch Post-impressionist painter noted for his use of color (1853-1890)

From this reading “"That hoary old lie, that Socialism means sharing----" "Oh, at any artists' colourman's----" "No; it will probably be published privately----" "Van Gogh----" "Oh, you're _entirely_ wrong!----" And then, in the middle of a sudden and mysterious lull, the man who had come without his safety-lamp was heard addressing Cosimo again:--”

hoary adjective US /ˈhɔːri/

showing characteristics of age, especially having grey or white hair

From this reading “"That hoary old lie, that Socialism means sharing----" "Oh, at any artists' colourman's----" "No; it will probably be published privately----" "Van Gogh----" "Oh, you're _entirely_ wrong!----" And then, in the middle of a sudden and mysterious lull, the man who had come without his safety-lamp was heard addressing Cosimo again:--”

lull verb US /lʌl/

calm by deception

From this reading “"That hoary old lie, that Socialism means sharing----" "Oh, at any artists' colourman's----" "No; it will probably be published privately----" "Van Gogh----" "Oh, you're _entirely_ wrong!----" And then, in the middle of a sudden and mysterious lull, the man who had come without his safety-lamp was heard addressing Cosimo again:--”

privately adverb US /ˈpraɪvətli/

kept private or confined to those intimately concerned

From this reading “"That hoary old lie, that Socialism means sharing----" "Oh, at any artists' colourman's----" "No; it will probably be published privately----" "Van Gogh----" "Oh, you're _entirely_ wrong!----" And then, in the middle of a sudden and mysterious lull, the man who had come without his safety-lamp was heard addressing Cosimo again:--”

sharing noun US /ˈʃerɪŋ/

using or enjoying something jointly with others

From this reading “"That hoary old lie, that Socialism means sharing----" "Oh, at any artists' colourman's----" "No; it will probably be published privately----" "Van Gogh----" "Oh, you're _entirely_ wrong!----" And then, in the middle of a sudden and mysterious lull, the man who had come without his safety-lamp was heard addressing Cosimo again:--”

Socialism noun US /ˈsoʊʃəlɪzəm/

a political theory advocating state ownership of industry

From this reading “"That hoary old lie, that Socialism means sharing----" "Oh, at any artists' colourman's----" "No; it will probably be published privately----" "Van Gogh----" "Oh, you're _entirely_ wrong!----" And then, in the middle of a sudden and mysterious lull, the man who had come without his safety-lamp was heard addressing Cosimo again:--”

Wilkinson noun US /ˈwɪlkənsən/

English chemist honored for his research on pollutants in car exhausts (born in 1921)

From this reading “Nay, ye needn't look; Wilkinson telled me; it's all right; nowt 'at's said 'll go beyond these fower walls.”

Wilkinson's noun US /ˈwɪlkɪnsənz/

possessive form of “wilkinson” — English chemist honored for his research on pollutants in car exhausts (born in 1921)

From this reading “Wilkinson's gotten a rare list together, names an' right, I can tell ye!”

Word partnerships in these lines

English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.

Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.

in the middle preposition + article + noun counted as “in … middle”

In this reading “"That hoary old lie, that Socialism means sharing----" "Oh, at any artists' colourman's----" "No; it will probably be published privately----" "Van Gogh----" "Oh, you're _entirely_ wrong!----" And then, in the middle of a sudden and mysterious lull, the man who had come without his safety-lamp was heard addressing Cosimo again:--”

go beyond verb + particle

In this reading “Nay, ye needn't look; Wilkinson telled me; it's all right; nowt 'at's said 'll go beyond these fower walls.”

All words in this reading · 84

Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.

Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading "That hoary old lie, that Socialism means sharing----" "Oh, at any artists' colourman's----" "No; it will probably be published privately----" "Van Gogh----" "Oh, you're _entirely_ wrong!----" And then, in the middle of a sudden and mysterious lull, the man who had come without his safety-lamp was heard addressing Cosimo again:--

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading "Well, what about t' new paaper?

addressingverbUS /əˈdresɪŋ/

-ing form of “address” — speak to

From this reading "That hoary old lie, that Socialism means sharing----" "Oh, at any artists' colourman's----" "No; it will probably be published privately----" "Van Gogh----" "Oh, you're _entirely_ wrong!----" And then, in the middle of a sudden and mysterious lull, the man who had come without his safety-lamp was heard addressing Cosimo again:--

againadverbUS /əˈɡen/

anew

From this reading "That hoary old lie, that Socialism means sharing----" "Oh, at any artists' colourman's----" "No; it will probably be published privately----" "Van Gogh----" "Oh, you're _entirely_ wrong!----" And then, in the middle of a sudden and mysterious lull, the man who had come without his safety-lamp was heard addressing Cosimo again:--

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading Nay, ye needn't look; Wilkinson telled me; it's all right; nowt 'at's said 'll go beyond these fower walls.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading Wilkinson's gotten a rare list together, names an' right, I can tell ye!

AndconjunctionUS /ənd/

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading "That hoary old lie, that Socialism means sharing----" "Oh, at any artists' colourman's----" "No; it will probably be published privately----" "Van Gogh----" "Oh, you're _entirely_ wrong!----" And then, in the middle of a sudden and mysterious lull, the man who had come without his safety-lamp was heard addressing Cosimo again:--

anyadjectiveUS /ˈeni/

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading "That hoary old lie, that Socialism means sharing----" "Oh, at any artists' colourman's----" "No; it will probably be published privately----" "Van Gogh----" "Oh, you're _entirely_ wrong!----" And then, in the middle of a sudden and mysterious lull, the man who had come without his safety-lamp was heard addressing Cosimo again:--

artistsnounUS /ˈɑːrtɪsts/

plural of “artist” — a person whose creative work shows sensitivity and imagination

From this reading "That hoary old lie, that Socialism means sharing----" "Oh, at any artists' colourman's----" "No; it will probably be published privately----" "Van Gogh----" "Oh, you're _entirely_ wrong!----" And then, in the middle of a sudden and mysterious lull, the man who had come without his safety-lamp was heard addressing Cosimo again:--

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading "That hoary old lie, that Socialism means sharing----" "Oh, at any artists' colourman's----" "No; it will probably be published privately----" "Van Gogh----" "Oh, you're _entirely_ wrong!----" And then, in the middle of a sudden and mysterious lull, the man who had come without his safety-lamp was heard addressing Cosimo again:--

at's

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Nay, ye needn't look; Wilkinson telled me; it's all right; nowt 'at's said 'll go beyond these fower walls.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading "That hoary old lie, that Socialism means sharing----" "Oh, at any artists' colourman's----" "No; it will probably be published privately----" "Van Gogh----" "Oh, you're _entirely_ wrong!----" And then, in the middle of a sudden and mysterious lull, the man who had come without his safety-lamp was heard addressing Cosimo again:--

beyondprepositionUS /bɪˈɑːnd/

on the far side of; further than

From this reading Nay, ye needn't look; Wilkinson telled me; it's all right; nowt 'at's said 'll go beyond these fower walls.

canmodal verbUS /kæn/

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading Wilkinson's gotten a rare list together, names an' right, I can tell ye!

colourman's

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading "That hoary old lie, that Socialism means sharing----" "Oh, at any artists' colourman's----" "No; it will probably be published privately----" "Van Gogh----" "Oh, you're _entirely_ wrong!----" And then, in the middle of a sudden and mysterious lull, the man who had come without his safety-lamp was heard addressing Cosimo again:--

comeverbUS /kʌm/

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading "That hoary old lie, that Socialism means sharing----" "Oh, at any artists' colourman's----" "No; it will probably be published privately----" "Van Gogh----" "Oh, you're _entirely_ wrong!----" And then, in the middle of a sudden and mysterious lull, the man who had come without his safety-lamp was heard addressing Cosimo again:--

Cosimo

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading "That hoary old lie, that Socialism means sharing----" "Oh, at any artists' colourman's----" "No; it will probably be published privately----" "Van Gogh----" "Oh, you're _entirely_ wrong!----" And then, in the middle of a sudden and mysterious lull, the man who had come without his safety-lamp was heard addressing Cosimo again:--

entirelyadverbUS /ɪnˈtaɪərli/

to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally for “wholly”)

From this reading "That hoary old lie, that Socialism means sharing----" "Oh, at any artists' colourman's----" "No; it will probably be published privately----" "Van Gogh----" "Oh, you're _entirely_ wrong!----" And then, in the middle of a sudden and mysterious lull, the man who had come without his safety-lamp was heard addressing Cosimo again:--

fower

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Nay, ye needn't look; Wilkinson telled me; it's all right; nowt 'at's said 'll go beyond these fower walls.

goverbUS /ɡoʊ/

change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading Nay, ye needn't look; Wilkinson telled me; it's all right; nowt 'at's said 'll go beyond these fower walls.

GoghnounUS /ɡoʊ/

Dutch Post-impressionist painter noted for his use of color (1853-1890)

From this reading "That hoary old lie, that Socialism means sharing----" "Oh, at any artists' colourman's----" "No; it will probably be published privately----" "Van Gogh----" "Oh, you're _entirely_ wrong!----" And then, in the middle of a sudden and mysterious lull, the man who had come without his safety-lamp was heard addressing Cosimo again:--

gottenverbUS /ˈɡɑːtən/

inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading Wilkinson's gotten a rare list together, names an' right, I can tell ye!

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading "That hoary old lie, that Socialism means sharing----" "Oh, at any artists' colourman's----" "No; it will probably be published privately----" "Van Gogh----" "Oh, you're _entirely_ wrong!----" And then, in the middle of a sudden and mysterious lull, the man who had come without his safety-lamp was heard addressing Cosimo again:--

heardadjectiveUS /hɜːrd/

detected or perceived by the sense of hearing

From this reading "That hoary old lie, that Socialism means sharing----" "Oh, at any artists' colourman's----" "No; it will probably be published privately----" "Van Gogh----" "Oh, you're _entirely_ wrong!----" And then, in the middle of a sudden and mysterious lull, the man who had come without his safety-lamp was heard addressing Cosimo again:--

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading "That hoary old lie, that Socialism means sharing----" "Oh, at any artists' colourman's----" "No; it will probably be published privately----" "Van Gogh----" "Oh, you're _entirely_ wrong!----" And then, in the middle of a sudden and mysterious lull, the man who had come without his safety-lamp was heard addressing Cosimo again:--

hoaryadjectiveUS /ˈhɔːri/

showing characteristics of age, especially having grey or white hair

From this reading "That hoary old lie, that Socialism means sharing----" "Oh, at any artists' colourman's----" "No; it will probably be published privately----" "Van Gogh----" "Oh, you're _entirely_ wrong!----" And then, in the middle of a sudden and mysterious lull, the man who had come without his safety-lamp was heard addressing Cosimo again:--

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading Wilkinson's gotten a rare list together, names an' right, I can tell ye!

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading "That hoary old lie, that Socialism means sharing----" "Oh, at any artists' colourman's----" "No; it will probably be published privately----" "Van Gogh----" "Oh, you're _entirely_ wrong!----" And then, in the middle of a sudden and mysterious lull, the man who had come without his safety-lamp was heard addressing Cosimo again:--

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading "That hoary old lie, that Socialism means sharing----" "Oh, at any artists' colourman's----" "No; it will probably be published privately----" "Van Gogh----" "Oh, you're _entirely_ wrong!----" And then, in the middle of a sudden and mysterious lull, the man who had come without his safety-lamp was heard addressing Cosimo again:--

it's

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Nay, ye needn't look; Wilkinson telled me; it's all right; nowt 'at's said 'll go beyond these fower walls.

lieverbUS /laɪ/

be located or situated somewhere; occupy a certain position

From this reading "That hoary old lie, that Socialism means sharing----" "Oh, at any artists' colourman's----" "No; it will probably be published privately----" "Van Gogh----" "Oh, you're _entirely_ wrong!----" And then, in the middle of a sudden and mysterious lull, the man who had come without his safety-lamp was heard addressing Cosimo again:--

listverbUS /lɪst/

give or make a list of; name individually; give the names of

From this reading Wilkinson's gotten a rare list together, names an' right, I can tell ye!

ll

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Nay, ye needn't look; Wilkinson telled me; it's all right; nowt 'at's said 'll go beyond these fower walls.

lookverbUS /lʊk/

perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading Nay, ye needn't look; Wilkinson telled me; it's all right; nowt 'at's said 'll go beyond these fower walls.

lullverbUS /lʌl/

calm by deception

From this reading "That hoary old lie, that Socialism means sharing----" "Oh, at any artists' colourman's----" "No; it will probably be published privately----" "Van Gogh----" "Oh, you're _entirely_ wrong!----" And then, in the middle of a sudden and mysterious lull, the man who had come without his safety-lamp was heard addressing Cosimo again:--

mannounUS /mæn/

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading "That hoary old lie, that Socialism means sharing----" "Oh, at any artists' colourman's----" "No; it will probably be published privately----" "Van Gogh----" "Oh, you're _entirely_ wrong!----" And then, in the middle of a sudden and mysterious lull, the man who had come without his safety-lamp was heard addressing Cosimo again:--

mepronounUS /miː/

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Nay, ye needn't look; Wilkinson telled me; it's all right; nowt 'at's said 'll go beyond these fower walls.

meansnounUS /miːnz/

thing or person that acts to produce a particular effect or achieve an end

From this reading "That hoary old lie, that Socialism means sharing----" "Oh, at any artists' colourman's----" "No; it will probably be published privately----" "Van Gogh----" "Oh, you're _entirely_ wrong!----" And then, in the middle of a sudden and mysterious lull, the man who had come without his safety-lamp was heard addressing Cosimo again:--

middlenounUS /ˈmɪdəl/

an area that is approximately central within some larger region

From this reading "That hoary old lie, that Socialism means sharing----" "Oh, at any artists' colourman's----" "No; it will probably be published privately----" "Van Gogh----" "Oh, you're _entirely_ wrong!----" And then, in the middle of a sudden and mysterious lull, the man who had come without his safety-lamp was heard addressing Cosimo again:--

mysteriousadjectiveUS /mɪˈstɪriəs/

of an obscure nature

From this reading "That hoary old lie, that Socialism means sharing----" "Oh, at any artists' colourman's----" "No; it will probably be published privately----" "Van Gogh----" "Oh, you're _entirely_ wrong!----" And then, in the middle of a sudden and mysterious lull, the man who had come without his safety-lamp was heard addressing Cosimo again:--

namesnounUS /neɪmz/

verbal abuse; a crude substitute for argument

From this reading Wilkinson's gotten a rare list together, names an' right, I can tell ye!

NayexclamationUS /neɪ/

an old word for “no”

From this reading Nay, ye needn't look; Wilkinson telled me; it's all right; nowt 'at's said 'll go beyond these fower walls.

needn't

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Nay, ye needn't look; Wilkinson telled me; it's all right; nowt 'at's said 'll go beyond these fower walls.

newadjectiveUS /nuː/

not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered

From this reading "Well, what about t' new paaper?

NodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading "That hoary old lie, that Socialism means sharing----" "Oh, at any artists' colourman's----" "No; it will probably be published privately----" "Van Gogh----" "Oh, you're _entirely_ wrong!----" And then, in the middle of a sudden and mysterious lull, the man who had come without his safety-lamp was heard addressing Cosimo again:--

nowt

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Nay, ye needn't look; Wilkinson telled me; it's all right; nowt 'at's said 'll go beyond these fower walls.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading "That hoary old lie, that Socialism means sharing----" "Oh, at any artists' colourman's----" "No; it will probably be published privately----" "Van Gogh----" "Oh, you're _entirely_ wrong!----" And then, in the middle of a sudden and mysterious lull, the man who had come without his safety-lamp was heard addressing Cosimo again:--

OhnounUS /oʊ/

a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region

From this reading "That hoary old lie, that Socialism means sharing----" "Oh, at any artists' colourman's----" "No; it will probably be published privately----" "Van Gogh----" "Oh, you're _entirely_ wrong!----" And then, in the middle of a sudden and mysterious lull, the man who had come without his safety-lamp was heard addressing Cosimo again:--

oldadjectiveUS /oʊld/

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading "That hoary old lie, that Socialism means sharing----" "Oh, at any artists' colourman's----" "No; it will probably be published privately----" "Van Gogh----" "Oh, you're _entirely_ wrong!----" And then, in the middle of a sudden and mysterious lull, the man who had come without his safety-lamp was heard addressing Cosimo again:--

Owt

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Owt settled yet?...

paaper

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading "Well, what about t' new paaper?

privatelyadverbUS /ˈpraɪvətli/

kept private or confined to those intimately concerned

From this reading "That hoary old lie, that Socialism means sharing----" "Oh, at any artists' colourman's----" "No; it will probably be published privately----" "Van Gogh----" "Oh, you're _entirely_ wrong!----" And then, in the middle of a sudden and mysterious lull, the man who had come without his safety-lamp was heard addressing Cosimo again:--

probablyadverbUS /ˈprɑːbəbliː/

with considerable certainty; without much doubt

From this reading "That hoary old lie, that Socialism means sharing----" "Oh, at any artists' colourman's----" "No; it will probably be published privately----" "Van Gogh----" "Oh, you're _entirely_ wrong!----" And then, in the middle of a sudden and mysterious lull, the man who had come without his safety-lamp was heard addressing Cosimo again:--

publishedadjectiveUS /ˈpʌblɪʃt/

prepared and printed for distribution and sale

From this reading "That hoary old lie, that Socialism means sharing----" "Oh, at any artists' colourman's----" "No; it will probably be published privately----" "Van Gogh----" "Oh, you're _entirely_ wrong!----" And then, in the middle of a sudden and mysterious lull, the man who had come without his safety-lamp was heard addressing Cosimo again:--

rareadjectiveUS /rer/

not widely known; especially valued for its uncommonness

From this reading Wilkinson's gotten a rare list together, names an' right, I can tell ye!

rightadverbUS /raɪt/

precisely, exactly

From this reading Nay, ye needn't look; Wilkinson telled me; it's all right; nowt 'at's said 'll go beyond these fower walls.

safety-lamp

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading "That hoary old lie, that Socialism means sharing----" "Oh, at any artists' colourman's----" "No; it will probably be published privately----" "Van Gogh----" "Oh, you're _entirely_ wrong!----" And then, in the middle of a sudden and mysterious lull, the man who had come without his safety-lamp was heard addressing Cosimo again:--

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading Nay, ye needn't look; Wilkinson telled me; it's all right; nowt 'at's said 'll go beyond these fower walls.

settledadjectiveUS /ˈsetəld/

established or decided beyond dispute or doubt

From this reading Owt settled yet?...

sharingnounUS /ˈʃerɪŋ/

using or enjoying something jointly with others

From this reading "That hoary old lie, that Socialism means sharing----" "Oh, at any artists' colourman's----" "No; it will probably be published privately----" "Van Gogh----" "Oh, you're _entirely_ wrong!----" And then, in the middle of a sudden and mysterious lull, the man who had come without his safety-lamp was heard addressing Cosimo again:--

SocialismnounUS /ˈsoʊʃəlɪzəm/

a political theory advocating state ownership of industry

From this reading "That hoary old lie, that Socialism means sharing----" "Oh, at any artists' colourman's----" "No; it will probably be published privately----" "Van Gogh----" "Oh, you're _entirely_ wrong!----" And then, in the middle of a sudden and mysterious lull, the man who had come without his safety-lamp was heard addressing Cosimo again:--

suddenadjectiveUS /ˈsʌdən/

happening without warning or in a short space of time

From this reading "That hoary old lie, that Socialism means sharing----" "Oh, at any artists' colourman's----" "No; it will probably be published privately----" "Van Gogh----" "Oh, you're _entirely_ wrong!----" And then, in the middle of a sudden and mysterious lull, the man who had come without his safety-lamp was heard addressing Cosimo again:--

tnounUS /tiː/

a base found in DNA (but not in RNA) and derived from pyrimidine; pairs with adenine

From this reading "Well, what about t' new paaper?

tellverbUS /tel/

express in words

From this reading Wilkinson's gotten a rare list together, names an' right, I can tell ye!

telled

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Nay, ye needn't look; Wilkinson telled me; it's all right; nowt 'at's said 'll go beyond these fower walls.

ThatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading "That hoary old lie, that Socialism means sharing----" "Oh, at any artists' colourman's----" "No; it will probably be published privately----" "Van Gogh----" "Oh, you're _entirely_ wrong!----" And then, in the middle of a sudden and mysterious lull, the man who had come without his safety-lamp was heard addressing Cosimo again:--

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading "That hoary old lie, that Socialism means sharing----" "Oh, at any artists' colourman's----" "No; it will probably be published privately----" "Van Gogh----" "Oh, you're _entirely_ wrong!----" And then, in the middle of a sudden and mysterious lull, the man who had come without his safety-lamp was heard addressing Cosimo again:--

thenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading "That hoary old lie, that Socialism means sharing----" "Oh, at any artists' colourman's----" "No; it will probably be published privately----" "Van Gogh----" "Oh, you're _entirely_ wrong!----" And then, in the middle of a sudden and mysterious lull, the man who had come without his safety-lamp was heard addressing Cosimo again:--

thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading Nay, ye needn't look; Wilkinson telled me; it's all right; nowt 'at's said 'll go beyond these fower walls.

togetheradverbUS /təˈɡeðər/

in contact with each other or in proximity

From this reading Wilkinson's gotten a rare list together, names an' right, I can tell ye!

VannounUS /væn/

any creative group active in the innovation and application of new concepts and techniques in a given field (especially in the arts)

From this reading "That hoary old lie, that Socialism means sharing----" "Oh, at any artists' colourman's----" "No; it will probably be published privately----" "Van Gogh----" "Oh, you're _entirely_ wrong!----" And then, in the middle of a sudden and mysterious lull, the man who had come without his safety-lamp was heard addressing Cosimo again:--

wallsnounUS /wɔːlz/

plural of “wall” — an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure

From this reading Nay, ye needn't look; Wilkinson telled me; it's all right; nowt 'at's said 'll go beyond these fower walls.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading "That hoary old lie, that Socialism means sharing----" "Oh, at any artists' colourman's----" "No; it will probably be published privately----" "Van Gogh----" "Oh, you're _entirely_ wrong!----" And then, in the middle of a sudden and mysterious lull, the man who had come without his safety-lamp was heard addressing Cosimo again:--

WelladverbUS /wel/

(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)

From this reading "Well, what about t' new paaper?

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading "Well, what about t' new paaper?

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading "That hoary old lie, that Socialism means sharing----" "Oh, at any artists' colourman's----" "No; it will probably be published privately----" "Van Gogh----" "Oh, you're _entirely_ wrong!----" And then, in the middle of a sudden and mysterious lull, the man who had come without his safety-lamp was heard addressing Cosimo again:--

WilkinsonnounUS /ˈwɪlkənsən/

English chemist honored for his research on pollutants in car exhausts (born in 1921)

From this reading Nay, ye needn't look; Wilkinson telled me; it's all right; nowt 'at's said 'll go beyond these fower walls.

Wilkinson'snounUS /ˈwɪlkɪnsənz/

possessive form of “wilkinson” — English chemist honored for his research on pollutants in car exhausts (born in 1921)

From this reading Wilkinson's gotten a rare list together, names an' right, I can tell ye!

willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading "That hoary old lie, that Socialism means sharing----" "Oh, at any artists' colourman's----" "No; it will probably be published privately----" "Van Gogh----" "Oh, you're _entirely_ wrong!----" And then, in the middle of a sudden and mysterious lull, the man who had come without his safety-lamp was heard addressing Cosimo again:--

withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading "That hoary old lie, that Socialism means sharing----" "Oh, at any artists' colourman's----" "No; it will probably be published privately----" "Van Gogh----" "Oh, you're _entirely_ wrong!----" And then, in the middle of a sudden and mysterious lull, the man who had come without his safety-lamp was heard addressing Cosimo again:--

wrongadjectiveUS /rɔːŋ/

not correct; not in conformity with fact or truth

From this reading "That hoary old lie, that Socialism means sharing----" "Oh, at any artists' colourman's----" "No; it will probably be published privately----" "Van Gogh----" "Oh, you're _entirely_ wrong!----" And then, in the middle of a sudden and mysterious lull, the man who had come without his safety-lamp was heard addressing Cosimo again:--

yepronounUS /jiː/

an old word for “you”, speaking to more than one person

From this reading Nay, ye needn't look; Wilkinson telled me; it's all right; nowt 'at's said 'll go beyond these fower walls.

yetconjunctionUS /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading Owt settled yet?...

you're

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading "That hoary old lie, that Socialism means sharing----" "Oh, at any artists' colourman's----" "No; it will probably be published privately----" "Van Gogh----" "Oh, you're _entirely_ wrong!----" And then, in the middle of a sudden and mysterious lull, the man who had come without his safety-lamp was heard addressing Cosimo again:--

Chapter 8 of A Crooked Mile by Oliver Onions holds 354 sentences, grouped into 71 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.

What does chapter 8 of A Crooked Mile contain?

Chapter 8 holds 354 sentences of A Crooked Mile, unabridged, divided into 71 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 8 of A Crooked Mile by Oliver Onions exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 354 sentences, grouped into 71 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.

How do I study chapter 8 of A Crooked Mile?

Work through the 71 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 71 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.

Can chapter 8 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 8 can be played aloud in United States English.

Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.

Questions about reading A Crooked Mile

Common questions about reading A Crooked Mile by Oliver Onions on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of A Crooked Mile?

Yes. All 4800 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #37584 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of A Crooked Mile is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #37584, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does A Crooked Mile take to read?

About 400 minutes of reading across 960 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read A Crooked Mile section by section

How to work through A Crooked Mile section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 12 chapters of A Crooked Mile to begin.

  2. Read one section

    Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.

  3. Listen and tap

    Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in A Crooked Mile

Words and structures a reader meets early in A Crooked Mile, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Tasker
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Crooked Mile; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Missed
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Crooked Mile; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Rather
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Crooked Mile; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Under
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Crooked Mile; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.