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A Draught of the Blue, Together with An Essence of the Dusk
A Draught of the Blue, Together with An Essence of the Dusk

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of A Draught of the Blue, Together with An Essence of the Dusk is here in full — 447 sentences across 90 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for A Draught of the Blue, Together with An Essence of the Dusk
Context Illustration Reading 1/89 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
G. P. Putnam's Sons New York and London The Knickerbocker Press (For "An Essence of the Dusk") _Ah! lotus infinite! ah! wild sweet Blue!
Sense, in thy azure ocean dipped, must die._ The sun goes down, for those alone, who stand on a revolving sphere: and so, in Nature's universal life, Death is but a dissolving view, a word without a meaning: real only to the accidental unit, to whose local and momentary combination it sets a term.
Death is a thing of nought, phenomenal, kaleidoscopic: a juggle of the Mother of Illusion, Prakriti or Máyá, whose magic scene not only never dies, but like her own wild animals, sleeps even with an open eye.
You never catch her napping.
And often, when you think that you have done it, she winks at you, just as it were to show you your mistake.
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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 Draught of the Blue, Together with An Essence of the Dusk

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of A Draught of the Blue, Together with An Essence of the Dusk is here in full — 447 sentences across 90 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/89 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
G. P. Putnam's Sons New York and London The Knickerbocker Press (For "An Essence of the Dusk") _Ah! lotus infinite! ah! wild sweet Blue!
Line 2
Sense, in thy azure ocean dipped, must die._ The sun goes down, for those alone, who stand on a revolving sphere: and so, in Nature's universal life, Death is but a dissolving view, a word without a meaning: real only to the accidental unit, to whose local and momentary combination it sets a term.
/sens ɪn ðaɪ ˈæʒər ˈoʊʃən dɪpt mʌst daɪ ðə sʌn ɡoʊz daʊn fɔːr ðoʊz əˈloʊn huː stænd ɑːn ə riˈvɑːlvɪŋ sfɪr ənd soʊ ɪn ˈneɪtʃərz ˌjuːnəˈvɜːrsəl laɪf deθ ɪz bʌt ə dɪˈzɔːlvɪŋ vjuː ə wɜːrd wɪˈθaʊt ə ˈmiːnɪŋ riːl ˈoʊnli tuː ðə ˌæksəˈdentəl ˈjuːnət tuː huːz ˈloʊkəl ənd ˈmoʊmənteri ˌkɑːmbəˈneɪʃən ɪt sets ə tɜːrm/
Line 3
Death is a thing of nought, phenomenal, kaleidoscopic: a juggle of the Mother of Illusion, Prakriti or Máyá, whose magic scene not only never dies, but like her own wild animals, sleeps even with an open eye.
Line 4
You never catch her napping.
/juː ˈnevər kætʃ hɜːr ˈnæpɪŋ/
Line 5
And often, when you think that you have done it, she winks at you, just as it were to show you your mistake.
/ənd ˈɔːfən wen juː θɪŋk ðæt juː hæv dʌn ɪt ʃiː wɪŋks æt juː dʒʌst æz ɪt wɜːr tuː ʃoʊ juː jɔːr mɪˈsteɪk/

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.

azure noun US /ˈæʒər/

a light shade of blue

From this reading “Sense, in thy azure ocean dipped, must die._ The sun goes down, for those alone, who stand on a revolving sphere: and so, in Nature's universal life, Death is but a dissolving view, a word without a meaning: real only to the accidental unit, to whose local and momentary combination it sets a term.”

dissolving noun US /dɪˈzɔːlvɪŋ/

the process of going into solution

From this reading “Sense, in thy azure ocean dipped, must die._ The sun goes down, for those alone, who stand on a revolving sphere: and so, in Nature's universal life, Death is but a dissolving view, a word without a meaning: real only to the accidental unit, to whose local and momentary combination it sets a term.”

juggle verb US /ˈdʒʌɡəl/

influence by slyness

From this reading “Death is a thing of nought, phenomenal, kaleidoscopic: a juggle of the Mother of Illusion, Prakriti or Máyá, whose magic scene not only never dies, but like her own wild animals, sleeps even with an open eye.”

lotus noun US /ˈloʊtəs/

native to eastern Asia; widely cultivated for its large pink or white flowers

From this reading “G. P. Putnam's Sons New York and London The Knickerbocker Press (For "An Essence of the Dusk") _Ah! lotus infinite! ah! wild sweet Blue!”

napping adjective US /ˈnæpɪŋ/

not prepared or vigilant

From this reading “You never catch her napping.”

phenomenal adjective US /fəˈnɑːmənəl/

of or relating to a phenomenon

From this reading “Death is a thing of nought, phenomenal, kaleidoscopic: a juggle of the Mother of Illusion, Prakriti or Máyá, whose magic scene not only never dies, but like her own wild animals, sleeps even with an open eye.”

unit noun US /ˈjuːnət/

any division of quantity accepted as a standard of measurement or exchange

From this reading “Sense, in thy azure ocean dipped, must die._ The sun goes down, for those alone, who stand on a revolving sphere: and so, in Nature's universal life, Death is but a dissolving view, a word without a meaning: real only to the accidental unit, to whose local and momentary combination it sets a term.”

winks noun US /wɪŋks/

plural of “wink” — a very short time (as the time it takes the eye to blink or the heart to beat)

From this reading “And often, when you think that you have done it, she winks at you, just as it were to show you your mistake.”

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.

wild animals adjective + noun counted as “wild animal”

In this reading “Death is a thing of nought, phenomenal, kaleidoscopic: a juggle of the Mother of Illusion, Prakriti or Máyá, whose magic scene not only never dies, but like her own wild animals, sleeps even with an open eye.”

winks at verb + particle counted as “wink at”

give one's silent approval to

In this reading “And often, when you think that you have done it, she winks at you, just as it were to show you your mistake.”

goes down verb + adjective counted as “go down”

move downward and lower, but not necessarily all the way

In this reading “Sense, in thy azure ocean dipped, must die._ The sun goes down, for those alone, who stand on a revolving sphere: and so, in Nature's universal life, Death is but a dissolving view, a word without a meaning: real only to the accidental unit, to whose local and momentary combination it sets a term.”

stand on verb + particle

In this reading “Sense, in thy azure ocean dipped, must die._ The sun goes down, for those alone, who stand on a revolving sphere: and so, in Nature's universal life, Death is but a dissolving view, a word without a meaning: real only to the accidental unit, to whose local and momentary combination it sets a term.”

All words in this reading · 107

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 Sense, in thy azure ocean dipped, must die._ The sun goes down, for those alone, who stand on a revolving sphere: and so, in Nature's universal life, Death is but a dissolving view, a word without a meaning: real only to the accidental unit, to whose local and momentary combination it sets a term.

accidentaladjectiveUS /ˌæksəˈdentəl/

happening by chance or unexpectedly or unintentionally

From this reading Sense, in thy azure ocean dipped, must die._ The sun goes down, for those alone, who stand on a revolving sphere: and so, in Nature's universal life, Death is but a dissolving view, a word without a meaning: real only to the accidental unit, to whose local and momentary combination it sets a term.

Ah

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

From this reading G. P. Putnam's Sons New York and London The Knickerbocker Press (For "An Essence of the Dusk") _Ah! lotus infinite! ah! wild sweet Blue!

aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/

Having no one else present.

From this reading Sense, in thy azure ocean dipped, must die._ The sun goes down, for those alone, who stand on a revolving sphere: and so, in Nature's universal life, Death is but a dissolving view, a word without a meaning: real only to the accidental unit, to whose local and momentary combination it sets a term.

AndeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading G. P. Putnam's Sons New York and London The Knickerbocker Press (For "An Essence of the Dusk") _Ah! lotus infinite! ah! wild sweet Blue!

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading G. P. Putnam's Sons New York and London The Knickerbocker Press (For "An Essence of the Dusk") _Ah! lotus infinite! ah! wild sweet Blue!

animalsnounUS /ˈænəməlz/

plural of “animal” — a living organism characterized by voluntary movement

From this reading Death is a thing of nought, phenomenal, kaleidoscopic: a juggle of the Mother of Illusion, Prakriti or Máyá, whose magic scene not only never dies, but like her own wild animals, sleeps even with an open eye.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading And often, when you think that you have done it, she winks at you, just as it were to show you your mistake.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading And often, when you think that you have done it, she winks at you, just as it were to show you your mistake.

azurenounUS /ˈæʒər/

a light shade of blue

From this reading Sense, in thy azure ocean dipped, must die._ The sun goes down, for those alone, who stand on a revolving sphere: and so, in Nature's universal life, Death is but a dissolving view, a word without a meaning: real only to the accidental unit, to whose local and momentary combination it sets a term.

BlueadjectiveUS /bluː/

of the color intermediate between green and violet; having a color similar to that of a clear unclouded sky

From this reading G. P. Putnam's Sons New York and London The Knickerbocker Press (For "An Essence of the Dusk") _Ah! lotus infinite! ah! wild sweet Blue!

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Sense, in thy azure ocean dipped, must die._ The sun goes down, for those alone, who stand on a revolving sphere: and so, in Nature's universal life, Death is but a dissolving view, a word without a meaning: real only to the accidental unit, to whose local and momentary combination it sets a term.

catchverbUS /kætʃ/

discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state

From this reading You never catch her napping.

combinationnounUS /ˌkɑːmbəˈneɪʃən/

a collection of things that have been combined; an assemblage of separate parts or qualities

From this reading Sense, in thy azure ocean dipped, must die._ The sun goes down, for those alone, who stand on a revolving sphere: and so, in Nature's universal life, Death is but a dissolving view, a word without a meaning: real only to the accidental unit, to whose local and momentary combination it sets a term.

DeathnounUS /deθ/

the event of dying or departure from life

From this reading Sense, in thy azure ocean dipped, must die._ The sun goes down, for those alone, who stand on a revolving sphere: and so, in Nature's universal life, Death is but a dissolving view, a word without a meaning: real only to the accidental unit, to whose local and momentary combination it sets a term.

dieverbUS /daɪ/

pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life

From this reading Sense, in thy azure ocean dipped, must die._ The sun goes down, for those alone, who stand on a revolving sphere: and so, in Nature's universal life, Death is but a dissolving view, a word without a meaning: real only to the accidental unit, to whose local and momentary combination it sets a term.

diesnounUS /daɪz/

plural of “die” — a small cube with 1 to 6 spots on the six faces; used in gambling to generate random numbers

From this reading Death is a thing of nought, phenomenal, kaleidoscopic: a juggle of the Mother of Illusion, Prakriti or Máyá, whose magic scene not only never dies, but like her own wild animals, sleeps even with an open eye.

dippedadjectiveUS /dɪpt/

having abnormal sagging of the spine (especially in horses)

From this reading Sense, in thy azure ocean dipped, must die._ The sun goes down, for those alone, who stand on a revolving sphere: and so, in Nature's universal life, Death is but a dissolving view, a word without a meaning: real only to the accidental unit, to whose local and momentary combination it sets a term.

dissolvingnounUS /dɪˈzɔːlvɪŋ/

the process of going into solution

From this reading Sense, in thy azure ocean dipped, must die._ The sun goes down, for those alone, who stand on a revolving sphere: and so, in Nature's universal life, Death is but a dissolving view, a word without a meaning: real only to the accidental unit, to whose local and momentary combination it sets a term.

doneadjectiveUS /dʌn/

having finished or arrived at completion

From this reading And often, when you think that you have done it, she winks at you, just as it were to show you your mistake.

downadjectiveUS /daʊn/

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading Sense, in thy azure ocean dipped, must die._ The sun goes down, for those alone, who stand on a revolving sphere: and so, in Nature's universal life, Death is but a dissolving view, a word without a meaning: real only to the accidental unit, to whose local and momentary combination it sets a term.

DusknounUS /dʌsk/

the time of day immediately following sunset

From this reading G. P. Putnam's Sons New York and London The Knickerbocker Press (For "An Essence of the Dusk") _Ah! lotus infinite! ah! wild sweet Blue!

EssencenounUS /ˈesəns/

the choicest or most essential or most vital part of some idea or experience

From this reading G. P. Putnam's Sons New York and London The Knickerbocker Press (For "An Essence of the Dusk") _Ah! lotus infinite! ah! wild sweet Blue!

evenadjectiveUS /ˈiːvɪn/

divisible by two

From this reading Death is a thing of nought, phenomenal, kaleidoscopic: a juggle of the Mother of Illusion, Prakriti or Máyá, whose magic scene not only never dies, but like her own wild animals, sleeps even with an open eye.

eyenounUS /aɪ/

the organ of sight

From this reading Death is a thing of nought, phenomenal, kaleidoscopic: a juggle of the Mother of Illusion, Prakriti or Máyá, whose magic scene not only never dies, but like her own wild animals, sleeps even with an open eye.

ForprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading G. P. Putnam's Sons New York and London The Knickerbocker Press (For "An Essence of the Dusk") _Ah! lotus infinite! ah! wild sweet Blue!

GnounUS /dʒiː/

a metric unit of weight equal to one thousandth of a kilogram

From this reading G. P. Putnam's Sons New York and London The Knickerbocker Press (For "An Essence of the Dusk") _Ah! lotus infinite! ah! wild sweet Blue!

goesnounUS /ɡoʊz/

plural of “go” — a time period for working (after which you will be relieved by someone else)

From this reading Sense, in thy azure ocean dipped, must die._ The sun goes down, for those alone, who stand on a revolving sphere: and so, in Nature's universal life, Death is but a dissolving view, a word without a meaning: real only to the accidental unit, to whose local and momentary combination it sets a term.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading And often, when you think that you have done it, she winks at you, just as it were to show you your mistake.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading Death is a thing of nought, phenomenal, kaleidoscopic: a juggle of the Mother of Illusion, Prakriti or Máyá, whose magic scene not only never dies, but like her own wild animals, sleeps even with an open eye.

IllusionnounUS /ˌɪˈluːʒən/

an erroneous mental representation

From this reading Death is a thing of nought, phenomenal, kaleidoscopic: a juggle of the Mother of Illusion, Prakriti or Máyá, whose magic scene not only never dies, but like her own wild animals, sleeps even with an open eye.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Sense, in thy azure ocean dipped, must die._ The sun goes down, for those alone, who stand on a revolving sphere: and so, in Nature's universal life, Death is but a dissolving view, a word without a meaning: real only to the accidental unit, to whose local and momentary combination it sets a term.

infiniteadjectiveUS /ˈɪnfənət/

having no limits or boundaries in time or space or extent or magnitude

From this reading G. P. Putnam's Sons New York and London The Knickerbocker Press (For "An Essence of the Dusk") _Ah! lotus infinite! ah! wild sweet Blue!

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading Sense, in thy azure ocean dipped, must die._ The sun goes down, for those alone, who stand on a revolving sphere: and so, in Nature's universal life, Death is but a dissolving view, a word without a meaning: real only to the accidental unit, to whose local and momentary combination it sets a term.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Sense, in thy azure ocean dipped, must die._ The sun goes down, for those alone, who stand on a revolving sphere: and so, in Nature's universal life, Death is but a dissolving view, a word without a meaning: real only to the accidental unit, to whose local and momentary combination it sets a term.

juggleverbUS /ˈdʒʌɡəl/

influence by slyness

From this reading Death is a thing of nought, phenomenal, kaleidoscopic: a juggle of the Mother of Illusion, Prakriti or Máyá, whose magic scene not only never dies, but like her own wild animals, sleeps even with an open eye.

justadverbUS /dʒʌst/

and nothing more

From this reading And often, when you think that you have done it, she winks at you, just as it were to show you your mistake.

kaleidoscopicadjective

continually shifting or rapidly changing

From this reading Death is a thing of nought, phenomenal, kaleidoscopic: a juggle of the Mother of Illusion, Prakriti or Máyá, whose magic scene not only never dies, but like her own wild animals, sleeps even with an open eye.

Knickerbocker

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

From this reading G. P. Putnam's Sons New York and London The Knickerbocker Press (For "An Essence of the Dusk") _Ah! lotus infinite! ah! wild sweet Blue!

lifenounUS /laɪf/

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading Sense, in thy azure ocean dipped, must die._ The sun goes down, for those alone, who stand on a revolving sphere: and so, in Nature's universal life, Death is but a dissolving view, a word without a meaning: real only to the accidental unit, to whose local and momentary combination it sets a term.

likeverbUS /laɪk/

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading Death is a thing of nought, phenomenal, kaleidoscopic: a juggle of the Mother of Illusion, Prakriti or Máyá, whose magic scene not only never dies, but like her own wild animals, sleeps even with an open eye.

localadjectiveUS /ˈloʊkəl/

relating to or applicable to or concerned with the administration of a city or town or district rather than a larger area

From this reading Sense, in thy azure ocean dipped, must die._ The sun goes down, for those alone, who stand on a revolving sphere: and so, in Nature's universal life, Death is but a dissolving view, a word without a meaning: real only to the accidental unit, to whose local and momentary combination it sets a term.

LondonnounUS /ˈlʌndən/

the capital and largest city of England; located on the Thames in southeastern England; financial and industrial and cultural center

From this reading G. P. Putnam's Sons New York and London The Knickerbocker Press (For "An Essence of the Dusk") _Ah! lotus infinite! ah! wild sweet Blue!

lotusnounUS /ˈloʊtəs/

native to eastern Asia; widely cultivated for its large pink or white flowers

From this reading G. P. Putnam's Sons New York and London The Knickerbocker Press (For "An Essence of the Dusk") _Ah! lotus infinite! ah! wild sweet Blue!

magicnounUS /ˈmædʒɪk/

any art that invokes supernatural powers

From this reading Death is a thing of nought, phenomenal, kaleidoscopic: a juggle of the Mother of Illusion, Prakriti or Máyá, whose magic scene not only never dies, but like her own wild animals, sleeps even with an open eye.

meaningnounUS /ˈmiːnɪŋ/

the message that is intended or expressed or signified

From this reading Sense, in thy azure ocean dipped, must die._ The sun goes down, for those alone, who stand on a revolving sphere: and so, in Nature's universal life, Death is but a dissolving view, a word without a meaning: real only to the accidental unit, to whose local and momentary combination it sets a term.

mistakenounUS /mɪˈsteɪk/

a wrong action attributable to bad judgment or ignorance or inattention

From this reading And often, when you think that you have done it, she winks at you, just as it were to show you your mistake.

momentaryadjectiveUS /ˈmoʊmənteri/

lasting for a markedly brief time

From this reading Sense, in thy azure ocean dipped, must die._ The sun goes down, for those alone, who stand on a revolving sphere: and so, in Nature's universal life, Death is but a dissolving view, a word without a meaning: real only to the accidental unit, to whose local and momentary combination it sets a term.

MothernounUS /ˈmʌðər/

a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)

From this reading Death is a thing of nought, phenomenal, kaleidoscopic: a juggle of the Mother of Illusion, Prakriti or Máyá, whose magic scene not only never dies, but like her own wild animals, sleeps even with an open eye.

mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading Sense, in thy azure ocean dipped, must die._ The sun goes down, for those alone, who stand on a revolving sphere: and so, in Nature's universal life, Death is but a dissolving view, a word without a meaning: real only to the accidental unit, to whose local and momentary combination it sets a term.

Máyá

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

From this reading Death is a thing of nought, phenomenal, kaleidoscopic: a juggle of the Mother of Illusion, Prakriti or Máyá, whose magic scene not only never dies, but like her own wild animals, sleeps even with an open eye.

nappingadjectiveUS /ˈnæpɪŋ/

not prepared or vigilant

From this reading You never catch her napping.

Nature'snounUS /ˈneɪtʃərz/

possessive form of “nature” — the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized

From this reading Sense, in thy azure ocean dipped, must die._ The sun goes down, for those alone, who stand on a revolving sphere: and so, in Nature's universal life, Death is but a dissolving view, a word without a meaning: real only to the accidental unit, to whose local and momentary combination it sets a term.

neveradverbUS /ˈnevər/

not ever; at no time in the past or future

From this reading Death is a thing of nought, phenomenal, kaleidoscopic: a juggle of the Mother of Illusion, Prakriti or Máyá, whose magic scene not only never dies, but like her own wild animals, sleeps even with an open eye.

NewadjectiveUS /nuː/

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

From this reading G. P. Putnam's Sons New York and London The Knickerbocker Press (For "An Essence of the Dusk") _Ah! lotus infinite! ah! wild sweet Blue!

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Death is a thing of nought, phenomenal, kaleidoscopic: a juggle of the Mother of Illusion, Prakriti or Máyá, whose magic scene not only never dies, but like her own wild animals, sleeps even with an open eye.

noughtnoun

a mathematical element that when added to another number yields the same number

From this reading Death is a thing of nought, phenomenal, kaleidoscopic: a juggle of the Mother of Illusion, Prakriti or Máyá, whose magic scene not only never dies, but like her own wild animals, sleeps even with an open eye.

oceannounUS /ˈoʊʃən/

a large body of water constituting a principal part of the hydrosphere

From this reading Sense, in thy azure ocean dipped, must die._ The sun goes down, for those alone, who stand on a revolving sphere: and so, in Nature's universal life, Death is but a dissolving view, a word without a meaning: real only to the accidental unit, to whose local and momentary combination it sets a term.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading G. P. Putnam's Sons New York and London The Knickerbocker Press (For "An Essence of the Dusk") _Ah! lotus infinite! ah! wild sweet Blue!

oftenadverbUS /ˈɔːfən/

many times at short intervals

From this reading And often, when you think that you have done it, she winks at you, just as it were to show you your mistake.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Sense, in thy azure ocean dipped, must die._ The sun goes down, for those alone, who stand on a revolving sphere: and so, in Nature's universal life, Death is but a dissolving view, a word without a meaning: real only to the accidental unit, to whose local and momentary combination it sets a term.

onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading Sense, in thy azure ocean dipped, must die._ The sun goes down, for those alone, who stand on a revolving sphere: and so, in Nature's universal life, Death is but a dissolving view, a word without a meaning: real only to the accidental unit, to whose local and momentary combination it sets a term.

openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/

To move from a closed position.

From this reading Death is a thing of nought, phenomenal, kaleidoscopic: a juggle of the Mother of Illusion, Prakriti or Máyá, whose magic scene not only never dies, but like her own wild animals, sleeps even with an open eye.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading Death is a thing of nought, phenomenal, kaleidoscopic: a juggle of the Mother of Illusion, Prakriti or Máyá, whose magic scene not only never dies, but like her own wild animals, sleeps even with an open eye.

ownverbUS /oʊn/

have ownership or possession of

From this reading Death is a thing of nought, phenomenal, kaleidoscopic: a juggle of the Mother of Illusion, Prakriti or Máyá, whose magic scene not only never dies, but like her own wild animals, sleeps even with an open eye.

PnounUS /piː/

a multivalent nonmetallic element of the nitrogen family that occurs commonly in inorganic phosphate rocks and as organic phosphates in all living cells; is highly reactive and occurs in several allotropic forms

From this reading G. P. Putnam's Sons New York and London The Knickerbocker Press (For "An Essence of the Dusk") _Ah! lotus infinite! ah! wild sweet Blue!

phenomenaladjectiveUS /fəˈnɑːmənəl/

of or relating to a phenomenon

From this reading Death is a thing of nought, phenomenal, kaleidoscopic: a juggle of the Mother of Illusion, Prakriti or Máyá, whose magic scene not only never dies, but like her own wild animals, sleeps even with an open eye.

Prakriti

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

From this reading Death is a thing of nought, phenomenal, kaleidoscopic: a juggle of the Mother of Illusion, Prakriti or Máyá, whose magic scene not only never dies, but like her own wild animals, sleeps even with an open eye.

PressverbUS /pres/

exert pressure or force to or upon

From this reading G. P. Putnam's Sons New York and London The Knickerbocker Press (For "An Essence of the Dusk") _Ah! lotus infinite! ah! wild sweet Blue!

Putnam's

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

From this reading G. P. Putnam's Sons New York and London The Knickerbocker Press (For "An Essence of the Dusk") _Ah! lotus infinite! ah! wild sweet Blue!

realadjectiveUS /riːl/

being or occurring in fact or actuality; having verified existence; not illusory

From this reading Sense, in thy azure ocean dipped, must die._ The sun goes down, for those alone, who stand on a revolving sphere: and so, in Nature's universal life, Death is but a dissolving view, a word without a meaning: real only to the accidental unit, to whose local and momentary combination it sets a term.

revolvingverbUS /riˈvɑːlvɪŋ/

-ing form of “revolve” — turn on or around an axis or a center

From this reading Sense, in thy azure ocean dipped, must die._ The sun goes down, for those alone, who stand on a revolving sphere: and so, in Nature's universal life, Death is but a dissolving view, a word without a meaning: real only to the accidental unit, to whose local and momentary combination it sets a term.

scenenounUS /siːn/

the place where some action occurs

From this reading Death is a thing of nought, phenomenal, kaleidoscopic: a juggle of the Mother of Illusion, Prakriti or Máyá, whose magic scene not only never dies, but like her own wild animals, sleeps even with an open eye.

SensenounUS /sens/

a general conscious awareness

From this reading Sense, in thy azure ocean dipped, must die._ The sun goes down, for those alone, who stand on a revolving sphere: and so, in Nature's universal life, Death is but a dissolving view, a word without a meaning: real only to the accidental unit, to whose local and momentary combination it sets a term.

setsnounUS /sets/

plural of “set” — a group of things of the same kind that belong together and are so used

From this reading Sense, in thy azure ocean dipped, must die._ The sun goes down, for those alone, who stand on a revolving sphere: and so, in Nature's universal life, Death is but a dissolving view, a word without a meaning: real only to the accidental unit, to whose local and momentary combination it sets a term.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading And often, when you think that you have done it, she winks at you, just as it were to show you your mistake.

showverbUS /ʃoʊ/

give an exhibition of to an interested audience

From this reading And often, when you think that you have done it, she winks at you, just as it were to show you your mistake.

sleepsnounUS /sliːps/

plural of “sleep” — a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended

From this reading Death is a thing of nought, phenomenal, kaleidoscopic: a juggle of the Mother of Illusion, Prakriti or Máyá, whose magic scene not only never dies, but like her own wild animals, sleeps even with an open eye.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading Sense, in thy azure ocean dipped, must die._ The sun goes down, for those alone, who stand on a revolving sphere: and so, in Nature's universal life, Death is but a dissolving view, a word without a meaning: real only to the accidental unit, to whose local and momentary combination it sets a term.

SonsnounUS /sʌnz/

plural of “son” — a male human offspring

From this reading G. P. Putnam's Sons New York and London The Knickerbocker Press (For "An Essence of the Dusk") _Ah! lotus infinite! ah! wild sweet Blue!

spherenounUS /sfɪr/

a particular environment or walk of life

From this reading Sense, in thy azure ocean dipped, must die._ The sun goes down, for those alone, who stand on a revolving sphere: and so, in Nature's universal life, Death is but a dissolving view, a word without a meaning: real only to the accidental unit, to whose local and momentary combination it sets a term.

standverbUS /stænd/

be standing; be upright

From this reading Sense, in thy azure ocean dipped, must die._ The sun goes down, for those alone, who stand on a revolving sphere: and so, in Nature's universal life, Death is but a dissolving view, a word without a meaning: real only to the accidental unit, to whose local and momentary combination it sets a term.

sunnounUS /sʌn/

the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system

From this reading Sense, in thy azure ocean dipped, must die._ The sun goes down, for those alone, who stand on a revolving sphere: and so, in Nature's universal life, Death is but a dissolving view, a word without a meaning: real only to the accidental unit, to whose local and momentary combination it sets a term.

sweetadjectiveUS /swiːt/

having or denoting the characteristic taste of sugar

From this reading G. P. Putnam's Sons New York and London The Knickerbocker Press (For "An Essence of the Dusk") _Ah! lotus infinite! ah! wild sweet Blue!

termnounUS /tɜːrm/

a word or expression used for some particular thing

From this reading Sense, in thy azure ocean dipped, must die._ The sun goes down, for those alone, who stand on a revolving sphere: and so, in Nature's universal life, Death is but a dissolving view, a word without a meaning: real only to the accidental unit, to whose local and momentary combination it sets a term.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading And often, when you think that you have done it, she winks at you, just as it were to show you your mistake.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading G. P. Putnam's Sons New York and London The Knickerbocker Press (For "An Essence of the Dusk") _Ah! lotus infinite! ah! wild sweet Blue!

thingnounUS /θɪŋ/

a special situation

From this reading Death is a thing of nought, phenomenal, kaleidoscopic: a juggle of the Mother of Illusion, Prakriti or Máyá, whose magic scene not only never dies, but like her own wild animals, sleeps even with an open eye.

thinkverbUS /θɪŋk/

judge or regard; look upon; judge

From this reading And often, when you think that you have done it, she winks at you, just as it were to show you your mistake.

thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading Sense, in thy azure ocean dipped, must die._ The sun goes down, for those alone, who stand on a revolving sphere: and so, in Nature's universal life, Death is but a dissolving view, a word without a meaning: real only to the accidental unit, to whose local and momentary combination it sets a term.

thydeterminerUS /ðaɪ/

an old word for “your”, speaking to one person

From this reading Sense, in thy azure ocean dipped, must die._ The sun goes down, for those alone, who stand on a revolving sphere: and so, in Nature's universal life, Death is but a dissolving view, a word without a meaning: real only to the accidental unit, to whose local and momentary combination it sets a term.

toparticleUS /tuː/

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading Sense, in thy azure ocean dipped, must die._ The sun goes down, for those alone, who stand on a revolving sphere: and so, in Nature's universal life, Death is but a dissolving view, a word without a meaning: real only to the accidental unit, to whose local and momentary combination it sets a term.

unitnounUS /ˈjuːnət/

any division of quantity accepted as a standard of measurement or exchange

From this reading Sense, in thy azure ocean dipped, must die._ The sun goes down, for those alone, who stand on a revolving sphere: and so, in Nature's universal life, Death is but a dissolving view, a word without a meaning: real only to the accidental unit, to whose local and momentary combination it sets a term.

universaladjectiveUS /ˌjuːnəˈvɜːrsəl/

of worldwide scope or applicability

From this reading Sense, in thy azure ocean dipped, must die._ The sun goes down, for those alone, who stand on a revolving sphere: and so, in Nature's universal life, Death is but a dissolving view, a word without a meaning: real only to the accidental unit, to whose local and momentary combination it sets a term.

viewnounUS /vjuː/

a way of regarding situations or topics etc.

From this reading Sense, in thy azure ocean dipped, must die._ The sun goes down, for those alone, who stand on a revolving sphere: and so, in Nature's universal life, Death is but a dissolving view, a word without a meaning: real only to the accidental unit, to whose local and momentary combination it sets a term.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading And often, when you think that you have done it, she winks at you, just as it were to show you your mistake.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading And often, when you think that you have done it, she winks at you, just as it were to show you your mistake.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading Sense, in thy azure ocean dipped, must die._ The sun goes down, for those alone, who stand on a revolving sphere: and so, in Nature's universal life, Death is but a dissolving view, a word without a meaning: real only to the accidental unit, to whose local and momentary combination it sets a term.

whosedeterminerUS /huːz/

belonging to which person

From this reading Sense, in thy azure ocean dipped, must die._ The sun goes down, for those alone, who stand on a revolving sphere: and so, in Nature's universal life, Death is but a dissolving view, a word without a meaning: real only to the accidental unit, to whose local and momentary combination it sets a term.

wildadjectiveUS /waɪld/

marked by extreme lack of restraint or control

From this reading G. P. Putnam's Sons New York and London The Knickerbocker Press (For "An Essence of the Dusk") _Ah! lotus infinite! ah! wild sweet Blue!

winksnounUS /wɪŋks/

plural of “wink” — a very short time (as the time it takes the eye to blink or the heart to beat)

From this reading And often, when you think that you have done it, she winks at you, just as it were to show you your mistake.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Death is a thing of nought, phenomenal, kaleidoscopic: a juggle of the Mother of Illusion, Prakriti or Máyá, whose magic scene not only never dies, but like her own wild animals, sleeps even with an open eye.

withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading Sense, in thy azure ocean dipped, must die._ The sun goes down, for those alone, who stand on a revolving sphere: and so, in Nature's universal life, Death is but a dissolving view, a word without a meaning: real only to the accidental unit, to whose local and momentary combination it sets a term.

wordnounUS /wɜːrd/

a unit of language that native speakers can identify

From this reading Sense, in thy azure ocean dipped, must die._ The sun goes down, for those alone, who stand on a revolving sphere: and so, in Nature's universal life, Death is but a dissolving view, a word without a meaning: real only to the accidental unit, to whose local and momentary combination it sets a term.

YorknounUS /jɔːrk/

the English royal house (a branch of the Plantagenet line) that reigned from 1461 to 1485; its emblem was a white rose

From this reading G. P. Putnam's Sons New York and London The Knickerbocker Press (For "An Essence of the Dusk") _Ah! lotus infinite! ah! wild sweet Blue!

YoupronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading You never catch her napping.

yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading And often, when you think that you have done it, she winks at you, just as it were to show you your mistake.

Chapter 1 of A Draught of the Blue, Together with An Essence of the Dusk by F. W. (Francis William) Bain holds 447 sentences, grouped into 90 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 1 of A Draught of the Blue, Together with An Essence of the Dusk contain?

Chapter 1 holds 447 sentences of A Draught of the Blue, Together with An Essence of the Dusk, unabridged, divided into 90 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of A Draught of the Blue, Together with An Essence of the Dusk by F. W. (Francis William) Bain exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 447 sentences, grouped into 90 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 1 of A Draught of the Blue, Together with An Essence of the Dusk?

Work through the 90 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 90 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 1 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 1 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.

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Common questions about reading A Draught of the Blue, Together with An Essence of the Dusk by F. W. (Francis William) Bain on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of A Draught of the Blue, Together with An Essence of the Dusk?

Yes. All 1740 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #49033 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of A Draught of the Blue, Together with An Essence of the Dusk is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #49033, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does A Draught of the Blue, Together with An Essence of the Dusk take to read?

About 145 minutes of reading across 348 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

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How to work through A Draught of the Blue, Together with An Essence of the Dusk section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

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Vocabulary met early in A Draught of the Blue, Together with An Essence of the Dusk

Words and structures a reader meets early in A Draught of the Blue, Together with An Essence of the Dusk, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Putnam's
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Draught of the Blue, Together with An Essence of the Dusk; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
London
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Draught of the Blue, Together with An Essence of the Dusk; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Knickerbocker
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Draught of the Blue, Together with An Essence of the Dusk; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Press
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Draught of the Blue, Together with An Essence of the Dusk; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.