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Billy Topsail & Company: A Story for Boys
Billy Topsail & Company: A Story for Boys

Chapter XV · Chapter 15

Chapter 15 of Billy Topsail & Company: A Story for Boys is here in full — 121 sentences across 25 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Billy Topsail & Company: A Story for Boys
Context Illustration Reading 1/24 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
_In Which it Appears to Jimmie Grimm and Master Bagg That Sixty Seconds Sometimes Make More Than a Minute_ Ruddy Cove is deep--vastly deep--except in one part.
That is in Burnt Cove within the harbour.
There at low tide it is shallow.
Rocks protrude from the water--dripping and covered with a slimy seaweed.
And Burnt Cove lies near the tickle to the sea.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
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A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Billy Topsail & Company: A Story for Boys

Chapter XV · Chapter 15

Chapter 15 of Billy Topsail & Company: A Story for Boys is here in full — 121 sentences across 25 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/24 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
_In Which it Appears to Jimmie Grimm and Master Bagg That Sixty Seconds Sometimes Make More Than a Minute_ Ruddy Cove is deep--vastly deep--except in one part.
Line 2
That is in Burnt Cove within the harbour.
/ðæt ɪz ɪn bɜːrnt koʊv wɪˈðɪn ðə ˈhɑːrbər/
Line 3
There at low tide it is shallow.
/ðer æt loʊ taɪd ɪt ɪz ˈʃæloʊ/
Line 4
Rocks protrude from the water--dripping and covered with a slimy seaweed.
Line 5
And Burnt Cove lies near the tickle to the sea.
/ənd bɜːrnt koʊv laɪz nɪr ðə ˈtɪkəl tuː ðə siː/

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.

Cove noun US /koʊv/

a small inlet

From this reading “_In Which it Appears to Jimmie Grimm and Master Bagg That Sixty Seconds Sometimes Make More Than a Minute_ Ruddy Cove is deep--vastly deep--except in one part.”

Grimm noun US /ɡrɪm/

the younger of the two Grimm brothers remembered best for their fairy stories (1786-1859)

From this reading “_In Which it Appears to Jimmie Grimm and Master Bagg That Sixty Seconds Sometimes Make More Than a Minute_ Ruddy Cove is deep--vastly deep--except in one part.”

protrude verb US /proʊˈtruːd/

extend out or project in space

From this reading “Rocks protrude from the water--dripping and covered with a slimy seaweed.”

Ruddy adjective US /ˈrʌdi/

inclined to a healthy reddish color often associated with outdoor life

From this reading “_In Which it Appears to Jimmie Grimm and Master Bagg That Sixty Seconds Sometimes Make More Than a Minute_ Ruddy Cove is deep--vastly deep--except in one part.”

seaweed noun US /ˈsiːwiːd/

plant growing in the sea, especially marine algae

From this reading “Rocks protrude from the water--dripping and covered with a slimy seaweed.”

slimy adjective US /ˈslaɪmi/

covered with or resembling slime

From this reading “Rocks protrude from the water--dripping and covered with a slimy seaweed.”

tickle verb US /ˈtɪkəl/

touch (a body part) lightly so as to excite the surface nerves and cause uneasiness, laughter, or spasmodic movements

From this reading “And Burnt Cove lies near the tickle to the sea.”

vastly adverb US /ˈvæstli/

to an exceedingly great extent or degree

From this reading “_In Which it Appears to Jimmie Grimm and Master Bagg That Sixty Seconds Sometimes Make More Than a Minute_ Ruddy Cove is deep--vastly deep--except in one part.”

All words in this reading · 49

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 _In Which it Appears to Jimmie Grimm and Master Bagg That Sixty Seconds Sometimes Make More Than a Minute_ Ruddy Cove is deep--vastly deep--except in one part.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading _In Which it Appears to Jimmie Grimm and Master Bagg That Sixty Seconds Sometimes Make More Than a Minute_ Ruddy Cove is deep--vastly deep--except in one part.

AppearsverbUS /əˈpɪrz/

third-person singular of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading _In Which it Appears to Jimmie Grimm and Master Bagg That Sixty Seconds Sometimes Make More Than a Minute_ Ruddy Cove is deep--vastly deep--except in one part.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading There at low tide it is shallow.

Bagg

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

From this reading _In Which it Appears to Jimmie Grimm and Master Bagg That Sixty Seconds Sometimes Make More Than a Minute_ Ruddy Cove is deep--vastly deep--except in one part.

BurntadjectiveUS /bɜːrnt/

ruined by overcooking

From this reading That is in Burnt Cove within the harbour.

CovenounUS /koʊv/

a small inlet

From this reading _In Which it Appears to Jimmie Grimm and Master Bagg That Sixty Seconds Sometimes Make More Than a Minute_ Ruddy Cove is deep--vastly deep--except in one part.

coveredadjectiveUS /ˈkʌvərd/

overlaid or spread or topped with or enclosed within something; sometimes used as a combining form

From this reading Rocks protrude from the water--dripping and covered with a slimy seaweed.

deepadjectiveUS /diːp/

relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply

From this reading _In Which it Appears to Jimmie Grimm and Master Bagg That Sixty Seconds Sometimes Make More Than a Minute_ Ruddy Cove is deep--vastly deep--except in one part.

drippingnounUS /ˈdrɪpɪŋ/

a liquid (as water) that flows in drops (as from the eaves of house)

From this reading Rocks protrude from the water--dripping and covered with a slimy seaweed.

exceptprepositionUS /ɪkˈsept/

apart from; not including

From this reading _In Which it Appears to Jimmie Grimm and Master Bagg That Sixty Seconds Sometimes Make More Than a Minute_ Ruddy Cove is deep--vastly deep--except in one part.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Rocks protrude from the water--dripping and covered with a slimy seaweed.

GrimmnounUS /ɡrɪm/

the younger of the two Grimm brothers remembered best for their fairy stories (1786-1859)

From this reading _In Which it Appears to Jimmie Grimm and Master Bagg That Sixty Seconds Sometimes Make More Than a Minute_ Ruddy Cove is deep--vastly deep--except in one part.

harbourverbUS /ˈhɑːrbər/

secretly shelter (as of fugitives or criminals)

From this reading That is in Burnt Cove within the harbour.

InprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading _In Which it Appears to Jimmie Grimm and Master Bagg That Sixty Seconds Sometimes Make More Than a Minute_ Ruddy Cove is deep--vastly deep--except in one part.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading _In Which it Appears to Jimmie Grimm and Master Bagg That Sixty Seconds Sometimes Make More Than a Minute_ Ruddy Cove is deep--vastly deep--except in one part.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading _In Which it Appears to Jimmie Grimm and Master Bagg That Sixty Seconds Sometimes Make More Than a Minute_ Ruddy Cove is deep--vastly deep--except in one part.

Jimmie

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

From this reading _In Which it Appears to Jimmie Grimm and Master Bagg That Sixty Seconds Sometimes Make More Than a Minute_ Ruddy Cove is deep--vastly deep--except in one part.

liesnounUS /laɪz/

plural of “lie” — a statement that deviates from or perverts the truth

From this reading And Burnt Cove lies near the tickle to the sea.

lowadjectiveUS /loʊ/

less than normal in degree or intensity or amount

From this reading There at low tide it is shallow.

MakeverbUS /meɪk/

engage in

From this reading _In Which it Appears to Jimmie Grimm and Master Bagg That Sixty Seconds Sometimes Make More Than a Minute_ Ruddy Cove is deep--vastly deep--except in one part.

MasternounUS /ˈmæstər/

an artist of consummate skill

From this reading _In Which it Appears to Jimmie Grimm and Master Bagg That Sixty Seconds Sometimes Make More Than a Minute_ Ruddy Cove is deep--vastly deep--except in one part.

MinutenounUS /ˈmɪnət/

a unit of time equal to 60 seconds or 1/60th of an hour

From this reading _In Which it Appears to Jimmie Grimm and Master Bagg That Sixty Seconds Sometimes Make More Than a Minute_ Ruddy Cove is deep--vastly deep--except in one part.

MoreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading _In Which it Appears to Jimmie Grimm and Master Bagg That Sixty Seconds Sometimes Make More Than a Minute_ Ruddy Cove is deep--vastly deep--except in one part.

nearadverbUS /nɪr/

near in time or place or relationship

From this reading And Burnt Cove lies near the tickle to the sea.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading _In Which it Appears to Jimmie Grimm and Master Bagg That Sixty Seconds Sometimes Make More Than a Minute_ Ruddy Cove is deep--vastly deep--except in one part.

partnounUS /pɑːrt/

something determined in relation to something that includes it

From this reading _In Which it Appears to Jimmie Grimm and Master Bagg That Sixty Seconds Sometimes Make More Than a Minute_ Ruddy Cove is deep--vastly deep--except in one part.

protrudeverbUS /proʊˈtruːd/

extend out or project in space

From this reading Rocks protrude from the water--dripping and covered with a slimy seaweed.

RocksnounUS /rɑːks/

plural of “rock” — a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter

From this reading Rocks protrude from the water--dripping and covered with a slimy seaweed.

RuddyadjectiveUS /ˈrʌdi/

inclined to a healthy reddish color often associated with outdoor life

From this reading _In Which it Appears to Jimmie Grimm and Master Bagg That Sixty Seconds Sometimes Make More Than a Minute_ Ruddy Cove is deep--vastly deep--except in one part.

seanounUS /siː/

a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land

From this reading And Burnt Cove lies near the tickle to the sea.

seaweednounUS /ˈsiːwiːd/

plant growing in the sea, especially marine algae

From this reading Rocks protrude from the water--dripping and covered with a slimy seaweed.

SecondsnounUS /ˈsekəndz/

plural of “second” — 1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites

From this reading _In Which it Appears to Jimmie Grimm and Master Bagg That Sixty Seconds Sometimes Make More Than a Minute_ Ruddy Cove is deep--vastly deep--except in one part.

shallowadjectiveUS /ˈʃæloʊ/

lacking physical depth; having little spatial extension downward or inward from an outer surface or backward or outward from a center

From this reading There at low tide it is shallow.

SixtyadjectiveUS /ˈsɪksti/

being ten more than fifty

From this reading _In Which it Appears to Jimmie Grimm and Master Bagg That Sixty Seconds Sometimes Make More Than a Minute_ Ruddy Cove is deep--vastly deep--except in one part.

slimyadjectiveUS /ˈslaɪmi/

covered with or resembling slime

From this reading Rocks protrude from the water--dripping and covered with a slimy seaweed.

SometimesadverbUS /səmˈtaɪmz/

on certain occasions or in certain cases but not always

From this reading _In Which it Appears to Jimmie Grimm and Master Bagg That Sixty Seconds Sometimes Make More Than a Minute_ Ruddy Cove is deep--vastly deep--except in one part.

ThanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading _In Which it Appears to Jimmie Grimm and Master Bagg That Sixty Seconds Sometimes Make More Than a Minute_ Ruddy Cove is deep--vastly deep--except in one part.

ThatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading _In Which it Appears to Jimmie Grimm and Master Bagg That Sixty Seconds Sometimes Make More Than a Minute_ Ruddy Cove is deep--vastly deep--except in one part.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading That is in Burnt Cove within the harbour.

ThereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading There at low tide it is shallow.

tickleverbUS /ˈtɪkəl/

touch (a body part) lightly so as to excite the surface nerves and cause uneasiness, laughter, or spasmodic movements

From this reading And Burnt Cove lies near the tickle to the sea.

tidenounUS /taɪd/

the periodic rise and fall of the sea level under the gravitational pull of the moon

From this reading There at low tide it is shallow.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading _In Which it Appears to Jimmie Grimm and Master Bagg That Sixty Seconds Sometimes Make More Than a Minute_ Ruddy Cove is deep--vastly deep--except in one part.

vastlyadverbUS /ˈvæstli/

to an exceedingly great extent or degree

From this reading _In Which it Appears to Jimmie Grimm and Master Bagg That Sixty Seconds Sometimes Make More Than a Minute_ Ruddy Cove is deep--vastly deep--except in one part.

waternounUS /ˈwɔːtər/

binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent

From this reading Rocks protrude from the water--dripping and covered with a slimy seaweed.

WhichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading _In Which it Appears to Jimmie Grimm and Master Bagg That Sixty Seconds Sometimes Make More Than a Minute_ Ruddy Cove is deep--vastly deep--except in one part.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Rocks protrude from the water--dripping and covered with a slimy seaweed.

withinprepositionUS /wɪˈðɪn/

inside; before a period of time has passed

From this reading That is in Burnt Cove within the harbour.

Chapter 15 of Billy Topsail & Company: A Story for Boys by Norman Duncan holds 121 sentences, grouped into 25 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 15 of Billy Topsail & Company: A Story for Boys contain?

Chapter 15 holds 121 sentences of Billy Topsail & Company: A Story for Boys, unabridged, divided into 25 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 15 of Billy Topsail & Company: A Story for Boys by Norman Duncan exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 121 sentences, grouped into 25 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 15 of Billy Topsail & Company: A Story for Boys?

Work through the 25 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 25 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 15 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 15 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 Billy Topsail & Company: A Story for Boys

Common questions about reading Billy Topsail & Company: A Story for Boys by Norman Duncan on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Billy Topsail & Company: A Story for Boys?

Yes. All 4115 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #29130 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Billy Topsail & Company: A Story for Boys is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #29130, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Billy Topsail & Company: A Story for Boys take to read?

About 342 minutes of reading across 823 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Billy Topsail & Company: A Story for Boys section by section

How to work through Billy Topsail & Company: A Story for Boys section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

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  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 Billy Topsail & Company: A Story for Boys

Words and structures a reader meets early in Billy Topsail & Company: A Story for Boys, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Invent
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Billy Topsail & Company: A Story for Boys; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Conditions
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Billy Topsail & Company: A Story for Boys; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Imagine
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Billy Topsail & Company: A Story for Boys; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Situations
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Billy Topsail & Company: A Story for Boys; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.