Chapter 37 of Checkmate is here in full — 203 sentences across 41 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XXXVII
Chapter 37 of Checkmate is here in full — 203 sentences across 41 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
BROKEN. "My hands were very full," said the baron, displaying his stumpy fingers. "I received patients in this house; I had what you call many irons in ze fire. I was making napoleons then, I don't mind telling you, as fast as a man could run bullets. My minutes counted by the crown.
Chapter 37 of Checkmate is here in full — 203 sentences across 41 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/40 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
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.
a nobleman (in various countries) of varying rank
From this reading “"My hands were very full," said the baron, displaying his stumpy fingers.”
plural of “bullet” — a projectile that is fired from a gun
From this reading “I was making napoleons then, I don't mind telling you, as fast as a man could run bullets.”
past form of “count” — determine the number or amount of
From this reading “My minutes counted by the crown.”
the Crown (or the reigning monarch) as the symbol of the power and authority of a monarchy
From this reading “My minutes counted by the crown.”
-ing form of “display” — to show, make visible or apparent
From this reading “"My hands were very full," said the baron, displaying his stumpy fingers.”
metal shackles; for hands or legs
From this reading “"I received patients in this house; I had what you call many irons in ze fire.”
plural of “patient” — a person who requires medical care
From this reading “"I received patients in this house; I had what you call many irons in ze fire.”
disclosing unintentionally something concealed
From this reading “I was making napoleons then, I don't mind telling you, as fast as a man could run bullets.”
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.
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.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading I was making napoleons then, I don't mind telling you, as fast as a man could run bullets.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading I was making napoleons then, I don't mind telling you, as fast as a man could run bullets.
a nobleman (in various countries) of varying rank
From this reading "My hands were very full," said the baron, displaying his stumpy fingers.
physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split
From this reading BROKEN.
plural of “bullet” — a projectile that is fired from a gun
From this reading I was making napoleons then, I don't mind telling you, as fast as a man could run bullets.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading My minutes counted by the crown.
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading "I received patients in this house; I had what you call many irons in ze fire.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading I was making napoleons then, I don't mind telling you, as fast as a man could run bullets.
past form of “count” — determine the number or amount of
From this reading My minutes counted by the crown.
the Crown (or the reigning monarch) as the symbol of the power and authority of a monarchy
From this reading My minutes counted by the crown.
-ing form of “display” — to show, make visible or apparent
From this reading "My hands were very full," said the baron, displaying his stumpy fingers.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was making napoleons then, I don't mind telling you, as fast as a man could run bullets.
quickly or rapidly (often used as a combining form)
From this reading I was making napoleons then, I don't mind telling you, as fast as a man could run bullets.
plural of “finger” — any of the terminal members of the hand (sometimes excepting the thumb)
From this reading "My hands were very full," said the baron, displaying his stumpy fingers.
start firing a weapon
From this reading "I received patients in this house; I had what you call many irons in ze fire.
containing as much or as many as is possible or normal
From this reading "My hands were very full," said the baron, displaying his stumpy fingers.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading "I received patients in this house; I had what you call many irons in ze fire.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading "My hands were very full," said the baron, displaying his stumpy fingers.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading "My hands were very full," said the baron, displaying his stumpy fingers.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading "I received patients in this house; I had what you call many irons in ze fire.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "I received patients in this house; I had what you call many irons in ze fire.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "I received patients in this house; I had what you call many irons in ze fire.
metal shackles; for hands or legs
From this reading "I received patients in this house; I had what you call many irons in ze fire.
the act that results in something coming to be
From this reading I was making napoleons then, I don't mind telling you, as fast as a man could run bullets.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading I was making napoleons then, I don't mind telling you, as fast as a man could run bullets.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading "I received patients in this house; I had what you call many irons in ze fire.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading I was making napoleons then, I don't mind telling you, as fast as a man could run bullets.
a written account of what transpired at a meeting
From this reading My minutes counted by the crown.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading "My hands were very full," said the baron, displaying his stumpy fingers.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was making napoleons then, I don't mind telling you, as fast as a man could run bullets.
plural of “patient” — a person who requires medical care
From this reading "I received patients in this house; I had what you call many irons in ze fire.
conforming to the established language usage of educated native speakers
From this reading "I received patients in this house; I had what you call many irons in ze fire.
move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time
From this reading I was making napoleons then, I don't mind telling you, as fast as a man could run bullets.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "My hands were very full," said the baron, displaying his stumpy fingers.
short and thick; as e.g. having short legs and heavy musculature
From this reading "My hands were very full," said the baron, displaying his stumpy fingers.
disclosing unintentionally something concealed
From this reading I was making napoleons then, I don't mind telling you, as fast as a man could run bullets.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "My hands were very full," said the baron, displaying his stumpy fingers.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading I was making napoleons then, I don't mind telling you, as fast as a man could run bullets.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading "I received patients in this house; I had what you call many irons in ze fire.
precisely as stated
From this reading "My hands were very full," said the baron, displaying his stumpy fingers.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading I was making napoleons then, I don't mind telling you, as fast as a man could run bullets.
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "My hands were very full," said the baron, displaying his stumpy fingers.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading "I received patients in this house; I had what you call many irons in ze fire.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "I received patients in this house; I had what you call many irons in ze fire.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I received patients in this house; I had what you call many irons in ze fire.
Chapter 37 of Checkmate by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu holds 203 sentences, grouped into 41 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.
Chapter 37 holds 203 sentences of Checkmate, unabridged, divided into 41 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 37 of Checkmate by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 203 sentences, grouped into 41 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.
Work through the 41 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 41 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.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 37 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.
Common questions about reading Checkmate by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 9388 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #38460 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #38460, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 600 minutes of reading across 1878 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Checkmate section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 40 chapters of Checkmate to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in Checkmate, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
