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Crotchet Castle
Crotchet Castle

Chapter XII · Chapter 12

Chapter 12 of Crotchet Castle is here in full — 40 sentences across 8 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/8 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE MOUNTAIN INN.
Ως ἡδὺ τῴ μισοῦτι τοὺς φαύλους πρόπους Ερημία.
How sweet to minds that love not sordid ways Is solitude!—MENANDER.
THE Captain wandered despondingly up and down hill for several days, passing many hours of each in sitting on rocks; making, almost mechanically, sketches of waterfalls, and mountain pools; taking care, nevertheless, to be always before nightfall in a comfortable inn, where, being a temperate man, he whiled away the evening with making a bottle of sherry into negus.
His rambles brought him at length into the interior of Merionethshire, the land of all that is beautiful in nature, and all that is lovely in woman.
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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.

Crotchet Castle

Chapter XII · Chapter 12

Chapter 12 of Crotchet Castle is here in full — 40 sentences across 8 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/8 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE MOUNTAIN INN.
/ðə ˈmaʊntən ɪn/
Line 2
Ως ἡδὺ τῴ μισοῦτι τοὺς φαύλους πρόπουςΕρημία.
Line 3
How sweet to minds that love not sordid ways Is solitude!—MENANDER.
Line 4
THE Captain wandered despondingly up and down hill for several days, passing many hours of each in sitting on rocks; making, almost mechanically, sketches of waterfalls, and mountain pools; taking care, nevertheless, to be always before nightfall in a comfortable inn, where, being a temperate man, he whiled away the evening with making a bottle of sherry into negus.
Line 5
His rambles brought him at length into the interior of Merionethshire, the land of all that is beautiful in nature, and all that is lovely in woman.

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.

negus noun US /ˈniːɡəs/

wine and hot water with sugar and lemon juice and nutmeg

From this reading “THE Captain wandered despondingly up and down hill for several days, passing many hours of each in sitting on rocks; making, almost mechanically, sketches of waterfalls, and mountain pools; taking care, nevertheless, to be always before nightfall in a comfortable inn, where, being a temperate man, he whiled away the evening with making a bottle of sherry into negus.”

nightfall noun US /ˈnaɪtfɔːl/

the time of day immediately following sunset

From this reading “THE Captain wandered despondingly up and down hill for several days, passing many hours of each in sitting on rocks; making, almost mechanically, sketches of waterfalls, and mountain pools; taking care, nevertheless, to be always before nightfall in a comfortable inn, where, being a temperate man, he whiled away the evening with making a bottle of sherry into negus.”

pools noun US /puːlz/

plural of “pool” — an excavation that is (usually) filled with water

From this reading “THE Captain wandered despondingly up and down hill for several days, passing many hours of each in sitting on rocks; making, almost mechanically, sketches of waterfalls, and mountain pools; taking care, nevertheless, to be always before nightfall in a comfortable inn, where, being a temperate man, he whiled away the evening with making a bottle of sherry into negus.”

sherry noun US /ˈʃeri/

dry to sweet amber wine from the Jerez region of southern Spain or similar wines produced elsewhere; usually drunk as an aperitif

From this reading “THE Captain wandered despondingly up and down hill for several days, passing many hours of each in sitting on rocks; making, almost mechanically, sketches of waterfalls, and mountain pools; taking care, nevertheless, to be always before nightfall in a comfortable inn, where, being a temperate man, he whiled away the evening with making a bottle of sherry into negus.”

sketches noun US /ˈsketʃəz/

plural of “sketch” — preliminary drawing for later elaboration

From this reading “THE Captain wandered despondingly up and down hill for several days, passing many hours of each in sitting on rocks; making, almost mechanically, sketches of waterfalls, and mountain pools; taking care, nevertheless, to be always before nightfall in a comfortable inn, where, being a temperate man, he whiled away the evening with making a bottle of sherry into negus.”

sordid adjective US /ˈsɔːrdəd/

morally degraded

From this reading “How sweet to minds that love not sordid ways Is solitude!—MENANDER.”

temperate adjective US /ˈtemprət/

(of weather or climate) free from extremes; mild; or characteristic of such weather or climate

From this reading “THE Captain wandered despondingly up and down hill for several days, passing many hours of each in sitting on rocks; making, almost mechanically, sketches of waterfalls, and mountain pools; taking care, nevertheless, to be always before nightfall in a comfortable inn, where, being a temperate man, he whiled away the evening with making a bottle of sherry into negus.”

waterfalls noun US /ˈwɔːtərfɔːlz/

plural of “waterfall” — a steep descent of the water of a river

From this reading “THE Captain wandered despondingly up and down hill for several days, passing many hours of each in sitting on rocks; making, almost mechanically, sketches of waterfalls, and mountain pools; taking care, nevertheless, to be always before nightfall in a comfortable inn, where, being a temperate man, he whiled away the evening with making a bottle of sherry into negus.”

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 THE Captain wandered despondingly up and down hill for several days, passing many hours of each in sitting on rocks; making, almost mechanically, sketches of waterfalls, and mountain pools; taking care, nevertheless, to be always before nightfall in a comfortable inn, where, being a temperate man, he whiled away the evening with making a bottle of sherry into negus.

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 His rambles brought him at length into the interior of Merionethshire, the land of all that is beautiful in nature, and all that is lovely in woman.

almostadverbUS /ˈɔːlmoʊst/

(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but

From this reading THE Captain wandered despondingly up and down hill for several days, passing many hours of each in sitting on rocks; making, almost mechanically, sketches of waterfalls, and mountain pools; taking care, nevertheless, to be always before nightfall in a comfortable inn, where, being a temperate man, he whiled away the evening with making a bottle of sherry into negus.

alwaysadverbUS /ˈɔːlweɪz/

at all times; all the time and on every occasion

From this reading THE Captain wandered despondingly up and down hill for several days, passing many hours of each in sitting on rocks; making, almost mechanically, sketches of waterfalls, and mountain pools; taking care, nevertheless, to be always before nightfall in a comfortable inn, where, being a temperate man, he whiled away the evening with making a bottle of sherry into negus.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading THE Captain wandered despondingly up and down hill for several days, passing many hours of each in sitting on rocks; making, almost mechanically, sketches of waterfalls, and mountain pools; taking care, nevertheless, to be always before nightfall in a comfortable inn, where, being a temperate man, he whiled away the evening with making a bottle of sherry into negus.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading His rambles brought him at length into the interior of Merionethshire, the land of all that is beautiful in nature, and all that is lovely in woman.

awayadverbUS /əˈweɪ/

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading THE Captain wandered despondingly up and down hill for several days, passing many hours of each in sitting on rocks; making, almost mechanically, sketches of waterfalls, and mountain pools; taking care, nevertheless, to be always before nightfall in a comfortable inn, where, being a temperate man, he whiled away the evening with making a bottle of sherry into negus.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading THE Captain wandered despondingly up and down hill for several days, passing many hours of each in sitting on rocks; making, almost mechanically, sketches of waterfalls, and mountain pools; taking care, nevertheless, to be always before nightfall in a comfortable inn, where, being a temperate man, he whiled away the evening with making a bottle of sherry into negus.

beautifuladjectiveUS /ˈbjuːtəfəl/

delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration

From this reading His rambles brought him at length into the interior of Merionethshire, the land of all that is beautiful in nature, and all that is lovely in woman.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading THE Captain wandered despondingly up and down hill for several days, passing many hours of each in sitting on rocks; making, almost mechanically, sketches of waterfalls, and mountain pools; taking care, nevertheless, to be always before nightfall in a comfortable inn, where, being a temperate man, he whiled away the evening with making a bottle of sherry into negus.

beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading THE Captain wandered despondingly up and down hill for several days, passing many hours of each in sitting on rocks; making, almost mechanically, sketches of waterfalls, and mountain pools; taking care, nevertheless, to be always before nightfall in a comfortable inn, where, being a temperate man, he whiled away the evening with making a bottle of sherry into negus.

bottlenounUS /ˈbɑːtəl/

a glass or plastic vessel used for storing drinks or other liquids; typically cylindrical without handles and with a narrow neck that can be plugged or capped

From this reading THE Captain wandered despondingly up and down hill for several days, passing many hours of each in sitting on rocks; making, almost mechanically, sketches of waterfalls, and mountain pools; taking care, nevertheless, to be always before nightfall in a comfortable inn, where, being a temperate man, he whiled away the evening with making a bottle of sherry into negus.

broughtverbUS /brɔːt/

inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere

From this reading His rambles brought him at length into the interior of Merionethshire, the land of all that is beautiful in nature, and all that is lovely in woman.

CaptainnounUS /ˈkæptən/

an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant

From this reading THE Captain wandered despondingly up and down hill for several days, passing many hours of each in sitting on rocks; making, almost mechanically, sketches of waterfalls, and mountain pools; taking care, nevertheless, to be always before nightfall in a comfortable inn, where, being a temperate man, he whiled away the evening with making a bottle of sherry into negus.

carenounUS /ker/

the work of providing treatment for or attending to someone or something

From this reading THE Captain wandered despondingly up and down hill for several days, passing many hours of each in sitting on rocks; making, almost mechanically, sketches of waterfalls, and mountain pools; taking care, nevertheless, to be always before nightfall in a comfortable inn, where, being a temperate man, he whiled away the evening with making a bottle of sherry into negus.

comfortableadjectiveUS /ˈkʌmfərtəbəl/

providing or experiencing physical well-being or relief (“comfy” is informal)

From this reading THE Captain wandered despondingly up and down hill for several days, passing many hours of each in sitting on rocks; making, almost mechanically, sketches of waterfalls, and mountain pools; taking care, nevertheless, to be always before nightfall in a comfortable inn, where, being a temperate man, he whiled away the evening with making a bottle of sherry into negus.

daysnounUS /deɪz/

the time during which someone's life continues

From this reading THE Captain wandered despondingly up and down hill for several days, passing many hours of each in sitting on rocks; making, almost mechanically, sketches of waterfalls, and mountain pools; taking care, nevertheless, to be always before nightfall in a comfortable inn, where, being a temperate man, he whiled away the evening with making a bottle of sherry into negus.

despondingly

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

From this reading THE Captain wandered despondingly up and down hill for several days, passing many hours of each in sitting on rocks; making, almost mechanically, sketches of waterfalls, and mountain pools; taking care, nevertheless, to be always before nightfall in a comfortable inn, where, being a temperate man, he whiled away the evening with making a bottle of sherry into negus.

downadjectiveUS /daʊn/

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading THE Captain wandered despondingly up and down hill for several days, passing many hours of each in sitting on rocks; making, almost mechanically, sketches of waterfalls, and mountain pools; taking care, nevertheless, to be always before nightfall in a comfortable inn, where, being a temperate man, he whiled away the evening with making a bottle of sherry into negus.

eachdeterminerUS /iːtʃ/

every one of two or more people or things, taken separately

From this reading THE Captain wandered despondingly up and down hill for several days, passing many hours of each in sitting on rocks; making, almost mechanically, sketches of waterfalls, and mountain pools; taking care, nevertheless, to be always before nightfall in a comfortable inn, where, being a temperate man, he whiled away the evening with making a bottle of sherry into negus.

eveningnounUS /ˈiːvnɪŋ/

the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)

From this reading THE Captain wandered despondingly up and down hill for several days, passing many hours of each in sitting on rocks; making, almost mechanically, sketches of waterfalls, and mountain pools; taking care, nevertheless, to be always before nightfall in a comfortable inn, where, being a temperate man, he whiled away the evening with making a bottle of sherry into negus.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading THE Captain wandered despondingly up and down hill for several days, passing many hours of each in sitting on rocks; making, almost mechanically, sketches of waterfalls, and mountain pools; taking care, nevertheless, to be always before nightfall in a comfortable inn, where, being a temperate man, he whiled away the evening with making a bottle of sherry into negus.

hepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading THE Captain wandered despondingly up and down hill for several days, passing many hours of each in sitting on rocks; making, almost mechanically, sketches of waterfalls, and mountain pools; taking care, nevertheless, to be always before nightfall in a comfortable inn, where, being a temperate man, he whiled away the evening with making a bottle of sherry into negus.

hillnounUS /hɪl/

a local and well-defined elevation of the land

From this reading THE Captain wandered despondingly up and down hill for several days, passing many hours of each in sitting on rocks; making, almost mechanically, sketches of waterfalls, and mountain pools; taking care, nevertheless, to be always before nightfall in a comfortable inn, where, being a temperate man, he whiled away the evening with making a bottle of sherry into negus.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading His rambles brought him at length into the interior of Merionethshire, the land of all that is beautiful in nature, and all that is lovely in woman.

HisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading His rambles brought him at length into the interior of Merionethshire, the land of all that is beautiful in nature, and all that is lovely in woman.

hoursnounUS /ˈaʊərz/

a period of time assigned for work

From this reading THE Captain wandered despondingly up and down hill for several days, passing many hours of each in sitting on rocks; making, almost mechanically, sketches of waterfalls, and mountain pools; taking care, nevertheless, to be always before nightfall in a comfortable inn, where, being a temperate man, he whiled away the evening with making a bottle of sherry into negus.

How

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

From this reading How sweet to minds that love not sordid ways Is solitude!—MENANDER.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading THE Captain wandered despondingly up and down hill for several days, passing many hours of each in sitting on rocks; making, almost mechanically, sketches of waterfalls, and mountain pools; taking care, nevertheless, to be always before nightfall in a comfortable inn, where, being a temperate man, he whiled away the evening with making a bottle of sherry into negus.

INNnounUS /ɪn/

a hotel providing overnight lodging for travelers

From this reading THE MOUNTAIN INN.

interioradjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈtɪriər/

situated within or suitable for inside a building

From this reading His rambles brought him at length into the interior of Merionethshire, the land of all that is beautiful in nature, and all that is lovely in woman.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading THE Captain wandered despondingly up and down hill for several days, passing many hours of each in sitting on rocks; making, almost mechanically, sketches of waterfalls, and mountain pools; taking care, nevertheless, to be always before nightfall in a comfortable inn, where, being a temperate man, he whiled away the evening with making a bottle of sherry into negus.

Isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading How sweet to minds that love not sordid ways Is solitude!—MENANDER.

landnounUS /lænd/

the land on which real estate is located

From this reading His rambles brought him at length into the interior of Merionethshire, the land of all that is beautiful in nature, and all that is lovely in woman.

lengthnounUS /leŋkθ/

the linear extent in space from one end to the other; the longest dimension of something that is fixed in place

From this reading His rambles brought him at length into the interior of Merionethshire, the land of all that is beautiful in nature, and all that is lovely in woman.

lovenounUS /lʌv/

a strong positive emotion of regard and affection

From this reading How sweet to minds that love not sordid ways Is solitude!—MENANDER.

lovelyadjectiveUS /ˈlʌvli/

appealing to the emotions as well as the eye

From this reading His rambles brought him at length into the interior of Merionethshire, the land of all that is beautiful in nature, and all that is lovely in woman.

makingnounUS /ˈmeɪkɪŋ/

the act that results in something coming to be

From this reading THE Captain wandered despondingly up and down hill for several days, passing many hours of each in sitting on rocks; making, almost mechanically, sketches of waterfalls, and mountain pools; taking care, nevertheless, to be always before nightfall in a comfortable inn, where, being a temperate man, he whiled away the evening with making a bottle of sherry into negus.

mannounUS /mæn/

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

From this reading THE Captain wandered despondingly up and down hill for several days, passing many hours of each in sitting on rocks; making, almost mechanically, sketches of waterfalls, and mountain pools; taking care, nevertheless, to be always before nightfall in a comfortable inn, where, being a temperate man, he whiled away the evening with making a bottle of sherry into negus.

manyadjectiveUS /ˈmeni/

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 THE Captain wandered despondingly up and down hill for several days, passing many hours of each in sitting on rocks; making, almost mechanically, sketches of waterfalls, and mountain pools; taking care, nevertheless, to be always before nightfall in a comfortable inn, where, being a temperate man, he whiled away the evening with making a bottle of sherry into negus.

mechanicallyadverbUS /məˈkænɪkli/

in a mechanical manner; by a mechanism

From this reading THE Captain wandered despondingly up and down hill for several days, passing many hours of each in sitting on rocks; making, almost mechanically, sketches of waterfalls, and mountain pools; taking care, nevertheless, to be always before nightfall in a comfortable inn, where, being a temperate man, he whiled away the evening with making a bottle of sherry into negus.

MENANDERnoun

comic dramatist of ancient Greece (342-292 BC)

From this reading How sweet to minds that love not sordid ways Is solitude!—MENANDER.

Merionethshire

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

From this reading His rambles brought him at length into the interior of Merionethshire, the land of all that is beautiful in nature, and all that is lovely in woman.

mindsnounUS /maɪndz/

plural of “mind” — that which is responsible for one's thoughts, feelings, and conscious brain functions; the seat of the faculty of reason

From this reading How sweet to minds that love not sordid ways Is solitude!—MENANDER.

MOUNTAINnounUS /ˈmaʊntən/

a land mass that projects well above its surroundings; higher than a hill

From this reading THE MOUNTAIN INN.

naturenounUS /ˈneɪtʃər/

the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized

From this reading His rambles brought him at length into the interior of Merionethshire, the land of all that is beautiful in nature, and all that is lovely in woman.

negusnounUS /ˈniːɡəs/

wine and hot water with sugar and lemon juice and nutmeg

From this reading THE Captain wandered despondingly up and down hill for several days, passing many hours of each in sitting on rocks; making, almost mechanically, sketches of waterfalls, and mountain pools; taking care, nevertheless, to be always before nightfall in a comfortable inn, where, being a temperate man, he whiled away the evening with making a bottle of sherry into negus.

neverthelessadverbUS /ˌnevərðəˈles/

in spite of what has just been said

From this reading THE Captain wandered despondingly up and down hill for several days, passing many hours of each in sitting on rocks; making, almost mechanically, sketches of waterfalls, and mountain pools; taking care, nevertheless, to be always before nightfall in a comfortable inn, where, being a temperate man, he whiled away the evening with making a bottle of sherry into negus.

nightfallnounUS /ˈnaɪtfɔːl/

the time of day immediately following sunset

From this reading THE Captain wandered despondingly up and down hill for several days, passing many hours of each in sitting on rocks; making, almost mechanically, sketches of waterfalls, and mountain pools; taking care, nevertheless, to be always before nightfall in a comfortable inn, where, being a temperate man, he whiled away the evening with making a bottle of sherry into negus.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading How sweet to minds that love not sordid ways Is solitude!—MENANDER.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading THE Captain wandered despondingly up and down hill for several days, passing many hours of each in sitting on rocks; making, almost mechanically, sketches of waterfalls, and mountain pools; taking care, nevertheless, to be always before nightfall in a comfortable inn, where, being a temperate man, he whiled away the evening with making a bottle of sherry into negus.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading THE Captain wandered despondingly up and down hill for several days, passing many hours of each in sitting on rocks; making, almost mechanically, sketches of waterfalls, and mountain pools; taking care, nevertheless, to be always before nightfall in a comfortable inn, where, being a temperate man, he whiled away the evening with making a bottle of sherry into negus.

passingnounUS /ˈpæsɪŋ/

(American football) a play that involves one player throwing the ball to a teammate

From this reading THE Captain wandered despondingly up and down hill for several days, passing many hours of each in sitting on rocks; making, almost mechanically, sketches of waterfalls, and mountain pools; taking care, nevertheless, to be always before nightfall in a comfortable inn, where, being a temperate man, he whiled away the evening with making a bottle of sherry into negus.

poolsnounUS /puːlz/

plural of “pool” — an excavation that is (usually) filled with water

From this reading THE Captain wandered despondingly up and down hill for several days, passing many hours of each in sitting on rocks; making, almost mechanically, sketches of waterfalls, and mountain pools; taking care, nevertheless, to be always before nightfall in a comfortable inn, where, being a temperate man, he whiled away the evening with making a bottle of sherry into negus.

rambles

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

From this reading His rambles brought him at length into the interior of Merionethshire, the land of all that is beautiful in nature, and all that is lovely in woman.

rocksnounUS /rɑːks/

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

From this reading THE Captain wandered despondingly up and down hill for several days, passing many hours of each in sitting on rocks; making, almost mechanically, sketches of waterfalls, and mountain pools; taking care, nevertheless, to be always before nightfall in a comfortable inn, where, being a temperate man, he whiled away the evening with making a bottle of sherry into negus.

severaladjectiveUS /ˈsevrəl/

(used with count nouns) of an indefinite number more than 2 or 3 but not many

From this reading THE Captain wandered despondingly up and down hill for several days, passing many hours of each in sitting on rocks; making, almost mechanically, sketches of waterfalls, and mountain pools; taking care, nevertheless, to be always before nightfall in a comfortable inn, where, being a temperate man, he whiled away the evening with making a bottle of sherry into negus.

sherrynounUS /ˈʃeri/

dry to sweet amber wine from the Jerez region of southern Spain or similar wines produced elsewhere; usually drunk as an aperitif

From this reading THE Captain wandered despondingly up and down hill for several days, passing many hours of each in sitting on rocks; making, almost mechanically, sketches of waterfalls, and mountain pools; taking care, nevertheless, to be always before nightfall in a comfortable inn, where, being a temperate man, he whiled away the evening with making a bottle of sherry into negus.

sittingnounUS /ˈsɪtɪŋ/

(photography) the act of assuming a certain position (as for a photograph or portrait)

From this reading THE Captain wandered despondingly up and down hill for several days, passing many hours of each in sitting on rocks; making, almost mechanically, sketches of waterfalls, and mountain pools; taking care, nevertheless, to be always before nightfall in a comfortable inn, where, being a temperate man, he whiled away the evening with making a bottle of sherry into negus.

sketchesnounUS /ˈsketʃəz/

plural of “sketch” — preliminary drawing for later elaboration

From this reading THE Captain wandered despondingly up and down hill for several days, passing many hours of each in sitting on rocks; making, almost mechanically, sketches of waterfalls, and mountain pools; taking care, nevertheless, to be always before nightfall in a comfortable inn, where, being a temperate man, he whiled away the evening with making a bottle of sherry into negus.

solitudenounUS /ˈsɑːlətuːd/

a state of social isolation

From this reading How sweet to minds that love not sordid ways Is solitude!—MENANDER.

sordidadjectiveUS /ˈsɔːrdəd/

morally degraded

From this reading How sweet to minds that love not sordid ways Is solitude!—MENANDER.

sweetadjectiveUS /swiːt/

having or denoting the characteristic taste of sugar

From this reading How sweet to minds that love not sordid ways Is solitude!—MENANDER.

takingnounUS /ˈteɪkɪŋ/

the act of someone who picks up or takes something

From this reading THE Captain wandered despondingly up and down hill for several days, passing many hours of each in sitting on rocks; making, almost mechanically, sketches of waterfalls, and mountain pools; taking care, nevertheless, to be always before nightfall in a comfortable inn, where, being a temperate man, he whiled away the evening with making a bottle of sherry into negus.

temperateadjectiveUS /ˈtemprət/

(of weather or climate) free from extremes; mild; or characteristic of such weather or climate

From this reading THE Captain wandered despondingly up and down hill for several days, passing many hours of each in sitting on rocks; making, almost mechanically, sketches of waterfalls, and mountain pools; taking care, nevertheless, to be always before nightfall in a comfortable inn, where, being a temperate man, he whiled away the evening with making a bottle of sherry into negus.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading How sweet to minds that love not sordid ways Is solitude!—MENANDER.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE MOUNTAIN INN.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading How sweet to minds that love not sordid ways Is solitude!—MENANDER.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading THE Captain wandered despondingly up and down hill for several days, passing many hours of each in sitting on rocks; making, almost mechanically, sketches of waterfalls, and mountain pools; taking care, nevertheless, to be always before nightfall in a comfortable inn, where, being a temperate man, he whiled away the evening with making a bottle of sherry into negus.

wanderedverbUS /ˈwɑːndərd/

past form of “wander” — move about aimlessly or without any destination, often in search of food or employment

From this reading THE Captain wandered despondingly up and down hill for several days, passing many hours of each in sitting on rocks; making, almost mechanically, sketches of waterfalls, and mountain pools; taking care, nevertheless, to be always before nightfall in a comfortable inn, where, being a temperate man, he whiled away the evening with making a bottle of sherry into negus.

waterfallsnounUS /ˈwɔːtərfɔːlz/

plural of “waterfall” — a steep descent of the water of a river

From this reading THE Captain wandered despondingly up and down hill for several days, passing many hours of each in sitting on rocks; making, almost mechanically, sketches of waterfalls, and mountain pools; taking care, nevertheless, to be always before nightfall in a comfortable inn, where, being a temperate man, he whiled away the evening with making a bottle of sherry into negus.

waysnounUS /weɪz/

structure consisting of a sloping way down to the water from the place where ships are built or repaired

From this reading How sweet to minds that love not sordid ways Is solitude!—MENANDER.

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading THE Captain wandered despondingly up and down hill for several days, passing many hours of each in sitting on rocks; making, almost mechanically, sketches of waterfalls, and mountain pools; taking care, nevertheless, to be always before nightfall in a comfortable inn, where, being a temperate man, he whiled away the evening with making a bottle of sherry into negus.

whiled

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

From this reading THE Captain wandered despondingly up and down hill for several days, passing many hours of each in sitting on rocks; making, almost mechanically, sketches of waterfalls, and mountain pools; taking care, nevertheless, to be always before nightfall in a comfortable inn, where, being a temperate man, he whiled away the evening with making a bottle of sherry into negus.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading THE Captain wandered despondingly up and down hill for several days, passing many hours of each in sitting on rocks; making, almost mechanically, sketches of waterfalls, and mountain pools; taking care, nevertheless, to be always before nightfall in a comfortable inn, where, being a temperate man, he whiled away the evening with making a bottle of sherry into negus.

womannounUS /ˈwʊmən/

an adult female person (as opposed to a man)

From this reading His rambles brought him at length into the interior of Merionethshire, the land of all that is beautiful in nature, and all that is lovely in woman.

Ερημία

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

From this reading ‘Ως ἡδὺ τῴ μισοῦτι τοὺς φαύλους πρόπους ’Ερημία.

μισοῦτι

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

From this reading ‘Ως ἡδὺ τῴ μισοῦτι τοὺς φαύλους πρόπους ’Ερημία.

πρόπους

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

From this reading ‘Ως ἡδὺ τῴ μισοῦτι τοὺς φαύλους πρόπους ’Ερημία.

τοὺς

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

From this reading ‘Ως ἡδὺ τῴ μισοῦτι τοὺς φαύλους πρόπους ’Ερημία.

τῴ

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

From this reading ‘Ως ἡδὺ τῴ μισοῦτι τοὺς φαύλους πρόπους ’Ερημία.

φαύλους

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

From this reading ‘Ως ἡδὺ τῴ μισοῦτι τοὺς φαύλους πρόπους ’Ερημία.

Ως

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

From this reading ‘Ως ἡδὺ τῴ μισοῦτι τοὺς φαύλους πρόπους ’Ερημία.

ἡδὺ

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

From this reading ‘Ως ἡδὺ τῴ μισοῦτι τοὺς φαύλους πρόπους ’Ερημία.

Chapter 12 of Crotchet Castle by Thomas Love Peacock holds 40 sentences, grouped into 8 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 12 of Crotchet Castle contain?

Chapter 12 holds 40 sentences of Crotchet Castle, unabridged, divided into 8 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 12 of Crotchet Castle by Thomas Love Peacock exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 40 sentences, grouped into 8 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 12 of Crotchet Castle?

Work through the 8 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 8 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 12 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 12 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 Crotchet Castle

Common questions about reading Crotchet Castle by Thomas Love Peacock on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Crotchet Castle?

Yes. All 1662 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #2075 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Crotchet Castle is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #2075, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Crotchet Castle take to read?

About 138 minutes of reading across 333 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Crotchet Castle section by section

How to work through Crotchet Castle section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 18 chapters of Crotchet Castle 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 Crotchet Castle

Words and structures a reader meets early in Crotchet Castle, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Villa
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Crotchet Castle; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Captain
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Crotchet Castle; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Question
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Crotchet Castle; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Tween
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Crotchet Castle; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.