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Doctor Claudius, A True Story
Doctor Claudius, A True Story

Chapter X · Chapter 10

Chapter 10 of Doctor Claudius, A True Story is here in full — 290 sentences across 58 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/58 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
How they left the good yacht _Streak_, and how they bade a hearty farewell to that old sea lion Captain Sturleson, and how they went through the hundred and one formalities of the custom-house, and the thousand and one informalities of its officials, are matters of interest indeed, but not of history.
There are moments in a man's existence when the act of conveying half a dozen sovereigns to the pocket of that stern monitor of good faith, the brass-buttoned custom-house officer with the tender conscience, is of more importance to salvation than women's love or the Thirty-nine Articles.
All this they did.
Nor were they spared by the great tormentor of the West, who bristleth with the fretful quill, whose ears surround us in the night-time, and whose voice is as the voice of the charmer, the reporter of the just and the unjust, but principally of the latter.
And Mr. Barker made an appointment with the Duke, and took a tender farewell of the three ladies, and promised to call on Claudius in the afternoon, and departed.
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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.

Doctor Claudius, A True Story

Chapter X · Chapter 10

Chapter 10 of Doctor Claudius, A True Story is here in full — 290 sentences across 58 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/58 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
How they left the good yacht _Streak_, and how they bade a hearty farewell to that old sea lion Captain Sturleson, and how they went through the hundred and one formalities of the custom-house, and the thousand and one informalities of its officials, are matters of interest indeed, but not of history.
Line 2
There are moments in a man's existence when the act of conveying half a dozen sovereigns to the pocket of that stern monitor of good faith, the brass-buttoned custom-house officer with the tender conscience, is of more importance to salvation than women's love or the Thirty-nine Articles.
Line 3
All this they did.
/ɔːl ðɪs ðeɪ dɪd/
Line 4
Nor were they spared by the great tormentor of the West, who bristleth with the fretful quill, whose ears surround us in the night-time, and whose voice is as the voice of the charmer, the reporter of the just and the unjust, but principally of the latter.
Line 5
And Mr. Barker made an appointment with the Duke, and took a tender farewell of the three ladies, and promised to call on Claudius in the afternoon, and departed.
/ənd ˈmɪstər ˈbɑːrkər meɪd æn əˈpɔɪntmənt wɪð ðə duːk ənd tʊk ə ˈtendər ˌferˈwel ʌv ðə θriː ˈleɪdiz ənd ˈprɑːməst tuː kɔːl ɑːn ˈklɔːdiəs ɪn ðə ˌæftərˈnuːn ənd dɪˈpɑːrtɪd/

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.

charmer noun US /ˈtʃɑːrmər/

someone with an assured and ingratiating manner

From this reading “Nor were they spared by the great tormentor of the West, who bristleth with the fretful quill, whose ears surround us in the night-time, and whose voice is as the voice of the charmer, the reporter of the just and the unjust, but principally of the latter.”

Claudius noun US /ˈklɔːdiəs/

Roman Emperor after his nephew Caligula was murdered; consolidated the Roman Empire and conquered southern Britain; was poisoned by his fourth wife Agrippina after her son Nero was named as Claudius' heir (10 BC to AD 54)

From this reading “And Mr. Barker made an appointment with the Duke, and took a tender farewell of the three ladies, and promised to call on Claudius in the afternoon, and departed.”

conveying noun US /kənˈveɪɪŋ/

act of transferring property title from one person to another

From this reading “There are moments in a man's existence when the act of conveying half a dozen sovereigns to the pocket of that stern monitor of good faith, the brass-buttoned custom-house officer with the tender conscience, is of more importance to salvation than women's love or the Thirty-nine Articles.”

formalities noun US /fɔːrˈmælətiz/

a requirement of etiquette or custom

From this reading “How they left the good yacht _Streak_, and how they bade a hearty farewell to that old sea lion Captain Sturleson, and how they went through the hundred and one formalities of the custom-house, and the thousand and one informalities of its officials, are matters of interest indeed, but not of history.”

fretful adjective US /ˈfretfəl/

nervous and unable to relax

From this reading “Nor were they spared by the great tormentor of the West, who bristleth with the fretful quill, whose ears surround us in the night-time, and whose voice is as the voice of the charmer, the reporter of the just and the unjust, but principally of the latter.”

monitor verb US /ˈmɑːnətər/

keep tabs on; keep an eye on; keep under surveillance

From this reading “There are moments in a man's existence when the act of conveying half a dozen sovereigns to the pocket of that stern monitor of good faith, the brass-buttoned custom-house officer with the tender conscience, is of more importance to salvation than women's love or the Thirty-nine Articles.”

quill noun US /kwɪl/

pen made from a bird's feather

From this reading “Nor were they spared by the great tormentor of the West, who bristleth with the fretful quill, whose ears surround us in the night-time, and whose voice is as the voice of the charmer, the reporter of the just and the unjust, but principally of the latter.”

tormentor noun US /ˈtɔːrmentər/

someone who torments

From this reading “Nor were they spared by the great tormentor of the West, who bristleth with the fretful quill, whose ears surround us in the night-time, and whose voice is as the voice of the charmer, the reporter of the just and the unjust, but principally of the latter.”

All words in this reading · 109

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 How they left the good yacht _Streak_, and how they bade a hearty farewell to that old sea lion Captain Sturleson, and how they went through the hundred and one formalities of the custom-house, and the thousand and one informalities of its officials, are matters of interest indeed, but not of history.

actverbUS /ækt/

perform an action, or work out or perform (an action)

From this reading There are moments in a man's existence when the act of conveying half a dozen sovereigns to the pocket of that stern monitor of good faith, the brass-buttoned custom-house officer with the tender conscience, is of more importance to salvation than women's love or the Thirty-nine Articles.

afternoonnounUS /ˌæftərˈnuːn/

the part of the day between noon and evening

From this reading And Mr. Barker made an appointment with the Duke, and took a tender farewell of the three ladies, and promised to call on Claudius in the afternoon, and departed.

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 All this they did.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading And Mr. Barker made an appointment with the Duke, and took a tender farewell of the three ladies, and promised to call on Claudius in the afternoon, and departed.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading How they left the good yacht _Streak_, and how they bade a hearty farewell to that old sea lion Captain Sturleson, and how they went through the hundred and one formalities of the custom-house, and the thousand and one informalities of its officials, are matters of interest indeed, but not of history.

appointmentnounUS /əˈpɔɪntmənt/

the act of putting a person into a non-elective position

From this reading And Mr. Barker made an appointment with the Duke, and took a tender farewell of the three ladies, and promised to call on Claudius in the afternoon, and departed.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading How they left the good yacht _Streak_, and how they bade a hearty farewell to that old sea lion Captain Sturleson, and how they went through the hundred and one formalities of the custom-house, and the thousand and one informalities of its officials, are matters of interest indeed, but not of history.

ArticlesnounUS /ˈɑːrtəkəlz/

plural of “article” — nonfictional prose forming an independent part of a publication

From this reading There are moments in a man's existence when the act of conveying half a dozen sovereigns to the pocket of that stern monitor of good faith, the brass-buttoned custom-house officer with the tender conscience, is of more importance to salvation than women's love or the Thirty-nine Articles.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Nor were they spared by the great tormentor of the West, who bristleth with the fretful quill, whose ears surround us in the night-time, and whose voice is as the voice of the charmer, the reporter of the just and the unjust, but principally of the latter.

badenounUS /beɪd/

a Chadic language spoken in northern Nigeria

From this reading How they left the good yacht _Streak_, and how they bade a hearty farewell to that old sea lion Captain Sturleson, and how they went through the hundred and one formalities of the custom-house, and the thousand and one informalities of its officials, are matters of interest indeed, but not of history.

BarkernounUS /ˈbɑːrkər/

someone who stands in front of a show (as at a carnival) and gives a loud colorful sales talk to potential customers

From this reading And Mr. Barker made an appointment with the Duke, and took a tender farewell of the three ladies, and promised to call on Claudius in the afternoon, and departed.

brass-buttoned

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

From this reading There are moments in a man's existence when the act of conveying half a dozen sovereigns to the pocket of that stern monitor of good faith, the brass-buttoned custom-house officer with the tender conscience, is of more importance to salvation than women's love or the Thirty-nine Articles.

bristleth

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

From this reading Nor were they spared by the great tormentor of the West, who bristleth with the fretful quill, whose ears surround us in the night-time, and whose voice is as the voice of the charmer, the reporter of the just and the unjust, but principally of the latter.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading How they left the good yacht _Streak_, and how they bade a hearty farewell to that old sea lion Captain Sturleson, and how they went through the hundred and one formalities of the custom-house, and the thousand and one informalities of its officials, are matters of interest indeed, but not of history.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Nor were they spared by the great tormentor of the West, who bristleth with the fretful quill, whose ears surround us in the night-time, and whose voice is as the voice of the charmer, the reporter of the just and the unjust, but principally of the latter.

callverbUS /kɔːl/

assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading And Mr. Barker made an appointment with the Duke, and took a tender farewell of the three ladies, and promised to call on Claudius in the afternoon, and departed.

CaptainnounUS /ˈkæptən/

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

From this reading How they left the good yacht _Streak_, and how they bade a hearty farewell to that old sea lion Captain Sturleson, and how they went through the hundred and one formalities of the custom-house, and the thousand and one informalities of its officials, are matters of interest indeed, but not of history.

charmernounUS /ˈtʃɑːrmər/

someone with an assured and ingratiating manner

From this reading Nor were they spared by the great tormentor of the West, who bristleth with the fretful quill, whose ears surround us in the night-time, and whose voice is as the voice of the charmer, the reporter of the just and the unjust, but principally of the latter.

ClaudiusnounUS /ˈklɔːdiəs/

Roman Emperor after his nephew Caligula was murdered; consolidated the Roman Empire and conquered southern Britain; was poisoned by his fourth wife Agrippina after her son Nero was named as Claudius' heir (10 BC to AD 54)

From this reading And Mr. Barker made an appointment with the Duke, and took a tender farewell of the three ladies, and promised to call on Claudius in the afternoon, and departed.

consciencenounUS /ˈkɑːnʃəns/

motivation deriving logically from ethical or moral principles that govern a person's thoughts and actions

From this reading There are moments in a man's existence when the act of conveying half a dozen sovereigns to the pocket of that stern monitor of good faith, the brass-buttoned custom-house officer with the tender conscience, is of more importance to salvation than women's love or the Thirty-nine Articles.

conveyingnounUS /kənˈveɪɪŋ/

act of transferring property title from one person to another

From this reading There are moments in a man's existence when the act of conveying half a dozen sovereigns to the pocket of that stern monitor of good faith, the brass-buttoned custom-house officer with the tender conscience, is of more importance to salvation than women's love or the Thirty-nine Articles.

custom-house

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

From this reading How they left the good yacht _Streak_, and how they bade a hearty farewell to that old sea lion Captain Sturleson, and how they went through the hundred and one formalities of the custom-house, and the thousand and one informalities of its officials, are matters of interest indeed, but not of history.

departedadjectiveUS /dɪˈpɑːrtɪd/

well in the past; former

From this reading And Mr. Barker made an appointment with the Duke, and took a tender farewell of the three ladies, and promised to call on Claudius in the afternoon, and departed.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading All this they did.

dozennounUS /ˈdʌzən/

the cardinal number that is the sum of eleven and one

From this reading There are moments in a man's existence when the act of conveying half a dozen sovereigns to the pocket of that stern monitor of good faith, the brass-buttoned custom-house officer with the tender conscience, is of more importance to salvation than women's love or the Thirty-nine Articles.

DukenounUS /duːk/

a British peer of the highest rank

From this reading And Mr. Barker made an appointment with the Duke, and took a tender farewell of the three ladies, and promised to call on Claudius in the afternoon, and departed.

earsnounUS /ɪrz/

plural of “ear” — the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium

From this reading Nor were they spared by the great tormentor of the West, who bristleth with the fretful quill, whose ears surround us in the night-time, and whose voice is as the voice of the charmer, the reporter of the just and the unjust, but principally of the latter.

existencenounUS /eɡˈzɪstəns/

the state or fact of existing

From this reading There are moments in a man's existence when the act of conveying half a dozen sovereigns to the pocket of that stern monitor of good faith, the brass-buttoned custom-house officer with the tender conscience, is of more importance to salvation than women's love or the Thirty-nine Articles.

faithnounUS /feɪθ/

a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny

From this reading There are moments in a man's existence when the act of conveying half a dozen sovereigns to the pocket of that stern monitor of good faith, the brass-buttoned custom-house officer with the tender conscience, is of more importance to salvation than women's love or the Thirty-nine Articles.

farewellnounUS /ˌferˈwel/

an acknowledgment or expression of goodwill at parting

From this reading How they left the good yacht _Streak_, and how they bade a hearty farewell to that old sea lion Captain Sturleson, and how they went through the hundred and one formalities of the custom-house, and the thousand and one informalities of its officials, are matters of interest indeed, but not of history.

formalitiesnounUS /fɔːrˈmælətiz/

a requirement of etiquette or custom

From this reading How they left the good yacht _Streak_, and how they bade a hearty farewell to that old sea lion Captain Sturleson, and how they went through the hundred and one formalities of the custom-house, and the thousand and one informalities of its officials, are matters of interest indeed, but not of history.

fretfuladjectiveUS /ˈfretfəl/

nervous and unable to relax

From this reading Nor were they spared by the great tormentor of the West, who bristleth with the fretful quill, whose ears surround us in the night-time, and whose voice is as the voice of the charmer, the reporter of the just and the unjust, but principally of the latter.

goodadjectiveUS /ɡʊd/

having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified

From this reading How they left the good yacht _Streak_, and how they bade a hearty farewell to that old sea lion Captain Sturleson, and how they went through the hundred and one formalities of the custom-house, and the thousand and one informalities of its officials, are matters of interest indeed, but not of history.

greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

From this reading Nor were they spared by the great tormentor of the West, who bristleth with the fretful quill, whose ears surround us in the night-time, and whose voice is as the voice of the charmer, the reporter of the just and the unjust, but principally of the latter.

halfadjectiveUS /hæf/

consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity

From this reading There are moments in a man's existence when the act of conveying half a dozen sovereigns to the pocket of that stern monitor of good faith, the brass-buttoned custom-house officer with the tender conscience, is of more importance to salvation than women's love or the Thirty-nine Articles.

heartyadjectiveUS /ˈhɑːrti/

showing warm and heartfelt friendliness

From this reading How they left the good yacht _Streak_, and how they bade a hearty farewell to that old sea lion Captain Sturleson, and how they went through the hundred and one formalities of the custom-house, and the thousand and one informalities of its officials, are matters of interest indeed, but not of history.

historynounUS /ˈhɪstəri/

the aggregate of past events

From this reading How they left the good yacht _Streak_, and how they bade a hearty farewell to that old sea lion Captain Sturleson, and how they went through the hundred and one formalities of the custom-house, and the thousand and one informalities of its officials, are matters of interest indeed, but not of history.

How

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

From this reading How they left the good yacht _Streak_, and how they bade a hearty farewell to that old sea lion Captain Sturleson, and how they went through the hundred and one formalities of the custom-house, and the thousand and one informalities of its officials, are matters of interest indeed, but not of history.

hundrednounUS /ˈhʌndrəd/

ten 10s

From this reading How they left the good yacht _Streak_, and how they bade a hearty farewell to that old sea lion Captain Sturleson, and how they went through the hundred and one formalities of the custom-house, and the thousand and one informalities of its officials, are matters of interest indeed, but not of history.

importancenounUS /ˌɪmˈpɔːrtəns/

the quality of being important and worthy of note

From this reading There are moments in a man's existence when the act of conveying half a dozen sovereigns to the pocket of that stern monitor of good faith, the brass-buttoned custom-house officer with the tender conscience, is of more importance to salvation than women's love or the Thirty-nine Articles.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading There are moments in a man's existence when the act of conveying half a dozen sovereigns to the pocket of that stern monitor of good faith, the brass-buttoned custom-house officer with the tender conscience, is of more importance to salvation than women's love or the Thirty-nine Articles.

indeedadverbUS /ˌɪnˈdiːd/

in truth (often tends to intensify)

From this reading How they left the good yacht _Streak_, and how they bade a hearty farewell to that old sea lion Captain Sturleson, and how they went through the hundred and one formalities of the custom-house, and the thousand and one informalities of its officials, are matters of interest indeed, but not of history.

informalities

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

From this reading How they left the good yacht _Streak_, and how they bade a hearty farewell to that old sea lion Captain Sturleson, and how they went through the hundred and one formalities of the custom-house, and the thousand and one informalities of its officials, are matters of interest indeed, but not of history.

interestnounUS /ˈɪntrəst/

a sense of concern with and curiosity about someone or something

From this reading How they left the good yacht _Streak_, and how they bade a hearty farewell to that old sea lion Captain Sturleson, and how they went through the hundred and one formalities of the custom-house, and the thousand and one informalities of its officials, are matters of interest indeed, but not of history.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading There are moments in a man's existence when the act of conveying half a dozen sovereigns to the pocket of that stern monitor of good faith, the brass-buttoned custom-house officer with the tender conscience, is of more importance to salvation than women's love or the Thirty-nine Articles.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading How they left the good yacht _Streak_, and how they bade a hearty farewell to that old sea lion Captain Sturleson, and how they went through the hundred and one formalities of the custom-house, and the thousand and one informalities of its officials, are matters of interest indeed, but not of history.

justadverbUS /dʒʌst/

and nothing more

From this reading Nor were they spared by the great tormentor of the West, who bristleth with the fretful quill, whose ears surround us in the night-time, and whose voice is as the voice of the charmer, the reporter of the just and the unjust, but principally of the latter.

ladiesnounUS /ˈleɪdiz/

plural of “lady” — a polite name for any woman

From this reading And Mr. Barker made an appointment with the Duke, and took a tender farewell of the three ladies, and promised to call on Claudius in the afternoon, and departed.

latteradjectiveUS /ˈlætər/

referring to the second of two things or persons mentioned (or the last one or ones of several)

From this reading Nor were they spared by the great tormentor of the West, who bristleth with the fretful quill, whose ears surround us in the night-time, and whose voice is as the voice of the charmer, the reporter of the just and the unjust, but principally of the latter.

leftnounUS /left/

location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east

From this reading How they left the good yacht _Streak_, and how they bade a hearty farewell to that old sea lion Captain Sturleson, and how they went through the hundred and one formalities of the custom-house, and the thousand and one informalities of its officials, are matters of interest indeed, but not of history.

lionnounUS /ˈlaɪən/

large gregarious predatory feline of Africa and India having a tawny coat with a shaggy mane in the male

From this reading How they left the good yacht _Streak_, and how they bade a hearty farewell to that old sea lion Captain Sturleson, and how they went through the hundred and one formalities of the custom-house, and the thousand and one informalities of its officials, are matters of interest indeed, but not of history.

lovenounUS /lʌv/

a strong positive emotion of regard and affection

From this reading There are moments in a man's existence when the act of conveying half a dozen sovereigns to the pocket of that stern monitor of good faith, the brass-buttoned custom-house officer with the tender conscience, is of more importance to salvation than women's love or the Thirty-nine Articles.

madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading And Mr. Barker made an appointment with the Duke, and took a tender farewell of the three ladies, and promised to call on Claudius in the afternoon, and departed.

man'snounUS /mænz/

possessive form of “man” — an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading There are moments in a man's existence when the act of conveying half a dozen sovereigns to the pocket of that stern monitor of good faith, the brass-buttoned custom-house officer with the tender conscience, is of more importance to salvation than women's love or the Thirty-nine Articles.

mattersnounUS /ˈmætərz/

plural of “matter” — a vaguely specified concern

From this reading How they left the good yacht _Streak_, and how they bade a hearty farewell to that old sea lion Captain Sturleson, and how they went through the hundred and one formalities of the custom-house, and the thousand and one informalities of its officials, are matters of interest indeed, but not of history.

momentsnounUS /ˈmoʊmənts/

plural of “moment” — a particular point in time

From this reading There are moments in a man's existence when the act of conveying half a dozen sovereigns to the pocket of that stern monitor of good faith, the brass-buttoned custom-house officer with the tender conscience, is of more importance to salvation than women's love or the Thirty-nine Articles.

monitorverbUS /ˈmɑːnətər/

keep tabs on; keep an eye on; keep under surveillance

From this reading There are moments in a man's existence when the act of conveying half a dozen sovereigns to the pocket of that stern monitor of good faith, the brass-buttoned custom-house officer with the tender conscience, is of more importance to salvation than women's love or the Thirty-nine Articles.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

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

From this reading There are moments in a man's existence when the act of conveying half a dozen sovereigns to the pocket of that stern monitor of good faith, the brass-buttoned custom-house officer with the tender conscience, is of more importance to salvation than women's love or the Thirty-nine Articles.

MrnounUS /ˈmɪstər/

a form of address for a man

From this reading And Mr. Barker made an appointment with the Duke, and took a tender farewell of the three ladies, and promised to call on Claudius in the afternoon, and departed.

night-time

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

From this reading Nor were they spared by the great tormentor of the West, who bristleth with the fretful quill, whose ears surround us in the night-time, and whose voice is as the voice of the charmer, the reporter of the just and the unjust, but principally of the latter.

NorconjunctionUS /nɔːr/

and not; used after a negative to add a second negative

From this reading Nor were they spared by the great tormentor of the West, who bristleth with the fretful quill, whose ears surround us in the night-time, and whose voice is as the voice of the charmer, the reporter of the just and the unjust, but principally of the latter.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading How they left the good yacht _Streak_, and how they bade a hearty farewell to that old sea lion Captain Sturleson, and how they went through the hundred and one formalities of the custom-house, and the thousand and one informalities of its officials, are matters of interest indeed, but not of history.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading How they left the good yacht _Streak_, and how they bade a hearty farewell to that old sea lion Captain Sturleson, and how they went through the hundred and one formalities of the custom-house, and the thousand and one informalities of its officials, are matters of interest indeed, but not of history.

officernounUS /ˈɔːfəsər/

any person in the armed services who holds a position of authority or command

From this reading There are moments in a man's existence when the act of conveying half a dozen sovereigns to the pocket of that stern monitor of good faith, the brass-buttoned custom-house officer with the tender conscience, is of more importance to salvation than women's love or the Thirty-nine Articles.

officialsnounUS /əˈfɪʃəlz/

plural of “official” — a worker who holds or is invested with an office

From this reading How they left the good yacht _Streak_, and how they bade a hearty farewell to that old sea lion Captain Sturleson, and how they went through the hundred and one formalities of the custom-house, and the thousand and one informalities of its officials, are matters of interest indeed, but not of history.

oldadjectiveUS /oʊld/

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

From this reading How they left the good yacht _Streak_, and how they bade a hearty farewell to that old sea lion Captain Sturleson, and how they went through the hundred and one formalities of the custom-house, and the thousand and one informalities of its officials, are matters of interest indeed, but not of history.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading And Mr. Barker made an appointment with the Duke, and took a tender farewell of the three ladies, and promised to call on Claudius in the afternoon, and departed.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading How they left the good yacht _Streak_, and how they bade a hearty farewell to that old sea lion Captain Sturleson, and how they went through the hundred and one formalities of the custom-house, and the thousand and one informalities of its officials, are matters of interest indeed, but not of history.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading There are moments in a man's existence when the act of conveying half a dozen sovereigns to the pocket of that stern monitor of good faith, the brass-buttoned custom-house officer with the tender conscience, is of more importance to salvation than women's love or the Thirty-nine Articles.

pocketnounUS /ˈpɑːkət/

a small pouch inside a garment for carrying small articles

From this reading There are moments in a man's existence when the act of conveying half a dozen sovereigns to the pocket of that stern monitor of good faith, the brass-buttoned custom-house officer with the tender conscience, is of more importance to salvation than women's love or the Thirty-nine Articles.

principallyadverbUS /ˈprɪnsɪpli/

for the most part

From this reading Nor were they spared by the great tormentor of the West, who bristleth with the fretful quill, whose ears surround us in the night-time, and whose voice is as the voice of the charmer, the reporter of the just and the unjust, but principally of the latter.

promisedverbUS /ˈprɑːməst/

past form of “promise” — make a promise or commitment

From this reading And Mr. Barker made an appointment with the Duke, and took a tender farewell of the three ladies, and promised to call on Claudius in the afternoon, and departed.

quillnounUS /kwɪl/

pen made from a bird's feather

From this reading Nor were they spared by the great tormentor of the West, who bristleth with the fretful quill, whose ears surround us in the night-time, and whose voice is as the voice of the charmer, the reporter of the just and the unjust, but principally of the latter.

reporternounUS /rɪˈpɔːrtər/

a person who investigates and reports or edits news stories

From this reading Nor were they spared by the great tormentor of the West, who bristleth with the fretful quill, whose ears surround us in the night-time, and whose voice is as the voice of the charmer, the reporter of the just and the unjust, but principally of the latter.

salvationnounUS /sælˈveɪʃən/

(theology) the act of delivering from sin or saving from evil

From this reading There are moments in a man's existence when the act of conveying half a dozen sovereigns to the pocket of that stern monitor of good faith, the brass-buttoned custom-house officer with the tender conscience, is of more importance to salvation than women's love or the Thirty-nine Articles.

seanounUS /siː/

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

From this reading How they left the good yacht _Streak_, and how they bade a hearty farewell to that old sea lion Captain Sturleson, and how they went through the hundred and one formalities of the custom-house, and the thousand and one informalities of its officials, are matters of interest indeed, but not of history.

sovereignsnounUS /ˈsɑːvrənz/

plural of “sovereign” — a nation's ruler or head of state usually by hereditary right

From this reading There are moments in a man's existence when the act of conveying half a dozen sovereigns to the pocket of that stern monitor of good faith, the brass-buttoned custom-house officer with the tender conscience, is of more importance to salvation than women's love or the Thirty-nine Articles.

sparedverbUS /sperd/

past form of “spare” — refrain from harming

From this reading Nor were they spared by the great tormentor of the West, who bristleth with the fretful quill, whose ears surround us in the night-time, and whose voice is as the voice of the charmer, the reporter of the just and the unjust, but principally of the latter.

sternadjectiveUS /stɜːrn/

of a stern or strict bearing or demeanor; forbidding in aspect

From this reading There are moments in a man's existence when the act of conveying half a dozen sovereigns to the pocket of that stern monitor of good faith, the brass-buttoned custom-house officer with the tender conscience, is of more importance to salvation than women's love or the Thirty-nine Articles.

StreaknounUS /striːk/

an unbroken series of events

From this reading How they left the good yacht _Streak_, and how they bade a hearty farewell to that old sea lion Captain Sturleson, and how they went through the hundred and one formalities of the custom-house, and the thousand and one informalities of its officials, are matters of interest indeed, but not of history.

Sturleson

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

From this reading How they left the good yacht _Streak_, and how they bade a hearty farewell to that old sea lion Captain Sturleson, and how they went through the hundred and one formalities of the custom-house, and the thousand and one informalities of its officials, are matters of interest indeed, but not of history.

surroundverbUS /sərˈaʊnd/

extend on all sides of simultaneously; encircle

From this reading Nor were they spared by the great tormentor of the West, who bristleth with the fretful quill, whose ears surround us in the night-time, and whose voice is as the voice of the charmer, the reporter of the just and the unjust, but principally of the latter.

tenderadjectiveUS /ˈtendər/

given to sympathy or gentleness or sentimentality

From this reading There are moments in a man's existence when the act of conveying half a dozen sovereigns to the pocket of that stern monitor of good faith, the brass-buttoned custom-house officer with the tender conscience, is of more importance to salvation than women's love or the Thirty-nine Articles.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading There are moments in a man's existence when the act of conveying half a dozen sovereigns to the pocket of that stern monitor of good faith, the brass-buttoned custom-house officer with the tender conscience, is of more importance to salvation than women's love or the Thirty-nine Articles.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading How they left the good yacht _Streak_, and how they bade a hearty farewell to that old sea lion Captain Sturleson, and how they went through the hundred and one formalities of the custom-house, and the thousand and one informalities of its officials, are matters of interest indeed, but not of history.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading How they left the good yacht _Streak_, and how they bade a hearty farewell to that old sea lion Captain Sturleson, and how they went through the hundred and one formalities of the custom-house, and the thousand and one informalities of its officials, are matters of interest indeed, but not of history.

ThereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading There are moments in a man's existence when the act of conveying half a dozen sovereigns to the pocket of that stern monitor of good faith, the brass-buttoned custom-house officer with the tender conscience, is of more importance to salvation than women's love or the Thirty-nine Articles.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading How they left the good yacht _Streak_, and how they bade a hearty farewell to that old sea lion Captain Sturleson, and how they went through the hundred and one formalities of the custom-house, and the thousand and one informalities of its officials, are matters of interest indeed, but not of history.

Thirty-nineadjective

being nine more than thirty

From this reading There are moments in a man's existence when the act of conveying half a dozen sovereigns to the pocket of that stern monitor of good faith, the brass-buttoned custom-house officer with the tender conscience, is of more importance to salvation than women's love or the Thirty-nine Articles.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading All this they did.

thousandnounUS /ˈθaʊzənd/

the cardinal number that is the product of 10 and 100

From this reading How they left the good yacht _Streak_, and how they bade a hearty farewell to that old sea lion Captain Sturleson, and how they went through the hundred and one formalities of the custom-house, and the thousand and one informalities of its officials, are matters of interest indeed, but not of history.

threenounUS /θriː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one

From this reading And Mr. Barker made an appointment with the Duke, and took a tender farewell of the three ladies, and promised to call on Claudius in the afternoon, and departed.

throughprepositionUS /θruː/

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading How they left the good yacht _Streak_, and how they bade a hearty farewell to that old sea lion Captain Sturleson, and how they went through the hundred and one formalities of the custom-house, and the thousand and one informalities of its officials, are matters of interest indeed, but not of history.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading How they left the good yacht _Streak_, and how they bade a hearty farewell to that old sea lion Captain Sturleson, and how they went through the hundred and one formalities of the custom-house, and the thousand and one informalities of its officials, are matters of interest indeed, but not of history.

tookverbUS /tʊk/

inflected form of “take” — carry out

From this reading And Mr. Barker made an appointment with the Duke, and took a tender farewell of the three ladies, and promised to call on Claudius in the afternoon, and departed.

tormentornounUS /ˈtɔːrmentər/

someone who torments

From this reading Nor were they spared by the great tormentor of the West, who bristleth with the fretful quill, whose ears surround us in the night-time, and whose voice is as the voice of the charmer, the reporter of the just and the unjust, but principally of the latter.

unjustadjectiveUS /ənˈdʒʌst/

not fair; marked by injustice or partiality or deception

From this reading Nor were they spared by the great tormentor of the West, who bristleth with the fretful quill, whose ears surround us in the night-time, and whose voice is as the voice of the charmer, the reporter of the just and the unjust, but principally of the latter.

uspronounUS /ʌs/

the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Nor were they spared by the great tormentor of the West, who bristleth with the fretful quill, whose ears surround us in the night-time, and whose voice is as the voice of the charmer, the reporter of the just and the unjust, but principally of the latter.

voicenounUS /vɔɪs/

the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech

From this reading Nor were they spared by the great tormentor of the West, who bristleth with the fretful quill, whose ears surround us in the night-time, and whose voice is as the voice of the charmer, the reporter of the just and the unjust, but principally of the latter.

wentverbUS /went/

inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading How they left the good yacht _Streak_, and how they bade a hearty farewell to that old sea lion Captain Sturleson, and how they went through the hundred and one formalities of the custom-house, and the thousand and one informalities of its officials, are matters of interest indeed, but not of history.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading Nor were they spared by the great tormentor of the West, who bristleth with the fretful quill, whose ears surround us in the night-time, and whose voice is as the voice of the charmer, the reporter of the just and the unjust, but principally of the latter.

WestnounUS /west/

the countries of (originally) Europe and (now including) North America and South America

From this reading Nor were they spared by the great tormentor of the West, who bristleth with the fretful quill, whose ears surround us in the night-time, and whose voice is as the voice of the charmer, the reporter of the just and the unjust, but principally of the latter.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading There are moments in a man's existence when the act of conveying half a dozen sovereigns to the pocket of that stern monitor of good faith, the brass-buttoned custom-house officer with the tender conscience, is of more importance to salvation than women's love or the Thirty-nine Articles.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading Nor were they spared by the great tormentor of the West, who bristleth with the fretful quill, whose ears surround us in the night-time, and whose voice is as the voice of the charmer, the reporter of the just and the unjust, but principally of the latter.

whosedeterminerUS /huːz/

belonging to which person

From this reading Nor were they spared by the great tormentor of the West, who bristleth with the fretful quill, whose ears surround us in the night-time, and whose voice is as the voice of the charmer, the reporter of the just and the unjust, but principally of the latter.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading There are moments in a man's existence when the act of conveying half a dozen sovereigns to the pocket of that stern monitor of good faith, the brass-buttoned custom-house officer with the tender conscience, is of more importance to salvation than women's love or the Thirty-nine Articles.

women's

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

From this reading There are moments in a man's existence when the act of conveying half a dozen sovereigns to the pocket of that stern monitor of good faith, the brass-buttoned custom-house officer with the tender conscience, is of more importance to salvation than women's love or the Thirty-nine Articles.

yachtnounUS /jɑːt/

an expensive vessel propelled by sail or power and used for cruising or racing

From this reading How they left the good yacht _Streak_, and how they bade a hearty farewell to that old sea lion Captain Sturleson, and how they went through the hundred and one formalities of the custom-house, and the thousand and one informalities of its officials, are matters of interest indeed, but not of history.

Chapter 10 of Doctor Claudius, A True Story by F. Marion (Francis Marion) Crawford holds 290 sentences, grouped into 58 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 10 of Doctor Claudius, A True Story contain?

Chapter 10 holds 290 sentences of Doctor Claudius, A True Story, unabridged, divided into 58 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 10 of Doctor Claudius, A True Story by F. Marion (Francis Marion) Crawford exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 290 sentences, grouped into 58 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 10 of Doctor Claudius, A True Story?

Work through the 58 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 58 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 10 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 10 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 Doctor Claudius, A True Story

Common questions about reading Doctor Claudius, A True Story by F. Marion (Francis Marion) Crawford on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Doctor Claudius, A True Story?

Yes. All 5515 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #15223 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Doctor Claudius, A True Story is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #15223, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Doctor Claudius, A True Story take to read?

About 459 minutes of reading across 1103 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Doctor Claudius, A True Story section by section

How to work through Doctor Claudius, A True Story section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 20 chapters of Doctor Claudius, A True Story 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 Doctor Claudius, A True Story

Words and structures a reader meets early in Doctor Claudius, A True Story, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Believe
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Doctor Claudius, A True Story; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Doctor
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Doctor Claudius, A True Story; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Pushing
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Doctor Claudius, A True Story; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Straight-backed
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Doctor Claudius, A True Story; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.