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Duar the accursed
Duar the accursed

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of Duar the accursed is here in full — 478 sentences across 96 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/95 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
_A surprizing tale about the Black Tower and the intrusion therein of a barbarian adventurer--a strange weird tale of the love of a queen for her enemy._ Nione of the Krall Dynasty, ruler of Ygoth, for all her lithe beauty of rounded limbs, sat on her throne like a man, with an elbow resting on crossed knees and knuckles under chin.
Before her a ring of guards surrounded a bareheaded man of great stature whose bronze, half-naked body was loaded down with heavy chains.
Many scars and sword-cuts testified to the difficulty of his capture.
The man stood insolently gazing over the Queen's head at the purple and gold of the tapestries as though something of great interest held his attention to their scarlet colors.
The fair occupant of the throne, accustomed to bended knees and supplications, was rapidly losing her temper.
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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.

Duar the accursed

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of Duar the accursed is here in full — 478 sentences across 96 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/95 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
_A surprizing tale about the Black Tower and the intrusion therein of a barbarian adventurer--a strange weird tale of the love of a queen for her enemy._ Nione of the Krall Dynasty, ruler of Ygoth, for all her lithe beauty of rounded limbs, sat on her throne like a man, with an elbow resting on crossed knees and knuckles under chin.
Line 2
Before her a ring of guards surrounded a bareheaded man of great stature whose bronze, half-naked body was loaded down with heavy chains.
Line 3
Many scars and sword-cuts testified to the difficulty of his capture.
Line 4
The man stood insolently gazing over the Queen's head at the purple and gold of the tapestries as though something of great interest held his attention to their scarlet colors.
Line 5
The fair occupant of the throne, accustomed to bended knees and supplications, was rapidly losing her temper.

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.

barbarian noun US /bɑːrˈberiən/

a member of an uncivilized people

From this reading “_A surprizing tale about the Black Tower and the intrusion therein of a barbarian adventurer--a strange weird tale of the love of a queen for her enemy._ Nione of the Krall Dynasty, ruler of Ygoth, for all her lithe beauty of rounded limbs, sat on her throne like a man, with an elbow resting on crossed knees and knuckles under chin.”

bended adjective US /ˈbendɪd/

used of the back and knees; stooped

From this reading “The fair occupant of the throne, accustomed to bended knees and supplications, was rapidly losing her temper.”

Dynasty noun US /ˈdaɪnəsti/

a sequence of powerful leaders in the same family

From this reading “_A surprizing tale about the Black Tower and the intrusion therein of a barbarian adventurer--a strange weird tale of the love of a queen for her enemy._ Nione of the Krall Dynasty, ruler of Ygoth, for all her lithe beauty of rounded limbs, sat on her throne like a man, with an elbow resting on crossed knees and knuckles under chin.”

knuckles noun US /ˈnʌkəlz/

(used in the plural) a small metal weapon; worn over the knuckles on the back of the hand

From this reading “_A surprizing tale about the Black Tower and the intrusion therein of a barbarian adventurer--a strange weird tale of the love of a queen for her enemy._ Nione of the Krall Dynasty, ruler of Ygoth, for all her lithe beauty of rounded limbs, sat on her throne like a man, with an elbow resting on crossed knees and knuckles under chin.”

lithe adjective US /laɪð/

gracefully thin and bending and moving with ease

From this reading “_A surprizing tale about the Black Tower and the intrusion therein of a barbarian adventurer--a strange weird tale of the love of a queen for her enemy._ Nione of the Krall Dynasty, ruler of Ygoth, for all her lithe beauty of rounded limbs, sat on her throne like a man, with an elbow resting on crossed knees and knuckles under chin.”

scars noun US /skɑːrz/

plural of “scar” — a mark left (usually on the skin) by the healing of injured tissue

From this reading “Many scars and sword-cuts testified to the difficulty of his capture.”

tapestries noun US /ˈtæpəstriz/

plural of “tapestry” — something that resembles a tapestry in its intricacy

From this reading “The man stood insolently gazing over the Queen's head at the purple and gold of the tapestries as though something of great interest held his attention to their scarlet colors.”

testified verb US /ˈtestəfaɪd/

inflected form of “testify” — give testimony in a court of law

From this reading “Many scars and sword-cuts testified to the difficulty of his capture.”

Word partnerships in these lines

English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.

Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.

bended knees adjective + noun counted as “bended knee”

In this reading “The fair occupant of the throne, accustomed to bended knees and supplications, was rapidly losing her temper.”

heavy chains adjective + noun

In this reading “Before her a ring of guards surrounded a bareheaded man of great stature whose bronze, half-naked body was loaded down with heavy chains.”

great stature adjective + noun

In this reading “Before her a ring of guards surrounded a bareheaded man of great stature whose bronze, half-naked body was loaded down with heavy chains.”

great interest adjective + noun

In this reading “The man stood insolently gazing over the Queen's head at the purple and gold of the tapestries as though something of great interest held his attention to their scarlet colors.”

resting on verb + particle counted as “rest on”

rest on for support

In this reading “_A surprizing tale about the Black Tower and the intrusion therein of a barbarian adventurer--a strange weird tale of the love of a queen for her enemy._ Nione of the Krall Dynasty, ruler of Ygoth, for all her lithe beauty of rounded limbs, sat on her throne like a man, with an elbow resting on crossed knees and knuckles under chin.”

All words in this reading · 95

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 _A surprizing tale about the Black Tower and the intrusion therein of a barbarian adventurer--a strange weird tale of the love of a queen for her enemy._ Nione of the Krall Dynasty, ruler of Ygoth, for all her lithe beauty of rounded limbs, sat on her throne like a man, with an elbow resting on crossed knees and knuckles under chin.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading _A surprizing tale about the Black Tower and the intrusion therein of a barbarian adventurer--a strange weird tale of the love of a queen for her enemy._ Nione of the Krall Dynasty, ruler of Ygoth, for all her lithe beauty of rounded limbs, sat on her throne like a man, with an elbow resting on crossed knees and knuckles under chin.

accustomedadjectiveUS /əˈkʌstəmd/

commonly used or practiced; usual

From this reading The fair occupant of the throne, accustomed to bended knees and supplications, was rapidly losing her temper.

adventurernounUS /ædˈventʃərər/

a person who enjoys taking risks

From this reading _A surprizing tale about the Black Tower and the intrusion therein of a barbarian adventurer--a strange weird tale of the love of a queen for her enemy._ Nione of the Krall Dynasty, ruler of Ygoth, for all her lithe beauty of rounded limbs, sat on her throne like a man, with an elbow resting on crossed knees and knuckles under chin.

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 _A surprizing tale about the Black Tower and the intrusion therein of a barbarian adventurer--a strange weird tale of the love of a queen for her enemy._ Nione of the Krall Dynasty, ruler of Ygoth, for all her lithe beauty of rounded limbs, sat on her throne like a man, with an elbow resting on crossed knees and knuckles under chin.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading _A surprizing tale about the Black Tower and the intrusion therein of a barbarian adventurer--a strange weird tale of the love of a queen for her enemy._ Nione of the Krall Dynasty, ruler of Ygoth, for all her lithe beauty of rounded limbs, sat on her throne like a man, with an elbow resting on crossed knees and knuckles under chin.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading _A surprizing tale about the Black Tower and the intrusion therein of a barbarian adventurer--a strange weird tale of the love of a queen for her enemy._ Nione of the Krall Dynasty, ruler of Ygoth, for all her lithe beauty of rounded limbs, sat on her throne like a man, with an elbow resting on crossed knees and knuckles under chin.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading The man stood insolently gazing over the Queen's head at the purple and gold of the tapestries as though something of great interest held his attention to their scarlet colors.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading The man stood insolently gazing over the Queen's head at the purple and gold of the tapestries as though something of great interest held his attention to their scarlet colors.

attentionnounUS /əˈtenʃən/

the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others

From this reading The man stood insolently gazing over the Queen's head at the purple and gold of the tapestries as though something of great interest held his attention to their scarlet colors.

barbariannounUS /bɑːrˈberiən/

a member of an uncivilized people

From this reading _A surprizing tale about the Black Tower and the intrusion therein of a barbarian adventurer--a strange weird tale of the love of a queen for her enemy._ Nione of the Krall Dynasty, ruler of Ygoth, for all her lithe beauty of rounded limbs, sat on her throne like a man, with an elbow resting on crossed knees and knuckles under chin.

bareheadedadjective

having the head uncovered

From this reading Before her a ring of guards surrounded a bareheaded man of great stature whose bronze, half-naked body was loaded down with heavy chains.

beautynounUS /ˈbjuːti/

the qualities that give pleasure to the senses

From this reading _A surprizing tale about the Black Tower and the intrusion therein of a barbarian adventurer--a strange weird tale of the love of a queen for her enemy._ Nione of the Krall Dynasty, ruler of Ygoth, for all her lithe beauty of rounded limbs, sat on her throne like a man, with an elbow resting on crossed knees and knuckles under chin.

BeforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading Before her a ring of guards surrounded a bareheaded man of great stature whose bronze, half-naked body was loaded down with heavy chains.

bendedadjectiveUS /ˈbendɪd/

used of the back and knees; stooped

From this reading The fair occupant of the throne, accustomed to bended knees and supplications, was rapidly losing her temper.

BlackadjectiveUS /blæk/

being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light

From this reading _A surprizing tale about the Black Tower and the intrusion therein of a barbarian adventurer--a strange weird tale of the love of a queen for her enemy._ Nione of the Krall Dynasty, ruler of Ygoth, for all her lithe beauty of rounded limbs, sat on her throne like a man, with an elbow resting on crossed knees and knuckles under chin.

bodynounUS /ˈbɑːdi/

the entire physical structure of an organism (an animal, plant, or human being)

From this reading Before her a ring of guards surrounded a bareheaded man of great stature whose bronze, half-naked body was loaded down with heavy chains.

bronzenounUS /brɑːnz/

an alloy of copper and tin and sometimes other elements; also any copper-base alloy containing other elements in place of tin

From this reading Before her a ring of guards surrounded a bareheaded man of great stature whose bronze, half-naked body was loaded down with heavy chains.

captureverbUS /ˈkæptʃər/

succeed in representing or expressing something intangible

From this reading Many scars and sword-cuts testified to the difficulty of his capture.

chainsnounUS /tʃeɪnz/

metal shackles; for hands or legs

From this reading Before her a ring of guards surrounded a bareheaded man of great stature whose bronze, half-naked body was loaded down with heavy chains.

chinnounUS /tʃɪn/

the protruding part of the lower jaw

From this reading _A surprizing tale about the Black Tower and the intrusion therein of a barbarian adventurer--a strange weird tale of the love of a queen for her enemy._ Nione of the Krall Dynasty, ruler of Ygoth, for all her lithe beauty of rounded limbs, sat on her throne like a man, with an elbow resting on crossed knees and knuckles under chin.

colorsnounUS /ˈkʌlərz/

a flag that shows its nationality

From this reading The man stood insolently gazing over the Queen's head at the purple and gold of the tapestries as though something of great interest held his attention to their scarlet colors.

crossedadjectiveUS /krɔːst/

placed crosswise

From this reading _A surprizing tale about the Black Tower and the intrusion therein of a barbarian adventurer--a strange weird tale of the love of a queen for her enemy._ Nione of the Krall Dynasty, ruler of Ygoth, for all her lithe beauty of rounded limbs, sat on her throne like a man, with an elbow resting on crossed knees and knuckles under chin.

difficultynounUS /ˈdɪfəkəlti/

an effort that is inconvenient

From this reading Many scars and sword-cuts testified to the difficulty of his capture.

downadjectiveUS /daʊn/

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading Before her a ring of guards surrounded a bareheaded man of great stature whose bronze, half-naked body was loaded down with heavy chains.

DynastynounUS /ˈdaɪnəsti/

a sequence of powerful leaders in the same family

From this reading _A surprizing tale about the Black Tower and the intrusion therein of a barbarian adventurer--a strange weird tale of the love of a queen for her enemy._ Nione of the Krall Dynasty, ruler of Ygoth, for all her lithe beauty of rounded limbs, sat on her throne like a man, with an elbow resting on crossed knees and knuckles under chin.

elbownounUS /ˈelboʊ/

hinge joint between the forearm and upper arm and the corresponding joint in the forelimb of a quadruped

From this reading _A surprizing tale about the Black Tower and the intrusion therein of a barbarian adventurer--a strange weird tale of the love of a queen for her enemy._ Nione of the Krall Dynasty, ruler of Ygoth, for all her lithe beauty of rounded limbs, sat on her throne like a man, with an elbow resting on crossed knees and knuckles under chin.

enemynounUS /ˈenəmi/

an opposing military force

From this reading _A surprizing tale about the Black Tower and the intrusion therein of a barbarian adventurer--a strange weird tale of the love of a queen for her enemy._ Nione of the Krall Dynasty, ruler of Ygoth, for all her lithe beauty of rounded limbs, sat on her throne like a man, with an elbow resting on crossed knees and knuckles under chin.

fairadjectiveUS /fer/

free from favoritism or self-interest or bias or deception; conforming with established standards or rules

From this reading The fair occupant of the throne, accustomed to bended knees and supplications, was rapidly losing her temper.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading _A surprizing tale about the Black Tower and the intrusion therein of a barbarian adventurer--a strange weird tale of the love of a queen for her enemy._ Nione of the Krall Dynasty, ruler of Ygoth, for all her lithe beauty of rounded limbs, sat on her throne like a man, with an elbow resting on crossed knees and knuckles under chin.

gazingverbUS /ˈɡeɪzɪŋ/

-ing form of “gaze” — look at with fixed eyes

From this reading The man stood insolently gazing over the Queen's head at the purple and gold of the tapestries as though something of great interest held his attention to their scarlet colors.

goldnounUS /ɡoʊld/

coins made of gold

From this reading The man stood insolently gazing over the Queen's head at the purple and gold of the tapestries as though something of great interest held his attention to their scarlet colors.

greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

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

From this reading Before her a ring of guards surrounded a bareheaded man of great stature whose bronze, half-naked body was loaded down with heavy chains.

guardsnounUS /ɡɑːrdz/

plural of “guard” — a person who keeps watch over something or someone

From this reading Before her a ring of guards surrounded a bareheaded man of great stature whose bronze, half-naked body was loaded down with heavy chains.

half-naked

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

From this reading Before her a ring of guards surrounded a bareheaded man of great stature whose bronze, half-naked body was loaded down with heavy chains.

headnounUS /hed/

the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains

From this reading The man stood insolently gazing over the Queen's head at the purple and gold of the tapestries as though something of great interest held his attention to their scarlet colors.

heavyadjectiveUS /ˈhevi/

of comparatively great physical weight or density

From this reading Before her a ring of guards surrounded a bareheaded man of great stature whose bronze, half-naked body was loaded down with heavy chains.

heldadjectiveUS /held/

occupied or in the control of; often used in combination

From this reading The man stood insolently gazing over the Queen's head at the purple and gold of the tapestries as though something of great interest held his attention to their scarlet colors.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading _A surprizing tale about the Black Tower and the intrusion therein of a barbarian adventurer--a strange weird tale of the love of a queen for her enemy._ Nione of the Krall Dynasty, ruler of Ygoth, for all her lithe beauty of rounded limbs, sat on her throne like a man, with an elbow resting on crossed knees and knuckles under chin.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Many scars and sword-cuts testified to the difficulty of his capture.

insolentlyadverb

in an insolent manner

From this reading The man stood insolently gazing over the Queen's head at the purple and gold of the tapestries as though something of great interest held his attention to their scarlet colors.

interestnounUS /ˈɪntrəst/

a sense of concern with and curiosity about someone or something

From this reading The man stood insolently gazing over the Queen's head at the purple and gold of the tapestries as though something of great interest held his attention to their scarlet colors.

intrusionnounUS /ˌɪnˈtruːʒən/

any entry into an area not previously occupied

From this reading _A surprizing tale about the Black Tower and the intrusion therein of a barbarian adventurer--a strange weird tale of the love of a queen for her enemy._ Nione of the Krall Dynasty, ruler of Ygoth, for all her lithe beauty of rounded limbs, sat on her throne like a man, with an elbow resting on crossed knees and knuckles under chin.

kneesnounUS /niːz/

plural of “knee” — hinge joint in the human leg connecting the tibia and fibula with the femur and protected in front by the patella

From this reading _A surprizing tale about the Black Tower and the intrusion therein of a barbarian adventurer--a strange weird tale of the love of a queen for her enemy._ Nione of the Krall Dynasty, ruler of Ygoth, for all her lithe beauty of rounded limbs, sat on her throne like a man, with an elbow resting on crossed knees and knuckles under chin.

knucklesnounUS /ˈnʌkəlz/

(used in the plural) a small metal weapon; worn over the knuckles on the back of the hand

From this reading _A surprizing tale about the Black Tower and the intrusion therein of a barbarian adventurer--a strange weird tale of the love of a queen for her enemy._ Nione of the Krall Dynasty, ruler of Ygoth, for all her lithe beauty of rounded limbs, sat on her throne like a man, with an elbow resting on crossed knees and knuckles under chin.

Krall

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

From this reading _A surprizing tale about the Black Tower and the intrusion therein of a barbarian adventurer--a strange weird tale of the love of a queen for her enemy._ Nione of the Krall Dynasty, ruler of Ygoth, for all her lithe beauty of rounded limbs, sat on her throne like a man, with an elbow resting on crossed knees and knuckles under chin.

likeverbUS /laɪk/

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading _A surprizing tale about the Black Tower and the intrusion therein of a barbarian adventurer--a strange weird tale of the love of a queen for her enemy._ Nione of the Krall Dynasty, ruler of Ygoth, for all her lithe beauty of rounded limbs, sat on her throne like a man, with an elbow resting on crossed knees and knuckles under chin.

limbsnounUS /lɪmz/

plural of “limb” — one of the jointed appendages of an animal used for locomotion or grasping: arm; leg; wing; flipper

From this reading _A surprizing tale about the Black Tower and the intrusion therein of a barbarian adventurer--a strange weird tale of the love of a queen for her enemy._ Nione of the Krall Dynasty, ruler of Ygoth, for all her lithe beauty of rounded limbs, sat on her throne like a man, with an elbow resting on crossed knees and knuckles under chin.

litheadjectiveUS /laɪð/

gracefully thin and bending and moving with ease

From this reading _A surprizing tale about the Black Tower and the intrusion therein of a barbarian adventurer--a strange weird tale of the love of a queen for her enemy._ Nione of the Krall Dynasty, ruler of Ygoth, for all her lithe beauty of rounded limbs, sat on her throne like a man, with an elbow resting on crossed knees and knuckles under chin.

loadedadjectiveUS /ˈloʊdɪd/

filled with a great quantity

From this reading Before her a ring of guards surrounded a bareheaded man of great stature whose bronze, half-naked body was loaded down with heavy chains.

losingverbUS /ˈluːzɪŋ/

-ing form of “lose” — fail to keep or to maintain; cease to have, either physically or in an abstract sense

From this reading The fair occupant of the throne, accustomed to bended knees and supplications, was rapidly losing her temper.

lovenounUS /lʌv/

a strong positive emotion of regard and affection

From this reading _A surprizing tale about the Black Tower and the intrusion therein of a barbarian adventurer--a strange weird tale of the love of a queen for her enemy._ Nione of the Krall Dynasty, ruler of Ygoth, for all her lithe beauty of rounded limbs, sat on her throne like a man, with an elbow resting on crossed knees and knuckles under chin.

mannounUS /mæn/

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

From this reading _A surprizing tale about the Black Tower and the intrusion therein of a barbarian adventurer--a strange weird tale of the love of a queen for her enemy._ Nione of the Krall Dynasty, ruler of Ygoth, for all her lithe beauty of rounded limbs, sat on her throne like a man, with an elbow resting on crossed knees and knuckles under chin.

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 Many scars and sword-cuts testified to the difficulty of his capture.

Nione

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

From this reading _A surprizing tale about the Black Tower and the intrusion therein of a barbarian adventurer--a strange weird tale of the love of a queen for her enemy._ Nione of the Krall Dynasty, ruler of Ygoth, for all her lithe beauty of rounded limbs, sat on her throne like a man, with an elbow resting on crossed knees and knuckles under chin.

occupantnounUS /ˈɑːkjəpənt/

someone who lives at a particular place for a prolonged period or who was born there

From this reading The fair occupant of the throne, accustomed to bended knees and supplications, was rapidly losing her temper.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading _A surprizing tale about the Black Tower and the intrusion therein of a barbarian adventurer--a strange weird tale of the love of a queen for her enemy._ Nione of the Krall Dynasty, ruler of Ygoth, for all her lithe beauty of rounded limbs, sat on her throne like a man, with an elbow resting on crossed knees and knuckles under chin.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading _A surprizing tale about the Black Tower and the intrusion therein of a barbarian adventurer--a strange weird tale of the love of a queen for her enemy._ Nione of the Krall Dynasty, ruler of Ygoth, for all her lithe beauty of rounded limbs, sat on her throne like a man, with an elbow resting on crossed knees and knuckles under chin.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading The man stood insolently gazing over the Queen's head at the purple and gold of the tapestries as though something of great interest held his attention to their scarlet colors.

purplenounUS /ˈpɜːrpəl/

a purple color or pigment

From this reading The man stood insolently gazing over the Queen's head at the purple and gold of the tapestries as though something of great interest held his attention to their scarlet colors.

queennounUS /kwiːn/

the only fertile female in a colony of social insects such as bees and ants and termites; its function is to lay eggs

From this reading _A surprizing tale about the Black Tower and the intrusion therein of a barbarian adventurer--a strange weird tale of the love of a queen for her enemy._ Nione of the Krall Dynasty, ruler of Ygoth, for all her lithe beauty of rounded limbs, sat on her throne like a man, with an elbow resting on crossed knees and knuckles under chin.

Queen'snounUS /kwiːnz/

possessive form of “queen” — the only fertile female in a colony of social insects such as bees and ants and termites; its function is to lay eggs

From this reading The man stood insolently gazing over the Queen's head at the purple and gold of the tapestries as though something of great interest held his attention to their scarlet colors.

rapidlyadverbUS /ˈræpədli/

with speed

From this reading The fair occupant of the throne, accustomed to bended knees and supplications, was rapidly losing her temper.

restingverbUS /ˈrestɪŋ/

-ing form of “rest” — not move; be in a resting position

From this reading _A surprizing tale about the Black Tower and the intrusion therein of a barbarian adventurer--a strange weird tale of the love of a queen for her enemy._ Nione of the Krall Dynasty, ruler of Ygoth, for all her lithe beauty of rounded limbs, sat on her throne like a man, with an elbow resting on crossed knees and knuckles under chin.

ringverbUS /rɪŋ/

sound loudly and sonorously

From this reading Before her a ring of guards surrounded a bareheaded man of great stature whose bronze, half-naked body was loaded down with heavy chains.

roundedadjectiveUS /ˈraʊndəd/

curving and somewhat round in shape rather than jagged

From this reading _A surprizing tale about the Black Tower and the intrusion therein of a barbarian adventurer--a strange weird tale of the love of a queen for her enemy._ Nione of the Krall Dynasty, ruler of Ygoth, for all her lithe beauty of rounded limbs, sat on her throne like a man, with an elbow resting on crossed knees and knuckles under chin.

rulernounUS /ˈruːlər/

a person who rules or commands

From this reading _A surprizing tale about the Black Tower and the intrusion therein of a barbarian adventurer--a strange weird tale of the love of a queen for her enemy._ Nione of the Krall Dynasty, ruler of Ygoth, for all her lithe beauty of rounded limbs, sat on her throne like a man, with an elbow resting on crossed knees and knuckles under chin.

satnounUS /sæt/

the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians

From this reading _A surprizing tale about the Black Tower and the intrusion therein of a barbarian adventurer--a strange weird tale of the love of a queen for her enemy._ Nione of the Krall Dynasty, ruler of Ygoth, for all her lithe beauty of rounded limbs, sat on her throne like a man, with an elbow resting on crossed knees and knuckles under chin.

scarletnounUS /ˈskɑːrlət/

a variable color that is vivid red but sometimes with an orange tinge

From this reading The man stood insolently gazing over the Queen's head at the purple and gold of the tapestries as though something of great interest held his attention to their scarlet colors.

scarsnounUS /skɑːrz/

plural of “scar” — a mark left (usually on the skin) by the healing of injured tissue

From this reading Many scars and sword-cuts testified to the difficulty of his capture.

somethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/

a thing, without saying which

From this reading The man stood insolently gazing over the Queen's head at the purple and gold of the tapestries as though something of great interest held his attention to their scarlet colors.

staturenounUS /ˈstætʃər/

high level of respect gained by impressive development or achievement

From this reading Before her a ring of guards surrounded a bareheaded man of great stature whose bronze, half-naked body was loaded down with heavy chains.

stoodverbUS /stʊd/

Maintained an upright posture.

From this reading The man stood insolently gazing over the Queen's head at the purple and gold of the tapestries as though something of great interest held his attention to their scarlet colors.

strangeadjectiveUS /streɪndʒ/

being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird

From this reading _A surprizing tale about the Black Tower and the intrusion therein of a barbarian adventurer--a strange weird tale of the love of a queen for her enemy._ Nione of the Krall Dynasty, ruler of Ygoth, for all her lithe beauty of rounded limbs, sat on her throne like a man, with an elbow resting on crossed knees and knuckles under chin.

supplications

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

From this reading The fair occupant of the throne, accustomed to bended knees and supplications, was rapidly losing her temper.

surprizing

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

From this reading _A surprizing tale about the Black Tower and the intrusion therein of a barbarian adventurer--a strange weird tale of the love of a queen for her enemy._ Nione of the Krall Dynasty, ruler of Ygoth, for all her lithe beauty of rounded limbs, sat on her throne like a man, with an elbow resting on crossed knees and knuckles under chin.

surroundedadjectiveUS /sərˈaʊndɪd/

confined on all sides

From this reading Before her a ring of guards surrounded a bareheaded man of great stature whose bronze, half-naked body was loaded down with heavy chains.

sword-cuts

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

From this reading Many scars and sword-cuts testified to the difficulty of his capture.

talenounUS /teɪl/

a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program

From this reading _A surprizing tale about the Black Tower and the intrusion therein of a barbarian adventurer--a strange weird tale of the love of a queen for her enemy._ Nione of the Krall Dynasty, ruler of Ygoth, for all her lithe beauty of rounded limbs, sat on her throne like a man, with an elbow resting on crossed knees and knuckles under chin.

tapestriesnounUS /ˈtæpəstriz/

plural of “tapestry” — something that resembles a tapestry in its intricacy

From this reading The man stood insolently gazing over the Queen's head at the purple and gold of the tapestries as though something of great interest held his attention to their scarlet colors.

tempernounUS /ˈtempər/

a sudden outburst of anger

From this reading The fair occupant of the throne, accustomed to bended knees and supplications, was rapidly losing her temper.

testifiedverbUS /ˈtestəfaɪd/

inflected form of “testify” — give testimony in a court of law

From this reading Many scars and sword-cuts testified to the difficulty of his capture.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading _A surprizing tale about the Black Tower and the intrusion therein of a barbarian adventurer--a strange weird tale of the love of a queen for her enemy._ Nione of the Krall Dynasty, ruler of Ygoth, for all her lithe beauty of rounded limbs, sat on her throne like a man, with an elbow resting on crossed knees and knuckles under chin.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading The man stood insolently gazing over the Queen's head at the purple and gold of the tapestries as though something of great interest held his attention to their scarlet colors.

thereinadverbUS /ðeˈrɪn/

(formal) in or into that thing or place

From this reading _A surprizing tale about the Black Tower and the intrusion therein of a barbarian adventurer--a strange weird tale of the love of a queen for her enemy._ Nione of the Krall Dynasty, ruler of Ygoth, for all her lithe beauty of rounded limbs, sat on her throne like a man, with an elbow resting on crossed knees and knuckles under chin.

thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading The man stood insolently gazing over the Queen's head at the purple and gold of the tapestries as though something of great interest held his attention to their scarlet colors.

thronenounUS /θroʊn/

the chair of state for a monarch, bishop, etc.

From this reading _A surprizing tale about the Black Tower and the intrusion therein of a barbarian adventurer--a strange weird tale of the love of a queen for her enemy._ Nione of the Krall Dynasty, ruler of Ygoth, for all her lithe beauty of rounded limbs, sat on her throne like a man, with an elbow resting on crossed knees and knuckles under chin.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Many scars and sword-cuts testified to the difficulty of his capture.

TowernounUS /ˈtaʊər/

a structure taller than its diameter; can stand alone or be attached to a larger building

From this reading _A surprizing tale about the Black Tower and the intrusion therein of a barbarian adventurer--a strange weird tale of the love of a queen for her enemy._ Nione of the Krall Dynasty, ruler of Ygoth, for all her lithe beauty of rounded limbs, sat on her throne like a man, with an elbow resting on crossed knees and knuckles under chin.

underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading _A surprizing tale about the Black Tower and the intrusion therein of a barbarian adventurer--a strange weird tale of the love of a queen for her enemy._ Nione of the Krall Dynasty, ruler of Ygoth, for all her lithe beauty of rounded limbs, sat on her throne like a man, with an elbow resting on crossed knees and knuckles under chin.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Before her a ring of guards surrounded a bareheaded man of great stature whose bronze, half-naked body was loaded down with heavy chains.

weirdadjectiveUS /wɪrd/

suggesting the operation of supernatural influences

From this reading _A surprizing tale about the Black Tower and the intrusion therein of a barbarian adventurer--a strange weird tale of the love of a queen for her enemy._ Nione of the Krall Dynasty, ruler of Ygoth, for all her lithe beauty of rounded limbs, sat on her throne like a man, with an elbow resting on crossed knees and knuckles under chin.

whosedeterminerUS /huːz/

belonging to which person

From this reading Before her a ring of guards surrounded a bareheaded man of great stature whose bronze, half-naked body was loaded down with heavy chains.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading _A surprizing tale about the Black Tower and the intrusion therein of a barbarian adventurer--a strange weird tale of the love of a queen for her enemy._ Nione of the Krall Dynasty, ruler of Ygoth, for all her lithe beauty of rounded limbs, sat on her throne like a man, with an elbow resting on crossed knees and knuckles under chin.

Ygoth

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

From this reading _A surprizing tale about the Black Tower and the intrusion therein of a barbarian adventurer--a strange weird tale of the love of a queen for her enemy._ Nione of the Krall Dynasty, ruler of Ygoth, for all her lithe beauty of rounded limbs, sat on her throne like a man, with an elbow resting on crossed knees and knuckles under chin.

Chapter 1 of Duar the accursed by Clifford Ball holds 478 sentences, grouped into 96 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.

What does chapter 1 of Duar the accursed contain?

Chapter 1 holds 478 sentences of Duar the accursed, unabridged, divided into 96 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of Duar the accursed by Clifford Ball exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 478 sentences, grouped into 96 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.

How do I study chapter 1 of Duar the accursed?

Work through the 96 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 96 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.

Can chapter 1 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 1 can be played aloud in United States English.

Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.

Questions about reading Duar the accursed

Common questions about reading Duar the accursed by Clifford Ball on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Duar the accursed?

Yes. All 478 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #76127 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Duar the accursed is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #76127, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Duar the accursed take to read?

About 39 minutes of reading across 96 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Duar the accursed section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 1 chapters of Duar the accursed 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 Duar the accursed

Words and structures a reader meets early in Duar the accursed, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Surprizing
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Duar the accursed; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Black
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Duar the accursed; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Tower
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Duar the accursed; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Intrusion
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Duar the accursed; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.