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Dust of the Desert
Dust of the Desert

Chapter XIX

Chapter 19 of Dust of the Desert is here in full — 78 sentences across 16 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/15 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE DESERT INTERVENES That day omniscient will of the desert moved to point a murderer’s guilt the same inscrutable power flexed a finger to mould events some seventy miles away from the Garden of Solitude where the worthy doctor from Arizora and his Papago had been nibbling at a mystery.
Though Doc Stooder moved in a haze of strong waters, though he looked upon the face of the desert through a golden veil of his own weaving, yet was he not the least immune from the law of the waste places.
The Doc walked with God, even as did the pioneer fathers of the Church; the fact that he did not admit the companionship had no influence on the operations of destiny.
We left Stooder on his knees before the uncovered bell with its inscription carrying identification.
His excitements, his hysterical grubbings, soundings and prospectings of the ensuing twenty-four hours were heroic.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Dust of the Desert

Chapter XIX

Chapter 19 of Dust of the Desert is here in full — 78 sentences across 16 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/15 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE DESERT INTERVENES That day omniscient will of the desert moved to point a murderer’s guilt the same inscrutable power flexed a finger to mould events some seventy miles away from the Garden of Solitude where the worthy doctor from Arizora and his Papago had been nibbling at a mystery.
Line 2
Though Doc Stooder moved in a haze of strong waters, though he looked upon the face of the desert through a golden veil of his own weaving, yet was he not the least immune from the law of the waste places.
Line 3
The Doc walked with God, even as did the pioneer fathers of the Church; the fact that he did not admit the companionship had no influence on the operations of destiny.
/ðə dɑːk wɔːkt wɪð ɡɑːd ˈiːvɪn æz dɪd ðə ˌpaɪəˈnɪr ˈfɑːðərz ʌv ðə tʃɜːrtʃ ðə fækt ðæt hiː dɪd nɑːt ədˈmɪt ðə kəmˈpænjənʃɪp hæd noʊ ˈɪnfluːəns ɑːn ðə ˌɑːpərˈeɪʃənz ʌv ˈdestəni/
Line 4
We left Stooder on his knees before the uncovered bell with its inscription carrying identification.
Line 5
His excitements, his hysterical grubbings, soundings and prospectings of the ensuing twenty-four hours were heroic.

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.

flexed verb US /flekst/

past form of “flex” — contract

From this reading “THE DESERT INTERVENES That day omniscient will of the desert moved to point a murderer’s guilt the same inscrutable power flexed a finger to mould events some seventy miles away from the Garden of Solitude where the worthy doctor from Arizora and his Papago had been nibbling at a mystery.”

identification noun US /aɪˌdentəfəˈkeɪʃən/

the act of designating or identifying something

From this reading “We left Stooder on his knees before the uncovered bell with its inscription carrying identification.”

immune adjective US /ˌɪˈmjuːn/

relating to the condition of immunity

From this reading “Though Doc Stooder moved in a haze of strong waters, though he looked upon the face of the desert through a golden veil of his own weaving, yet was he not the least immune from the law of the waste places.”

intervenes verb US /ˌɪntərˈviːnz/

third-person singular of “intervene” — get involved, so as to alter or hinder an action, or through force or threat of force

From this reading “THE DESERT INTERVENES That day omniscient will of the desert moved to point a murderer’s guilt the same inscrutable power flexed a finger to mould events some seventy miles away from the Garden of Solitude where the worthy doctor from Arizora and his Papago had been nibbling at a mystery.”

murderer's noun US /ˈmɜːrdərərz/

possessive form of “murderer” — a criminal who commits homicide (who performs the unlawful premeditated killing of another human being)

nibbling verb US /ˈnɪbəlɪŋ/

-ing form of “nibble” — bite off very small pieces

From this reading “THE DESERT INTERVENES That day omniscient will of the desert moved to point a murderer’s guilt the same inscrutable power flexed a finger to mould events some seventy miles away from the Garden of Solitude where the worthy doctor from Arizora and his Papago had been nibbling at a mystery.”

omniscient adjective US /ɑːmˈnɪʃənt/

infinitely wise

From this reading “THE DESERT INTERVENES That day omniscient will of the desert moved to point a murderer’s guilt the same inscrutable power flexed a finger to mould events some seventy miles away from the Garden of Solitude where the worthy doctor from Arizora and his Papago had been nibbling at a mystery.”

soundings noun US /ˈsaʊndɪŋz/

plural of “sounding” — a measure of the depth of water taken with a sounding line

From this reading “His excitements, his hysterical grubbings, soundings and prospectings of the ensuing twenty-four hours were heroic.”

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.

twenty-four hours adjective + noun

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

In this reading “His excitements, his hysterical grubbings, soundings and prospectings of the ensuing twenty-four hours were heroic.”

seventy miles adjective + noun counted as “seventy mile”

In this reading “THE DESERT INTERVENES That day omniscient will of the desert moved to point a murderer’s guilt the same inscrutable power flexed a finger to mould events some seventy miles away from the Garden of Solitude where the worthy doctor from Arizora and his Papago had been nibbling at a mystery.”

strong waters adjective + noun

In this reading “Though Doc Stooder moved in a haze of strong waters, though he looked upon the face of the desert through a golden veil of his own weaving, yet was he not the least immune from the law of the waste places.”

nibbling at verb + particle counted as “nibble at”

In this reading “THE DESERT INTERVENES That day omniscient will of the desert moved to point a murderer’s guilt the same inscrutable power flexed a finger to mould events some seventy miles away from the Garden of Solitude where the worthy doctor from Arizora and his Papago had been nibbling at a mystery.”

looked upon verb + particle counted as “look upon”

look on as or consider

In this reading “Though Doc Stooder moved in a haze of strong waters, though he looked upon the face of the desert through a golden veil of his own weaving, yet was he not the least immune from the law of the waste places.”

All words in this reading · 101

Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.

Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading THE DESERT INTERVENES That day omniscient will of the desert moved to point a murderer’s guilt the same inscrutable power flexed a finger to mould events some seventy miles away from the Garden of Solitude where the worthy doctor from Arizora and his Papago had been nibbling at a mystery.

admitverbUS /ədˈmɪt/

declare to be true or admit the existence or reality or truth of

From this reading The Doc walked with God, even as did the pioneer fathers of the Church; the fact that he did not admit the companionship had no influence on the operations of destiny.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading THE DESERT INTERVENES That day omniscient will of the desert moved to point a murderer’s guilt the same inscrutable power flexed a finger to mould events some seventy miles away from the Garden of Solitude where the worthy doctor from Arizora and his Papago had been nibbling at a mystery.

Arizora

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

From this reading THE DESERT INTERVENES That day omniscient will of the desert moved to point a murderer’s guilt the same inscrutable power flexed a finger to mould events some seventy miles away from the Garden of Solitude where the worthy doctor from Arizora and his Papago had been nibbling at a mystery.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading The Doc walked with God, even as did the pioneer fathers of the Church; the fact that he did not admit the companionship had no influence on the operations of destiny.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading THE DESERT INTERVENES That day omniscient will of the desert moved to point a murderer’s guilt the same inscrutable power flexed a finger to mould events some seventy miles away from the Garden of Solitude where the worthy doctor from Arizora and his Papago had been nibbling at a mystery.

awayadverbUS /əˈweɪ/

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

From this reading THE DESERT INTERVENES That day omniscient will of the desert moved to point a murderer’s guilt the same inscrutable power flexed a finger to mould events some seventy miles away from the Garden of Solitude where the worthy doctor from Arizora and his Papago had been nibbling at a mystery.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading THE DESERT INTERVENES That day omniscient will of the desert moved to point a murderer’s guilt the same inscrutable power flexed a finger to mould events some seventy miles away from the Garden of Solitude where the worthy doctor from Arizora and his Papago had been nibbling at a mystery.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading We left Stooder on his knees before the uncovered bell with its inscription carrying identification.

bellnounUS /bel/

a hollow device made of metal that makes a ringing sound when struck

From this reading We left Stooder on his knees before the uncovered bell with its inscription carrying identification.

carryingverbUS /ˈkæriɪŋ/

-ing form of “carry” — move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body

From this reading We left Stooder on his knees before the uncovered bell with its inscription carrying identification.

ChurchnounUS /tʃɜːrtʃ/

one of the groups of Christians who have their own beliefs and forms of worship

From this reading The Doc walked with God, even as did the pioneer fathers of the Church; the fact that he did not admit the companionship had no influence on the operations of destiny.

companionshipnounUS /kəmˈpænjənʃɪp/

the state of being with someone

From this reading The Doc walked with God, even as did the pioneer fathers of the Church; the fact that he did not admit the companionship had no influence on the operations of destiny.

daynounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading THE DESERT INTERVENES That day omniscient will of the desert moved to point a murderer’s guilt the same inscrutable power flexed a finger to mould events some seventy miles away from the Garden of Solitude where the worthy doctor from Arizora and his Papago had been nibbling at a mystery.

DESERTverbUS /ˈdezərt/

leave someone who needs or counts on you; leave in the lurch

From this reading THE DESERT INTERVENES That day omniscient will of the desert moved to point a murderer’s guilt the same inscrutable power flexed a finger to mould events some seventy miles away from the Garden of Solitude where the worthy doctor from Arizora and his Papago had been nibbling at a mystery.

destinynounUS /ˈdestəni/

an event (or a course of events) that will inevitably happen in the future

From this reading The Doc walked with God, even as did the pioneer fathers of the Church; the fact that he did not admit the companionship had no influence on the operations of destiny.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

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

From this reading The Doc walked with God, even as did the pioneer fathers of the Church; the fact that he did not admit the companionship had no influence on the operations of destiny.

DocnounUS /dɑːk/

a licensed medical practitioner

From this reading Though Doc Stooder moved in a haze of strong waters, though he looked upon the face of the desert through a golden veil of his own weaving, yet was he not the least immune from the law of the waste places.

doctornounUS /ˈdɑːktər/

a licensed medical practitioner

From this reading THE DESERT INTERVENES That day omniscient will of the desert moved to point a murderer’s guilt the same inscrutable power flexed a finger to mould events some seventy miles away from the Garden of Solitude where the worthy doctor from Arizora and his Papago had been nibbling at a mystery.

ensuingadjectiveUS /ˈensuːɪŋ/

following immediately and as a result of what went before

From this reading His excitements, his hysterical grubbings, soundings and prospectings of the ensuing twenty-four hours were heroic.

evenadjectiveUS /ˈiːvɪn/

divisible by two

From this reading The Doc walked with God, even as did the pioneer fathers of the Church; the fact that he did not admit the companionship had no influence on the operations of destiny.

eventsnounUS /ɪˈvents/

plural of “event” — something that happens at a given place and time

From this reading THE DESERT INTERVENES That day omniscient will of the desert moved to point a murderer’s guilt the same inscrutable power flexed a finger to mould events some seventy miles away from the Garden of Solitude where the worthy doctor from Arizora and his Papago had been nibbling at a mystery.

excitements

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

From this reading His excitements, his hysterical grubbings, soundings and prospectings of the ensuing twenty-four hours were heroic.

facenounUS /feɪs/

the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear

From this reading Though Doc Stooder moved in a haze of strong waters, though he looked upon the face of the desert through a golden veil of his own weaving, yet was he not the least immune from the law of the waste places.

factnounUS /fækt/

a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred

From this reading The Doc walked with God, even as did the pioneer fathers of the Church; the fact that he did not admit the companionship had no influence on the operations of destiny.

fathersnounUS /ˈfɑːðərz/

plural of “father” — a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)

From this reading The Doc walked with God, even as did the pioneer fathers of the Church; the fact that he did not admit the companionship had no influence on the operations of destiny.

fingerverbUS /ˈfɪŋɡər/

feel or handle with the fingers

From this reading THE DESERT INTERVENES That day omniscient will of the desert moved to point a murderer’s guilt the same inscrutable power flexed a finger to mould events some seventy miles away from the Garden of Solitude where the worthy doctor from Arizora and his Papago had been nibbling at a mystery.

flexedverbUS /flekst/

past form of “flex” — contract

From this reading THE DESERT INTERVENES That day omniscient will of the desert moved to point a murderer’s guilt the same inscrutable power flexed a finger to mould events some seventy miles away from the Garden of Solitude where the worthy doctor from Arizora and his Papago had been nibbling at a mystery.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading THE DESERT INTERVENES That day omniscient will of the desert moved to point a murderer’s guilt the same inscrutable power flexed a finger to mould events some seventy miles away from the Garden of Solitude where the worthy doctor from Arizora and his Papago had been nibbling at a mystery.

GardennounUS /ˈɡɑːrdən/

a plot of ground where plants are cultivated

From this reading THE DESERT INTERVENES That day omniscient will of the desert moved to point a murderer’s guilt the same inscrutable power flexed a finger to mould events some seventy miles away from the Garden of Solitude where the worthy doctor from Arizora and his Papago had been nibbling at a mystery.

GodnounUS /ɡɑːd/

the supernatural being conceived as the perfect and omnipotent and omniscient originator and ruler of the universe; the object of worship in monotheistic religions

From this reading The Doc walked with God, even as did the pioneer fathers of the Church; the fact that he did not admit the companionship had no influence on the operations of destiny.

goldenadjectiveUS /ˈɡoʊldən/

having the deep slightly brownish color of gold

From this reading Though Doc Stooder moved in a haze of strong waters, though he looked upon the face of the desert through a golden veil of his own weaving, yet was he not the least immune from the law of the waste places.

grubbings

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

From this reading His excitements, his hysterical grubbings, soundings and prospectings of the ensuing twenty-four hours were heroic.

guiltnounUS /ɡɪlt/

the state of having committed an offense

From this reading THE DESERT INTERVENES That day omniscient will of the desert moved to point a murderer’s guilt the same inscrutable power flexed a finger to mould events some seventy miles away from the Garden of Solitude where the worthy doctor from Arizora and his Papago had been nibbling at a mystery.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading THE DESERT INTERVENES That day omniscient will of the desert moved to point a murderer’s guilt the same inscrutable power flexed a finger to mould events some seventy miles away from the Garden of Solitude where the worthy doctor from Arizora and his Papago had been nibbling at a mystery.

hazenounUS /heɪz/

atmospheric moisture or dust or smoke that causes reduced visibility

From this reading Though Doc Stooder moved in a haze of strong waters, though he looked upon the face of the desert through a golden veil of his own weaving, yet was he not the least immune from the law of the waste places.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading Though Doc Stooder moved in a haze of strong waters, though he looked upon the face of the desert through a golden veil of his own weaving, yet was he not the least immune from the law of the waste places.

heroicadjectiveUS /hɪˈroʊɪk/

very imposing or impressive; surpassing the ordinary (especially in size or scale)

From this reading His excitements, his hysterical grubbings, soundings and prospectings of the ensuing twenty-four hours were heroic.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading THE DESERT INTERVENES That day omniscient will of the desert moved to point a murderer’s guilt the same inscrutable power flexed a finger to mould events some seventy miles away from the Garden of Solitude where the worthy doctor from Arizora and his Papago had been nibbling at a mystery.

hoursnounUS /ˈaʊərz/

a period of time assigned for work

From this reading His excitements, his hysterical grubbings, soundings and prospectings of the ensuing twenty-four hours were heroic.

hystericaladjectiveUS /hɪˈsterɪkəl/

characterized by or arising from psychoneurotic hysteria

From this reading His excitements, his hysterical grubbings, soundings and prospectings of the ensuing twenty-four hours were heroic.

identificationnounUS /aɪˌdentəfəˈkeɪʃən/

the act of designating or identifying something

From this reading We left Stooder on his knees before the uncovered bell with its inscription carrying identification.

immuneadjectiveUS /ˌɪˈmjuːn/

relating to the condition of immunity

From this reading Though Doc Stooder moved in a haze of strong waters, though he looked upon the face of the desert through a golden veil of his own weaving, yet was he not the least immune from the law of the waste places.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Though Doc Stooder moved in a haze of strong waters, though he looked upon the face of the desert through a golden veil of his own weaving, yet was he not the least immune from the law of the waste places.

influencenounUS /ˈɪnfluːəns/

a power to affect persons or events especially power based on prestige etc

From this reading The Doc walked with God, even as did the pioneer fathers of the Church; the fact that he did not admit the companionship had no influence on the operations of destiny.

inscriptionnounUS /ˌɪnˈskrɪpʃən/

letters inscribed (especially words engraved or carved) on something

From this reading We left Stooder on his knees before the uncovered bell with its inscription carrying identification.

inscrutableadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈskruːtəbəl/

of an obscure nature

From this reading THE DESERT INTERVENES That day omniscient will of the desert moved to point a murderer’s guilt the same inscrutable power flexed a finger to mould events some seventy miles away from the Garden of Solitude where the worthy doctor from Arizora and his Papago had been nibbling at a mystery.

INTERVENESverbUS /ˌɪntərˈviːnz/

third-person singular of “intervene” — get involved, so as to alter or hinder an action, or through force or threat of force

From this reading THE DESERT INTERVENES That day omniscient will of the desert moved to point a murderer’s guilt the same inscrutable power flexed a finger to mould events some seventy miles away from the Garden of Solitude where the worthy doctor from Arizora and his Papago had been nibbling at a mystery.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading We left Stooder on his knees before the uncovered bell with its inscription carrying identification.

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 We left Stooder on his knees before the uncovered bell with its inscription carrying identification.

lawnounUS /lɔː/

the collection of rules imposed by authority

From this reading Though Doc Stooder moved in a haze of strong waters, though he looked upon the face of the desert through a golden veil of his own weaving, yet was he not the least immune from the law of the waste places.

leastadjectiveUS /liːst/

the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree

From this reading Though Doc Stooder moved in a haze of strong waters, though he looked upon the face of the desert through a golden veil of his own weaving, yet was he not the least immune from the law of the waste places.

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 We left Stooder on his knees before the uncovered bell with its inscription carrying identification.

lookedverbUS /lʊkt/

past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading Though Doc Stooder moved in a haze of strong waters, though he looked upon the face of the desert through a golden veil of his own weaving, yet was he not the least immune from the law of the waste places.

milesnounUS /maɪlz/

plural of “mile” — a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters

From this reading THE DESERT INTERVENES That day omniscient will of the desert moved to point a murderer’s guilt the same inscrutable power flexed a finger to mould events some seventy miles away from the Garden of Solitude where the worthy doctor from Arizora and his Papago had been nibbling at a mystery.

mouldverbUS /moʊld/

form in clay, wax, etc

From this reading THE DESERT INTERVENES That day omniscient will of the desert moved to point a murderer’s guilt the same inscrutable power flexed a finger to mould events some seventy miles away from the Garden of Solitude where the worthy doctor from Arizora and his Papago had been nibbling at a mystery.

movedadjectiveUS /muːvd/

being excited or provoked to the expression of an emotion

From this reading THE DESERT INTERVENES That day omniscient will of the desert moved to point a murderer’s guilt the same inscrutable power flexed a finger to mould events some seventy miles away from the Garden of Solitude where the worthy doctor from Arizora and his Papago had been nibbling at a mystery.

murderer'snounUS /ˈmɜːrdərərz/

possessive form of “murderer” — a criminal who commits homicide (who performs the unlawful premeditated killing of another human being)

From this reading THE DESERT INTERVENES That day omniscient will of the desert moved to point a murderer’s guilt the same inscrutable power flexed a finger to mould events some seventy miles away from the Garden of Solitude where the worthy doctor from Arizora and his Papago had been nibbling at a mystery.

mysterynounUS /ˈmɪstəri/

something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained

From this reading THE DESERT INTERVENES That day omniscient will of the desert moved to point a murderer’s guilt the same inscrutable power flexed a finger to mould events some seventy miles away from the Garden of Solitude where the worthy doctor from Arizora and his Papago had been nibbling at a mystery.

nibblingverbUS /ˈnɪbəlɪŋ/

-ing form of “nibble” — bite off very small pieces

From this reading THE DESERT INTERVENES That day omniscient will of the desert moved to point a murderer’s guilt the same inscrutable power flexed a finger to mould events some seventy miles away from the Garden of Solitude where the worthy doctor from Arizora and his Papago had been nibbling at a mystery.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading The Doc walked with God, even as did the pioneer fathers of the Church; the fact that he did not admit the companionship had no influence on the operations of destiny.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Though Doc Stooder moved in a haze of strong waters, though he looked upon the face of the desert through a golden veil of his own weaving, yet was he not the least immune from the law of the waste places.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading THE DESERT INTERVENES That day omniscient will of the desert moved to point a murderer’s guilt the same inscrutable power flexed a finger to mould events some seventy miles away from the Garden of Solitude where the worthy doctor from Arizora and his Papago had been nibbling at a mystery.

omniscientadjectiveUS /ɑːmˈnɪʃənt/

infinitely wise

From this reading THE DESERT INTERVENES That day omniscient will of the desert moved to point a murderer’s guilt the same inscrutable power flexed a finger to mould events some seventy miles away from the Garden of Solitude where the worthy doctor from Arizora and his Papago had been nibbling at a mystery.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading The Doc walked with God, even as did the pioneer fathers of the Church; the fact that he did not admit the companionship had no influence on the operations of destiny.

operationsnounUS /ˌɑːpərˈeɪʃənz/

financial transactions at a brokerage; having to do with the execution of trades and keeping customer records

From this reading The Doc walked with God, even as did the pioneer fathers of the Church; the fact that he did not admit the companionship had no influence on the operations of destiny.

ownverbUS /oʊn/

have ownership or possession of

From this reading Though Doc Stooder moved in a haze of strong waters, though he looked upon the face of the desert through a golden veil of his own weaving, yet was he not the least immune from the law of the waste places.

Papago

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

From this reading THE DESERT INTERVENES That day omniscient will of the desert moved to point a murderer’s guilt the same inscrutable power flexed a finger to mould events some seventy miles away from the Garden of Solitude where the worthy doctor from Arizora and his Papago had been nibbling at a mystery.

pioneernounUS /ˌpaɪəˈnɪr/

someone who helps to open up a new line of research or technology or art

From this reading The Doc walked with God, even as did the pioneer fathers of the Church; the fact that he did not admit the companionship had no influence on the operations of destiny.

placesnounUS /ˈpleɪsəz/

plural of “place” — a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading Though Doc Stooder moved in a haze of strong waters, though he looked upon the face of the desert through a golden veil of his own weaving, yet was he not the least immune from the law of the waste places.

pointnounUS /pɔɪnt/

a geometric element that has position but no extension

From this reading THE DESERT INTERVENES That day omniscient will of the desert moved to point a murderer’s guilt the same inscrutable power flexed a finger to mould events some seventy miles away from the Garden of Solitude where the worthy doctor from Arizora and his Papago had been nibbling at a mystery.

powernounUS /ˈpaʊər/

possession of controlling influence

From this reading THE DESERT INTERVENES That day omniscient will of the desert moved to point a murderer’s guilt the same inscrutable power flexed a finger to mould events some seventy miles away from the Garden of Solitude where the worthy doctor from Arizora and his Papago had been nibbling at a mystery.

prospectings

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

From this reading His excitements, his hysterical grubbings, soundings and prospectings of the ensuing twenty-four hours were heroic.

sameadjectiveUS /seɪm/

Identical; not different.

From this reading THE DESERT INTERVENES That day omniscient will of the desert moved to point a murderer’s guilt the same inscrutable power flexed a finger to mould events some seventy miles away from the Garden of Solitude where the worthy doctor from Arizora and his Papago had been nibbling at a mystery.

seventyadjectiveUS /ˈsevənti/

being ten more than sixty

From this reading THE DESERT INTERVENES That day omniscient will of the desert moved to point a murderer’s guilt the same inscrutable power flexed a finger to mould events some seventy miles away from the Garden of Solitude where the worthy doctor from Arizora and his Papago had been nibbling at a mystery.

SolitudenounUS /ˈsɑːlətuːd/

a state of social isolation

From this reading THE DESERT INTERVENES That day omniscient will of the desert moved to point a murderer’s guilt the same inscrutable power flexed a finger to mould events some seventy miles away from the Garden of Solitude where the worthy doctor from Arizora and his Papago had been nibbling at a mystery.

someadjectiveUS /sʌm/

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading THE DESERT INTERVENES That day omniscient will of the desert moved to point a murderer’s guilt the same inscrutable power flexed a finger to mould events some seventy miles away from the Garden of Solitude where the worthy doctor from Arizora and his Papago had been nibbling at a mystery.

soundingsnounUS /ˈsaʊndɪŋz/

plural of “sounding” — a measure of the depth of water taken with a sounding line

From this reading His excitements, his hysterical grubbings, soundings and prospectings of the ensuing twenty-four hours were heroic.

Stooder

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

From this reading Though Doc Stooder moved in a haze of strong waters, though he looked upon the face of the desert through a golden veil of his own weaving, yet was he not the least immune from the law of the waste places.

strongadjectiveUS /strɔːŋ/

having strength or power greater than average or expected

From this reading Though Doc Stooder moved in a haze of strong waters, though he looked upon the face of the desert through a golden veil of his own weaving, yet was he not the least immune from the law of the waste places.

ThatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading THE DESERT INTERVENES That day omniscient will of the desert moved to point a murderer’s guilt the same inscrutable power flexed a finger to mould events some seventy miles away from the Garden of Solitude where the worthy doctor from Arizora and his Papago had been nibbling at a mystery.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE DESERT INTERVENES That day omniscient will of the desert moved to point a murderer’s guilt the same inscrutable power flexed a finger to mould events some seventy miles away from the Garden of Solitude where the worthy doctor from Arizora and his Papago had been nibbling at a mystery.

ThoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading Though Doc Stooder moved in a haze of strong waters, though he looked upon the face of the desert through a golden veil of his own weaving, yet was he not the least immune from the law of the waste places.

throughprepositionUS /θruː/

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading Though Doc Stooder moved in a haze of strong waters, though he looked upon the face of the desert through a golden veil of his own weaving, yet was he not the least immune from the law of the waste places.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading THE DESERT INTERVENES That day omniscient will of the desert moved to point a murderer’s guilt the same inscrutable power flexed a finger to mould events some seventy miles away from the Garden of Solitude where the worthy doctor from Arizora and his Papago had been nibbling at a mystery.

twenty-fouradjectiveUS /ˈtwentifɔːr/

being four more than twenty

From this reading His excitements, his hysterical grubbings, soundings and prospectings of the ensuing twenty-four hours were heroic.

uncoveredadjectiveUS /ənˈkʌvərd/

not covered with clothing

From this reading We left Stooder on his knees before the uncovered bell with its inscription carrying identification.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading Though Doc Stooder moved in a haze of strong waters, though he looked upon the face of the desert through a golden veil of his own weaving, yet was he not the least immune from the law of the waste places.

veilnounUS /veɪl/

a garment that covers the head and face

From this reading Though Doc Stooder moved in a haze of strong waters, though he looked upon the face of the desert through a golden veil of his own weaving, yet was he not the least immune from the law of the waste places.

walkedverbUS /wɔːkt/

past form of “walk” — use one's feet to advance; advance by steps

From this reading The Doc walked with God, even as did the pioneer fathers of the Church; the fact that he did not admit the companionship had no influence on the operations of destiny.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Though Doc Stooder moved in a haze of strong waters, though he looked upon the face of the desert through a golden veil of his own weaving, yet was he not the least immune from the law of the waste places.

wastenounUS /weɪst/

any materials unused and rejected as worthless or unwanted

From this reading Though Doc Stooder moved in a haze of strong waters, though he looked upon the face of the desert through a golden veil of his own weaving, yet was he not the least immune from the law of the waste places.

watersnounUS /ˈwɔːtərz/

United States actress and singer (1896-1977)

From this reading Though Doc Stooder moved in a haze of strong waters, though he looked upon the face of the desert through a golden veil of his own weaving, yet was he not the least immune from the law of the waste places.

WepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading We left Stooder on his knees before the uncovered bell with its inscription carrying identification.

weavingnounUS /ˈwiːvɪŋ/

creating fabric

From this reading Though Doc Stooder moved in a haze of strong waters, though he looked upon the face of the desert through a golden veil of his own weaving, yet was he not the least immune from the law of the waste places.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading His excitements, his hysterical grubbings, soundings and prospectings of the ensuing twenty-four hours were heroic.

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading THE DESERT INTERVENES That day omniscient will of the desert moved to point a murderer’s guilt the same inscrutable power flexed a finger to mould events some seventy miles away from the Garden of Solitude where the worthy doctor from Arizora and his Papago had been nibbling at a mystery.

willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading THE DESERT INTERVENES That day omniscient will of the desert moved to point a murderer’s guilt the same inscrutable power flexed a finger to mould events some seventy miles away from the Garden of Solitude where the worthy doctor from Arizora and his Papago had been nibbling at a mystery.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading The Doc walked with God, even as did the pioneer fathers of the Church; the fact that he did not admit the companionship had no influence on the operations of destiny.

worthyadjectiveUS /ˈwɜːr.ði/

Having or showing the qualities or abilities that merit recognition in character or magic.

From this reading THE DESERT INTERVENES That day omniscient will of the desert moved to point a murderer’s guilt the same inscrutable power flexed a finger to mould events some seventy miles away from the Garden of Solitude where the worthy doctor from Arizora and his Papago had been nibbling at a mystery.

yetconjunctionUS /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading Though Doc Stooder moved in a haze of strong waters, though he looked upon the face of the desert through a golden veil of his own weaving, yet was he not the least immune from the law of the waste places.

Chapter 19 of Dust of the Desert by Robert Welles Ritchie holds 78 sentences, grouped into 16 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 19 of Dust of the Desert contain?

Chapter 19 holds 78 sentences of Dust of the Desert, unabridged, divided into 16 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 19 of Dust of the Desert by Robert Welles Ritchie exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 78 sentences, grouped into 16 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 19 of Dust of the Desert?

Work through the 16 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 16 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 19 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 19 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 Dust of the Desert

Common questions about reading Dust of the Desert by Robert Welles Ritchie on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Dust of the Desert?

Yes. All 3249 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #44691 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Dust of the Desert is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #44691, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Dust of the Desert take to read?

About 270 minutes of reading across 650 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Dust of the Desert section by section

How to work through Dust of the Desert section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 26 chapters of Dust of the Desert 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 Dust of the Desert

Words and structures a reader meets early in Dust of the Desert, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Roads
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Dust of the Desert; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Thread
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Dust of the Desert; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
World
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Dust of the Desert; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Thunder
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Dust of the Desert; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.