Chapter 18 of Ernest Linwood is here in full — 236 sentences across 48 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XVIII
Chapter 18 of Ernest Linwood is here in full — 236 sentences across 48 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A thundering rap at the door startled my meditations. I knew there was but one pair of knuckles in the house capable of beating such a tattoo, and I recoiled from admitting such a boisterous guest. "Gabriella, Gabriella!" rung a voice through the passage. "Are you asleep? Are you dead?
Chapter 18 of Ernest Linwood is here in full — 236 sentences across 48 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/47 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.
inflected form of “admit” — declare to be true or admit the existence or reality or truth of
From this reading “I knew there was but one pair of knuckles in the house capable of beating such a tattoo, and I recoiled from admitting such a boisterous guest.”
noisy and lacking in restraint or discipline
From this reading “I knew there was but one pair of knuckles in the house capable of beating such a tattoo, and I recoiled from admitting such a boisterous guest.”
(used in the plural) a small metal weapon; worn over the knuckles on the back of the hand
From this reading “I knew there was but one pair of knuckles in the house capable of beating such a tattoo, and I recoiled from admitting such a boisterous guest.”
plural of “meditation” — continuous and profound contemplation or musing on a subject or series of subjects of a deep or abstruse nature
From this reading “A thundering rap at the door startled my meditations.”
a reproach for some lapse or misdeed
From this reading “A thundering rap at the door startled my meditations.”
past form of “recoil” — draw back, as with fear or pain
From this reading “I knew there was but one pair of knuckles in the house capable of beating such a tattoo, and I recoiled from admitting such a boisterous guest.”
a drumbeat or bugle call that signals the military to return to their quarters
From this reading “I knew there was but one pair of knuckles in the house capable of beating such a tattoo, and I recoiled from admitting such a boisterous guest.”
sounding like thunder
From this reading “A thundering rap at the door startled my meditations.”
Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.
Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A thundering rap at the door startled my meditations.
inflected form of “admit” — declare to be true or admit the existence or reality or truth of
From this reading I knew there was but one pair of knuckles in the house capable of beating such a tattoo, and I recoiled from admitting such a boisterous guest.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading I knew there was but one pair of knuckles in the house capable of beating such a tattoo, and I recoiled from admitting such a boisterous guest.
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "Are you asleep?
in a state of sleep
From this reading "Are you asleep?
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading A thundering rap at the door startled my meditations.
the act of overcoming or outdoing
From this reading I knew there was but one pair of knuckles in the house capable of beating such a tattoo, and I recoiled from admitting such a boisterous guest.
noisy and lacking in restraint or discipline
From this reading I knew there was but one pair of knuckles in the house capable of beating such a tattoo, and I recoiled from admitting such a boisterous guest.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading I knew there was but one pair of knuckles in the house capable of beating such a tattoo, and I recoiled from admitting such a boisterous guest.
(usually followed by “of”) having capacity or ability
From this reading I knew there was but one pair of knuckles in the house capable of beating such a tattoo, and I recoiled from admitting such a boisterous guest.
no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life
From this reading Are you dead?
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading A thundering rap at the door startled my meditations.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading I knew there was but one pair of knuckles in the house capable of beating such a tattoo, and I recoiled from admitting such a boisterous guest.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Gabriella, Gabriella!" rung a voice through the passage.
a visitor to whom hospitality is extended
From this reading I knew there was but one pair of knuckles in the house capable of beating such a tattoo, and I recoiled from admitting such a boisterous guest.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading I knew there was but one pair of knuckles in the house capable of beating such a tattoo, and I recoiled from admitting such a boisterous guest.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I knew there was but one pair of knuckles in the house capable of beating such a tattoo, and I recoiled from admitting such a boisterous guest.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading I knew there was but one pair of knuckles in the house capable of beating such a tattoo, and I recoiled from admitting such a boisterous guest.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading I knew there was but one pair of knuckles in the house capable of beating such a tattoo, and I recoiled from admitting such a boisterous guest.
(used in the plural) a small metal weapon; worn over the knuckles on the back of the hand
From this reading I knew there was but one pair of knuckles in the house capable of beating such a tattoo, and I recoiled from admitting such a boisterous guest.
plural of “meditation” — continuous and profound contemplation or musing on a subject or series of subjects of a deep or abstruse nature
From this reading A thundering rap at the door startled my meditations.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading A thundering rap at the door startled my meditations.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading I knew there was but one pair of knuckles in the house capable of beating such a tattoo, and I recoiled from admitting such a boisterous guest.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading I knew there was but one pair of knuckles in the house capable of beating such a tattoo, and I recoiled from admitting such a boisterous guest.
a set of two similar things considered as a unit
From this reading I knew there was but one pair of knuckles in the house capable of beating such a tattoo, and I recoiled from admitting such a boisterous guest.
the act of passing from one state or place to the next
From this reading "Gabriella, Gabriella!" rung a voice through the passage.
a reproach for some lapse or misdeed
From this reading A thundering rap at the door startled my meditations.
past form of “recoil” — draw back, as with fear or pain
From this reading I knew there was but one pair of knuckles in the house capable of beating such a tattoo, and I recoiled from admitting such a boisterous guest.
a crosspiece between the legs of a chair
From this reading "Gabriella, Gabriella!" rung a voice through the passage.
excited by sudden surprise or alarm and making a quick involuntary movement
From this reading A thundering rap at the door startled my meditations.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading I knew there was but one pair of knuckles in the house capable of beating such a tattoo, and I recoiled from admitting such a boisterous guest.
a drumbeat or bugle call that signals the military to return to their quarters
From this reading I knew there was but one pair of knuckles in the house capable of beating such a tattoo, and I recoiled from admitting such a boisterous guest.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A thundering rap at the door startled my meditations.
in or at that place or location
From this reading I knew there was but one pair of knuckles in the house capable of beating such a tattoo, and I recoiled from admitting such a boisterous guest.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading "Gabriella, Gabriella!" rung a voice through the passage.
sounding like thunder
From this reading A thundering rap at the door startled my meditations.
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading "Gabriella, Gabriella!" rung a voice through the passage.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading I knew there was but one pair of knuckles in the house capable of beating such a tattoo, and I recoiled from admitting such a boisterous guest.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Are you asleep?
Chapter 18 of Ernest Linwood by Caroline Lee Hentz holds 236 sentences, grouped into 48 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.
Chapter 18 holds 236 sentences of Ernest Linwood, unabridged, divided into 48 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 18 of Ernest Linwood by Caroline Lee Hentz exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 236 sentences, grouped into 48 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.
Work through the 48 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 48 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 18 can be played aloud in United States English.
Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.
Common questions about reading Ernest Linwood by Caroline Lee Hentz on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 8522 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #20462 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #20462, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 600 minutes of reading across 1705 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Ernest Linwood section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 40 chapters of Ernest Linwood to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in Ernest Linwood, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
