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Familiar Letters — Volume 06
Familiar Letters — Volume 06

Chapter V

Chapter 5 of Familiar Letters — Volume 06 is here in full — 394 sentences across 79 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Henry David Thoreau • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for Familiar Letters — Volume 06
Context Illustration Reading 1/78 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
[3] John Thoreau, grandfather of Henry, born at St. Helier's, Jersey, April, 1754, was a sailor on board the American privateer General Lincoln, November, 1779, and recognized La Sensible, French frigate, which carried John Adams from Boston to France.
See _Journal_, vol. v, June 11, 1853.
This John Thoreau, son of Philip, died in Concord, 1800.
[4] This had been the abode of old Deacon Parkman, a granduncle of the late Francis Parkman, the historian, and son of the Westborough clergyman from whom this distinguished family descends.
Deacon Parkman was a merchant in Concord, and lived in what was then a good house.
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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.

Familiar Letters — Volume 06

Chapter V

Chapter 5 of Familiar Letters — Volume 06 is here in full — 394 sentences across 79 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/78 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
[3] John Thoreau, grandfather of Henry, born at St. Helier's, Jersey, April, 1754, was a sailor on board the American privateer General Lincoln, November, 1779, and recognized La Sensible, French frigate, which carried John Adams from Boston to France.
Line 2
See _Journal_, vol. v, June 11, 1853.
Line 3
This John Thoreau, son of Philip, died in Concord, 1800.
Line 4
[4] This had been the abode of old Deacon Parkman, a granduncle of the late Francis Parkman, the historian, and son of the Westborough clergyman from whom this distinguished family descends.
Line 5
Deacon Parkman was a merchant in Concord, and lived in what was then a good house.

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.

Concord noun US /ˈkɑːnkɔːrd/

capital of the state of New Hampshire; located in south central New Hampshire on the Merrimack river

From this reading “This John Thoreau, son of Philip, died in Concord, 1800.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Deacon noun US /ˈdiːkən/

a Protestant layman who assists the minister

From this reading “[4] This had been the abode of old Deacon Parkman, a granduncle of the late Francis Parkman, the historian, and son of the Westborough clergyman from whom this distinguished family descends.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
descends verb US /dɪˈsendz/

third-person singular of “descend” — move downward and lower, but not necessarily all the way

From this reading “[4] This had been the abode of old Deacon Parkman, a granduncle of the late Francis Parkman, the historian, and son of the Westborough clergyman from whom this distinguished family descends.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
frigate noun US /ˈfrɪɡət/

a medium size square-rigged warship of the 18th and 19th centuries

From this reading “[3] John Thoreau, grandfather of Henry, born at St. Helier's, Jersey, April, 1754, was a sailor on board the American privateer General Lincoln, November, 1779, and recognized La Sensible, French frigate, which carried John Adams from Boston to France.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
granduncle noun US /ˈɡrænˈdʌŋkəl/

an uncle of your father or mother

From this reading “[4] This had been the abode of old Deacon Parkman, a granduncle of the late Francis Parkman, the historian, and son of the Westborough clergyman from whom this distinguished family descends.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
historian noun US /hɪˈstɔːriən/

a person who is an authority on history and who studies it and writes about it

From this reading “[4] This had been the abode of old Deacon Parkman, a granduncle of the late Francis Parkman, the historian, and son of the Westborough clergyman from whom this distinguished family descends.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Jersey noun US /ˈdʒɜːrzi/

a Mid-Atlantic state on the Atlantic; one of the original 13 colonies

From this reading “[3] John Thoreau, grandfather of Henry, born at St. Helier's, Jersey, April, 1754, was a sailor on board the American privateer General Lincoln, November, 1779, and recognized La Sensible, French frigate, which carried John Adams from Boston to France.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Thoreau noun US /θərˈoʊ/

United States writer and social critic (1817-1862)

From this reading “[3] John Thoreau, grandfather of Henry, born at St. Helier's, Jersey, April, 1754, was a sailor on board the American privateer General Lincoln, November, 1779, and recognized La Sensible, French frigate, which carried John Adams from Boston to France.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

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.

on board preposition + noun

on a ship, train, plane or other vehicle

In this reading “[3] John Thoreau, grandfather of Henry, born at St. Helier's, Jersey, April, 1754, was a sailor on board the American privateer General Lincoln, November, 1779, and recognized La Sensible, French frigate, which carried John Adams from Boston to France.”

68,280 times in 426,211 chapters
distinguished family adjective + noun

In this reading “[4] This had been the abode of old Deacon Parkman, a granduncle of the late Francis Parkman, the historian, and son of the Westborough clergyman from whom this distinguished family descends.”

251 times in 426,211 chapters
lived in verb + particle counted as “live in”

live in the house where one works

In this reading “Deacon Parkman was a merchant in Concord, and lived in what was then a good house.”

64,539 times in 426,211 chapters

All words in this reading · 75

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.

11

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

From this reading See _Journal_, vol. v, June 11, 1853.

Pending verification
1754

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

From this reading [3] John Thoreau, grandfather of Henry, born at St. Helier's, Jersey, April, 1754, was a sailor on board the American privateer General Lincoln, November, 1779, and recognized La Sensible, French frigate, which carried John Adams from Boston to France.

Pending verification
1779

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

From this reading [3] John Thoreau, grandfather of Henry, born at St. Helier's, Jersey, April, 1754, was a sailor on board the American privateer General Lincoln, November, 1779, and recognized La Sensible, French frigate, which carried John Adams from Boston to France.

Pending verification
1800

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

From this reading This John Thoreau, son of Philip, died in Concord, 1800.

Pending verification
1853

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

From this reading See _Journal_, vol. v, June 11, 1853.

Pending verification
3

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

From this reading [3] John Thoreau, grandfather of Henry, born at St. Helier's, Jersey, April, 1754, was a sailor on board the American privateer General Lincoln, November, 1779, and recognized La Sensible, French frigate, which carried John Adams from Boston to France.

Pending verification
4

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

From this reading [4] This had been the abode of old Deacon Parkman, a granduncle of the late Francis Parkman, the historian, and son of the Westborough clergyman from whom this distinguished family descends.

Pending verification
adeterminerUS /ə/

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

From this reading [3] John Thoreau, grandfather of Henry, born at St. Helier's, Jersey, April, 1754, was a sailor on board the American privateer General Lincoln, November, 1779, and recognized La Sensible, French frigate, which carried John Adams from Boston to France.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
abodenounUS /əˈboʊd/

any address at which you dwell more than temporarily

From this reading [4] This had been the abode of old Deacon Parkman, a granduncle of the late Francis Parkman, the historian, and son of the Westborough clergyman from whom this distinguished family descends.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
AdamsnounUS /ˈædəmz/

American Revolutionary leader and patriot; an organizer of the Boston Tea Party and signer of the Declaration of Independence (1722-1803)

From this reading [3] John Thoreau, grandfather of Henry, born at St. Helier's, Jersey, April, 1754, was a sailor on board the American privateer General Lincoln, November, 1779, and recognized La Sensible, French frigate, which carried John Adams from Boston to France.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
AmericannounUS /əˈmerəkən/

a native or inhabitant of the United States

From this reading [3] John Thoreau, grandfather of Henry, born at St. Helier's, Jersey, April, 1754, was a sailor on board the American privateer General Lincoln, November, 1779, and recognized La Sensible, French frigate, which carried John Adams from Boston to France.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading [3] John Thoreau, grandfather of Henry, born at St. Helier's, Jersey, April, 1754, was a sailor on board the American privateer General Lincoln, November, 1779, and recognized La Sensible, French frigate, which carried John Adams from Boston to France.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
AprilnounUS /ˈeɪprəl/

the month following March and preceding May

From this reading [3] John Thoreau, grandfather of Henry, born at St. Helier's, Jersey, April, 1754, was a sailor on board the American privateer General Lincoln, November, 1779, and recognized La Sensible, French frigate, which carried John Adams from Boston to France.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading [3] John Thoreau, grandfather of Henry, born at St. Helier's, Jersey, April, 1754, was a sailor on board the American privateer General Lincoln, November, 1779, and recognized La Sensible, French frigate, which carried John Adams from Boston to France.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading [4] This had been the abode of old Deacon Parkman, a granduncle of the late Francis Parkman, the historian, and son of the Westborough clergyman from whom this distinguished family descends.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
boardnounUS /bɔːrd/

a committee having supervisory powers

From this reading [3] John Thoreau, grandfather of Henry, born at St. Helier's, Jersey, April, 1754, was a sailor on board the American privateer General Lincoln, November, 1779, and recognized La Sensible, French frigate, which carried John Adams from Boston to France.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
bornadjectiveUS /bɔːrn/

brought into existence

From this reading [3] John Thoreau, grandfather of Henry, born at St. Helier's, Jersey, April, 1754, was a sailor on board the American privateer General Lincoln, November, 1779, and recognized La Sensible, French frigate, which carried John Adams from Boston to France.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
BostonnounUS /ˈbɑːstən/

state capital and largest city of Massachusetts; a major center for banking and financial services

From this reading [3] John Thoreau, grandfather of Henry, born at St. Helier's, Jersey, April, 1754, was a sailor on board the American privateer General Lincoln, November, 1779, and recognized La Sensible, French frigate, which carried John Adams from Boston to France.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
carriedverbUS /ˈkærid/

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

From this reading [3] John Thoreau, grandfather of Henry, born at St. Helier's, Jersey, April, 1754, was a sailor on board the American privateer General Lincoln, November, 1779, and recognized La Sensible, French frigate, which carried John Adams from Boston to France.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
clergymannounUS /ˈklɜːrdʒimən/

a member of the clergy and a spiritual leader of the Christian Church

From this reading [4] This had been the abode of old Deacon Parkman, a granduncle of the late Francis Parkman, the historian, and son of the Westborough clergyman from whom this distinguished family descends.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ConcordnounUS /ˈkɑːnkɔːrd/

capital of the state of New Hampshire; located in south central New Hampshire on the Merrimack river

From this reading This John Thoreau, son of Philip, died in Concord, 1800.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
DeaconnounUS /ˈdiːkən/

a Protestant layman who assists the minister

From this reading [4] This had been the abode of old Deacon Parkman, a granduncle of the late Francis Parkman, the historian, and son of the Westborough clergyman from whom this distinguished family descends.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
descendsverbUS /dɪˈsendz/

third-person singular of “descend” — move downward and lower, but not necessarily all the way

From this reading [4] This had been the abode of old Deacon Parkman, a granduncle of the late Francis Parkman, the historian, and son of the Westborough clergyman from whom this distinguished family descends.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
diedverbUS /daɪd/

past form of “die” — pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life

From this reading This John Thoreau, son of Philip, died in Concord, 1800.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
distinguishedadjectiveUS /dɪˈstɪŋɡwɪʃt/

(used of persons) standing above others in character or attainment or reputation

From this reading [4] This had been the abode of old Deacon Parkman, a granduncle of the late Francis Parkman, the historian, and son of the Westborough clergyman from whom this distinguished family descends.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
familynounUS /ˈfæməli/

a social unit living together

From this reading [4] This had been the abode of old Deacon Parkman, a granduncle of the late Francis Parkman, the historian, and son of the Westborough clergyman from whom this distinguished family descends.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
FrancenounUS /fræns/

a republic in western Europe; the largest country wholly in Europe

From this reading [3] John Thoreau, grandfather of Henry, born at St. Helier's, Jersey, April, 1754, was a sailor on board the American privateer General Lincoln, November, 1779, and recognized La Sensible, French frigate, which carried John Adams from Boston to France.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Francis

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

From this reading [4] This had been the abode of old Deacon Parkman, a granduncle of the late Francis Parkman, the historian, and son of the Westborough clergyman from whom this distinguished family descends.

Pending verification
FrenchnounUS /frentʃ/

the Romance language spoken in France and in countries colonized by France

From this reading [3] John Thoreau, grandfather of Henry, born at St. Helier's, Jersey, April, 1754, was a sailor on board the American privateer General Lincoln, November, 1779, and recognized La Sensible, French frigate, which carried John Adams from Boston to France.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
frigatenounUS /ˈfrɪɡət/

a medium size square-rigged warship of the 18th and 19th centuries

From this reading [3] John Thoreau, grandfather of Henry, born at St. Helier's, Jersey, April, 1754, was a sailor on board the American privateer General Lincoln, November, 1779, and recognized La Sensible, French frigate, which carried John Adams from Boston to France.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading [3] John Thoreau, grandfather of Henry, born at St. Helier's, Jersey, April, 1754, was a sailor on board the American privateer General Lincoln, November, 1779, and recognized La Sensible, French frigate, which carried John Adams from Boston to France.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
GeneraladjectiveUS /ˈdʒenərəl/

applying to all or most members of a category or group

From this reading [3] John Thoreau, grandfather of Henry, born at St. Helier's, Jersey, April, 1754, was a sailor on board the American privateer General Lincoln, November, 1779, and recognized La Sensible, French frigate, which carried John Adams from Boston to France.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
goodadjectiveUS /ɡʊd/

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

From this reading Deacon Parkman was a merchant in Concord, and lived in what was then a good house.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
grandfathernounUS /ˈɡrændfɑːðər/

the father of your father or mother

From this reading [3] John Thoreau, grandfather of Henry, born at St. Helier's, Jersey, April, 1754, was a sailor on board the American privateer General Lincoln, November, 1779, and recognized La Sensible, French frigate, which carried John Adams from Boston to France.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
grandunclenounUS /ˈɡrænˈdʌŋkəl/

an uncle of your father or mother

From this reading [4] This had been the abode of old Deacon Parkman, a granduncle of the late Francis Parkman, the historian, and son of the Westborough clergyman from whom this distinguished family descends.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading [4] This had been the abode of old Deacon Parkman, a granduncle of the late Francis Parkman, the historian, and son of the Westborough clergyman from whom this distinguished family descends.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
Helier's

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

From this reading [3] John Thoreau, grandfather of Henry, born at St. Helier's, Jersey, April, 1754, was a sailor on board the American privateer General Lincoln, November, 1779, and recognized La Sensible, French frigate, which carried John Adams from Boston to France.

Pending verification
HenrynounUS /ˈhenri/

a unit of inductance in which an induced electromotive force of one volt is produced when the current is varied at the rate of one ampere per second

From this reading [3] John Thoreau, grandfather of Henry, born at St. Helier's, Jersey, April, 1754, was a sailor on board the American privateer General Lincoln, November, 1779, and recognized La Sensible, French frigate, which carried John Adams from Boston to France.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
historiannounUS /hɪˈstɔːriən/

a person who is an authority on history and who studies it and writes about it

From this reading [4] This had been the abode of old Deacon Parkman, a granduncle of the late Francis Parkman, the historian, and son of the Westborough clergyman from whom this distinguished family descends.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
housenounUS /haʊs/

a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading Deacon Parkman was a merchant in Concord, and lived in what was then a good house.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading This John Thoreau, son of Philip, died in Concord, 1800.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
JerseynounUS /ˈdʒɜːrzi/

a Mid-Atlantic state on the Atlantic; one of the original 13 colonies

From this reading [3] John Thoreau, grandfather of Henry, born at St. Helier's, Jersey, April, 1754, was a sailor on board the American privateer General Lincoln, November, 1779, and recognized La Sensible, French frigate, which carried John Adams from Boston to France.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
JohnnounUS /dʒɑːn/

a room or building equipped with one or more toilets

From this reading [3] John Thoreau, grandfather of Henry, born at St. Helier's, Jersey, April, 1754, was a sailor on board the American privateer General Lincoln, November, 1779, and recognized La Sensible, French frigate, which carried John Adams from Boston to France.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
JournalnounUS /ˈdʒɜːrnəl/

a daily written record of (usually personal) experiences and observations

From this reading See _Journal_, vol. v, June 11, 1853.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
JunenounUS /dʒuːn/

the month following May and preceding July

From this reading See _Journal_, vol. v, June 11, 1853.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
LanounUS /lɑː/

a white soft metallic element that tarnishes readily; occurs in rare earth minerals and is usually classified as a rare earth

From this reading [3] John Thoreau, grandfather of Henry, born at St. Helier's, Jersey, April, 1754, was a sailor on board the American privateer General Lincoln, November, 1779, and recognized La Sensible, French frigate, which carried John Adams from Boston to France.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
lateadjectiveUS /leɪt/

being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time

From this reading [4] This had been the abode of old Deacon Parkman, a granduncle of the late Francis Parkman, the historian, and son of the Westborough clergyman from whom this distinguished family descends.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
LincolnnounUS /ˈlɪŋkən/

16th President of the United States; saved the Union during the American Civil War and emancipated the slaves; was assassinated by Booth (1809-1865)

From this reading [3] John Thoreau, grandfather of Henry, born at St. Helier's, Jersey, April, 1754, was a sailor on board the American privateer General Lincoln, November, 1779, and recognized La Sensible, French frigate, which carried John Adams from Boston to France.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
livedverbUS /lɪvd/

past form of “live” — be an inhabitant of or reside in

From this reading Deacon Parkman was a merchant in Concord, and lived in what was then a good house.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
merchantnounUS /ˈmɜːr.tʃənt/

A person or company involved in wholesale trade, especially with foreign countries.

From this reading Deacon Parkman was a merchant in Concord, and lived in what was then a good house.

Velmora curated lexicon
NovembernounUS /noʊˈvembər/

the month following October and preceding December

From this reading [3] John Thoreau, grandfather of Henry, born at St. Helier's, Jersey, April, 1754, was a sailor on board the American privateer General Lincoln, November, 1779, and recognized La Sensible, French frigate, which carried John Adams from Boston to France.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading [3] John Thoreau, grandfather of Henry, born at St. Helier's, Jersey, April, 1754, was a sailor on board the American privateer General Lincoln, November, 1779, and recognized La Sensible, French frigate, which carried John Adams from Boston to France.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
oldadjectiveUS /oʊld/

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

From this reading [4] This had been the abode of old Deacon Parkman, a granduncle of the late Francis Parkman, the historian, and son of the Westborough clergyman from whom this distinguished family descends.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading [3] John Thoreau, grandfather of Henry, born at St. Helier's, Jersey, April, 1754, was a sailor on board the American privateer General Lincoln, November, 1779, and recognized La Sensible, French frigate, which carried John Adams from Boston to France.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
Parkman

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

From this reading [4] This had been the abode of old Deacon Parkman, a granduncle of the late Francis Parkman, the historian, and son of the Westborough clergyman from whom this distinguished family descends.

Pending verification
PhilipnounUS /ˈfɪləp/

Englishman and husband of Elizabeth II (born 1921)

From this reading This John Thoreau, son of Philip, died in Concord, 1800.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
privateernoun

an officer or crew member of a privateer

From this reading [3] John Thoreau, grandfather of Henry, born at St. Helier's, Jersey, April, 1754, was a sailor on board the American privateer General Lincoln, November, 1779, and recognized La Sensible, French frigate, which carried John Adams from Boston to France.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
recognizedadjectiveUS /ˈrekəɡnaɪzd/

generally approved or compelling recognition

From this reading [3] John Thoreau, grandfather of Henry, born at St. Helier's, Jersey, April, 1754, was a sailor on board the American privateer General Lincoln, November, 1779, and recognized La Sensible, French frigate, which carried John Adams from Boston to France.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sailornounUS /ˈseɪlər/

any member of a ship's crew

From this reading [3] John Thoreau, grandfather of Henry, born at St. Helier's, Jersey, April, 1754, was a sailor on board the American privateer General Lincoln, November, 1779, and recognized La Sensible, French frigate, which carried John Adams from Boston to France.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
SeeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading See _Journal_, vol. v, June 11, 1853.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
SensibleadjectiveUS /ˈsensəbəl/

showing reason or sound judgment

From this reading [3] John Thoreau, grandfather of Henry, born at St. Helier's, Jersey, April, 1754, was a sailor on board the American privateer General Lincoln, November, 1779, and recognized La Sensible, French frigate, which carried John Adams from Boston to France.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sonnounUS /sʌn/

a male human offspring

From this reading This John Thoreau, son of Philip, died in Concord, 1800.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
St

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

From this reading [3] John Thoreau, grandfather of Henry, born at St. Helier's, Jersey, April, 1754, was a sailor on board the American privateer General Lincoln, November, 1779, and recognized La Sensible, French frigate, which carried John Adams from Boston to France.

Pending verification
thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading [3] John Thoreau, grandfather of Henry, born at St. Helier's, Jersey, April, 1754, was a sailor on board the American privateer General Lincoln, November, 1779, and recognized La Sensible, French frigate, which carried John Adams from Boston to France.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
thenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading Deacon Parkman was a merchant in Concord, and lived in what was then a good house.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ThisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading This John Thoreau, son of Philip, died in Concord, 1800.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ThoreaunounUS /θərˈoʊ/

United States writer and social critic (1817-1862)

From this reading [3] John Thoreau, grandfather of Henry, born at St. Helier's, Jersey, April, 1754, was a sailor on board the American privateer General Lincoln, November, 1779, and recognized La Sensible, French frigate, which carried John Adams from Boston to France.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading [3] John Thoreau, grandfather of Henry, born at St. Helier's, Jersey, April, 1754, was a sailor on board the American privateer General Lincoln, November, 1779, and recognized La Sensible, French frigate, which carried John Adams from Boston to France.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
vnounUS /viː/

a unit of potential equal to the potential difference between two points on a conductor carrying a current of 1 ampere when the power dissipated between the two points is 1 watt

From this reading See _Journal_, vol. v, June 11, 1853.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
vol

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

From this reading See _Journal_, vol. v, June 11, 1853.

Pending verification
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading [3] John Thoreau, grandfather of Henry, born at St. Helier's, Jersey, April, 1754, was a sailor on board the American privateer General Lincoln, November, 1779, and recognized La Sensible, French frigate, which carried John Adams from Boston to France.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
Westborough

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

From this reading [4] This had been the abode of old Deacon Parkman, a granduncle of the late Francis Parkman, the historian, and son of the Westborough clergyman from whom this distinguished family descends.

Pending verification
whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading Deacon Parkman was a merchant in Concord, and lived in what was then a good house.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading [3] John Thoreau, grandfather of Henry, born at St. Helier's, Jersey, April, 1754, was a sailor on board the American privateer General Lincoln, November, 1779, and recognized La Sensible, French frigate, which carried John Adams from Boston to France.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
whompronounUS /huːm/

the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading [4] This had been the abode of old Deacon Parkman, a granduncle of the late Francis Parkman, the historian, and son of the Westborough clergyman from whom this distinguished family descends.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary

Chapter 5 of Familiar Letters — Volume 06 by Henry David Thoreau holds 394 sentences, grouped into 79 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 5 of Familiar Letters — Volume 06 contain?

Chapter 5 holds 394 sentences of Familiar Letters — Volume 06, unabridged, divided into 79 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 5 of Familiar Letters — Volume 06 by Henry David Thoreau exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 394 sentences, grouped into 79 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 5 of Familiar Letters — Volume 06?

Work through the 79 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 79 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 5 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 5 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 Familiar Letters — Volume 06

Common questions about reading Familiar Letters — Volume 06 by Henry David Thoreau on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Familiar Letters — Volume 06?

Yes. All 7534 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #43523 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Familiar Letters — Volume 06 is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #43523, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Familiar Letters — Volume 06 take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 1507 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Familiar Letters — Volume 06 section by section

How to work through Familiar Letters — Volume 06 section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 19 chapters of Familiar Letters — Volume 06 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 Familiar Letters — Volume 06

Words and structures a reader meets early in Familiar Letters — Volume 06, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Italic
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Familiar Letters — Volume 06; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Denoted
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Familiar Letters — Volume 06; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Underscores
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Familiar Letters — Volume 06; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Equal
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Familiar Letters — Volume 06; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.