Chapter 10 of John Brent is here in full — 170 sentences across 34 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter X
Chapter 10 of John Brent is here in full — 170 sentences across 34 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
“ELLEN! ELLEN!” We were turning away from the pretty cage, in order not to frighten the bird, pretty or not, when an oldish man, tending his fire at the farther side of the wagon, gave us “Good evening!” There is a small but ancient fraternity in the world, known as the Order of Gentlemen. It is a grand old order.
Chapter 10 of John Brent is here in full — 170 sentences across 34 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/34 · 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.
Belonging to the very distant past and no longer in existence or deeply revered.
From this reading “There is a small but ancient fraternity in the world, known as the Order of Gentlemen.”
an enclosure made or wire or metal bars in which birds or animals can be kept
From this reading “We were turning away from the pretty cage, in order not to frighten the bird, pretty or not, when an oldish man, tending his fire at the farther side of the wagon, gave us “Good evening!””
more distant in especially space or time
From this reading “We were turning away from the pretty cage, in order not to frighten the bird, pretty or not, when an oldish man, tending his fire at the farther side of the wagon, gave us “Good evening!””
a social club for male undergraduates
From this reading “There is a small but ancient fraternity in the world, known as the Order of Gentlemen.”
cause fear in
From this reading “We were turning away from the pretty cage, in order not to frighten the bird, pretty or not, when an oldish man, tending his fire at the farther side of the wagon, gave us “Good evening!””
of behavior that is impressive and ambitious in scale or scope
From this reading “It is a grand old order.”
the work of providing treatment for or attending to someone or something
From this reading “We were turning away from the pretty cage, in order not to frighten the bird, pretty or not, when an oldish man, tending his fire at the farther side of the wagon, gave us “Good evening!””
any of various kinds of wheeled vehicles drawn by an animal or a tractor
From this reading “We were turning away from the pretty cage, in order not to frighten the bird, pretty or not, when an oldish man, tending his fire at the farther side of the wagon, gave us “Good evening!””
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.
In this reading “We were turning away from the pretty cage, in order not to frighten the bird, pretty or not, when an oldish man, tending his fire at the farther side of the wagon, gave us “Good evening!””
in a state of proper readiness or preparation or arrangement
In this reading “We were turning away from the pretty cage, in order not to frighten the bird, pretty or not, when an oldish man, tending his fire at the farther side of the wagon, gave us “Good evening!””
In this reading “There is a small but ancient fraternity in the world, known as the Order of Gentlemen.”
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 There is a small but ancient fraternity in the world, known as the Order of Gentlemen.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading We were turning away from the pretty cage, in order not to frighten the bird, pretty or not, when an oldish man, tending his fire at the farther side of the wagon, gave us “Good evening!”
Belonging to the very distant past and no longer in existence or deeply revered.
From this reading There is a small but ancient fraternity in the world, known as the Order of Gentlemen.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading There is a small but ancient fraternity in the world, known as the Order of Gentlemen.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading We were turning away from the pretty cage, in order not to frighten the bird, pretty or not, when an oldish man, tending his fire at the farther side of the wagon, gave us “Good evening!”
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading We were turning away from the pretty cage, in order not to frighten the bird, pretty or not, when an oldish man, tending his fire at the farther side of the wagon, gave us “Good evening!”
warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings
From this reading We were turning away from the pretty cage, in order not to frighten the bird, pretty or not, when an oldish man, tending his fire at the farther side of the wagon, gave us “Good evening!”
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading There is a small but ancient fraternity in the world, known as the Order of Gentlemen.
an enclosure made or wire or metal bars in which birds or animals can be kept
From this reading We were turning away from the pretty cage, in order not to frighten the bird, pretty or not, when an oldish man, tending his fire at the farther side of the wagon, gave us “Good evening!”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “ELLEN!
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading We were turning away from the pretty cage, in order not to frighten the bird, pretty or not, when an oldish man, tending his fire at the farther side of the wagon, gave us “Good evening!”
more distant in especially space or time
From this reading We were turning away from the pretty cage, in order not to frighten the bird, pretty or not, when an oldish man, tending his fire at the farther side of the wagon, gave us “Good evening!”
start firing a weapon
From this reading We were turning away from the pretty cage, in order not to frighten the bird, pretty or not, when an oldish man, tending his fire at the farther side of the wagon, gave us “Good evening!”
a social club for male undergraduates
From this reading There is a small but ancient fraternity in the world, known as the Order of Gentlemen.
cause fear in
From this reading We were turning away from the pretty cage, in order not to frighten the bird, pretty or not, when an oldish man, tending his fire at the farther side of the wagon, gave us “Good evening!”
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading We were turning away from the pretty cage, in order not to frighten the bird, pretty or not, when an oldish man, tending his fire at the farther side of the wagon, gave us “Good evening!”
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading We were turning away from the pretty cage, in order not to frighten the bird, pretty or not, when an oldish man, tending his fire at the farther side of the wagon, gave us “Good evening!”
plural of “gentleman” — a man of refinement
From this reading There is a small but ancient fraternity in the world, known as the Order of Gentlemen.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading We were turning away from the pretty cage, in order not to frighten the bird, pretty or not, when an oldish man, tending his fire at the farther side of the wagon, gave us “Good evening!”
of behavior that is impressive and ambitious in scale or scope
From this reading It is a grand old order.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading We were turning away from the pretty cage, in order not to frighten the bird, pretty or not, when an oldish man, tending his fire at the farther side of the wagon, gave us “Good evening!”
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading We were turning away from the pretty cage, in order not to frighten the bird, pretty or not, when an oldish man, tending his fire at the farther side of the wagon, gave us “Good evening!”
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There is a small but ancient fraternity in the world, known as the Order of Gentlemen.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It is a grand old order.
apprehended with certainty
From this reading There is a small but ancient fraternity in the world, known as the Order of Gentlemen.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading We were turning away from the pretty cage, in order not to frighten the bird, pretty or not, when an oldish man, tending his fire at the farther side of the wagon, gave us “Good evening!”
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading We were turning away from the pretty cage, in order not to frighten the bird, pretty or not, when an oldish man, tending his fire at the farther side of the wagon, gave us “Good evening!”
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading We were turning away from the pretty cage, in order not to frighten the bird, pretty or not, when an oldish man, tending his fire at the farther side of the wagon, gave us “Good evening!”
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading It is a grand old order.
somewhat elderly
From this reading We were turning away from the pretty cage, in order not to frighten the bird, pretty or not, when an oldish man, tending his fire at the farther side of the wagon, gave us “Good evening!”
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading We were turning away from the pretty cage, in order not to frighten the bird, pretty or not, when an oldish man, tending his fire at the farther side of the wagon, gave us “Good evening!”
(often plural) a command given by a superior (e.g., a military or law enforcement officer) that must be obeyed
From this reading We were turning away from the pretty cage, in order not to frighten the bird, pretty or not, when an oldish man, tending his fire at the farther side of the wagon, gave us “Good evening!”
pleasing by delicacy or grace; not imposing
From this reading We were turning away from the pretty cage, in order not to frighten the bird, pretty or not, when an oldish man, tending his fire at the farther side of the wagon, gave us “Good evening!”
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading We were turning away from the pretty cage, in order not to frighten the bird, pretty or not, when an oldish man, tending his fire at the farther side of the wagon, gave us “Good evening!”
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading There is a small but ancient fraternity in the world, known as the Order of Gentlemen.
the work of providing treatment for or attending to someone or something
From this reading We were turning away from the pretty cage, in order not to frighten the bird, pretty or not, when an oldish man, tending his fire at the farther side of the wagon, gave us “Good evening!”
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading We were turning away from the pretty cage, in order not to frighten the bird, pretty or not, when an oldish man, tending his fire at the farther side of the wagon, gave us “Good evening!”
in or at that place or location
From this reading There is a small but ancient fraternity in the world, known as the Order of Gentlemen.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading We were turning away from the pretty cage, in order not to frighten the bird, pretty or not, when an oldish man, tending his fire at the farther side of the wagon, gave us “Good evening!”
the act of changing or reversing the direction of the course
From this reading We were turning away from the pretty cage, in order not to frighten the bird, pretty or not, when an oldish man, tending his fire at the farther side of the wagon, gave us “Good evening!”
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading We were turning away from the pretty cage, in order not to frighten the bird, pretty or not, when an oldish man, tending his fire at the farther side of the wagon, gave us “Good evening!”
any of various kinds of wheeled vehicles drawn by an animal or a tractor
From this reading We were turning away from the pretty cage, in order not to frighten the bird, pretty or not, when an oldish man, tending his fire at the farther side of the wagon, gave us “Good evening!”
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading We were turning away from the pretty cage, in order not to frighten the bird, pretty or not, when an oldish man, tending his fire at the farther side of the wagon, gave us “Good evening!”
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading We were turning away from the pretty cage, in order not to frighten the bird, pretty or not, when an oldish man, tending his fire at the farther side of the wagon, gave us “Good evening!”
at the time that
From this reading We were turning away from the pretty cage, in order not to frighten the bird, pretty or not, when an oldish man, tending his fire at the farther side of the wagon, gave us “Good evening!”
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading There is a small but ancient fraternity in the world, known as the Order of Gentlemen.
Chapter 10 of John Brent by Theodore Winthrop holds 170 sentences, grouped into 34 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 10 holds 170 sentences of John Brent, unabridged, divided into 34 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 10 of John Brent by Theodore Winthrop exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 170 sentences, grouped into 34 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 34 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 34 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 10 can be played aloud in United States English.
Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.
Common questions about reading John Brent by Theodore Winthrop on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 5312 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #73738 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #73738, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 442 minutes of reading across 1063 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through John Brent section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 34 chapters of John Brent 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 John Brent, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
