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Laicus
Laicus

Chapter XIV · Chapter 14

Chapter 14 of Laicus is here in full — 108 sentences across 22 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Laicus
Context Illustration Reading 1/21 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
The Supply Committee hold their first formal Meeting.
PLACE: James Wheaton's library.--Hour: seven and a half o'clock in the evening.--Present: James Wheaton, Thomas Gear, James Goodsole, Solomon Hardcap, and John Laicus.--John Laicus in the chair.
Laicus.: --Gentlemen the first business in order is to appoint a secretary.
Deacon Goodsole.: --Oh, you can keep the minutes.
We don't want much of a record.
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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.

Laicus

Chapter XIV · Chapter 14

Chapter 14 of Laicus is here in full — 108 sentences across 22 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/21 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
The Supply Committee hold their first formal Meeting.
/ðə səˈplaɪ kəˈmɪti hoʊld ðer fɜːrst ˈfɔːrməl ˈmiːtɪŋ/
Line 2
PLACE: James Wheaton's library.--Hour: seven and a half o'clock in the evening.--Present: James Wheaton, Thomas Gear, James Goodsole, Solomon Hardcap, and John Laicus.--John Laicus in the chair.
Line 3
Laicus.: --Gentlemen the first business in order is to appoint a secretary.
Line 4
Deacon Goodsole.: --Oh, you can keep the minutes.
Line 5
We don't want much of a record.

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.

appoint verb US /əˈpɔɪnt/

create and charge with a task or function

From this reading “Laicus.: --Gentlemen the first business in order is to appoint a secretary.”

Committee noun US /kəˈmɪti/

a special group delegated to consider some matter

From this reading “The Supply Committee hold their first formal Meeting.”

Deacon noun US /ˈdiːkən/

a Protestant layman who assists the minister

From this reading “Deacon Goodsole.: --Oh, you can keep the minutes.”

formal adjective US /ˈfɔːrməl/

being in accord with established forms and conventions and requirements (as e.g. of formal dress)

From this reading “The Supply Committee hold their first formal Meeting.”

Gear noun US /ɡɪr/

a toothed wheel that engages another toothed mechanism in order to change the speed or direction of transmitted motion

From this reading “PLACE: James Wheaton's library.--Hour: seven and a half o'clock in the evening.--Present: James Wheaton, Thomas Gear, James Goodsole, Solomon Hardcap, and John Laicus.--John Laicus in the chair.”

record noun US /rəˈkɔːrd/

anything (such as a document or a phonograph record or a photograph) providing permanent evidence of or information about past events

From this reading “We don't want much of a record.”

Solomon proper noun US /ˈsɒl.ə.mən/

A legendary king renowned for his wisdom and fabulous hidden mines.

From this reading “PLACE: James Wheaton's library.--Hour: seven and a half o'clock in the evening.--Present: James Wheaton, Thomas Gear, James Goodsole, Solomon Hardcap, and John Laicus.--John Laicus in the chair.”

Supply verb US /səˈplaɪ/

give something useful or necessary to

From this reading “The Supply Committee hold their first formal Meeting.”

All words in this reading · 49

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 PLACE: James Wheaton's library.--Hour: seven and a half o'clock in the evening.--Present: James Wheaton, Thomas Gear, James Goodsole, Solomon Hardcap, and John Laicus.--John Laicus in the chair.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading PLACE: James Wheaton's library.--Hour: seven and a half o'clock in the evening.--Present: James Wheaton, Thomas Gear, James Goodsole, Solomon Hardcap, and John Laicus.--John Laicus in the chair.

appointverbUS /əˈpɔɪnt/

create and charge with a task or function

From this reading Laicus.: --Gentlemen the first business in order is to appoint a secretary.

businessnounUS /ˈbɪznəs/

a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it

From this reading Laicus.: --Gentlemen the first business in order is to appoint a secretary.

canmodal verbUS /kæn/

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading Deacon Goodsole.: --Oh, you can keep the minutes.

chairnounUS /tʃer/

a seat for one person, with a support for the back

From this reading PLACE: James Wheaton's library.--Hour: seven and a half o'clock in the evening.--Present: James Wheaton, Thomas Gear, James Goodsole, Solomon Hardcap, and John Laicus.--John Laicus in the chair.

CommitteenounUS /kəˈmɪti/

a special group delegated to consider some matter

From this reading The Supply Committee hold their first formal Meeting.

DeaconnounUS /ˈdiːkən/

a Protestant layman who assists the minister

From this reading Deacon Goodsole.: --Oh, you can keep the minutes.

don't

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

From this reading We don't want much of a record.

eveningnounUS /ˈiːvnɪŋ/

the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)

From this reading PLACE: James Wheaton's library.--Hour: seven and a half o'clock in the evening.--Present: James Wheaton, Thomas Gear, James Goodsole, Solomon Hardcap, and John Laicus.--John Laicus in the chair.

firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading The Supply Committee hold their first formal Meeting.

formaladjectiveUS /ˈfɔːrməl/

being in accord with established forms and conventions and requirements (as e.g. of formal dress)

From this reading The Supply Committee hold their first formal Meeting.

GearnounUS /ɡɪr/

a toothed wheel that engages another toothed mechanism in order to change the speed or direction of transmitted motion

From this reading PLACE: James Wheaton's library.--Hour: seven and a half o'clock in the evening.--Present: James Wheaton, Thomas Gear, James Goodsole, Solomon Hardcap, and John Laicus.--John Laicus in the chair.

GentlemennounUS /ˈdʒentəlmɪn/

plural of “gentleman” — a man of refinement

From this reading Laicus.: --Gentlemen the first business in order is to appoint a secretary.

Goodsole

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

From this reading PLACE: James Wheaton's library.--Hour: seven and a half o'clock in the evening.--Present: James Wheaton, Thomas Gear, James Goodsole, Solomon Hardcap, and John Laicus.--John Laicus in the chair.

halfadjectiveUS /hæf/

consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity

From this reading PLACE: James Wheaton's library.--Hour: seven and a half o'clock in the evening.--Present: James Wheaton, Thomas Gear, James Goodsole, Solomon Hardcap, and John Laicus.--John Laicus in the chair.

Hardcap

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

From this reading PLACE: James Wheaton's library.--Hour: seven and a half o'clock in the evening.--Present: James Wheaton, Thomas Gear, James Goodsole, Solomon Hardcap, and John Laicus.--John Laicus in the chair.

holdverbUS /hoʊld/

cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”

From this reading The Supply Committee hold their first formal Meeting.

HournounUS /ˈaʊər/

a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day

From this reading PLACE: James Wheaton's library.--Hour: seven and a half o'clock in the evening.--Present: James Wheaton, Thomas Gear, James Goodsole, Solomon Hardcap, and John Laicus.--John Laicus in the chair.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading PLACE: James Wheaton's library.--Hour: seven and a half o'clock in the evening.--Present: James Wheaton, Thomas Gear, James Goodsole, Solomon Hardcap, and John Laicus.--John Laicus in the chair.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading Laicus.: --Gentlemen the first business in order is to appoint a secretary.

JamesnounUS /dʒeɪmz/

a Stuart king of Scotland who married a daughter of Henry VII; when England and France went to war in 1513 he invaded England and died in defeat at Flodden (1473-1513)

From this reading PLACE: James Wheaton's library.--Hour: seven and a half o'clock in the evening.--Present: James Wheaton, Thomas Gear, James Goodsole, Solomon Hardcap, and John Laicus.--John Laicus in the chair.

JohnnounUS /dʒɑːn/

a room or building equipped with one or more toilets

From this reading PLACE: James Wheaton's library.--Hour: seven and a half o'clock in the evening.--Present: James Wheaton, Thomas Gear, James Goodsole, Solomon Hardcap, and John Laicus.--John Laicus in the chair.

keepverbUS /kiːp/

cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”

From this reading Deacon Goodsole.: --Oh, you can keep the minutes.

Laicus

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

From this reading PLACE: James Wheaton's library.--Hour: seven and a half o'clock in the evening.--Present: James Wheaton, Thomas Gear, James Goodsole, Solomon Hardcap, and John Laicus.--John Laicus in the chair.

librarynounUS /ˈlaɪbreriː/

a room where books are kept

From this reading PLACE: James Wheaton's library.--Hour: seven and a half o'clock in the evening.--Present: James Wheaton, Thomas Gear, James Goodsole, Solomon Hardcap, and John Laicus.--John Laicus in the chair.

MeetingnounUS /ˈmiːtɪŋ/

a formally arranged gathering

From this reading The Supply Committee hold their first formal Meeting.

minutesnounUS /ˈmɪnəts/

a written account of what transpired at a meeting

From this reading Deacon Goodsole.: --Oh, you can keep the minutes.

muchadverbUS /mʌtʃ/

to a great degree or extent

From this reading We don't want much of a record.

o'clockadverbUS /əˈklɑːk/

according to the clock

From this reading PLACE: James Wheaton's library.--Hour: seven and a half o'clock in the evening.--Present: James Wheaton, Thomas Gear, James Goodsole, Solomon Hardcap, and John Laicus.--John Laicus in the chair.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading We don't want much of a record.

OhnounUS /oʊ/

a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region

From this reading Deacon Goodsole.: --Oh, you can keep the minutes.

ordernounUS /ˈɔːrdər/

(often plural) a command given by a superior (e.g., a military or law enforcement officer) that must be obeyed

From this reading Laicus.: --Gentlemen the first business in order is to appoint a secretary.

PLACEnounUS /pleɪs/

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading PLACE: James Wheaton's library.--Hour: seven and a half o'clock in the evening.--Present: James Wheaton, Thomas Gear, James Goodsole, Solomon Hardcap, and John Laicus.--John Laicus in the chair.

PresentverbUS /ˈprezənt/

give an exhibition of to an interested audience

From this reading PLACE: James Wheaton's library.--Hour: seven and a half o'clock in the evening.--Present: James Wheaton, Thomas Gear, James Goodsole, Solomon Hardcap, and John Laicus.--John Laicus in the chair.

recordnounUS /rəˈkɔːrd/

anything (such as a document or a phonograph record or a photograph) providing permanent evidence of or information about past events

From this reading We don't want much of a record.

secretarynounUS /ˈsekrəteri/

a person who is head of an administrative department of government

From this reading Laicus.: --Gentlemen the first business in order is to appoint a secretary.

sevennounUS /ˈsevən/

the cardinal number that is the sum of six and one

From this reading PLACE: James Wheaton's library.--Hour: seven and a half o'clock in the evening.--Present: James Wheaton, Thomas Gear, James Goodsole, Solomon Hardcap, and John Laicus.--John Laicus in the chair.

Solomonproper nounUS /ˈsɒl.ə.mən/

A legendary king renowned for his wisdom and fabulous hidden mines.

From this reading PLACE: James Wheaton's library.--Hour: seven and a half o'clock in the evening.--Present: James Wheaton, Thomas Gear, James Goodsole, Solomon Hardcap, and John Laicus.--John Laicus in the chair.

SupplyverbUS /səˈplaɪ/

give something useful or necessary to

From this reading The Supply Committee hold their first formal Meeting.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading The Supply Committee hold their first formal Meeting.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading The Supply Committee hold their first formal Meeting.

ThomasnounUS /ˈtɑːməs/

United States clockmaker who introduced mass production (1785-1859)

From this reading PLACE: James Wheaton's library.--Hour: seven and a half o'clock in the evening.--Present: James Wheaton, Thomas Gear, James Goodsole, Solomon Hardcap, and John Laicus.--John Laicus in the chair.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Laicus.: --Gentlemen the first business in order is to appoint a secretary.

wantverbUS /wɑːnt/

feel or have a desire for; want strongly

From this reading We don't want much of a record.

WepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading We don't want much of a record.

Wheaton

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

From this reading PLACE: James Wheaton's library.--Hour: seven and a half o'clock in the evening.--Present: James Wheaton, Thomas Gear, James Goodsole, Solomon Hardcap, and John Laicus.--John Laicus in the chair.

Wheaton's

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

From this reading PLACE: James Wheaton's library.--Hour: seven and a half o'clock in the evening.--Present: James Wheaton, Thomas Gear, James Goodsole, Solomon Hardcap, and John Laicus.--John Laicus in the chair.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading Deacon Goodsole.: --Oh, you can keep the minutes.

Chapter 14 of Laicus by Lyman Abbott holds 108 sentences, grouped into 22 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, 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 14 of Laicus contain?

Chapter 14 holds 108 sentences of Laicus, unabridged, divided into 22 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 14 of Laicus by Lyman Abbott exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 108 sentences, grouped into 22 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 14 of Laicus?

Work through the 22 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 22 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 14 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 14 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 Laicus

Common questions about reading Laicus by Lyman Abbott on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Laicus?

Yes. All 4423 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #4954 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Laicus is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #4954, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Laicus take to read?

About 368 minutes of reading across 885 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Laicus section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 33 chapters of Laicus 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 Laicus

Words and structures a reader meets early in Laicus, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Happened
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Laicus; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Wheathedge
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Laicus; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Sixty
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Laicus; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Miles
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Laicus; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.