Chapter 38 of Lord Jim is here in full — 137 sentences across 28 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XXXVIII
Chapter 38 of Lord Jim is here in full — 137 sentences across 28 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
‘Tamb’ Itam behind his chair was thunderstruck. The declaration produced an immense sensation. “Let them go because this is best in my knowledge which has never deceived you,” Jim insisted. There was a silence. In the darkness of the courtyard could be heard the subdued whispering, shuffling noise of many people.
Chapter 38 of Lord Jim is here in full — 137 sentences across 28 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/27 · 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.
An unroofed area that is completely or partially enclosed by the walls of a house.
From this reading “In the darkness of the courtyard could be heard the subdued whispering, shuffling noise of many people.”
past form of “deceive” — be false to; be dishonest with
From this reading ““Let them go because this is best in my knowledge which has never deceived you,” Jim insisted.”
a statement that is emphatic and explicit (spoken or written)
From this reading “The declaration produced an immense sensation.”
an unelaborated elementary awareness of stimulation
From this reading “The declaration produced an immense sensation.”
walking with a slow dragging motion without lifting your feet
From this reading “In the darkness of the courtyard could be heard the subdued whispering, shuffling noise of many people.”
in a softened tone
From this reading “In the darkness of the courtyard could be heard the subdued whispering, shuffling noise of many people.”
as if struck dumb with astonishment and surprise
From this reading “‘Tamb’ Itam behind his chair was thunderstruck.”
a light noise, like the noise of silk clothing or leaves blowing in the wind
From this reading “In the darkness of the courtyard could be heard the subdued whispering, shuffling noise of many people.”
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 was a silence.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The declaration produced an immense sensation.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading In the darkness of the courtyard could be heard the subdued whispering, shuffling noise of many people.
for the reason that
From this reading “Let them go because this is best in my knowledge which has never deceived you,” Jim insisted.
at or toward the back of something
From this reading ‘Tamb’ Itam behind his chair was thunderstruck.
the supreme effort one can make
From this reading “Let them go because this is best in my knowledge which has never deceived you,” Jim insisted.
a seat for one person, with a support for the back
From this reading ‘Tamb’ Itam behind his chair was thunderstruck.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading In the darkness of the courtyard could be heard the subdued whispering, shuffling noise of many people.
An unroofed area that is completely or partially enclosed by the walls of a house.
From this reading In the darkness of the courtyard could be heard the subdued whispering, shuffling noise of many people.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading In the darkness of the courtyard could be heard the subdued whispering, shuffling noise of many people.
past form of “deceive” — be false to; be dishonest with
From this reading “Let them go because this is best in my knowledge which has never deceived you,” Jim insisted.
a statement that is emphatic and explicit (spoken or written)
From this reading The declaration produced an immense sensation.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading “Let them go because this is best in my knowledge which has never deceived you,” Jim insisted.
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “Let them go because this is best in my knowledge which has never deceived you,” Jim insisted.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading In the darkness of the courtyard could be heard the subdued whispering, shuffling noise of many people.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading ‘Tamb’ Itam behind his chair was thunderstruck.
unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope
From this reading The declaration produced an immense sensation.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading “Let them go because this is best in my knowledge which has never deceived you,” Jim insisted.
past form of “insist” — be emphatic or resolute and refuse to budge
From this reading “Let them go because this is best in my knowledge which has never deceived you,” Jim insisted.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “Let them go because this is best in my knowledge which has never deceived you,” Jim insisted.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ‘Tamb’ Itam behind his chair was thunderstruck.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Let them go because this is best in my knowledge which has never deceived you,” Jim insisted.
the psychological result of perception and learning and reasoning
From this reading “Let them go because this is best in my knowledge which has never deceived you,” Jim insisted.
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading “Let them go because this is best in my knowledge which has never deceived you,” Jim insisted.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading In the darkness of the courtyard could be heard the subdued whispering, shuffling noise of many people.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading “Let them go because this is best in my knowledge which has never deceived you,” Jim insisted.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading “Let them go because this is best in my knowledge which has never deceived you,” Jim insisted.
sound of any kind (especially unintelligible or dissonant sound)
From this reading In the darkness of the courtyard could be heard the subdued whispering, shuffling noise of many people.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading In the darkness of the courtyard could be heard the subdued whispering, shuffling noise of many people.
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading In the darkness of the courtyard could be heard the subdued whispering, shuffling noise of many people.
past form of “produce” — bring forth or yield
From this reading The declaration produced an immense sensation.
an unelaborated elementary awareness of stimulation
From this reading The declaration produced an immense sensation.
walking with a slow dragging motion without lifting your feet
From this reading In the darkness of the courtyard could be heard the subdued whispering, shuffling noise of many people.
Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.
From this reading There was a silence.
in a softened tone
From this reading In the darkness of the courtyard could be heard the subdued whispering, shuffling noise of many people.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ‘Tamb’ Itam behind his chair was thunderstruck.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The declaration produced an immense sensation.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading “Let them go because this is best in my knowledge which has never deceived you,” Jim insisted.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was a silence.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading “Let them go because this is best in my knowledge which has never deceived you,” Jim insisted.
as if struck dumb with astonishment and surprise
From this reading ‘Tamb’ Itam behind his chair was thunderstruck.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading ‘Tamb’ Itam behind his chair was thunderstruck.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading “Let them go because this is best in my knowledge which has never deceived you,” Jim insisted.
a light noise, like the noise of silk clothing or leaves blowing in the wind
From this reading In the darkness of the courtyard could be heard the subdued whispering, shuffling noise of many people.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “Let them go because this is best in my knowledge which has never deceived you,” Jim insisted.
Chapter 38 of Lord Jim by Joseph Conrad holds 137 sentences, grouped into 28 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.
Chapter 38 holds 137 sentences of Lord Jim, unabridged, divided into 28 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 38 of Lord Jim by Joseph Conrad exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 137 sentences, grouped into 28 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 28 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 28 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 38 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 Lord Jim by Joseph Conrad on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 8581 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #5658 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #5658, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 600 minutes of reading across 1717 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Lord Jim section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 40 chapters of Lord Jim 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 Lord Jim, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
