Chapter 8 of Merry's Book of Puzzles is here in full — 391 sentences across 79 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter VIII
Chapter 8 of Merry's Book of Puzzles is here in full — 391 sentences across 79 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
220. Which are the most entertaining of bats? 221. 222. Change my head several times, and make (1) a color, (2) a regard, (3) a nickname, (4) to harden, (5) to excite, (6) a mate, (7) an implement, (8) a fish, (9) to form in mass, (10) a part of a coil, (11) to catch.
Chapter 8 of Merry's Book of Puzzles is here in full — 391 sentences across 79 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/78 · 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.
informal or slang terms for mentally irregular
From this reading “Which are the most entertaining of bats?”
a structure consisting of something wound in a continuous series of loops
From this reading “Change my head several times, and make (1) a color, (2) a regard, (3) a nickname, (4) to harden, (5) to excite, (6) a mate, (7) an implement, (8) a fish, (9) to form in mass, (10) a part of a coil, (11) to catch.”
agreeably diverting
From this reading “Which are the most entertaining of bats?”
arouse or elicit a feeling
From this reading “Change my head several times, and make (1) a color, (2) a regard, (3) a nickname, (4) to harden, (5) to excite, (6) a mate, (7) an implement, (8) a fish, (9) to form in mass, (10) a part of a coil, (11) to catch.”
become hard or harder
From this reading “Change my head several times, and make (1) a color, (2) a regard, (3) a nickname, (4) to harden, (5) to excite, (6) a mate, (7) an implement, (8) a fish, (9) to form in mass, (10) a part of a coil, (11) to catch.”
apply in a manner consistent with its purpose or design
From this reading “Change my head several times, and make (1) a color, (2) a regard, (3) a nickname, (4) to harden, (5) to excite, (6) a mate, (7) an implement, (8) a fish, (9) to form in mass, (10) a part of a coil, (11) to catch.”
the officer below the master on a commercial ship
From this reading “Change my head several times, and make (1) a color, (2) a regard, (3) a nickname, (4) to harden, (5) to excite, (6) a mate, (7) an implement, (8) a fish, (9) to form in mass, (10) a part of a coil, (11) to catch.”
a familiar name for a person (often a shortened version of a person's given name)
From this reading “Change my head several times, and make (1) a color, (2) a regard, (3) a nickname, (4) to harden, (5) to excite, (6) a mate, (7) an implement, (8) a fish, (9) to form in mass, (10) a part of a coil, (11) to catch.”
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 “Change my head several times, and make (1) a color, (2) a regard, (3) a nickname, (4) to harden, (5) to excite, (6) a mate, (7) an implement, (8) a fish, (9) to form in mass, (10) a part of a coil, (11) to catch.”
In this reading “Which are the most entertaining of bats?”
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.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Change my head several times, and make (1) a color, (2) a regard, (3) a nickname, (4) to harden, (5) to excite, (6) a mate, (7) an implement, (8) a fish, (9) to form in mass, (10) a part of a coil, (11) to catch.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Change my head several times, and make (1) a color, (2) a regard, (3) a nickname, (4) to harden, (5) to excite, (6) a mate, (7) an implement, (8) a fish, (9) to form in mass, (10) a part of a coil, (11) to catch.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Change my head several times, and make (1) a color, (2) a regard, (3) a nickname, (4) to harden, (5) to excite, (6) a mate, (7) an implement, (8) a fish, (9) to form in mass, (10) a part of a coil, (11) to catch.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Change my head several times, and make (1) a color, (2) a regard, (3) a nickname, (4) to harden, (5) to excite, (6) a mate, (7) an implement, (8) a fish, (9) to form in mass, (10) a part of a coil, (11) to catch.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 220.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 221.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 222.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Change my head several times, and make (1) a color, (2) a regard, (3) a nickname, (4) to harden, (5) to excite, (6) a mate, (7) an implement, (8) a fish, (9) to form in mass, (10) a part of a coil, (11) to catch.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Change my head several times, and make (1) a color, (2) a regard, (3) a nickname, (4) to harden, (5) to excite, (6) a mate, (7) an implement, (8) a fish, (9) to form in mass, (10) a part of a coil, (11) to catch.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Change my head several times, and make (1) a color, (2) a regard, (3) a nickname, (4) to harden, (5) to excite, (6) a mate, (7) an implement, (8) a fish, (9) to form in mass, (10) a part of a coil, (11) to catch.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Change my head several times, and make (1) a color, (2) a regard, (3) a nickname, (4) to harden, (5) to excite, (6) a mate, (7) an implement, (8) a fish, (9) to form in mass, (10) a part of a coil, (11) to catch.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Change my head several times, and make (1) a color, (2) a regard, (3) a nickname, (4) to harden, (5) to excite, (6) a mate, (7) an implement, (8) a fish, (9) to form in mass, (10) a part of a coil, (11) to catch.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Change my head several times, and make (1) a color, (2) a regard, (3) a nickname, (4) to harden, (5) to excite, (6) a mate, (7) an implement, (8) a fish, (9) to form in mass, (10) a part of a coil, (11) to catch.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Change my head several times, and make (1) a color, (2) a regard, (3) a nickname, (4) to harden, (5) to excite, (6) a mate, (7) an implement, (8) a fish, (9) to form in mass, (10) a part of a coil, (11) to catch.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Change my head several times, and make (1) a color, (2) a regard, (3) a nickname, (4) to harden, (5) to excite, (6) a mate, (7) an implement, (8) a fish, (9) to form in mass, (10) a part of a coil, (11) to catch.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Change my head several times, and make (1) a color, (2) a regard, (3) a nickname, (4) to harden, (5) to excite, (6) a mate, (7) an implement, (8) a fish, (9) to form in mass, (10) a part of a coil, (11) to catch.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Change my head several times, and make (1) a color, (2) a regard, (3) a nickname, (4) to harden, (5) to excite, (6) a mate, (7) an implement, (8) a fish, (9) to form in mass, (10) a part of a coil, (11) to catch.
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Which are the most entertaining of bats?
informal or slang terms for mentally irregular
From this reading Which are the most entertaining of bats?
discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading Change my head several times, and make (1) a color, (2) a regard, (3) a nickname, (4) to harden, (5) to excite, (6) a mate, (7) an implement, (8) a fish, (9) to form in mass, (10) a part of a coil, (11) to catch.
cause to change; make different; cause a transformation
From this reading Change my head several times, and make (1) a color, (2) a regard, (3) a nickname, (4) to harden, (5) to excite, (6) a mate, (7) an implement, (8) a fish, (9) to form in mass, (10) a part of a coil, (11) to catch.
a structure consisting of something wound in a continuous series of loops
From this reading Change my head several times, and make (1) a color, (2) a regard, (3) a nickname, (4) to harden, (5) to excite, (6) a mate, (7) an implement, (8) a fish, (9) to form in mass, (10) a part of a coil, (11) to catch.
a visual attribute of things that results from the light they emit or transmit or reflect
From this reading Change my head several times, and make (1) a color, (2) a regard, (3) a nickname, (4) to harden, (5) to excite, (6) a mate, (7) an implement, (8) a fish, (9) to form in mass, (10) a part of a coil, (11) to catch.
agreeably diverting
From this reading Which are the most entertaining of bats?
arouse or elicit a feeling
From this reading Change my head several times, and make (1) a color, (2) a regard, (3) a nickname, (4) to harden, (5) to excite, (6) a mate, (7) an implement, (8) a fish, (9) to form in mass, (10) a part of a coil, (11) to catch.
any of various mostly cold-blooded aquatic vertebrates usually having scales and breathing through gills
From this reading Change my head several times, and make (1) a color, (2) a regard, (3) a nickname, (4) to harden, (5) to excite, (6) a mate, (7) an implement, (8) a fish, (9) to form in mass, (10) a part of a coil, (11) to catch.
the phonological or orthographic sound or appearance of a word that can be used to describe or identify something
From this reading Change my head several times, and make (1) a color, (2) a regard, (3) a nickname, (4) to harden, (5) to excite, (6) a mate, (7) an implement, (8) a fish, (9) to form in mass, (10) a part of a coil, (11) to catch.
become hard or harder
From this reading Change my head several times, and make (1) a color, (2) a regard, (3) a nickname, (4) to harden, (5) to excite, (6) a mate, (7) an implement, (8) a fish, (9) to form in mass, (10) a part of a coil, (11) to catch.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading Change my head several times, and make (1) a color, (2) a regard, (3) a nickname, (4) to harden, (5) to excite, (6) a mate, (7) an implement, (8) a fish, (9) to form in mass, (10) a part of a coil, (11) to catch.
apply in a manner consistent with its purpose or design
From this reading Change my head several times, and make (1) a color, (2) a regard, (3) a nickname, (4) to harden, (5) to excite, (6) a mate, (7) an implement, (8) a fish, (9) to form in mass, (10) a part of a coil, (11) to catch.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Change my head several times, and make (1) a color, (2) a regard, (3) a nickname, (4) to harden, (5) to excite, (6) a mate, (7) an implement, (8) a fish, (9) to form in mass, (10) a part of a coil, (11) to catch.
engage in
From this reading Change my head several times, and make (1) a color, (2) a regard, (3) a nickname, (4) to harden, (5) to excite, (6) a mate, (7) an implement, (8) a fish, (9) to form in mass, (10) a part of a coil, (11) to catch.
the property of a body that causes it to have weight in a gravitational field
From this reading Change my head several times, and make (1) a color, (2) a regard, (3) a nickname, (4) to harden, (5) to excite, (6) a mate, (7) an implement, (8) a fish, (9) to form in mass, (10) a part of a coil, (11) to catch.
the officer below the master on a commercial ship
From this reading Change my head several times, and make (1) a color, (2) a regard, (3) a nickname, (4) to harden, (5) to excite, (6) a mate, (7) an implement, (8) a fish, (9) to form in mass, (10) a part of a coil, (11) to catch.
used to form the superlative
From this reading Which are the most entertaining of bats?
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading Change my head several times, and make (1) a color, (2) a regard, (3) a nickname, (4) to harden, (5) to excite, (6) a mate, (7) an implement, (8) a fish, (9) to form in mass, (10) a part of a coil, (11) to catch.
a familiar name for a person (often a shortened version of a person's given name)
From this reading Change my head several times, and make (1) a color, (2) a regard, (3) a nickname, (4) to harden, (5) to excite, (6) a mate, (7) an implement, (8) a fish, (9) to form in mass, (10) a part of a coil, (11) to catch.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Which are the most entertaining of bats?
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading Change my head several times, and make (1) a color, (2) a regard, (3) a nickname, (4) to harden, (5) to excite, (6) a mate, (7) an implement, (8) a fish, (9) to form in mass, (10) a part of a coil, (11) to catch.
(usually preceded by “in”) a detail or point
From this reading Change my head several times, and make (1) a color, (2) a regard, (3) a nickname, (4) to harden, (5) to excite, (6) a mate, (7) an implement, (8) a fish, (9) to form in mass, (10) a part of a coil, (11) to catch.
(used with count nouns) of an indefinite number more than 2 or 3 but not many
From this reading Change my head several times, and make (1) a color, (2) a regard, (3) a nickname, (4) to harden, (5) to excite, (6) a mate, (7) an implement, (8) a fish, (9) to form in mass, (10) a part of a coil, (11) to catch.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Which are the most entertaining of bats?
a more or less definite period of time now or previously present
From this reading Change my head several times, and make (1) a color, (2) a regard, (3) a nickname, (4) to harden, (5) to excite, (6) a mate, (7) an implement, (8) a fish, (9) to form in mass, (10) a part of a coil, (11) to catch.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Change my head several times, and make (1) a color, (2) a regard, (3) a nickname, (4) to harden, (5) to excite, (6) a mate, (7) an implement, (8) a fish, (9) to form in mass, (10) a part of a coil, (11) to catch.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Which are the most entertaining of bats?
Chapter 8 of Merry's Book of Puzzles by J. N. (John Newton) Stearns holds 391 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.
Chapter 8 holds 391 sentences of Merry's Book of Puzzles, unabridged, divided into 79 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 8 of Merry's Book of Puzzles by J. N. (John Newton) Stearns exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 391 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.
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.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 8 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 Merry's Book of Puzzles by J. N. (John Newton) Stearns on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 4635 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #53847 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #53847, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 386 minutes of reading across 927 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Merry's Book of Puzzles section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 12 chapters of Merry's Book of Puzzles 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 Merry's Book of Puzzles, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
