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Mr. Bingle
Mr. Bingle

Chapter XVII · Chapter 17

Chapter 17 of Mr. Bingle is here in full — 383 sentences across 77 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Mr. Bingle
Context Illustration Reading 1/76 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE LAST TO ARRIVE Mr. Bingle was an optimist.
It seems hardly necessary to make this statement, but for the purpose of giving him a fair start along a new line of endeavour we resort to the distinctly obvious, and then announce that he brushed away the tears and laughed as gaily as any of them over the surprises that followed the one which momentarily caused him to falter.
He was not given to looking upon the dark side of things.
Even as he sat there at the head of the long table, he jocosely remarked to Diggs that he would have to borrow a saw from the janitor the next day and reduce the size of his board by five feet at least.
Moreover, he could practice a little economy by cutting the excess timber up into kindling wood, and no doubt something could be saved by putting the over supply of china and glassware on the top shelves of the pantry where it would be safe from demolition unless the house took fire or an earthquake came along.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Mr. Bingle

Chapter XVII · Chapter 17

Chapter 17 of Mr. Bingle is here in full — 383 sentences across 77 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/76 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE LAST TO ARRIVE Mr. Bingle was an optimist.
/ðə læst tuː ərˈaɪv ˈmɪstər ˈbɪŋɡəl wɑːz æn ˈɑːptəmɪst/
Line 2
It seems hardly necessary to make this statement, but for the purpose of giving him a fair start along a new line of endeavour we resort to the distinctly obvious, and then announce that he brushed away the tears and laughed as gaily as any of them over the surprises that followed the one which momentarily caused him to falter.
/ɪt siːmz ˈhɑːrdli ˈnesəseri tuː meɪk ðɪs ˈsteɪtmənt bʌt fɔːr ðə ˈpɜːrpəs ʌv ˈɡɪvɪŋ hɪm ə fer stɑːrt əˈlɔːŋ ə nuː laɪn ʌv ɪnˈdevər wiː rɪˈzɔːrt tuː ðə dɪˈstɪŋktli ˈɑːbviəs ənd ðen əˈnaʊns ðæt hiː brʌʃt əˈweɪ ðə terz ənd læft æz ˈɡeɪli æz ˈeni ʌv ðem ˈoʊvər ðə sərˈpraɪzɪz ðæt ˈfɑːloʊd ðə wʌn wɪtʃ ˌmoʊmənˈterəli kɑːzd hɪm tuː ˈfɔːltər/
Line 3
He was not given to looking upon the dark side of things.
/hiː wɑːz nɑːt ˈɡɪvən tuː ˈlʊkɪŋ əˈpɑːn ðə dɑːrk saɪd ʌv θɪŋz/
Line 4
Even as he sat there at the head of the long table, he jocosely remarked to Diggs that he would have to borrow a saw from the janitor the next day and reduce the size of his board by five feet at least.
Line 5
Moreover, he could practice a little economy by cutting the excess timber up into kindling wood, and no doubt something could be saved by putting the over supply of china and glassware on the top shelves of the pantry where it would be safe from demolition unless the house took fire or an earthquake came along.
/mɔːˈroʊvər hiː kʊd ˈpræktəs ə ˈlɪtəl ɪˈkɑːnəmi baɪ ˈkʌtɪŋ ðə ˈekses ˈtɪmbər ʌp ˈɪntuː ˈkɪndlɪŋ wʊd ənd noʊ daʊt ˈsʌmθɪŋ kʊd biː seɪvd baɪ ˈpʌtɪŋ ðə ˈoʊvər səˈplaɪ ʌv ˈtʃaɪnə ənd ˈɡlæswer ɑːn ðə tɑːp ʃelvz ʌv ðə ˈpæntri wer ɪt wʊd biː seɪf frʌm ˌdeməˈlɪʃən ənˈles ðə haʊs tʊk ˈfaɪər ɔːr æn ˈɜːrθkweɪk keɪm əˈlɔːŋ/

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.

Bingle noun US /ˈbɪŋɡəl/

a base hit on which the batter stops safely at first base

From this reading “THE LAST TO ARRIVE Mr. Bingle was an optimist.”

demolition noun US /ˌdeməˈlɪʃən/

an event (or the result of an event) that completely destroys something

From this reading “Moreover, he could practice a little economy by cutting the excess timber up into kindling wood, and no doubt something could be saved by putting the over supply of china and glassware on the top shelves of the pantry where it would be safe from demolition unless the house took fire or an earthquake came along.”

falter verb US /ˈfɔːltər/

be unsure or weak

From this reading “It seems hardly necessary to make this statement, but for the purpose of giving him a fair start along a new line of endeavour we resort to the distinctly obvious, and then announce that he brushed away the tears and laughed as gaily as any of them over the surprises that followed the one which momentarily caused him to falter.”

glassware noun US /ˈɡlæswer/

an article of tableware made of glass

From this reading “Moreover, he could practice a little economy by cutting the excess timber up into kindling wood, and no doubt something could be saved by putting the over supply of china and glassware on the top shelves of the pantry where it would be safe from demolition unless the house took fire or an earthquake came along.”

janitor noun US /ˈdʒænətər/

someone employed to clean and maintain a building

From this reading “Even as he sat there at the head of the long table, he jocosely remarked to Diggs that he would have to borrow a saw from the janitor the next day and reduce the size of his board by five feet at least.”

kindling noun US /ˈkɪndlɪŋ/

material for starting a fire

From this reading “Moreover, he could practice a little economy by cutting the excess timber up into kindling wood, and no doubt something could be saved by putting the over supply of china and glassware on the top shelves of the pantry where it would be safe from demolition unless the house took fire or an earthquake came along.”

optimist noun US /ˈɑːptəmɪst/

a person disposed to take a favorable view of things

From this reading “THE LAST TO ARRIVE Mr. Bingle was an optimist.”

pantry noun US /ˈpæntri/

a small storeroom for storing foods or wines

From this reading “Moreover, he could practice a little economy by cutting the excess timber up into kindling wood, and no doubt something could be saved by putting the over supply of china and glassware on the top shelves of the pantry where it would be safe from demolition unless the house took fire or an earthquake came along.”

All words in this reading · 122

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 It seems hardly necessary to make this statement, but for the purpose of giving him a fair start along a new line of endeavour we resort to the distinctly obvious, and then announce that he brushed away the tears and laughed as gaily as any of them over the surprises that followed the one which momentarily caused him to falter.

alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/

following the length of something from one end toward the other

From this reading It seems hardly necessary to make this statement, but for the purpose of giving him a fair start along a new line of endeavour we resort to the distinctly obvious, and then announce that he brushed away the tears and laughed as gaily as any of them over the surprises that followed the one which momentarily caused him to falter.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading THE LAST TO ARRIVE Mr. Bingle was an optimist.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading It seems hardly necessary to make this statement, but for the purpose of giving him a fair start along a new line of endeavour we resort to the distinctly obvious, and then announce that he brushed away the tears and laughed as gaily as any of them over the surprises that followed the one which momentarily caused him to falter.

announceverbUS /əˈnaʊns/

make known; make an announcement

From this reading It seems hardly necessary to make this statement, but for the purpose of giving him a fair start along a new line of endeavour we resort to the distinctly obvious, and then announce that he brushed away the tears and laughed as gaily as any of them over the surprises that followed the one which momentarily caused him to falter.

anyadjectiveUS /ˈeni/

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading It seems hardly necessary to make this statement, but for the purpose of giving him a fair start along a new line of endeavour we resort to the distinctly obvious, and then announce that he brushed away the tears and laughed as gaily as any of them over the surprises that followed the one which momentarily caused him to falter.

ARRIVEverbUS /ərˈaɪv/

reach a destination; arrive by movement or progress

From this reading THE LAST TO ARRIVE Mr. Bingle was an optimist.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading It seems hardly necessary to make this statement, but for the purpose of giving him a fair start along a new line of endeavour we resort to the distinctly obvious, and then announce that he brushed away the tears and laughed as gaily as any of them over the surprises that followed the one which momentarily caused him to falter.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Even as he sat there at the head of the long table, he jocosely remarked to Diggs that he would have to borrow a saw from the janitor the next day and reduce the size of his board by five feet at least.

awayadverbUS /əˈweɪ/

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading It seems hardly necessary to make this statement, but for the purpose of giving him a fair start along a new line of endeavour we resort to the distinctly obvious, and then announce that he brushed away the tears and laughed as gaily as any of them over the surprises that followed the one which momentarily caused him to falter.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading Moreover, he could practice a little economy by cutting the excess timber up into kindling wood, and no doubt something could be saved by putting the over supply of china and glassware on the top shelves of the pantry where it would be safe from demolition unless the house took fire or an earthquake came along.

BinglenounUS /ˈbɪŋɡəl/

a base hit on which the batter stops safely at first base

From this reading THE LAST TO ARRIVE Mr. Bingle was an optimist.

boardnounUS /bɔːrd/

a committee having supervisory powers

From this reading Even as he sat there at the head of the long table, he jocosely remarked to Diggs that he would have to borrow a saw from the janitor the next day and reduce the size of his board by five feet at least.

borrowverbUS /ˈbɑːroʊ/

get temporarily

From this reading Even as he sat there at the head of the long table, he jocosely remarked to Diggs that he would have to borrow a saw from the janitor the next day and reduce the size of his board by five feet at least.

brushedadjectiveUS /brʌʃt/

touched lightly in passing; grazed against

From this reading It seems hardly necessary to make this statement, but for the purpose of giving him a fair start along a new line of endeavour we resort to the distinctly obvious, and then announce that he brushed away the tears and laughed as gaily as any of them over the surprises that followed the one which momentarily caused him to falter.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading It seems hardly necessary to make this statement, but for the purpose of giving him a fair start along a new line of endeavour we resort to the distinctly obvious, and then announce that he brushed away the tears and laughed as gaily as any of them over the surprises that followed the one which momentarily caused him to falter.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Even as he sat there at the head of the long table, he jocosely remarked to Diggs that he would have to borrow a saw from the janitor the next day and reduce the size of his board by five feet at least.

cameverbUS /keɪm/

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading Moreover, he could practice a little economy by cutting the excess timber up into kindling wood, and no doubt something could be saved by putting the over supply of china and glassware on the top shelves of the pantry where it would be safe from demolition unless the house took fire or an earthquake came along.

causedverbUS /kɑːzd/

past form of “cause” — give rise to; cause to happen or occur, not always intentionally

From this reading It seems hardly necessary to make this statement, but for the purpose of giving him a fair start along a new line of endeavour we resort to the distinctly obvious, and then announce that he brushed away the tears and laughed as gaily as any of them over the surprises that followed the one which momentarily caused him to falter.

chinanounUS /ˈtʃaɪnə/

a communist nation that covers a vast territory in eastern Asia; the most populous country in the world

From this reading Moreover, he could practice a little economy by cutting the excess timber up into kindling wood, and no doubt something could be saved by putting the over supply of china and glassware on the top shelves of the pantry where it would be safe from demolition unless the house took fire or an earthquake came along.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading Moreover, he could practice a little economy by cutting the excess timber up into kindling wood, and no doubt something could be saved by putting the over supply of china and glassware on the top shelves of the pantry where it would be safe from demolition unless the house took fire or an earthquake came along.

cuttingnounUS /ˈkʌtɪŋ/

the activity of selecting the scenes to be shown and putting them together to create a film

From this reading Moreover, he could practice a little economy by cutting the excess timber up into kindling wood, and no doubt something could be saved by putting the over supply of china and glassware on the top shelves of the pantry where it would be safe from demolition unless the house took fire or an earthquake came along.

darknounUS /dɑːrk/

absence of light or illumination

From this reading He was not given to looking upon the dark side of things.

daynounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading Even as he sat there at the head of the long table, he jocosely remarked to Diggs that he would have to borrow a saw from the janitor the next day and reduce the size of his board by five feet at least.

demolitionnounUS /ˌdeməˈlɪʃən/

an event (or the result of an event) that completely destroys something

From this reading Moreover, he could practice a little economy by cutting the excess timber up into kindling wood, and no doubt something could be saved by putting the over supply of china and glassware on the top shelves of the pantry where it would be safe from demolition unless the house took fire or an earthquake came along.

Diggs

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

From this reading Even as he sat there at the head of the long table, he jocosely remarked to Diggs that he would have to borrow a saw from the janitor the next day and reduce the size of his board by five feet at least.

distinctlyadverbUS /dɪˈstɪŋktli/

clear to the mind; with distinct mental discernment

From this reading It seems hardly necessary to make this statement, but for the purpose of giving him a fair start along a new line of endeavour we resort to the distinctly obvious, and then announce that he brushed away the tears and laughed as gaily as any of them over the surprises that followed the one which momentarily caused him to falter.

doubtnounUS /daʊt/

the state of being unsure of something

From this reading Moreover, he could practice a little economy by cutting the excess timber up into kindling wood, and no doubt something could be saved by putting the over supply of china and glassware on the top shelves of the pantry where it would be safe from demolition unless the house took fire or an earthquake came along.

earthquakenounUS /ˈɜːrθkweɪk/

shaking and vibration at the surface of the earth resulting from underground movement along a fault plane or from volcanic activity

From this reading Moreover, he could practice a little economy by cutting the excess timber up into kindling wood, and no doubt something could be saved by putting the over supply of china and glassware on the top shelves of the pantry where it would be safe from demolition unless the house took fire or an earthquake came along.

economynounUS /ɪˈkɑːnəmi/

the system of production and distribution and consumption

From this reading Moreover, he could practice a little economy by cutting the excess timber up into kindling wood, and no doubt something could be saved by putting the over supply of china and glassware on the top shelves of the pantry where it would be safe from demolition unless the house took fire or an earthquake came along.

endeavournounUS /ɪnˈdevər/

a purposeful or industrious undertaking (especially one that requires effort or boldness)

From this reading It seems hardly necessary to make this statement, but for the purpose of giving him a fair start along a new line of endeavour we resort to the distinctly obvious, and then announce that he brushed away the tears and laughed as gaily as any of them over the surprises that followed the one which momentarily caused him to falter.

EvenadjectiveUS /ˈiːvɪn/

divisible by two

From this reading Even as he sat there at the head of the long table, he jocosely remarked to Diggs that he would have to borrow a saw from the janitor the next day and reduce the size of his board by five feet at least.

excessnounUS /ˈekses/

a quantity much larger than is needed

From this reading Moreover, he could practice a little economy by cutting the excess timber up into kindling wood, and no doubt something could be saved by putting the over supply of china and glassware on the top shelves of the pantry where it would be safe from demolition unless the house took fire or an earthquake came along.

fairadjectiveUS /fer/

free from favoritism or self-interest or bias or deception; conforming with established standards or rules

From this reading It seems hardly necessary to make this statement, but for the purpose of giving him a fair start along a new line of endeavour we resort to the distinctly obvious, and then announce that he brushed away the tears and laughed as gaily as any of them over the surprises that followed the one which momentarily caused him to falter.

falterverbUS /ˈfɔːltər/

be unsure or weak

From this reading It seems hardly necessary to make this statement, but for the purpose of giving him a fair start along a new line of endeavour we resort to the distinctly obvious, and then announce that he brushed away the tears and laughed as gaily as any of them over the surprises that followed the one which momentarily caused him to falter.

feetnounUS /fiːt/

plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint

From this reading Even as he sat there at the head of the long table, he jocosely remarked to Diggs that he would have to borrow a saw from the janitor the next day and reduce the size of his board by five feet at least.

fireverbUS /ˈfaɪər/

start firing a weapon

From this reading Moreover, he could practice a little economy by cutting the excess timber up into kindling wood, and no doubt something could be saved by putting the over supply of china and glassware on the top shelves of the pantry where it would be safe from demolition unless the house took fire or an earthquake came along.

fivenounUS /faɪv/

the cardinal number that is the sum of four and one

From this reading Even as he sat there at the head of the long table, he jocosely remarked to Diggs that he would have to borrow a saw from the janitor the next day and reduce the size of his board by five feet at least.

followedverbUS /ˈfɑːloʊd/

past form of “follow” — to travel behind, go after, come after

From this reading It seems hardly necessary to make this statement, but for the purpose of giving him a fair start along a new line of endeavour we resort to the distinctly obvious, and then announce that he brushed away the tears and laughed as gaily as any of them over the surprises that followed the one which momentarily caused him to falter.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading It seems hardly necessary to make this statement, but for the purpose of giving him a fair start along a new line of endeavour we resort to the distinctly obvious, and then announce that he brushed away the tears and laughed as gaily as any of them over the surprises that followed the one which momentarily caused him to falter.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Even as he sat there at the head of the long table, he jocosely remarked to Diggs that he would have to borrow a saw from the janitor the next day and reduce the size of his board by five feet at least.

gailyadverbUS /ˈɡeɪli/

in a gay manner

From this reading It seems hardly necessary to make this statement, but for the purpose of giving him a fair start along a new line of endeavour we resort to the distinctly obvious, and then announce that he brushed away the tears and laughed as gaily as any of them over the surprises that followed the one which momentarily caused him to falter.

givenadjectiveUS /ˈɡɪvən/

acknowledged as a supposition

From this reading He was not given to looking upon the dark side of things.

givingnounUS /ˈɡɪvɪŋ/

the act of giving

From this reading It seems hardly necessary to make this statement, but for the purpose of giving him a fair start along a new line of endeavour we resort to the distinctly obvious, and then announce that he brushed away the tears and laughed as gaily as any of them over the surprises that followed the one which momentarily caused him to falter.

glasswarenounUS /ˈɡlæswer/

an article of tableware made of glass

From this reading Moreover, he could practice a little economy by cutting the excess timber up into kindling wood, and no doubt something could be saved by putting the over supply of china and glassware on the top shelves of the pantry where it would be safe from demolition unless the house took fire or an earthquake came along.

hardlyadverbUS /ˈhɑːrdli/

only a very short time before

From this reading It seems hardly necessary to make this statement, but for the purpose of giving him a fair start along a new line of endeavour we resort to the distinctly obvious, and then announce that he brushed away the tears and laughed as gaily as any of them over the surprises that followed the one which momentarily caused him to falter.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading Even as he sat there at the head of the long table, he jocosely remarked to Diggs that he would have to borrow a saw from the janitor the next day and reduce the size of his board by five feet at least.

hepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading It seems hardly necessary to make this statement, but for the purpose of giving him a fair start along a new line of endeavour we resort to the distinctly obvious, and then announce that he brushed away the tears and laughed as gaily as any of them over the surprises that followed the one which momentarily caused him to falter.

headnounUS /hed/

the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains

From this reading Even as he sat there at the head of the long table, he jocosely remarked to Diggs that he would have to borrow a saw from the janitor the next day and reduce the size of his board by five feet at least.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading It seems hardly necessary to make this statement, but for the purpose of giving him a fair start along a new line of endeavour we resort to the distinctly obvious, and then announce that he brushed away the tears and laughed as gaily as any of them over the surprises that followed the one which momentarily caused him to falter.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading Even as he sat there at the head of the long table, he jocosely remarked to Diggs that he would have to borrow a saw from the janitor the next day and reduce the size of his board by five feet at least.

housenounUS /haʊs/

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

From this reading Moreover, he could practice a little economy by cutting the excess timber up into kindling wood, and no doubt something could be saved by putting the over supply of china and glassware on the top shelves of the pantry where it would be safe from demolition unless the house took fire or an earthquake came along.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading Moreover, he could practice a little economy by cutting the excess timber up into kindling wood, and no doubt something could be saved by putting the over supply of china and glassware on the top shelves of the pantry where it would be safe from demolition unless the house took fire or an earthquake came along.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It seems hardly necessary to make this statement, but for the purpose of giving him a fair start along a new line of endeavour we resort to the distinctly obvious, and then announce that he brushed away the tears and laughed as gaily as any of them over the surprises that followed the one which momentarily caused him to falter.

janitornounUS /ˈdʒænətər/

someone employed to clean and maintain a building

From this reading Even as he sat there at the head of the long table, he jocosely remarked to Diggs that he would have to borrow a saw from the janitor the next day and reduce the size of his board by five feet at least.

jocoselyadverb

with humor

From this reading Even as he sat there at the head of the long table, he jocosely remarked to Diggs that he would have to borrow a saw from the janitor the next day and reduce the size of his board by five feet at least.

kindlingnounUS /ˈkɪndlɪŋ/

material for starting a fire

From this reading Moreover, he could practice a little economy by cutting the excess timber up into kindling wood, and no doubt something could be saved by putting the over supply of china and glassware on the top shelves of the pantry where it would be safe from demolition unless the house took fire or an earthquake came along.

LASTadjectiveUS /læst/

immediately past

From this reading THE LAST TO ARRIVE Mr. Bingle was an optimist.

laughedverbUS /læft/

past form of “laugh” — produce laughter

From this reading It seems hardly necessary to make this statement, but for the purpose of giving him a fair start along a new line of endeavour we resort to the distinctly obvious, and then announce that he brushed away the tears and laughed as gaily as any of them over the surprises that followed the one which momentarily caused him to falter.

leastadjectiveUS /liːst/

the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree

From this reading Even as he sat there at the head of the long table, he jocosely remarked to Diggs that he would have to borrow a saw from the janitor the next day and reduce the size of his board by five feet at least.

linenounUS /laɪn/

a formation of people or things one beside another

From this reading It seems hardly necessary to make this statement, but for the purpose of giving him a fair start along a new line of endeavour we resort to the distinctly obvious, and then announce that he brushed away the tears and laughed as gaily as any of them over the surprises that followed the one which momentarily caused him to falter.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading Moreover, he could practice a little economy by cutting the excess timber up into kindling wood, and no doubt something could be saved by putting the over supply of china and glassware on the top shelves of the pantry where it would be safe from demolition unless the house took fire or an earthquake came along.

longadjectiveUS /lɔːŋ/

primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified

From this reading Even as he sat there at the head of the long table, he jocosely remarked to Diggs that he would have to borrow a saw from the janitor the next day and reduce the size of his board by five feet at least.

lookingnounUS /ˈlʊkɪŋ/

the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually

From this reading He was not given to looking upon the dark side of things.

makeverbUS /meɪk/

engage in

From this reading It seems hardly necessary to make this statement, but for the purpose of giving him a fair start along a new line of endeavour we resort to the distinctly obvious, and then announce that he brushed away the tears and laughed as gaily as any of them over the surprises that followed the one which momentarily caused him to falter.

momentarilyadverbUS /ˌmoʊmənˈterəli/

for an instant or moment

From this reading It seems hardly necessary to make this statement, but for the purpose of giving him a fair start along a new line of endeavour we resort to the distinctly obvious, and then announce that he brushed away the tears and laughed as gaily as any of them over the surprises that followed the one which momentarily caused him to falter.

MoreoveradverbUS /mɔːˈroʊvər/

in addition to what has just been said

From this reading Moreover, he could practice a little economy by cutting the excess timber up into kindling wood, and no doubt something could be saved by putting the over supply of china and glassware on the top shelves of the pantry where it would be safe from demolition unless the house took fire or an earthquake came along.

MrnounUS /ˈmɪstər/

a form of address for a man

From this reading THE LAST TO ARRIVE Mr. Bingle was an optimist.

necessaryadjectiveUS /ˈnesəseri/

absolutely essential

From this reading It seems hardly necessary to make this statement, but for the purpose of giving him a fair start along a new line of endeavour we resort to the distinctly obvious, and then announce that he brushed away the tears and laughed as gaily as any of them over the surprises that followed the one which momentarily caused him to falter.

newadjectiveUS /nuː/

not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered

From this reading It seems hardly necessary to make this statement, but for the purpose of giving him a fair start along a new line of endeavour we resort to the distinctly obvious, and then announce that he brushed away the tears and laughed as gaily as any of them over the surprises that followed the one which momentarily caused him to falter.

nextadjectiveUS /nekst/

immediately following in time or order

From this reading Even as he sat there at the head of the long table, he jocosely remarked to Diggs that he would have to borrow a saw from the janitor the next day and reduce the size of his board by five feet at least.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading Moreover, he could practice a little economy by cutting the excess timber up into kindling wood, and no doubt something could be saved by putting the over supply of china and glassware on the top shelves of the pantry where it would be safe from demolition unless the house took fire or an earthquake came along.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading He was not given to looking upon the dark side of things.

obviousadjectiveUS /ˈɑːbviəs/

easily perceived by the senses or grasped by the mind

From this reading It seems hardly necessary to make this statement, but for the purpose of giving him a fair start along a new line of endeavour we resort to the distinctly obvious, and then announce that he brushed away the tears and laughed as gaily as any of them over the surprises that followed the one which momentarily caused him to falter.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading It seems hardly necessary to make this statement, but for the purpose of giving him a fair start along a new line of endeavour we resort to the distinctly obvious, and then announce that he brushed away the tears and laughed as gaily as any of them over the surprises that followed the one which momentarily caused him to falter.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Moreover, he could practice a little economy by cutting the excess timber up into kindling wood, and no doubt something could be saved by putting the over supply of china and glassware on the top shelves of the pantry where it would be safe from demolition unless the house took fire or an earthquake came along.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading It seems hardly necessary to make this statement, but for the purpose of giving him a fair start along a new line of endeavour we resort to the distinctly obvious, and then announce that he brushed away the tears and laughed as gaily as any of them over the surprises that followed the one which momentarily caused him to falter.

optimistnounUS /ˈɑːptəmɪst/

a person disposed to take a favorable view of things

From this reading THE LAST TO ARRIVE Mr. Bingle was an optimist.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading Moreover, he could practice a little economy by cutting the excess timber up into kindling wood, and no doubt something could be saved by putting the over supply of china and glassware on the top shelves of the pantry where it would be safe from demolition unless the house took fire or an earthquake came along.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading It seems hardly necessary to make this statement, but for the purpose of giving him a fair start along a new line of endeavour we resort to the distinctly obvious, and then announce that he brushed away the tears and laughed as gaily as any of them over the surprises that followed the one which momentarily caused him to falter.

pantrynounUS /ˈpæntri/

a small storeroom for storing foods or wines

From this reading Moreover, he could practice a little economy by cutting the excess timber up into kindling wood, and no doubt something could be saved by putting the over supply of china and glassware on the top shelves of the pantry where it would be safe from demolition unless the house took fire or an earthquake came along.

practicenounUS /ˈpræktəs/

a customary way of operation or behavior

From this reading Moreover, he could practice a little economy by cutting the excess timber up into kindling wood, and no doubt something could be saved by putting the over supply of china and glassware on the top shelves of the pantry where it would be safe from demolition unless the house took fire or an earthquake came along.

purposenounUS /ˈpɜːrpəs/

an anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your planned actions

From this reading It seems hardly necessary to make this statement, but for the purpose of giving him a fair start along a new line of endeavour we resort to the distinctly obvious, and then announce that he brushed away the tears and laughed as gaily as any of them over the surprises that followed the one which momentarily caused him to falter.

puttingnounUS /ˈpʌtɪŋ/

hitting a golf ball that is on the green using a putter

From this reading Moreover, he could practice a little economy by cutting the excess timber up into kindling wood, and no doubt something could be saved by putting the over supply of china and glassware on the top shelves of the pantry where it would be safe from demolition unless the house took fire or an earthquake came along.

reduceverbUS /rəˈduːs/

cut down on; make a reduction in

From this reading Even as he sat there at the head of the long table, he jocosely remarked to Diggs that he would have to borrow a saw from the janitor the next day and reduce the size of his board by five feet at least.

remarkedverbUS /rɪˈmɑːrkt/

past form of “remark” — make mention of

From this reading Even as he sat there at the head of the long table, he jocosely remarked to Diggs that he would have to borrow a saw from the janitor the next day and reduce the size of his board by five feet at least.

resortnounUS /rɪˈzɔːrt/

a hotel located in a resort area

From this reading It seems hardly necessary to make this statement, but for the purpose of giving him a fair start along a new line of endeavour we resort to the distinctly obvious, and then announce that he brushed away the tears and laughed as gaily as any of them over the surprises that followed the one which momentarily caused him to falter.

safeadjectiveUS /seɪf/

free from danger or the risk of harm

From this reading Moreover, he could practice a little economy by cutting the excess timber up into kindling wood, and no doubt something could be saved by putting the over supply of china and glassware on the top shelves of the pantry where it would be safe from demolition unless the house took fire or an earthquake came along.

satnounUS /sæt/

the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians

From this reading Even as he sat there at the head of the long table, he jocosely remarked to Diggs that he would have to borrow a saw from the janitor the next day and reduce the size of his board by five feet at least.

savedadjectiveUS /seɪvd/

rescued; especially from the power and consequences of sin

From this reading Moreover, he could practice a little economy by cutting the excess timber up into kindling wood, and no doubt something could be saved by putting the over supply of china and glassware on the top shelves of the pantry where it would be safe from demolition unless the house took fire or an earthquake came along.

sawverbUS /sɔː/

cut with a saw

From this reading Even as he sat there at the head of the long table, he jocosely remarked to Diggs that he would have to borrow a saw from the janitor the next day and reduce the size of his board by five feet at least.

seemsverbUS /siːmz/

third-person singular of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading It seems hardly necessary to make this statement, but for the purpose of giving him a fair start along a new line of endeavour we resort to the distinctly obvious, and then announce that he brushed away the tears and laughed as gaily as any of them over the surprises that followed the one which momentarily caused him to falter.

shelvesnounUS /ʃelvz/

Plural of shelf; the vast wooden or stone structures holding archives.

From this reading Moreover, he could practice a little economy by cutting the excess timber up into kindling wood, and no doubt something could be saved by putting the over supply of china and glassware on the top shelves of the pantry where it would be safe from demolition unless the house took fire or an earthquake came along.

sidenounUS /saɪd/

a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location

From this reading He was not given to looking upon the dark side of things.

sizenounUS /saɪz/

the physical magnitude of something (how big it is)

From this reading Even as he sat there at the head of the long table, he jocosely remarked to Diggs that he would have to borrow a saw from the janitor the next day and reduce the size of his board by five feet at least.

somethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/

a thing, without saying which

From this reading Moreover, he could practice a little economy by cutting the excess timber up into kindling wood, and no doubt something could be saved by putting the over supply of china and glassware on the top shelves of the pantry where it would be safe from demolition unless the house took fire or an earthquake came along.

startverbUS /stɑːrt/

take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

From this reading It seems hardly necessary to make this statement, but for the purpose of giving him a fair start along a new line of endeavour we resort to the distinctly obvious, and then announce that he brushed away the tears and laughed as gaily as any of them over the surprises that followed the one which momentarily caused him to falter.

statementnounUS /ˈsteɪtmənt/

a message that is stated or declared; a communication (oral or written) setting forth particulars or facts etc

From this reading It seems hardly necessary to make this statement, but for the purpose of giving him a fair start along a new line of endeavour we resort to the distinctly obvious, and then announce that he brushed away the tears and laughed as gaily as any of them over the surprises that followed the one which momentarily caused him to falter.

supplyverbUS /səˈplaɪ/

give something useful or necessary to

From this reading Moreover, he could practice a little economy by cutting the excess timber up into kindling wood, and no doubt something could be saved by putting the over supply of china and glassware on the top shelves of the pantry where it would be safe from demolition unless the house took fire or an earthquake came along.

surprisesnounUS /sərˈpraɪzɪz/

plural of “surprise” — the astonishment you feel when something totally unexpected happens to you

From this reading It seems hardly necessary to make this statement, but for the purpose of giving him a fair start along a new line of endeavour we resort to the distinctly obvious, and then announce that he brushed away the tears and laughed as gaily as any of them over the surprises that followed the one which momentarily caused him to falter.

tablenounUS /ˈteɪbəl/

a set of data arranged in rows and columns

From this reading Even as he sat there at the head of the long table, he jocosely remarked to Diggs that he would have to borrow a saw from the janitor the next day and reduce the size of his board by five feet at least.

tearsnounUS /terz/

the process of shedding tears (usually accompanied by sobs or other inarticulate sounds)

From this reading It seems hardly necessary to make this statement, but for the purpose of giving him a fair start along a new line of endeavour we resort to the distinctly obvious, and then announce that he brushed away the tears and laughed as gaily as any of them over the surprises that followed the one which momentarily caused him to falter.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading It seems hardly necessary to make this statement, but for the purpose of giving him a fair start along a new line of endeavour we resort to the distinctly obvious, and then announce that he brushed away the tears and laughed as gaily as any of them over the surprises that followed the one which momentarily caused him to falter.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE LAST TO ARRIVE Mr. Bingle was an optimist.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading It seems hardly necessary to make this statement, but for the purpose of giving him a fair start along a new line of endeavour we resort to the distinctly obvious, and then announce that he brushed away the tears and laughed as gaily as any of them over the surprises that followed the one which momentarily caused him to falter.

thenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading It seems hardly necessary to make this statement, but for the purpose of giving him a fair start along a new line of endeavour we resort to the distinctly obvious, and then announce that he brushed away the tears and laughed as gaily as any of them over the surprises that followed the one which momentarily caused him to falter.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading Even as he sat there at the head of the long table, he jocosely remarked to Diggs that he would have to borrow a saw from the janitor the next day and reduce the size of his board by five feet at least.

thingsnounUS /θɪŋz/

any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)

From this reading He was not given to looking upon the dark side of things.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading It seems hardly necessary to make this statement, but for the purpose of giving him a fair start along a new line of endeavour we resort to the distinctly obvious, and then announce that he brushed away the tears and laughed as gaily as any of them over the surprises that followed the one which momentarily caused him to falter.

timbernounUS /ˈtɪmbər/

the wood of trees cut and prepared for use as building material

From this reading Moreover, he could practice a little economy by cutting the excess timber up into kindling wood, and no doubt something could be saved by putting the over supply of china and glassware on the top shelves of the pantry where it would be safe from demolition unless the house took fire or an earthquake came along.

TOparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading THE LAST TO ARRIVE Mr. Bingle was an optimist.

tookverbUS /tʊk/

inflected form of “take” — carry out

From this reading Moreover, he could practice a little economy by cutting the excess timber up into kindling wood, and no doubt something could be saved by putting the over supply of china and glassware on the top shelves of the pantry where it would be safe from demolition unless the house took fire or an earthquake came along.

topnounUS /tɑːp/

the upper part of anything

From this reading Moreover, he could practice a little economy by cutting the excess timber up into kindling wood, and no doubt something could be saved by putting the over supply of china and glassware on the top shelves of the pantry where it would be safe from demolition unless the house took fire or an earthquake came along.

unlessconjunctionUS /ənˈles/

except if; if not

From this reading Moreover, he could practice a little economy by cutting the excess timber up into kindling wood, and no doubt something could be saved by putting the over supply of china and glassware on the top shelves of the pantry where it would be safe from demolition unless the house took fire or an earthquake came along.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading Moreover, he could practice a little economy by cutting the excess timber up into kindling wood, and no doubt something could be saved by putting the over supply of china and glassware on the top shelves of the pantry where it would be safe from demolition unless the house took fire or an earthquake came along.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading He was not given to looking upon the dark side of things.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading THE LAST TO ARRIVE Mr. Bingle was an optimist.

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading It seems hardly necessary to make this statement, but for the purpose of giving him a fair start along a new line of endeavour we resort to the distinctly obvious, and then announce that he brushed away the tears and laughed as gaily as any of them over the surprises that followed the one which momentarily caused him to falter.

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading Moreover, he could practice a little economy by cutting the excess timber up into kindling wood, and no doubt something could be saved by putting the over supply of china and glassware on the top shelves of the pantry where it would be safe from demolition unless the house took fire or an earthquake came along.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading It seems hardly necessary to make this statement, but for the purpose of giving him a fair start along a new line of endeavour we resort to the distinctly obvious, and then announce that he brushed away the tears and laughed as gaily as any of them over the surprises that followed the one which momentarily caused him to falter.

woodnounUS /wʊd/

the hard fibrous lignified substance under the bark of trees

From this reading Moreover, he could practice a little economy by cutting the excess timber up into kindling wood, and no doubt something could be saved by putting the over supply of china and glassware on the top shelves of the pantry where it would be safe from demolition unless the house took fire or an earthquake came along.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading Even as he sat there at the head of the long table, he jocosely remarked to Diggs that he would have to borrow a saw from the janitor the next day and reduce the size of his board by five feet at least.

Chapter 17 of Mr. Bingle by George Barr McCutcheon holds 383 sentences, grouped into 77 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 17 of Mr. Bingle contain?

Chapter 17 holds 383 sentences of Mr. Bingle, unabridged, divided into 77 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 17 of Mr. Bingle by George Barr McCutcheon exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 383 sentences, grouped into 77 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 17 of Mr. Bingle?

Work through the 77 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 77 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.

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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.

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