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Nobody's Man
Nobody's Man

Chapter XXXI · Chapter 31

Chapter 31 of Nobody's Man is here in full — 247 sentences across 50 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/49 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Tallente, notwithstanding the glow of happiness which had taken him down to Westminster with the bearing of a young man, felt occasional little shivers of doubt as he leaned back in his seat during the intervals of a brief but portentous debate and let his mind wander back to that short hour when he seemed to have emptied out all the hidden yearnings which had been lurking in the dark corners of his heart and soul.
His love for Jane had no longer the boyish characteristics of a vague worship.
He made no further pretences to himself.
It was Jane herself, and not the spirit of her sex dwelling in her body, which he desired.
A tardy heritage of passion at times rejuvenated him and at others stretched him upon the rack.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Nobody's Man

Chapter XXXI · Chapter 31

Chapter 31 of Nobody's Man is here in full — 247 sentences across 50 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/49 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Tallente, notwithstanding the glow of happiness which had taken him down to Westminster with the bearing of a young man, felt occasional little shivers of doubt as he leaned back in his seat during the intervals of a brief but portentous debate and let his mind wander back to that short hour when he seemed to have emptied out all the hidden yearnings which had been lurking in the dark corners of his heart and soul.
Line 2
His love for Jane had no longer the boyish characteristics of a vague worship.
Line 3
He made no further pretences to himself.
Line 4
It was Jane herself, and not the spirit of her sex dwelling in her body, which he desired.
Line 5
A tardy heritage of passion at times rejuvenated him and at others stretched him upon the rack.

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.

characteristics noun US /ˌkerəktərˈɪstɪks/

plural of “characteristic” — a prominent attribute or aspect of something

From this reading “His love for Jane had no longer the boyish characteristics of a vague worship.”

heritage noun US /ˈherətədʒ/

practices that are handed down from the past by tradition

From this reading “A tardy heritage of passion at times rejuvenated him and at others stretched him upon the rack.”

portentous adjective US /pɔːrˈtentəs/

of momentous or ominous significance

From this reading “Tallente, notwithstanding the glow of happiness which had taken him down to Westminster with the bearing of a young man, felt occasional little shivers of doubt as he leaned back in his seat during the intervals of a brief but portentous debate and let his mind wander back to that short hour when he seemed to have emptied out all the hidden yearnings which had been lurking in the dark corners of his heart and soul.”

rack verb US /ræk/

go at a rack

From this reading “A tardy heritage of passion at times rejuvenated him and at others stretched him upon the rack.”

rejuvenated verb US /rɪˈdʒuːvəneɪtɪd/

past form of “rejuvenate” — cause (a stream or river) to erode, as by an uplift of the land

From this reading “A tardy heritage of passion at times rejuvenated him and at others stretched him upon the rack.”

shivers noun US /ˈʃɪvərz/

plural of “shiver” — a reflex motion caused by cold or fear or excitement

From this reading “Tallente, notwithstanding the glow of happiness which had taken him down to Westminster with the bearing of a young man, felt occasional little shivers of doubt as he leaned back in his seat during the intervals of a brief but portentous debate and let his mind wander back to that short hour when he seemed to have emptied out all the hidden yearnings which had been lurking in the dark corners of his heart and soul.”

tardy adjective US /ˈtɑːrdi/

after the expected or usual time; delayed

From this reading “A tardy heritage of passion at times rejuvenated him and at others stretched him upon the rack.”

yearnings noun US /ˈjɜːrnɪŋz/

plural of “yearning” — prolonged unfulfilled desire or need

From this reading “Tallente, notwithstanding the glow of happiness which had taken him down to Westminster with the bearing of a young man, felt occasional little shivers of doubt as he leaned back in his seat during the intervals of a brief but portentous debate and let his mind wander back to that short hour when he seemed to have emptied out all the hidden yearnings which had been lurking in the dark corners of his heart and soul.”

All words in this reading · 90

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 Tallente, notwithstanding the glow of happiness which had taken him down to Westminster with the bearing of a young man, felt occasional little shivers of doubt as he leaned back in his seat during the intervals of a brief but portentous debate and let his mind wander back to that short hour when he seemed to have emptied out all the hidden yearnings which had been lurking in the dark corners of his heart and soul.

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading Tallente, notwithstanding the glow of happiness which had taken him down to Westminster with the bearing of a young man, felt occasional little shivers of doubt as he leaned back in his seat during the intervals of a brief but portentous debate and let his mind wander back to that short hour when he seemed to have emptied out all the hidden yearnings which had been lurking in the dark corners of his heart and soul.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Tallente, notwithstanding the glow of happiness which had taken him down to Westminster with the bearing of a young man, felt occasional little shivers of doubt as he leaned back in his seat during the intervals of a brief but portentous debate and let his mind wander back to that short hour when he seemed to have emptied out all the hidden yearnings which had been lurking in the dark corners of his heart and soul.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Tallente, notwithstanding the glow of happiness which had taken him down to Westminster with the bearing of a young man, felt occasional little shivers of doubt as he leaned back in his seat during the intervals of a brief but portentous debate and let his mind wander back to that short hour when he seemed to have emptied out all the hidden yearnings which had been lurking in the dark corners of his heart and soul.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading A tardy heritage of passion at times rejuvenated him and at others stretched him upon the rack.

backadverbUS /bæk/

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading Tallente, notwithstanding the glow of happiness which had taken him down to Westminster with the bearing of a young man, felt occasional little shivers of doubt as he leaned back in his seat during the intervals of a brief but portentous debate and let his mind wander back to that short hour when he seemed to have emptied out all the hidden yearnings which had been lurking in the dark corners of his heart and soul.

bearingnounUS /ˈberɪŋ/

relevant relation or interconnection

From this reading Tallente, notwithstanding the glow of happiness which had taken him down to Westminster with the bearing of a young man, felt occasional little shivers of doubt as he leaned back in his seat during the intervals of a brief but portentous debate and let his mind wander back to that short hour when he seemed to have emptied out all the hidden yearnings which had been lurking in the dark corners of his heart and soul.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading Tallente, notwithstanding the glow of happiness which had taken him down to Westminster with the bearing of a young man, felt occasional little shivers of doubt as he leaned back in his seat during the intervals of a brief but portentous debate and let his mind wander back to that short hour when he seemed to have emptied out all the hidden yearnings which had been lurking in the dark corners of his heart and soul.

bodynounUS /ˈbɑːdi/

the entire physical structure of an organism (an animal, plant, or human being)

From this reading It was Jane herself, and not the spirit of her sex dwelling in her body, which he desired.

boyishadjectiveUS /ˈbɔɪɪʃ/

befitting or characteristic of a young boy

From this reading His love for Jane had no longer the boyish characteristics of a vague worship.

briefadjectiveUS /briːf/

of short duration or distance

From this reading Tallente, notwithstanding the glow of happiness which had taken him down to Westminster with the bearing of a young man, felt occasional little shivers of doubt as he leaned back in his seat during the intervals of a brief but portentous debate and let his mind wander back to that short hour when he seemed to have emptied out all the hidden yearnings which had been lurking in the dark corners of his heart and soul.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Tallente, notwithstanding the glow of happiness which had taken him down to Westminster with the bearing of a young man, felt occasional little shivers of doubt as he leaned back in his seat during the intervals of a brief but portentous debate and let his mind wander back to that short hour when he seemed to have emptied out all the hidden yearnings which had been lurking in the dark corners of his heart and soul.

characteristicsnounUS /ˌkerəktərˈɪstɪks/

plural of “characteristic” — a prominent attribute or aspect of something

From this reading His love for Jane had no longer the boyish characteristics of a vague worship.

cornersnounUS /ˈkɔːrnərz/

plural of “corner” — a place off to the side of an area

From this reading Tallente, notwithstanding the glow of happiness which had taken him down to Westminster with the bearing of a young man, felt occasional little shivers of doubt as he leaned back in his seat during the intervals of a brief but portentous debate and let his mind wander back to that short hour when he seemed to have emptied out all the hidden yearnings which had been lurking in the dark corners of his heart and soul.

darknounUS /dɑːrk/

absence of light or illumination

From this reading Tallente, notwithstanding the glow of happiness which had taken him down to Westminster with the bearing of a young man, felt occasional little shivers of doubt as he leaned back in his seat during the intervals of a brief but portentous debate and let his mind wander back to that short hour when he seemed to have emptied out all the hidden yearnings which had been lurking in the dark corners of his heart and soul.

debateverbUS /dəˈbeɪt/

argue with one another

From this reading Tallente, notwithstanding the glow of happiness which had taken him down to Westminster with the bearing of a young man, felt occasional little shivers of doubt as he leaned back in his seat during the intervals of a brief but portentous debate and let his mind wander back to that short hour when he seemed to have emptied out all the hidden yearnings which had been lurking in the dark corners of his heart and soul.

desiredadjectiveUS /dɪˈzaɪərd/

wanted intensely

From this reading It was Jane herself, and not the spirit of her sex dwelling in her body, which he desired.

doubtnounUS /daʊt/

the state of being unsure of something

From this reading Tallente, notwithstanding the glow of happiness which had taken him down to Westminster with the bearing of a young man, felt occasional little shivers of doubt as he leaned back in his seat during the intervals of a brief but portentous debate and let his mind wander back to that short hour when he seemed to have emptied out all the hidden yearnings which had been lurking in the dark corners of his heart and soul.

downadjectiveUS /daʊn/

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading Tallente, notwithstanding the glow of happiness which had taken him down to Westminster with the bearing of a young man, felt occasional little shivers of doubt as he leaned back in his seat during the intervals of a brief but portentous debate and let his mind wander back to that short hour when he seemed to have emptied out all the hidden yearnings which had been lurking in the dark corners of his heart and soul.

duringprepositionUS /ˈdʊrɪŋ/

all through a period, or at some point within it

From this reading Tallente, notwithstanding the glow of happiness which had taken him down to Westminster with the bearing of a young man, felt occasional little shivers of doubt as he leaned back in his seat during the intervals of a brief but portentous debate and let his mind wander back to that short hour when he seemed to have emptied out all the hidden yearnings which had been lurking in the dark corners of his heart and soul.

dwellingnounUS /ˈdwelɪŋ/

housing that someone is living in

From this reading It was Jane herself, and not the spirit of her sex dwelling in her body, which he desired.

emptiedverbUS /ˈemptid/

inflected form of “empty” — make void or empty of contents

From this reading Tallente, notwithstanding the glow of happiness which had taken him down to Westminster with the bearing of a young man, felt occasional little shivers of doubt as he leaned back in his seat during the intervals of a brief but portentous debate and let his mind wander back to that short hour when he seemed to have emptied out all the hidden yearnings which had been lurking in the dark corners of his heart and soul.

feltverbUS /felt/

mat together and make felt-like

From this reading Tallente, notwithstanding the glow of happiness which had taken him down to Westminster with the bearing of a young man, felt occasional little shivers of doubt as he leaned back in his seat during the intervals of a brief but portentous debate and let his mind wander back to that short hour when he seemed to have emptied out all the hidden yearnings which had been lurking in the dark corners of his heart and soul.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading His love for Jane had no longer the boyish characteristics of a vague worship.

furtheradverbUS /ˈfɜːrðər/

to or at a greater extent or degree or a more advanced stage (“further” is used more often than “farther” in this abstract sense)

From this reading He made no further pretences to himself.

glownounUS /ɡloʊ/

an alert and refreshed state

From this reading Tallente, notwithstanding the glow of happiness which had taken him down to Westminster with the bearing of a young man, felt occasional little shivers of doubt as he leaned back in his seat during the intervals of a brief but portentous debate and let his mind wander back to that short hour when he seemed to have emptied out all the hidden yearnings which had been lurking in the dark corners of his heart and soul.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading Tallente, notwithstanding the glow of happiness which had taken him down to Westminster with the bearing of a young man, felt occasional little shivers of doubt as he leaned back in his seat during the intervals of a brief but portentous debate and let his mind wander back to that short hour when he seemed to have emptied out all the hidden yearnings which had been lurking in the dark corners of his heart and soul.

happinessnounUS /ˈhæpinəs/

state of well-being characterized by emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy

From this reading Tallente, notwithstanding the glow of happiness which had taken him down to Westminster with the bearing of a young man, felt occasional little shivers of doubt as he leaned back in his seat during the intervals of a brief but portentous debate and let his mind wander back to that short hour when he seemed to have emptied out all the hidden yearnings which had been lurking in the dark corners of his heart and soul.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading Tallente, notwithstanding the glow of happiness which had taken him down to Westminster with the bearing of a young man, felt occasional little shivers of doubt as he leaned back in his seat during the intervals of a brief but portentous debate and let his mind wander back to that short hour when he seemed to have emptied out all the hidden yearnings which had been lurking in the dark corners of his heart and soul.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading Tallente, notwithstanding the glow of happiness which had taken him down to Westminster with the bearing of a young man, felt occasional little shivers of doubt as he leaned back in his seat during the intervals of a brief but portentous debate and let his mind wander back to that short hour when he seemed to have emptied out all the hidden yearnings which had been lurking in the dark corners of his heart and soul.

heartnounUS /hɑːrt/

the locus of feelings and intuitions

From this reading Tallente, notwithstanding the glow of happiness which had taken him down to Westminster with the bearing of a young man, felt occasional little shivers of doubt as he leaned back in his seat during the intervals of a brief but portentous debate and let his mind wander back to that short hour when he seemed to have emptied out all the hidden yearnings which had been lurking in the dark corners of his heart and soul.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading It was Jane herself, and not the spirit of her sex dwelling in her body, which he desired.

heritagenounUS /ˈherətədʒ/

practices that are handed down from the past by tradition

From this reading A tardy heritage of passion at times rejuvenated him and at others stretched him upon the rack.

herselfpronounUS /hərˈself/

used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object

From this reading It was Jane herself, and not the spirit of her sex dwelling in her body, which he desired.

hiddenadjectiveUS /ˈhɪdən/

not accessible to view

From this reading Tallente, notwithstanding the glow of happiness which had taken him down to Westminster with the bearing of a young man, felt occasional little shivers of doubt as he leaned back in his seat during the intervals of a brief but portentous debate and let his mind wander back to that short hour when he seemed to have emptied out all the hidden yearnings which had been lurking in the dark corners of his heart and soul.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading Tallente, notwithstanding the glow of happiness which had taken him down to Westminster with the bearing of a young man, felt occasional little shivers of doubt as he leaned back in his seat during the intervals of a brief but portentous debate and let his mind wander back to that short hour when he seemed to have emptied out all the hidden yearnings which had been lurking in the dark corners of his heart and soul.

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading He made no further pretences to himself.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Tallente, notwithstanding the glow of happiness which had taken him down to Westminster with the bearing of a young man, felt occasional little shivers of doubt as he leaned back in his seat during the intervals of a brief but portentous debate and let his mind wander back to that short hour when he seemed to have emptied out all the hidden yearnings which had been lurking in the dark corners of his heart and soul.

hournounUS /ˈaʊər/

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

From this reading Tallente, notwithstanding the glow of happiness which had taken him down to Westminster with the bearing of a young man, felt occasional little shivers of doubt as he leaned back in his seat during the intervals of a brief but portentous debate and let his mind wander back to that short hour when he seemed to have emptied out all the hidden yearnings which had been lurking in the dark corners of his heart and soul.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Tallente, notwithstanding the glow of happiness which had taken him down to Westminster with the bearing of a young man, felt occasional little shivers of doubt as he leaned back in his seat during the intervals of a brief but portentous debate and let his mind wander back to that short hour when he seemed to have emptied out all the hidden yearnings which had been lurking in the dark corners of his heart and soul.

intervalsnounUS /ˈɪntərvəlz/

plural of “interval” — a definite length of time marked off by two instants

From this reading Tallente, notwithstanding the glow of happiness which had taken him down to Westminster with the bearing of a young man, felt occasional little shivers of doubt as he leaned back in his seat during the intervals of a brief but portentous debate and let his mind wander back to that short hour when he seemed to have emptied out all the hidden yearnings which had been lurking in the dark corners of his heart and soul.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was Jane herself, and not the spirit of her sex dwelling in her body, which he desired.

Jane

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

From this reading His love for Jane had no longer the boyish characteristics of a vague worship.

leanedverbUS /liːnd/

past form of “lean” — to incline or bend from a vertical position

From this reading Tallente, notwithstanding the glow of happiness which had taken him down to Westminster with the bearing of a young man, felt occasional little shivers of doubt as he leaned back in his seat during the intervals of a brief but portentous debate and let his mind wander back to that short hour when he seemed to have emptied out all the hidden yearnings which had been lurking in the dark corners of his heart and soul.

letauxiliary verbUS /let/

used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker

From this reading Tallente, notwithstanding the glow of happiness which had taken him down to Westminster with the bearing of a young man, felt occasional little shivers of doubt as he leaned back in his seat during the intervals of a brief but portentous debate and let his mind wander back to that short hour when he seemed to have emptied out all the hidden yearnings which had been lurking in the dark corners of his heart and soul.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

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

From this reading Tallente, notwithstanding the glow of happiness which had taken him down to Westminster with the bearing of a young man, felt occasional little shivers of doubt as he leaned back in his seat during the intervals of a brief but portentous debate and let his mind wander back to that short hour when he seemed to have emptied out all the hidden yearnings which had been lurking in the dark corners of his heart and soul.

longeradverbUS /ˈlɔːŋɡər/

for more time

From this reading His love for Jane had no longer the boyish characteristics of a vague worship.

lovenounUS /lʌv/

a strong positive emotion of regard and affection

From this reading His love for Jane had no longer the boyish characteristics of a vague worship.

lurkingverbUS /ˈlɜːrkɪŋ/

-ing form of “lurk” — lie in wait, lie in ambush, behave in a sneaky and secretive manner

From this reading Tallente, notwithstanding the glow of happiness which had taken him down to Westminster with the bearing of a young man, felt occasional little shivers of doubt as he leaned back in his seat during the intervals of a brief but portentous debate and let his mind wander back to that short hour when he seemed to have emptied out all the hidden yearnings which had been lurking in the dark corners of his heart and soul.

madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading He made no further pretences to himself.

mannounUS /mæn/

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading Tallente, notwithstanding the glow of happiness which had taken him down to Westminster with the bearing of a young man, felt occasional little shivers of doubt as he leaned back in his seat during the intervals of a brief but portentous debate and let his mind wander back to that short hour when he seemed to have emptied out all the hidden yearnings which had been lurking in the dark corners of his heart and soul.

mindnounUS /maɪnd/

The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.

From this reading Tallente, notwithstanding the glow of happiness which had taken him down to Westminster with the bearing of a young man, felt occasional little shivers of doubt as he leaned back in his seat during the intervals of a brief but portentous debate and let his mind wander back to that short hour when he seemed to have emptied out all the hidden yearnings which had been lurking in the dark corners of his heart and soul.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading His love for Jane had no longer the boyish characteristics of a vague worship.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading It was Jane herself, and not the spirit of her sex dwelling in her body, which he desired.

notwithstandingadverbUS /ˌnɑːtwɪθˈstændɪŋ/

despite anything to the contrary (usually preceding a concession)

From this reading Tallente, notwithstanding the glow of happiness which had taken him down to Westminster with the bearing of a young man, felt occasional little shivers of doubt as he leaned back in his seat during the intervals of a brief but portentous debate and let his mind wander back to that short hour when he seemed to have emptied out all the hidden yearnings which had been lurking in the dark corners of his heart and soul.

occasionaladjectiveUS /əˈkeɪʒənəl/

occurring from time to time

From this reading Tallente, notwithstanding the glow of happiness which had taken him down to Westminster with the bearing of a young man, felt occasional little shivers of doubt as he leaned back in his seat during the intervals of a brief but portentous debate and let his mind wander back to that short hour when he seemed to have emptied out all the hidden yearnings which had been lurking in the dark corners of his heart and soul.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Tallente, notwithstanding the glow of happiness which had taken him down to Westminster with the bearing of a young man, felt occasional little shivers of doubt as he leaned back in his seat during the intervals of a brief but portentous debate and let his mind wander back to that short hour when he seemed to have emptied out all the hidden yearnings which had been lurking in the dark corners of his heart and soul.

others

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

From this reading A tardy heritage of passion at times rejuvenated him and at others stretched him upon the rack.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading Tallente, notwithstanding the glow of happiness which had taken him down to Westminster with the bearing of a young man, felt occasional little shivers of doubt as he leaned back in his seat during the intervals of a brief but portentous debate and let his mind wander back to that short hour when he seemed to have emptied out all the hidden yearnings which had been lurking in the dark corners of his heart and soul.

passionnounUS /ˈpæʃən/

a strong feeling or emotion

From this reading A tardy heritage of passion at times rejuvenated him and at others stretched him upon the rack.

portentousadjectiveUS /pɔːrˈtentəs/

of momentous or ominous significance

From this reading Tallente, notwithstanding the glow of happiness which had taken him down to Westminster with the bearing of a young man, felt occasional little shivers of doubt as he leaned back in his seat during the intervals of a brief but portentous debate and let his mind wander back to that short hour when he seemed to have emptied out all the hidden yearnings which had been lurking in the dark corners of his heart and soul.

pretences

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

From this reading He made no further pretences to himself.

rackverbUS /ræk/

go at a rack

From this reading A tardy heritage of passion at times rejuvenated him and at others stretched him upon the rack.

rejuvenatedverbUS /rɪˈdʒuːvəneɪtɪd/

past form of “rejuvenate” — cause (a stream or river) to erode, as by an uplift of the land

From this reading A tardy heritage of passion at times rejuvenated him and at others stretched him upon the rack.

seatnounUS /siːt/

a space reserved for sitting (as in a theater or on a train or airplane)

From this reading Tallente, notwithstanding the glow of happiness which had taken him down to Westminster with the bearing of a young man, felt occasional little shivers of doubt as he leaned back in his seat during the intervals of a brief but portentous debate and let his mind wander back to that short hour when he seemed to have emptied out all the hidden yearnings which had been lurking in the dark corners of his heart and soul.

seemedverbUS /siːmd/

past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading Tallente, notwithstanding the glow of happiness which had taken him down to Westminster with the bearing of a young man, felt occasional little shivers of doubt as he leaned back in his seat during the intervals of a brief but portentous debate and let his mind wander back to that short hour when he seemed to have emptied out all the hidden yearnings which had been lurking in the dark corners of his heart and soul.

sexnounUS /seks/

activities associated with sexual intercourse

From this reading It was Jane herself, and not the spirit of her sex dwelling in her body, which he desired.

shiversnounUS /ˈʃɪvərz/

plural of “shiver” — a reflex motion caused by cold or fear or excitement

From this reading Tallente, notwithstanding the glow of happiness which had taken him down to Westminster with the bearing of a young man, felt occasional little shivers of doubt as he leaned back in his seat during the intervals of a brief but portentous debate and let his mind wander back to that short hour when he seemed to have emptied out all the hidden yearnings which had been lurking in the dark corners of his heart and soul.

shortadjectiveUS /ʃɔːrt/

primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration

From this reading Tallente, notwithstanding the glow of happiness which had taken him down to Westminster with the bearing of a young man, felt occasional little shivers of doubt as he leaned back in his seat during the intervals of a brief but portentous debate and let his mind wander back to that short hour when he seemed to have emptied out all the hidden yearnings which had been lurking in the dark corners of his heart and soul.

soulnounUS /soʊl/

the immaterial part of a person; the actuating cause of an individual life

From this reading Tallente, notwithstanding the glow of happiness which had taken him down to Westminster with the bearing of a young man, felt occasional little shivers of doubt as he leaned back in his seat during the intervals of a brief but portentous debate and let his mind wander back to that short hour when he seemed to have emptied out all the hidden yearnings which had been lurking in the dark corners of his heart and soul.

spiritnounUS /ˈspɪrət/

the vital principle or animating force within living things

From this reading It was Jane herself, and not the spirit of her sex dwelling in her body, which he desired.

stretchedadjectiveUS /stretʃt/

(of muscles) relieved of stiffness by stretching

From this reading A tardy heritage of passion at times rejuvenated him and at others stretched him upon the rack.

takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/

understood in a certain way; made sense of

From this reading Tallente, notwithstanding the glow of happiness which had taken him down to Westminster with the bearing of a young man, felt occasional little shivers of doubt as he leaned back in his seat during the intervals of a brief but portentous debate and let his mind wander back to that short hour when he seemed to have emptied out all the hidden yearnings which had been lurking in the dark corners of his heart and soul.

Tallente

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

From this reading Tallente, notwithstanding the glow of happiness which had taken him down to Westminster with the bearing of a young man, felt occasional little shivers of doubt as he leaned back in his seat during the intervals of a brief but portentous debate and let his mind wander back to that short hour when he seemed to have emptied out all the hidden yearnings which had been lurking in the dark corners of his heart and soul.

tardyadjectiveUS /ˈtɑːrdi/

after the expected or usual time; delayed

From this reading A tardy heritage of passion at times rejuvenated him and at others stretched him upon the rack.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Tallente, notwithstanding the glow of happiness which had taken him down to Westminster with the bearing of a young man, felt occasional little shivers of doubt as he leaned back in his seat during the intervals of a brief but portentous debate and let his mind wander back to that short hour when he seemed to have emptied out all the hidden yearnings which had been lurking in the dark corners of his heart and soul.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Tallente, notwithstanding the glow of happiness which had taken him down to Westminster with the bearing of a young man, felt occasional little shivers of doubt as he leaned back in his seat during the intervals of a brief but portentous debate and let his mind wander back to that short hour when he seemed to have emptied out all the hidden yearnings which had been lurking in the dark corners of his heart and soul.

timesnounUS /taɪmz/

a more or less definite period of time now or previously present

From this reading A tardy heritage of passion at times rejuvenated him and at others stretched him upon the rack.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Tallente, notwithstanding the glow of happiness which had taken him down to Westminster with the bearing of a young man, felt occasional little shivers of doubt as he leaned back in his seat during the intervals of a brief but portentous debate and let his mind wander back to that short hour when he seemed to have emptied out all the hidden yearnings which had been lurking in the dark corners of his heart and soul.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading A tardy heritage of passion at times rejuvenated him and at others stretched him upon the rack.

vagueadjectiveUS /veɪɡ/

not clearly expressed or understood

From this reading His love for Jane had no longer the boyish characteristics of a vague worship.

wanderverbUS /ˈwɑːndər/

move about aimlessly or without any destination, often in search of food or employment

From this reading Tallente, notwithstanding the glow of happiness which had taken him down to Westminster with the bearing of a young man, felt occasional little shivers of doubt as he leaned back in his seat during the intervals of a brief but portentous debate and let his mind wander back to that short hour when he seemed to have emptied out all the hidden yearnings which had been lurking in the dark corners of his heart and soul.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading It was Jane herself, and not the spirit of her sex dwelling in her body, which he desired.

WestminsternounUS /ˌwestˈmɪnstər/

a borough of Greater London on the Thames; contains Buckingham Palace and the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey

From this reading Tallente, notwithstanding the glow of happiness which had taken him down to Westminster with the bearing of a young man, felt occasional little shivers of doubt as he leaned back in his seat during the intervals of a brief but portentous debate and let his mind wander back to that short hour when he seemed to have emptied out all the hidden yearnings which had been lurking in the dark corners of his heart and soul.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading Tallente, notwithstanding the glow of happiness which had taken him down to Westminster with the bearing of a young man, felt occasional little shivers of doubt as he leaned back in his seat during the intervals of a brief but portentous debate and let his mind wander back to that short hour when he seemed to have emptied out all the hidden yearnings which had been lurking in the dark corners of his heart and soul.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading Tallente, notwithstanding the glow of happiness which had taken him down to Westminster with the bearing of a young man, felt occasional little shivers of doubt as he leaned back in his seat during the intervals of a brief but portentous debate and let his mind wander back to that short hour when he seemed to have emptied out all the hidden yearnings which had been lurking in the dark corners of his heart and soul.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Tallente, notwithstanding the glow of happiness which had taken him down to Westminster with the bearing of a young man, felt occasional little shivers of doubt as he leaned back in his seat during the intervals of a brief but portentous debate and let his mind wander back to that short hour when he seemed to have emptied out all the hidden yearnings which had been lurking in the dark corners of his heart and soul.

worshipverbUS /ˈwɜːrʃəp/

love unquestioningly and uncritically or to excess; venerate as an idol

From this reading His love for Jane had no longer the boyish characteristics of a vague worship.

yearningsnounUS /ˈjɜːrnɪŋz/

plural of “yearning” — prolonged unfulfilled desire or need

From this reading Tallente, notwithstanding the glow of happiness which had taken him down to Westminster with the bearing of a young man, felt occasional little shivers of doubt as he leaned back in his seat during the intervals of a brief but portentous debate and let his mind wander back to that short hour when he seemed to have emptied out all the hidden yearnings which had been lurking in the dark corners of his heart and soul.

youngadjectiveUS /jʌŋ/

(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth

From this reading Tallente, notwithstanding the glow of happiness which had taken him down to Westminster with the bearing of a young man, felt occasional little shivers of doubt as he leaned back in his seat during the intervals of a brief but portentous debate and let his mind wander back to that short hour when he seemed to have emptied out all the hidden yearnings which had been lurking in the dark corners of his heart and soul.

Chapter 31 of Nobody's Man by E. Phillips (Edward Phillips) Oppenheim holds 247 sentences, grouped into 50 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 31 of Nobody's Man contain?

Chapter 31 holds 247 sentences of Nobody's Man, unabridged, divided into 50 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 31 of Nobody's Man by E. Phillips (Edward Phillips) Oppenheim exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 247 sentences, grouped into 50 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 31 of Nobody's Man?

Work through the 50 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 50 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 31 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 31 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 Nobody's Man

Common questions about reading Nobody's Man by E. Phillips (Edward Phillips) Oppenheim on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Nobody's Man?

Yes. All 5556 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #17356 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Nobody's Man is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #17356, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Nobody's Man take to read?

About 463 minutes of reading across 1112 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

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How to work through Nobody's Man section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

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  3. Listen and tap

    Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in Nobody's Man

Words and structures a reader meets early in Nobody's Man, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Tallente's
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Nobody's Man; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
First
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Nobody's Man; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Impressions
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Nobody's Man; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Partington
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Nobody's Man; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.