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Old Jabe's Marital Experiments: 1908
Old Jabe's Marital Experiments: 1908

Chapter I

Cover illustration for Old Jabe's Marital Experiments: 1908
Context Illustration Reading 1/34 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 Old Jabe belonged to the Meriwethers, a fact which he never forgot or allowed anyone else to forget; and on this he traded as a capital, which paid him many dividends of one kind or another, among them being a dividend in wives.
How many wives he had had no one knew; and Jabe's own account was incredible.
It would have eclipsed Henry VIII and Bluebeard.
But making all due allowance for his arithmetic, he must have run these worthies a close second.
He had not been a specially good “hand” before the war, and was generally on unfriendly terms with the overseers.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Old Jabe's Marital Experiments: 1908

Chapter I

Reading 1/34 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 Old Jabe belonged to the Meriwethers, a fact which he never forgot or allowed anyone else to forget; and on this he traded as a capital, which paid him many dividends of one kind or another, among them being a dividend in wives.
Line 2
How many wives he had had no one knew; and Jabe's own account was incredible.
Line 3
It would have eclipsed Henry VIII and Bluebeard.
Line 4
But making all due allowance for his arithmetic, he must have run these worthies a close second.
Line 5
He had not been a specially good “hand” before the war, and was generally on unfriendly terms with the overseers.

Learner Dictionary

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.

Among preposition US /əˈmʌŋ/

surrounded by; in the middle of a group

From this reading “Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 Old Jabe belonged to the Meriwethers, a fact which he never forgot or allowed anyone else to forget; and on this he traded as a capital, which paid him many dividends of one kind or another, among them being a dividend in wives.”

Another noun US /ˈanother/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading “Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 Old Jabe belonged to the Meriwethers, a fact which he never forgot or allowed anyone else to forget; and on this he traded as a capital, which paid him many dividends of one kind or another, among them being a dividend in wives.”

Anyone pronoun US /ˈeniwʌn/

any person at all

From this reading “Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 Old Jabe belonged to the Meriwethers, a fact which he never forgot or allowed anyone else to forget; and on this he traded as a capital, which paid him many dividends of one kind or another, among them being a dividend in wives.”

Been auxiliary verb US /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading “He had not been a specially good “hand” before the war, and was generally on unfriendly terms with the overseers.”

Before preposition US /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading “He had not been a specially good “hand” before the war, and was generally on unfriendly terms with the overseers.”

Being auxiliary verb US /ˈbiːɪŋ/

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading “Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 Old Jabe belonged to the Meriwethers, a fact which he never forgot or allowed anyone else to forget; and on this he traded as a capital, which paid him many dividends of one kind or another, among them being a dividend in wives.”

Good noun US /good/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “He had not been a specially good “hand” before the war, and was generally on unfriendly terms with the overseers.”

Hand noun US /hand/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “He had not been a specially good “hand” before the war, and was generally on unfriendly terms with the overseers.”

Have auxiliary verb US /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “It would have eclipsed Henry VIII and Bluebeard.”

Must modal verb US /mʌst/

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading “But making all due allowance for his arithmetic, he must have run these worthies a close second.”

Never noun US /never/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 Old Jabe belonged to the Meriwethers, a fact which he never forgot or allowed anyone else to forget; and on this he traded as a capital, which paid him many dividends of one kind or another, among them being a dividend in wives.”

One pronoun US /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading “Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 Old Jabe belonged to the Meriwethers, a fact which he never forgot or allowed anyone else to forget; and on this he traded as a capital, which paid him many dividends of one kind or another, among them being a dividend in wives.”

Second noun US /second/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “But making all due allowance for his arithmetic, he must have run these worthies a close second.”

These determiner US /ðiːz/

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading “But making all due allowance for his arithmetic, he must have run these worthies a close second.”

Would modal verb US /wʊd/

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

From this reading “It would have eclipsed Henry VIII and Bluebeard.”

All words in this reading · 85

Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

1908

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

From this reading Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 Old Jabe belonged to the Meriwethers, a fact which he never forgot or allowed anyone else to forget; and on this he traded as a capital, which paid him many dividends of one kind or another, among them being a dividend in wives.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 Old Jabe belonged to the Meriwethers, a fact which he never forgot or allowed anyone else to forget; and on this he traded as a capital, which paid him many dividends of one kind or another, among them being a dividend in wives.

account

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

From this reading How many wives he had had no one knew; and Jabe's own account was incredible.

all

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

From this reading But making all due allowance for his arithmetic, he must have run these worthies a close second.

allowance

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

From this reading But making all due allowance for his arithmetic, he must have run these worthies a close second.

allowed

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

From this reading Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 Old Jabe belonged to the Meriwethers, a fact which he never forgot or allowed anyone else to forget; and on this he traded as a capital, which paid him many dividends of one kind or another, among them being a dividend in wives.

amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/

surrounded by; in the middle of a group

From this reading Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 Old Jabe belonged to the Meriwethers, a fact which he never forgot or allowed anyone else to forget; and on this he traded as a capital, which paid him many dividends of one kind or another, among them being a dividend in wives.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 Old Jabe belonged to the Meriwethers, a fact which he never forgot or allowed anyone else to forget; and on this he traded as a capital, which paid him many dividends of one kind or another, among them being a dividend in wives.

anothernounUS /ˈanother/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 Old Jabe belonged to the Meriwethers, a fact which he never forgot or allowed anyone else to forget; and on this he traded as a capital, which paid him many dividends of one kind or another, among them being a dividend in wives.

anyonepronounUS /ˈeniwʌn/

any person at all

From this reading Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 Old Jabe belonged to the Meriwethers, a fact which he never forgot or allowed anyone else to forget; and on this he traded as a capital, which paid him many dividends of one kind or another, among them being a dividend in wives.

arithmetic

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

From this reading But making all due allowance for his arithmetic, he must have run these worthies a close second.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 Old Jabe belonged to the Meriwethers, a fact which he never forgot or allowed anyone else to forget; and on this he traded as a capital, which paid him many dividends of one kind or another, among them being a dividend in wives.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading He had not been a specially good “hand” before the war, and was generally on unfriendly terms with the overseers.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading He had not been a specially good “hand” before the war, and was generally on unfriendly terms with the overseers.

beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 Old Jabe belonged to the Meriwethers, a fact which he never forgot or allowed anyone else to forget; and on this he traded as a capital, which paid him many dividends of one kind or another, among them being a dividend in wives.

belonged

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

From this reading Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 Old Jabe belonged to the Meriwethers, a fact which he never forgot or allowed anyone else to forget; and on this he traded as a capital, which paid him many dividends of one kind or another, among them being a dividend in wives.

Bluebeard

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

From this reading It would have eclipsed Henry VIII and Bluebeard.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But making all due allowance for his arithmetic, he must have run these worthies a close second.

capital

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

From this reading Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 Old Jabe belonged to the Meriwethers, a fact which he never forgot or allowed anyone else to forget; and on this he traded as a capital, which paid him many dividends of one kind or another, among them being a dividend in wives.

Charles

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

From this reading Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 Old Jabe belonged to the Meriwethers, a fact which he never forgot or allowed anyone else to forget; and on this he traded as a capital, which paid him many dividends of one kind or another, among them being a dividend in wives.

close

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

From this reading But making all due allowance for his arithmetic, he must have run these worthies a close second.

dividend

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

From this reading Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 Old Jabe belonged to the Meriwethers, a fact which he never forgot or allowed anyone else to forget; and on this he traded as a capital, which paid him many dividends of one kind or another, among them being a dividend in wives.

dividends

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

From this reading Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 Old Jabe belonged to the Meriwethers, a fact which he never forgot or allowed anyone else to forget; and on this he traded as a capital, which paid him many dividends of one kind or another, among them being a dividend in wives.

due

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

From this reading But making all due allowance for his arithmetic, he must have run these worthies a close second.

eclipsed

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

From this reading It would have eclipsed Henry VIII and Bluebeard.

else

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

From this reading Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 Old Jabe belonged to the Meriwethers, a fact which he never forgot or allowed anyone else to forget; and on this he traded as a capital, which paid him many dividends of one kind or another, among them being a dividend in wives.

fact

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

From this reading Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 Old Jabe belonged to the Meriwethers, a fact which he never forgot or allowed anyone else to forget; and on this he traded as a capital, which paid him many dividends of one kind or another, among them being a dividend in wives.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading But making all due allowance for his arithmetic, he must have run these worthies a close second.

forget

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

From this reading Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 Old Jabe belonged to the Meriwethers, a fact which he never forgot or allowed anyone else to forget; and on this he traded as a capital, which paid him many dividends of one kind or another, among them being a dividend in wives.

forgot

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

From this reading Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 Old Jabe belonged to the Meriwethers, a fact which he never forgot or allowed anyone else to forget; and on this he traded as a capital, which paid him many dividends of one kind or another, among them being a dividend in wives.

generally

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

From this reading He had not been a specially good “hand” before the war, and was generally on unfriendly terms with the overseers.

goodnounUS /good/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading He had not been a specially good “hand” before the war, and was generally on unfriendly terms with the overseers.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading How many wives he had had no one knew; and Jabe's own account was incredible.

hand

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

From this reading He had not been a specially good “hand” before the war, and was generally on unfriendly terms with the overseers.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading It would have eclipsed Henry VIII and Bluebeard.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 Old Jabe belonged to the Meriwethers, a fact which he never forgot or allowed anyone else to forget; and on this he traded as a capital, which paid him many dividends of one kind or another, among them being a dividend in wives.

Henry

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

From this reading It would have eclipsed Henry VIII and Bluebeard.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 Old Jabe belonged to the Meriwethers, a fact which he never forgot or allowed anyone else to forget; and on this he traded as a capital, which paid him many dividends of one kind or another, among them being a dividend in wives.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading But making all due allowance for his arithmetic, he must have run these worthies a close second.

How

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

From this reading How many wives he had had no one knew; and Jabe's own account was incredible.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 Old Jabe belonged to the Meriwethers, a fact which he never forgot or allowed anyone else to forget; and on this he traded as a capital, which paid him many dividends of one kind or another, among them being a dividend in wives.

incredible

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

From this reading How many wives he had had no one knew; and Jabe's own account was incredible.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It would have eclipsed Henry VIII and Bluebeard.

Jabe

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

From this reading Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 Old Jabe belonged to the Meriwethers, a fact which he never forgot or allowed anyone else to forget; and on this he traded as a capital, which paid him many dividends of one kind or another, among them being a dividend in wives.

Jabe's

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

From this reading How many wives he had had no one knew; and Jabe's own account was incredible.

kind

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

From this reading Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 Old Jabe belonged to the Meriwethers, a fact which he never forgot or allowed anyone else to forget; and on this he traded as a capital, which paid him many dividends of one kind or another, among them being a dividend in wives.

knew

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

From this reading How many wives he had had no one knew; and Jabe's own account was incredible.

making

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

From this reading But making all due allowance for his arithmetic, he must have run these worthies a close second.

many

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

From this reading Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 Old Jabe belonged to the Meriwethers, a fact which he never forgot or allowed anyone else to forget; and on this he traded as a capital, which paid him many dividends of one kind or another, among them being a dividend in wives.

Meriwethers

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

From this reading Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 Old Jabe belonged to the Meriwethers, a fact which he never forgot or allowed anyone else to forget; and on this he traded as a capital, which paid him many dividends of one kind or another, among them being a dividend in wives.

mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading But making all due allowance for his arithmetic, he must have run these worthies a close second.

nevernounUS /never/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 Old Jabe belonged to the Meriwethers, a fact which he never forgot or allowed anyone else to forget; and on this he traded as a capital, which paid him many dividends of one kind or another, among them being a dividend in wives.

New

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

From this reading Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 Old Jabe belonged to the Meriwethers, a fact which he never forgot or allowed anyone else to forget; and on this he traded as a capital, which paid him many dividends of one kind or another, among them being a dividend in wives.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading How many wives he had had no one knew; and Jabe's own account was incredible.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading He had not been a specially good “hand” before the war, and was generally on unfriendly terms with the overseers.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 Old Jabe belonged to the Meriwethers, a fact which he never forgot or allowed anyone else to forget; and on this he traded as a capital, which paid him many dividends of one kind or another, among them being a dividend in wives.

Old

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

From this reading Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 Old Jabe belonged to the Meriwethers, a fact which he never forgot or allowed anyone else to forget; and on this he traded as a capital, which paid him many dividends of one kind or another, among them being a dividend in wives.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 Old Jabe belonged to the Meriwethers, a fact which he never forgot or allowed anyone else to forget; and on this he traded as a capital, which paid him many dividends of one kind or another, among them being a dividend in wives.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 Old Jabe belonged to the Meriwethers, a fact which he never forgot or allowed anyone else to forget; and on this he traded as a capital, which paid him many dividends of one kind or another, among them being a dividend in wives.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 Old Jabe belonged to the Meriwethers, a fact which he never forgot or allowed anyone else to forget; and on this he traded as a capital, which paid him many dividends of one kind or another, among them being a dividend in wives.

overseers

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

From this reading He had not been a specially good “hand” before the war, and was generally on unfriendly terms with the overseers.

own

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

From this reading How many wives he had had no one knew; and Jabe's own account was incredible.

paid

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

From this reading Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 Old Jabe belonged to the Meriwethers, a fact which he never forgot or allowed anyone else to forget; and on this he traded as a capital, which paid him many dividends of one kind or another, among them being a dividend in wives.

run

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

From this reading But making all due allowance for his arithmetic, he must have run these worthies a close second.

Scribner's

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

From this reading Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 Old Jabe belonged to the Meriwethers, a fact which he never forgot or allowed anyone else to forget; and on this he traded as a capital, which paid him many dividends of one kind or another, among them being a dividend in wives.

second

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

From this reading But making all due allowance for his arithmetic, he must have run these worthies a close second.

Sons

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

From this reading Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 Old Jabe belonged to the Meriwethers, a fact which he never forgot or allowed anyone else to forget; and on this he traded as a capital, which paid him many dividends of one kind or another, among them being a dividend in wives.

specially

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

From this reading He had not been a specially good “hand” before the war, and was generally on unfriendly terms with the overseers.

terms

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

From this reading He had not been a specially good “hand” before the war, and was generally on unfriendly terms with the overseers.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 Old Jabe belonged to the Meriwethers, a fact which he never forgot or allowed anyone else to forget; and on this he traded as a capital, which paid him many dividends of one kind or another, among them being a dividend in wives.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 Old Jabe belonged to the Meriwethers, a fact which he never forgot or allowed anyone else to forget; and on this he traded as a capital, which paid him many dividends of one kind or another, among them being a dividend in wives.

thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading But making all due allowance for his arithmetic, he must have run these worthies a close second.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 Old Jabe belonged to the Meriwethers, a fact which he never forgot or allowed anyone else to forget; and on this he traded as a capital, which paid him many dividends of one kind or another, among them being a dividend in wives.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 Old Jabe belonged to the Meriwethers, a fact which he never forgot or allowed anyone else to forget; and on this he traded as a capital, which paid him many dividends of one kind or another, among them being a dividend in wives.

traded

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

From this reading Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 Old Jabe belonged to the Meriwethers, a fact which he never forgot or allowed anyone else to forget; and on this he traded as a capital, which paid him many dividends of one kind or another, among them being a dividend in wives.

unfriendly

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

From this reading He had not been a specially good “hand” before the war, and was generally on unfriendly terms with the overseers.

VIII

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

From this reading It would have eclipsed Henry VIII and Bluebeard.

war

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

From this reading He had not been a specially good “hand” before the war, and was generally on unfriendly terms with the overseers.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading How many wives he had had no one knew; and Jabe's own account was incredible.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 Old Jabe belonged to the Meriwethers, a fact which he never forgot or allowed anyone else to forget; and on this he traded as a capital, which paid him many dividends of one kind or another, among them being a dividend in wives.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading He had not been a specially good “hand” before the war, and was generally on unfriendly terms with the overseers.

wives

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

From this reading Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 Old Jabe belonged to the Meriwethers, a fact which he never forgot or allowed anyone else to forget; and on this he traded as a capital, which paid him many dividends of one kind or another, among them being a dividend in wives.

worthies

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

From this reading But making all due allowance for his arithmetic, he must have run these worthies a close second.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading It would have eclipsed Henry VIII and Bluebeard.

York

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

From this reading Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 Old Jabe belonged to the Meriwethers, a fact which he never forgot or allowed anyone else to forget; and on this he traded as a capital, which paid him many dividends of one kind or another, among them being a dividend in wives.