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Pelham — Complete
Pelham — Complete

Chapter VII

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Context Illustration Reading 1/18 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Erat homo ingeniosus, acutus, acer, et qui plurimum et salis haberet et fellis, nec candoris minus.--Pliny.
I do not know a more difficult character to describe than Lord Vincent's.
Did I imitate certain writers, who think that the whole art of pourtraying individual character is to seize hold of some prominent peculiarity, and to introduce this distinguishing trait, in all times and in all scenes, the difficulty would be removed.
I should only have to present to the reader a man, whose conversation was nothing but alternate jest and quotation--a due union of Yorick and Partridge.
This would, however, be rendering great injustice to the character I wish to delineate.
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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.

Pelham — Complete

Chapter VII

Reading 1/18 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Erat homo ingeniosus, acutus, acer, et qui plurimum et salis haberet et fellis, nec candoris minus.--Pliny.
Line 2
I do not know a more difficult character to describe than Lord Vincent's.
Line 3
Did I imitate certain writers, who think that the whole art of pourtraying individual character is to seize hold of some prominent peculiarity, and to introduce this distinguishing trait, in all times and in all scenes, the difficulty would be removed.
Line 4
I should only have to present to the reader a man, whose conversation was nothing but alternate jest and quotation--a due union of Yorick and Partridge.
Line 5
This would, however, be rendering great injustice to the character I wish to delineate.

Learner Dictionary

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

Art auxiliary verb US /ɑːrt/

an old form of “are”, used with “thou”

From this reading “Did I imitate certain writers, who think that the whole art of pourtraying individual character is to seize hold of some prominent peculiarity, and to introduce this distinguishing trait, in all times and in all scenes, the difficulty would be removed.”

Great noun US /great/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “This would, however, be rendering great injustice to the character I wish to delineate.”

Have auxiliary verb US /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “I should only have to present to the reader a man, whose conversation was nothing but alternate jest and quotation--a due union of Yorick and Partridge.”

However adverb US /ˌhaʊˈevər/

used to add a contrasting statement

From this reading “This would, however, be rendering great injustice to the character I wish to delineate.”

Know noun US /know/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “I do not know a more difficult character to describe than Lord Vincent's.”

Nothing pronoun US /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading “I should only have to present to the reader a man, whose conversation was nothing but alternate jest and quotation--a due union of Yorick and Partridge.”

Think noun US /think/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Did I imitate certain writers, who think that the whole art of pourtraying individual character is to seize hold of some prominent peculiarity, and to introduce this distinguishing trait, in all times and in all scenes, the difficulty would be removed.”

Whose determiner US /huːz/

belonging to which person

From this reading “I should only have to present to the reader a man, whose conversation was nothing but alternate jest and quotation--a due union of Yorick and Partridge.”

Would modal verb US /wʊd/

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

From this reading “Did I imitate certain writers, who think that the whole art of pourtraying individual character is to seize hold of some prominent peculiarity, and to introduce this distinguishing trait, in all times and in all scenes, the difficulty would be removed.”

All words in this reading · 84

Every word is available to listen to. 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 I do not know a more difficult character to describe than Lord Vincent's.

acer

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

From this reading Erat homo ingeniosus, acutus, acer, et qui plurimum et salis haberet et fellis, nec candoris minus.--Pliny.

acutus

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

From this reading Erat homo ingeniosus, acutus, acer, et qui plurimum et salis haberet et fellis, nec candoris minus.--Pliny.

all

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

From this reading Did I imitate certain writers, who think that the whole art of pourtraying individual character is to seize hold of some prominent peculiarity, and to introduce this distinguishing trait, in all times and in all scenes, the difficulty would be removed.

alternate

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

From this reading I should only have to present to the reader a man, whose conversation was nothing but alternate jest and quotation--a due union of Yorick and Partridge.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Did I imitate certain writers, who think that the whole art of pourtraying individual character is to seize hold of some prominent peculiarity, and to introduce this distinguishing trait, in all times and in all scenes, the difficulty would be removed.

artauxiliary verbUS /ɑːrt/

an old form of “are”, used with “thou”

From this reading Did I imitate certain writers, who think that the whole art of pourtraying individual character is to seize hold of some prominent peculiarity, and to introduce this distinguishing trait, in all times and in all scenes, the difficulty would be removed.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading Did I imitate certain writers, who think that the whole art of pourtraying individual character is to seize hold of some prominent peculiarity, and to introduce this distinguishing trait, in all times and in all scenes, the difficulty would be removed.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading I should only have to present to the reader a man, whose conversation was nothing but alternate jest and quotation--a due union of Yorick and Partridge.

candoris

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

From this reading Erat homo ingeniosus, acutus, acer, et qui plurimum et salis haberet et fellis, nec candoris minus.--Pliny.

certain

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

From this reading Did I imitate certain writers, who think that the whole art of pourtraying individual character is to seize hold of some prominent peculiarity, and to introduce this distinguishing trait, in all times and in all scenes, the difficulty would be removed.

character

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

From this reading I do not know a more difficult character to describe than Lord Vincent's.

conversation

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

From this reading I should only have to present to the reader a man, whose conversation was nothing but alternate jest and quotation--a due union of Yorick and Partridge.

delineate

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

From this reading This would, however, be rendering great injustice to the character I wish to delineate.

describe

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

From this reading I do not know a more difficult character to describe than Lord Vincent's.

Didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading Did I imitate certain writers, who think that the whole art of pourtraying individual character is to seize hold of some prominent peculiarity, and to introduce this distinguishing trait, in all times and in all scenes, the difficulty would be removed.

difficult

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

From this reading I do not know a more difficult character to describe than Lord Vincent's.

difficulty

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

From this reading Did I imitate certain writers, who think that the whole art of pourtraying individual character is to seize hold of some prominent peculiarity, and to introduce this distinguishing trait, in all times and in all scenes, the difficulty would be removed.

distinguishing

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

From this reading Did I imitate certain writers, who think that the whole art of pourtraying individual character is to seize hold of some prominent peculiarity, and to introduce this distinguishing trait, in all times and in all scenes, the difficulty would be removed.

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading I do not know a more difficult character to describe than Lord Vincent's.

due

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

From this reading I should only have to present to the reader a man, whose conversation was nothing but alternate jest and quotation--a due union of Yorick and Partridge.

Erat

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

From this reading Erat homo ingeniosus, acutus, acer, et qui plurimum et salis haberet et fellis, nec candoris minus.--Pliny.

et

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

From this reading Erat homo ingeniosus, acutus, acer, et qui plurimum et salis haberet et fellis, nec candoris minus.--Pliny.

fellis

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

From this reading Erat homo ingeniosus, acutus, acer, et qui plurimum et salis haberet et fellis, nec candoris minus.--Pliny.

greatnounUS /great/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading This would, however, be rendering great injustice to the character I wish to delineate.

haberet

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

From this reading Erat homo ingeniosus, acutus, acer, et qui plurimum et salis haberet et fellis, nec candoris minus.--Pliny.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading I should only have to present to the reader a man, whose conversation was nothing but alternate jest and quotation--a due union of Yorick and Partridge.

hold

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

From this reading Did I imitate certain writers, who think that the whole art of pourtraying individual character is to seize hold of some prominent peculiarity, and to introduce this distinguishing trait, in all times and in all scenes, the difficulty would be removed.

homo

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

From this reading Erat homo ingeniosus, acutus, acer, et qui plurimum et salis haberet et fellis, nec candoris minus.--Pliny.

howeveradverbUS /ˌhaʊˈevər/

used to add a contrasting statement

From this reading This would, however, be rendering great injustice to the character I wish to delineate.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading I do not know a more difficult character to describe than Lord Vincent's.

imitate

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

From this reading Did I imitate certain writers, who think that the whole art of pourtraying individual character is to seize hold of some prominent peculiarity, and to introduce this distinguishing trait, in all times and in all scenes, the difficulty would be removed.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Did I imitate certain writers, who think that the whole art of pourtraying individual character is to seize hold of some prominent peculiarity, and to introduce this distinguishing trait, in all times and in all scenes, the difficulty would be removed.

individual

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

From this reading Did I imitate certain writers, who think that the whole art of pourtraying individual character is to seize hold of some prominent peculiarity, and to introduce this distinguishing trait, in all times and in all scenes, the difficulty would be removed.

ingeniosus

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

From this reading Erat homo ingeniosus, acutus, acer, et qui plurimum et salis haberet et fellis, nec candoris minus.--Pliny.

injustice

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

From this reading This would, however, be rendering great injustice to the character I wish to delineate.

introduce

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

From this reading Did I imitate certain writers, who think that the whole art of pourtraying individual character is to seize hold of some prominent peculiarity, and to introduce this distinguishing trait, in all times and in all scenes, the difficulty would be removed.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading Did I imitate certain writers, who think that the whole art of pourtraying individual character is to seize hold of some prominent peculiarity, and to introduce this distinguishing trait, in all times and in all scenes, the difficulty would be removed.

jest

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

From this reading I should only have to present to the reader a man, whose conversation was nothing but alternate jest and quotation--a due union of Yorick and Partridge.

knownounUS /know/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading I do not know a more difficult character to describe than Lord Vincent's.

Lord

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

From this reading I do not know a more difficult character to describe than Lord Vincent's.

man

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

From this reading I should only have to present to the reader a man, whose conversation was nothing but alternate jest and quotation--a due union of Yorick and Partridge.

minus

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

From this reading Erat homo ingeniosus, acutus, acer, et qui plurimum et salis haberet et fellis, nec candoris minus.--Pliny.

more

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

From this reading I do not know a more difficult character to describe than Lord Vincent's.

nec

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

From this reading Erat homo ingeniosus, acutus, acer, et qui plurimum et salis haberet et fellis, nec candoris minus.--Pliny.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading I do not know a more difficult character to describe than Lord Vincent's.

nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading I should only have to present to the reader a man, whose conversation was nothing but alternate jest and quotation--a due union of Yorick and Partridge.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Did I imitate certain writers, who think that the whole art of pourtraying individual character is to seize hold of some prominent peculiarity, and to introduce this distinguishing trait, in all times and in all scenes, the difficulty would be removed.

only

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

From this reading I should only have to present to the reader a man, whose conversation was nothing but alternate jest and quotation--a due union of Yorick and Partridge.

Partridge

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

From this reading I should only have to present to the reader a man, whose conversation was nothing but alternate jest and quotation--a due union of Yorick and Partridge.

peculiarity

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

From this reading Did I imitate certain writers, who think that the whole art of pourtraying individual character is to seize hold of some prominent peculiarity, and to introduce this distinguishing trait, in all times and in all scenes, the difficulty would be removed.

Pliny

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

From this reading Erat homo ingeniosus, acutus, acer, et qui plurimum et salis haberet et fellis, nec candoris minus.--Pliny.

plurimum

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

From this reading Erat homo ingeniosus, acutus, acer, et qui plurimum et salis haberet et fellis, nec candoris minus.--Pliny.

pourtraying

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

From this reading Did I imitate certain writers, who think that the whole art of pourtraying individual character is to seize hold of some prominent peculiarity, and to introduce this distinguishing trait, in all times and in all scenes, the difficulty would be removed.

present

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

From this reading I should only have to present to the reader a man, whose conversation was nothing but alternate jest and quotation--a due union of Yorick and Partridge.

prominent

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

From this reading Did I imitate certain writers, who think that the whole art of pourtraying individual character is to seize hold of some prominent peculiarity, and to introduce this distinguishing trait, in all times and in all scenes, the difficulty would be removed.

qui

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

From this reading Erat homo ingeniosus, acutus, acer, et qui plurimum et salis haberet et fellis, nec candoris minus.--Pliny.

quotation

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

From this reading I should only have to present to the reader a man, whose conversation was nothing but alternate jest and quotation--a due union of Yorick and Partridge.

reader

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

From this reading I should only have to present to the reader a man, whose conversation was nothing but alternate jest and quotation--a due union of Yorick and Partridge.

removed

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

From this reading Did I imitate certain writers, who think that the whole art of pourtraying individual character is to seize hold of some prominent peculiarity, and to introduce this distinguishing trait, in all times and in all scenes, the difficulty would be removed.

rendering

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

From this reading This would, however, be rendering great injustice to the character I wish to delineate.

salis

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

From this reading Erat homo ingeniosus, acutus, acer, et qui plurimum et salis haberet et fellis, nec candoris minus.--Pliny.

scenes

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

From this reading Did I imitate certain writers, who think that the whole art of pourtraying individual character is to seize hold of some prominent peculiarity, and to introduce this distinguishing trait, in all times and in all scenes, the difficulty would be removed.

seize

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

From this reading Did I imitate certain writers, who think that the whole art of pourtraying individual character is to seize hold of some prominent peculiarity, and to introduce this distinguishing trait, in all times and in all scenes, the difficulty would be removed.

shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading I should only have to present to the reader a man, whose conversation was nothing but alternate jest and quotation--a due union of Yorick and Partridge.

some

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

From this reading Did I imitate certain writers, who think that the whole art of pourtraying individual character is to seize hold of some prominent peculiarity, and to introduce this distinguishing trait, in all times and in all scenes, the difficulty would be removed.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading I do not know a more difficult character to describe than Lord Vincent's.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Did I imitate certain writers, who think that the whole art of pourtraying individual character is to seize hold of some prominent peculiarity, and to introduce this distinguishing trait, in all times and in all scenes, the difficulty would be removed.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Did I imitate certain writers, who think that the whole art of pourtraying individual character is to seize hold of some prominent peculiarity, and to introduce this distinguishing trait, in all times and in all scenes, the difficulty would be removed.

thinknounUS /think/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Did I imitate certain writers, who think that the whole art of pourtraying individual character is to seize hold of some prominent peculiarity, and to introduce this distinguishing trait, in all times and in all scenes, the difficulty would be removed.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading Did I imitate certain writers, who think that the whole art of pourtraying individual character is to seize hold of some prominent peculiarity, and to introduce this distinguishing trait, in all times and in all scenes, the difficulty would be removed.

times

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

From this reading Did I imitate certain writers, who think that the whole art of pourtraying individual character is to seize hold of some prominent peculiarity, and to introduce this distinguishing trait, in all times and in all scenes, the difficulty would be removed.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading I do not know a more difficult character to describe than Lord Vincent's.

trait

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

From this reading Did I imitate certain writers, who think that the whole art of pourtraying individual character is to seize hold of some prominent peculiarity, and to introduce this distinguishing trait, in all times and in all scenes, the difficulty would be removed.

union

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

From this reading I should only have to present to the reader a man, whose conversation was nothing but alternate jest and quotation--a due union of Yorick and Partridge.

Vincent's

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

From this reading I do not know a more difficult character to describe than Lord Vincent's.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading I should only have to present to the reader a man, whose conversation was nothing but alternate jest and quotation--a due union of Yorick and Partridge.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading Did I imitate certain writers, who think that the whole art of pourtraying individual character is to seize hold of some prominent peculiarity, and to introduce this distinguishing trait, in all times and in all scenes, the difficulty would be removed.

whole

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

From this reading Did I imitate certain writers, who think that the whole art of pourtraying individual character is to seize hold of some prominent peculiarity, and to introduce this distinguishing trait, in all times and in all scenes, the difficulty would be removed.

whosedeterminerUS /huːz/

belonging to which person

From this reading I should only have to present to the reader a man, whose conversation was nothing but alternate jest and quotation--a due union of Yorick and Partridge.

wish

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

From this reading This would, however, be rendering great injustice to the character I wish to delineate.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading Did I imitate certain writers, who think that the whole art of pourtraying individual character is to seize hold of some prominent peculiarity, and to introduce this distinguishing trait, in all times and in all scenes, the difficulty would be removed.

writers

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

From this reading Did I imitate certain writers, who think that the whole art of pourtraying individual character is to seize hold of some prominent peculiarity, and to introduce this distinguishing trait, in all times and in all scenes, the difficulty would be removed.

Yorick

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

From this reading I should only have to present to the reader a man, whose conversation was nothing but alternate jest and quotation--a due union of Yorick and Partridge.