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Roughing It
Roughing It

Chapter XIV · Chapter 14

Chapter 14 of Roughing It is here in full — 278 sentences across 56 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Roughing It
Context Illustration Reading 1/55 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Every now and then, in these days, the boys used to tell me I ought to get one Jim Blaine to tell me the stirring story of his grandfather’s old rambut they always added that I must not mention the matter unless Jim was drunk at the timejust comfortably and sociably drunk.
They kept this up until my curiosity was on the rack to hear the story.
I got to haunting Blaine; but it was of no use, the boys always found fault with his condition; he was often moderately but never satisfactorily drunk.
I never watched a man’s condition with such absorbing interest, such anxious solicitude; I never so pined to see a man uncompromisingly drunk before.
At last, one evening I hurried to his cabin, for I learned that this time his situation was such that even the most fastidious could find no fault with ithe was tranquilly, serenely, symmetrically drunknot a hiccup to mar his voice, not a cloud upon his brain thick enough to obscure his memory.
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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.

Roughing It

Chapter XIV · Chapter 14

Chapter 14 of Roughing It is here in full — 278 sentences across 56 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/55 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Every now and then, in these days, the boys used to tell me I ought to get one Jim Blaine to tell me the stirring story of his grandfather’s old rambut they always added that I must not mention the matter unless Jim was drunk at the timejust comfortably and sociably drunk.
Line 2
They kept this up until my curiosity was on the rack to hear the story.
/ðeɪ kept ðɪs ʌp ənˈtɪl maɪ ˌkjʊriˈɑːsəti wɑːz ɑːn ðə ræk tuː hiːr ðə ˈstɔːri/
Line 3
I got to haunting Blaine; but it was of no use, the boys always found fault with his condition; he was often moderately but never satisfactorily drunk.
Line 4
I never watched a man’s condition with such absorbing interest, such anxious solicitude; I never so pined to see a man uncompromisingly drunk before.
Line 5
At last, one evening I hurried to his cabin, for I learned that this time his situation was such that even the most fastidious could find no fault with ithe was tranquilly, serenely, symmetrically drunknot a hiccup to mar his voice, not a cloud upon his brain thick enough to obscure his memory.

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.

fastidious adjective US /fæˈstɪdiəs/

giving careful attention to detail; hard to please; excessively concerned with cleanliness

From this reading “At last, one evening I hurried to his cabin, for I learned that this time his situation was such that even the most fastidious could find no fault with it—he was tranquilly, serenely, symmetrically drunk—not a hiccup to mar his voice, not a cloud upon his brain thick enough to obscure his memory.”

grandfather's noun US /ˈɡrændfɑːðərz/

possessive form of “grandfather” — the father of your father or mother

hiccup noun US /ˈhɪkəp/

(usually plural) the state of having reflex spasms of the diaphragm accompanied by a rapid closure of the glottis producing an audible sound; sometimes a symptom of indigestion

From this reading “At last, one evening I hurried to his cabin, for I learned that this time his situation was such that even the most fastidious could find no fault with it—he was tranquilly, serenely, symmetrically drunk—not a hiccup to mar his voice, not a cloud upon his brain thick enough to obscure his memory.”

moderately adverb US /ˈmɑːdərətli/

to certain extent or degree

From this reading “I got to haunting Blaine; but it was of no use, the boys always found fault with his condition; he was often moderately but never satisfactorily drunk.”

pined verb US /paɪnd/

past form of “pine” — have a desire for something or someone who is not present

From this reading “I never watched a man’s condition with such absorbing interest, such anxious solicitude; I never so pined to see a man uncompromisingly drunk before.”

satisfactorily adverb US /ˌsætɪˈsfæktrəli/

in a satisfactory manner

From this reading “I got to haunting Blaine; but it was of no use, the boys always found fault with his condition; he was often moderately but never satisfactorily drunk.”

serenely adverb US /sərˈiːnəli/

in a peacefully serene manner

From this reading “At last, one evening I hurried to his cabin, for I learned that this time his situation was such that even the most fastidious could find no fault with it—he was tranquilly, serenely, symmetrically drunk—not a hiccup to mar his voice, not a cloud upon his brain thick enough to obscure his memory.”

symmetrically adverb US /səˈmetrɪkli/

in a symmetrical manner

From this reading “At last, one evening I hurried to his cabin, for I learned that this time his situation was such that even the most fastidious could find no fault with it—he was tranquilly, serenely, symmetrically drunk—not a hiccup to mar his voice, not a cloud upon his brain thick enough to obscure his memory.”

All words in this reading · 105

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 I never watched a man’s condition with such absorbing interest, such anxious solicitude; I never so pined to see a man uncompromisingly drunk before.

absorbingadjectiveUS /əbˈzɔːrbɪŋ/

capable of arousing and holding the attention

From this reading I never watched a man’s condition with such absorbing interest, such anxious solicitude; I never so pined to see a man uncompromisingly drunk before.

addedverbUS /ˈædəd/

past form of “add” — make an addition (to); join or combine or unite with others; increase the quality, quantity, size or scope of

From this reading Every now and then, in these days, the boys used to tell me I ought to get one Jim Blaine to tell me the stirring story of his grandfather’s old ram—but they always added that I must not mention the matter unless Jim was drunk at the time—just comfortably and sociably drunk.

alwaysadverbUS /ˈɔːlweɪz/

at all times; all the time and on every occasion

From this reading Every now and then, in these days, the boys used to tell me I ought to get one Jim Blaine to tell me the stirring story of his grandfather’s old ram—but they always added that I must not mention the matter unless Jim was drunk at the time—just comfortably and sociably drunk.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Every now and then, in these days, the boys used to tell me I ought to get one Jim Blaine to tell me the stirring story of his grandfather’s old ram—but they always added that I must not mention the matter unless Jim was drunk at the time—just comfortably and sociably drunk.

anxiousadjectiveUS /ˈæŋkʃəs/

eagerly desirous

From this reading I never watched a man’s condition with such absorbing interest, such anxious solicitude; I never so pined to see a man uncompromisingly drunk before.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Every now and then, in these days, the boys used to tell me I ought to get one Jim Blaine to tell me the stirring story of his grandfather’s old ram—but they always added that I must not mention the matter unless Jim was drunk at the time—just comfortably and sociably drunk.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading I never watched a man’s condition with such absorbing interest, such anxious solicitude; I never so pined to see a man uncompromisingly drunk before.

Blaine

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

From this reading Every now and then, in these days, the boys used to tell me I ought to get one Jim Blaine to tell me the stirring story of his grandfather’s old ram—but they always added that I must not mention the matter unless Jim was drunk at the time—just comfortably and sociably drunk.

boysnounUS /bɔɪz/

plural of “boy” — a youthful male person

From this reading Every now and then, in these days, the boys used to tell me I ought to get one Jim Blaine to tell me the stirring story of his grandfather’s old ram—but they always added that I must not mention the matter unless Jim was drunk at the time—just comfortably and sociably drunk.

brainnounUS /breɪn/

that part of the central nervous system that includes all the higher nervous centers; enclosed within the skull; continuous with the spinal cord

From this reading At last, one evening I hurried to his cabin, for I learned that this time his situation was such that even the most fastidious could find no fault with it—he was tranquilly, serenely, symmetrically drunk—not a hiccup to mar his voice, not a cloud upon his brain thick enough to obscure his memory.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Every now and then, in these days, the boys used to tell me I ought to get one Jim Blaine to tell me the stirring story of his grandfather’s old ram—but they always added that I must not mention the matter unless Jim was drunk at the time—just comfortably and sociably drunk.

cabinnounUS /ˈkæbən/

small room on a ship or boat where people sleep

From this reading At last, one evening I hurried to his cabin, for I learned that this time his situation was such that even the most fastidious could find no fault with it—he was tranquilly, serenely, symmetrically drunk—not a hiccup to mar his voice, not a cloud upon his brain thick enough to obscure his memory.

cloudverbUS /klaʊd/

make overcast or cloudy

From this reading At last, one evening I hurried to his cabin, for I learned that this time his situation was such that even the most fastidious could find no fault with it—he was tranquilly, serenely, symmetrically drunk—not a hiccup to mar his voice, not a cloud upon his brain thick enough to obscure his memory.

comfortablyadverbUS /ˈkʌmfərtəbli/

in mental comfort; without stress

From this reading Every now and then, in these days, the boys used to tell me I ought to get one Jim Blaine to tell me the stirring story of his grandfather’s old ram—but they always added that I must not mention the matter unless Jim was drunk at the time—just comfortably and sociably drunk.

conditionnounUS /kənˈdɪʃən/

a state at a particular time

From this reading I got to haunting Blaine; but it was of no use, the boys always found fault with his condition; he was often moderately but never satisfactorily drunk.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

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

From this reading At last, one evening I hurried to his cabin, for I learned that this time his situation was such that even the most fastidious could find no fault with it—he was tranquilly, serenely, symmetrically drunk—not a hiccup to mar his voice, not a cloud upon his brain thick enough to obscure his memory.

curiositynounUS /ˌkjʊriˈɑːsəti/

a state in which you want to learn more about something

From this reading They kept this up until my curiosity was on the rack to hear the story.

daysnounUS /deɪz/

the time during which someone's life continues

From this reading Every now and then, in these days, the boys used to tell me I ought to get one Jim Blaine to tell me the stirring story of his grandfather’s old ram—but they always added that I must not mention the matter unless Jim was drunk at the time—just comfortably and sociably drunk.

drunkadjectiveUS /drʌŋk/

stupefied or excited by a chemical substance (especially alcohol)

From this reading Every now and then, in these days, the boys used to tell me I ought to get one Jim Blaine to tell me the stirring story of his grandfather’s old ram—but they always added that I must not mention the matter unless Jim was drunk at the time—just comfortably and sociably drunk.

enoughnounUS /ɪˈnʌf/

an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose

From this reading At last, one evening I hurried to his cabin, for I learned that this time his situation was such that even the most fastidious could find no fault with it—he was tranquilly, serenely, symmetrically drunk—not a hiccup to mar his voice, not a cloud upon his brain thick enough to obscure his memory.

evenadjectiveUS /ˈiːvɪn/

divisible by two

From this reading At last, one evening I hurried to his cabin, for I learned that this time his situation was such that even the most fastidious could find no fault with it—he was tranquilly, serenely, symmetrically drunk—not a hiccup to mar his voice, not a cloud upon his brain thick enough to obscure his memory.

eveningnounUS /ˈiːvnɪŋ/

the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)

From this reading At last, one evening I hurried to his cabin, for I learned that this time his situation was such that even the most fastidious could find no fault with it—he was tranquilly, serenely, symmetrically drunk—not a hiccup to mar his voice, not a cloud upon his brain thick enough to obscure his memory.

EverydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading Every now and then, in these days, the boys used to tell me I ought to get one Jim Blaine to tell me the stirring story of his grandfather’s old ram—but they always added that I must not mention the matter unless Jim was drunk at the time—just comfortably and sociably drunk.

fastidiousadjectiveUS /fæˈstɪdiəs/

giving careful attention to detail; hard to please; excessively concerned with cleanliness

From this reading At last, one evening I hurried to his cabin, for I learned that this time his situation was such that even the most fastidious could find no fault with it—he was tranquilly, serenely, symmetrically drunk—not a hiccup to mar his voice, not a cloud upon his brain thick enough to obscure his memory.

faultnounUS /fɔːlt/

a wrong action attributable to bad judgment or ignorance or inattention

From this reading I got to haunting Blaine; but it was of no use, the boys always found fault with his condition; he was often moderately but never satisfactorily drunk.

findverbUS /faɪnd/

come upon, as if by accident; meet with

From this reading At last, one evening I hurried to his cabin, for I learned that this time his situation was such that even the most fastidious could find no fault with it—he was tranquilly, serenely, symmetrically drunk—not a hiccup to mar his voice, not a cloud upon his brain thick enough to obscure his memory.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading At last, one evening I hurried to his cabin, for I learned that this time his situation was such that even the most fastidious could find no fault with it—he was tranquilly, serenely, symmetrically drunk—not a hiccup to mar his voice, not a cloud upon his brain thick enough to obscure his memory.

foundverbUS /faʊnd/

set up or found

From this reading I got to haunting Blaine; but it was of no use, the boys always found fault with his condition; he was often moderately but never satisfactorily drunk.

getverbUS /ɡet/

come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading Every now and then, in these days, the boys used to tell me I ought to get one Jim Blaine to tell me the stirring story of his grandfather’s old ram—but they always added that I must not mention the matter unless Jim was drunk at the time—just comfortably and sociably drunk.

gotverbUS /ɡɑːt/

inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading I got to haunting Blaine; but it was of no use, the boys always found fault with his condition; he was often moderately but never satisfactorily drunk.

grandfather'snounUS /ˈɡrændfɑːðərz/

possessive form of “grandfather” — the father of your father or mother

From this reading Every now and then, in these days, the boys used to tell me I ought to get one Jim Blaine to tell me the stirring story of his grandfather’s old ram—but they always added that I must not mention the matter unless Jim was drunk at the time—just comfortably and sociably drunk.

hauntingadjectiveUS /ˈhɔːntɪŋ/

continually recurring to the mind

From this reading I got to haunting Blaine; but it was of no use, the boys always found fault with his condition; he was often moderately but never satisfactorily drunk.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading I got to haunting Blaine; but it was of no use, the boys always found fault with his condition; he was often moderately but never satisfactorily drunk.

hearverbUS /hiːr/

perceive (sound) via the auditory sense

From this reading They kept this up until my curiosity was on the rack to hear the story.

hiccupnounUS /ˈhɪkəp/

(usually plural) the state of having reflex spasms of the diaphragm accompanied by a rapid closure of the glottis producing an audible sound; sometimes a symptom of indigestion

From this reading At last, one evening I hurried to his cabin, for I learned that this time his situation was such that even the most fastidious could find no fault with it—he was tranquilly, serenely, symmetrically drunk—not a hiccup to mar his voice, not a cloud upon his brain thick enough to obscure his memory.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Every now and then, in these days, the boys used to tell me I ought to get one Jim Blaine to tell me the stirring story of his grandfather’s old ram—but they always added that I must not mention the matter unless Jim was drunk at the time—just comfortably and sociably drunk.

hurriedadjectiveUS /ˈhɜːrid/

moving rapidly or performed quickly or in great haste

From this reading At last, one evening I hurried to his cabin, for I learned that this time his situation was such that even the most fastidious could find no fault with it—he was tranquilly, serenely, symmetrically drunk—not a hiccup to mar his voice, not a cloud upon his brain thick enough to obscure his memory.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading Every now and then, in these days, the boys used to tell me I ought to get one Jim Blaine to tell me the stirring story of his grandfather’s old ram—but they always added that I must not mention the matter unless Jim was drunk at the time—just comfortably and sociably drunk.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Every now and then, in these days, the boys used to tell me I ought to get one Jim Blaine to tell me the stirring story of his grandfather’s old ram—but they always added that I must not mention the matter unless Jim was drunk at the time—just comfortably and sociably drunk.

interestnounUS /ˈɪntrəst/

a sense of concern with and curiosity about someone or something

From this reading I never watched a man’s condition with such absorbing interest, such anxious solicitude; I never so pined to see a man uncompromisingly drunk before.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading I got to haunting Blaine; but it was of no use, the boys always found fault with his condition; he was often moderately but never satisfactorily drunk.

Jim

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

From this reading Every now and then, in these days, the boys used to tell me I ought to get one Jim Blaine to tell me the stirring story of his grandfather’s old ram—but they always added that I must not mention the matter unless Jim was drunk at the time—just comfortably and sociably drunk.

justadverbUS /dʒʌst/

and nothing more

From this reading Every now and then, in these days, the boys used to tell me I ought to get one Jim Blaine to tell me the stirring story of his grandfather’s old ram—but they always added that I must not mention the matter unless Jim was drunk at the time—just comfortably and sociably drunk.

keptadjectiveUS /kept/

(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded

From this reading They kept this up until my curiosity was on the rack to hear the story.

lastadjectiveUS /læst/

immediately past

From this reading At last, one evening I hurried to his cabin, for I learned that this time his situation was such that even the most fastidious could find no fault with it—he was tranquilly, serenely, symmetrically drunk—not a hiccup to mar his voice, not a cloud upon his brain thick enough to obscure his memory.

learnedadjectiveUS /lɜːrnd/

having or showing profound knowledge

From this reading At last, one evening I hurried to his cabin, for I learned that this time his situation was such that even the most fastidious could find no fault with it—he was tranquilly, serenely, symmetrically drunk—not a hiccup to mar his voice, not a cloud upon his brain thick enough to obscure his memory.

mannounUS /mæn/

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

From this reading I never watched a man’s condition with such absorbing interest, such anxious solicitude; I never so pined to see a man uncompromisingly drunk before.

man'snounUS /mænz/

possessive form of “man” — an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading I never watched a man’s condition with such absorbing interest, such anxious solicitude; I never so pined to see a man uncompromisingly drunk before.

marverbUS /mɑːr/

make imperfect

From this reading At last, one evening I hurried to his cabin, for I learned that this time his situation was such that even the most fastidious could find no fault with it—he was tranquilly, serenely, symmetrically drunk—not a hiccup to mar his voice, not a cloud upon his brain thick enough to obscure his memory.

matternounUS /ˈmætər/

a vaguely specified concern

From this reading Every now and then, in these days, the boys used to tell me I ought to get one Jim Blaine to tell me the stirring story of his grandfather’s old ram—but they always added that I must not mention the matter unless Jim was drunk at the time—just comfortably and sociably drunk.

mepronounUS /miː/

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Every now and then, in these days, the boys used to tell me I ought to get one Jim Blaine to tell me the stirring story of his grandfather’s old ram—but they always added that I must not mention the matter unless Jim was drunk at the time—just comfortably and sociably drunk.

memorynounUS /ˈmem.ər.i/

The faculty by which the mind stores and remembers information and knowledge.

From this reading At last, one evening I hurried to his cabin, for I learned that this time his situation was such that even the most fastidious could find no fault with it—he was tranquilly, serenely, symmetrically drunk—not a hiccup to mar his voice, not a cloud upon his brain thick enough to obscure his memory.

mentionverbUS /ˈmenʃən/

make reference to

From this reading Every now and then, in these days, the boys used to tell me I ought to get one Jim Blaine to tell me the stirring story of his grandfather’s old ram—but they always added that I must not mention the matter unless Jim was drunk at the time—just comfortably and sociably drunk.

moderatelyadverbUS /ˈmɑːdərətli/

to certain extent or degree

From this reading I got to haunting Blaine; but it was of no use, the boys always found fault with his condition; he was often moderately but never satisfactorily drunk.

mostadverbUS /moʊst/

used to form the superlative

From this reading At last, one evening I hurried to his cabin, for I learned that this time his situation was such that even the most fastidious could find no fault with it—he was tranquilly, serenely, symmetrically drunk—not a hiccup to mar his voice, not a cloud upon his brain thick enough to obscure his memory.

mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading Every now and then, in these days, the boys used to tell me I ought to get one Jim Blaine to tell me the stirring story of his grandfather’s old ram—but they always added that I must not mention the matter unless Jim was drunk at the time—just comfortably and sociably drunk.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading They kept this up until my curiosity was on the rack to hear the story.

neveradverbUS /ˈnevər/

not ever; at no time in the past or future

From this reading I got to haunting Blaine; but it was of no use, the boys always found fault with his condition; he was often moderately but never satisfactorily drunk.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading I got to haunting Blaine; but it was of no use, the boys always found fault with his condition; he was often moderately but never satisfactorily drunk.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Every now and then, in these days, the boys used to tell me I ought to get one Jim Blaine to tell me the stirring story of his grandfather’s old ram—but they always added that I must not mention the matter unless Jim was drunk at the time—just comfortably and sociably drunk.

nowadverbUS /naʊ/

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading Every now and then, in these days, the boys used to tell me I ought to get one Jim Blaine to tell me the stirring story of his grandfather’s old ram—but they always added that I must not mention the matter unless Jim was drunk at the time—just comfortably and sociably drunk.

obscureverbUS /əbsˈkjʊr/

make less visible or unclear

From this reading At last, one evening I hurried to his cabin, for I learned that this time his situation was such that even the most fastidious could find no fault with it—he was tranquilly, serenely, symmetrically drunk—not a hiccup to mar his voice, not a cloud upon his brain thick enough to obscure his memory.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Every now and then, in these days, the boys used to tell me I ought to get one Jim Blaine to tell me the stirring story of his grandfather’s old ram—but they always added that I must not mention the matter unless Jim was drunk at the time—just comfortably and sociably drunk.

oftenadverbUS /ˈɔːfən/

many times at short intervals

From this reading I got to haunting Blaine; but it was of no use, the boys always found fault with his condition; he was often moderately but never satisfactorily drunk.

oldadjectiveUS /oʊld/

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading Every now and then, in these days, the boys used to tell me I ought to get one Jim Blaine to tell me the stirring story of his grandfather’s old ram—but they always added that I must not mention the matter unless Jim was drunk at the time—just comfortably and sociably drunk.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading They kept this up until my curiosity was on the rack to hear the story.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Every now and then, in these days, the boys used to tell me I ought to get one Jim Blaine to tell me the stirring story of his grandfather’s old ram—but they always added that I must not mention the matter unless Jim was drunk at the time—just comfortably and sociably drunk.

oughtmodal verbUS /ɔːt/

used with “to” to say what is right or advisable

From this reading Every now and then, in these days, the boys used to tell me I ought to get one Jim Blaine to tell me the stirring story of his grandfather’s old ram—but they always added that I must not mention the matter unless Jim was drunk at the time—just comfortably and sociably drunk.

pinedverbUS /paɪnd/

past form of “pine” — have a desire for something or someone who is not present

From this reading I never watched a man’s condition with such absorbing interest, such anxious solicitude; I never so pined to see a man uncompromisingly drunk before.

rackverbUS /ræk/

go at a rack

From this reading They kept this up until my curiosity was on the rack to hear the story.

ramverbUS /ræm/

strike or drive against with a heavy impact

From this reading Every now and then, in these days, the boys used to tell me I ought to get one Jim Blaine to tell me the stirring story of his grandfather’s old ram—but they always added that I must not mention the matter unless Jim was drunk at the time—just comfortably and sociably drunk.

satisfactorilyadverbUS /ˌsætɪˈsfæktrəli/

in a satisfactory manner

From this reading I got to haunting Blaine; but it was of no use, the boys always found fault with his condition; he was often moderately but never satisfactorily drunk.

seeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading I never watched a man’s condition with such absorbing interest, such anxious solicitude; I never so pined to see a man uncompromisingly drunk before.

serenelyadverbUS /sərˈiːnəli/

in a peacefully serene manner

From this reading At last, one evening I hurried to his cabin, for I learned that this time his situation was such that even the most fastidious could find no fault with it—he was tranquilly, serenely, symmetrically drunk—not a hiccup to mar his voice, not a cloud upon his brain thick enough to obscure his memory.

situationnounUS /ˌsɪtʃuːˈeɪʃən/

the general state of things; the combination of circumstances at a given time

From this reading At last, one evening I hurried to his cabin, for I learned that this time his situation was such that even the most fastidious could find no fault with it—he was tranquilly, serenely, symmetrically drunk—not a hiccup to mar his voice, not a cloud upon his brain thick enough to obscure his memory.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading I never watched a man’s condition with such absorbing interest, such anxious solicitude; I never so pined to see a man uncompromisingly drunk before.

sociablyadverb

in a gregarious manner

From this reading Every now and then, in these days, the boys used to tell me I ought to get one Jim Blaine to tell me the stirring story of his grandfather’s old ram—but they always added that I must not mention the matter unless Jim was drunk at the time—just comfortably and sociably drunk.

solicitudenounUS /səˈlɪsɪtuːd/

a feeling of excessive concern

From this reading I never watched a man’s condition with such absorbing interest, such anxious solicitude; I never so pined to see a man uncompromisingly drunk before.

stirringnounUS /ˈstɜːrɪŋ/

agitating a liquid with an implement

From this reading Every now and then, in these days, the boys used to tell me I ought to get one Jim Blaine to tell me the stirring story of his grandfather’s old ram—but they always added that I must not mention the matter unless Jim was drunk at the time—just comfortably and sociably drunk.

storynounUS /ˈstɔːri/

a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program

From this reading Every now and then, in these days, the boys used to tell me I ought to get one Jim Blaine to tell me the stirring story of his grandfather’s old ram—but they always added that I must not mention the matter unless Jim was drunk at the time—just comfortably and sociably drunk.

suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading I never watched a man’s condition with such absorbing interest, such anxious solicitude; I never so pined to see a man uncompromisingly drunk before.

symmetricallyadverbUS /səˈmetrɪkli/

in a symmetrical manner

From this reading At last, one evening I hurried to his cabin, for I learned that this time his situation was such that even the most fastidious could find no fault with it—he was tranquilly, serenely, symmetrically drunk—not a hiccup to mar his voice, not a cloud upon his brain thick enough to obscure his memory.

tellverbUS /tel/

express in words

From this reading Every now and then, in these days, the boys used to tell me I ought to get one Jim Blaine to tell me the stirring story of his grandfather’s old ram—but they always added that I must not mention the matter unless Jim was drunk at the time—just comfortably and sociably drunk.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Every now and then, in these days, the boys used to tell me I ought to get one Jim Blaine to tell me the stirring story of his grandfather’s old ram—but they always added that I must not mention the matter unless Jim was drunk at the time—just comfortably and sociably drunk.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Every now and then, in these days, the boys used to tell me I ought to get one Jim Blaine to tell me the stirring story of his grandfather’s old ram—but they always added that I must not mention the matter unless Jim was drunk at the time—just comfortably and sociably drunk.

thenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading Every now and then, in these days, the boys used to tell me I ought to get one Jim Blaine to tell me the stirring story of his grandfather’s old ram—but they always added that I must not mention the matter unless Jim was drunk at the time—just comfortably and sociably drunk.

thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

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

From this reading Every now and then, in these days, the boys used to tell me I ought to get one Jim Blaine to tell me the stirring story of his grandfather’s old ram—but they always added that I must not mention the matter unless Jim was drunk at the time—just comfortably and sociably drunk.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Every now and then, in these days, the boys used to tell me I ought to get one Jim Blaine to tell me the stirring story of his grandfather’s old ram—but they always added that I must not mention the matter unless Jim was drunk at the time—just comfortably and sociably drunk.

thickadjectiveUS /θɪk/

not thin; of a specific thickness or of relatively great extent from one surface to the opposite usually in the smallest of the three solid dimensions

From this reading At last, one evening I hurried to his cabin, for I learned that this time his situation was such that even the most fastidious could find no fault with it—he was tranquilly, serenely, symmetrically drunk—not a hiccup to mar his voice, not a cloud upon his brain thick enough to obscure his memory.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading They kept this up until my curiosity was on the rack to hear the story.

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading Every now and then, in these days, the boys used to tell me I ought to get one Jim Blaine to tell me the stirring story of his grandfather’s old ram—but they always added that I must not mention the matter unless Jim was drunk at the time—just comfortably and sociably drunk.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Every now and then, in these days, the boys used to tell me I ought to get one Jim Blaine to tell me the stirring story of his grandfather’s old ram—but they always added that I must not mention the matter unless Jim was drunk at the time—just comfortably and sociably drunk.

tranquillyadverb

without emotional agitation

From this reading At last, one evening I hurried to his cabin, for I learned that this time his situation was such that even the most fastidious could find no fault with it—he was tranquilly, serenely, symmetrically drunk—not a hiccup to mar his voice, not a cloud upon his brain thick enough to obscure his memory.

uncompromisinglyadverb

in an uncompromising manner

From this reading I never watched a man’s condition with such absorbing interest, such anxious solicitude; I never so pined to see a man uncompromisingly drunk before.

unlessconjunctionUS /ənˈles/

except if; if not

From this reading Every now and then, in these days, the boys used to tell me I ought to get one Jim Blaine to tell me the stirring story of his grandfather’s old ram—but they always added that I must not mention the matter unless Jim was drunk at the time—just comfortably and sociably drunk.

untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading They kept this up until my curiosity was on the rack to hear the story.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

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

From this reading They kept this up until my curiosity was on the rack to hear the story.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading At last, one evening I hurried to his cabin, for I learned that this time his situation was such that even the most fastidious could find no fault with it—he was tranquilly, serenely, symmetrically drunk—not a hiccup to mar his voice, not a cloud upon his brain thick enough to obscure his memory.

usenounUS /juːs/

the act of using

From this reading I got to haunting Blaine; but it was of no use, the boys always found fault with his condition; he was often moderately but never satisfactorily drunk.

usedadjectiveUS /juːzd/

employed in accomplishing something

From this reading Every now and then, in these days, the boys used to tell me I ought to get one Jim Blaine to tell me the stirring story of his grandfather’s old ram—but they always added that I must not mention the matter unless Jim was drunk at the time—just comfortably and sociably drunk.

voicenounUS /vɔɪs/

the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech

From this reading At last, one evening I hurried to his cabin, for I learned that this time his situation was such that even the most fastidious could find no fault with it—he was tranquilly, serenely, symmetrically drunk—not a hiccup to mar his voice, not a cloud upon his brain thick enough to obscure his memory.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Every now and then, in these days, the boys used to tell me I ought to get one Jim Blaine to tell me the stirring story of his grandfather’s old ram—but they always added that I must not mention the matter unless Jim was drunk at the time—just comfortably and sociably drunk.

watchedverbUS /wɑːtʃt/

past form of “watch” — look attentively

From this reading I never watched a man’s condition with such absorbing interest, such anxious solicitude; I never so pined to see a man uncompromisingly drunk before.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading I got to haunting Blaine; but it was of no use, the boys always found fault with his condition; he was often moderately but never satisfactorily drunk.

Chapter 14 of Roughing It by Mark Twain holds 278 sentences, grouped into 56 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, 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 14 of Roughing It contain?

Chapter 14 holds 278 sentences of Roughing It, unabridged, divided into 56 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 14 of Roughing It by Mark Twain exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 278 sentences, grouped into 56 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 14 of Roughing It?

Work through the 56 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 56 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 14 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 14 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 Roughing It

Common questions about reading Roughing It by Mark Twain on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Roughing It?

Yes. All 7335 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #3177 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Roughing It is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #3177, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Roughing It take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 1467 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Roughing It section by section

How to work through Roughing It section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 20 chapters of Roughing It to begin.

  2. Read one section

    Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.

  3. Listen and tap

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

Vocabulary met early in Roughing It

Words and structures a reader meets early in Roughing It, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

California
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Roughing It; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Again
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Roughing It; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Great
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Roughing It; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Changes
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Roughing It; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.