Chapter 11 of Specimens of the Table Talk of Samuel Taylor is here in full — 390 sentences across 78 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XI
Chapter 11 of Specimens of the Table Talk of Samuel Taylor is here in full — 390 sentences across 78 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
The true key to the declension of the Roman empire--which is not to be found in all Gibbon's immense work--may be stated in two words:--the _imperial_ character overlaying, and finally destroying, the _national_ character. Rome under Trajan was an empire without a nation. _August_ 16. 1833. DR.
Chapter 11 of Specimens of the Table Talk of Samuel Taylor is here in full — 390 sentences across 78 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/78 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
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.
the month following July and preceding September
the inflection of nouns and pronouns and adjectives in Indo-European languages
From this reading “The true key to the declension of the Roman empire--which is not to be found in all Gibbon's immense work--may be stated in two words:--the _imperial_ character overlaying, and finally destroying, the _national_ character.”
-ing form of “destroy” — do away with, cause the destruction or undoing of
From this reading “The true key to the declension of the Roman empire--which is not to be found in all Gibbon's immense work--may be stated in two words:--the _imperial_ character overlaying, and finally destroying, the _national_ character.”
the domain ruled by an emperor or empress; the region over which imperial dominion is exercised
From this reading “The true key to the declension of the Roman empire--which is not to be found in all Gibbon's immense work--may be stated in two words:--the _imperial_ character overlaying, and finally destroying, the _national_ character.”
relating to or associated with an empire
of or relating to or belonging to a nation or country
declared as fact; explicitly stated
From this reading “The true key to the declension of the Roman empire--which is not to be found in all Gibbon's immense work--may be stated in two words:--the _imperial_ character overlaying, and finally destroying, the _national_ character.”
Roman Emperor and adoptive son of Nerva; extended the Roman Empire to the east and conducted an extensive program of building (53-117)
From this reading “Rome under Trajan was an empire without a nation.”
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.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _August_ 16.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 1833.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Rome under Trajan was an empire without a nation.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading The true key to the declension of the Roman empire--which is not to be found in all Gibbon's immense work--may be stated in two words:--the _imperial_ character overlaying, and finally destroying, the _national_ character.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Rome under Trajan was an empire without a nation.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The true key to the declension of the Roman empire--which is not to be found in all Gibbon's immense work--may be stated in two words:--the _imperial_ character overlaying, and finally destroying, the _national_ character.
the month following July and preceding September
From this reading _August_ 16.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The true key to the declension of the Roman empire--which is not to be found in all Gibbon's immense work--may be stated in two words:--the _imperial_ character overlaying, and finally destroying, the _national_ character.
an imaginary person represented in a work of fiction (play or film or story)
From this reading The true key to the declension of the Roman empire--which is not to be found in all Gibbon's immense work--may be stated in two words:--the _imperial_ character overlaying, and finally destroying, the _national_ character.
the inflection of nouns and pronouns and adjectives in Indo-European languages
From this reading The true key to the declension of the Roman empire--which is not to be found in all Gibbon's immense work--may be stated in two words:--the _imperial_ character overlaying, and finally destroying, the _national_ character.
-ing form of “destroy” — do away with, cause the destruction or undoing of
From this reading The true key to the declension of the Roman empire--which is not to be found in all Gibbon's immense work--may be stated in two words:--the _imperial_ character overlaying, and finally destroying, the _national_ character.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading DR.
the domain ruled by an emperor or empress; the region over which imperial dominion is exercised
From this reading The true key to the declension of the Roman empire--which is not to be found in all Gibbon's immense work--may be stated in two words:--the _imperial_ character overlaying, and finally destroying, the _national_ character.
after an unspecified period of time or an especially long delay
From this reading The true key to the declension of the Roman empire--which is not to be found in all Gibbon's immense work--may be stated in two words:--the _imperial_ character overlaying, and finally destroying, the _national_ character.
set up or found
From this reading The true key to the declension of the Roman empire--which is not to be found in all Gibbon's immense work--may be stated in two words:--the _imperial_ character overlaying, and finally destroying, the _national_ character.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The true key to the declension of the Roman empire--which is not to be found in all Gibbon's immense work--may be stated in two words:--the _imperial_ character overlaying, and finally destroying, the _national_ character.
unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope
From this reading The true key to the declension of the Roman empire--which is not to be found in all Gibbon's immense work--may be stated in two words:--the _imperial_ character overlaying, and finally destroying, the _national_ character.
relating to or associated with an empire
From this reading The true key to the declension of the Roman empire--which is not to be found in all Gibbon's immense work--may be stated in two words:--the _imperial_ character overlaying, and finally destroying, the _national_ character.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The true key to the declension of the Roman empire--which is not to be found in all Gibbon's immense work--may be stated in two words:--the _imperial_ character overlaying, and finally destroying, the _national_ character.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The true key to the declension of the Roman empire--which is not to be found in all Gibbon's immense work--may be stated in two words:--the _imperial_ character overlaying, and finally destroying, the _national_ character.
metal device shaped in such a way that when it is inserted into the appropriate lock the lock's mechanism can be rotated
From this reading The true key to the declension of the Roman empire--which is not to be found in all Gibbon's immense work--may be stated in two words:--the _imperial_ character overlaying, and finally destroying, the _national_ character.
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading The true key to the declension of the Roman empire--which is not to be found in all Gibbon's immense work--may be stated in two words:--the _imperial_ character overlaying, and finally destroying, the _national_ character.
a politically organized body of people under a single government
From this reading Rome under Trajan was an empire without a nation.
of or relating to or belonging to a nation or country
From this reading The true key to the declension of the Roman empire--which is not to be found in all Gibbon's immense work--may be stated in two words:--the _imperial_ character overlaying, and finally destroying, the _national_ character.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The true key to the declension of the Roman empire--which is not to be found in all Gibbon's immense work--may be stated in two words:--the _imperial_ character overlaying, and finally destroying, the _national_ character.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The true key to the declension of the Roman empire--which is not to be found in all Gibbon's immense work--may be stated in two words:--the _imperial_ character overlaying, and finally destroying, the _national_ character.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The true key to the declension of the Roman empire--which is not to be found in all Gibbon's immense work--may be stated in two words:--the _imperial_ character overlaying, and finally destroying, the _national_ character.
relating to or characteristic of people of Rome
From this reading The true key to the declension of the Roman empire--which is not to be found in all Gibbon's immense work--may be stated in two words:--the _imperial_ character overlaying, and finally destroying, the _national_ character.
capital and largest city of Italy; on the Tiber; seat of the Roman Catholic Church; formerly the capital of the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire
From this reading Rome under Trajan was an empire without a nation.
declared as fact; explicitly stated
From this reading The true key to the declension of the Roman empire--which is not to be found in all Gibbon's immense work--may be stated in two words:--the _imperial_ character overlaying, and finally destroying, the _national_ character.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The true key to the declension of the Roman empire--which is not to be found in all Gibbon's immense work--may be stated in two words:--the _imperial_ character overlaying, and finally destroying, the _national_ character.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The true key to the declension of the Roman empire--which is not to be found in all Gibbon's immense work--may be stated in two words:--the _imperial_ character overlaying, and finally destroying, the _national_ character.
Roman Emperor and adoptive son of Nerva; extended the Roman Empire to the east and conducted an extensive program of building (53-117)
From this reading Rome under Trajan was an empire without a nation.
consistent with fact or reality; not false
From this reading The true key to the declension of the Roman empire--which is not to be found in all Gibbon's immense work--may be stated in two words:--the _imperial_ character overlaying, and finally destroying, the _national_ character.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading The true key to the declension of the Roman empire--which is not to be found in all Gibbon's immense work--may be stated in two words:--the _imperial_ character overlaying, and finally destroying, the _national_ character.
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading Rome under Trajan was an empire without a nation.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Rome under Trajan was an empire without a nation.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The true key to the declension of the Roman empire--which is not to be found in all Gibbon's immense work--may be stated in two words:--the _imperial_ character overlaying, and finally destroying, the _national_ character.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading Rome under Trajan was an empire without a nation.
the words that are spoken
From this reading The true key to the declension of the Roman empire--which is not to be found in all Gibbon's immense work--may be stated in two words:--the _imperial_ character overlaying, and finally destroying, the _national_ character.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading The true key to the declension of the Roman empire--which is not to be found in all Gibbon's immense work--may be stated in two words:--the _imperial_ character overlaying, and finally destroying, the _national_ character.
Chapter 11 of Specimens of the Table Talk of Samuel Taylor by Samuel Taylor Coleridge holds 390 sentences, grouped into 78 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.
Chapter 11 holds 390 sentences of Specimens of the Table Talk of Samuel Taylor, unabridged, divided into 78 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 11 of Specimens of the Table Talk of Samuel Taylor by Samuel Taylor Coleridge exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 390 sentences, grouped into 78 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.
Work through the 78 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
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About 403 minutes of reading across 969 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
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