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Stan Lynn: A Boy's Adventures in China
Stan Lynn: A Boy's Adventures in China

Chapter VIII

Chapter 8 of Stan Lynn: A Boy's Adventures in China is here in full — 432 sentences across 87 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Stan Lynn: A Boy's Adventures in China
Context Illustration Reading 1/86 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Asleep the poor fellow was, and no wonder.
Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.
There he crouched as if in a saddle; and then he was motionless, and looking wonderfully like a beautifully carved finial placed by a cunning builder as an ornament to the great gable-end.
"Poor beggar!
It was too bad to leave him so long," said Blunt.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Stan Lynn: A Boy's Adventures in China

Chapter VIII

Chapter 8 of Stan Lynn: A Boy's Adventures in China is here in full — 432 sentences across 87 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/86 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Asleep the poor fellow was, and no wonder.
/əˈsliːp ðə puːr ˈfeloʊ wɑːz ənd noʊ ˈwʌndər/
Line 2
Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.
/ˈduːti tuː hɪz emˈplɔɪərz hæd ə strɔːŋ hoʊld bʌt ˈneɪtʃər ənd ɪɡˈzɔːstʃən ˈæftər ˈaʊərz ʌv ˈbeɪkɪŋ ənd ˈfæstɪŋ əˈpɑːn ðə ruːf wɪð ˈstreɪnɪŋ aɪz wɜːr ˈstrɔːŋər ənd bʌt ə ˈveri ʃɔːrt taɪm bɪˈfɔːr ðə əˈpɪrəns ʌv hɪz ˌjʊrəˈpiːən ˈmæstərz wɪŋz hed ɪn spaɪt ʌv ə ˈdesprɪt ˈstrʌɡəl tuː kiːp ɪt fɜːrm hæd bɪˈɡʌn tuː nɑːd ðen tuː meɪk lɔːŋ sloʊ ˈɡreɪsfəl baʊz æt ðə ˈwestərn skaɪ tɪl æt læst æz ɪf ðə streɪn əˈpɑːn hɪz aɪz ɪn ˈwɑːtʃɪŋ hæd əˈfektɪd ðə puːr ˈfeloʊz breɪn wɪð æn ˌʌnkənˈtroʊləbəl ˈdraʊzinəs hɪz hed went raɪt daʊn tuː rest bɪˈtwiːn hɪz niːz/
Line 3
There he crouched as if in a saddle; and then he was motionless, and looking wonderfully like a beautifully carved finial placed by a cunning builder as an ornament to the great gable-end.
Line 4
"Poor beggar!
/puːr ˈbeɡər/
Line 5
It was too bad to leave him so long," said Blunt.
/ɪt wɑːz tuː bæd tuː liːv hɪm soʊ lɔːŋ sed blʌnt/

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.

baking noun US /ˈbeɪkɪŋ/

making bread or cake or pastry etc.

From this reading “Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.”

builder noun US /ˈbɪldər/

a substance added to soaps or detergents to increase their cleansing action

From this reading “There he crouched as if in a saddle; and then he was motionless, and looking wonderfully like a beautifully carved finial placed by a cunning builder as an ornament to the great gable-end.”

drowsiness noun US /ˈdraʊzinəs/

a very sleepy state

From this reading “Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.”

employers noun US /emˈplɔɪərz/

plural of “employer” — a person or firm that employs workers

From this reading “Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.”

exhaustion noun US /ɪɡˈzɔːstʃən/

extreme fatigue

From this reading “Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.”

fasting noun US /ˈfæstɪŋ/

abstaining from food

From this reading “Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.”

uncontrollable adjective US /ˌʌnkənˈtroʊləbəl/

difficult to solve or alleviate

From this reading “Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.”

Wing's noun US /wɪŋz/

possessive form of “wing” — a movable organ for flying (one of a pair)

From this reading “Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.”

Word partnerships in these lines

English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.

Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.

beautifully carved adverb + adjective

In this reading “There he crouched as if in a saddle; and then he was motionless, and looking wonderfully like a beautifully carved finial placed by a cunning builder as an ornament to the great gable-end.”

western sky adjective + noun

In this reading “Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.”

poor fellow adjective + noun

In this reading “Asleep the poor fellow was, and no wonder.”

graceful bows adjective + noun counted as “graceful bow”

In this reading “Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.”

Poor beggar adjective + noun

In this reading “"Poor beggar!”

short time adjective + noun

In this reading “Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.”

in spite preposition + noun

In this reading “Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.”

straining eyes noun + noun

In this reading “Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.”

All words in this reading · 102

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 Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.

affectedadjectiveUS /əˈfektɪd/

acted upon; influenced

From this reading Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.

afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Asleep the poor fellow was, and no wonder.

appearancenounUS /əˈpɪrəns/

outward or visible aspect of a person or thing

From this reading Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.

AsleepadjectiveUS /əˈsliːp/

in a state of sleep

From this reading Asleep the poor fellow was, and no wonder.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.

badadjectiveUS /bæd/

having undesirable or negative qualities

From this reading It was too bad to leave him so long," said Blunt.

bakingnounUS /ˈbeɪkɪŋ/

making bread or cake or pastry etc.

From this reading Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.

beautifullyadverbUS /ˈbjuːtəfli/

in a beautiful manner

From this reading There he crouched as if in a saddle; and then he was motionless, and looking wonderfully like a beautifully carved finial placed by a cunning builder as an ornament to the great gable-end.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.

beggarnounUS /ˈbeɡər/

a pauper who lives by begging

From this reading "Poor beggar!

begunverbUS /bɪˈɡʌn/

inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

From this reading Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.

betweenprepositionUS /bɪˈtwiːn/

in the space, time, or range separating two things

From this reading Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.

BluntadjectiveUS /blʌnt/

having a broad or rounded end

From this reading It was too bad to leave him so long," said Blunt.

bowsnounUS /baʊz/

plural of “bow” — a knot with two loops and loose ends; used to tie shoelaces

From this reading Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.

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 Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.

buildernounUS /ˈbɪldər/

a substance added to soaps or detergents to increase their cleansing action

From this reading There he crouched as if in a saddle; and then he was motionless, and looking wonderfully like a beautifully carved finial placed by a cunning builder as an ornament to the great gable-end.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading There he crouched as if in a saddle; and then he was motionless, and looking wonderfully like a beautifully carved finial placed by a cunning builder as an ornament to the great gable-end.

carvedadjectiveUS /kɑːrvd/

made for or formed by carving (“carven” is archaic or literary)

From this reading There he crouched as if in a saddle; and then he was motionless, and looking wonderfully like a beautifully carved finial placed by a cunning builder as an ornament to the great gable-end.

crouchedverbUS /kraʊtʃt/

past form of “crouch” — bend one's back forward from the waist on down

From this reading There he crouched as if in a saddle; and then he was motionless, and looking wonderfully like a beautifully carved finial placed by a cunning builder as an ornament to the great gable-end.

cunningadjectiveUS /ˈkʌnɪŋ/

attractive especially by means of smallness or prettiness or quaintness

From this reading There he crouched as if in a saddle; and then he was motionless, and looking wonderfully like a beautifully carved finial placed by a cunning builder as an ornament to the great gable-end.

desperateadjectiveUS /ˈdesprɪt/

arising from or marked by despair or loss of hope

From this reading Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.

downadjectiveUS /daʊn/

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.

drowsinessnounUS /ˈdraʊzinəs/

a very sleepy state

From this reading Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.

DutynounUS /ˈduːti/

the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force

From this reading Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.

employersnounUS /emˈplɔɪərz/

plural of “employer” — a person or firm that employs workers

From this reading Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.

EuropeannounUS /ˌjʊrəˈpiːən/

a native or inhabitant of Europe

From this reading Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.

exhaustionnounUS /ɪɡˈzɔːstʃən/

extreme fatigue

From this reading Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.

eyesnounUS /aɪz/

opinion or judgment

From this reading Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.

fastingnounUS /ˈfæstɪŋ/

abstaining from food

From this reading Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.

fellownounUS /ˈfeloʊ/

a boy or man

From this reading Asleep the poor fellow was, and no wonder.

fellow'snounUS /ˈfeloʊz/

possessive form of “fellow” — a boy or man

From this reading Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.

finialnoun

an ornament at the top of a spire or gable; usually a foliated fleur-de-lis

From this reading There he crouched as if in a saddle; and then he was motionless, and looking wonderfully like a beautifully carved finial placed by a cunning builder as an ornament to the great gable-end.

firmadjectiveUS /fɜːrm/

marked by firm determination or resolution; not shakable

From this reading Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.

gable-end

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

From this reading There he crouched as if in a saddle; and then he was motionless, and looking wonderfully like a beautifully carved finial placed by a cunning builder as an ornament to the great gable-end.

gracefuladjectiveUS /ˈɡreɪsfəl/

characterized by beauty of movement, style, form, or execution

From this reading Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.

greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

From this reading There he crouched as if in a saddle; and then he was motionless, and looking wonderfully like a beautifully carved finial placed by a cunning builder as an ornament to the great gable-end.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading There he crouched as if in a saddle; and then he was motionless, and looking wonderfully like a beautifully carved finial placed by a cunning builder as an ornament to the great gable-end.

headnounUS /hed/

the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains

From this reading Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading It was too bad to leave him so long," said Blunt.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.

holdverbUS /hoʊld/

cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”

From this reading Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.

hoursnounUS /ˈaʊərz/

a period of time assigned for work

From this reading Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.

keepverbUS /kiːp/

cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”

From this reading Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.

kneesnounUS /niːz/

plural of “knee” — hinge joint in the human leg connecting the tibia and fibula with the femur and protected in front by the patella

From this reading Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.

lastadjectiveUS /læst/

immediately past

From this reading Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.

leaveverbUS /liːv/

go away from a place

From this reading It was too bad to leave him so long," said Blunt.

likeverbUS /laɪk/

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading There he crouched as if in a saddle; and then he was motionless, and looking wonderfully like a beautifully carved finial placed by a cunning builder as an ornament to the great gable-end.

longadjectiveUS /lɔːŋ/

primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified

From this reading Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.

lookingnounUS /ˈlʊkɪŋ/

the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually

From this reading There he crouched as if in a saddle; and then he was motionless, and looking wonderfully like a beautifully carved finial placed by a cunning builder as an ornament to the great gable-end.

makeverbUS /meɪk/

engage in

From this reading Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.

mastersnounUS /ˈmæstərz/

United States poet (1869-1950)

From this reading Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.

motionlessadjectiveUS /ˈmoʊʃənləs/

not in physical motion

From this reading There he crouched as if in a saddle; and then he was motionless, and looking wonderfully like a beautifully carved finial placed by a cunning builder as an ornament to the great gable-end.

naturenounUS /ˈneɪtʃər/

the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized

From this reading Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading Asleep the poor fellow was, and no wonder.

nodverbUS /nɑːd/

express or signify by nodding

From this reading Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.

ornamentverbUS /ˈɔːrnəmənt/

make more attractive by adding ornament, colour, etc.

From this reading There he crouched as if in a saddle; and then he was motionless, and looking wonderfully like a beautifully carved finial placed by a cunning builder as an ornament to the great gable-end.

placedadjectiveUS /pleɪst/

situated in a particular spot or position

From this reading There he crouched as if in a saddle; and then he was motionless, and looking wonderfully like a beautifully carved finial placed by a cunning builder as an ornament to the great gable-end.

pooradjectiveUS /puːr/

deserving or inciting pity

From this reading Asleep the poor fellow was, and no wonder.

restverbUS /rest/

not move; be in a resting position

From this reading Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.

rightadverbUS /raɪt/

precisely, exactly

From this reading Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.

roofnounUS /ruːf/

a protective covering that covers or forms the top of a building

From this reading Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.

saddleverbUS /ˈsædəl/

put a saddle on

From this reading There he crouched as if in a saddle; and then he was motionless, and looking wonderfully like a beautifully carved finial placed by a cunning builder as an ornament to the great gable-end.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading It was too bad to leave him so long," said Blunt.

shortadjectiveUS /ʃɔːrt/

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

From this reading Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.

skynounUS /skaɪ/

the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth

From this reading Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.

slowadjectiveUS /sloʊ/

not moving quickly; taking a comparatively long time

From this reading Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading It was too bad to leave him so long," said Blunt.

spitenounUS /spaɪt/

feeling a need to see others suffer

From this reading Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.

strainnounUS /streɪn/

(physics) deformation of a physical body under the action of applied forces

From this reading Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.

strainingnounUS /ˈstreɪnɪŋ/

an intense or violent exertion

From this reading Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.

strongadjectiveUS /strɔːŋ/

having strength or power greater than average or expected

From this reading Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.

strongeradjectiveUS /ˈstrɔːŋər/

comparative of “strong” — having strength or power greater than average or expected

From this reading Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.

struggleverbUS /ˈstrʌɡəl/

make a strenuous or labored effort

From this reading Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Asleep the poor fellow was, and no wonder.

thenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.

ThereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading There he crouched as if in a saddle; and then he was motionless, and looking wonderfully like a beautifully carved finial placed by a cunning builder as an ornament to the great gable-end.

tillprepositionUS /tɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.

tooadverbUS /tuː/

to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits

From this reading It was too bad to leave him so long," said Blunt.

uncontrollableadjectiveUS /ˌʌnkənˈtroʊləbəl/

difficult to solve or alleviate

From this reading Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Asleep the poor fellow was, and no wonder.

watchingnounUS /ˈwɑːtʃɪŋ/

the act of observing; taking a patient look

From this reading Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.

wentverbUS /went/

inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.

westernadjectiveUS /ˈwestərn/

relating to or characteristic of the western parts of the world or the West as opposed to the eastern or oriental parts

From this reading Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.

Wing'snounUS /wɪŋz/

possessive form of “wing” — a movable organ for flying (one of a pair)

From this reading Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Duty to his employers had a strong hold, but nature and exhaustion, after hours of baking and fasting upon the roof with straining eyes, were stronger; and but a very short time before the appearance of his European masters, Wing's head, in spite of a desperate struggle to keep it firm, had begun to nod, then to make long, slow, graceful bows at the western sky, till at last, as if the strain upon his eyes in watching had affected the poor fellow's brain with an uncontrollable drowsiness, his head went right down, to rest between his knees.

wondernounUS /ˈwʌndər/

the feeling aroused by something strange and surprising

From this reading Asleep the poor fellow was, and no wonder.

wonderfullyadverbUS /ˈwʌndərfəli/

(used as an intensifier) extremely well

From this reading There he crouched as if in a saddle; and then he was motionless, and looking wonderfully like a beautifully carved finial placed by a cunning builder as an ornament to the great gable-end.

Chapter 8 of Stan Lynn: A Boy's Adventures in China by George Manville Fenn holds 432 sentences, grouped into 87 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.

What does chapter 8 of Stan Lynn: A Boy's Adventures in China contain?

Chapter 8 holds 432 sentences of Stan Lynn: A Boy's Adventures in China, unabridged, divided into 87 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 8 of Stan Lynn: A Boy's Adventures in China by George Manville Fenn exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 432 sentences, grouped into 87 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 8 of Stan Lynn: A Boy's Adventures in China?

Work through the 87 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 87 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 8 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 8 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 Stan Lynn: A Boy's Adventures in China

Common questions about reading Stan Lynn: A Boy's Adventures in China by George Manville Fenn on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Stan Lynn: A Boy's Adventures in China?

Yes. All 5970 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #34494 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Stan Lynn: A Boy's Adventures in China is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #34494, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Stan Lynn: A Boy's Adventures in China take to read?

About 497 minutes of reading across 1194 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Stan Lynn: A Boy's Adventures in China section by section

How to work through Stan Lynn: A Boy's Adventures in China section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 14 chapters of Stan Lynn: A Boy's Adventures in China 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 Stan Lynn: A Boy's Adventures in China

Words and structures a reader meets early in Stan Lynn: A Boy's Adventures in China, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

George
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Stan Lynn: A Boy's Adventures in China; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Manville
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Stan Lynn: A Boy's Adventures in China; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Chapter
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Stan Lynn: A Boy's Adventures in China; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Sword
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Stan Lynn: A Boy's Adventures in China; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.