Chapter 13 of The American Language is here in full — 171 sentences across 35 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XIII
Chapter 13 of The American Language is here in full — 171 sentences across 35 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
his-or-her, 225. hisself, 190, 224, 225. hist, /v./, 91, 195, 236. histed, 195. historical, 62. hist'ry, 238. hit, /v./, 195. hitched, 319. Hite, 275. hither, 145, 228. hoarding, /n./, 27, 97, 102. hobo, 14, 14n, 133, 161. Hobson-Jobson, 41. hoch, 89. Hoch, 275. Hock, 100, 104. hod-carrier, 99.
Chapter 13 of The American Language is here in full — 171 sentences across 35 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/34 · 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.
of or relating to the study of history
From this reading “his-or-her, 225. hisself, 190, 224, 225. hist, /v./, 91, 195, 236. histed, 195. historical, 62. hist'ry, 238. hit, /v./, 195. hitched, 319.”
cause to move by striking
From this reading “his-or-her, 225. hisself, 190, 224, 225. hist, /v./, 91, 195, 236. histed, 195. historical, 62. hist'ry, 238. hit, /v./, 195. hitched, 319.”
past form of “hitch” — to hook or entangle
From this reading “his-or-her, 225. hisself, 190, 224, 225. hist, /v./, 91, 195, 236. histed, 195. historical, 62. hist'ry, 238. hit, /v./, 195. hitched, 319.”
an old word meaning “to this place”
From this reading “Hite, 275. hither, 145, 228. hoarding, /n./, 27, 97, 102. hobo, 14, 14n, 133, 161.”
large outdoor signboard
From this reading “Hite, 275. hither, 145, 228. hoarding, /n./, 27, 97, 102. hobo, 14, 14n, 133, 161.”
a vagrant
From this reading “Hite, 275. hither, 145, 228. hoarding, /n./, 27, 97, 102. hobo, 14, 14n, 133, 161.”
leave as a guarantee in return for money
From this reading “Hock, 100, 104. hod-carrier, 99.”
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.
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 Hock, 100, 104. hod-carrier, 99.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Hite, 275. hither, 145, 228. hoarding, /n./, 27, 97, 102. hobo, 14, 14n, 133, 161.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Hock, 100, 104. hod-carrier, 99.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Hite, 275. hither, 145, 228. hoarding, /n./, 27, 97, 102. hobo, 14, 14n, 133, 161.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Hite, 275. hither, 145, 228. hoarding, /n./, 27, 97, 102. hobo, 14, 14n, 133, 161.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Hite, 275. hither, 145, 228. hoarding, /n./, 27, 97, 102. hobo, 14, 14n, 133, 161.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Hite, 275. hither, 145, 228. hoarding, /n./, 27, 97, 102. hobo, 14, 14n, 133, 161.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading his-or-her, 225. hisself, 190, 224, 225. hist, /v./, 91, 195, 236. histed, 195. historical, 62. hist'ry, 238. hit, /v./, 195. hitched, 319.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading his-or-her, 225. hisself, 190, 224, 225. hist, /v./, 91, 195, 236. histed, 195. historical, 62. hist'ry, 238. hit, /v./, 195. hitched, 319.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading his-or-her, 225. hisself, 190, 224, 225. hist, /v./, 91, 195, 236. histed, 195. historical, 62. hist'ry, 238. hit, /v./, 195. hitched, 319.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading his-or-her, 225. hisself, 190, 224, 225. hist, /v./, 91, 195, 236. histed, 195. historical, 62. hist'ry, 238. hit, /v./, 195. hitched, 319.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Hite, 275. hither, 145, 228. hoarding, /n./, 27, 97, 102. hobo, 14, 14n, 133, 161.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading his-or-her, 225. hisself, 190, 224, 225. hist, /v./, 91, 195, 236. histed, 195. historical, 62. hist'ry, 238. hit, /v./, 195. hitched, 319.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading his-or-her, 225. hisself, 190, 224, 225. hist, /v./, 91, 195, 236. histed, 195. historical, 62. hist'ry, 238. hit, /v./, 195. hitched, 319.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Hite, 275. hither, 145, 228. hoarding, /n./, 27, 97, 102. hobo, 14, 14n, 133, 161.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Hite, 275. hither, 145, 228. hoarding, /n./, 27, 97, 102. hobo, 14, 14n, 133, 161.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading his-or-her, 225. hisself, 190, 224, 225. hist, /v./, 91, 195, 236. histed, 195. historical, 62. hist'ry, 238. hit, /v./, 195. hitched, 319.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Hobson-Jobson, 41. hoch, 89.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading his-or-her, 225. hisself, 190, 224, 225. hist, /v./, 91, 195, 236. histed, 195. historical, 62. hist'ry, 238. hit, /v./, 195. hitched, 319.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Hobson-Jobson, 41. hoch, 89.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading his-or-her, 225. hisself, 190, 224, 225. hist, /v./, 91, 195, 236. histed, 195. historical, 62. hist'ry, 238. hit, /v./, 195. hitched, 319.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Hite, 275. hither, 145, 228. hoarding, /n./, 27, 97, 102. hobo, 14, 14n, 133, 161.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Hock, 100, 104. hod-carrier, 99.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading his-or-her, 225. hisself, 190, 224, 225. hist, /v./, 91, 195, 236. histed, 195. historical, 62. hist'ry, 238. hit, /v./, 195. hitched, 319.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading his-or-her, 225. hisself, 190, 224, 225. hist, /v./, 91, 195, 236. histed, 195. historical, 62. hist'ry, 238. hit, /v./, 195. hitched, 319.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading his-or-her, 225. hisself, 190, 224, 225. hist, /v./, 91, 195, 236. histed, 195. historical, 62. hist'ry, 238. hit, /v./, 195. hitched, 319.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading his-or-her, 225. hisself, 190, 224, 225. hist, /v./, 91, 195, 236. histed, 195. historical, 62. hist'ry, 238. hit, /v./, 195. hitched, 319.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading his-or-her, 225. hisself, 190, 224, 225. hist, /v./, 91, 195, 236. histed, 195. historical, 62. hist'ry, 238. hit, /v./, 195. hitched, 319.
of or relating to the study of history
From this reading his-or-her, 225. hisself, 190, 224, 225. hist, /v./, 91, 195, 236. histed, 195. historical, 62. hist'ry, 238. hit, /v./, 195. hitched, 319.
cause to move by striking
From this reading his-or-her, 225. hisself, 190, 224, 225. hist, /v./, 91, 195, 236. histed, 195. historical, 62. hist'ry, 238. hit, /v./, 195. hitched, 319.
past form of “hitch” — to hook or entangle
From this reading his-or-her, 225. hisself, 190, 224, 225. hist, /v./, 91, 195, 236. histed, 195. historical, 62. hist'ry, 238. hit, /v./, 195. hitched, 319.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Hite, 275. hither, 145, 228. hoarding, /n./, 27, 97, 102. hobo, 14, 14n, 133, 161.
an old word meaning “to this place”
From this reading Hite, 275. hither, 145, 228. hoarding, /n./, 27, 97, 102. hobo, 14, 14n, 133, 161.
large outdoor signboard
From this reading Hite, 275. hither, 145, 228. hoarding, /n./, 27, 97, 102. hobo, 14, 14n, 133, 161.
a vagrant
From this reading Hite, 275. hither, 145, 228. hoarding, /n./, 27, 97, 102. hobo, 14, 14n, 133, 161.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Hobson-Jobson, 41. hoch, 89.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Hobson-Jobson, 41. hoch, 89.
leave as a guarantee in return for money
From this reading Hock, 100, 104. hod-carrier, 99.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Hock, 100, 104. hod-carrier, 99.
a common nonmetallic element that is normally a colorless odorless tasteless inert diatomic gas; constitutes 78 percent of the atmosphere by volume; a constituent of all living tissues
From this reading Hite, 275. hither, 145, 228. hoarding, /n./, 27, 97, 102. hobo, 14, 14n, 133, 161.
a unit of potential equal to the potential difference between two points on a conductor carrying a current of 1 ampere when the power dissipated between the two points is 1 watt
From this reading his-or-her, 225. hisself, 190, 224, 225. hist, /v./, 91, 195, 236. histed, 195. historical, 62. hist'ry, 238. hit, /v./, 195. hitched, 319.
Chapter 13 of The American Language by H. L. (Henry Louis) Mencken holds 171 sentences, grouped into 35 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 13 holds 171 sentences of The American Language, unabridged, divided into 35 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 13 of The American Language by H. L. (Henry Louis) Mencken exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 171 sentences, grouped into 35 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 35 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 35 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.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 13 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.
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Project Gutenberg eBook #43376, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 579 minutes of reading across 1391 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The American Language section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 17 chapters of The American Language to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in The American Language, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
