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The Brothers Karamazov
The Brothers Karamazov

Chapter XXXIV · Chapter 34

Chapter 34 of The Brothers Karamazov is here in full — 340 sentences across 68 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/68 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
The Fatal Day At ten o’clock in the morning of the day following the events I have described, the trial of Dmitri Karamazov began in our district court.
I hasten to emphasize the fact that I am far from esteeming myself capable of reporting all that took place at the trial in full detail, or even in the actual order of events.
I imagine that to mention everything with full explanation would fill a volume, even a very large one.
And so I trust I may not be reproached, for confining myself to what struck me.
I may have selected as of most interest what was of secondary importance, and may have omitted the most prominent and essential details.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Brothers Karamazov

Chapter XXXIV · Chapter 34

Chapter 34 of The Brothers Karamazov is here in full — 340 sentences across 68 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/68 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
The Fatal Day At ten o’clock in the morning of the day following the events I have described, the trial of Dmitri Karamazov began in our district court.
Line 2
I hasten to emphasize the fact that I am far from esteeming myself capable of reporting all that took place at the trial in full detail, or even in the actual order of events.
Line 3
I imagine that to mention everything with full explanation would fill a volume, even a very large one.
/aɪ ˌɪˈmædʒən ðæt tuː ˈmenʃən ˈevriθɪŋ wɪð fʊl ˌekspləˈneɪʃən wʊd fɪl ə ˈvɑːljuːm ˈiːvɪn ə ˈveri lɑːrdʒ wʌn/
Line 4
And so I trust I may not be reproached, for confining myself to what struck me.
Line 5
I may have selected as of most interest what was of secondary importance, and may have omitted the most prominent and essential details.
/aɪ meɪ hæv səˈlektɪd æz ʌv moʊst ˈɪntrəst wʌt wɑːz ʌv ˈsekənderi ˌɪmˈpɔːrtəns ənd meɪ hæv oʊˈmɪtəd ðə moʊst ˈprɑːmənənt ənd eˈsenʃəl dɪˈteɪlz/

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.

confining adjective US /kənˈfaɪnɪŋ/

restricting the scope or freedom of action

From this reading “And so I trust I may not be reproached, for confining myself to what struck me.”

emphasize verb US /ˈemfəsaɪz/

to stress, single out as important

From this reading “I hasten to emphasize the fact that I am far from esteeming myself capable of reporting all that took place at the trial in full detail, or even in the actual order of events.”

essential adjective US /eˈsenʃəl/

absolutely necessary; vitally necessary

From this reading “I may have selected as of most interest what was of secondary importance, and may have omitted the most prominent and essential details.”

hasten verb US /ˈheɪsən/

act or move at high speed

From this reading “I hasten to emphasize the fact that I am far from esteeming myself capable of reporting all that took place at the trial in full detail, or even in the actual order of events.”

omitted verb US /oʊˈmɪtəd/

inflected form of “omit” — prevent from being included or considered or accepted

From this reading “I may have selected as of most interest what was of secondary importance, and may have omitted the most prominent and essential details.”

prominent adjective US /ˈprɑːmənənt/

having a quality that thrusts itself into attention

From this reading “I may have selected as of most interest what was of secondary importance, and may have omitted the most prominent and essential details.”

reporting noun US /riˈpɔːrtɪŋ/

the news as presented by reporters for newspapers or radio or television

From this reading “I hasten to emphasize the fact that I am far from esteeming myself capable of reporting all that took place at the trial in full detail, or even in the actual order of events.”

secondary adjective US /ˈsekənderi/

being of second rank or importance or value; not direct or immediate

From this reading “I may have selected as of most interest what was of secondary importance, and may have omitted the most prominent and essential details.”

All words in this reading · 77

Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.

Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading I imagine that to mention everything with full explanation would fill a volume, even a very large one.

actualadjectiveUS /ˈæktʃəwəl/

presently existing in fact and not merely potential or possible

From this reading I hasten to emphasize the fact that I am far from esteeming myself capable of reporting all that took place at the trial in full detail, or even in the actual order of events.

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(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 I hasten to emphasize the fact that I am far from esteeming myself capable of reporting all that took place at the trial in full detail, or even in the actual order of events.

amauxiliary verbUS /æm/

the form of “be” used with “I”

From this reading I hasten to emphasize the fact that I am far from esteeming myself capable of reporting all that took place at the trial in full detail, or even in the actual order of events.

AndconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading And so I trust I may not be reproached, for confining myself to what struck me.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading I may have selected as of most interest what was of secondary importance, and may have omitted the most prominent and essential details.

AtprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading The Fatal Day At ten o’clock in the morning of the day following the events I have described, the trial of Dmitri Karamazov began in our district court.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading And so I trust I may not be reproached, for confining myself to what struck me.

beganverbUS /bɪˈɡæn/

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

From this reading The Fatal Day At ten o’clock in the morning of the day following the events I have described, the trial of Dmitri Karamazov began in our district court.

capableadjectiveUS /ˈkeɪpəbəl/

(usually followed by “of”) having capacity or ability

From this reading I hasten to emphasize the fact that I am far from esteeming myself capable of reporting all that took place at the trial in full detail, or even in the actual order of events.

confiningadjectiveUS /kənˈfaɪnɪŋ/

restricting the scope or freedom of action

From this reading And so I trust I may not be reproached, for confining myself to what struck me.

courtnounUS /kɔːrt/

an assembly (including one or more judges) to conduct judicial business

From this reading The Fatal Day At ten o’clock in the morning of the day following the events I have described, the trial of Dmitri Karamazov began in our district court.

DaynounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading The Fatal Day At ten o’clock in the morning of the day following the events I have described, the trial of Dmitri Karamazov began in our district court.

describedadjectiveUS /dɪˈskraɪbd/

represented in words especially with sharpness and detail

From this reading The Fatal Day At ten o’clock in the morning of the day following the events I have described, the trial of Dmitri Karamazov began in our district court.

detailnounUS /dɪˈteɪl/

an isolated fact that is considered separately from the whole

From this reading I hasten to emphasize the fact that I am far from esteeming myself capable of reporting all that took place at the trial in full detail, or even in the actual order of events.

detailsnounUS /dɪˈteɪlz/

true confidential information

From this reading I may have selected as of most interest what was of secondary importance, and may have omitted the most prominent and essential details.

districtnounUS /ˈdɪstrɪkt/

a region marked off for administrative or other purposes

From this reading The Fatal Day At ten o’clock in the morning of the day following the events I have described, the trial of Dmitri Karamazov began in our district court.

Dmitri

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

From this reading The Fatal Day At ten o’clock in the morning of the day following the events I have described, the trial of Dmitri Karamazov began in our district court.

emphasizeverbUS /ˈemfəsaɪz/

to stress, single out as important

From this reading I hasten to emphasize the fact that I am far from esteeming myself capable of reporting all that took place at the trial in full detail, or even in the actual order of events.

essentialadjectiveUS /eˈsenʃəl/

absolutely necessary; vitally necessary

From this reading I may have selected as of most interest what was of secondary importance, and may have omitted the most prominent and essential details.

esteeming

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

From this reading I hasten to emphasize the fact that I am far from esteeming myself capable of reporting all that took place at the trial in full detail, or even in the actual order of events.

evenadjectiveUS /ˈiːvɪn/

divisible by two

From this reading I hasten to emphasize the fact that I am far from esteeming myself capable of reporting all that took place at the trial in full detail, or even in the actual order of events.

eventsnounUS /ɪˈvents/

plural of “event” — something that happens at a given place and time

From this reading The Fatal Day At ten o’clock in the morning of the day following the events I have described, the trial of Dmitri Karamazov began in our district court.

everythingpronounUS /ˈevriθɪŋ/

all things; all of a situation

From this reading I imagine that to mention everything with full explanation would fill a volume, even a very large one.

explanationnounUS /ˌekspləˈneɪʃən/

a statement that makes something comprehensible by describing the relevant structure or operation or circumstances etc.

From this reading I imagine that to mention everything with full explanation would fill a volume, even a very large one.

factnounUS /fækt/

a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred

From this reading I hasten to emphasize the fact that I am far from esteeming myself capable of reporting all that took place at the trial in full detail, or even in the actual order of events.

faradverbUS /fɑːr/

to a considerable degree; very much

From this reading I hasten to emphasize the fact that I am far from esteeming myself capable of reporting all that took place at the trial in full detail, or even in the actual order of events.

FataladjectiveUS /ˈfeɪtəl/

bringing death

From this reading The Fatal Day At ten o’clock in the morning of the day following the events I have described, the trial of Dmitri Karamazov began in our district court.

fillverbUS /fɪl/

make full, also in a metaphorical sense

From this reading I imagine that to mention everything with full explanation would fill a volume, even a very large one.

followingadjectiveUS /ˈfɑːloʊɪŋ/

about to be mentioned or specified

From this reading The Fatal Day At ten o’clock in the morning of the day following the events I have described, the trial of Dmitri Karamazov began in our district court.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading And so I trust I may not be reproached, for confining myself to what struck me.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading I hasten to emphasize the fact that I am far from esteeming myself capable of reporting all that took place at the trial in full detail, or even in the actual order of events.

fulladjectiveUS /fʊl/

containing as much or as many as is possible or normal

From this reading I hasten to emphasize the fact that I am far from esteeming myself capable of reporting all that took place at the trial in full detail, or even in the actual order of events.

hastenverbUS /ˈheɪsən/

act or move at high speed

From this reading I hasten to emphasize the fact that I am far from esteeming myself capable of reporting all that took place at the trial in full detail, or even in the actual order of events.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading The Fatal Day At ten o’clock in the morning of the day following the events I have described, the trial of Dmitri Karamazov began in our district court.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading The Fatal Day At ten o’clock in the morning of the day following the events I have described, the trial of Dmitri Karamazov began in our district court.

imagineverbUS /ˌɪˈmædʒən/

form a mental image of something that is not present or that is not the case

From this reading I imagine that to mention everything with full explanation would fill a volume, even a very large one.

importancenounUS /ˌɪmˈpɔːrtəns/

the quality of being important and worthy of note

From this reading I may have selected as of most interest what was of secondary importance, and may have omitted the most prominent and essential details.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading The Fatal Day At ten o’clock in the morning of the day following the events I have described, the trial of Dmitri Karamazov began in our district court.

interestnounUS /ˈɪntrəst/

a sense of concern with and curiosity about someone or something

From this reading I may have selected as of most interest what was of secondary importance, and may have omitted the most prominent and essential details.

Karamazov

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

From this reading The Fatal Day At ten o’clock in the morning of the day following the events I have described, the trial of Dmitri Karamazov began in our district court.

largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/

above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading I imagine that to mention everything with full explanation would fill a volume, even a very large one.

maymodal verbUS /meɪ/

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading And so I trust I may not be reproached, for confining myself to what struck me.

mepronounUS /miː/

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

From this reading And so I trust I may not be reproached, for confining myself to what struck me.

mentionverbUS /ˈmenʃən/

make reference to

From this reading I imagine that to mention everything with full explanation would fill a volume, even a very large one.

morningnounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading The Fatal Day At ten o’clock in the morning of the day following the events I have described, the trial of Dmitri Karamazov began in our district court.

mostadverbUS /moʊst/

used to form the superlative

From this reading I may have selected as of most interest what was of secondary importance, and may have omitted the most prominent and essential details.

myselfpronounUS /ˌmaɪˈself/

used when the speaker is also the object of the action

From this reading I hasten to emphasize the fact that I am far from esteeming myself capable of reporting all that took place at the trial in full detail, or even in the actual order of events.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading And so I trust I may not be reproached, for confining myself to what struck me.

o'clockadverbUS /əˈklɑːk/

according to the clock

From this reading The Fatal Day At ten o’clock in the morning of the day following the events I have described, the trial of Dmitri Karamazov began in our district court.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The Fatal Day At ten o’clock in the morning of the day following the events I have described, the trial of Dmitri Karamazov began in our district court.

omittedverbUS /oʊˈmɪtəd/

inflected form of “omit” — prevent from being included or considered or accepted

From this reading I may have selected as of most interest what was of secondary importance, and may have omitted the most prominent and essential details.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading I imagine that to mention everything with full explanation would fill a volume, even a very large one.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading I hasten to emphasize the fact that I am far from esteeming myself capable of reporting all that took place at the trial in full detail, or even in the actual order of events.

ordernounUS /ˈɔːrdər/

(often plural) a command given by a superior (e.g., a military or law enforcement officer) that must be obeyed

From this reading I hasten to emphasize the fact that I am far from esteeming myself capable of reporting all that took place at the trial in full detail, or even in the actual order of events.

ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading The Fatal Day At ten o’clock in the morning of the day following the events I have described, the trial of Dmitri Karamazov began in our district court.

placenounUS /pleɪs/

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading I hasten to emphasize the fact that I am far from esteeming myself capable of reporting all that took place at the trial in full detail, or even in the actual order of events.

prominentadjectiveUS /ˈprɑːmənənt/

having a quality that thrusts itself into attention

From this reading I may have selected as of most interest what was of secondary importance, and may have omitted the most prominent and essential details.

reportingnounUS /riˈpɔːrtɪŋ/

the news as presented by reporters for newspapers or radio or television

From this reading I hasten to emphasize the fact that I am far from esteeming myself capable of reporting all that took place at the trial in full detail, or even in the actual order of events.

reproached

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

From this reading And so I trust I may not be reproached, for confining myself to what struck me.

secondaryadjectiveUS /ˈsekənderi/

being of second rank or importance or value; not direct or immediate

From this reading I may have selected as of most interest what was of secondary importance, and may have omitted the most prominent and essential details.

selectedadjectiveUS /səˈlektɪd/

chosen in preference to another

From this reading I may have selected as of most interest what was of secondary importance, and may have omitted the most prominent and essential details.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading And so I trust I may not be reproached, for confining myself to what struck me.

struckadjectiveUS /strʌk/

(used in combination) affected by something overwhelming

From this reading And so I trust I may not be reproached, for confining myself to what struck me.

tennounUS /ten/

the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system

From this reading The Fatal Day At ten o’clock in the morning of the day following the events I have described, the trial of Dmitri Karamazov began in our district court.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading I hasten to emphasize the fact that I am far from esteeming myself capable of reporting all that took place at the trial in full detail, or even in the actual order of events.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading The Fatal Day At ten o’clock in the morning of the day following the events I have described, the trial of Dmitri Karamazov began in our district court.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading I hasten to emphasize the fact that I am far from esteeming myself capable of reporting all that took place at the trial in full detail, or even in the actual order of events.

tookverbUS /tʊk/

inflected form of “take” — carry out

From this reading I hasten to emphasize the fact that I am far from esteeming myself capable of reporting all that took place at the trial in full detail, or even in the actual order of events.

trialnounUS /ˈtraɪəl/

the act of testing something

From this reading The Fatal Day At ten o’clock in the morning of the day following the events I have described, the trial of Dmitri Karamazov began in our district court.

trustnounUS /trʌst/

something (as property) held by one party (the trustee) for the benefit of another (the beneficiary)

From this reading And so I trust I may not be reproached, for confining myself to what struck me.

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading I imagine that to mention everything with full explanation would fill a volume, even a very large one.

volumenounUS /ˈvɑːljuːm/

the amount of 3-dimensional space occupied by an object

From this reading I imagine that to mention everything with full explanation would fill a volume, even a very large one.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading I may have selected as of most interest what was of secondary importance, and may have omitted the most prominent and essential details.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading And so I trust I may not be reproached, for confining myself to what struck me.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading I imagine that to mention everything with full explanation would fill a volume, even a very large one.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading I imagine that to mention everything with full explanation would fill a volume, even a very large one.

Chapter 34 of The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky holds 340 sentences, grouped into 68 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 34 of The Brothers Karamazov contain?

Chapter 34 holds 340 sentences of The Brothers Karamazov, unabridged, divided into 68 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 34 of The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 340 sentences, grouped into 68 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 34 of The Brothers Karamazov?

Work through the 68 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 68 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 34 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 34 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 The Brothers Karamazov

Common questions about reading The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Brothers Karamazov?

Yes. All 23728 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #28054 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Brothers Karamazov is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #28054, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Brothers Karamazov take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 4746 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Brothers Karamazov section by section

How to work through The Brothers Karamazov section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

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  2. Read one section

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  3. Listen and tap

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

Vocabulary met early in The Brothers Karamazov

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Brothers Karamazov, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Alexey
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Brothers Karamazov; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Fyodorovitch
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Brothers Karamazov; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Karamazov
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Brothers Karamazov; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Third
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Brothers Karamazov; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.