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The Castle of Otranto
The Castle of Otranto

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of The Castle of Otranto 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
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Manfred, Prince of Otranto, had one son and one daughter: the latter, a most beautiful virgin, aged eighteen, was called Matilda.
Conrad, the son, was three years younger, a homely youth, sickly, and of no promising disposition; yet he was the darling of his father, who never showed any symptoms of affection to Matilda.
Manfred had contracted a marriage for his son with the Marquis of Vicenza’s daughter, Isabella; and she had already been delivered by her guardians into the hands of Manfred, that he might celebrate the wedding as soon as Conrad’s infirm state of health would permit.
Manfred’s impatience for this ceremonial was remarked by his family and neighbours.
The former, indeed, apprehending the severity of their Prince’s disposition, did not dare to utter their surmises on this precipitation.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Castle of Otranto

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of The Castle of Otranto 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
Manfred, Prince of Otranto, had one son and one daughter: the latter, a most beautiful virgin, aged eighteen, was called Matilda.
Line 2
Conrad, the son, was three years younger, a homely youth, sickly, and of no promising disposition; yet he was the darling of his father, who never showed any symptoms of affection to Matilda.
Line 3
Manfred had contracted a marriage for his son with the Marquis of Vicenza’s daughter, Isabella; and she had already been delivered by her guardians into the hands of Manfred, that he might celebrate the wedding as soon as Conrad’s infirm state of health would permit.
Line 4
Manfred’s impatience for this ceremonial was remarked by his family and neighbours.
Line 5
The former, indeed, apprehending the severity of their Prince’s disposition, did not dare to utter their surmises on this precipitation.
/ðə ˈfɔːrmər ˌɪnˈdiːd ˌæprɪˈhendɪŋ ðə sɪˈverɪti ʌv ðer ˈprɪnsɪz ˌdɪspəˈzɪʃən dɪd nɑːt der tuː ˈʌtər ðer sərˈmaɪzɪz ɑːn ðɪs prɪˌsɪpɪˈteɪʃən/

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.

apprehending verb US /ˌæprɪˈhendɪŋ/

-ing form of “apprehend” — get the meaning of something

From this reading “The former, indeed, apprehending the severity of their Prince’s disposition, did not dare to utter their surmises on this precipitation.”

ceremonial noun US /ˌserəˈmoʊniəl/

a formal event performed on a special occasion

From this reading “Manfred’s impatience for this ceremonial was remarked by his family and neighbours.”

Conrad noun US /ˈkɑːnræd/

English novelist (born in Poland) noted for sea stories and for his narrative technique (1857-1924)

From this reading “Conrad, the son, was three years younger, a homely youth, sickly, and of no promising disposition; yet he was the darling of his father, who never showed any symptoms of affection to Matilda.”

Conrad's noun US /ˈkɑːnrædz/

possessive form of “conrad” — English novelist (born in Poland) noted for sea stories and for his narrative technique (1857-1924)

guardians noun US /ˈɡɑːrdiənz/

plural of “guardian” — a person who cares for persons or property

From this reading “Manfred had contracted a marriage for his son with the Marquis of Vicenza’s daughter, Isabella; and she had already been delivered by her guardians into the hands of Manfred, that he might celebrate the wedding as soon as Conrad’s infirm state of health would permit.”

infirm adjective US /ɪnˈfɜːrm/

lacking bodily or muscular strength or vitality

From this reading “Manfred had contracted a marriage for his son with the Marquis of Vicenza’s daughter, Isabella; and she had already been delivered by her guardians into the hands of Manfred, that he might celebrate the wedding as soon as Conrad’s infirm state of health would permit.”

precipitation noun US /prɪˌsɪpɪˈteɪʃən/

the quantity of water falling to earth at a specific place within a specified period of time

From this reading “The former, indeed, apprehending the severity of their Prince’s disposition, did not dare to utter their surmises on this precipitation.”

surmises noun US /sərˈmaɪzɪz/

plural of “surmise” — a message expressing an opinion based on incomplete evidence

From this reading “The former, indeed, apprehending the severity of their Prince’s disposition, did not dare to utter their surmises on this precipitation.”

All words in this reading · 90

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 Manfred, Prince of Otranto, had one son and one daughter: the latter, a most beautiful virgin, aged eighteen, was called Matilda.

affectionnounUS /əˈfekʃən/

a positive feeling of liking

From this reading Conrad, the son, was three years younger, a homely youth, sickly, and of no promising disposition; yet he was the darling of his father, who never showed any symptoms of affection to Matilda.

agedadjectiveUS /eɪdʒd/

advanced in years; (“aged” is pronounced as two syllables)

From this reading Manfred, Prince of Otranto, had one son and one daughter: the latter, a most beautiful virgin, aged eighteen, was called Matilda.

alreadyadverbUS /ɔːlˈredi/

prior to a specified or implied time

From this reading Manfred had contracted a marriage for his son with the Marquis of Vicenza’s daughter, Isabella; and she had already been delivered by her guardians into the hands of Manfred, that he might celebrate the wedding as soon as Conrad’s infirm state of health would permit.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Manfred, Prince of Otranto, had one son and one daughter: the latter, a most beautiful virgin, aged eighteen, was called Matilda.

anyadjectiveUS /ˈeni/

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading Conrad, the son, was three years younger, a homely youth, sickly, and of no promising disposition; yet he was the darling of his father, who never showed any symptoms of affection to Matilda.

apprehendingverbUS /ˌæprɪˈhendɪŋ/

-ing form of “apprehend” — get the meaning of something

From this reading The former, indeed, apprehending the severity of their Prince’s disposition, did not dare to utter their surmises on this precipitation.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Manfred had contracted a marriage for his son with the Marquis of Vicenza’s daughter, Isabella; and she had already been delivered by her guardians into the hands of Manfred, that he might celebrate the wedding as soon as Conrad’s infirm state of health would permit.

beautifuladjectiveUS /ˈbjuːtəfəl/

delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration

From this reading Manfred, Prince of Otranto, had one son and one daughter: the latter, a most beautiful virgin, aged eighteen, was called Matilda.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading Manfred had contracted a marriage for his son with the Marquis of Vicenza’s daughter, Isabella; and she had already been delivered by her guardians into the hands of Manfred, that he might celebrate the wedding as soon as Conrad’s infirm state of health would permit.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Manfred had contracted a marriage for his son with the Marquis of Vicenza’s daughter, Isabella; and she had already been delivered by her guardians into the hands of Manfred, that he might celebrate the wedding as soon as Conrad’s infirm state of health would permit.

calledverbUS /kɔːld/

past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading Manfred, Prince of Otranto, had one son and one daughter: the latter, a most beautiful virgin, aged eighteen, was called Matilda.

celebrateverbUS /ˈseləbreɪt/

behave as expected during of holidays or rites

From this reading Manfred had contracted a marriage for his son with the Marquis of Vicenza’s daughter, Isabella; and she had already been delivered by her guardians into the hands of Manfred, that he might celebrate the wedding as soon as Conrad’s infirm state of health would permit.

ceremonialnounUS /ˌserəˈmoʊniəl/

a formal event performed on a special occasion

From this reading Manfred’s impatience for this ceremonial was remarked by his family and neighbours.

ConradnounUS /ˈkɑːnræd/

English novelist (born in Poland) noted for sea stories and for his narrative technique (1857-1924)

From this reading Conrad, the son, was three years younger, a homely youth, sickly, and of no promising disposition; yet he was the darling of his father, who never showed any symptoms of affection to Matilda.

Conrad'snounUS /ˈkɑːnrædz/

possessive form of “conrad” — English novelist (born in Poland) noted for sea stories and for his narrative technique (1857-1924)

From this reading Manfred had contracted a marriage for his son with the Marquis of Vicenza’s daughter, Isabella; and she had already been delivered by her guardians into the hands of Manfred, that he might celebrate the wedding as soon as Conrad’s infirm state of health would permit.

contractedadjectiveUS /ˈkɑːntræktəd/

reduced in size or pulled together

From this reading Manfred had contracted a marriage for his son with the Marquis of Vicenza’s daughter, Isabella; and she had already been delivered by her guardians into the hands of Manfred, that he might celebrate the wedding as soon as Conrad’s infirm state of health would permit.

dareverbUS /der/

take upon oneself; act presumptuously, without permission

From this reading The former, indeed, apprehending the severity of their Prince’s disposition, did not dare to utter their surmises on this precipitation.

darlingnounUS /ˈdɑːrlɪŋ/

a special loved one

From this reading Conrad, the son, was three years younger, a homely youth, sickly, and of no promising disposition; yet he was the darling of his father, who never showed any symptoms of affection to Matilda.

daughternounUS /ˈdɔːtər/

a female human offspring

From this reading Manfred, Prince of Otranto, had one son and one daughter: the latter, a most beautiful virgin, aged eighteen, was called Matilda.

deliveredverbUS /dɪˈlɪvərd/

past form of “deliver” — deliver (a speech, oration, or idea)

From this reading Manfred had contracted a marriage for his son with the Marquis of Vicenza’s daughter, Isabella; and she had already been delivered by her guardians into the hands of Manfred, that he might celebrate the wedding as soon as Conrad’s infirm state of health would permit.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading The former, indeed, apprehending the severity of their Prince’s disposition, did not dare to utter their surmises on this precipitation.

dispositionnounUS /ˌdɪspəˈzɪʃən/

your usual mood

From this reading Conrad, the son, was three years younger, a homely youth, sickly, and of no promising disposition; yet he was the darling of his father, who never showed any symptoms of affection to Matilda.

eighteenadjectiveUS /eɪˈtiːn/

being one more than seventeen

From this reading Manfred, Prince of Otranto, had one son and one daughter: the latter, a most beautiful virgin, aged eighteen, was called Matilda.

familynounUS /ˈfæməli/

a social unit living together

From this reading Manfred’s impatience for this ceremonial was remarked by his family and neighbours.

fathernounUS /ˈfɑːðər/

a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)

From this reading Conrad, the son, was three years younger, a homely youth, sickly, and of no promising disposition; yet he was the darling of his father, who never showed any symptoms of affection to Matilda.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Manfred had contracted a marriage for his son with the Marquis of Vicenza’s daughter, Isabella; and she had already been delivered by her guardians into the hands of Manfred, that he might celebrate the wedding as soon as Conrad’s infirm state of health would permit.

formeradjectiveUS /ˈfɔːrmər/

referring to the first of two things or persons mentioned (or the earlier one or ones of several)

From this reading The former, indeed, apprehending the severity of their Prince’s disposition, did not dare to utter their surmises on this precipitation.

guardiansnounUS /ˈɡɑːrdiənz/

plural of “guardian” — a person who cares for persons or property

From this reading Manfred had contracted a marriage for his son with the Marquis of Vicenza’s daughter, Isabella; and she had already been delivered by her guardians into the hands of Manfred, that he might celebrate the wedding as soon as Conrad’s infirm state of health would permit.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Manfred, Prince of Otranto, had one son and one daughter: the latter, a most beautiful virgin, aged eighteen, was called Matilda.

handsnounUS /hændz/

(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child

From this reading Manfred had contracted a marriage for his son with the Marquis of Vicenza’s daughter, Isabella; and she had already been delivered by her guardians into the hands of Manfred, that he might celebrate the wedding as soon as Conrad’s infirm state of health would permit.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading Conrad, the son, was three years younger, a homely youth, sickly, and of no promising disposition; yet he was the darling of his father, who never showed any symptoms of affection to Matilda.

healthnounUS /helθ/

a healthy state of wellbeing free from disease

From this reading Manfred had contracted a marriage for his son with the Marquis of Vicenza’s daughter, Isabella; and she had already been delivered by her guardians into the hands of Manfred, that he might celebrate the wedding as soon as Conrad’s infirm state of health would permit.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading Manfred had contracted a marriage for his son with the Marquis of Vicenza’s daughter, Isabella; and she had already been delivered by her guardians into the hands of Manfred, that he might celebrate the wedding as soon as Conrad’s infirm state of health would permit.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Conrad, the son, was three years younger, a homely youth, sickly, and of no promising disposition; yet he was the darling of his father, who never showed any symptoms of affection to Matilda.

homelyadjectiveUS /ˈhoʊmli/

lacking in physical beauty or proportion

From this reading Conrad, the son, was three years younger, a homely youth, sickly, and of no promising disposition; yet he was the darling of his father, who never showed any symptoms of affection to Matilda.

impatiencenounUS /ˌɪmˈpeɪʃəns/

a lack of patience; irritation with anything that causes delay

From this reading Manfred’s impatience for this ceremonial was remarked by his family and neighbours.

indeedadverbUS /ˌɪnˈdiːd/

in truth (often tends to intensify)

From this reading The former, indeed, apprehending the severity of their Prince’s disposition, did not dare to utter their surmises on this precipitation.

infirmadjectiveUS /ɪnˈfɜːrm/

lacking bodily or muscular strength or vitality

From this reading Manfred had contracted a marriage for his son with the Marquis of Vicenza’s daughter, Isabella; and she had already been delivered by her guardians into the hands of Manfred, that he might celebrate the wedding as soon as Conrad’s infirm state of health would permit.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading Manfred had contracted a marriage for his son with the Marquis of Vicenza’s daughter, Isabella; and she had already been delivered by her guardians into the hands of Manfred, that he might celebrate the wedding as soon as Conrad’s infirm state of health would permit.

IsabellanounUS /ˌɪzəˈbelə/

the queen of Castile whose marriage to Ferdinand of Aragon in 1469 marked the beginning of the modern state of Spain; they instituted the Spanish Inquisition in 1478 and sponsored the voyages of Christopher Columbus in 1492 (1451-1504)

From this reading Manfred had contracted a marriage for his son with the Marquis of Vicenza’s daughter, Isabella; and she had already been delivered by her guardians into the hands of Manfred, that he might celebrate the wedding as soon as Conrad’s infirm state of health would permit.

latteradjectiveUS /ˈlætər/

referring to the second of two things or persons mentioned (or the last one or ones of several)

From this reading Manfred, Prince of Otranto, had one son and one daughter: the latter, a most beautiful virgin, aged eighteen, was called Matilda.

Manfred

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

From this reading Manfred, Prince of Otranto, had one son and one daughter: the latter, a most beautiful virgin, aged eighteen, was called Matilda.

Manfred's

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

From this reading Manfred’s impatience for this ceremonial was remarked by his family and neighbours.

MarquisnounUS /ˌmɑːrˈkiː/

humorist who wrote about the imaginary life of cockroaches (1878-1937)

From this reading Manfred had contracted a marriage for his son with the Marquis of Vicenza’s daughter, Isabella; and she had already been delivered by her guardians into the hands of Manfred, that he might celebrate the wedding as soon as Conrad’s infirm state of health would permit.

marriagenounUS /ˈmerɪdʒ/

the state of being a married couple voluntarily joined for life (or until divorce)

From this reading Manfred had contracted a marriage for his son with the Marquis of Vicenza’s daughter, Isabella; and she had already been delivered by her guardians into the hands of Manfred, that he might celebrate the wedding as soon as Conrad’s infirm state of health would permit.

Matilda

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

From this reading Manfred, Prince of Otranto, had one son and one daughter: the latter, a most beautiful virgin, aged eighteen, was called Matilda.

mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading Manfred had contracted a marriage for his son with the Marquis of Vicenza’s daughter, Isabella; and she had already been delivered by her guardians into the hands of Manfred, that he might celebrate the wedding as soon as Conrad’s infirm state of health would permit.

mostadverbUS /moʊst/

used to form the superlative

From this reading Manfred, Prince of Otranto, had one son and one daughter: the latter, a most beautiful virgin, aged eighteen, was called Matilda.

neighboursnounUS /ˈneɪbərz/

plural of “neighbour” — a person who lives (or is located) near another

From this reading Manfred’s impatience for this ceremonial was remarked by his family and neighbours.

neveradverbUS /ˈnevər/

not ever; at no time in the past or future

From this reading Conrad, the son, was three years younger, a homely youth, sickly, and of no promising disposition; yet he was the darling of his father, who never showed any symptoms of affection to Matilda.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading Conrad, the son, was three years younger, a homely youth, sickly, and of no promising disposition; yet he was the darling of his father, who never showed any symptoms of affection to Matilda.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading The former, indeed, apprehending the severity of their Prince’s disposition, did not dare to utter their surmises on this precipitation.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Manfred, Prince of Otranto, had one son and one daughter: the latter, a most beautiful virgin, aged eighteen, was called Matilda.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading The former, indeed, apprehending the severity of their Prince’s disposition, did not dare to utter their surmises on this precipitation.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Manfred, Prince of Otranto, had one son and one daughter: the latter, a most beautiful virgin, aged eighteen, was called Matilda.

Otranto

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

From this reading Manfred, Prince of Otranto, had one son and one daughter: the latter, a most beautiful virgin, aged eighteen, was called Matilda.

permitnounUS /pərˈmɪt/

a legal document giving official permission to do something

From this reading Manfred had contracted a marriage for his son with the Marquis of Vicenza’s daughter, Isabella; and she had already been delivered by her guardians into the hands of Manfred, that he might celebrate the wedding as soon as Conrad’s infirm state of health would permit.

precipitationnounUS /prɪˌsɪpɪˈteɪʃən/

the quantity of water falling to earth at a specific place within a specified period of time

From this reading The former, indeed, apprehending the severity of their Prince’s disposition, did not dare to utter their surmises on this precipitation.

PrincenounUS /prɪns/

a male member of a royal family other than the sovereign (especially the son of a sovereign)

From this reading Manfred, Prince of Otranto, had one son and one daughter: the latter, a most beautiful virgin, aged eighteen, was called Matilda.

Prince'snounUS /ˈprɪnsɪz/

possessive form of “prince” — a male member of a royal family other than the sovereign (especially the son of a sovereign)

From this reading The former, indeed, apprehending the severity of their Prince’s disposition, did not dare to utter their surmises on this precipitation.

promisingadjectiveUS /ˈprɑːməsɪŋ/

showing possibility of achievement or excellence

From this reading Conrad, the son, was three years younger, a homely youth, sickly, and of no promising disposition; yet he was the darling of his father, who never showed any symptoms of affection to Matilda.

remarkedverbUS /rɪˈmɑːrkt/

past form of “remark” — make mention of

From this reading Manfred’s impatience for this ceremonial was remarked by his family and neighbours.

severitynounUS /sɪˈverɪti/

used of the degree of something undesirable e.g. pain or weather

From this reading The former, indeed, apprehending the severity of their Prince’s disposition, did not dare to utter their surmises on this precipitation.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Manfred had contracted a marriage for his son with the Marquis of Vicenza’s daughter, Isabella; and she had already been delivered by her guardians into the hands of Manfred, that he might celebrate the wedding as soon as Conrad’s infirm state of health would permit.

showedverbUS /ʃoʊd/

past form of “show” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience

From this reading Conrad, the son, was three years younger, a homely youth, sickly, and of no promising disposition; yet he was the darling of his father, who never showed any symptoms of affection to Matilda.

sicklyadjectiveUS /ˈsɪkli/

unhealthy looking

From this reading Conrad, the son, was three years younger, a homely youth, sickly, and of no promising disposition; yet he was the darling of his father, who never showed any symptoms of affection to Matilda.

sonnounUS /sʌn/

a male human offspring

From this reading Manfred, Prince of Otranto, had one son and one daughter: the latter, a most beautiful virgin, aged eighteen, was called Matilda.

soonadverbUS /suːn/

in the near future

From this reading Manfred had contracted a marriage for his son with the Marquis of Vicenza’s daughter, Isabella; and she had already been delivered by her guardians into the hands of Manfred, that he might celebrate the wedding as soon as Conrad’s infirm state of health would permit.

statenounUS /steɪt/

the territory occupied by one of the constituent administrative districts of a nation

From this reading Manfred had contracted a marriage for his son with the Marquis of Vicenza’s daughter, Isabella; and she had already been delivered by her guardians into the hands of Manfred, that he might celebrate the wedding as soon as Conrad’s infirm state of health would permit.

surmisesnounUS /sərˈmaɪzɪz/

plural of “surmise” — a message expressing an opinion based on incomplete evidence

From this reading The former, indeed, apprehending the severity of their Prince’s disposition, did not dare to utter their surmises on this precipitation.

symptomsnounUS /ˈsɪmptəmz/

plural of “symptom” — (medicine) any sensation or change in bodily function that is experienced by a patient and is associated with a particular disease

From this reading Conrad, the son, was three years younger, a homely youth, sickly, and of no promising disposition; yet he was the darling of his father, who never showed any symptoms of affection to Matilda.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Manfred had contracted a marriage for his son with the Marquis of Vicenza’s daughter, Isabella; and she had already been delivered by her guardians into the hands of Manfred, that he might celebrate the wedding as soon as Conrad’s infirm state of health would permit.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Manfred, Prince of Otranto, had one son and one daughter: the latter, a most beautiful virgin, aged eighteen, was called Matilda.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading The former, indeed, apprehending the severity of their Prince’s disposition, did not dare to utter their surmises on this precipitation.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading Manfred’s impatience for this ceremonial was remarked by his family and neighbours.

threenounUS /θriː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one

From this reading Conrad, the son, was three years younger, a homely youth, sickly, and of no promising disposition; yet he was the darling of his father, who never showed any symptoms of affection to Matilda.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Conrad, the son, was three years younger, a homely youth, sickly, and of no promising disposition; yet he was the darling of his father, who never showed any symptoms of affection to Matilda.

utterverbUS /ˈʌtər/

articulate; either verbally or with a cry, shout, or noise

From this reading The former, indeed, apprehending the severity of their Prince’s disposition, did not dare to utter their surmises on this precipitation.

Vicenza's

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

From this reading Manfred had contracted a marriage for his son with the Marquis of Vicenza’s daughter, Isabella; and she had already been delivered by her guardians into the hands of Manfred, that he might celebrate the wedding as soon as Conrad’s infirm state of health would permit.

virginnounUS /ˈvɜːrdʒɪn/

a person who has never had sex

From this reading Manfred, Prince of Otranto, had one son and one daughter: the latter, a most beautiful virgin, aged eighteen, was called Matilda.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Manfred, Prince of Otranto, had one son and one daughter: the latter, a most beautiful virgin, aged eighteen, was called Matilda.

weddingnounUS /ˈwedɪŋ/

the social event at which the ceremony of marriage is performed

From this reading Manfred had contracted a marriage for his son with the Marquis of Vicenza’s daughter, Isabella; and she had already been delivered by her guardians into the hands of Manfred, that he might celebrate the wedding as soon as Conrad’s infirm state of health would permit.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading Conrad, the son, was three years younger, a homely youth, sickly, and of no promising disposition; yet he was the darling of his father, who never showed any symptoms of affection to Matilda.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Manfred had contracted a marriage for his son with the Marquis of Vicenza’s daughter, Isabella; and she had already been delivered by her guardians into the hands of Manfred, that he might celebrate the wedding as soon as Conrad’s infirm state of health would permit.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading Manfred had contracted a marriage for his son with the Marquis of Vicenza’s daughter, Isabella; and she had already been delivered by her guardians into the hands of Manfred, that he might celebrate the wedding as soon as Conrad’s infirm state of health would permit.

yearsnounUS /jɪrz/

a late time of life

From this reading Conrad, the son, was three years younger, a homely youth, sickly, and of no promising disposition; yet he was the darling of his father, who never showed any symptoms of affection to Matilda.

yetconjunctionUS /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading Conrad, the son, was three years younger, a homely youth, sickly, and of no promising disposition; yet he was the darling of his father, who never showed any symptoms of affection to Matilda.

youngeradjectiveUS /ˈjʌŋɡər/

used of the younger of two persons of the same name especially used to distinguish a son from his father

From this reading Conrad, the son, was three years younger, a homely youth, sickly, and of no promising disposition; yet he was the darling of his father, who never showed any symptoms of affection to Matilda.

youthnounUS /juːθ/

a young person (especially a young man or boy)

From this reading Conrad, the son, was three years younger, a homely youth, sickly, and of no promising disposition; yet he was the darling of his father, who never showed any symptoms of affection to Matilda.

Chapter 1 of The Castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole holds 340 sentences, grouped into 68 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.

What does chapter 1 of The Castle of Otranto contain?

Chapter 1 holds 340 sentences of The Castle of Otranto, unabridged, divided into 68 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of The Castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole exactly as it stands in the public-domain 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 1 of The Castle of Otranto?

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 1 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 1 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 Castle of Otranto

Common questions about reading The Castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Castle of Otranto?

Yes. All 1688 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #696 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Castle of Otranto is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #696, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Castle of Otranto take to read?

About 140 minutes of reading across 338 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Castle of Otranto section by section

How to work through The Castle of Otranto section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

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Vocabulary met early in The Castle of Otranto

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Castle of Otranto, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Manfred
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Castle of Otranto; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Prince
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Castle of Otranto; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Otranto
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Castle of Otranto; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Daughter
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Castle of Otranto; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.