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The cheerful blackguard
The cheerful blackguard

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of The cheerful blackguard is here in full — 688 sentences across 138 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Roger Pocock • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for The cheerful blackguard
Context Illustration Reading 1/137 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Good people, since God alone, can make you wise and kind, the jester's province is merely to amuse you PRESS OF BRAUNWORTH & CO.
BOOKBINDERS AND PRINTERS BROOKLYN, N. Y.
I, José de la Mancha y O'Brien, was born on the ninth day of November, 1865, in Spain, of an Irish mother and a Spanish sire.
Ten years later my parents entered the service of God, my father from a battle-field, my mother living in a convent.
With my brother, Don Pedro, the Brat, then eight years old, I was sent away from Spain to Tita, a fat Irish aunt, whose highly poisonous husband, Uncle Tito, was English, and lived in London.
0:00 / 0:00
Speed 0.75x
AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The cheerful blackguard

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of The cheerful blackguard is here in full — 688 sentences across 138 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/137 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Good people, since God alone, can make you wise and kind, the jester's province is merely to amuse you PRESS OF BRAUNWORTH & CO.
Line 2
BOOKBINDERS AND PRINTERS BROOKLYN, N. Y.
/ˈbʊkbaɪndərz ənd ˈprɪntərz ˈbrʊklən en waɪ/
Line 3
I, José de la Mancha y O'Brien, was born on the ninth day of November, 1865, in Spain, of an Irish mother and a Spanish sire.
Line 4
Ten years later my parents entered the service of God, my father from a battle-field, my mother living in a convent.
Line 5
With my brother, Don Pedro, the Brat, then eight years old, I was sent away from Spain to Tita, a fat Irish aunt, whose highly poisonous husband, Uncle Tito, was English, and lived in London.

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.

bookbinders noun US /ˈbʊkbaɪndərz/

plural of “bookbinder” — a worker whose trade is binding books

From this reading “BOOKBINDERS AND PRINTERS BROOKLYN, N. Y.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Brat noun US /bræt/

a very troublesome child

From this reading “With my brother, Don Pedro, the Brat, then eight years old, I was sent away from Spain to Tita, a fat Irish aunt, whose highly poisonous husband, Uncle Tito, was English, and lived in London.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
brooklyn noun US /ˈbrʊklən/

a borough of New York City

From this reading “BOOKBINDERS AND PRINTERS BROOKLYN, N. Y.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
jester's noun US /ˈdʒestərz/

possessive form of “jester” — a professional clown employed to entertain a king or nobleman in the Middle Ages

From this reading “Good people, since God alone, can make you wise and kind, the jester's province is merely to amuse you PRESS OF BRAUNWORTH & CO.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ninth noun US /naɪnθ/

position nine in a countable series of things

From this reading “I, José de la Mancha y O'Brien, was born on the ninth day of November, 1865, in Spain, of an Irish mother and a Spanish sire.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
O'Brien noun US /oʊˈbraɪɪn/

Irish writer (born in 1932)

From this reading “I, José de la Mancha y O'Brien, was born on the ninth day of November, 1865, in Spain, of an Irish mother and a Spanish sire.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
printers noun US /ˈprɪntərz/

plural of “printer” — someone whose occupation is printing

From this reading “BOOKBINDERS AND PRINTERS BROOKLYN, N. Y.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Tito noun US /ˈtiːtoʊ/

Yugoslav statesman who led the resistance to German occupation during World War II and established a communist state after the war (1892-1980)

From this reading “With my brother, Don Pedro, the Brat, then eight years old, I was sent away from Spain to Tita, a fat Irish aunt, whose highly poisonous husband, Uncle Tito, was English, and lived in London.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

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.

de la noun + noun

In this reading “I, José de la Mancha y O'Brien, was born on the ninth day of November, 1865, in Spain, of an Irish mother and a Spanish sire.”

17,384 times in 426,211 chapters
Ten years noun + noun

In this reading “Ten years later my parents entered the service of God, my father from a battle-field, my mother living in a convent.”

20,715 times in 426,211 chapters
eight years adjective + noun

In this reading “With my brother, Don Pedro, the Brat, then eight years old, I was sent away from Spain to Tita, a fat Irish aunt, whose highly poisonous husband, Uncle Tito, was English, and lived in London.”

5,421 times in 426,211 chapters
ninth day noun + noun

In this reading “I, José de la Mancha y O'Brien, was born on the ninth day of November, 1865, in Spain, of an Irish mother and a Spanish sire.”

337 times in 426,211 chapters
entered the service verb + article + noun counted as “enter … service”

In this reading “Ten years later my parents entered the service of God, my father from a battle-field, my mother living in a convent.”

510 times in 426,211 chapters
on the ninth preposition + article + noun counted as “on … ninth”

In this reading “I, José de la Mancha y O'Brien, was born on the ninth day of November, 1865, in Spain, of an Irish mother and a Spanish sire.”

426 times in 426,211 chapters
lived in verb + particle counted as “live in”

live in the house where one works

In this reading “With my brother, Don Pedro, the Brat, then eight years old, I was sent away from Spain to Tita, a fat Irish aunt, whose highly poisonous husband, Uncle Tito, was English, and lived in London.”

64,539 times in 426,211 chapters
in a convent preposition + article + noun counted as “in … convent”

In this reading “Ten years later my parents entered the service of God, my father from a battle-field, my mother living in a convent.”

2,320 times in 426,211 chapters

All words in this reading · 82

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.

1865

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

From this reading I, José de la Mancha y O'Brien, was born on the ninth day of November, 1865, in Spain, of an Irish mother and a Spanish sire.

Pending verification
adeterminerUS /ə/

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

From this reading I, José de la Mancha y O'Brien, was born on the ninth day of November, 1865, in Spain, of an Irish mother and a Spanish sire.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/

Having no one else present.

From this reading Good people, since God alone, can make you wise and kind, the jester's province is merely to amuse you PRESS OF BRAUNWORTH & CO.

Velmora curated lexicon
amuseverbUS /əˈmjuːz/

occupy in an agreeable, entertaining or pleasant fashion

From this reading Good people, since God alone, can make you wise and kind, the jester's province is merely to amuse you PRESS OF BRAUNWORTH & CO.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading I, José de la Mancha y O'Brien, was born on the ninth day of November, 1865, in Spain, of an Irish mother and a Spanish sire.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Good people, since God alone, can make you wise and kind, the jester's province is merely to amuse you PRESS OF BRAUNWORTH & CO.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
auntnounUS /ænt/

the sister of your father or mother; the wife of your uncle

From this reading With my brother, Don Pedro, the Brat, then eight years old, I was sent away from Spain to Tita, a fat Irish aunt, whose highly poisonous husband, Uncle Tito, was English, and lived in London.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
awayadverbUS /əˈweɪ/

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading With my brother, Don Pedro, the Brat, then eight years old, I was sent away from Spain to Tita, a fat Irish aunt, whose highly poisonous husband, Uncle Tito, was English, and lived in London.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
battle-field

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

From this reading Ten years later my parents entered the service of God, my father from a battle-field, my mother living in a convent.

Pending verification
BOOKBINDERSnounUS /ˈbʊkbaɪndərz/

plural of “bookbinder” — a worker whose trade is binding books

From this reading BOOKBINDERS AND PRINTERS BROOKLYN, N. Y.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
bornadjectiveUS /bɔːrn/

brought into existence

From this reading I, José de la Mancha y O'Brien, was born on the ninth day of November, 1865, in Spain, of an Irish mother and a Spanish sire.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
BratnounUS /bræt/

a very troublesome child

From this reading With my brother, Don Pedro, the Brat, then eight years old, I was sent away from Spain to Tita, a fat Irish aunt, whose highly poisonous husband, Uncle Tito, was English, and lived in London.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
BRAUNWORTH

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

From this reading Good people, since God alone, can make you wise and kind, the jester's province is merely to amuse you PRESS OF BRAUNWORTH & CO.

Pending verification
BROOKLYNnounUS /ˈbrʊklən/

a borough of New York City

From this reading BOOKBINDERS AND PRINTERS BROOKLYN, N. Y.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
brothernounUS /ˈbrʌðər/

a male with the same parents as someone else

From this reading With my brother, Don Pedro, the Brat, then eight years old, I was sent away from Spain to Tita, a fat Irish aunt, whose highly poisonous husband, Uncle Tito, was English, and lived in London.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
canmodal verbUS /kæn/

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading Good people, since God alone, can make you wise and kind, the jester's province is merely to amuse you PRESS OF BRAUNWORTH & CO.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
COnounUS /koʊ/

an odorless very poisonous gas that is a product of incomplete combustion of carbon

From this reading Good people, since God alone, can make you wise and kind, the jester's province is merely to amuse you PRESS OF BRAUNWORTH & CO.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
conventnounUS /ˈkɑːnvənt/

a religious residence especially for nuns

From this reading Ten years later my parents entered the service of God, my father from a battle-field, my mother living in a convent.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
daynounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading I, José de la Mancha y O'Brien, was born on the ninth day of November, 1865, in Spain, of an Irish mother and a Spanish sire.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
denounUS /diː/

a Mid-Atlantic state; one of the original 13 colonies

From this reading I, José de la Mancha y O'Brien, was born on the ninth day of November, 1865, in Spain, of an Irish mother and a Spanish sire.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
DonnounUS /dɑːn/

a Spanish gentleman or nobleman

From this reading With my brother, Don Pedro, the Brat, then eight years old, I was sent away from Spain to Tita, a fat Irish aunt, whose highly poisonous husband, Uncle Tito, was English, and lived in London.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
eightadjectiveUS /eɪt/

being one more than seven

From this reading With my brother, Don Pedro, the Brat, then eight years old, I was sent away from Spain to Tita, a fat Irish aunt, whose highly poisonous husband, Uncle Tito, was English, and lived in London.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
EnglishnounUS /ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ/

an Indo-European language belonging to the West Germanic branch; the official language of Britain and the United States and most of the commonwealth countries

From this reading With my brother, Don Pedro, the Brat, then eight years old, I was sent away from Spain to Tita, a fat Irish aunt, whose highly poisonous husband, Uncle Tito, was English, and lived in London.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
enteredverbUS /ˈentərd/

past form of “enter” — to come or go into

From this reading Ten years later my parents entered the service of God, my father from a battle-field, my mother living in a convent.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
fatadjectiveUS /fæt/

having an (over)abundance of flesh

From this reading With my brother, Don Pedro, the Brat, then eight years old, I was sent away from Spain to Tita, a fat Irish aunt, whose highly poisonous husband, Uncle Tito, was English, and lived in London.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
fathernounUS /ˈfɑːðər/

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

From this reading Ten years later my parents entered the service of God, my father from a battle-field, my mother living in a convent.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Ten years later my parents entered the service of God, my father from a battle-field, my mother living in a convent.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
GodnounUS /ɡɑːd/

the supernatural being conceived as the perfect and omnipotent and omniscient originator and ruler of the universe; the object of worship in monotheistic religions

From this reading Good people, since God alone, can make you wise and kind, the jester's province is merely to amuse you PRESS OF BRAUNWORTH & CO.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
GoodadjectiveUS /ɡʊd/

having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified

From this reading Good people, since God alone, can make you wise and kind, the jester's province is merely to amuse you PRESS OF BRAUNWORTH & CO.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
highlyadverbUS /ˈhaɪli/

to a high degree or extent; favorably or with much respect

From this reading With my brother, Don Pedro, the Brat, then eight years old, I was sent away from Spain to Tita, a fat Irish aunt, whose highly poisonous husband, Uncle Tito, was English, and lived in London.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
husbandnounUS /ˈhʌzbənd/

a married man; a woman's partner in marriage

From this reading With my brother, Don Pedro, the Brat, then eight years old, I was sent away from Spain to Tita, a fat Irish aunt, whose highly poisonous husband, Uncle Tito, was English, and lived in London.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading I, José de la Mancha y O'Brien, was born on the ninth day of November, 1865, in Spain, of an Irish mother and a Spanish sire.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading I, José de la Mancha y O'Brien, was born on the ninth day of November, 1865, in Spain, of an Irish mother and a Spanish sire.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
IrishnounUS /ˈaɪrɪʃ/

people of Ireland or of Irish extraction

From this reading I, José de la Mancha y O'Brien, was born on the ninth day of November, 1865, in Spain, of an Irish mother and a Spanish sire.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading Good people, since God alone, can make you wise and kind, the jester's province is merely to amuse you PRESS OF BRAUNWORTH & CO.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
jester'snounUS /ˈdʒestərz/

possessive form of “jester” — a professional clown employed to entertain a king or nobleman in the Middle Ages

From this reading Good people, since God alone, can make you wise and kind, the jester's province is merely to amuse you PRESS OF BRAUNWORTH & CO.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
José

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

From this reading I, José de la Mancha y O'Brien, was born on the ninth day of November, 1865, in Spain, of an Irish mother and a Spanish sire.

Pending verification
kindadjectiveUS /kaɪnd/

having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior

From this reading Good people, since God alone, can make you wise and kind, the jester's province is merely to amuse you PRESS OF BRAUNWORTH & CO.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
lanounUS /lɑː/

a white soft metallic element that tarnishes readily; occurs in rare earth minerals and is usually classified as a rare earth

From this reading I, José de la Mancha y O'Brien, was born on the ninth day of November, 1865, in Spain, of an Irish mother and a Spanish sire.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
lateradverbUS /ˈleɪtər/

happening at a time subsequent to a reference time

From this reading Ten years later my parents entered the service of God, my father from a battle-field, my mother living in a convent.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
livedverbUS /lɪvd/

past form of “live” — be an inhabitant of or reside in

From this reading With my brother, Don Pedro, the Brat, then eight years old, I was sent away from Spain to Tita, a fat Irish aunt, whose highly poisonous husband, Uncle Tito, was English, and lived in London.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
livingnounUS /ˈlɪvɪŋ/

the experience of being alive; the course of human events and activities

From this reading Ten years later my parents entered the service of God, my father from a battle-field, my mother living in a convent.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
LondonnounUS /ˈlʌndən/

the capital and largest city of England; located on the Thames in southeastern England; financial and industrial and cultural center

From this reading With my brother, Don Pedro, the Brat, then eight years old, I was sent away from Spain to Tita, a fat Irish aunt, whose highly poisonous husband, Uncle Tito, was English, and lived in London.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
makeverbUS /meɪk/

engage in

From this reading Good people, since God alone, can make you wise and kind, the jester's province is merely to amuse you PRESS OF BRAUNWORTH & CO.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Mancha

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

From this reading I, José de la Mancha y O'Brien, was born on the ninth day of November, 1865, in Spain, of an Irish mother and a Spanish sire.

Pending verification
merelyadverbUS /ˈmɪrli/

and nothing more

From this reading Good people, since God alone, can make you wise and kind, the jester's province is merely to amuse you PRESS OF BRAUNWORTH & CO.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
mothernounUS /ˈmʌðər/

a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)

From this reading I, José de la Mancha y O'Brien, was born on the ninth day of November, 1865, in Spain, of an Irish mother and a Spanish sire.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading Ten years later my parents entered the service of God, my father from a battle-field, my mother living in a convent.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
NnounUS /en/

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 BOOKBINDERS AND PRINTERS BROOKLYN, N. Y.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ninthnounUS /naɪnθ/

position nine in a countable series of things

From this reading I, José de la Mancha y O'Brien, was born on the ninth day of November, 1865, in Spain, of an Irish mother and a Spanish sire.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
NovembernounUS /noʊˈvembər/

the month following October and preceding December

From this reading I, José de la Mancha y O'Brien, was born on the ninth day of November, 1865, in Spain, of an Irish mother and a Spanish sire.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
O'BriennounUS /oʊˈbraɪɪn/

Irish writer (born in 1932)

From this reading I, José de la Mancha y O'Brien, was born on the ninth day of November, 1865, in Spain, of an Irish mother and a Spanish sire.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
OFprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Good people, since God alone, can make you wise and kind, the jester's province is merely to amuse you PRESS OF BRAUNWORTH & CO.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
oldadjectiveUS /oʊld/

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading With my brother, Don Pedro, the Brat, then eight years old, I was sent away from Spain to Tita, a fat Irish aunt, whose highly poisonous husband, Uncle Tito, was English, and lived in London.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading I, José de la Mancha y O'Brien, was born on the ninth day of November, 1865, in Spain, of an Irish mother and a Spanish sire.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
parentsnounUS /ˈperənts/

plural of “parent” — a father or mother; one who begets or one who gives birth to or nurtures and raises a child; a relative who plays the role of guardian

From this reading Ten years later my parents entered the service of God, my father from a battle-field, my mother living in a convent.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Pedro

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

From this reading With my brother, Don Pedro, the Brat, then eight years old, I was sent away from Spain to Tita, a fat Irish aunt, whose highly poisonous husband, Uncle Tito, was English, and lived in London.

Pending verification
peoplenounUS /ˈpiːpəl/

(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively

From this reading Good people, since God alone, can make you wise and kind, the jester's province is merely to amuse you PRESS OF BRAUNWORTH & CO.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
poisonousadjectiveUS /ˈpɔɪzənəs/

having the qualities or effects of a poison

From this reading With my brother, Don Pedro, the Brat, then eight years old, I was sent away from Spain to Tita, a fat Irish aunt, whose highly poisonous husband, Uncle Tito, was English, and lived in London.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
PRESSverbUS /pres/

exert pressure or force to or upon

From this reading Good people, since God alone, can make you wise and kind, the jester's province is merely to amuse you PRESS OF BRAUNWORTH & CO.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
PRINTERSnounUS /ˈprɪntərz/

plural of “printer” — someone whose occupation is printing

From this reading BOOKBINDERS AND PRINTERS BROOKLYN, N. Y.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
provincenounUS /ˈprɑːvəns/

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

From this reading Good people, since God alone, can make you wise and kind, the jester's province is merely to amuse you PRESS OF BRAUNWORTH & CO.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sentnounUS /sent/

100 senti equal 1 kroon in Estonia

From this reading With my brother, Don Pedro, the Brat, then eight years old, I was sent away from Spain to Tita, a fat Irish aunt, whose highly poisonous husband, Uncle Tito, was English, and lived in London.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
servicenounUS /ˈsɜːrvəs/

work done by one person or group that benefits another

From this reading Ten years later my parents entered the service of God, my father from a battle-field, my mother living in a convent.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/

from a time in the past until now

From this reading Good people, since God alone, can make you wise and kind, the jester's province is merely to amuse you PRESS OF BRAUNWORTH & CO.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
sireverbUS /ˈsaɪər/

make (offspring) by reproduction

From this reading I, José de la Mancha y O'Brien, was born on the ninth day of November, 1865, in Spain, of an Irish mother and a Spanish sire.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
SpainnounUS /speɪn/

a parliamentary monarchy in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula; a former colonial power

From this reading I, José de la Mancha y O'Brien, was born on the ninth day of November, 1865, in Spain, of an Irish mother and a Spanish sire.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
SpanishnounUS /ˈspænɪʃ/

the Romance language spoken in most of Spain and the countries colonized by Spain

From this reading I, José de la Mancha y O'Brien, was born on the ninth day of November, 1865, in Spain, of an Irish mother and a Spanish sire.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
TennounUS /ten/

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

From this reading Ten years later my parents entered the service of God, my father from a battle-field, my mother living in a convent.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Good people, since God alone, can make you wise and kind, the jester's province is merely to amuse you PRESS OF BRAUNWORTH & CO.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
thenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading With my brother, Don Pedro, the Brat, then eight years old, I was sent away from Spain to Tita, a fat Irish aunt, whose highly poisonous husband, Uncle Tito, was English, and lived in London.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Tita

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

From this reading With my brother, Don Pedro, the Brat, then eight years old, I was sent away from Spain to Tita, a fat Irish aunt, whose highly poisonous husband, Uncle Tito, was English, and lived in London.

Pending verification
TitonounUS /ˈtiːtoʊ/

Yugoslav statesman who led the resistance to German occupation during World War II and established a communist state after the war (1892-1980)

From this reading With my brother, Don Pedro, the Brat, then eight years old, I was sent away from Spain to Tita, a fat Irish aunt, whose highly poisonous husband, Uncle Tito, was English, and lived in London.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Good people, since God alone, can make you wise and kind, the jester's province is merely to amuse you PRESS OF BRAUNWORTH & CO.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
UnclenounUS /ˈʌŋkəl/

the brother of your father or mother; the husband of your aunt

From this reading With my brother, Don Pedro, the Brat, then eight years old, I was sent away from Spain to Tita, a fat Irish aunt, whose highly poisonous husband, Uncle Tito, was English, and lived in London.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading I, José de la Mancha y O'Brien, was born on the ninth day of November, 1865, in Spain, of an Irish mother and a Spanish sire.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
whosedeterminerUS /huːz/

belonging to which person

From this reading With my brother, Don Pedro, the Brat, then eight years old, I was sent away from Spain to Tita, a fat Irish aunt, whose highly poisonous husband, Uncle Tito, was English, and lived in London.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
wiseadjectiveUS /waɪz/

having or prompted by wisdom or discernment

From this reading Good people, since God alone, can make you wise and kind, the jester's province is merely to amuse you PRESS OF BRAUNWORTH & CO.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
WithprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading With my brother, Don Pedro, the Brat, then eight years old, I was sent away from Spain to Tita, a fat Irish aunt, whose highly poisonous husband, Uncle Tito, was English, and lived in London.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
YnounUS /waɪ/

a silvery metallic element that is common in rare-earth minerals; used in magnesium and aluminum alloys

From this reading BOOKBINDERS AND PRINTERS BROOKLYN, N. Y.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
yearsnounUS /jɪrz/

a late time of life

From this reading Ten years later my parents entered the service of God, my father from a battle-field, my mother living in a convent.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading Good people, since God alone, can make you wise and kind, the jester's province is merely to amuse you PRESS OF BRAUNWORTH & CO.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary

Chapter 1 of The cheerful blackguard by Roger Pocock holds 688 sentences, grouped into 138 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 1 of The cheerful blackguard contain?

Chapter 1 holds 688 sentences of The cheerful blackguard, unabridged, divided into 138 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of The cheerful blackguard by Roger Pocock exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 688 sentences, grouped into 138 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 cheerful blackguard?

Work through the 138 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 138 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 cheerful blackguard

Common questions about reading The cheerful blackguard by Roger Pocock on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The cheerful blackguard?

Yes. All 0 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #? are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The cheerful blackguard is used?

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

How long does The cheerful blackguard take to read?

About 5 minutes of reading across 0 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The cheerful blackguard section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

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  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 The cheerful blackguard

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

Chapter 1
One of the 0 chapters of The cheerful blackguard, divided into 5-sentence reading sections.
Chapter 2
One of the 0 chapters of The cheerful blackguard, divided into 5-sentence reading sections.
Chapter 3
One of the 0 chapters of The cheerful blackguard, divided into 5-sentence reading sections.