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The Complete Cynic
The Complete Cynic

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of The Complete Cynic is here in full — 361 sentences across 73 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Being Bunches of Wisdom Culled from the Calendars of Oliver Herford Ethel Watts Mumford Addison Mizner "Wisdom may not be confined 'Twixt covers of the dictionary, Neither will it be defined; Learning, you may quickly bury; Wisdom--Soul and Life combined combined-- Lingers ever with the merry."
This Little Book of Wisdom Great It pleases us to dedicate To that Rampageous Reprobate-- The World at Large.
Yet as we mark his Stony Phiz And see him whoop and whirl and whiz, We can but cry--O Lord, why _is_ The World at Large!
OLIVER HERFORD.
To Foolish-wise and Wisely-gay Of whate'er country they may be, We dedicate this little gem By Ollie, Addison and Me, In hopes they'll buy in massive lots And help us boil our little pots.
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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 Complete Cynic

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of The Complete Cynic is here in full — 361 sentences across 73 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/72 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Being Bunches of Wisdom Culled from the Calendars of Oliver Herford Ethel Watts Mumford Addison Mizner "Wisdom may not be confined 'Twixt covers of the dictionary, Neither will it be defined; Learning, you may quickly bury; Wisdom--Soul and Life combined combined-- Lingers ever with the merry."
Line 2
This Little Book of Wisdom Great It pleases us to dedicate To that Rampageous Reprobate-- The World at Large.
Line 3
Yet as we mark his Stony Phiz And see him whoop and whirl and whiz, We can but cry--O Lord, why _is_ The World at Large!
Line 4
OLIVER HERFORD.
Line 5
To Foolish-wise and Wisely-gay Of whate'er country they may be, We dedicate this little gem By Ollie, Addison and Me, In hopes they'll buy in massive lots And help us boil our little pots.

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.

Calendars noun US /ˈkæləndərz/

plural of “calendar” — a system of timekeeping that defines the beginning and length and divisions of the year

From this reading “Being Bunches of Wisdom Culled from the Calendars of Oliver Herford Ethel Watts Mumford Addison Mizner "Wisdom may not be confined 'Twixt covers of the dictionary, Neither will it be defined; Learning, you may quickly bury; Wisdom--Soul and Life combined combined-- Lingers ever with the merry."”

Culled verb US /kʌld/

past form of “cull” — remove something that has been rejected

From this reading “Being Bunches of Wisdom Culled from the Calendars of Oliver Herford Ethel Watts Mumford Addison Mizner "Wisdom may not be confined 'Twixt covers of the dictionary, Neither will it be defined; Learning, you may quickly bury; Wisdom--Soul and Life combined combined-- Lingers ever with the merry."”

dedicate verb US /ˈdedəkeɪt/

give entirely to a specific person, activity, or cause

From this reading “This Little Book of Wisdom Great It pleases us to dedicate To that Rampageous Reprobate-- The World at Large.”

Lingers verb US /ˈlɪŋɡərz/

third-person singular of “linger” — remain present although waning or gradually dying

From this reading “Being Bunches of Wisdom Culled from the Calendars of Oliver Herford Ethel Watts Mumford Addison Mizner "Wisdom may not be confined 'Twixt covers of the dictionary, Neither will it be defined; Learning, you may quickly bury; Wisdom--Soul and Life combined combined-- Lingers ever with the merry."”

Reprobate verb US /ˈreprɔːbeɪt/

reject (documents) as invalid

From this reading “This Little Book of Wisdom Great It pleases us to dedicate To that Rampageous Reprobate-- The World at Large.”

Watts noun US /wɑːts/

English poet and theologian (1674-1748)

From this reading “Being Bunches of Wisdom Culled from the Calendars of Oliver Herford Ethel Watts Mumford Addison Mizner "Wisdom may not be confined 'Twixt covers of the dictionary, Neither will it be defined; Learning, you may quickly bury; Wisdom--Soul and Life combined combined-- Lingers ever with the merry."”

whiz noun US /wɪz/

someone who is dazzlingly skilled in any field

From this reading “Yet as we mark his Stony Phiz And see him whoop and whirl and whiz, We can but cry--O Lord, why _is_ The World at Large!”

whoop verb US /wuːp/

shout, as if with joy or enthusiasm

From this reading “Yet as we mark his Stony Phiz And see him whoop and whirl and whiz, We can but cry--O Lord, why _is_ The World at Large!”

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.

Little Book adjective + noun

In this reading “This Little Book of Wisdom Great It pleases us to dedicate To that Rampageous Reprobate-- The World at Large.”

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.

Addison

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

From this reading Being Bunches of Wisdom Culled from the Calendars of Oliver Herford Ethel Watts Mumford Addison Mizner "Wisdom may not be confined 'Twixt covers of the dictionary, Neither will it be defined; Learning, you may quickly bury; Wisdom--Soul and Life combined combined-- Lingers ever with the merry."

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Being Bunches of Wisdom Culled from the Calendars of Oliver Herford Ethel Watts Mumford Addison Mizner "Wisdom may not be confined 'Twixt covers of the dictionary, Neither will it be defined; Learning, you may quickly bury; Wisdom--Soul and Life combined combined-- Lingers ever with the merry."

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Yet as we mark his Stony Phiz And see him whoop and whirl and whiz, We can but cry--O Lord, why _is_ The World at Large!

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading This Little Book of Wisdom Great It pleases us to dedicate To that Rampageous Reprobate-- The World at Large.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading Being Bunches of Wisdom Culled from the Calendars of Oliver Herford Ethel Watts Mumford Addison Mizner "Wisdom may not be confined 'Twixt covers of the dictionary, Neither will it be defined; Learning, you may quickly bury; Wisdom--Soul and Life combined combined-- Lingers ever with the merry."

Beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading Being Bunches of Wisdom Culled from the Calendars of Oliver Herford Ethel Watts Mumford Addison Mizner "Wisdom may not be confined 'Twixt covers of the dictionary, Neither will it be defined; Learning, you may quickly bury; Wisdom--Soul and Life combined combined-- Lingers ever with the merry."

boilverbUS /bɔɪl/

come to the boiling point and change from a liquid to vapor

From this reading To Foolish-wise and Wisely-gay Of whate'er country they may be, We dedicate this little gem By Ollie, Addison and Me, In hopes they'll buy in massive lots And help us boil our little pots.

BooknounUS /bʊk/

a written work or composition that has been published (printed on pages bound together)

From this reading This Little Book of Wisdom Great It pleases us to dedicate To that Rampageous Reprobate-- The World at Large.

BunchesnounUS /ˈbʌntʃəz/

plural of “bunch” — a grouping of a number of similar things

From this reading Being Bunches of Wisdom Culled from the Calendars of Oliver Herford Ethel Watts Mumford Addison Mizner "Wisdom may not be confined 'Twixt covers of the dictionary, Neither will it be defined; Learning, you may quickly bury; Wisdom--Soul and Life combined combined-- Lingers ever with the merry."

buryverbUS /ˈberi/

cover from sight

From this reading Being Bunches of Wisdom Culled from the Calendars of Oliver Herford Ethel Watts Mumford Addison Mizner "Wisdom may not be confined 'Twixt covers of the dictionary, Neither will it be defined; Learning, you may quickly bury; Wisdom--Soul and Life combined combined-- Lingers ever with the merry."

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Yet as we mark his Stony Phiz And see him whoop and whirl and whiz, We can but cry--O Lord, why _is_ The World at Large!

buyverbUS /baɪ/

obtain by purchase; acquire by means of a financial transaction

From this reading To Foolish-wise and Wisely-gay Of whate'er country they may be, We dedicate this little gem By Ollie, Addison and Me, In hopes they'll buy in massive lots And help us boil our little pots.

ByprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading To Foolish-wise and Wisely-gay Of whate'er country they may be, We dedicate this little gem By Ollie, Addison and Me, In hopes they'll buy in massive lots And help us boil our little pots.

CalendarsnounUS /ˈkæləndərz/

plural of “calendar” — a system of timekeeping that defines the beginning and length and divisions of the year

From this reading Being Bunches of Wisdom Culled from the Calendars of Oliver Herford Ethel Watts Mumford Addison Mizner "Wisdom may not be confined 'Twixt covers of the dictionary, Neither will it be defined; Learning, you may quickly bury; Wisdom--Soul and Life combined combined-- Lingers ever with the merry."

canmodal verbUS /kæn/

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading Yet as we mark his Stony Phiz And see him whoop and whirl and whiz, We can but cry--O Lord, why _is_ The World at Large!

combinedadjectiveUS /kəmˈbaɪnd/

made or joined or united into one

From this reading Being Bunches of Wisdom Culled from the Calendars of Oliver Herford Ethel Watts Mumford Addison Mizner "Wisdom may not be confined 'Twixt covers of the dictionary, Neither will it be defined; Learning, you may quickly bury; Wisdom--Soul and Life combined combined-- Lingers ever with the merry."

confinedadjectiveUS /kənˈfaɪnd/

not invading healthy tissue

From this reading Being Bunches of Wisdom Culled from the Calendars of Oliver Herford Ethel Watts Mumford Addison Mizner "Wisdom may not be confined 'Twixt covers of the dictionary, Neither will it be defined; Learning, you may quickly bury; Wisdom--Soul and Life combined combined-- Lingers ever with the merry."

countrynounUS /ˈkʌntri/

a politically organized body of people under a single government

From this reading To Foolish-wise and Wisely-gay Of whate'er country they may be, We dedicate this little gem By Ollie, Addison and Me, In hopes they'll buy in massive lots And help us boil our little pots.

coversnounUS /ˈkʌvərz/

plural of “cover” — a covering that serves to conceal or shelter something

From this reading Being Bunches of Wisdom Culled from the Calendars of Oliver Herford Ethel Watts Mumford Addison Mizner "Wisdom may not be confined 'Twixt covers of the dictionary, Neither will it be defined; Learning, you may quickly bury; Wisdom--Soul and Life combined combined-- Lingers ever with the merry."

cryverbUS /kraɪ/

utter a sudden loud cry

From this reading Yet as we mark his Stony Phiz And see him whoop and whirl and whiz, We can but cry--O Lord, why _is_ The World at Large!

CulledverbUS /kʌld/

past form of “cull” — remove something that has been rejected

From this reading Being Bunches of Wisdom Culled from the Calendars of Oliver Herford Ethel Watts Mumford Addison Mizner "Wisdom may not be confined 'Twixt covers of the dictionary, Neither will it be defined; Learning, you may quickly bury; Wisdom--Soul and Life combined combined-- Lingers ever with the merry."

dedicateverbUS /ˈdedəkeɪt/

give entirely to a specific person, activity, or cause

From this reading This Little Book of Wisdom Great It pleases us to dedicate To that Rampageous Reprobate-- The World at Large.

definedadjectiveUS /dɪˈfaɪnd/

clearly characterized or delimited

From this reading Being Bunches of Wisdom Culled from the Calendars of Oliver Herford Ethel Watts Mumford Addison Mizner "Wisdom may not be confined 'Twixt covers of the dictionary, Neither will it be defined; Learning, you may quickly bury; Wisdom--Soul and Life combined combined-- Lingers ever with the merry."

dictionarynounUS /ˈdɪkʃəneri/

a reference book containing an alphabetical list of words with information about them

From this reading Being Bunches of Wisdom Culled from the Calendars of Oliver Herford Ethel Watts Mumford Addison Mizner "Wisdom may not be confined 'Twixt covers of the dictionary, Neither will it be defined; Learning, you may quickly bury; Wisdom--Soul and Life combined combined-- Lingers ever with the merry."

Ethel

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

From this reading Being Bunches of Wisdom Culled from the Calendars of Oliver Herford Ethel Watts Mumford Addison Mizner "Wisdom may not be confined 'Twixt covers of the dictionary, Neither will it be defined; Learning, you may quickly bury; Wisdom--Soul and Life combined combined-- Lingers ever with the merry."

everadverbUS /ˈevər/

at any time

From this reading Being Bunches of Wisdom Culled from the Calendars of Oliver Herford Ethel Watts Mumford Addison Mizner "Wisdom may not be confined 'Twixt covers of the dictionary, Neither will it be defined; Learning, you may quickly bury; Wisdom--Soul and Life combined combined-- Lingers ever with the merry."

Foolish-wise

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

From this reading To Foolish-wise and Wisely-gay Of whate'er country they may be, We dedicate this little gem By Ollie, Addison and Me, In hopes they'll buy in massive lots And help us boil our little pots.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Being Bunches of Wisdom Culled from the Calendars of Oliver Herford Ethel Watts Mumford Addison Mizner "Wisdom may not be confined 'Twixt covers of the dictionary, Neither will it be defined; Learning, you may quickly bury; Wisdom--Soul and Life combined combined-- Lingers ever with the merry."

gemnounUS /dʒem/

art highly prized for its beauty or perfection

From this reading To Foolish-wise and Wisely-gay Of whate'er country they may be, We dedicate this little gem By Ollie, Addison and Me, In hopes they'll buy in massive lots And help us boil our little pots.

GreatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

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

From this reading This Little Book of Wisdom Great It pleases us to dedicate To that Rampageous Reprobate-- The World at Large.

helpverbUS /help/

give help or assistance; be of service

From this reading To Foolish-wise and Wisely-gay Of whate'er country they may be, We dedicate this little gem By Ollie, Addison and Me, In hopes they'll buy in massive lots And help us boil our little pots.

Herford

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

From this reading Being Bunches of Wisdom Culled from the Calendars of Oliver Herford Ethel Watts Mumford Addison Mizner "Wisdom may not be confined 'Twixt covers of the dictionary, Neither will it be defined; Learning, you may quickly bury; Wisdom--Soul and Life combined combined-- Lingers ever with the merry."

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading Yet as we mark his Stony Phiz And see him whoop and whirl and whiz, We can but cry--O Lord, why _is_ The World at Large!

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Yet as we mark his Stony Phiz And see him whoop and whirl and whiz, We can but cry--O Lord, why _is_ The World at Large!

hopesnounUS /hoʊps/

plural of “hope” — a specific instance of feeling hopeful

From this reading To Foolish-wise and Wisely-gay Of whate'er country they may be, We dedicate this little gem By Ollie, Addison and Me, In hopes they'll buy in massive lots And help us boil our little pots.

InprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading To Foolish-wise and Wisely-gay Of whate'er country they may be, We dedicate this little gem By Ollie, Addison and Me, In hopes they'll buy in massive lots And help us boil our little pots.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading Yet as we mark his Stony Phiz And see him whoop and whirl and whiz, We can but cry--O Lord, why _is_ The World at Large!

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Being Bunches of Wisdom Culled from the Calendars of Oliver Herford Ethel Watts Mumford Addison Mizner "Wisdom may not be confined 'Twixt covers of the dictionary, Neither will it be defined; Learning, you may quickly bury; Wisdom--Soul and Life combined combined-- Lingers ever with the merry."

LargeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/

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

From this reading This Little Book of Wisdom Great It pleases us to dedicate To that Rampageous Reprobate-- The World at Large.

LearningnounUS /ˈlɜːrnɪŋ/

the cognitive process of acquiring skill or knowledge

From this reading Being Bunches of Wisdom Culled from the Calendars of Oliver Herford Ethel Watts Mumford Addison Mizner "Wisdom may not be confined 'Twixt covers of the dictionary, Neither will it be defined; Learning, you may quickly bury; Wisdom--Soul and Life combined combined-- Lingers ever with the merry."

LifenounUS /laɪf/

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading Being Bunches of Wisdom Culled from the Calendars of Oliver Herford Ethel Watts Mumford Addison Mizner "Wisdom may not be confined 'Twixt covers of the dictionary, Neither will it be defined; Learning, you may quickly bury; Wisdom--Soul and Life combined combined-- Lingers ever with the merry."

LingersverbUS /ˈlɪŋɡərz/

third-person singular of “linger” — remain present although waning or gradually dying

From this reading Being Bunches of Wisdom Culled from the Calendars of Oliver Herford Ethel Watts Mumford Addison Mizner "Wisdom may not be confined 'Twixt covers of the dictionary, Neither will it be defined; Learning, you may quickly bury; Wisdom--Soul and Life combined combined-- Lingers ever with the merry."

LittleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading This Little Book of Wisdom Great It pleases us to dedicate To that Rampageous Reprobate-- The World at Large.

LordnounUS /lɔːrd/

terms referring to the Judeo-Christian God

From this reading Yet as we mark his Stony Phiz And see him whoop and whirl and whiz, We can but cry--O Lord, why _is_ The World at Large!

lotsnounUS /lɑːts/

a large number or amount

From this reading To Foolish-wise and Wisely-gay Of whate'er country they may be, We dedicate this little gem By Ollie, Addison and Me, In hopes they'll buy in massive lots And help us boil our little pots.

markverbUS /mɑːrk/

attach a tag or label to

From this reading Yet as we mark his Stony Phiz And see him whoop and whirl and whiz, We can but cry--O Lord, why _is_ The World at Large!

massiveadjectiveUS /ˈmæsɪv/

imposing in size or bulk or solidity

From this reading To Foolish-wise and Wisely-gay Of whate'er country they may be, We dedicate this little gem By Ollie, Addison and Me, In hopes they'll buy in massive lots And help us boil our little pots.

maymodal verbUS /meɪ/

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading Being Bunches of Wisdom Culled from the Calendars of Oliver Herford Ethel Watts Mumford Addison Mizner "Wisdom may not be confined 'Twixt covers of the dictionary, Neither will it be defined; Learning, you may quickly bury; Wisdom--Soul and Life combined combined-- Lingers ever with the merry."

MepronounUS /miː/

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

From this reading To Foolish-wise and Wisely-gay Of whate'er country they may be, We dedicate this little gem By Ollie, Addison and Me, In hopes they'll buy in massive lots And help us boil our little pots.

merryadjectiveUS /ˈmeri/

full of or showing high-spirited merriment

From this reading Being Bunches of Wisdom Culled from the Calendars of Oliver Herford Ethel Watts Mumford Addison Mizner "Wisdom may not be confined 'Twixt covers of the dictionary, Neither will it be defined; Learning, you may quickly bury; Wisdom--Soul and Life combined combined-- Lingers ever with the merry."

Mizner

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

From this reading Being Bunches of Wisdom Culled from the Calendars of Oliver Herford Ethel Watts Mumford Addison Mizner "Wisdom may not be confined 'Twixt covers of the dictionary, Neither will it be defined; Learning, you may quickly bury; Wisdom--Soul and Life combined combined-- Lingers ever with the merry."

Mumford

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

From this reading Being Bunches of Wisdom Culled from the Calendars of Oliver Herford Ethel Watts Mumford Addison Mizner "Wisdom may not be confined 'Twixt covers of the dictionary, Neither will it be defined; Learning, you may quickly bury; Wisdom--Soul and Life combined combined-- Lingers ever with the merry."

NeitherdeterminerUS /ˈniːðər/

not one and not the other of two

From this reading Being Bunches of Wisdom Culled from the Calendars of Oliver Herford Ethel Watts Mumford Addison Mizner "Wisdom may not be confined 'Twixt covers of the dictionary, Neither will it be defined; Learning, you may quickly bury; Wisdom--Soul and Life combined combined-- Lingers ever with the merry."

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Being Bunches of Wisdom Culled from the Calendars of Oliver Herford Ethel Watts Mumford Addison Mizner "Wisdom may not be confined 'Twixt covers of the dictionary, Neither will it be defined; Learning, you may quickly bury; Wisdom--Soul and Life combined combined-- Lingers ever with the merry."

OnounUS /oʊ/

a nonmetallic bivalent element that is normally a colorless odorless tasteless nonflammable diatomic gas; constitutes 21 percent of the atmosphere by volume; the most abundant element in the earth's crust

From this reading Yet as we mark his Stony Phiz And see him whoop and whirl and whiz, We can but cry--O Lord, why _is_ The World at Large!

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Being Bunches of Wisdom Culled from the Calendars of Oliver Herford Ethel Watts Mumford Addison Mizner "Wisdom may not be confined 'Twixt covers of the dictionary, Neither will it be defined; Learning, you may quickly bury; Wisdom--Soul and Life combined combined-- Lingers ever with the merry."

OlivernounUS /ˈɑːləvər/

United States jazz musician who influenced the style of Louis Armstrong (1885-1938)

From this reading Being Bunches of Wisdom Culled from the Calendars of Oliver Herford Ethel Watts Mumford Addison Mizner "Wisdom may not be confined 'Twixt covers of the dictionary, Neither will it be defined; Learning, you may quickly bury; Wisdom--Soul and Life combined combined-- Lingers ever with the merry."

Ollie

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

From this reading To Foolish-wise and Wisely-gay Of whate'er country they may be, We dedicate this little gem By Ollie, Addison and Me, In hopes they'll buy in massive lots And help us boil our little pots.

ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading To Foolish-wise and Wisely-gay Of whate'er country they may be, We dedicate this little gem By Ollie, Addison and Me, In hopes they'll buy in massive lots And help us boil our little pots.

Phiznoun

English illustrator of several of Dickens' novels (1815-1882)

From this reading Yet as we mark his Stony Phiz And see him whoop and whirl and whiz, We can but cry--O Lord, why _is_ The World at Large!

pleasesverbUS /ˈpliːzɪz/

third-person singular of “please” — give pleasure to or be pleasing to

From this reading This Little Book of Wisdom Great It pleases us to dedicate To that Rampageous Reprobate-- The World at Large.

potsnounUS /pɑːts/

plural of “pot” — metal or earthenware cooking vessel that is usually round and deep; often has a handle and lid

From this reading To Foolish-wise and Wisely-gay Of whate'er country they may be, We dedicate this little gem By Ollie, Addison and Me, In hopes they'll buy in massive lots And help us boil our little pots.

quicklyadverbUS /ˈkwɪkli/

with speed

From this reading Being Bunches of Wisdom Culled from the Calendars of Oliver Herford Ethel Watts Mumford Addison Mizner "Wisdom may not be confined 'Twixt covers of the dictionary, Neither will it be defined; Learning, you may quickly bury; Wisdom--Soul and Life combined combined-- Lingers ever with the merry."

Rampageousadjective

displaying raging violence; often destructive

From this reading This Little Book of Wisdom Great It pleases us to dedicate To that Rampageous Reprobate-- The World at Large.

ReprobateverbUS /ˈreprɔːbeɪt/

reject (documents) as invalid

From this reading This Little Book of Wisdom Great It pleases us to dedicate To that Rampageous Reprobate-- The World at Large.

seeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading Yet as we mark his Stony Phiz And see him whoop and whirl and whiz, We can but cry--O Lord, why _is_ The World at Large!

SoulnounUS /soʊl/

the immaterial part of a person; the actuating cause of an individual life

From this reading Being Bunches of Wisdom Culled from the Calendars of Oliver Herford Ethel Watts Mumford Addison Mizner "Wisdom may not be confined 'Twixt covers of the dictionary, Neither will it be defined; Learning, you may quickly bury; Wisdom--Soul and Life combined combined-- Lingers ever with the merry."

StonyadjectiveUS /ˈstoʊni/

abounding in rocks or stones

From this reading Yet as we mark his Stony Phiz And see him whoop and whirl and whiz, We can but cry--O Lord, why _is_ The World at Large!

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading This Little Book of Wisdom Great It pleases us to dedicate To that Rampageous Reprobate-- The World at Large.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Being Bunches of Wisdom Culled from the Calendars of Oliver Herford Ethel Watts Mumford Addison Mizner "Wisdom may not be confined 'Twixt covers of the dictionary, Neither will it be defined; Learning, you may quickly bury; Wisdom--Soul and Life combined combined-- Lingers ever with the merry."

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading To Foolish-wise and Wisely-gay Of whate'er country they may be, We dedicate this little gem By Ollie, Addison and Me, In hopes they'll buy in massive lots And help us boil our little pots.

they'll

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

From this reading To Foolish-wise and Wisely-gay Of whate'er country they may be, We dedicate this little gem By Ollie, Addison and Me, In hopes they'll buy in massive lots And help us boil our little pots.

ThisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading This Little Book of Wisdom Great It pleases us to dedicate To that Rampageous Reprobate-- The World at Large.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading This Little Book of Wisdom Great It pleases us to dedicate To that Rampageous Reprobate-- The World at Large.

Twixt

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

From this reading Being Bunches of Wisdom Culled from the Calendars of Oliver Herford Ethel Watts Mumford Addison Mizner "Wisdom may not be confined 'Twixt covers of the dictionary, Neither will it be defined; Learning, you may quickly bury; Wisdom--Soul and Life combined combined-- Lingers ever with the merry."

uspronounUS /ʌs/

the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading This Little Book of Wisdom Great It pleases us to dedicate To that Rampageous Reprobate-- The World at Large.

WattsnounUS /wɑːts/

English poet and theologian (1674-1748)

From this reading Being Bunches of Wisdom Culled from the Calendars of Oliver Herford Ethel Watts Mumford Addison Mizner "Wisdom may not be confined 'Twixt covers of the dictionary, Neither will it be defined; Learning, you may quickly bury; Wisdom--Soul and Life combined combined-- Lingers ever with the merry."

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading Yet as we mark his Stony Phiz And see him whoop and whirl and whiz, We can but cry--O Lord, why _is_ The World at Large!

whate'er

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

From this reading To Foolish-wise and Wisely-gay Of whate'er country they may be, We dedicate this little gem By Ollie, Addison and Me, In hopes they'll buy in massive lots And help us boil our little pots.

whirlverbUS /wɜːrl/

turn in a twisting or spinning motion

From this reading Yet as we mark his Stony Phiz And see him whoop and whirl and whiz, We can but cry--O Lord, why _is_ The World at Large!

whiznounUS /wɪz/

someone who is dazzlingly skilled in any field

From this reading Yet as we mark his Stony Phiz And see him whoop and whirl and whiz, We can but cry--O Lord, why _is_ The World at Large!

whoopverbUS /wuːp/

shout, as if with joy or enthusiasm

From this reading Yet as we mark his Stony Phiz And see him whoop and whirl and whiz, We can but cry--O Lord, why _is_ The World at Large!

whynounUS /waɪ/

the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”

From this reading Yet as we mark his Stony Phiz And see him whoop and whirl and whiz, We can but cry--O Lord, why _is_ The World at Large!

willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading Being Bunches of Wisdom Culled from the Calendars of Oliver Herford Ethel Watts Mumford Addison Mizner "Wisdom may not be confined 'Twixt covers of the dictionary, Neither will it be defined; Learning, you may quickly bury; Wisdom--Soul and Life combined combined-- Lingers ever with the merry."

WisdomnounUS /ˈwɪzdəm/

accumulated knowledge or erudition or enlightenment

From this reading Being Bunches of Wisdom Culled from the Calendars of Oliver Herford Ethel Watts Mumford Addison Mizner "Wisdom may not be confined 'Twixt covers of the dictionary, Neither will it be defined; Learning, you may quickly bury; Wisdom--Soul and Life combined combined-- Lingers ever with the merry."

Wisely-gay

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

From this reading To Foolish-wise and Wisely-gay Of whate'er country they may be, We dedicate this little gem By Ollie, Addison and Me, In hopes they'll buy in massive lots And help us boil our little pots.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Being Bunches of Wisdom Culled from the Calendars of Oliver Herford Ethel Watts Mumford Addison Mizner "Wisdom may not be confined 'Twixt covers of the dictionary, Neither will it be defined; Learning, you may quickly bury; Wisdom--Soul and Life combined combined-- Lingers ever with the merry."

WorldnounUS /wɜːrld/

everything that exists anywhere

From this reading This Little Book of Wisdom Great It pleases us to dedicate To that Rampageous Reprobate-- The World at Large.

YetconjunctionUS /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading Yet as we mark his Stony Phiz And see him whoop and whirl and whiz, We can but cry--O Lord, why _is_ The World at Large!

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading Being Bunches of Wisdom Culled from the Calendars of Oliver Herford Ethel Watts Mumford Addison Mizner "Wisdom may not be confined 'Twixt covers of the dictionary, Neither will it be defined; Learning, you may quickly bury; Wisdom--Soul and Life combined combined-- Lingers ever with the merry."

Chapter 1 of The Complete Cynic by Oliver Herford holds 361 sentences, grouped into 73 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 Complete Cynic contain?

Chapter 1 holds 361 sentences of The Complete Cynic, unabridged, divided into 73 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of The Complete Cynic by Oliver Herford exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 361 sentences, grouped into 73 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 Complete Cynic?

Work through the 73 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 73 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 Complete Cynic

Common questions about reading The Complete Cynic by Oliver Herford on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Complete Cynic?

Yes. All 361 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #44989 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Complete Cynic is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #44989, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Complete Cynic take to read?

About 30 minutes of reading across 73 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Complete Cynic section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 1 chapters of The Complete Cynic to begin.

  2. Read one section

    Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.

  3. Listen and tap

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

Vocabulary met early in The Complete Cynic

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

Being
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Complete Cynic; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Bunches
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Complete Cynic; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Wisdom
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Complete Cynic; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Culled
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Complete Cynic; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.