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The Crock of Gold: A Rural Novel
The Crock of Gold: A Rural Novel

Chapter XXXII · Chapter 32

Chapter 32 of The Crock of Gold: A Rural Novel is here in full — 35 sentences across 7 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/7 · 5 lines
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SIMON ALONE.
JENNINGS gathered himself up, from that Jew-of-Malta tumble down the steps, less damaged by the fall than could have been imagined possible; the fact being that his cat-like nature had stood him in good stead--he had lighted on his feet; and nothing but a mighty dorsal bruise bore witness to the prowess of a Jonathan.
But, if his body was comparatively sound, the inner man was bruised all over: he crept back, and retreated to his room, in as broken and despondent a frame of mind, as any could have wished to bless him wherewithal.
However, he still had one thing left to live for: his hoard--that precious hoard within his iron box, and then--the crock of gold.
He took Sir John's threat about detaining, and so forth, as merely future, and calculated on rendering it nugatory, by decamping forthwith, chattels and all; but he little expected to find that the idea had already been acted upon!
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Crock of Gold: A Rural Novel

Chapter XXXII · Chapter 32

Chapter 32 of The Crock of Gold: A Rural Novel is here in full — 35 sentences across 7 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/7 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
SIMON ALONE.
/ˈsaɪmən əˈloʊn/
Line 2
JENNINGS gathered himself up, from that Jew-of-Malta tumble down the steps, less damaged by the fall than could have been imagined possible; the fact being that his cat-like nature had stood him in good stead--he had lighted on his feet; and nothing but a mighty dorsal bruise bore witness to the prowess of a Jonathan.
Line 3
But, if his body was comparatively sound, the inner man was bruised all over: he crept back, and retreated to his room, in as broken and despondent a frame of mind, as any could have wished to bless him wherewithal.
/bʌt ɪf hɪz ˈbɑːdi wɑːz kəmˈperətɪvli saʊnd ðə ˈɪnər mæn wɑːz bruːzd ɔːl ˈoʊvər hiː krept bæk ənd riˈtriːtəd tuː hɪz ruːm ɪn æz ˈbroʊkən ənd dɪˈspɑːndənt ə freɪm ʌv maɪnd æz ˈeni kʊd hæv wɪʃt tuː bles hɪm ˈwerwɪðɔːl/
Line 4
However, he still had one thing left to live for: his hoard--that precious hoard within his iron box, and then--the crock of gold.
Line 5
He took Sir John's threat about detaining, and so forth, as merely future, and calculated on rendering it nugatory, by decamping forthwith, chattels and all; but he little expected to find that the idea had already been acted upon!

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.

bruise verb US /bruːz/

injure the underlying soft tissue or bone of

From this reading “JENNINGS gathered himself up, from that Jew-of-Malta tumble down the steps, less damaged by the fall than could have been imagined possible; the fact being that his cat-like nature had stood him in good stead--he had lighted on his feet; and nothing but a mighty dorsal bruise bore witness to the prowess of a Jonathan.”

crock noun US /krɑːk/

a black colloidal substance consisting wholly or principally of amorphous carbon and used to make pigments and ink

From this reading “However, he still had one thing left to live for: his hoard--that precious hoard within his iron box, and then--the crock of gold.”

despondent adjective US /dɪˈspɑːndənt/

without or almost without hope

From this reading “But, if his body was comparatively sound, the inner man was bruised all over: he crept back, and retreated to his room, in as broken and despondent a frame of mind, as any could have wished to bless him wherewithal.”

detaining verb US /dɪˈteɪnɪŋ/

-ing form of “detain” — deprive of freedom; take into confinement

From this reading “He took Sir John's threat about detaining, and so forth, as merely future, and calculated on rendering it nugatory, by decamping forthwith, chattels and all; but he little expected to find that the idea had already been acted upon!”

dorsal adjective US /ˈdɔːrsəl/

belonging to or on or near the back or upper surface of an animal or organ or part

From this reading “JENNINGS gathered himself up, from that Jew-of-Malta tumble down the steps, less damaged by the fall than could have been imagined possible; the fact being that his cat-like nature had stood him in good stead--he had lighted on his feet; and nothing but a mighty dorsal bruise bore witness to the prowess of a Jonathan.”

hoard verb US /hɔːrd/

save up as for future use

From this reading “However, he still had one thing left to live for: his hoard--that precious hoard within his iron box, and then--the crock of gold.”

nugatory adjective US /ˈnuːɡɑːtɔːri/

of no real value

From this reading “He took Sir John's threat about detaining, and so forth, as merely future, and calculated on rendering it nugatory, by decamping forthwith, chattels and all; but he little expected to find that the idea had already been acted upon!”

wherewithal noun US /ˈwerwɪðɔːl/

the necessary means (especially financial means)

From this reading “But, if his body was comparatively sound, the inner man was bruised all over: he crept back, and retreated to his room, in as broken and despondent a frame of mind, as any could have wished to bless him wherewithal.”

All words in this reading · 113

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 JENNINGS gathered himself up, from that Jew-of-Malta tumble down the steps, less damaged by the fall than could have been imagined possible; the fact being that his cat-like nature had stood him in good stead--he had lighted on his feet; and nothing but a mighty dorsal bruise bore witness to the prowess of a Jonathan.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading He took Sir John's threat about detaining, and so forth, as merely future, and calculated on rendering it nugatory, by decamping forthwith, chattels and all; but he little expected to find that the idea had already been acted upon!

actedverbUS /ˈæktɪd/

past form of “act” — perform an action, or work out or perform (an action)

From this reading He took Sir John's threat about detaining, and so forth, as merely future, and calculated on rendering it nugatory, by decamping forthwith, chattels and all; but he little expected to find that the idea had already been acted upon!

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading But, if his body was comparatively sound, the inner man was bruised all over: he crept back, and retreated to his room, in as broken and despondent a frame of mind, as any could have wished to bless him wherewithal.

ALONEadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/

Having no one else present.

From this reading SIMON ALONE.

alreadyadverbUS /ɔːlˈredi/

prior to a specified or implied time

From this reading He took Sir John's threat about detaining, and so forth, as merely future, and calculated on rendering it nugatory, by decamping forthwith, chattels and all; but he little expected to find that the idea had already been acted upon!

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading JENNINGS gathered himself up, from that Jew-of-Malta tumble down the steps, less damaged by the fall than could have been imagined possible; the fact being that his cat-like nature had stood him in good stead--he had lighted on his feet; and nothing but a mighty dorsal bruise bore witness to the prowess of a Jonathan.

anyadjectiveUS /ˈeni/

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading But, if his body was comparatively sound, the inner man was bruised all over: he crept back, and retreated to his room, in as broken and despondent a frame of mind, as any could have wished to bless him wherewithal.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading But, if his body was comparatively sound, the inner man was bruised all over: he crept back, and retreated to his room, in as broken and despondent a frame of mind, as any could have wished to bless him wherewithal.

backadverbUS /bæk/

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading But, if his body was comparatively sound, the inner man was bruised all over: he crept back, and retreated to his room, in as broken and despondent a frame of mind, as any could have wished to bless him wherewithal.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading JENNINGS gathered himself up, from that Jew-of-Malta tumble down the steps, less damaged by the fall than could have been imagined possible; the fact being that his cat-like nature had stood him in good stead--he had lighted on his feet; and nothing but a mighty dorsal bruise bore witness to the prowess of a Jonathan.

beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading JENNINGS gathered himself up, from that Jew-of-Malta tumble down the steps, less damaged by the fall than could have been imagined possible; the fact being that his cat-like nature had stood him in good stead--he had lighted on his feet; and nothing but a mighty dorsal bruise bore witness to the prowess of a Jonathan.

blessverbUS /bles/

give a benediction to

From this reading But, if his body was comparatively sound, the inner man was bruised all over: he crept back, and retreated to his room, in as broken and despondent a frame of mind, as any could have wished to bless him wherewithal.

bodynounUS /ˈbɑːdi/

the entire physical structure of an organism (an animal, plant, or human being)

From this reading But, if his body was comparatively sound, the inner man was bruised all over: he crept back, and retreated to his room, in as broken and despondent a frame of mind, as any could have wished to bless him wherewithal.

boreverbUS /bɔːr/

cause to be bored

From this reading JENNINGS gathered himself up, from that Jew-of-Malta tumble down the steps, less damaged by the fall than could have been imagined possible; the fact being that his cat-like nature had stood him in good stead--he had lighted on his feet; and nothing but a mighty dorsal bruise bore witness to the prowess of a Jonathan.

boxnounUS /bɑːks/

a (usually rectangular) container; may have a lid

From this reading However, he still had one thing left to live for: his hoard--that precious hoard within his iron box, and then--the crock of gold.

brokenadjectiveUS /ˈbroʊkən/

physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split

From this reading But, if his body was comparatively sound, the inner man was bruised all over: he crept back, and retreated to his room, in as broken and despondent a frame of mind, as any could have wished to bless him wherewithal.

bruiseverbUS /bruːz/

injure the underlying soft tissue or bone of

From this reading JENNINGS gathered himself up, from that Jew-of-Malta tumble down the steps, less damaged by the fall than could have been imagined possible; the fact being that his cat-like nature had stood him in good stead--he had lighted on his feet; and nothing but a mighty dorsal bruise bore witness to the prowess of a Jonathan.

bruisedverbUS /bruːzd/

past form of “bruise” — injure the underlying soft tissue or bone of

From this reading But, if his body was comparatively sound, the inner man was bruised all over: he crept back, and retreated to his room, in as broken and despondent a frame of mind, as any could have wished to bless him wherewithal.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading JENNINGS gathered himself up, from that Jew-of-Malta tumble down the steps, less damaged by the fall than could have been imagined possible; the fact being that his cat-like nature had stood him in good stead--he had lighted on his feet; and nothing but a mighty dorsal bruise bore witness to the prowess of a Jonathan.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading JENNINGS gathered himself up, from that Jew-of-Malta tumble down the steps, less damaged by the fall than could have been imagined possible; the fact being that his cat-like nature had stood him in good stead--he had lighted on his feet; and nothing but a mighty dorsal bruise bore witness to the prowess of a Jonathan.

calculatedadjectiveUS /ˈkælkjəleɪtɪd/

carefully thought out in advance

From this reading He took Sir John's threat about detaining, and so forth, as merely future, and calculated on rendering it nugatory, by decamping forthwith, chattels and all; but he little expected to find that the idea had already been acted upon!

cat-like

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

From this reading JENNINGS gathered himself up, from that Jew-of-Malta tumble down the steps, less damaged by the fall than could have been imagined possible; the fact being that his cat-like nature had stood him in good stead--he had lighted on his feet; and nothing but a mighty dorsal bruise bore witness to the prowess of a Jonathan.

chattels

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

From this reading He took Sir John's threat about detaining, and so forth, as merely future, and calculated on rendering it nugatory, by decamping forthwith, chattels and all; but he little expected to find that the idea had already been acted upon!

comparativelyadverbUS /kəmˈperətɪvli/

in a relative manner; by comparison to something else

From this reading But, if his body was comparatively sound, the inner man was bruised all over: he crept back, and retreated to his room, in as broken and despondent a frame of mind, as any could have wished to bless him wherewithal.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading JENNINGS gathered himself up, from that Jew-of-Malta tumble down the steps, less damaged by the fall than could have been imagined possible; the fact being that his cat-like nature had stood him in good stead--he had lighted on his feet; and nothing but a mighty dorsal bruise bore witness to the prowess of a Jonathan.

creptverbUS /krept/

inflected form of “creep” — move slowly; in the case of people or animals with the body near the ground

From this reading But, if his body was comparatively sound, the inner man was bruised all over: he crept back, and retreated to his room, in as broken and despondent a frame of mind, as any could have wished to bless him wherewithal.

crocknounUS /krɑːk/

a black colloidal substance consisting wholly or principally of amorphous carbon and used to make pigments and ink

From this reading However, he still had one thing left to live for: his hoard--that precious hoard within his iron box, and then--the crock of gold.

damagedadjectiveUS /ˈdæmədʒd/

harmed or injured or spoiled

From this reading JENNINGS gathered himself up, from that Jew-of-Malta tumble down the steps, less damaged by the fall than could have been imagined possible; the fact being that his cat-like nature had stood him in good stead--he had lighted on his feet; and nothing but a mighty dorsal bruise bore witness to the prowess of a Jonathan.

decamping

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

From this reading He took Sir John's threat about detaining, and so forth, as merely future, and calculated on rendering it nugatory, by decamping forthwith, chattels and all; but he little expected to find that the idea had already been acted upon!

despondentadjectiveUS /dɪˈspɑːndənt/

without or almost without hope

From this reading But, if his body was comparatively sound, the inner man was bruised all over: he crept back, and retreated to his room, in as broken and despondent a frame of mind, as any could have wished to bless him wherewithal.

detainingverbUS /dɪˈteɪnɪŋ/

-ing form of “detain” — deprive of freedom; take into confinement

From this reading He took Sir John's threat about detaining, and so forth, as merely future, and calculated on rendering it nugatory, by decamping forthwith, chattels and all; but he little expected to find that the idea had already been acted upon!

dorsaladjectiveUS /ˈdɔːrsəl/

belonging to or on or near the back or upper surface of an animal or organ or part

From this reading JENNINGS gathered himself up, from that Jew-of-Malta tumble down the steps, less damaged by the fall than could have been imagined possible; the fact being that his cat-like nature had stood him in good stead--he had lighted on his feet; and nothing but a mighty dorsal bruise bore witness to the prowess of a Jonathan.

downadjectiveUS /daʊn/

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading JENNINGS gathered himself up, from that Jew-of-Malta tumble down the steps, less damaged by the fall than could have been imagined possible; the fact being that his cat-like nature had stood him in good stead--he had lighted on his feet; and nothing but a mighty dorsal bruise bore witness to the prowess of a Jonathan.

expectedadjectiveUS /ɪkˈspektəd/

considered likely or probable to happen or arrive

From this reading He took Sir John's threat about detaining, and so forth, as merely future, and calculated on rendering it nugatory, by decamping forthwith, chattels and all; but he little expected to find that the idea had already been acted upon!

factnounUS /fækt/

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

From this reading JENNINGS gathered himself up, from that Jew-of-Malta tumble down the steps, less damaged by the fall than could have been imagined possible; the fact being that his cat-like nature had stood him in good stead--he had lighted on his feet; and nothing but a mighty dorsal bruise bore witness to the prowess of a Jonathan.

fallverbUS /fɔːl/

descend in free fall under the influence of gravity

From this reading JENNINGS gathered himself up, from that Jew-of-Malta tumble down the steps, less damaged by the fall than could have been imagined possible; the fact being that his cat-like nature had stood him in good stead--he had lighted on his feet; and nothing but a mighty dorsal bruise bore witness to the prowess of a Jonathan.

feetnounUS /fiːt/

plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint

From this reading JENNINGS gathered himself up, from that Jew-of-Malta tumble down the steps, less damaged by the fall than could have been imagined possible; the fact being that his cat-like nature had stood him in good stead--he had lighted on his feet; and nothing but a mighty dorsal bruise bore witness to the prowess of a Jonathan.

findverbUS /faɪnd/

come upon, as if by accident; meet with

From this reading He took Sir John's threat about detaining, and so forth, as merely future, and calculated on rendering it nugatory, by decamping forthwith, chattels and all; but he little expected to find that the idea had already been acted upon!

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading However, he still had one thing left to live for: his hoard--that precious hoard within his iron box, and then--the crock of gold.

forthadverbUS /fɔːrθ/

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

From this reading He took Sir John's threat about detaining, and so forth, as merely future, and calculated on rendering it nugatory, by decamping forthwith, chattels and all; but he little expected to find that the idea had already been acted upon!

forthwithadverbUS /ˈfɔːrˈθwɪθ/

without delay or hesitation; with no time intervening

From this reading He took Sir John's threat about detaining, and so forth, as merely future, and calculated on rendering it nugatory, by decamping forthwith, chattels and all; but he little expected to find that the idea had already been acted upon!

frameverbUS /freɪm/

enclose in or as if in a frame

From this reading But, if his body was comparatively sound, the inner man was bruised all over: he crept back, and retreated to his room, in as broken and despondent a frame of mind, as any could have wished to bless him wherewithal.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading JENNINGS gathered himself up, from that Jew-of-Malta tumble down the steps, less damaged by the fall than could have been imagined possible; the fact being that his cat-like nature had stood him in good stead--he had lighted on his feet; and nothing but a mighty dorsal bruise bore witness to the prowess of a Jonathan.

futureadjectiveUS /ˈfjuːtʃər/

yet to be or coming

From this reading He took Sir John's threat about detaining, and so forth, as merely future, and calculated on rendering it nugatory, by decamping forthwith, chattels and all; but he little expected to find that the idea had already been acted upon!

gatheredadjectiveUS /ˈɡæðərd/

brought together in one place

From this reading JENNINGS gathered himself up, from that Jew-of-Malta tumble down the steps, less damaged by the fall than could have been imagined possible; the fact being that his cat-like nature had stood him in good stead--he had lighted on his feet; and nothing but a mighty dorsal bruise bore witness to the prowess of a Jonathan.

goldnounUS /ɡoʊld/

coins made of gold

From this reading However, he still had one thing left to live for: his hoard--that precious hoard within his iron box, and then--the crock of gold.

goodadjectiveUS /ɡʊd/

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

From this reading JENNINGS gathered himself up, from that Jew-of-Malta tumble down the steps, less damaged by the fall than could have been imagined possible; the fact being that his cat-like nature had stood him in good stead--he had lighted on his feet; and nothing but a mighty dorsal bruise bore witness to the prowess of a Jonathan.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading JENNINGS gathered himself up, from that Jew-of-Malta tumble down the steps, less damaged by the fall than could have been imagined possible; the fact being that his cat-like nature had stood him in good stead--he had lighted on his feet; and nothing but a mighty dorsal bruise bore witness to the prowess of a Jonathan.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading JENNINGS gathered himself up, from that Jew-of-Malta tumble down the steps, less damaged by the fall than could have been imagined possible; the fact being that his cat-like nature had stood him in good stead--he had lighted on his feet; and nothing but a mighty dorsal bruise bore witness to the prowess of a Jonathan.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading JENNINGS gathered himself up, from that Jew-of-Malta tumble down the steps, less damaged by the fall than could have been imagined possible; the fact being that his cat-like nature had stood him in good stead--he had lighted on his feet; and nothing but a mighty dorsal bruise bore witness to the prowess of a Jonathan.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading JENNINGS gathered himself up, from that Jew-of-Malta tumble down the steps, less damaged by the fall than could have been imagined possible; the fact being that his cat-like nature had stood him in good stead--he had lighted on his feet; and nothing but a mighty dorsal bruise bore witness to the prowess of a Jonathan.

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading JENNINGS gathered himself up, from that Jew-of-Malta tumble down the steps, less damaged by the fall than could have been imagined possible; the fact being that his cat-like nature had stood him in good stead--he had lighted on his feet; and nothing but a mighty dorsal bruise bore witness to the prowess of a Jonathan.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading JENNINGS gathered himself up, from that Jew-of-Malta tumble down the steps, less damaged by the fall than could have been imagined possible; the fact being that his cat-like nature had stood him in good stead--he had lighted on his feet; and nothing but a mighty dorsal bruise bore witness to the prowess of a Jonathan.

hoardverbUS /hɔːrd/

save up as for future use

From this reading However, he still had one thing left to live for: his hoard--that precious hoard within his iron box, and then--the crock of gold.

HoweveradverbUS /ˌhaʊˈevər/

used to add a contrasting statement

From this reading However, he still had one thing left to live for: his hoard--that precious hoard within his iron box, and then--the crock of gold.

ideanounUS /aɪˈdiːə/

the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

From this reading He took Sir John's threat about detaining, and so forth, as merely future, and calculated on rendering it nugatory, by decamping forthwith, chattels and all; but he little expected to find that the idea had already been acted upon!

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading But, if his body was comparatively sound, the inner man was bruised all over: he crept back, and retreated to his room, in as broken and despondent a frame of mind, as any could have wished to bless him wherewithal.

imaginedverbUS /ˌɪˈmædʒənd/

past form of “imagine” — form a mental image of something that is not present or that is not the case

From this reading JENNINGS gathered himself up, from that Jew-of-Malta tumble down the steps, less damaged by the fall than could have been imagined possible; the fact being that his cat-like nature had stood him in good stead--he had lighted on his feet; and nothing but a mighty dorsal bruise bore witness to the prowess of a Jonathan.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading JENNINGS gathered himself up, from that Jew-of-Malta tumble down the steps, less damaged by the fall than could have been imagined possible; the fact being that his cat-like nature had stood him in good stead--he had lighted on his feet; and nothing but a mighty dorsal bruise bore witness to the prowess of a Jonathan.

inneradjectiveUS /ˈɪnər/

located inward

From this reading But, if his body was comparatively sound, the inner man was bruised all over: he crept back, and retreated to his room, in as broken and despondent a frame of mind, as any could have wished to bless him wherewithal.

ironnounUS /ˈaɪərn/

a heavy ductile magnetic metallic element; is silver-white in pure form but readily rusts; used in construction and tools and armament; plays a role in the transport of oxygen by the blood

From this reading However, he still had one thing left to live for: his hoard--that precious hoard within his iron box, and then--the crock of gold.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading He took Sir John's threat about detaining, and so forth, as merely future, and calculated on rendering it nugatory, by decamping forthwith, chattels and all; but he little expected to find that the idea had already been acted upon!

JENNINGS

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

From this reading JENNINGS gathered himself up, from that Jew-of-Malta tumble down the steps, less damaged by the fall than could have been imagined possible; the fact being that his cat-like nature had stood him in good stead--he had lighted on his feet; and nothing but a mighty dorsal bruise bore witness to the prowess of a Jonathan.

Jew-of-Malta

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

From this reading JENNINGS gathered himself up, from that Jew-of-Malta tumble down the steps, less damaged by the fall than could have been imagined possible; the fact being that his cat-like nature had stood him in good stead--he had lighted on his feet; and nothing but a mighty dorsal bruise bore witness to the prowess of a Jonathan.

John'snounUS /dʒɑːnz/

possessive form of “john” — a room or building equipped with one or more toilets

From this reading He took Sir John's threat about detaining, and so forth, as merely future, and calculated on rendering it nugatory, by decamping forthwith, chattels and all; but he little expected to find that the idea had already been acted upon!

JonathannounUS /ˈdʒɑːnəθən/

red late-ripening apple; primarily eaten raw

From this reading JENNINGS gathered himself up, from that Jew-of-Malta tumble down the steps, less damaged by the fall than could have been imagined possible; the fact being that his cat-like nature had stood him in good stead--he had lighted on his feet; and nothing but a mighty dorsal bruise bore witness to the prowess of a Jonathan.

leftnounUS /left/

location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east

From this reading However, he still had one thing left to live for: his hoard--that precious hoard within his iron box, and then--the crock of gold.

lessadverbUS /les/

used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs

From this reading JENNINGS gathered himself up, from that Jew-of-Malta tumble down the steps, less damaged by the fall than could have been imagined possible; the fact being that his cat-like nature had stood him in good stead--he had lighted on his feet; and nothing but a mighty dorsal bruise bore witness to the prowess of a Jonathan.

lightedadjectiveUS /ˈlaɪtəd/

set afire or burning

From this reading JENNINGS gathered himself up, from that Jew-of-Malta tumble down the steps, less damaged by the fall than could have been imagined possible; the fact being that his cat-like nature had stood him in good stead--he had lighted on his feet; and nothing but a mighty dorsal bruise bore witness to the prowess of a Jonathan.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

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

From this reading He took Sir John's threat about detaining, and so forth, as merely future, and calculated on rendering it nugatory, by decamping forthwith, chattels and all; but he little expected to find that the idea had already been acted upon!

liveverbUS /laɪv/

be an inhabitant of or reside in

From this reading However, he still had one thing left to live for: his hoard--that precious hoard within his iron box, and then--the crock of gold.

mannounUS /mæn/

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading But, if his body was comparatively sound, the inner man was bruised all over: he crept back, and retreated to his room, in as broken and despondent a frame of mind, as any could have wished to bless him wherewithal.

merelyadverbUS /ˈmɪrli/

and nothing more

From this reading He took Sir John's threat about detaining, and so forth, as merely future, and calculated on rendering it nugatory, by decamping forthwith, chattels and all; but he little expected to find that the idea had already been acted upon!

mightyadjectiveUS /ˈmaɪti/

having or showing great strength or force or intensity

From this reading JENNINGS gathered himself up, from that Jew-of-Malta tumble down the steps, less damaged by the fall than could have been imagined possible; the fact being that his cat-like nature had stood him in good stead--he had lighted on his feet; and nothing but a mighty dorsal bruise bore witness to the prowess of a Jonathan.

mindnounUS /maɪnd/

The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.

From this reading But, if his body was comparatively sound, the inner man was bruised all over: he crept back, and retreated to his room, in as broken and despondent a frame of mind, as any could have wished to bless him wherewithal.

naturenounUS /ˈneɪtʃər/

the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized

From this reading JENNINGS gathered himself up, from that Jew-of-Malta tumble down the steps, less damaged by the fall than could have been imagined possible; the fact being that his cat-like nature had stood him in good stead--he had lighted on his feet; and nothing but a mighty dorsal bruise bore witness to the prowess of a Jonathan.

nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading JENNINGS gathered himself up, from that Jew-of-Malta tumble down the steps, less damaged by the fall than could have been imagined possible; the fact being that his cat-like nature had stood him in good stead--he had lighted on his feet; and nothing but a mighty dorsal bruise bore witness to the prowess of a Jonathan.

nugatoryadjectiveUS /ˈnuːɡɑːtɔːri/

of no real value

From this reading He took Sir John's threat about detaining, and so forth, as merely future, and calculated on rendering it nugatory, by decamping forthwith, chattels and all; but he little expected to find that the idea had already been acted upon!

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading JENNINGS gathered himself up, from that Jew-of-Malta tumble down the steps, less damaged by the fall than could have been imagined possible; the fact being that his cat-like nature had stood him in good stead--he had lighted on his feet; and nothing but a mighty dorsal bruise bore witness to the prowess of a Jonathan.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading JENNINGS gathered himself up, from that Jew-of-Malta tumble down the steps, less damaged by the fall than could have been imagined possible; the fact being that his cat-like nature had stood him in good stead--he had lighted on his feet; and nothing but a mighty dorsal bruise bore witness to the prowess of a Jonathan.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading However, he still had one thing left to live for: his hoard--that precious hoard within his iron box, and then--the crock of gold.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading But, if his body was comparatively sound, the inner man was bruised all over: he crept back, and retreated to his room, in as broken and despondent a frame of mind, as any could have wished to bless him wherewithal.

possibleadjectiveUS /ˈpɑːsəbəl/

capable of happening or existing

From this reading JENNINGS gathered himself up, from that Jew-of-Malta tumble down the steps, less damaged by the fall than could have been imagined possible; the fact being that his cat-like nature had stood him in good stead--he had lighted on his feet; and nothing but a mighty dorsal bruise bore witness to the prowess of a Jonathan.

preciousadjectiveUS /ˈpreʃəs/

characterized by feeling or showing fond affection for

From this reading However, he still had one thing left to live for: his hoard--that precious hoard within his iron box, and then--the crock of gold.

prowessnounUS /ˈpraʊəs/

a superior skill that you can learn by study and practice and observation

From this reading JENNINGS gathered himself up, from that Jew-of-Malta tumble down the steps, less damaged by the fall than could have been imagined possible; the fact being that his cat-like nature had stood him in good stead--he had lighted on his feet; and nothing but a mighty dorsal bruise bore witness to the prowess of a Jonathan.

renderingnounUS /ˈrendərɪŋ/

a performance of a musical composition or a dramatic role etc.

From this reading He took Sir John's threat about detaining, and so forth, as merely future, and calculated on rendering it nugatory, by decamping forthwith, chattels and all; but he little expected to find that the idea had already been acted upon!

retreatednounUS /riˈtriːtəd/

people who have retreated

From this reading But, if his body was comparatively sound, the inner man was bruised all over: he crept back, and retreated to his room, in as broken and despondent a frame of mind, as any could have wished to bless him wherewithal.

roomnounUS /ruːm/

an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling

From this reading But, if his body was comparatively sound, the inner man was bruised all over: he crept back, and retreated to his room, in as broken and despondent a frame of mind, as any could have wished to bless him wherewithal.

SIMONnounUS /ˈsaɪmən/

one of the twelve Apostles (first century)

From this reading SIMON ALONE.

SirnounUS /sɜːr/

term of address for a man

From this reading He took Sir John's threat about detaining, and so forth, as merely future, and calculated on rendering it nugatory, by decamping forthwith, chattels and all; but he little expected to find that the idea had already been acted upon!

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading He took Sir John's threat about detaining, and so forth, as merely future, and calculated on rendering it nugatory, by decamping forthwith, chattels and all; but he little expected to find that the idea had already been acted upon!

soundnounUS /saʊnd/

the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause

From this reading But, if his body was comparatively sound, the inner man was bruised all over: he crept back, and retreated to his room, in as broken and despondent a frame of mind, as any could have wished to bless him wherewithal.

steadnounUS /sted/

the post or function properly or customarily occupied or served by another

From this reading JENNINGS gathered himself up, from that Jew-of-Malta tumble down the steps, less damaged by the fall than could have been imagined possible; the fact being that his cat-like nature had stood him in good stead--he had lighted on his feet; and nothing but a mighty dorsal bruise bore witness to the prowess of a Jonathan.

stepsnounUS /steps/

a flight of stairs or a flight of steps

From this reading JENNINGS gathered himself up, from that Jew-of-Malta tumble down the steps, less damaged by the fall than could have been imagined possible; the fact being that his cat-like nature had stood him in good stead--he had lighted on his feet; and nothing but a mighty dorsal bruise bore witness to the prowess of a Jonathan.

stilladjectiveUS /stɪl/

not in physical motion

From this reading However, he still had one thing left to live for: his hoard--that precious hoard within his iron box, and then--the crock of gold.

stoodverbUS /stʊd/

Maintained an upright posture.

From this reading JENNINGS gathered himself up, from that Jew-of-Malta tumble down the steps, less damaged by the fall than could have been imagined possible; the fact being that his cat-like nature had stood him in good stead--he had lighted on his feet; and nothing but a mighty dorsal bruise bore witness to the prowess of a Jonathan.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading JENNINGS gathered himself up, from that Jew-of-Malta tumble down the steps, less damaged by the fall than could have been imagined possible; the fact being that his cat-like nature had stood him in good stead--he had lighted on his feet; and nothing but a mighty dorsal bruise bore witness to the prowess of a Jonathan.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading JENNINGS gathered himself up, from that Jew-of-Malta tumble down the steps, less damaged by the fall than could have been imagined possible; the fact being that his cat-like nature had stood him in good stead--he had lighted on his feet; and nothing but a mighty dorsal bruise bore witness to the prowess of a Jonathan.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading JENNINGS gathered himself up, from that Jew-of-Malta tumble down the steps, less damaged by the fall than could have been imagined possible; the fact being that his cat-like nature had stood him in good stead--he had lighted on his feet; and nothing but a mighty dorsal bruise bore witness to the prowess of a Jonathan.

thenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading However, he still had one thing left to live for: his hoard--that precious hoard within his iron box, and then--the crock of gold.

thingnounUS /θɪŋ/

a special situation

From this reading However, he still had one thing left to live for: his hoard--that precious hoard within his iron box, and then--the crock of gold.

threatnounUS /θret/

something that is a source of danger

From this reading He took Sir John's threat about detaining, and so forth, as merely future, and calculated on rendering it nugatory, by decamping forthwith, chattels and all; but he little expected to find that the idea had already been acted upon!

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading JENNINGS gathered himself up, from that Jew-of-Malta tumble down the steps, less damaged by the fall than could have been imagined possible; the fact being that his cat-like nature had stood him in good stead--he had lighted on his feet; and nothing but a mighty dorsal bruise bore witness to the prowess of a Jonathan.

tookverbUS /tʊk/

inflected form of “take” — carry out

From this reading He took Sir John's threat about detaining, and so forth, as merely future, and calculated on rendering it nugatory, by decamping forthwith, chattels and all; but he little expected to find that the idea had already been acted upon!

tumbleverbUS /ˈtʌmbəl/

fall down, as if collapsing

From this reading JENNINGS gathered himself up, from that Jew-of-Malta tumble down the steps, less damaged by the fall than could have been imagined possible; the fact being that his cat-like nature had stood him in good stead--he had lighted on his feet; and nothing but a mighty dorsal bruise bore witness to the prowess of a Jonathan.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading JENNINGS gathered himself up, from that Jew-of-Malta tumble down the steps, less damaged by the fall than could have been imagined possible; the fact being that his cat-like nature had stood him in good stead--he had lighted on his feet; and nothing but a mighty dorsal bruise bore witness to the prowess of a Jonathan.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading He took Sir John's threat about detaining, and so forth, as merely future, and calculated on rendering it nugatory, by decamping forthwith, chattels and all; but he little expected to find that the idea had already been acted upon!

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading But, if his body was comparatively sound, the inner man was bruised all over: he crept back, and retreated to his room, in as broken and despondent a frame of mind, as any could have wished to bless him wherewithal.

wherewithalnounUS /ˈwerwɪðɔːl/

the necessary means (especially financial means)

From this reading But, if his body was comparatively sound, the inner man was bruised all over: he crept back, and retreated to his room, in as broken and despondent a frame of mind, as any could have wished to bless him wherewithal.

wishedverbUS /wɪʃt/

past form of “wish” — hope for; have a wish

From this reading But, if his body was comparatively sound, the inner man was bruised all over: he crept back, and retreated to his room, in as broken and despondent a frame of mind, as any could have wished to bless him wherewithal.

withinprepositionUS /wɪˈðɪn/

inside; before a period of time has passed

From this reading However, he still had one thing left to live for: his hoard--that precious hoard within his iron box, and then--the crock of gold.

witnessnounUS /ˈwɪtnəs/

someone who sees an event and reports what happened

From this reading JENNINGS gathered himself up, from that Jew-of-Malta tumble down the steps, less damaged by the fall than could have been imagined possible; the fact being that his cat-like nature had stood him in good stead--he had lighted on his feet; and nothing but a mighty dorsal bruise bore witness to the prowess of a Jonathan.

Chapter 32 of The Crock of Gold: A Rural Novel by Martin Farquhar Tupper holds 35 sentences, grouped into 7 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 32 of The Crock of Gold: A Rural Novel contain?

Chapter 32 holds 35 sentences of The Crock of Gold: A Rural Novel, unabridged, divided into 7 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 32 of The Crock of Gold: A Rural Novel by Martin Farquhar Tupper exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 35 sentences, grouped into 7 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 32 of The Crock of Gold: A Rural Novel?

Work through the 7 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 7 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.

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Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 32 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 Crock of Gold: A Rural Novel

Common questions about reading The Crock of Gold: A Rural Novel by Martin Farquhar Tupper on this page, its source edition and its audio.

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Yes. All 1776 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #17062 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

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Project Gutenberg eBook #17062, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Crock of Gold: A Rural Novel take to read?

About 148 minutes of reading across 356 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

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Vocabulary met early in The Crock of Gold: A Rural Novel

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Crock of Gold: A Rural Novel, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Labourer
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Crock of Gold: A Rural Novel; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Dawning
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Crock of Gold: A Rural Novel; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Discontent
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Crock of Gold: A Rural Novel; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Roger
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Crock of Gold: A Rural Novel; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.