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The foreign debt of English literature
The foreign debt of English literature

Chapter IV

Chapter 4 of The foreign debt of English literature is here in full — 425 sentences across 85 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By T. G. (Thomas George) Tucker • Curated US English Learning Edition
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Context Illustration Reading 1/85 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Often cognate to satire is epigram, as treated by Martial, a writer of the generation preceding Juvenal.
An epigram is, in fact, apt to be a stinging satire in little.
This is, however, a very distinct departure from the nature and province of epigram as employed by the Greeks.
Of this something has already been said.
It would, nevertheless, be a mistake to suppose that the narrow sense now usually, if erroneously, given to “epigram” was equally the sense in which it would have been understood by the contemporaries of Martial.
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/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
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A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The foreign debt of English literature

Chapter IV

Chapter 4 of The foreign debt of English literature is here in full — 425 sentences across 85 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/85 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Often cognate to satire is epigram, as treated by Martial, a writer of the generation preceding Juvenal.
Line 2
An epigram is, in fact, apt to be a stinging satire in little.
/æn ˈepəɡræm ɪz ɪn fækt æpt tuː biː ə ˈstɪŋɪŋ ˈsætaɪər ɪn ˈlɪtəl/
Line 3
This is, however, a very distinct departure from the nature and province of epigram as employed by the Greeks.
/ðɪs ɪz ˌhaʊˈevər ə ˈveri dɪˈstɪŋkt dɪˈpɑːrtʃər frʌm ðə ˈneɪtʃər ənd ˈprɑːvəns ʌv ˈepəɡræm æz emˈplɔɪd baɪ ðə ɡriːks/
Line 4
Of this something has already been said.
/ʌv ðɪs ˈsʌmθɪŋ hæz ɔːlˈredi bɪn sed/
Line 5
It would, nevertheless, be a mistake to suppose that the narrow sense now usually, if erroneously, given to “epigram” was equally the sense in which it would have been understood by the contemporaries of Martial.
/ɪt wʊd ˌnevərðəˈles biː ə mɪˈsteɪk tuː səˈpoʊz ðæt ðə ˈneroʊ sens naʊ ˈjuːʒəwəli ɪf eˈroʊniəsli ˈɡɪvən tuː ˈepəɡræm wɑːz ˈiːkwəli ðə sens ɪn wɪtʃ ɪt wʊd hæv bɪn ˌʌndərˈstʊd baɪ ðə kənˈtempəreriz ʌv ˈmɑːrʃəl/

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.

contemporaries noun US /kənˈtempəreriz/

all the people living at the same time or of approximately the same age

From this reading “It would, nevertheless, be a mistake to suppose that the narrow sense now usually, if erroneously, given to “epigram” was equally the sense in which it would have been understood by the contemporaries of Martial.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
epigram noun US /ˈepəɡræm/

a witty saying

From this reading “Often cognate to satire is epigram, as treated by Martial, a writer of the generation preceding Juvenal.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
erroneously adverb US /eˈroʊniəsli/

in a mistaken or erroneous manner

From this reading “It would, nevertheless, be a mistake to suppose that the narrow sense now usually, if erroneously, given to “epigram” was equally the sense in which it would have been understood by the contemporaries of Martial.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Greeks noun US /ɡriːks/

plural of “greek” — the Hellenic branch of the Indo-European family of languages

From this reading “This is, however, a very distinct departure from the nature and province of epigram as employed by the Greeks.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Martial adjective US /ˈmɑːrʃəl/

(of persons) befitting a warrior

From this reading “Often cognate to satire is epigram, as treated by Martial, a writer of the generation preceding Juvenal.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
province noun US /ˈprɑːvəns/

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

From this reading “This is, however, a very distinct departure from the nature and province of epigram as employed by the Greeks.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
satire noun US /ˈsætaɪər/

witty language used to convey insults or scorn

From this reading “Often cognate to satire is epigram, as treated by Martial, a writer of the generation preceding Juvenal.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
stinging noun US /ˈstɪŋɪŋ/

a kind of pain; something as sudden and painful as being stung

From this reading “An epigram is, in fact, apt to be a stinging satire in little.”

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.

in fact preposition + noun

in reality or actuality

In this reading “An epigram is, in fact, apt to be a stinging satire in little.”

69,970 times in 426,211 chapters

All words in this reading · 59

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 Often cognate to satire is epigram, as treated by Martial, a writer of the generation preceding Juvenal.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
alreadyadverbUS /ɔːlˈredi/

prior to a specified or implied time

From this reading Of this something has already been said.

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 An epigram is, in fact, apt to be a stinging satire in little.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading This is, however, a very distinct departure from the nature and province of epigram as employed by the Greeks.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
aptadjectiveUS /æpt/

(usually followed by “to”) naturally disposed toward

From this reading An epigram is, in fact, apt to be a stinging satire in little.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Often cognate to satire is epigram, as treated by Martial, a writer of the generation preceding Juvenal.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading An epigram is, in fact, apt to be a stinging satire in little.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading Of this something has already been said.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Often cognate to satire is epigram, as treated by Martial, a writer of the generation preceding Juvenal.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
cognateadjective

related in nature

From this reading Often cognate to satire is epigram, as treated by Martial, a writer of the generation preceding Juvenal.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
contemporariesnounUS /kənˈtempəreriz/

all the people living at the same time or of approximately the same age

From this reading It would, nevertheless, be a mistake to suppose that the narrow sense now usually, if erroneously, given to “epigram” was equally the sense in which it would have been understood by the contemporaries of Martial.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
departurenounUS /dɪˈpɑːrtʃər/

the act of departing

From this reading This is, however, a very distinct departure from the nature and province of epigram as employed by the Greeks.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
distinctadjectiveUS /dɪˈstɪŋkt/

(often followed by “from”) not alike; different in nature or quality

From this reading This is, however, a very distinct departure from the nature and province of epigram as employed by the Greeks.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
employedadjectiveUS /emˈplɔɪd/

having your services engaged for; or having a job especially one that pays wages or a salary

From this reading This is, however, a very distinct departure from the nature and province of epigram as employed by the Greeks.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
epigramnounUS /ˈepəɡræm/

a witty saying

From this reading Often cognate to satire is epigram, as treated by Martial, a writer of the generation preceding Juvenal.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
equallyadverbUS /ˈiːkwəli/

to the same degree (often followed by “as”)

From this reading It would, nevertheless, be a mistake to suppose that the narrow sense now usually, if erroneously, given to “epigram” was equally the sense in which it would have been understood by the contemporaries of Martial.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
erroneouslyadverbUS /eˈroʊniəsli/

in a mistaken or erroneous manner

From this reading It would, nevertheless, be a mistake to suppose that the narrow sense now usually, if erroneously, given to “epigram” was equally the sense in which it would have been understood by the contemporaries of Martial.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
factnounUS /fækt/

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

From this reading An epigram is, in fact, apt to be a stinging satire in little.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading This is, however, a very distinct departure from the nature and province of epigram as employed by the Greeks.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
generationnounUS /ˌdʒenərˈeɪʃən/

all the people living at the same time or of approximately the same age

From this reading Often cognate to satire is epigram, as treated by Martial, a writer of the generation preceding Juvenal.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
givenadjectiveUS /ˈɡɪvən/

acknowledged as a supposition

From this reading It would, nevertheless, be a mistake to suppose that the narrow sense now usually, if erroneously, given to “epigram” was equally the sense in which it would have been understood by the contemporaries of Martial.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
GreeksnounUS /ɡriːks/

plural of “greek” — the Hellenic branch of the Indo-European family of languages

From this reading This is, however, a very distinct departure from the nature and province of epigram as employed by the Greeks.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

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

From this reading Of this something has already been said.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading It would, nevertheless, be a mistake to suppose that the narrow sense now usually, if erroneously, given to “epigram” was equally the sense in which it would have been understood by the contemporaries of Martial.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
howeveradverbUS /ˌhaʊˈevər/

used to add a contrasting statement

From this reading This is, however, a very distinct departure from the nature and province of epigram as employed by the Greeks.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading It would, nevertheless, be a mistake to suppose that the narrow sense now usually, if erroneously, given to “epigram” was equally the sense in which it would have been understood by the contemporaries of Martial.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading An epigram is, in fact, apt to be a stinging satire in little.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading Often cognate to satire is epigram, as treated by Martial, a writer of the generation preceding Juvenal.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It would, nevertheless, be a mistake to suppose that the narrow sense now usually, if erroneously, given to “epigram” was equally the sense in which it would have been understood by the contemporaries of Martial.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
Juvenalnoun

Roman satirist who denounced the vice and folly of Roman society during the reign of the emperor Domitian (60-140)

From this reading Often cognate to satire is epigram, as treated by Martial, a writer of the generation preceding Juvenal.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

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

From this reading An epigram is, in fact, apt to be a stinging satire in little.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
MartialadjectiveUS /ˈmɑːrʃəl/

(of persons) befitting a warrior

From this reading Often cognate to satire is epigram, as treated by Martial, a writer of the generation preceding Juvenal.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
mistakenounUS /mɪˈsteɪk/

a wrong action attributable to bad judgment or ignorance or inattention

From this reading It would, nevertheless, be a mistake to suppose that the narrow sense now usually, if erroneously, given to “epigram” was equally the sense in which it would have been understood by the contemporaries of Martial.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
narrowverbUS /ˈneroʊ/

make or become more narrow or restricted

From this reading It would, nevertheless, be a mistake to suppose that the narrow sense now usually, if erroneously, given to “epigram” was equally the sense in which it would have been understood by the contemporaries of Martial.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
naturenounUS /ˈneɪtʃər/

the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized

From this reading This is, however, a very distinct departure from the nature and province of epigram as employed by the Greeks.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
neverthelessadverbUS /ˌnevərðəˈles/

in spite of what has just been said

From this reading It would, nevertheless, be a mistake to suppose that the narrow sense now usually, if erroneously, given to “epigram” was equally the sense in which it would have been understood by the contemporaries of Martial.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
nowadverbUS /naʊ/

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading It would, nevertheless, be a mistake to suppose that the narrow sense now usually, if erroneously, given to “epigram” was equally the sense in which it would have been understood by the contemporaries of Martial.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Often cognate to satire is epigram, as treated by Martial, a writer of the generation preceding Juvenal.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
OftenadverbUS /ˈɔːfən/

many times at short intervals

From this reading Often cognate to satire is epigram, as treated by Martial, a writer of the generation preceding Juvenal.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
precedingadjectiveUS /priˈsiːdɪŋ/

existing or coming before

From this reading Often cognate to satire is epigram, as treated by Martial, a writer of the generation preceding Juvenal.

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 This is, however, a very distinct departure from the nature and province of epigram as employed by the Greeks.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading Of this something has already been said.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
satirenounUS /ˈsætaɪər/

witty language used to convey insults or scorn

From this reading Often cognate to satire is epigram, as treated by Martial, a writer of the generation preceding Juvenal.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sensenounUS /sens/

a general conscious awareness

From this reading It would, nevertheless, be a mistake to suppose that the narrow sense now usually, if erroneously, given to “epigram” was equally the sense in which it would have been understood by the contemporaries of Martial.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
somethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/

a thing, without saying which

From this reading Of this something has already been said.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
stingingnounUS /ˈstɪŋɪŋ/

a kind of pain; something as sudden and painful as being stung

From this reading An epigram is, in fact, apt to be a stinging satire in little.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
supposeverbUS /səˈpoʊz/

express a supposition

From this reading It would, nevertheless, be a mistake to suppose that the narrow sense now usually, if erroneously, given to “epigram” was equally the sense in which it would have been understood by the contemporaries of Martial.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading It would, nevertheless, be a mistake to suppose that the narrow sense now usually, if erroneously, given to “epigram” was equally the sense in which it would have been understood by the contemporaries of Martial.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Often cognate to satire is epigram, as treated by Martial, a writer of the generation preceding Juvenal.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ThisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading This is, however, a very distinct departure from the nature and province of epigram as employed by the Greeks.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Often cognate to satire is epigram, as treated by Martial, a writer of the generation preceding Juvenal.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
treatedadjectiveUS /ˈtriːtɪd/

subjected to a physical (or chemical) treatment or action or agent

From this reading Often cognate to satire is epigram, as treated by Martial, a writer of the generation preceding Juvenal.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
understoodadjectiveUS /ˌʌndərˈstʊd/

fully apprehended as to purport or meaning or explanation

From this reading It would, nevertheless, be a mistake to suppose that the narrow sense now usually, if erroneously, given to “epigram” was equally the sense in which it would have been understood by the contemporaries of Martial.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
usuallyadverbUS /ˈjuːʒəwəli/

under normal conditions

From this reading It would, nevertheless, be a mistake to suppose that the narrow sense now usually, if erroneously, given to “epigram” was equally the sense in which it would have been understood by the contemporaries of Martial.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading This is, however, a very distinct departure from the nature and province of epigram as employed by the Greeks.

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 It would, nevertheless, be a mistake to suppose that the narrow sense now usually, if erroneously, given to “epigram” was equally the sense in which it would have been understood by the contemporaries of Martial.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading It would, nevertheless, be a mistake to suppose that the narrow sense now usually, if erroneously, given to “epigram” was equally the sense in which it would have been understood by the contemporaries of Martial.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading It would, nevertheless, be a mistake to suppose that the narrow sense now usually, if erroneously, given to “epigram” was equally the sense in which it would have been understood by the contemporaries of Martial.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
writernounUS /ˈraɪtər/

writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay)

From this reading Often cognate to satire is epigram, as treated by Martial, a writer of the generation preceding Juvenal.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

Chapter 4 of The foreign debt of English literature by T. G. (Thomas George) Tucker holds 425 sentences, grouped into 85 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.

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