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The Gentle Grafter
The Gentle Grafter

Chapter IV

Cover illustration for The Gentle Grafter
Context Illustration Reading 1/41 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
"They came in bunches.
We had advertised the University in all the state papers, and it did us good to see how quick the country responded.
Two hundred and nineteen husky lads aging along from 18 up to chin whiskers answered the clarion call of free education.
They ripped open that town, sponged the seams, turned it, lined it with new mohair; and you couldn't have told it from Harvard or Goldfields at the March term of court.
"They marched up and down the streets waving flags with the World's University colors--ultra-marine and blue--and they certainly made a lively place of Floresville.
0:00 / 0:00
Speed 0.75x
AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Gentle Grafter

Chapter IV

Reading 1/41 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
"They came in bunches.
Line 2
We had advertised the University in all the state papers, and it did us good to see how quick the country responded.
Line 3
Two hundred and nineteen husky lads aging along from 18 up to chin whiskers answered the clarion call of free education.
Line 4
They ripped open that town, sponged the seams, turned it, lined it with new mohair; and you couldn't have told it from Harvard or Goldfields at the March term of court.
Line 5
"They marched up and down the streets waving flags with the World's University colors--ultra-marine and blue--and they certainly made a lively place of Floresville.

Learner Dictionary

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.

Along preposition US /əˈlɔːŋ/

following the length of something from one end toward the other

From this reading “Two hundred and nineteen husky lads aging along from 18 up to chin whiskers answered the clarion call of free education.”

Answered noun US /ˈanswered/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading “Two hundred and nineteen husky lads aging along from 18 up to chin whiskers answered the clarion call of free education.”

Free adjective US /friː/

acting without enough restraint or discipline

From this reading “Two hundred and nineteen husky lads aging along from 18 up to chin whiskers answered the clarion call of free education.”

Good noun US /good/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “We had advertised the University in all the state papers, and it did us good to see how quick the country responded.”

Have auxiliary verb US /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “They ripped open that town, sponged the seams, turned it, lined it with new mohair; and you couldn't have told it from Harvard or Goldfields at the March term of court.”

Nineteen noun US /ˈnineteen/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading “Two hundred and nineteen husky lads aging along from 18 up to chin whiskers answered the clarion call of free education.”

Open verb US /ˈoʊ.pən/

To move from a closed position.

From this reading “They ripped open that town, sponged the seams, turned it, lined it with new mohair; and you couldn't have told it from Harvard or Goldfields at the March term of court.”

Told noun US /told/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “They ripped open that town, sponged the seams, turned it, lined it with new mohair; and you couldn't have told it from Harvard or Goldfields at the March term of court.”

All words in this reading · 78

Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

18

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

From this reading Two hundred and nineteen husky lads aging along from 18 up to chin whiskers answered the clarion call of free education.

adeterminerUS /ə/

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

From this reading "They marched up and down the streets waving flags with the World's University colors--ultra-marine and blue--and they certainly made a lively place of Floresville.

advertised

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

From this reading We had advertised the University in all the state papers, and it did us good to see how quick the country responded.

aging

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

From this reading Two hundred and nineteen husky lads aging along from 18 up to chin whiskers answered the clarion call of free education.

all

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

From this reading We had advertised the University in all the state papers, and it did us good to see how quick the country responded.

alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/

following the length of something from one end toward the other

From this reading Two hundred and nineteen husky lads aging along from 18 up to chin whiskers answered the clarion call of free education.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading We had advertised the University in all the state papers, and it did us good to see how quick the country responded.

answerednounUS /ˈanswered/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading Two hundred and nineteen husky lads aging along from 18 up to chin whiskers answered the clarion call of free education.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading They ripped open that town, sponged the seams, turned it, lined it with new mohair; and you couldn't have told it from Harvard or Goldfields at the March term of court.

blue

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

From this reading "They marched up and down the streets waving flags with the World's University colors--ultra-marine and blue--and they certainly made a lively place of Floresville.

bunches

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

From this reading "They came in bunches.

call

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

From this reading Two hundred and nineteen husky lads aging along from 18 up to chin whiskers answered the clarion call of free education.

came

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

From this reading "They came in bunches.

certainly

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

From this reading "They marched up and down the streets waving flags with the World's University colors--ultra-marine and blue--and they certainly made a lively place of Floresville.

chin

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

From this reading Two hundred and nineteen husky lads aging along from 18 up to chin whiskers answered the clarion call of free education.

clarion

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

From this reading Two hundred and nineteen husky lads aging along from 18 up to chin whiskers answered the clarion call of free education.

colors

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

From this reading "They marched up and down the streets waving flags with the World's University colors--ultra-marine and blue--and they certainly made a lively place of Floresville.

couldn't

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

From this reading They ripped open that town, sponged the seams, turned it, lined it with new mohair; and you couldn't have told it from Harvard or Goldfields at the March term of court.

country

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

From this reading We had advertised the University in all the state papers, and it did us good to see how quick the country responded.

court

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

From this reading They ripped open that town, sponged the seams, turned it, lined it with new mohair; and you couldn't have told it from Harvard or Goldfields at the March term of court.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

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

From this reading We had advertised the University in all the state papers, and it did us good to see how quick the country responded.

down

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

From this reading "They marched up and down the streets waving flags with the World's University colors--ultra-marine and blue--and they certainly made a lively place of Floresville.

education

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

From this reading Two hundred and nineteen husky lads aging along from 18 up to chin whiskers answered the clarion call of free education.

flags

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

From this reading "They marched up and down the streets waving flags with the World's University colors--ultra-marine and blue--and they certainly made a lively place of Floresville.

Floresville

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

From this reading "They marched up and down the streets waving flags with the World's University colors--ultra-marine and blue--and they certainly made a lively place of Floresville.

freeadjectiveUS /friː/

acting without enough restraint or discipline

From this reading Two hundred and nineteen husky lads aging along from 18 up to chin whiskers answered the clarion call of free education.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Two hundred and nineteen husky lads aging along from 18 up to chin whiskers answered the clarion call of free education.

Goldfields

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

From this reading They ripped open that town, sponged the seams, turned it, lined it with new mohair; and you couldn't have told it from Harvard or Goldfields at the March term of court.

goodnounUS /good/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading We had advertised the University in all the state papers, and it did us good to see how quick the country responded.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading We had advertised the University in all the state papers, and it did us good to see how quick the country responded.

Harvard

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

From this reading They ripped open that town, sponged the seams, turned it, lined it with new mohair; and you couldn't have told it from Harvard or Goldfields at the March term of court.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading They ripped open that town, sponged the seams, turned it, lined it with new mohair; and you couldn't have told it from Harvard or Goldfields at the March term of court.

how

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

From this reading We had advertised the University in all the state papers, and it did us good to see how quick the country responded.

hundred

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

From this reading Two hundred and nineteen husky lads aging along from 18 up to chin whiskers answered the clarion call of free education.

husky

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

From this reading Two hundred and nineteen husky lads aging along from 18 up to chin whiskers answered the clarion call of free education.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading "They came in bunches.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading We had advertised the University in all the state papers, and it did us good to see how quick the country responded.

lads

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

From this reading Two hundred and nineteen husky lads aging along from 18 up to chin whiskers answered the clarion call of free education.

lined

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

From this reading They ripped open that town, sponged the seams, turned it, lined it with new mohair; and you couldn't have told it from Harvard or Goldfields at the March term of court.

lively

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

From this reading "They marched up and down the streets waving flags with the World's University colors--ultra-marine and blue--and they certainly made a lively place of Floresville.

made

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

From this reading "They marched up and down the streets waving flags with the World's University colors--ultra-marine and blue--and they certainly made a lively place of Floresville.

March

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

From this reading They ripped open that town, sponged the seams, turned it, lined it with new mohair; and you couldn't have told it from Harvard or Goldfields at the March term of court.

marched

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

From this reading "They marched up and down the streets waving flags with the World's University colors--ultra-marine and blue--and they certainly made a lively place of Floresville.

mohair

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

From this reading They ripped open that town, sponged the seams, turned it, lined it with new mohair; and you couldn't have told it from Harvard or Goldfields at the March term of court.

new

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

From this reading They ripped open that town, sponged the seams, turned it, lined it with new mohair; and you couldn't have told it from Harvard or Goldfields at the March term of court.

nineteennounUS /ˈnineteen/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading Two hundred and nineteen husky lads aging along from 18 up to chin whiskers answered the clarion call of free education.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Two hundred and nineteen husky lads aging along from 18 up to chin whiskers answered the clarion call of free education.

openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/

To move from a closed position.

From this reading They ripped open that town, sponged the seams, turned it, lined it with new mohair; and you couldn't have told it from Harvard or Goldfields at the March term of court.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading They ripped open that town, sponged the seams, turned it, lined it with new mohair; and you couldn't have told it from Harvard or Goldfields at the March term of court.

papers

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

From this reading We had advertised the University in all the state papers, and it did us good to see how quick the country responded.

place

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

From this reading "They marched up and down the streets waving flags with the World's University colors--ultra-marine and blue--and they certainly made a lively place of Floresville.

quick

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

From this reading We had advertised the University in all the state papers, and it did us good to see how quick the country responded.

responded

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

From this reading We had advertised the University in all the state papers, and it did us good to see how quick the country responded.

ripped

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

From this reading They ripped open that town, sponged the seams, turned it, lined it with new mohair; and you couldn't have told it from Harvard or Goldfields at the March term of court.

seams

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

From this reading They ripped open that town, sponged the seams, turned it, lined it with new mohair; and you couldn't have told it from Harvard or Goldfields at the March term of court.

see

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

From this reading We had advertised the University in all the state papers, and it did us good to see how quick the country responded.

sponged

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

From this reading They ripped open that town, sponged the seams, turned it, lined it with new mohair; and you couldn't have told it from Harvard or Goldfields at the March term of court.

state

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

From this reading We had advertised the University in all the state papers, and it did us good to see how quick the country responded.

streets

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

From this reading "They marched up and down the streets waving flags with the World's University colors--ultra-marine and blue--and they certainly made a lively place of Floresville.

term

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

From this reading They ripped open that town, sponged the seams, turned it, lined it with new mohair; and you couldn't have told it from Harvard or Goldfields at the March term of court.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading They ripped open that town, sponged the seams, turned it, lined it with new mohair; and you couldn't have told it from Harvard or Goldfields at the March term of court.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading We had advertised the University in all the state papers, and it did us good to see how quick the country responded.

TheypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading "They came in bunches.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading We had advertised the University in all the state papers, and it did us good to see how quick the country responded.

toldnounUS /told/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading They ripped open that town, sponged the seams, turned it, lined it with new mohair; and you couldn't have told it from Harvard or Goldfields at the March term of court.

town

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

From this reading They ripped open that town, sponged the seams, turned it, lined it with new mohair; and you couldn't have told it from Harvard or Goldfields at the March term of court.

turned

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

From this reading They ripped open that town, sponged the seams, turned it, lined it with new mohair; and you couldn't have told it from Harvard or Goldfields at the March term of court.

Two

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

From this reading Two hundred and nineteen husky lads aging along from 18 up to chin whiskers answered the clarion call of free education.

ultra-marine

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

From this reading "They marched up and down the streets waving flags with the World's University colors--ultra-marine and blue--and they certainly made a lively place of Floresville.

University

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

From this reading We had advertised the University in all the state papers, and it did us good to see how quick the country responded.

up

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

From this reading Two hundred and nineteen husky lads aging along from 18 up to chin whiskers answered the clarion call of free education.

uspronounUS /ʌs/

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

From this reading We had advertised the University in all the state papers, and it did us good to see how quick the country responded.

waving

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

From this reading "They marched up and down the streets waving flags with the World's University colors--ultra-marine and blue--and they certainly made a lively place of Floresville.

WepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading We had advertised the University in all the state papers, and it did us good to see how quick the country responded.

whiskers

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

From this reading Two hundred and nineteen husky lads aging along from 18 up to chin whiskers answered the clarion call of free education.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading They ripped open that town, sponged the seams, turned it, lined it with new mohair; and you couldn't have told it from Harvard or Goldfields at the March term of court.

World's

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

From this reading "They marched up and down the streets waving flags with the World's University colors--ultra-marine and blue--and they certainly made a lively place of Floresville.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading They ripped open that town, sponged the seams, turned it, lined it with new mohair; and you couldn't have told it from Harvard or Goldfields at the March term of court.