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The Knights of the Cross
The Knights of the Cross

Chapter XXXIX · Chapter 39

Chapter 39 of The Knights of the Cross is here in full — 351 sentences across 71 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/70 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Zbyszko was unable to overtake Hlawa, because the latter traveled day and night, and only rested as much as was absolutely necessary to avoid the breaking down of the horses, which only subsisted on grass, and were consequently faint and unable to withstand such long marches as they could in regions where oats could be easily procured.
Hlawa neither spared himself, nor took into consideration the advanced age and weakness of Zygfried.
The old knight suffered terribly, especially because the sinewy Macko had previously wrenched his bones.
But still worse were the mosquitoes which swarmed in the humid wilderness, and as his hands were bound and his legs fastened beneath the horse's belly, he was unable to drive them away.
Hlawa did not directly torture him in the least, but he had no compassion for him, and only unfastened his right hand to enable him to eat when he stopped for refreshment.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Knights of the Cross

Chapter XXXIX · Chapter 39

Chapter 39 of The Knights of the Cross is here in full — 351 sentences across 71 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/70 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Zbyszko was unable to overtake Hlawa, because the latter traveled day and night, and only rested as much as was absolutely necessary to avoid the breaking down of the horses, which only subsisted on grass, and were consequently faint and unable to withstand such long marches as they could in regions where oats could be easily procured.
Line 2
Hlawa neither spared himself, nor took into consideration the advanced age and weakness of Zygfried.
Line 3
The old knight suffered terribly, especially because the sinewy Macko had previously wrenched his bones.
Line 4
But still worse were the mosquitoes which swarmed in the humid wilderness, and as his hands were bound and his legs fastened beneath the horse's belly, he was unable to drive them away.
/bʌt stɪl wɜːrs wɜːr ðə məˈskiːtoʊz wɪtʃ swɔːrmd ɪn ðə ˈhjuːməd ˈwɪldərnəs ənd æz hɪz hændz wɜːr baʊnd ənd hɪz leɡz ˈfæsənd bɪˈniːθ ðə ˈhɔːrsəz ˈbeli hiː wɑːz əˈneɪbəl tuː draɪv ðem əˈweɪ/
Line 5
Hlawa did not directly torture him in the least, but he had no compassion for him, and only unfastened his right hand to enable him to eat when he stopped for refreshment.

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.

humid adjective US /ˈhjuːməd/

containing or characterized by a great deal of water vapor

From this reading “But still worse were the mosquitoes which swarmed in the humid wilderness, and as his hands were bound and his legs fastened beneath the horse's belly, he was unable to drive them away.”

marches noun US /ˈmɑːrtʃɪz/

a region in central Italy

From this reading “Zbyszko was unable to overtake Hlawa, because the latter traveled day and night, and only rested as much as was absolutely necessary to avoid the breaking down of the horses, which only subsisted on grass, and were consequently faint and unable to withstand such long marches as they could in regions where oats could be easily procured.”

mosquitoes noun US /məˈskiːtoʊz/

plural of “mosquito” — two-winged insect whose female has a long proboscis to pierce the skin and suck the blood of humans and animals

From this reading “But still worse were the mosquitoes which swarmed in the humid wilderness, and as his hands were bound and his legs fastened beneath the horse's belly, he was unable to drive them away.”

oats noun US /oʊts/

plural of “oat” — annual grass of Europe and North Africa; grains used as food and fodder (referred to primarily in the plural: “oats”)

From this reading “Zbyszko was unable to overtake Hlawa, because the latter traveled day and night, and only rested as much as was absolutely necessary to avoid the breaking down of the horses, which only subsisted on grass, and were consequently faint and unable to withstand such long marches as they could in regions where oats could be easily procured.”

sinewy adjective US /ˈsɪnjuːi/

(of meat) full of sinews; especially impossible to chew

From this reading “The old knight suffered terribly, especially because the sinewy Macko had previously wrenched his bones.”

swarmed verb US /swɔːrmd/

past form of “swarm” — be teeming, be abuzz

From this reading “But still worse were the mosquitoes which swarmed in the humid wilderness, and as his hands were bound and his legs fastened beneath the horse's belly, he was unable to drive them away.”

withstand verb US /wɪθˈstænd/

resist or confront with resistance

From this reading “Zbyszko was unable to overtake Hlawa, because the latter traveled day and night, and only rested as much as was absolutely necessary to avoid the breaking down of the horses, which only subsisted on grass, and were consequently faint and unable to withstand such long marches as they could in regions where oats could be easily procured.”

wrenched verb US /rentʃt/

past form of “wrench” — twist or pull violently or suddenly, especially so as to remove (something) from that to which it is attached or from where it originates

From this reading “The old knight suffered terribly, especially because the sinewy Macko had previously wrenched his bones.”

All words in this reading · 102

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.

absolutelyadverbUS /ˌæbsəˈluːtli/

completely and without qualification; used informally as intensifiers

From this reading Zbyszko was unable to overtake Hlawa, because the latter traveled day and night, and only rested as much as was absolutely necessary to avoid the breaking down of the horses, which only subsisted on grass, and were consequently faint and unable to withstand such long marches as they could in regions where oats could be easily procured.

advancedadjectiveUS /ədˈvænst/

farther along in physical or mental development

From this reading Hlawa neither spared himself, nor took into consideration the advanced age and weakness of Zygfried.

agenounUS /eɪdʒ/

how long something has existed

From this reading Hlawa neither spared himself, nor took into consideration the advanced age and weakness of Zygfried.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Zbyszko was unable to overtake Hlawa, because the latter traveled day and night, and only rested as much as was absolutely necessary to avoid the breaking down of the horses, which only subsisted on grass, and were consequently faint and unable to withstand such long marches as they could in regions where oats could be easily procured.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Zbyszko was unable to overtake Hlawa, because the latter traveled day and night, and only rested as much as was absolutely necessary to avoid the breaking down of the horses, which only subsisted on grass, and were consequently faint and unable to withstand such long marches as they could in regions where oats could be easily procured.

avoidverbUS /əˈvɔɪd/

stay clear from; keep away from; keep out of the way of someone or something

From this reading Zbyszko was unable to overtake Hlawa, because the latter traveled day and night, and only rested as much as was absolutely necessary to avoid the breaking down of the horses, which only subsisted on grass, and were consequently faint and unable to withstand such long marches as they could in regions where oats could be easily procured.

awayadverbUS /əˈweɪ/

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

From this reading But still worse were the mosquitoes which swarmed in the humid wilderness, and as his hands were bound and his legs fastened beneath the horse's belly, he was unable to drive them away.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading Zbyszko was unable to overtake Hlawa, because the latter traveled day and night, and only rested as much as was absolutely necessary to avoid the breaking down of the horses, which only subsisted on grass, and were consequently faint and unable to withstand such long marches as they could in regions where oats could be easily procured.

becauseconjunctionUS /bɪˈkɔːz/

for the reason that

From this reading Zbyszko was unable to overtake Hlawa, because the latter traveled day and night, and only rested as much as was absolutely necessary to avoid the breaking down of the horses, which only subsisted on grass, and were consequently faint and unable to withstand such long marches as they could in regions where oats could be easily procured.

bellynounUS /ˈbeli/

the region of the body of a vertebrate between the thorax and the pelvis

From this reading But still worse were the mosquitoes which swarmed in the humid wilderness, and as his hands were bound and his legs fastened beneath the horse's belly, he was unable to drive them away.

beneathprepositionUS /bɪˈniːθ/

Directly under; in or to a lower position than.

From this reading But still worse were the mosquitoes which swarmed in the humid wilderness, and as his hands were bound and his legs fastened beneath the horse's belly, he was unable to drive them away.

bonesnounUS /boʊnz/

(used in the plural) a percussion instrument consisting of a pair of hollow pieces of wood or bone (usually held between the thumb and fingers) that are made to click together (as by Spanish dancers) in rhythm with the dance

From this reading The old knight suffered terribly, especially because the sinewy Macko had previously wrenched his bones.

boundadjectiveUS /baʊnd/

confined by bonds

From this reading But still worse were the mosquitoes which swarmed in the humid wilderness, and as his hands were bound and his legs fastened beneath the horse's belly, he was unable to drive them away.

breakingnounUS /ˈbreɪkɪŋ/

the act of breaking something

From this reading Zbyszko was unable to overtake Hlawa, because the latter traveled day and night, and only rested as much as was absolutely necessary to avoid the breaking down of the horses, which only subsisted on grass, and were consequently faint and unable to withstand such long marches as they could in regions where oats could be easily procured.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But still worse were the mosquitoes which swarmed in the humid wilderness, and as his hands were bound and his legs fastened beneath the horse's belly, he was unable to drive them away.

compassionnounUS /kəmˈpæʃən/

a deep awareness of and sympathy for another's suffering

From this reading Hlawa did not directly torture him in the least, but he had no compassion for him, and only unfastened his right hand to enable him to eat when he stopped for refreshment.

consequentlyadverbUS /ˈkɑːnsəkwəntli/

(sentence connectors) because of the reason given

From this reading Zbyszko was unable to overtake Hlawa, because the latter traveled day and night, and only rested as much as was absolutely necessary to avoid the breaking down of the horses, which only subsisted on grass, and were consequently faint and unable to withstand such long marches as they could in regions where oats could be easily procured.

considerationnounUS /kənˌsɪdərˈeɪʃən/

the process of giving careful thought to something

From this reading Hlawa neither spared himself, nor took into consideration the advanced age and weakness of Zygfried.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

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

From this reading Zbyszko was unable to overtake Hlawa, because the latter traveled day and night, and only rested as much as was absolutely necessary to avoid the breaking down of the horses, which only subsisted on grass, and were consequently faint and unable to withstand such long marches as they could in regions where oats could be easily procured.

daynounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading Zbyszko was unable to overtake Hlawa, because the latter traveled day and night, and only rested as much as was absolutely necessary to avoid the breaking down of the horses, which only subsisted on grass, and were consequently faint and unable to withstand such long marches as they could in regions where oats could be easily procured.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

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

From this reading Hlawa did not directly torture him in the least, but he had no compassion for him, and only unfastened his right hand to enable him to eat when he stopped for refreshment.

directlyadverbUS /dərˈektli/

without deviation

From this reading Hlawa did not directly torture him in the least, but he had no compassion for him, and only unfastened his right hand to enable him to eat when he stopped for refreshment.

downadjectiveUS /daʊn/

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading Zbyszko was unable to overtake Hlawa, because the latter traveled day and night, and only rested as much as was absolutely necessary to avoid the breaking down of the horses, which only subsisted on grass, and were consequently faint and unable to withstand such long marches as they could in regions where oats could be easily procured.

driveverbUS /draɪv/

operate or control a vehicle

From this reading But still worse were the mosquitoes which swarmed in the humid wilderness, and as his hands were bound and his legs fastened beneath the horse's belly, he was unable to drive them away.

easilyadverbUS /ˈiːzəli/

with ease (“easy” is sometimes used informally for “easily”)

From this reading Zbyszko was unable to overtake Hlawa, because the latter traveled day and night, and only rested as much as was absolutely necessary to avoid the breaking down of the horses, which only subsisted on grass, and were consequently faint and unable to withstand such long marches as they could in regions where oats could be easily procured.

eatverbUS /iːt/

take in solid food

From this reading Hlawa did not directly torture him in the least, but he had no compassion for him, and only unfastened his right hand to enable him to eat when he stopped for refreshment.

enableverbUS /eˈneɪbəl/

render capable or able for some task

From this reading Hlawa did not directly torture him in the least, but he had no compassion for him, and only unfastened his right hand to enable him to eat when he stopped for refreshment.

especiallyadverbUS /əˈspeʃli/

to a distinctly greater extent or degree than is common

From this reading The old knight suffered terribly, especially because the sinewy Macko had previously wrenched his bones.

faintadjectiveUS /feɪnt/

deficient in magnitude; barely perceptible; lacking clarity or brightness or loudness etc

From this reading Zbyszko was unable to overtake Hlawa, because the latter traveled day and night, and only rested as much as was absolutely necessary to avoid the breaking down of the horses, which only subsisted on grass, and were consequently faint and unable to withstand such long marches as they could in regions where oats could be easily procured.

fastenedadjectiveUS /ˈfæsənd/

firmly closed or secured

From this reading But still worse were the mosquitoes which swarmed in the humid wilderness, and as his hands were bound and his legs fastened beneath the horse's belly, he was unable to drive them away.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Hlawa did not directly torture him in the least, but he had no compassion for him, and only unfastened his right hand to enable him to eat when he stopped for refreshment.

grassverbUS /ɡræs/

shoot down, of birds

From this reading Zbyszko was unable to overtake Hlawa, because the latter traveled day and night, and only rested as much as was absolutely necessary to avoid the breaking down of the horses, which only subsisted on grass, and were consequently faint and unable to withstand such long marches as they could in regions where oats could be easily procured.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading The old knight suffered terribly, especially because the sinewy Macko had previously wrenched his bones.

handnounUS /hænd/

the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb

From this reading Hlawa did not directly torture him in the least, but he had no compassion for him, and only unfastened his right hand to enable him to eat when he stopped for refreshment.

handsnounUS /hændz/

(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child

From this reading But still worse were the mosquitoes which swarmed in the humid wilderness, and as his hands were bound and his legs fastened beneath the horse's belly, he was unable to drive them away.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading But still worse were the mosquitoes which swarmed in the humid wilderness, and as his hands were bound and his legs fastened beneath the horse's belly, he was unable to drive them away.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading Hlawa did not directly torture him in the least, but he had no compassion for him, and only unfastened his right hand to enable him to eat when he stopped for refreshment.

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

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

From this reading Hlawa neither spared himself, nor took into consideration the advanced age and weakness of Zygfried.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading The old knight suffered terribly, especially because the sinewy Macko had previously wrenched his bones.

Hlawa

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

From this reading Zbyszko was unable to overtake Hlawa, because the latter traveled day and night, and only rested as much as was absolutely necessary to avoid the breaking down of the horses, which only subsisted on grass, and were consequently faint and unable to withstand such long marches as they could in regions where oats could be easily procured.

horse'snounUS /ˈhɔːrsəz/

possessive form of “horse” — solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times

From this reading But still worse were the mosquitoes which swarmed in the humid wilderness, and as his hands were bound and his legs fastened beneath the horse's belly, he was unable to drive them away.

horsesnounUS /ˈhɔːrsəz/

plural of “horse” — solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times

From this reading Zbyszko was unable to overtake Hlawa, because the latter traveled day and night, and only rested as much as was absolutely necessary to avoid the breaking down of the horses, which only subsisted on grass, and were consequently faint and unable to withstand such long marches as they could in regions where oats could be easily procured.

humidadjectiveUS /ˈhjuːməd/

containing or characterized by a great deal of water vapor

From this reading But still worse were the mosquitoes which swarmed in the humid wilderness, and as his hands were bound and his legs fastened beneath the horse's belly, he was unable to drive them away.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Zbyszko was unable to overtake Hlawa, because the latter traveled day and night, and only rested as much as was absolutely necessary to avoid the breaking down of the horses, which only subsisted on grass, and were consequently faint and unable to withstand such long marches as they could in regions where oats could be easily procured.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading Hlawa neither spared himself, nor took into consideration the advanced age and weakness of Zygfried.

knightnounUS /naɪt/

originally a person of noble birth trained to arms and chivalry; today in Great Britain a person honored by the sovereign for personal merit

From this reading The old knight suffered terribly, especially because the sinewy Macko had previously wrenched his bones.

latteradjectiveUS /ˈlætər/

referring to the second of two things or persons mentioned (or the last one or ones of several)

From this reading Zbyszko was unable to overtake Hlawa, because the latter traveled day and night, and only rested as much as was absolutely necessary to avoid the breaking down of the horses, which only subsisted on grass, and were consequently faint and unable to withstand such long marches as they could in regions where oats could be easily procured.

leastadjectiveUS /liːst/

the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree

From this reading Hlawa did not directly torture him in the least, but he had no compassion for him, and only unfastened his right hand to enable him to eat when he stopped for refreshment.

legsnounUS /leɡz/

staying power

From this reading But still worse were the mosquitoes which swarmed in the humid wilderness, and as his hands were bound and his legs fastened beneath the horse's belly, he was unable to drive them away.

longadjectiveUS /lɔːŋ/

primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified

From this reading Zbyszko was unable to overtake Hlawa, because the latter traveled day and night, and only rested as much as was absolutely necessary to avoid the breaking down of the horses, which only subsisted on grass, and were consequently faint and unable to withstand such long marches as they could in regions where oats could be easily procured.

Macko

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

From this reading The old knight suffered terribly, especially because the sinewy Macko had previously wrenched his bones.

marchesnounUS /ˈmɑːrtʃɪz/

a region in central Italy

From this reading Zbyszko was unable to overtake Hlawa, because the latter traveled day and night, and only rested as much as was absolutely necessary to avoid the breaking down of the horses, which only subsisted on grass, and were consequently faint and unable to withstand such long marches as they could in regions where oats could be easily procured.

mosquitoesnounUS /məˈskiːtoʊz/

plural of “mosquito” — two-winged insect whose female has a long proboscis to pierce the skin and suck the blood of humans and animals

From this reading But still worse were the mosquitoes which swarmed in the humid wilderness, and as his hands were bound and his legs fastened beneath the horse's belly, he was unable to drive them away.

muchadverbUS /mʌtʃ/

to a great degree or extent

From this reading Zbyszko was unable to overtake Hlawa, because the latter traveled day and night, and only rested as much as was absolutely necessary to avoid the breaking down of the horses, which only subsisted on grass, and were consequently faint and unable to withstand such long marches as they could in regions where oats could be easily procured.

necessaryadjectiveUS /ˈnesəseri/

absolutely essential

From this reading Zbyszko was unable to overtake Hlawa, because the latter traveled day and night, and only rested as much as was absolutely necessary to avoid the breaking down of the horses, which only subsisted on grass, and were consequently faint and unable to withstand such long marches as they could in regions where oats could be easily procured.

neitherdeterminerUS /ˈniːðər/

not one and not the other of two

From this reading Hlawa neither spared himself, nor took into consideration the advanced age and weakness of Zygfried.

nightnounUS /naɪt/

the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside

From this reading Zbyszko was unable to overtake Hlawa, because the latter traveled day and night, and only rested as much as was absolutely necessary to avoid the breaking down of the horses, which only subsisted on grass, and were consequently faint and unable to withstand such long marches as they could in regions where oats could be easily procured.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading Hlawa did not directly torture him in the least, but he had no compassion for him, and only unfastened his right hand to enable him to eat when he stopped for refreshment.

norconjunctionUS /nɔːr/

and not; used after a negative to add a second negative

From this reading Hlawa neither spared himself, nor took into consideration the advanced age and weakness of Zygfried.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Hlawa did not directly torture him in the least, but he had no compassion for him, and only unfastened his right hand to enable him to eat when he stopped for refreshment.

oatsnounUS /oʊts/

plural of “oat” — annual grass of Europe and North Africa; grains used as food and fodder (referred to primarily in the plural: “oats”)

From this reading Zbyszko was unable to overtake Hlawa, because the latter traveled day and night, and only rested as much as was absolutely necessary to avoid the breaking down of the horses, which only subsisted on grass, and were consequently faint and unable to withstand such long marches as they could in regions where oats could be easily procured.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Zbyszko was unable to overtake Hlawa, because the latter traveled day and night, and only rested as much as was absolutely necessary to avoid the breaking down of the horses, which only subsisted on grass, and were consequently faint and unable to withstand such long marches as they could in regions where oats could be easily procured.

oldadjectiveUS /oʊld/

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

From this reading The old knight suffered terribly, especially because the sinewy Macko had previously wrenched his bones.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Zbyszko was unable to overtake Hlawa, because the latter traveled day and night, and only rested as much as was absolutely necessary to avoid the breaking down of the horses, which only subsisted on grass, and were consequently faint and unable to withstand such long marches as they could in regions where oats could be easily procured.

onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading Zbyszko was unable to overtake Hlawa, because the latter traveled day and night, and only rested as much as was absolutely necessary to avoid the breaking down of the horses, which only subsisted on grass, and were consequently faint and unable to withstand such long marches as they could in regions where oats could be easily procured.

overtakeverbUS /ˈoʊvərteɪk/

catch up with and possibly overtake

From this reading Zbyszko was unable to overtake Hlawa, because the latter traveled day and night, and only rested as much as was absolutely necessary to avoid the breaking down of the horses, which only subsisted on grass, and were consequently faint and unable to withstand such long marches as they could in regions where oats could be easily procured.

previouslyadverbUS /ˈpriːviəsli/

at an earlier time or formerly

From this reading The old knight suffered terribly, especially because the sinewy Macko had previously wrenched his bones.

procuredverbUS /proʊˈkjʊrd/

past form of “procure” — get by special effort

From this reading Zbyszko was unable to overtake Hlawa, because the latter traveled day and night, and only rested as much as was absolutely necessary to avoid the breaking down of the horses, which only subsisted on grass, and were consequently faint and unable to withstand such long marches as they could in regions where oats could be easily procured.

refreshmentnounUS /rəˈfreʃmənt/

snacks and drinks served as a light meal

From this reading Hlawa did not directly torture him in the least, but he had no compassion for him, and only unfastened his right hand to enable him to eat when he stopped for refreshment.

regionsnounUS /ˈriːdʒənz/

plural of “region” — the extended spatial location of something

From this reading Zbyszko was unable to overtake Hlawa, because the latter traveled day and night, and only rested as much as was absolutely necessary to avoid the breaking down of the horses, which only subsisted on grass, and were consequently faint and unable to withstand such long marches as they could in regions where oats could be easily procured.

restedadjectiveUS /ˈrestəd/

not tired; refreshed as by sleeping or relaxing

From this reading Zbyszko was unable to overtake Hlawa, because the latter traveled day and night, and only rested as much as was absolutely necessary to avoid the breaking down of the horses, which only subsisted on grass, and were consequently faint and unable to withstand such long marches as they could in regions where oats could be easily procured.

rightadverbUS /raɪt/

precisely, exactly

From this reading Hlawa did not directly torture him in the least, but he had no compassion for him, and only unfastened his right hand to enable him to eat when he stopped for refreshment.

sinewyadjectiveUS /ˈsɪnjuːi/

(of meat) full of sinews; especially impossible to chew

From this reading The old knight suffered terribly, especially because the sinewy Macko had previously wrenched his bones.

sparedverbUS /sperd/

past form of “spare” — refrain from harming

From this reading Hlawa neither spared himself, nor took into consideration the advanced age and weakness of Zygfried.

stilladjectiveUS /stɪl/

not in physical motion

From this reading But still worse were the mosquitoes which swarmed in the humid wilderness, and as his hands were bound and his legs fastened beneath the horse's belly, he was unable to drive them away.

stoppedadjectiveUS /stɑːpt/

(of a nose) blocked

From this reading Hlawa did not directly torture him in the least, but he had no compassion for him, and only unfastened his right hand to enable him to eat when he stopped for refreshment.

subsisted

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

From this reading Zbyszko was unable to overtake Hlawa, because the latter traveled day and night, and only rested as much as was absolutely necessary to avoid the breaking down of the horses, which only subsisted on grass, and were consequently faint and unable to withstand such long marches as they could in regions where oats could be easily procured.

suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading Zbyszko was unable to overtake Hlawa, because the latter traveled day and night, and only rested as much as was absolutely necessary to avoid the breaking down of the horses, which only subsisted on grass, and were consequently faint and unable to withstand such long marches as they could in regions where oats could be easily procured.

sufferedverbUS /ˈsʌfərd/

past form of “suffer” — undergo or be subjected to

From this reading The old knight suffered terribly, especially because the sinewy Macko had previously wrenched his bones.

swarmedverbUS /swɔːrmd/

past form of “swarm” — be teeming, be abuzz

From this reading But still worse were the mosquitoes which swarmed in the humid wilderness, and as his hands were bound and his legs fastened beneath the horse's belly, he was unable to drive them away.

terriblyadverbUS /ˈterəbli/

used as intensifiers

From this reading The old knight suffered terribly, especially because the sinewy Macko had previously wrenched his bones.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Zbyszko was unable to overtake Hlawa, because the latter traveled day and night, and only rested as much as was absolutely necessary to avoid the breaking down of the horses, which only subsisted on grass, and were consequently faint and unable to withstand such long marches as they could in regions where oats could be easily procured.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading But still worse were the mosquitoes which swarmed in the humid wilderness, and as his hands were bound and his legs fastened beneath the horse's belly, he was unable to drive them away.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading Zbyszko was unable to overtake Hlawa, because the latter traveled day and night, and only rested as much as was absolutely necessary to avoid the breaking down of the horses, which only subsisted on grass, and were consequently faint and unable to withstand such long marches as they could in regions where oats could be easily procured.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Zbyszko was unable to overtake Hlawa, because the latter traveled day and night, and only rested as much as was absolutely necessary to avoid the breaking down of the horses, which only subsisted on grass, and were consequently faint and unable to withstand such long marches as they could in regions where oats could be easily procured.

tookverbUS /tʊk/

inflected form of “take” — carry out

From this reading Hlawa neither spared himself, nor took into consideration the advanced age and weakness of Zygfried.

tortureverbUS /ˈtɔːrtʃər/

torment emotionally or mentally

From this reading Hlawa did not directly torture him in the least, but he had no compassion for him, and only unfastened his right hand to enable him to eat when he stopped for refreshment.

traveledadjectiveUS /ˈtrævəld/

traveled over or through; sometimes used as a combining term

From this reading Zbyszko was unable to overtake Hlawa, because the latter traveled day and night, and only rested as much as was absolutely necessary to avoid the breaking down of the horses, which only subsisted on grass, and were consequently faint and unable to withstand such long marches as they could in regions where oats could be easily procured.

unableadjectiveUS /əˈneɪbəl/

(usually followed by “to”) not having the necessary means or skill or know-how

From this reading Zbyszko was unable to overtake Hlawa, because the latter traveled day and night, and only rested as much as was absolutely necessary to avoid the breaking down of the horses, which only subsisted on grass, and were consequently faint and unable to withstand such long marches as they could in regions where oats could be easily procured.

unfastenedadjective

not closed or secured

From this reading Hlawa did not directly torture him in the least, but he had no compassion for him, and only unfastened his right hand to enable him to eat when he stopped for refreshment.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Zbyszko was unable to overtake Hlawa, because the latter traveled day and night, and only rested as much as was absolutely necessary to avoid the breaking down of the horses, which only subsisted on grass, and were consequently faint and unable to withstand such long marches as they could in regions where oats could be easily procured.

weaknessnounUS /ˈwiːknəs/

a flaw or weak point

From this reading Hlawa neither spared himself, nor took into consideration the advanced age and weakness of Zygfried.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading Zbyszko was unable to overtake Hlawa, because the latter traveled day and night, and only rested as much as was absolutely necessary to avoid the breaking down of the horses, which only subsisted on grass, and were consequently faint and unable to withstand such long marches as they could in regions where oats could be easily procured.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading Hlawa did not directly torture him in the least, but he had no compassion for him, and only unfastened his right hand to enable him to eat when he stopped for refreshment.

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading Zbyszko was unable to overtake Hlawa, because the latter traveled day and night, and only rested as much as was absolutely necessary to avoid the breaking down of the horses, which only subsisted on grass, and were consequently faint and unable to withstand such long marches as they could in regions where oats could be easily procured.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading Zbyszko was unable to overtake Hlawa, because the latter traveled day and night, and only rested as much as was absolutely necessary to avoid the breaking down of the horses, which only subsisted on grass, and were consequently faint and unable to withstand such long marches as they could in regions where oats could be easily procured.

wildernessnounUS /ˈwɪldərnəs/

(politics) a state of disfavor

From this reading But still worse were the mosquitoes which swarmed in the humid wilderness, and as his hands were bound and his legs fastened beneath the horse's belly, he was unable to drive them away.

withstandverbUS /wɪθˈstænd/

resist or confront with resistance

From this reading Zbyszko was unable to overtake Hlawa, because the latter traveled day and night, and only rested as much as was absolutely necessary to avoid the breaking down of the horses, which only subsisted on grass, and were consequently faint and unable to withstand such long marches as they could in regions where oats could be easily procured.

worseadjectiveUS /wɜːrs/

(comparative of “bad”) inferior to another in quality or condition or desirability

From this reading But still worse were the mosquitoes which swarmed in the humid wilderness, and as his hands were bound and his legs fastened beneath the horse's belly, he was unable to drive them away.

wrenchedverbUS /rentʃt/

past form of “wrench” — twist or pull violently or suddenly, especially so as to remove (something) from that to which it is attached or from where it originates

From this reading The old knight suffered terribly, especially because the sinewy Macko had previously wrenched his bones.

Zbyszko

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

From this reading Zbyszko was unable to overtake Hlawa, because the latter traveled day and night, and only rested as much as was absolutely necessary to avoid the breaking down of the horses, which only subsisted on grass, and were consequently faint and unable to withstand such long marches as they could in regions where oats could be easily procured.

Zygfried

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

From this reading Hlawa neither spared himself, nor took into consideration the advanced age and weakness of Zygfried.

Chapter 39 of The Knights of the Cross by Henryk Sienkiewicz holds 351 sentences, grouped into 71 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 39 of The Knights of the Cross contain?

Chapter 39 holds 351 sentences of The Knights of the Cross, unabridged, divided into 71 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 39 of The Knights of the Cross by Henryk Sienkiewicz exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 351 sentences, grouped into 71 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 39 of The Knights of the Cross?

Work through the 71 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 71 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.

Can chapter 39 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 39 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 Knights of the Cross

Common questions about reading The Knights of the Cross by Henryk Sienkiewicz on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Knights of the Cross?

Yes. All 12683 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #9473 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Knights of the Cross is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #9473, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Knights of the Cross take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 2537 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Knights of the Cross section by section

How to work through The Knights of the Cross section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 40 chapters of The Knights of the Cross to begin.

  2. Read one section

    Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.

  3. Listen and tap

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

Vocabulary met early in The Knights of the Cross

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Knights of the Cross, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Tyniec
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Knights of the Cross; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Under
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Knights of the Cross; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Dreadful
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Knights of the Cross; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Belonged
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Knights of the Cross; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.