Complete classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
The lieutenant and commander
The lieutenant and commander

Chapter II · Chapter 2

Chapter 2 of The lieutenant and commander is here in full — 84 sentences across 17 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The lieutenant and commander
Context Illustration Reading 1/16 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
A SAILOR ON SHORE.
It is a far easier thing to get into a house in Ireland than to get out of it again; for there is an attractive and retentive witchery about the hospitality of the natives of that country, which has no match, as far as I have seen, in the wide world.
In other places the people are hospitable or kind to a stranger; but in Ireland the affair is reduced to a sort of science, and a web of attentions is flung round the visitor before he well knows where he is: so that if he be not a very cold-blooded or a very temperate man, it will cost him sundry headaches--and mayhap some touches of the heartache--before he wins his way back again to his wonted tranquillity.
I had not a single acquaintance in Ireland when first I visited that most interesting of countries: before leaving it, however, after about a year and a-half's cruising off and on their coasts, I was on pretty intimate terms with one family at least for every dozen miles, from Downpatrick on the east, to the Bloody Foreland on the west, a range of more than a hundred and twenty miles.
The way in which this was brought about is sufficiently characteristic of the country.
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 lieutenant and commander

Chapter II · Chapter 2

Chapter 2 of The lieutenant and commander is here in full — 84 sentences across 17 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/16 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
A SAILOR ON SHORE.
/ə ˈseɪlər ɑːn ʃɔːr/
Line 2
It is a far easier thing to get into a house in Ireland than to get out of it again; for there is an attractive and retentive witchery about the hospitality of the natives of that country, which has no match, as far as I have seen, in the wide world.
Line 3
In other places the people are hospitable or kind to a stranger; but in Ireland the affair is reduced to a sort of science, and a web of attentions is flung round the visitor before he well knows where he is: so that if he be not a very cold-blooded or a very temperate man, it will cost him sundry headaches--and mayhap some touches of the heartache--before he wins his way back again to his wonted tranquillity.
Line 4
I had not a single acquaintance in Ireland when first I visited that most interesting of countries: before leaving it, however, after about a year and a-half's cruising off and on their coasts, I was on pretty intimate terms with one family at least for every dozen miles, from Downpatrick on the east, to the Bloody Foreland on the west, a range of more than a hundred and twenty miles.
Line 5
The way in which this was brought about is sufficiently characteristic of the country.
/ðə weɪ ɪn wɪtʃ ðɪs wɑːz brɔːt əˈbaʊt ɪz səˈfɪʃəntli ˌkerəktərˈɪstɪk ʌv ðə ˈkʌntri/

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.

coasts noun US /koʊsts/

plural of “coast” — the shore of a sea or ocean

From this reading “I had not a single acquaintance in Ireland when first I visited that most interesting of countries: before leaving it, however, after about a year and a-half's cruising off and on their coasts, I was on pretty intimate terms with one family at least for every dozen miles, from Downpatrick on the east, to the Bloody Foreland on the west, a range of more than a hundred and twenty miles.”

cold-blooded adjective US /ˈkoʊldˈblʌdəd/

without compunction or human feeling

From this reading “In other places the people are hospitable or kind to a stranger; but in Ireland the affair is reduced to a sort of science, and a web of attentions is flung round the visitor before he well knows where he is: so that if he be not a very cold-blooded or a very temperate man, it will cost him sundry headaches--and mayhap some touches of the heartache--before he wins his way back again to his wonted tranquillity.”

cruising verb US /ˈkruːzɪŋ/

-ing form of “cruise” — drive around aimlessly but ostentatiously and at leisure

From this reading “I had not a single acquaintance in Ireland when first I visited that most interesting of countries: before leaving it, however, after about a year and a-half's cruising off and on their coasts, I was on pretty intimate terms with one family at least for every dozen miles, from Downpatrick on the east, to the Bloody Foreland on the west, a range of more than a hundred and twenty miles.”

headaches noun US /ˈhedeɪks/

plural of “headache” — something or someone that causes anxiety; a source of unhappiness

From this reading “In other places the people are hospitable or kind to a stranger; but in Ireland the affair is reduced to a sort of science, and a web of attentions is flung round the visitor before he well knows where he is: so that if he be not a very cold-blooded or a very temperate man, it will cost him sundry headaches--and mayhap some touches of the heartache--before he wins his way back again to his wonted tranquillity.”

heartache noun US /ˈhɑːrteɪk/

intense sorrow caused by loss of a loved one (especially by death)

From this reading “In other places the people are hospitable or kind to a stranger; but in Ireland the affair is reduced to a sort of science, and a web of attentions is flung round the visitor before he well knows where he is: so that if he be not a very cold-blooded or a very temperate man, it will cost him sundry headaches--and mayhap some touches of the heartache--before he wins his way back again to his wonted tranquillity.”

temperate adjective US /ˈtemprət/

(of weather or climate) free from extremes; mild; or characteristic of such weather or climate

From this reading “In other places the people are hospitable or kind to a stranger; but in Ireland the affair is reduced to a sort of science, and a web of attentions is flung round the visitor before he well knows where he is: so that if he be not a very cold-blooded or a very temperate man, it will cost him sundry headaches--and mayhap some touches of the heartache--before he wins his way back again to his wonted tranquillity.”

web noun US /web/

an intricate network suggesting something that was formed by weaving or interweaving

From this reading “In other places the people are hospitable or kind to a stranger; but in Ireland the affair is reduced to a sort of science, and a web of attentions is flung round the visitor before he well knows where he is: so that if he be not a very cold-blooded or a very temperate man, it will cost him sundry headaches--and mayhap some touches of the heartache--before he wins his way back again to his wonted tranquillity.”

wins noun US /wɪnz/

plural of “win” — a victory (as in a race or other competition)

From this reading “In other places the people are hospitable or kind to a stranger; but in Ireland the affair is reduced to a sort of science, and a web of attentions is flung round the visitor before he well knows where he is: so that if he be not a very cold-blooded or a very temperate man, it will cost him sundry headaches--and mayhap some touches of the heartache--before he wins his way back again to his wonted tranquillity.”

All words in this reading · 132

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 A SAILOR ON SHORE.

a-half's

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

From this reading I had not a single acquaintance in Ireland when first I visited that most interesting of countries: before leaving it, however, after about a year and a-half's cruising off and on their coasts, I was on pretty intimate terms with one family at least for every dozen miles, from Downpatrick on the east, to the Bloody Foreland on the west, a range of more than a hundred and twenty miles.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading It is a far easier thing to get into a house in Ireland than to get out of it again; for there is an attractive and retentive witchery about the hospitality of the natives of that country, which has no match, as far as I have seen, in the wide world.

acquaintancenounUS /əˈkweɪntəns/

personal knowledge or information about someone or something

From this reading I had not a single acquaintance in Ireland when first I visited that most interesting of countries: before leaving it, however, after about a year and a-half's cruising off and on their coasts, I was on pretty intimate terms with one family at least for every dozen miles, from Downpatrick on the east, to the Bloody Foreland on the west, a range of more than a hundred and twenty miles.

affairnounUS /əˈfer/

a vaguely specified concern

From this reading In other places the people are hospitable or kind to a stranger; but in Ireland the affair is reduced to a sort of science, and a web of attentions is flung round the visitor before he well knows where he is: so that if he be not a very cold-blooded or a very temperate man, it will cost him sundry headaches--and mayhap some touches of the heartache--before he wins his way back again to his wonted tranquillity.

afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading I had not a single acquaintance in Ireland when first I visited that most interesting of countries: before leaving it, however, after about a year and a-half's cruising off and on their coasts, I was on pretty intimate terms with one family at least for every dozen miles, from Downpatrick on the east, to the Bloody Foreland on the west, a range of more than a hundred and twenty miles.

againadverbUS /əˈɡen/

anew

From this reading It is a far easier thing to get into a house in Ireland than to get out of it again; for there is an attractive and retentive witchery about the hospitality of the natives of that country, which has no match, as far as I have seen, in the wide world.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading It is a far easier thing to get into a house in Ireland than to get out of it again; for there is an attractive and retentive witchery about the hospitality of the natives of that country, which has no match, as far as I have seen, in the wide world.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading It is a far easier thing to get into a house in Ireland than to get out of it again; for there is an attractive and retentive witchery about the hospitality of the natives of that country, which has no match, as far as I have seen, in the wide world.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading In other places the people are hospitable or kind to a stranger; but in Ireland the affair is reduced to a sort of science, and a web of attentions is flung round the visitor before he well knows where he is: so that if he be not a very cold-blooded or a very temperate man, it will cost him sundry headaches--and mayhap some touches of the heartache--before he wins his way back again to his wonted tranquillity.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading It is a far easier thing to get into a house in Ireland than to get out of it again; for there is an attractive and retentive witchery about the hospitality of the natives of that country, which has no match, as far as I have seen, in the wide world.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading I had not a single acquaintance in Ireland when first I visited that most interesting of countries: before leaving it, however, after about a year and a-half's cruising off and on their coasts, I was on pretty intimate terms with one family at least for every dozen miles, from Downpatrick on the east, to the Bloody Foreland on the west, a range of more than a hundred and twenty miles.

attentionsnounUS /əˈtenʃənz/

plural of “attention” — the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others

From this reading In other places the people are hospitable or kind to a stranger; but in Ireland the affair is reduced to a sort of science, and a web of attentions is flung round the visitor before he well knows where he is: so that if he be not a very cold-blooded or a very temperate man, it will cost him sundry headaches--and mayhap some touches of the heartache--before he wins his way back again to his wonted tranquillity.

attractiveadjectiveUS /əˈtræktɪv/

pleasing to the eye or mind especially through beauty or charm

From this reading It is a far easier thing to get into a house in Ireland than to get out of it again; for there is an attractive and retentive witchery about the hospitality of the natives of that country, which has no match, as far as I have seen, in the wide world.

backadverbUS /bæk/

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading In other places the people are hospitable or kind to a stranger; but in Ireland the affair is reduced to a sort of science, and a web of attentions is flung round the visitor before he well knows where he is: so that if he be not a very cold-blooded or a very temperate man, it will cost him sundry headaches--and mayhap some touches of the heartache--before he wins his way back again to his wonted tranquillity.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading In other places the people are hospitable or kind to a stranger; but in Ireland the affair is reduced to a sort of science, and a web of attentions is flung round the visitor before he well knows where he is: so that if he be not a very cold-blooded or a very temperate man, it will cost him sundry headaches--and mayhap some touches of the heartache--before he wins his way back again to his wonted tranquillity.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading In other places the people are hospitable or kind to a stranger; but in Ireland the affair is reduced to a sort of science, and a web of attentions is flung round the visitor before he well knows where he is: so that if he be not a very cold-blooded or a very temperate man, it will cost him sundry headaches--and mayhap some touches of the heartache--before he wins his way back again to his wonted tranquillity.

BloodyadjectiveUS /ˈblʌdi/

having or covered with or accompanied by blood

From this reading I had not a single acquaintance in Ireland when first I visited that most interesting of countries: before leaving it, however, after about a year and a-half's cruising off and on their coasts, I was on pretty intimate terms with one family at least for every dozen miles, from Downpatrick on the east, to the Bloody Foreland on the west, a range of more than a hundred and twenty miles.

broughtverbUS /brɔːt/

inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere

From this reading The way in which this was brought about is sufficiently characteristic of the country.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading In other places the people are hospitable or kind to a stranger; but in Ireland the affair is reduced to a sort of science, and a web of attentions is flung round the visitor before he well knows where he is: so that if he be not a very cold-blooded or a very temperate man, it will cost him sundry headaches--and mayhap some touches of the heartache--before he wins his way back again to his wonted tranquillity.

characteristicnounUS /ˌkerəktərˈɪstɪk/

a prominent attribute or aspect of something

From this reading The way in which this was brought about is sufficiently characteristic of the country.

coastsnounUS /koʊsts/

plural of “coast” — the shore of a sea or ocean

From this reading I had not a single acquaintance in Ireland when first I visited that most interesting of countries: before leaving it, however, after about a year and a-half's cruising off and on their coasts, I was on pretty intimate terms with one family at least for every dozen miles, from Downpatrick on the east, to the Bloody Foreland on the west, a range of more than a hundred and twenty miles.

cold-bloodedadjectiveUS /ˈkoʊldˈblʌdəd/

without compunction or human feeling

From this reading In other places the people are hospitable or kind to a stranger; but in Ireland the affair is reduced to a sort of science, and a web of attentions is flung round the visitor before he well knows where he is: so that if he be not a very cold-blooded or a very temperate man, it will cost him sundry headaches--and mayhap some touches of the heartache--before he wins his way back again to his wonted tranquillity.

costnounUS /kɑːst/

the total spent for goods or services including money and time and labor

From this reading In other places the people are hospitable or kind to a stranger; but in Ireland the affair is reduced to a sort of science, and a web of attentions is flung round the visitor before he well knows where he is: so that if he be not a very cold-blooded or a very temperate man, it will cost him sundry headaches--and mayhap some touches of the heartache--before he wins his way back again to his wonted tranquillity.

countriesnounUS /ˈkʌntriz/

plural of “country” — a politically organized body of people under a single government

From this reading I had not a single acquaintance in Ireland when first I visited that most interesting of countries: before leaving it, however, after about a year and a-half's cruising off and on their coasts, I was on pretty intimate terms with one family at least for every dozen miles, from Downpatrick on the east, to the Bloody Foreland on the west, a range of more than a hundred and twenty miles.

countrynounUS /ˈkʌntri/

a politically organized body of people under a single government

From this reading It is a far easier thing to get into a house in Ireland than to get out of it again; for there is an attractive and retentive witchery about the hospitality of the natives of that country, which has no match, as far as I have seen, in the wide world.

cruisingverbUS /ˈkruːzɪŋ/

-ing form of “cruise” — drive around aimlessly but ostentatiously and at leisure

From this reading I had not a single acquaintance in Ireland when first I visited that most interesting of countries: before leaving it, however, after about a year and a-half's cruising off and on their coasts, I was on pretty intimate terms with one family at least for every dozen miles, from Downpatrick on the east, to the Bloody Foreland on the west, a range of more than a hundred and twenty miles.

Downpatrick

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

From this reading I had not a single acquaintance in Ireland when first I visited that most interesting of countries: before leaving it, however, after about a year and a-half's cruising off and on their coasts, I was on pretty intimate terms with one family at least for every dozen miles, from Downpatrick on the east, to the Bloody Foreland on the west, a range of more than a hundred and twenty miles.

dozennounUS /ˈdʌzən/

the cardinal number that is the sum of eleven and one

From this reading I had not a single acquaintance in Ireland when first I visited that most interesting of countries: before leaving it, however, after about a year and a-half's cruising off and on their coasts, I was on pretty intimate terms with one family at least for every dozen miles, from Downpatrick on the east, to the Bloody Foreland on the west, a range of more than a hundred and twenty miles.

easieradjectiveUS /ˈiːziər/

comparative of “easy” — posing no difficulty; requiring little effort

From this reading It is a far easier thing to get into a house in Ireland than to get out of it again; for there is an attractive and retentive witchery about the hospitality of the natives of that country, which has no match, as far as I have seen, in the wide world.

eastnounUS /iːst/

the cardinal compass point that is at 90 degrees

From this reading I had not a single acquaintance in Ireland when first I visited that most interesting of countries: before leaving it, however, after about a year and a-half's cruising off and on their coasts, I was on pretty intimate terms with one family at least for every dozen miles, from Downpatrick on the east, to the Bloody Foreland on the west, a range of more than a hundred and twenty miles.

everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading I had not a single acquaintance in Ireland when first I visited that most interesting of countries: before leaving it, however, after about a year and a-half's cruising off and on their coasts, I was on pretty intimate terms with one family at least for every dozen miles, from Downpatrick on the east, to the Bloody Foreland on the west, a range of more than a hundred and twenty miles.

familynounUS /ˈfæməli/

a social unit living together

From this reading I had not a single acquaintance in Ireland when first I visited that most interesting of countries: before leaving it, however, after about a year and a-half's cruising off and on their coasts, I was on pretty intimate terms with one family at least for every dozen miles, from Downpatrick on the east, to the Bloody Foreland on the west, a range of more than a hundred and twenty miles.

faradverbUS /fɑːr/

to a considerable degree; very much

From this reading It is a far easier thing to get into a house in Ireland than to get out of it again; for there is an attractive and retentive witchery about the hospitality of the natives of that country, which has no match, as far as I have seen, in the wide world.

firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading I had not a single acquaintance in Ireland when first I visited that most interesting of countries: before leaving it, however, after about a year and a-half's cruising off and on their coasts, I was on pretty intimate terms with one family at least for every dozen miles, from Downpatrick on the east, to the Bloody Foreland on the west, a range of more than a hundred and twenty miles.

flungverbUS /flʌŋ/

inflected form of “fling” — throw with force or recklessness

From this reading In other places the people are hospitable or kind to a stranger; but in Ireland the affair is reduced to a sort of science, and a web of attentions is flung round the visitor before he well knows where he is: so that if he be not a very cold-blooded or a very temperate man, it will cost him sundry headaches--and mayhap some touches of the heartache--before he wins his way back again to his wonted tranquillity.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading It is a far easier thing to get into a house in Ireland than to get out of it again; for there is an attractive and retentive witchery about the hospitality of the natives of that country, which has no match, as far as I have seen, in the wide world.

Forelandnoun

a natural elevation (especially a rocky one that juts out into the sea)

From this reading I had not a single acquaintance in Ireland when first I visited that most interesting of countries: before leaving it, however, after about a year and a-half's cruising off and on their coasts, I was on pretty intimate terms with one family at least for every dozen miles, from Downpatrick on the east, to the Bloody Foreland on the west, a range of more than a hundred and twenty miles.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading I had not a single acquaintance in Ireland when first I visited that most interesting of countries: before leaving it, however, after about a year and a-half's cruising off and on their coasts, I was on pretty intimate terms with one family at least for every dozen miles, from Downpatrick on the east, to the Bloody Foreland on the west, a range of more than a hundred and twenty miles.

getverbUS /ɡet/

come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading It is a far easier thing to get into a house in Ireland than to get out of it again; for there is an attractive and retentive witchery about the hospitality of the natives of that country, which has no match, as far as I have seen, in the wide world.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading I had not a single acquaintance in Ireland when first I visited that most interesting of countries: before leaving it, however, after about a year and a-half's cruising off and on their coasts, I was on pretty intimate terms with one family at least for every dozen miles, from Downpatrick on the east, to the Bloody Foreland on the west, a range of more than a hundred and twenty miles.

hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

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

From this reading It is a far easier thing to get into a house in Ireland than to get out of it again; for there is an attractive and retentive witchery about the hospitality of the natives of that country, which has no match, as far as I have seen, in the wide world.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading It is a far easier thing to get into a house in Ireland than to get out of it again; for there is an attractive and retentive witchery about the hospitality of the natives of that country, which has no match, as far as I have seen, in the wide world.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading In other places the people are hospitable or kind to a stranger; but in Ireland the affair is reduced to a sort of science, and a web of attentions is flung round the visitor before he well knows where he is: so that if he be not a very cold-blooded or a very temperate man, it will cost him sundry headaches--and mayhap some touches of the heartache--before he wins his way back again to his wonted tranquillity.

headachesnounUS /ˈhedeɪks/

plural of “headache” — something or someone that causes anxiety; a source of unhappiness

From this reading In other places the people are hospitable or kind to a stranger; but in Ireland the affair is reduced to a sort of science, and a web of attentions is flung round the visitor before he well knows where he is: so that if he be not a very cold-blooded or a very temperate man, it will cost him sundry headaches--and mayhap some touches of the heartache--before he wins his way back again to his wonted tranquillity.

heartachenounUS /ˈhɑːrteɪk/

intense sorrow caused by loss of a loved one (especially by death)

From this reading In other places the people are hospitable or kind to a stranger; but in Ireland the affair is reduced to a sort of science, and a web of attentions is flung round the visitor before he well knows where he is: so that if he be not a very cold-blooded or a very temperate man, it will cost him sundry headaches--and mayhap some touches of the heartache--before he wins his way back again to his wonted tranquillity.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading In other places the people are hospitable or kind to a stranger; but in Ireland the affair is reduced to a sort of science, and a web of attentions is flung round the visitor before he well knows where he is: so that if he be not a very cold-blooded or a very temperate man, it will cost him sundry headaches--and mayhap some touches of the heartache--before he wins his way back again to his wonted tranquillity.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading In other places the people are hospitable or kind to a stranger; but in Ireland the affair is reduced to a sort of science, and a web of attentions is flung round the visitor before he well knows where he is: so that if he be not a very cold-blooded or a very temperate man, it will cost him sundry headaches--and mayhap some touches of the heartache--before he wins his way back again to his wonted tranquillity.

hospitableadjectiveUS /ˈhɑːˈspɪtəbəl/

favorable to life and growth

From this reading In other places the people are hospitable or kind to a stranger; but in Ireland the affair is reduced to a sort of science, and a web of attentions is flung round the visitor before he well knows where he is: so that if he be not a very cold-blooded or a very temperate man, it will cost him sundry headaches--and mayhap some touches of the heartache--before he wins his way back again to his wonted tranquillity.

hospitalitynounUS /ˌhɑːspəˈtæləti/

kindness in welcoming guests or strangers

From this reading It is a far easier thing to get into a house in Ireland than to get out of it again; for there is an attractive and retentive witchery about the hospitality of the natives of that country, which has no match, as far as I have seen, in the wide world.

housenounUS /haʊs/

a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading It is a far easier thing to get into a house in Ireland than to get out of it again; for there is an attractive and retentive witchery about the hospitality of the natives of that country, which has no match, as far as I have seen, in the wide world.

howeveradverbUS /ˌhaʊˈevər/

used to add a contrasting statement

From this reading I had not a single acquaintance in Ireland when first I visited that most interesting of countries: before leaving it, however, after about a year and a-half's cruising off and on their coasts, I was on pretty intimate terms with one family at least for every dozen miles, from Downpatrick on the east, to the Bloody Foreland on the west, a range of more than a hundred and twenty miles.

hundrednounUS /ˈhʌndrəd/

ten 10s

From this reading I had not a single acquaintance in Ireland when first I visited that most interesting of countries: before leaving it, however, after about a year and a-half's cruising off and on their coasts, I was on pretty intimate terms with one family at least for every dozen miles, from Downpatrick on the east, to the Bloody Foreland on the west, a range of more than a hundred and twenty miles.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading It is a far easier thing to get into a house in Ireland than to get out of it again; for there is an attractive and retentive witchery about the hospitality of the natives of that country, which has no match, as far as I have seen, in the wide world.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading In other places the people are hospitable or kind to a stranger; but in Ireland the affair is reduced to a sort of science, and a web of attentions is flung round the visitor before he well knows where he is: so that if he be not a very cold-blooded or a very temperate man, it will cost him sundry headaches--and mayhap some touches of the heartache--before he wins his way back again to his wonted tranquillity.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading It is a far easier thing to get into a house in Ireland than to get out of it again; for there is an attractive and retentive witchery about the hospitality of the natives of that country, which has no match, as far as I have seen, in the wide world.

interestingadjectiveUS /ˈɪntrəstɪŋ/

arousing or holding the attention

From this reading I had not a single acquaintance in Ireland when first I visited that most interesting of countries: before leaving it, however, after about a year and a-half's cruising off and on their coasts, I was on pretty intimate terms with one family at least for every dozen miles, from Downpatrick on the east, to the Bloody Foreland on the west, a range of more than a hundred and twenty miles.

intimateadjectiveUS /ˈɪntəmət/

marked by close acquaintance, association, or familiarity

From this reading I had not a single acquaintance in Ireland when first I visited that most interesting of countries: before leaving it, however, after about a year and a-half's cruising off and on their coasts, I was on pretty intimate terms with one family at least for every dozen miles, from Downpatrick on the east, to the Bloody Foreland on the west, a range of more than a hundred and twenty miles.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading It is a far easier thing to get into a house in Ireland than to get out of it again; for there is an attractive and retentive witchery about the hospitality of the natives of that country, which has no match, as far as I have seen, in the wide world.

IrelandnounUS /ˈaɪərlənd/

a republic consisting of 26 of 32 counties comprising the island of Ireland; achieved independence from the United Kingdom in 1921

From this reading It is a far easier thing to get into a house in Ireland than to get out of it again; for there is an attractive and retentive witchery about the hospitality of the natives of that country, which has no match, as far as I have seen, in the wide world.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading It is a far easier thing to get into a house in Ireland than to get out of it again; for there is an attractive and retentive witchery about the hospitality of the natives of that country, which has no match, as far as I have seen, in the wide world.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It is a far easier thing to get into a house in Ireland than to get out of it again; for there is an attractive and retentive witchery about the hospitality of the natives of that country, which has no match, as far as I have seen, in the wide world.

kindadjectiveUS /kaɪnd/

having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior

From this reading In other places the people are hospitable or kind to a stranger; but in Ireland the affair is reduced to a sort of science, and a web of attentions is flung round the visitor before he well knows where he is: so that if he be not a very cold-blooded or a very temperate man, it will cost him sundry headaches--and mayhap some touches of the heartache--before he wins his way back again to his wonted tranquillity.

knowsnounUS /noʊz/

plural of “know” — the fact of being aware of information that is known to few people

From this reading In other places the people are hospitable or kind to a stranger; but in Ireland the affair is reduced to a sort of science, and a web of attentions is flung round the visitor before he well knows where he is: so that if he be not a very cold-blooded or a very temperate man, it will cost him sundry headaches--and mayhap some touches of the heartache--before he wins his way back again to his wonted tranquillity.

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 I had not a single acquaintance in Ireland when first I visited that most interesting of countries: before leaving it, however, after about a year and a-half's cruising off and on their coasts, I was on pretty intimate terms with one family at least for every dozen miles, from Downpatrick on the east, to the Bloody Foreland on the west, a range of more than a hundred and twenty miles.

leavingnounUS /ˈliːvɪŋ/

the act of departing

From this reading I had not a single acquaintance in Ireland when first I visited that most interesting of countries: before leaving it, however, after about a year and a-half's cruising off and on their coasts, I was on pretty intimate terms with one family at least for every dozen miles, from Downpatrick on the east, to the Bloody Foreland on the west, a range of more than a hundred and twenty miles.

mannounUS /mæn/

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

From this reading In other places the people are hospitable or kind to a stranger; but in Ireland the affair is reduced to a sort of science, and a web of attentions is flung round the visitor before he well knows where he is: so that if he be not a very cold-blooded or a very temperate man, it will cost him sundry headaches--and mayhap some touches of the heartache--before he wins his way back again to his wonted tranquillity.

matchverbUS /mætʃ/

be compatible, similar or consistent; coincide in their characteristics

From this reading It is a far easier thing to get into a house in Ireland than to get out of it again; for there is an attractive and retentive witchery about the hospitality of the natives of that country, which has no match, as far as I have seen, in the wide world.

mayhapadverb

by chance

From this reading In other places the people are hospitable or kind to a stranger; but in Ireland the affair is reduced to a sort of science, and a web of attentions is flung round the visitor before he well knows where he is: so that if he be not a very cold-blooded or a very temperate man, it will cost him sundry headaches--and mayhap some touches of the heartache--before he wins his way back again to his wonted tranquillity.

milesnounUS /maɪlz/

plural of “mile” — a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters

From this reading I had not a single acquaintance in Ireland when first I visited that most interesting of countries: before leaving it, however, after about a year and a-half's cruising off and on their coasts, I was on pretty intimate terms with one family at least for every dozen miles, from Downpatrick on the east, to the Bloody Foreland on the west, a range of more than a hundred and twenty miles.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading I had not a single acquaintance in Ireland when first I visited that most interesting of countries: before leaving it, however, after about a year and a-half's cruising off and on their coasts, I was on pretty intimate terms with one family at least for every dozen miles, from Downpatrick on the east, to the Bloody Foreland on the west, a range of more than a hundred and twenty miles.

mostadverbUS /moʊst/

used to form the superlative

From this reading I had not a single acquaintance in Ireland when first I visited that most interesting of countries: before leaving it, however, after about a year and a-half's cruising off and on their coasts, I was on pretty intimate terms with one family at least for every dozen miles, from Downpatrick on the east, to the Bloody Foreland on the west, a range of more than a hundred and twenty miles.

nativesnounUS /ˈneɪtɪvz/

plural of “native” — an indigenous person who was born in a particular place

From this reading It is a far easier thing to get into a house in Ireland than to get out of it again; for there is an attractive and retentive witchery about the hospitality of the natives of that country, which has no match, as far as I have seen, in the wide world.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading It is a far easier thing to get into a house in Ireland than to get out of it again; for there is an attractive and retentive witchery about the hospitality of the natives of that country, which has no match, as far as I have seen, in the wide world.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading In other places the people are hospitable or kind to a stranger; but in Ireland the affair is reduced to a sort of science, and a web of attentions is flung round the visitor before he well knows where he is: so that if he be not a very cold-blooded or a very temperate man, it will cost him sundry headaches--and mayhap some touches of the heartache--before he wins his way back again to his wonted tranquillity.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading It is a far easier thing to get into a house in Ireland than to get out of it again; for there is an attractive and retentive witchery about the hospitality of the natives of that country, which has no match, as far as I have seen, in the wide world.

offadverbUS /ɔːf/

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

From this reading I had not a single acquaintance in Ireland when first I visited that most interesting of countries: before leaving it, however, after about a year and a-half's cruising off and on their coasts, I was on pretty intimate terms with one family at least for every dozen miles, from Downpatrick on the east, to the Bloody Foreland on the west, a range of more than a hundred and twenty miles.

ONprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading A SAILOR ON SHORE.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading I had not a single acquaintance in Ireland when first I visited that most interesting of countries: before leaving it, however, after about a year and a-half's cruising off and on their coasts, I was on pretty intimate terms with one family at least for every dozen miles, from Downpatrick on the east, to the Bloody Foreland on the west, a range of more than a hundred and twenty miles.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading In other places the people are hospitable or kind to a stranger; but in Ireland the affair is reduced to a sort of science, and a web of attentions is flung round the visitor before he well knows where he is: so that if he be not a very cold-blooded or a very temperate man, it will cost him sundry headaches--and mayhap some touches of the heartache--before he wins his way back again to his wonted tranquillity.

otheradjectiveUS /ˈʌðər/

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading In other places the people are hospitable or kind to a stranger; but in Ireland the affair is reduced to a sort of science, and a web of attentions is flung round the visitor before he well knows where he is: so that if he be not a very cold-blooded or a very temperate man, it will cost him sundry headaches--and mayhap some touches of the heartache--before he wins his way back again to his wonted tranquillity.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading It is a far easier thing to get into a house in Ireland than to get out of it again; for there is an attractive and retentive witchery about the hospitality of the natives of that country, which has no match, as far as I have seen, in the wide world.

peoplenounUS /ˈpiːpəl/

(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively

From this reading In other places the people are hospitable or kind to a stranger; but in Ireland the affair is reduced to a sort of science, and a web of attentions is flung round the visitor before he well knows where he is: so that if he be not a very cold-blooded or a very temperate man, it will cost him sundry headaches--and mayhap some touches of the heartache--before he wins his way back again to his wonted tranquillity.

placesnounUS /ˈpleɪsəz/

plural of “place” — a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading In other places the people are hospitable or kind to a stranger; but in Ireland the affair is reduced to a sort of science, and a web of attentions is flung round the visitor before he well knows where he is: so that if he be not a very cold-blooded or a very temperate man, it will cost him sundry headaches--and mayhap some touches of the heartache--before he wins his way back again to his wonted tranquillity.

prettyadjectiveUS /ˈprɪti/

pleasing by delicacy or grace; not imposing

From this reading I had not a single acquaintance in Ireland when first I visited that most interesting of countries: before leaving it, however, after about a year and a-half's cruising off and on their coasts, I was on pretty intimate terms with one family at least for every dozen miles, from Downpatrick on the east, to the Bloody Foreland on the west, a range of more than a hundred and twenty miles.

rangenounUS /reɪndʒ/

an area in which something acts or operates or has power or control: "the range of a supersonic jet"

From this reading I had not a single acquaintance in Ireland when first I visited that most interesting of countries: before leaving it, however, after about a year and a-half's cruising off and on their coasts, I was on pretty intimate terms with one family at least for every dozen miles, from Downpatrick on the east, to the Bloody Foreland on the west, a range of more than a hundred and twenty miles.

reducedadjectiveUS /rəˈduːst/

made less in size or amount or degree

From this reading In other places the people are hospitable or kind to a stranger; but in Ireland the affair is reduced to a sort of science, and a web of attentions is flung round the visitor before he well knows where he is: so that if he be not a very cold-blooded or a very temperate man, it will cost him sundry headaches--and mayhap some touches of the heartache--before he wins his way back again to his wonted tranquillity.

retentiveadjective

good at remembering

From this reading It is a far easier thing to get into a house in Ireland than to get out of it again; for there is an attractive and retentive witchery about the hospitality of the natives of that country, which has no match, as far as I have seen, in the wide world.

roundnounUS /raʊnd/

a charge of ammunition for a single shot

From this reading In other places the people are hospitable or kind to a stranger; but in Ireland the affair is reduced to a sort of science, and a web of attentions is flung round the visitor before he well knows where he is: so that if he be not a very cold-blooded or a very temperate man, it will cost him sundry headaches--and mayhap some touches of the heartache--before he wins his way back again to his wonted tranquillity.

SAILORnounUS /ˈseɪlər/

any member of a ship's crew

From this reading A SAILOR ON SHORE.

sciencenounUS /ˈsaɪəns/

a particular branch of scientific knowledge

From this reading In other places the people are hospitable or kind to a stranger; but in Ireland the affair is reduced to a sort of science, and a web of attentions is flung round the visitor before he well knows where he is: so that if he be not a very cold-blooded or a very temperate man, it will cost him sundry headaches--and mayhap some touches of the heartache--before he wins his way back again to his wonted tranquillity.

seenverbUS /siːn/

inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading It is a far easier thing to get into a house in Ireland than to get out of it again; for there is an attractive and retentive witchery about the hospitality of the natives of that country, which has no match, as far as I have seen, in the wide world.

SHOREnounUS /ʃɔːr/

the land along the edge of a body of water

From this reading A SAILOR ON SHORE.

singleadjectiveUS /ˈsɪŋɡəl/

being or characteristic of a single thing or person

From this reading I had not a single acquaintance in Ireland when first I visited that most interesting of countries: before leaving it, however, after about a year and a-half's cruising off and on their coasts, I was on pretty intimate terms with one family at least for every dozen miles, from Downpatrick on the east, to the Bloody Foreland on the west, a range of more than a hundred and twenty miles.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading In other places the people are hospitable or kind to a stranger; but in Ireland the affair is reduced to a sort of science, and a web of attentions is flung round the visitor before he well knows where he is: so that if he be not a very cold-blooded or a very temperate man, it will cost him sundry headaches--and mayhap some touches of the heartache--before he wins his way back again to his wonted tranquillity.

someadjectiveUS /sʌm/

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading In other places the people are hospitable or kind to a stranger; but in Ireland the affair is reduced to a sort of science, and a web of attentions is flung round the visitor before he well knows where he is: so that if he be not a very cold-blooded or a very temperate man, it will cost him sundry headaches--and mayhap some touches of the heartache--before he wins his way back again to his wonted tranquillity.

sortnounUS /sɔːrt/

a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality

From this reading In other places the people are hospitable or kind to a stranger; but in Ireland the affair is reduced to a sort of science, and a web of attentions is flung round the visitor before he well knows where he is: so that if he be not a very cold-blooded or a very temperate man, it will cost him sundry headaches--and mayhap some touches of the heartache--before he wins his way back again to his wonted tranquillity.

strangernounUS /ˈstreɪndʒər/

anyone who does not belong in the environment in which they are found

From this reading In other places the people are hospitable or kind to a stranger; but in Ireland the affair is reduced to a sort of science, and a web of attentions is flung round the visitor before he well knows where he is: so that if he be not a very cold-blooded or a very temperate man, it will cost him sundry headaches--and mayhap some touches of the heartache--before he wins his way back again to his wonted tranquillity.

sufficientlyadverbUS /səˈfɪʃəntli/

to a sufficient degree

From this reading The way in which this was brought about is sufficiently characteristic of the country.

sundryadjectiveUS /ˈsʌndri/

consisting of a haphazard assortment of different kinds

From this reading In other places the people are hospitable or kind to a stranger; but in Ireland the affair is reduced to a sort of science, and a web of attentions is flung round the visitor before he well knows where he is: so that if he be not a very cold-blooded or a very temperate man, it will cost him sundry headaches--and mayhap some touches of the heartache--before he wins his way back again to his wonted tranquillity.

temperateadjectiveUS /ˈtemprət/

(of weather or climate) free from extremes; mild; or characteristic of such weather or climate

From this reading In other places the people are hospitable or kind to a stranger; but in Ireland the affair is reduced to a sort of science, and a web of attentions is flung round the visitor before he well knows where he is: so that if he be not a very cold-blooded or a very temperate man, it will cost him sundry headaches--and mayhap some touches of the heartache--before he wins his way back again to his wonted tranquillity.

termsnounUS /tɜːrmz/

status with respect to the relations between people or groups

From this reading I had not a single acquaintance in Ireland when first I visited that most interesting of countries: before leaving it, however, after about a year and a-half's cruising off and on their coasts, I was on pretty intimate terms with one family at least for every dozen miles, from Downpatrick on the east, to the Bloody Foreland on the west, a range of more than a hundred and twenty miles.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading It is a far easier thing to get into a house in Ireland than to get out of it again; for there is an attractive and retentive witchery about the hospitality of the natives of that country, which has no match, as far as I have seen, in the wide world.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading It is a far easier thing to get into a house in Ireland than to get out of it again; for there is an attractive and retentive witchery about the hospitality of the natives of that country, which has no match, as far as I have seen, in the wide world.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading It is a far easier thing to get into a house in Ireland than to get out of it again; for there is an attractive and retentive witchery about the hospitality of the natives of that country, which has no match, as far as I have seen, in the wide world.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading I had not a single acquaintance in Ireland when first I visited that most interesting of countries: before leaving it, however, after about a year and a-half's cruising off and on their coasts, I was on pretty intimate terms with one family at least for every dozen miles, from Downpatrick on the east, to the Bloody Foreland on the west, a range of more than a hundred and twenty miles.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading It is a far easier thing to get into a house in Ireland than to get out of it again; for there is an attractive and retentive witchery about the hospitality of the natives of that country, which has no match, as far as I have seen, in the wide world.

thingnounUS /θɪŋ/

a special situation

From this reading It is a far easier thing to get into a house in Ireland than to get out of it again; for there is an attractive and retentive witchery about the hospitality of the natives of that country, which has no match, as far as I have seen, in the wide world.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading The way in which this was brought about is sufficiently characteristic of the country.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading It is a far easier thing to get into a house in Ireland than to get out of it again; for there is an attractive and retentive witchery about the hospitality of the natives of that country, which has no match, as far as I have seen, in the wide world.

touchesnounUS /ˈtʌtʃəz/

plural of “touch” — the event of something coming in contact with the body

From this reading In other places the people are hospitable or kind to a stranger; but in Ireland the affair is reduced to a sort of science, and a web of attentions is flung round the visitor before he well knows where he is: so that if he be not a very cold-blooded or a very temperate man, it will cost him sundry headaches--and mayhap some touches of the heartache--before he wins his way back again to his wonted tranquillity.

tranquillitynounUS /træŋˈkwɪlɪti/

an untroubled state; free from disturbances

From this reading In other places the people are hospitable or kind to a stranger; but in Ireland the affair is reduced to a sort of science, and a web of attentions is flung round the visitor before he well knows where he is: so that if he be not a very cold-blooded or a very temperate man, it will cost him sundry headaches--and mayhap some touches of the heartache--before he wins his way back again to his wonted tranquillity.

twentynounUS /ˈtwenti/

the cardinal number that is the sum of nineteen and one

From this reading I had not a single acquaintance in Ireland when first I visited that most interesting of countries: before leaving it, however, after about a year and a-half's cruising off and on their coasts, I was on pretty intimate terms with one family at least for every dozen miles, from Downpatrick on the east, to the Bloody Foreland on the west, a range of more than a hundred and twenty miles.

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading In other places the people are hospitable or kind to a stranger; but in Ireland the affair is reduced to a sort of science, and a web of attentions is flung round the visitor before he well knows where he is: so that if he be not a very cold-blooded or a very temperate man, it will cost him sundry headaches--and mayhap some touches of the heartache--before he wins his way back again to his wonted tranquillity.

visitedverbUS /ˈvɪzɪtɪd/

past form of “visit” — go to see a place, as for entertainment

From this reading I had not a single acquaintance in Ireland when first I visited that most interesting of countries: before leaving it, however, after about a year and a-half's cruising off and on their coasts, I was on pretty intimate terms with one family at least for every dozen miles, from Downpatrick on the east, to the Bloody Foreland on the west, a range of more than a hundred and twenty miles.

visitornounUS /ˈvɪzɪtər/

someone who visits

From this reading In other places the people are hospitable or kind to a stranger; but in Ireland the affair is reduced to a sort of science, and a web of attentions is flung round the visitor before he well knows where he is: so that if he be not a very cold-blooded or a very temperate man, it will cost him sundry headaches--and mayhap some touches of the heartache--before he wins his way back again to his wonted tranquillity.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading I had not a single acquaintance in Ireland when first I visited that most interesting of countries: before leaving it, however, after about a year and a-half's cruising off and on their coasts, I was on pretty intimate terms with one family at least for every dozen miles, from Downpatrick on the east, to the Bloody Foreland on the west, a range of more than a hundred and twenty miles.

waynounUS /weɪ/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading In other places the people are hospitable or kind to a stranger; but in Ireland the affair is reduced to a sort of science, and a web of attentions is flung round the visitor before he well knows where he is: so that if he be not a very cold-blooded or a very temperate man, it will cost him sundry headaches--and mayhap some touches of the heartache--before he wins his way back again to his wonted tranquillity.

webnounUS /web/

an intricate network suggesting something that was formed by weaving or interweaving

From this reading In other places the people are hospitable or kind to a stranger; but in Ireland the affair is reduced to a sort of science, and a web of attentions is flung round the visitor before he well knows where he is: so that if he be not a very cold-blooded or a very temperate man, it will cost him sundry headaches--and mayhap some touches of the heartache--before he wins his way back again to his wonted tranquillity.

welladverbUS /wel/

(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)

From this reading In other places the people are hospitable or kind to a stranger; but in Ireland the affair is reduced to a sort of science, and a web of attentions is flung round the visitor before he well knows where he is: so that if he be not a very cold-blooded or a very temperate man, it will cost him sundry headaches--and mayhap some touches of the heartache--before he wins his way back again to his wonted tranquillity.

westnounUS /west/

the countries of (originally) Europe and (now including) North America and South America

From this reading I had not a single acquaintance in Ireland when first I visited that most interesting of countries: before leaving it, however, after about a year and a-half's cruising off and on their coasts, I was on pretty intimate terms with one family at least for every dozen miles, from Downpatrick on the east, to the Bloody Foreland on the west, a range of more than a hundred and twenty miles.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading I had not a single acquaintance in Ireland when first I visited that most interesting of countries: before leaving it, however, after about a year and a-half's cruising off and on their coasts, I was on pretty intimate terms with one family at least for every dozen miles, from Downpatrick on the east, to the Bloody Foreland on the west, a range of more than a hundred and twenty miles.

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading In other places the people are hospitable or kind to a stranger; but in Ireland the affair is reduced to a sort of science, and a web of attentions is flung round the visitor before he well knows where he is: so that if he be not a very cold-blooded or a very temperate man, it will cost him sundry headaches--and mayhap some touches of the heartache--before he wins his way back again to his wonted tranquillity.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading It is a far easier thing to get into a house in Ireland than to get out of it again; for there is an attractive and retentive witchery about the hospitality of the natives of that country, which has no match, as far as I have seen, in the wide world.

wideadjectiveUS /waɪd/

having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other

From this reading It is a far easier thing to get into a house in Ireland than to get out of it again; for there is an attractive and retentive witchery about the hospitality of the natives of that country, which has no match, as far as I have seen, in the wide world.

willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading In other places the people are hospitable or kind to a stranger; but in Ireland the affair is reduced to a sort of science, and a web of attentions is flung round the visitor before he well knows where he is: so that if he be not a very cold-blooded or a very temperate man, it will cost him sundry headaches--and mayhap some touches of the heartache--before he wins his way back again to his wonted tranquillity.

winsnounUS /wɪnz/

plural of “win” — a victory (as in a race or other competition)

From this reading In other places the people are hospitable or kind to a stranger; but in Ireland the affair is reduced to a sort of science, and a web of attentions is flung round the visitor before he well knows where he is: so that if he be not a very cold-blooded or a very temperate man, it will cost him sundry headaches--and mayhap some touches of the heartache--before he wins his way back again to his wonted tranquillity.

witcherynoun

the art of sorcery

From this reading It is a far easier thing to get into a house in Ireland than to get out of it again; for there is an attractive and retentive witchery about the hospitality of the natives of that country, which has no match, as far as I have seen, in the wide world.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading I had not a single acquaintance in Ireland when first I visited that most interesting of countries: before leaving it, however, after about a year and a-half's cruising off and on their coasts, I was on pretty intimate terms with one family at least for every dozen miles, from Downpatrick on the east, to the Bloody Foreland on the west, a range of more than a hundred and twenty miles.

wontedadjective

commonly used or practiced; usual

From this reading In other places the people are hospitable or kind to a stranger; but in Ireland the affair is reduced to a sort of science, and a web of attentions is flung round the visitor before he well knows where he is: so that if he be not a very cold-blooded or a very temperate man, it will cost him sundry headaches--and mayhap some touches of the heartache--before he wins his way back again to his wonted tranquillity.

worldnounUS /wɜːrld/

everything that exists anywhere

From this reading It is a far easier thing to get into a house in Ireland than to get out of it again; for there is an attractive and retentive witchery about the hospitality of the natives of that country, which has no match, as far as I have seen, in the wide world.

yearnounUS /jɪr/

a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days

From this reading I had not a single acquaintance in Ireland when first I visited that most interesting of countries: before leaving it, however, after about a year and a-half's cruising off and on their coasts, I was on pretty intimate terms with one family at least for every dozen miles, from Downpatrick on the east, to the Bloody Foreland on the west, a range of more than a hundred and twenty miles.

Chapter 2 of The lieutenant and commander by Basil Hall holds 84 sentences, grouped into 17 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 2 of The lieutenant and commander contain?

Chapter 2 holds 84 sentences of The lieutenant and commander, unabridged, divided into 17 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 2 of The lieutenant and commander by Basil Hall exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 84 sentences, grouped into 17 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 2 of The lieutenant and commander?

Work through the 17 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 17 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 2 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 2 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 lieutenant and commander

Common questions about reading The lieutenant and commander by Basil Hall on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The lieutenant and commander?

Yes. All 3172 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #17032 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The lieutenant and commander is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #17032, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The lieutenant and commander take to read?

About 264 minutes of reading across 635 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The lieutenant and commander section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 21 chapters of The lieutenant and commander 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 lieutenant and commander

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

Fitting
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The lieutenant and commander; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Out--progress
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The lieutenant and commander; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Rigging--the
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The lieutenant and commander; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Figure-head--progressive
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The lieutenant and commander; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.