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The Monk: A Romance
The Monk: A Romance

Chapter XII · Chapter 12

Chapter 12 of The Monk: A Romance is here in full — 746 sentences across 150 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Monk: A Romance
Context Illustration Reading 1/149 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Great Heaven!
How frail thy creature Man is made!
How by himself insensibly betrayed!
In our own strength unhappily secure, Too little cautious of the adverse power, On pleasure’s flowery brink we idly stray, Masters as yet of our returning way: Till the strong gusts of raging passion rise, Till the dire Tempest mingles earth and skies, And swift into the boundless Ocean borne, Our foolish confidence too late we mourn: Round our devoted heads the billows beat, And from our troubled view the lessening lands retreat.
PRIOR.
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 Monk: A Romance

Chapter XII · Chapter 12

Chapter 12 of The Monk: A Romance is here in full — 746 sentences across 150 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/149 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Great Heaven!
/ɡreɪt ˈhevən/
Line 2
How frail thy creature Man is made!
Line 3
How by himself insensibly betrayed!
Line 4
In our own strength unhappily secure, Too little cautious of the adverse power, On pleasure’s flowery brink we idly stray, Masters as yet of our returning way: Till the strong gusts of raging passion rise, Till the dire Tempest mingles earth and skies, And swift into the boundless Ocean borne, Our foolish confidence too late we mourn: Round our devoted heads the billows beat, And from our troubled view the lessening lands retreat.
Line 5
PRIOR.
/ˈpraɪər/

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.

adverse adjective US /ædˈvɜːrs/

contrary to your interests or welfare

From this reading “In our own strength unhappily secure, Too little cautious of the adverse power, On pleasure’s flowery brink we idly stray, Masters as yet of our returning way: Till the strong gusts of raging passion rise, Till the dire Tempest mingles earth and skies, And swift into the boundless Ocean borne, Our foolish confidence too late we mourn: Round our devoted heads the billows beat, And from our troubled view the lessening lands retreat.”

billows noun US /ˈbɪloʊz/

plural of “billow” — a large sea wave

From this reading “In our own strength unhappily secure, Too little cautious of the adverse power, On pleasure’s flowery brink we idly stray, Masters as yet of our returning way: Till the strong gusts of raging passion rise, Till the dire Tempest mingles earth and skies, And swift into the boundless Ocean borne, Our foolish confidence too late we mourn: Round our devoted heads the billows beat, And from our troubled view the lessening lands retreat.”

flowery adjective US /ˈflaʊəri/

of or relating to or suggestive of flowers

From this reading “In our own strength unhappily secure, Too little cautious of the adverse power, On pleasure’s flowery brink we idly stray, Masters as yet of our returning way: Till the strong gusts of raging passion rise, Till the dire Tempest mingles earth and skies, And swift into the boundless Ocean borne, Our foolish confidence too late we mourn: Round our devoted heads the billows beat, And from our troubled view the lessening lands retreat.”

gusts noun US /ɡʌsts/

plural of “gust” — a strong current of air

From this reading “In our own strength unhappily secure, Too little cautious of the adverse power, On pleasure’s flowery brink we idly stray, Masters as yet of our returning way: Till the strong gusts of raging passion rise, Till the dire Tempest mingles earth and skies, And swift into the boundless Ocean borne, Our foolish confidence too late we mourn: Round our devoted heads the billows beat, And from our troubled view the lessening lands retreat.”

lessening noun US /ˈlesənɪŋ/

a change downward

From this reading “In our own strength unhappily secure, Too little cautious of the adverse power, On pleasure’s flowery brink we idly stray, Masters as yet of our returning way: Till the strong gusts of raging passion rise, Till the dire Tempest mingles earth and skies, And swift into the boundless Ocean borne, Our foolish confidence too late we mourn: Round our devoted heads the billows beat, And from our troubled view the lessening lands retreat.”

mingles verb US /ˈmɪŋɡəlz/

third-person singular of “mingle” — to bring or combine together or with something else

From this reading “In our own strength unhappily secure, Too little cautious of the adverse power, On pleasure’s flowery brink we idly stray, Masters as yet of our returning way: Till the strong gusts of raging passion rise, Till the dire Tempest mingles earth and skies, And swift into the boundless Ocean borne, Our foolish confidence too late we mourn: Round our devoted heads the billows beat, And from our troubled view the lessening lands retreat.”

mourn verb US /mɔːrn/

feel sadness

From this reading “In our own strength unhappily secure, Too little cautious of the adverse power, On pleasure’s flowery brink we idly stray, Masters as yet of our returning way: Till the strong gusts of raging passion rise, Till the dire Tempest mingles earth and skies, And swift into the boundless Ocean borne, Our foolish confidence too late we mourn: Round our devoted heads the billows beat, And from our troubled view the lessening lands retreat.”

unhappily adverb US /ənˈhæpəli/

in an unpleasant way

From this reading “In our own strength unhappily secure, Too little cautious of the adverse power, On pleasure’s flowery brink we idly stray, Masters as yet of our returning way: Till the strong gusts of raging passion rise, Till the dire Tempest mingles earth and skies, And swift into the boundless Ocean borne, Our foolish confidence too late we mourn: Round our devoted heads the billows beat, And from our troubled view the lessening lands retreat.”

All words in this reading · 71

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.

adverseadjectiveUS /ædˈvɜːrs/

contrary to your interests or welfare

From this reading In our own strength unhappily secure, Too little cautious of the adverse power, On pleasure’s flowery brink we idly stray, Masters as yet of our returning way: Till the strong gusts of raging passion rise, Till the dire Tempest mingles earth and skies, And swift into the boundless Ocean borne, Our foolish confidence too late we mourn: Round our devoted heads the billows beat, And from our troubled view the lessening lands retreat.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading In our own strength unhappily secure, Too little cautious of the adverse power, On pleasure’s flowery brink we idly stray, Masters as yet of our returning way: Till the strong gusts of raging passion rise, Till the dire Tempest mingles earth and skies, And swift into the boundless Ocean borne, Our foolish confidence too late we mourn: Round our devoted heads the billows beat, And from our troubled view the lessening lands retreat.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading In our own strength unhappily secure, Too little cautious of the adverse power, On pleasure’s flowery brink we idly stray, Masters as yet of our returning way: Till the strong gusts of raging passion rise, Till the dire Tempest mingles earth and skies, And swift into the boundless Ocean borne, Our foolish confidence too late we mourn: Round our devoted heads the billows beat, And from our troubled view the lessening lands retreat.

beatverbUS /biːt/

come out better in a competition, race, or conflict

From this reading In our own strength unhappily secure, Too little cautious of the adverse power, On pleasure’s flowery brink we idly stray, Masters as yet of our returning way: Till the strong gusts of raging passion rise, Till the dire Tempest mingles earth and skies, And swift into the boundless Ocean borne, Our foolish confidence too late we mourn: Round our devoted heads the billows beat, And from our troubled view the lessening lands retreat.

betrayedverbUS /bɪˈtreɪd/

past form of “betray” — reveal unintentionally

From this reading How by himself insensibly betrayed!

billowsnounUS /ˈbɪloʊz/

plural of “billow” — a large sea wave

From this reading In our own strength unhappily secure, Too little cautious of the adverse power, On pleasure’s flowery brink we idly stray, Masters as yet of our returning way: Till the strong gusts of raging passion rise, Till the dire Tempest mingles earth and skies, And swift into the boundless Ocean borne, Our foolish confidence too late we mourn: Round our devoted heads the billows beat, And from our troubled view the lessening lands retreat.

borneverbUS /bɔːrn/

inflected form of “bear” — have

From this reading In our own strength unhappily secure, Too little cautious of the adverse power, On pleasure’s flowery brink we idly stray, Masters as yet of our returning way: Till the strong gusts of raging passion rise, Till the dire Tempest mingles earth and skies, And swift into the boundless Ocean borne, Our foolish confidence too late we mourn: Round our devoted heads the billows beat, And from our troubled view the lessening lands retreat.

boundlessadjectiveUS /ˈbaʊndləs/

seemingly boundless in amount, number, degree, or especially extent

From this reading In our own strength unhappily secure, Too little cautious of the adverse power, On pleasure’s flowery brink we idly stray, Masters as yet of our returning way: Till the strong gusts of raging passion rise, Till the dire Tempest mingles earth and skies, And swift into the boundless Ocean borne, Our foolish confidence too late we mourn: Round our devoted heads the billows beat, And from our troubled view the lessening lands retreat.

brinknounUS /brɪŋk/

a region marking a boundary

From this reading In our own strength unhappily secure, Too little cautious of the adverse power, On pleasure’s flowery brink we idly stray, Masters as yet of our returning way: Till the strong gusts of raging passion rise, Till the dire Tempest mingles earth and skies, And swift into the boundless Ocean borne, Our foolish confidence too late we mourn: Round our devoted heads the billows beat, And from our troubled view the lessening lands retreat.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading How by himself insensibly betrayed!

cautiousadjectiveUS /ˈkɔːʃəs/

showing careful forethought

From this reading In our own strength unhappily secure, Too little cautious of the adverse power, On pleasure’s flowery brink we idly stray, Masters as yet of our returning way: Till the strong gusts of raging passion rise, Till the dire Tempest mingles earth and skies, And swift into the boundless Ocean borne, Our foolish confidence too late we mourn: Round our devoted heads the billows beat, And from our troubled view the lessening lands retreat.

confidencenounUS /ˈkɑːnfədəns/

freedom from doubt; belief in yourself and your abilities

From this reading In our own strength unhappily secure, Too little cautious of the adverse power, On pleasure’s flowery brink we idly stray, Masters as yet of our returning way: Till the strong gusts of raging passion rise, Till the dire Tempest mingles earth and skies, And swift into the boundless Ocean borne, Our foolish confidence too late we mourn: Round our devoted heads the billows beat, And from our troubled view the lessening lands retreat.

creaturenounUS /ˈkriːtʃər/

a living organism characterized by voluntary movement

From this reading How frail thy creature Man is made!

devotedadjectiveUS /dɪˈvoʊtɪd/

zealous in devotion or affection

From this reading In our own strength unhappily secure, Too little cautious of the adverse power, On pleasure’s flowery brink we idly stray, Masters as yet of our returning way: Till the strong gusts of raging passion rise, Till the dire Tempest mingles earth and skies, And swift into the boundless Ocean borne, Our foolish confidence too late we mourn: Round our devoted heads the billows beat, And from our troubled view the lessening lands retreat.

direadjectiveUS /daɪr/

fraught with extreme danger; nearly hopeless

From this reading In our own strength unhappily secure, Too little cautious of the adverse power, On pleasure’s flowery brink we idly stray, Masters as yet of our returning way: Till the strong gusts of raging passion rise, Till the dire Tempest mingles earth and skies, And swift into the boundless Ocean borne, Our foolish confidence too late we mourn: Round our devoted heads the billows beat, And from our troubled view the lessening lands retreat.

earthnounUS /ɜːrθ/

the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on

From this reading In our own strength unhappily secure, Too little cautious of the adverse power, On pleasure’s flowery brink we idly stray, Masters as yet of our returning way: Till the strong gusts of raging passion rise, Till the dire Tempest mingles earth and skies, And swift into the boundless Ocean borne, Our foolish confidence too late we mourn: Round our devoted heads the billows beat, And from our troubled view the lessening lands retreat.

floweryadjectiveUS /ˈflaʊəri/

of or relating to or suggestive of flowers

From this reading In our own strength unhappily secure, Too little cautious of the adverse power, On pleasure’s flowery brink we idly stray, Masters as yet of our returning way: Till the strong gusts of raging passion rise, Till the dire Tempest mingles earth and skies, And swift into the boundless Ocean borne, Our foolish confidence too late we mourn: Round our devoted heads the billows beat, And from our troubled view the lessening lands retreat.

foolishadjectiveUS /ˈfuːlɪʃ/

devoid of good sense or judgment

From this reading In our own strength unhappily secure, Too little cautious of the adverse power, On pleasure’s flowery brink we idly stray, Masters as yet of our returning way: Till the strong gusts of raging passion rise, Till the dire Tempest mingles earth and skies, And swift into the boundless Ocean borne, Our foolish confidence too late we mourn: Round our devoted heads the billows beat, And from our troubled view the lessening lands retreat.

frailadjectiveUS /freɪl/

physically weak

From this reading How frail thy creature Man is made!

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading In our own strength unhappily secure, Too little cautious of the adverse power, On pleasure’s flowery brink we idly stray, Masters as yet of our returning way: Till the strong gusts of raging passion rise, Till the dire Tempest mingles earth and skies, And swift into the boundless Ocean borne, Our foolish confidence too late we mourn: Round our devoted heads the billows beat, And from our troubled view the lessening lands retreat.

GreatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

From this reading Great Heaven!

gustsnounUS /ɡʌsts/

plural of “gust” — a strong current of air

From this reading In our own strength unhappily secure, Too little cautious of the adverse power, On pleasure’s flowery brink we idly stray, Masters as yet of our returning way: Till the strong gusts of raging passion rise, Till the dire Tempest mingles earth and skies, And swift into the boundless Ocean borne, Our foolish confidence too late we mourn: Round our devoted heads the billows beat, And from our troubled view the lessening lands retreat.

headsnounUS /hedz/

plural of “head” — the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains

From this reading In our own strength unhappily secure, Too little cautious of the adverse power, On pleasure’s flowery brink we idly stray, Masters as yet of our returning way: Till the strong gusts of raging passion rise, Till the dire Tempest mingles earth and skies, And swift into the boundless Ocean borne, Our foolish confidence too late we mourn: Round our devoted heads the billows beat, And from our troubled view the lessening lands retreat.

HeavennounUS /ˈhevən/

any place of complete bliss and delight and peace

From this reading Great Heaven!

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

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

From this reading How by himself insensibly betrayed!

How

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

From this reading How frail thy creature Man is made!

idlyadverbUS /ˈaɪdli/

in an idle manner

From this reading In our own strength unhappily secure, Too little cautious of the adverse power, On pleasure’s flowery brink we idly stray, Masters as yet of our returning way: Till the strong gusts of raging passion rise, Till the dire Tempest mingles earth and skies, And swift into the boundless Ocean borne, Our foolish confidence too late we mourn: Round our devoted heads the billows beat, And from our troubled view the lessening lands retreat.

InprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading In our own strength unhappily secure, Too little cautious of the adverse power, On pleasure’s flowery brink we idly stray, Masters as yet of our returning way: Till the strong gusts of raging passion rise, Till the dire Tempest mingles earth and skies, And swift into the boundless Ocean borne, Our foolish confidence too late we mourn: Round our devoted heads the billows beat, And from our troubled view the lessening lands retreat.

insensiblyadverb

in a numb manner; without feeling

From this reading How by himself insensibly betrayed!

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading In our own strength unhappily secure, Too little cautious of the adverse power, On pleasure’s flowery brink we idly stray, Masters as yet of our returning way: Till the strong gusts of raging passion rise, Till the dire Tempest mingles earth and skies, And swift into the boundless Ocean borne, Our foolish confidence too late we mourn: Round our devoted heads the billows beat, And from our troubled view the lessening lands retreat.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading How frail thy creature Man is made!

landsnounUS /lændz/

plural of “land” — the land on which real estate is located

From this reading In our own strength unhappily secure, Too little cautious of the adverse power, On pleasure’s flowery brink we idly stray, Masters as yet of our returning way: Till the strong gusts of raging passion rise, Till the dire Tempest mingles earth and skies, And swift into the boundless Ocean borne, Our foolish confidence too late we mourn: Round our devoted heads the billows beat, And from our troubled view the lessening lands retreat.

lateadjectiveUS /leɪt/

being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time

From this reading In our own strength unhappily secure, Too little cautious of the adverse power, On pleasure’s flowery brink we idly stray, Masters as yet of our returning way: Till the strong gusts of raging passion rise, Till the dire Tempest mingles earth and skies, And swift into the boundless Ocean borne, Our foolish confidence too late we mourn: Round our devoted heads the billows beat, And from our troubled view the lessening lands retreat.

lesseningnounUS /ˈlesənɪŋ/

a change downward

From this reading In our own strength unhappily secure, Too little cautious of the adverse power, On pleasure’s flowery brink we idly stray, Masters as yet of our returning way: Till the strong gusts of raging passion rise, Till the dire Tempest mingles earth and skies, And swift into the boundless Ocean borne, Our foolish confidence too late we mourn: Round our devoted heads the billows beat, And from our troubled view the lessening lands retreat.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

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

From this reading In our own strength unhappily secure, Too little cautious of the adverse power, On pleasure’s flowery brink we idly stray, Masters as yet of our returning way: Till the strong gusts of raging passion rise, Till the dire Tempest mingles earth and skies, And swift into the boundless Ocean borne, Our foolish confidence too late we mourn: Round our devoted heads the billows beat, And from our troubled view the lessening lands retreat.

madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading How frail thy creature Man is made!

MannounUS /mæn/

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

From this reading How frail thy creature Man is made!

MastersnounUS /ˈmæstərz/

United States poet (1869-1950)

From this reading In our own strength unhappily secure, Too little cautious of the adverse power, On pleasure’s flowery brink we idly stray, Masters as yet of our returning way: Till the strong gusts of raging passion rise, Till the dire Tempest mingles earth and skies, And swift into the boundless Ocean borne, Our foolish confidence too late we mourn: Round our devoted heads the billows beat, And from our troubled view the lessening lands retreat.

minglesverbUS /ˈmɪŋɡəlz/

third-person singular of “mingle” — to bring or combine together or with something else

From this reading In our own strength unhappily secure, Too little cautious of the adverse power, On pleasure’s flowery brink we idly stray, Masters as yet of our returning way: Till the strong gusts of raging passion rise, Till the dire Tempest mingles earth and skies, And swift into the boundless Ocean borne, Our foolish confidence too late we mourn: Round our devoted heads the billows beat, And from our troubled view the lessening lands retreat.

mournverbUS /mɔːrn/

feel sadness

From this reading In our own strength unhappily secure, Too little cautious of the adverse power, On pleasure’s flowery brink we idly stray, Masters as yet of our returning way: Till the strong gusts of raging passion rise, Till the dire Tempest mingles earth and skies, And swift into the boundless Ocean borne, Our foolish confidence too late we mourn: Round our devoted heads the billows beat, And from our troubled view the lessening lands retreat.

OceannounUS /ˈoʊʃən/

a large body of water constituting a principal part of the hydrosphere

From this reading In our own strength unhappily secure, Too little cautious of the adverse power, On pleasure’s flowery brink we idly stray, Masters as yet of our returning way: Till the strong gusts of raging passion rise, Till the dire Tempest mingles earth and skies, And swift into the boundless Ocean borne, Our foolish confidence too late we mourn: Round our devoted heads the billows beat, And from our troubled view the lessening lands retreat.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading In our own strength unhappily secure, Too little cautious of the adverse power, On pleasure’s flowery brink we idly stray, Masters as yet of our returning way: Till the strong gusts of raging passion rise, Till the dire Tempest mingles earth and skies, And swift into the boundless Ocean borne, Our foolish confidence too late we mourn: Round our devoted heads the billows beat, And from our troubled view the lessening lands retreat.

OnprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading In our own strength unhappily secure, Too little cautious of the adverse power, On pleasure’s flowery brink we idly stray, Masters as yet of our returning way: Till the strong gusts of raging passion rise, Till the dire Tempest mingles earth and skies, And swift into the boundless Ocean borne, Our foolish confidence too late we mourn: Round our devoted heads the billows beat, And from our troubled view the lessening lands retreat.

ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading In our own strength unhappily secure, Too little cautious of the adverse power, On pleasure’s flowery brink we idly stray, Masters as yet of our returning way: Till the strong gusts of raging passion rise, Till the dire Tempest mingles earth and skies, And swift into the boundless Ocean borne, Our foolish confidence too late we mourn: Round our devoted heads the billows beat, And from our troubled view the lessening lands retreat.

ownverbUS /oʊn/

have ownership or possession of

From this reading In our own strength unhappily secure, Too little cautious of the adverse power, On pleasure’s flowery brink we idly stray, Masters as yet of our returning way: Till the strong gusts of raging passion rise, Till the dire Tempest mingles earth and skies, And swift into the boundless Ocean borne, Our foolish confidence too late we mourn: Round our devoted heads the billows beat, And from our troubled view the lessening lands retreat.

passionnounUS /ˈpæʃən/

a strong feeling or emotion

From this reading In our own strength unhappily secure, Too little cautious of the adverse power, On pleasure’s flowery brink we idly stray, Masters as yet of our returning way: Till the strong gusts of raging passion rise, Till the dire Tempest mingles earth and skies, And swift into the boundless Ocean borne, Our foolish confidence too late we mourn: Round our devoted heads the billows beat, And from our troubled view the lessening lands retreat.

pleasure's

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

From this reading In our own strength unhappily secure, Too little cautious of the adverse power, On pleasure’s flowery brink we idly stray, Masters as yet of our returning way: Till the strong gusts of raging passion rise, Till the dire Tempest mingles earth and skies, And swift into the boundless Ocean borne, Our foolish confidence too late we mourn: Round our devoted heads the billows beat, And from our troubled view the lessening lands retreat.

powernounUS /ˈpaʊər/

possession of controlling influence

From this reading In our own strength unhappily secure, Too little cautious of the adverse power, On pleasure’s flowery brink we idly stray, Masters as yet of our returning way: Till the strong gusts of raging passion rise, Till the dire Tempest mingles earth and skies, And swift into the boundless Ocean borne, Our foolish confidence too late we mourn: Round our devoted heads the billows beat, And from our troubled view the lessening lands retreat.

PRIORadjectiveUS /ˈpraɪər/

earlier in time

From this reading PRIOR.

ragingadjectiveUS /ˈreɪdʒɪŋ/

characterized by violent and forceful activity or movement; very intense

From this reading In our own strength unhappily secure, Too little cautious of the adverse power, On pleasure’s flowery brink we idly stray, Masters as yet of our returning way: Till the strong gusts of raging passion rise, Till the dire Tempest mingles earth and skies, And swift into the boundless Ocean borne, Our foolish confidence too late we mourn: Round our devoted heads the billows beat, And from our troubled view the lessening lands retreat.

retreatnounUS /riˈtriːt/

(military) withdrawal of troops to a more favorable position to escape the enemy's superior forces or after a defeat

From this reading In our own strength unhappily secure, Too little cautious of the adverse power, On pleasure’s flowery brink we idly stray, Masters as yet of our returning way: Till the strong gusts of raging passion rise, Till the dire Tempest mingles earth and skies, And swift into the boundless Ocean borne, Our foolish confidence too late we mourn: Round our devoted heads the billows beat, And from our troubled view the lessening lands retreat.

returningadjectiveUS /rɪˈtɜːrnɪŋ/

tending to return to an earlier state

From this reading In our own strength unhappily secure, Too little cautious of the adverse power, On pleasure’s flowery brink we idly stray, Masters as yet of our returning way: Till the strong gusts of raging passion rise, Till the dire Tempest mingles earth and skies, And swift into the boundless Ocean borne, Our foolish confidence too late we mourn: Round our devoted heads the billows beat, And from our troubled view the lessening lands retreat.

riseverbUS /raɪz/

move upward

From this reading In our own strength unhappily secure, Too little cautious of the adverse power, On pleasure’s flowery brink we idly stray, Masters as yet of our returning way: Till the strong gusts of raging passion rise, Till the dire Tempest mingles earth and skies, And swift into the boundless Ocean borne, Our foolish confidence too late we mourn: Round our devoted heads the billows beat, And from our troubled view the lessening lands retreat.

RoundnounUS /raʊnd/

a charge of ammunition for a single shot

From this reading In our own strength unhappily secure, Too little cautious of the adverse power, On pleasure’s flowery brink we idly stray, Masters as yet of our returning way: Till the strong gusts of raging passion rise, Till the dire Tempest mingles earth and skies, And swift into the boundless Ocean borne, Our foolish confidence too late we mourn: Round our devoted heads the billows beat, And from our troubled view the lessening lands retreat.

secureverbUS /sɪˈkjʊr/

get by special effort

From this reading In our own strength unhappily secure, Too little cautious of the adverse power, On pleasure’s flowery brink we idly stray, Masters as yet of our returning way: Till the strong gusts of raging passion rise, Till the dire Tempest mingles earth and skies, And swift into the boundless Ocean borne, Our foolish confidence too late we mourn: Round our devoted heads the billows beat, And from our troubled view the lessening lands retreat.

skiesnounUS /skaɪz/

plural of “sky” — the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth

From this reading In our own strength unhappily secure, Too little cautious of the adverse power, On pleasure’s flowery brink we idly stray, Masters as yet of our returning way: Till the strong gusts of raging passion rise, Till the dire Tempest mingles earth and skies, And swift into the boundless Ocean borne, Our foolish confidence too late we mourn: Round our devoted heads the billows beat, And from our troubled view the lessening lands retreat.

strayverbUS /streɪ/

move about aimlessly or without any destination, often in search of food or employment

From this reading In our own strength unhappily secure, Too little cautious of the adverse power, On pleasure’s flowery brink we idly stray, Masters as yet of our returning way: Till the strong gusts of raging passion rise, Till the dire Tempest mingles earth and skies, And swift into the boundless Ocean borne, Our foolish confidence too late we mourn: Round our devoted heads the billows beat, And from our troubled view the lessening lands retreat.

strengthnounUS /streŋkθ/

the property of being physically or mentally strong

From this reading In our own strength unhappily secure, Too little cautious of the adverse power, On pleasure’s flowery brink we idly stray, Masters as yet of our returning way: Till the strong gusts of raging passion rise, Till the dire Tempest mingles earth and skies, And swift into the boundless Ocean borne, Our foolish confidence too late we mourn: Round our devoted heads the billows beat, And from our troubled view the lessening lands retreat.

strongadjectiveUS /strɔːŋ/

having strength or power greater than average or expected

From this reading In our own strength unhappily secure, Too little cautious of the adverse power, On pleasure’s flowery brink we idly stray, Masters as yet of our returning way: Till the strong gusts of raging passion rise, Till the dire Tempest mingles earth and skies, And swift into the boundless Ocean borne, Our foolish confidence too late we mourn: Round our devoted heads the billows beat, And from our troubled view the lessening lands retreat.

swiftadjectiveUS /swɪft/

moving very fast

From this reading In our own strength unhappily secure, Too little cautious of the adverse power, On pleasure’s flowery brink we idly stray, Masters as yet of our returning way: Till the strong gusts of raging passion rise, Till the dire Tempest mingles earth and skies, And swift into the boundless Ocean borne, Our foolish confidence too late we mourn: Round our devoted heads the billows beat, And from our troubled view the lessening lands retreat.

TempestnounUS /ˈtempəst/

a violent commotion or disturbance

From this reading In our own strength unhappily secure, Too little cautious of the adverse power, On pleasure’s flowery brink we idly stray, Masters as yet of our returning way: Till the strong gusts of raging passion rise, Till the dire Tempest mingles earth and skies, And swift into the boundless Ocean borne, Our foolish confidence too late we mourn: Round our devoted heads the billows beat, And from our troubled view the lessening lands retreat.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading In our own strength unhappily secure, Too little cautious of the adverse power, On pleasure’s flowery brink we idly stray, Masters as yet of our returning way: Till the strong gusts of raging passion rise, Till the dire Tempest mingles earth and skies, And swift into the boundless Ocean borne, Our foolish confidence too late we mourn: Round our devoted heads the billows beat, And from our troubled view the lessening lands retreat.

thydeterminerUS /ðaɪ/

an old word for “your”, speaking to one person

From this reading How frail thy creature Man is made!

TillprepositionUS /tɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading In our own strength unhappily secure, Too little cautious of the adverse power, On pleasure’s flowery brink we idly stray, Masters as yet of our returning way: Till the strong gusts of raging passion rise, Till the dire Tempest mingles earth and skies, And swift into the boundless Ocean borne, Our foolish confidence too late we mourn: Round our devoted heads the billows beat, And from our troubled view the lessening lands retreat.

TooadverbUS /tuː/

to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits

From this reading In our own strength unhappily secure, Too little cautious of the adverse power, On pleasure’s flowery brink we idly stray, Masters as yet of our returning way: Till the strong gusts of raging passion rise, Till the dire Tempest mingles earth and skies, And swift into the boundless Ocean borne, Our foolish confidence too late we mourn: Round our devoted heads the billows beat, And from our troubled view the lessening lands retreat.

troubledadjectiveUS /ˈtrʌbəld/

characterized by or indicative of distress or affliction or danger or need

From this reading In our own strength unhappily secure, Too little cautious of the adverse power, On pleasure’s flowery brink we idly stray, Masters as yet of our returning way: Till the strong gusts of raging passion rise, Till the dire Tempest mingles earth and skies, And swift into the boundless Ocean borne, Our foolish confidence too late we mourn: Round our devoted heads the billows beat, And from our troubled view the lessening lands retreat.

unhappilyadverbUS /ənˈhæpəli/

in an unpleasant way

From this reading In our own strength unhappily secure, Too little cautious of the adverse power, On pleasure’s flowery brink we idly stray, Masters as yet of our returning way: Till the strong gusts of raging passion rise, Till the dire Tempest mingles earth and skies, And swift into the boundless Ocean borne, Our foolish confidence too late we mourn: Round our devoted heads the billows beat, And from our troubled view the lessening lands retreat.

viewnounUS /vjuː/

a way of regarding situations or topics etc.

From this reading In our own strength unhappily secure, Too little cautious of the adverse power, On pleasure’s flowery brink we idly stray, Masters as yet of our returning way: Till the strong gusts of raging passion rise, Till the dire Tempest mingles earth and skies, And swift into the boundless Ocean borne, Our foolish confidence too late we mourn: Round our devoted heads the billows beat, And from our troubled view the lessening lands retreat.

waynounUS /weɪ/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading In our own strength unhappily secure, Too little cautious of the adverse power, On pleasure’s flowery brink we idly stray, Masters as yet of our returning way: Till the strong gusts of raging passion rise, Till the dire Tempest mingles earth and skies, And swift into the boundless Ocean borne, Our foolish confidence too late we mourn: Round our devoted heads the billows beat, And from our troubled view the lessening lands retreat.

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading In our own strength unhappily secure, Too little cautious of the adverse power, On pleasure’s flowery brink we idly stray, Masters as yet of our returning way: Till the strong gusts of raging passion rise, Till the dire Tempest mingles earth and skies, And swift into the boundless Ocean borne, Our foolish confidence too late we mourn: Round our devoted heads the billows beat, And from our troubled view the lessening lands retreat.

yetconjunctionUS /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading In our own strength unhappily secure, Too little cautious of the adverse power, On pleasure’s flowery brink we idly stray, Masters as yet of our returning way: Till the strong gusts of raging passion rise, Till the dire Tempest mingles earth and skies, And swift into the boundless Ocean borne, Our foolish confidence too late we mourn: Round our devoted heads the billows beat, And from our troubled view the lessening lands retreat.

Chapter 12 of The Monk: A Romance by M. G. (Matthew Gregory) Lewis holds 746 sentences, grouped into 150 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, 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 12 of The Monk: A Romance contain?

Chapter 12 holds 746 sentences of The Monk: A Romance, unabridged, divided into 150 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 12 of The Monk: A Romance by M. G. (Matthew Gregory) Lewis exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 746 sentences, grouped into 150 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 12 of The Monk: A Romance?

Work through the 150 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 150 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 12 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 12 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 Monk: A Romance

Common questions about reading The Monk: A Romance by M. G. (Matthew Gregory) Lewis on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Monk: A Romance?

Yes. All 7561 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #601 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Monk: A Romance is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #601, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Monk: A Romance take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 1513 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Monk: A Romance section by section

How to work through The Monk: A Romance section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 13 chapters of The Monk: A Romance to begin.

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    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 Monk: A Romance

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Monk: A Romance, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Imitation
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Monk: A Romance; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Horace
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Monk: A Romance; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Methinks
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Monk: A Romance; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Ill-judging
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Monk: A Romance; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.