Chapter 3 of The Orphan is here in full — 356 sentences across 72 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter III
Chapter 3 of The Orphan is here in full — 356 sentences across 72 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
_Acas._ You talk to me in parables, Chamont: You may have known that I'm no wordy man. Fine speeches are the instruments of knaves, Or fools, that use them when they want good sense. But honesty Needs no disguise or ornament. Be plain. _Cham._ Your son---- _Acas._ I've two; and both, I hope, have honour.
Chapter 3 of The Orphan is here in full — 356 sentences across 72 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/71 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
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.
A means of altering one's appearance to conceal one's identity.
From this reading “But honesty Needs no disguise or ornament.”
the quality of being honest
From this reading “But honesty Needs no disguise or ornament.”
plural of “instrument” — a device that requires skill for proper use
From this reading “Fine speeches are the instruments of knaves, Or fools, that use them when they want good sense.”
plural of “knave” — a deceitful and unreliable scoundrel
From this reading “Fine speeches are the instruments of knaves, Or fools, that use them when they want good sense.”
make more attractive by adding ornament, colour, etc.
From this reading “But honesty Needs no disguise or ornament.”
plural of “parable” — a short moral story (often with animal characters)
From this reading “_Acas._ You talk to me in parables, Chamont: You may have known that I'm no wordy man.”
plural of “speech” — the act of delivering a formal spoken communication to an audience
From this reading “Fine speeches are the instruments of knaves, Or fools, that use them when they want good sense.”
using or containing too many words
From this reading “_Acas._ You talk to me in parables, Chamont: You may have known that I'm no wordy man.”
English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.
Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.
sound practical judgment
In this reading “Fine speeches are the instruments of knaves, Or fools, that use them when they want good sense.”
In this reading “Fine speeches are the instruments of knaves, Or fools, that use them when they want good sense.”
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.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _Acas._ You talk to me in parables, Chamont: You may have known that I'm no wordy man.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading _Cham._ Your son---- _Acas._ I've two; and both, I hope, have honour.
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Fine speeches are the instruments of knaves, Or fools, that use them when they want good sense.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Be plain.
the two together, not just one
From this reading _Cham._ Your son---- _Acas._ I've two; and both, I hope, have honour.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But honesty Needs no disguise or ornament.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _Cham._ Your son---- _Acas._ I've two; and both, I hope, have honour.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _Acas._ You talk to me in parables, Chamont: You may have known that I'm no wordy man.
A means of altering one's appearance to conceal one's identity.
From this reading But honesty Needs no disguise or ornament.
being satisfactory or in satisfactory condition
From this reading Fine speeches are the instruments of knaves, Or fools, that use them when they want good sense.
plural of “fool” — a person who lacks good judgment
From this reading Fine speeches are the instruments of knaves, Or fools, that use them when they want good sense.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading Fine speeches are the instruments of knaves, Or fools, that use them when they want good sense.
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading _Acas._ You talk to me in parables, Chamont: You may have known that I'm no wordy man.
the quality of being honest
From this reading But honesty Needs no disguise or ornament.
the state of being honored
From this reading _Cham._ Your son---- _Acas._ I've two; and both, I hope, have honour.
a specific instance of feeling hopeful
From this reading _Cham._ Your son---- _Acas._ I've two; and both, I hope, have honour.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading _Cham._ Your son---- _Acas._ I've two; and both, I hope, have honour.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _Acas._ You talk to me in parables, Chamont: You may have known that I'm no wordy man.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _Cham._ Your son---- _Acas._ I've two; and both, I hope, have honour.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading _Acas._ You talk to me in parables, Chamont: You may have known that I'm no wordy man.
plural of “instrument” — a device that requires skill for proper use
From this reading Fine speeches are the instruments of knaves, Or fools, that use them when they want good sense.
plural of “knave” — a deceitful and unreliable scoundrel
From this reading Fine speeches are the instruments of knaves, Or fools, that use them when they want good sense.
apprehended with certainty
From this reading _Acas._ You talk to me in parables, Chamont: You may have known that I'm no wordy man.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading _Acas._ You talk to me in parables, Chamont: You may have known that I'm no wordy man.
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading _Acas._ You talk to me in parables, Chamont: You may have known that I'm no wordy man.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading _Acas._ You talk to me in parables, Chamont: You may have known that I'm no wordy man.
in such a manner as could not be otherwise
From this reading But honesty Needs no disguise or ornament.
not any; not one
From this reading _Acas._ You talk to me in parables, Chamont: You may have known that I'm no wordy man.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Fine speeches are the instruments of knaves, Or fools, that use them when they want good sense.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Fine speeches are the instruments of knaves, Or fools, that use them when they want good sense.
make more attractive by adding ornament, colour, etc.
From this reading But honesty Needs no disguise or ornament.
plural of “parable” — a short moral story (often with animal characters)
From this reading _Acas._ You talk to me in parables, Chamont: You may have known that I'm no wordy man.
clearly revealed to the mind or the senses or judgment
From this reading Be plain.
a general conscious awareness
From this reading Fine speeches are the instruments of knaves, Or fools, that use them when they want good sense.
a male human offspring
From this reading _Cham._ Your son---- _Acas._ I've two; and both, I hope, have honour.
plural of “speech” — the act of delivering a formal spoken communication to an audience
From this reading Fine speeches are the instruments of knaves, Or fools, that use them when they want good sense.
exchange thoughts; talk with
From this reading _Acas._ You talk to me in parables, Chamont: You may have known that I'm no wordy man.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading _Acas._ You talk to me in parables, Chamont: You may have known that I'm no wordy man.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Fine speeches are the instruments of knaves, Or fools, that use them when they want good sense.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Fine speeches are the instruments of knaves, Or fools, that use them when they want good sense.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Fine speeches are the instruments of knaves, Or fools, that use them when they want good sense.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading _Acas._ You talk to me in parables, Chamont: You may have known that I'm no wordy man.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading _Cham._ Your son---- _Acas._ I've two; and both, I hope, have honour.
the act of using
From this reading Fine speeches are the instruments of knaves, Or fools, that use them when they want good sense.
feel or have a desire for; want strongly
From this reading Fine speeches are the instruments of knaves, Or fools, that use them when they want good sense.
at the time that
From this reading Fine speeches are the instruments of knaves, Or fools, that use them when they want good sense.
using or containing too many words
From this reading _Acas._ You talk to me in parables, Chamont: You may have known that I'm no wordy man.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading _Acas._ You talk to me in parables, Chamont: You may have known that I'm no wordy man.
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading _Cham._ Your son---- _Acas._ I've two; and both, I hope, have honour.
Chapter 3 of The Orphan by Thomas Otway holds 356 sentences, grouped into 72 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.
Chapter 3 holds 356 sentences of The Orphan, unabridged, divided into 72 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 3 of The Orphan by Thomas Otway exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 356 sentences, grouped into 72 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.
Work through the 72 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 72 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.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 3 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.
Common questions about reading The Orphan by Thomas Otway on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 1075 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #31463 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #31463, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 89 minutes of reading across 215 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Orphan section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 3 chapters of The Orphan to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in The Orphan, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
