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The O'Ruddy: A Romance
The O'Ruddy: A Romance

Chapter XVII · Chapter 17

Chapter 17 of The O'Ruddy: A Romance is here in full — 90 sentences across 18 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The O'Ruddy: A Romance
Context Illustration Reading 1/18 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
We rode on at daybreak.
At the first large village I bid a little man cut Paddy's hair, and although Paddy was all for killing the little man, and the little man twice ran away, the work was eventually done, for I stood over Paddy and threatened him.
Afterward the little boys were not so anxious to hoot us through the streets, calling us Africans.
For it must be recalled that at this time there was great curiosity in the provinces over the Africans, because it was known that in London people of fashion often had African servants; and although London cared nothing for the provinces, and the provinces cared nothing for London, still the rumour of the strange man interested the country clodhopper so greatly that he called Paddy an African on principle, in order that he might blow to his neighbours that he had seen the fascinating biped.
There was no general understanding that the African was a man of black skin; it was only understood that he was a great marvel.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The O'Ruddy: A Romance

Chapter XVII · Chapter 17

Chapter 17 of The O'Ruddy: A Romance is here in full — 90 sentences across 18 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/18 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
We rode on at daybreak.
/wiː roʊd ɑːn æt ˈdeɪbreɪk/
Line 2
At the first large village I bid a little man cut Paddy's hair, and although Paddy was all for killing the little man, and the little man twice ran away, the work was eventually done, for I stood over Paddy and threatened him.
/æt ðə fɜːrst lɑːrdʒ ˈvɪlədʒ aɪ bɪd ə ˈlɪtəl mæn kʌt ˈpædiz her ənd ˌɔːlˈðoʊ ˈpædi wɑːz ɔːl fɔːr ˈkɪlɪŋ ðə ˈlɪtəl mæn ənd ðə ˈlɪtəl mæn twaɪs ræn əˈweɪ ðə wɜːrk wɑːz ɪˈventʃəwəli dʌn fɔːr aɪ stʊd ˈoʊvər ˈpædi ənd ˈθretənd hɪm/
Line 3
Afterward the little boys were not so anxious to hoot us through the streets, calling us Africans.
/ˈæftərwərd ðə ˈlɪtəl bɔɪz wɜːr nɑːt soʊ ˈæŋkʃəs tuː huːt ʌs θruː ðə striːts ˈkɔːlɪŋ ʌs ˈæfrəkənz/
Line 4
For it must be recalled that at this time there was great curiosity in the provinces over the Africans, because it was known that in London people of fashion often had African servants; and although London cared nothing for the provinces, and the provinces cared nothing for London, still the rumour of the strange man interested the country clodhopper so greatly that he called Paddy an African on principle, in order that he might blow to his neighbours that he had seen the fascinating biped.
Line 5
There was no general understanding that the African was a man of black skin; it was only understood that he was a great marvel.
/ðer wɑːz noʊ ˈdʒenərəl ˌʌndərˈstændɪŋ ðæt ðə ˈæfrəkən wɑːz ə mæn ʌv blæk skɪn ɪt wɑːz ˈoʊnli ˌʌndərˈstʊd ðæt hiː wɑːz ə ɡreɪt ˈmɑːrvəl/

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.

African adjective US /ˈæfrəkən/

of or relating to the nations of Africa or their peoples

From this reading “For it must be recalled that at this time there was great curiosity in the provinces over the Africans, because it was known that in London people of fashion often had African servants; and although London cared nothing for the provinces, and the provinces cared nothing for London, still the rumour of the strange man interested the country clodhopper so greatly that he called Paddy an African on principle, in order that he might blow to his neighbours that he had seen the fascinating biped.”

Africans noun US /ˈæfrəkənz/

plural of “african” — a native or inhabitant of Africa

From this reading “Afterward the little boys were not so anxious to hoot us through the streets, calling us Africans.”

daybreak noun US /ˈdeɪbreɪk/

the first light of day

From this reading “We rode on at daybreak.”

hoot noun US /huːt/

a loud raucous cry (as of an owl)

From this reading “Afterward the little boys were not so anxious to hoot us through the streets, calling us Africans.”

Paddy noun US /ˈpædi/

(ethnic slur) offensive term for a person of Irish descent

From this reading “At the first large village I bid a little man cut Paddy's hair, and although Paddy was all for killing the little man, and the little man twice ran away, the work was eventually done, for I stood over Paddy and threatened him.”

Paddy's noun US /ˈpædiz/

possessive form of “paddy” — (ethnic slur) offensive term for a person of Irish descent

From this reading “At the first large village I bid a little man cut Paddy's hair, and although Paddy was all for killing the little man, and the little man twice ran away, the work was eventually done, for I stood over Paddy and threatened him.”

provinces noun US /ˈprɑːvənsəz/

plural of “province” — the territory occupied by one of the constituent administrative districts of a nation

From this reading “For it must be recalled that at this time there was great curiosity in the provinces over the Africans, because it was known that in London people of fashion often had African servants; and although London cared nothing for the provinces, and the provinces cared nothing for London, still the rumour of the strange man interested the country clodhopper so greatly that he called Paddy an African on principle, in order that he might blow to his neighbours that he had seen the fascinating biped.”

rumour noun US /ˈruːmər/

gossip (usually a mixture of truth and untruth) passed around by word of mouth

From this reading “For it must be recalled that at this time there was great curiosity in the provinces over the Africans, because it was known that in London people of fashion often had African servants; and although London cared nothing for the provinces, and the provinces cared nothing for London, still the rumour of the strange man interested the country clodhopper so greatly that he called Paddy an African on principle, in order that he might blow to his neighbours that he had seen the fascinating biped.”

All words in this reading · 98

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 At the first large village I bid a little man cut Paddy's hair, and although Paddy was all for killing the little man, and the little man twice ran away, the work was eventually done, for I stood over Paddy and threatened him.

AfricanadjectiveUS /ˈæfrəkən/

of or relating to the nations of Africa or their peoples

From this reading For it must be recalled that at this time there was great curiosity in the provinces over the Africans, because it was known that in London people of fashion often had African servants; and although London cared nothing for the provinces, and the provinces cared nothing for London, still the rumour of the strange man interested the country clodhopper so greatly that he called Paddy an African on principle, in order that he might blow to his neighbours that he had seen the fascinating biped.

AfricansnounUS /ˈæfrəkənz/

plural of “african” — a native or inhabitant of Africa

From this reading Afterward the little boys were not so anxious to hoot us through the streets, calling us Africans.

AfterwardadverbUS /ˈæftərwərd/

happening at a time subsequent to a reference time

From this reading Afterward the little boys were not so anxious to hoot us through the streets, calling us Africans.

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading At the first large village I bid a little man cut Paddy's hair, and although Paddy was all for killing the little man, and the little man twice ran away, the work was eventually done, for I stood over Paddy and threatened him.

althoughconjunctionUS /ˌɔːlˈðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading At the first large village I bid a little man cut Paddy's hair, and although Paddy was all for killing the little man, and the little man twice ran away, the work was eventually done, for I stood over Paddy and threatened him.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading For it must be recalled that at this time there was great curiosity in the provinces over the Africans, because it was known that in London people of fashion often had African servants; and although London cared nothing for the provinces, and the provinces cared nothing for London, still the rumour of the strange man interested the country clodhopper so greatly that he called Paddy an African on principle, in order that he might blow to his neighbours that he had seen the fascinating biped.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading At the first large village I bid a little man cut Paddy's hair, and although Paddy was all for killing the little man, and the little man twice ran away, the work was eventually done, for I stood over Paddy and threatened him.

anxiousadjectiveUS /ˈæŋkʃəs/

eagerly desirous

From this reading Afterward the little boys were not so anxious to hoot us through the streets, calling us Africans.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading We rode on at daybreak.

awayadverbUS /əˈweɪ/

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

From this reading At the first large village I bid a little man cut Paddy's hair, and although Paddy was all for killing the little man, and the little man twice ran away, the work was eventually done, for I stood over Paddy and threatened him.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading For it must be recalled that at this time there was great curiosity in the provinces over the Africans, because it was known that in London people of fashion often had African servants; and although London cared nothing for the provinces, and the provinces cared nothing for London, still the rumour of the strange man interested the country clodhopper so greatly that he called Paddy an African on principle, in order that he might blow to his neighbours that he had seen the fascinating biped.

becauseconjunctionUS /bɪˈkɔːz/

for the reason that

From this reading For it must be recalled that at this time there was great curiosity in the provinces over the Africans, because it was known that in London people of fashion often had African servants; and although London cared nothing for the provinces, and the provinces cared nothing for London, still the rumour of the strange man interested the country clodhopper so greatly that he called Paddy an African on principle, in order that he might blow to his neighbours that he had seen the fascinating biped.

bidverbUS /bɪd/

propose a payment

From this reading At the first large village I bid a little man cut Paddy's hair, and although Paddy was all for killing the little man, and the little man twice ran away, the work was eventually done, for I stood over Paddy and threatened him.

bipednoun

an animal with two feet

From this reading For it must be recalled that at this time there was great curiosity in the provinces over the Africans, because it was known that in London people of fashion often had African servants; and although London cared nothing for the provinces, and the provinces cared nothing for London, still the rumour of the strange man interested the country clodhopper so greatly that he called Paddy an African on principle, in order that he might blow to his neighbours that he had seen the fascinating biped.

blackadjectiveUS /blæk/

being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light

From this reading There was no general understanding that the African was a man of black skin; it was only understood that he was a great marvel.

blowverbUS /bloʊ/

exhale hard

From this reading For it must be recalled that at this time there was great curiosity in the provinces over the Africans, because it was known that in London people of fashion often had African servants; and although London cared nothing for the provinces, and the provinces cared nothing for London, still the rumour of the strange man interested the country clodhopper so greatly that he called Paddy an African on principle, in order that he might blow to his neighbours that he had seen the fascinating biped.

boysnounUS /bɔɪz/

plural of “boy” — a youthful male person

From this reading Afterward the little boys were not so anxious to hoot us through the streets, calling us Africans.

calledverbUS /kɔːld/

past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading For it must be recalled that at this time there was great curiosity in the provinces over the Africans, because it was known that in London people of fashion often had African servants; and although London cared nothing for the provinces, and the provinces cared nothing for London, still the rumour of the strange man interested the country clodhopper so greatly that he called Paddy an African on principle, in order that he might blow to his neighbours that he had seen the fascinating biped.

callingnounUS /ˈkɔːlɪŋ/

the particular occupation for which you are trained

From this reading Afterward the little boys were not so anxious to hoot us through the streets, calling us Africans.

caredverbUS /kerd/

past form of “care” — feel concern or interest

From this reading For it must be recalled that at this time there was great curiosity in the provinces over the Africans, because it was known that in London people of fashion often had African servants; and although London cared nothing for the provinces, and the provinces cared nothing for London, still the rumour of the strange man interested the country clodhopper so greatly that he called Paddy an African on principle, in order that he might blow to his neighbours that he had seen the fascinating biped.

clodhoppernoun

a thick and heavy shoe

From this reading For it must be recalled that at this time there was great curiosity in the provinces over the Africans, because it was known that in London people of fashion often had African servants; and although London cared nothing for the provinces, and the provinces cared nothing for London, still the rumour of the strange man interested the country clodhopper so greatly that he called Paddy an African on principle, in order that he might blow to his neighbours that he had seen the fascinating biped.

countrynounUS /ˈkʌntri/

a politically organized body of people under a single government

From this reading For it must be recalled that at this time there was great curiosity in the provinces over the Africans, because it was known that in London people of fashion often had African servants; and although London cared nothing for the provinces, and the provinces cared nothing for London, still the rumour of the strange man interested the country clodhopper so greatly that he called Paddy an African on principle, in order that he might blow to his neighbours that he had seen the fascinating biped.

curiositynounUS /ˌkjʊriˈɑːsəti/

a state in which you want to learn more about something

From this reading For it must be recalled that at this time there was great curiosity in the provinces over the Africans, because it was known that in London people of fashion often had African servants; and although London cared nothing for the provinces, and the provinces cared nothing for London, still the rumour of the strange man interested the country clodhopper so greatly that he called Paddy an African on principle, in order that he might blow to his neighbours that he had seen the fascinating biped.

cutverbUS /kʌt/

separate with or as if with an instrument

From this reading At the first large village I bid a little man cut Paddy's hair, and although Paddy was all for killing the little man, and the little man twice ran away, the work was eventually done, for I stood over Paddy and threatened him.

daybreaknounUS /ˈdeɪbreɪk/

the first light of day

From this reading We rode on at daybreak.

doneadjectiveUS /dʌn/

having finished or arrived at completion

From this reading At the first large village I bid a little man cut Paddy's hair, and although Paddy was all for killing the little man, and the little man twice ran away, the work was eventually done, for I stood over Paddy and threatened him.

eventuallyadverbUS /ɪˈventʃəwəli/

after an unspecified period of time or an especially long delay

From this reading At the first large village I bid a little man cut Paddy's hair, and although Paddy was all for killing the little man, and the little man twice ran away, the work was eventually done, for I stood over Paddy and threatened him.

fascinatingadjectiveUS /ˈfæsəneɪtɪŋ/

capable of arousing and holding the attention

From this reading For it must be recalled that at this time there was great curiosity in the provinces over the Africans, because it was known that in London people of fashion often had African servants; and although London cared nothing for the provinces, and the provinces cared nothing for London, still the rumour of the strange man interested the country clodhopper so greatly that he called Paddy an African on principle, in order that he might blow to his neighbours that he had seen the fascinating biped.

fashionnounUS /ˈfæʃən/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading For it must be recalled that at this time there was great curiosity in the provinces over the Africans, because it was known that in London people of fashion often had African servants; and although London cared nothing for the provinces, and the provinces cared nothing for London, still the rumour of the strange man interested the country clodhopper so greatly that he called Paddy an African on principle, in order that he might blow to his neighbours that he had seen the fascinating biped.

firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading At the first large village I bid a little man cut Paddy's hair, and although Paddy was all for killing the little man, and the little man twice ran away, the work was eventually done, for I stood over Paddy and threatened him.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading At the first large village I bid a little man cut Paddy's hair, and although Paddy was all for killing the little man, and the little man twice ran away, the work was eventually done, for I stood over Paddy and threatened him.

generaladjectiveUS /ˈdʒenərəl/

applying to all or most members of a category or group

From this reading There was no general understanding that the African was a man of black skin; it was only understood that he was a great marvel.

greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

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

From this reading For it must be recalled that at this time there was great curiosity in the provinces over the Africans, because it was known that in London people of fashion often had African servants; and although London cared nothing for the provinces, and the provinces cared nothing for London, still the rumour of the strange man interested the country clodhopper so greatly that he called Paddy an African on principle, in order that he might blow to his neighbours that he had seen the fascinating biped.

greatlyadverbUS /ˈɡreɪtli/

to an extraordinary extent or degree

From this reading For it must be recalled that at this time there was great curiosity in the provinces over the Africans, because it was known that in London people of fashion often had African servants; and although London cared nothing for the provinces, and the provinces cared nothing for London, still the rumour of the strange man interested the country clodhopper so greatly that he called Paddy an African on principle, in order that he might blow to his neighbours that he had seen the fascinating biped.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading For it must be recalled that at this time there was great curiosity in the provinces over the Africans, because it was known that in London people of fashion often had African servants; and although London cared nothing for the provinces, and the provinces cared nothing for London, still the rumour of the strange man interested the country clodhopper so greatly that he called Paddy an African on principle, in order that he might blow to his neighbours that he had seen the fascinating biped.

hairnounUS /her/

a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss

From this reading At the first large village I bid a little man cut Paddy's hair, and although Paddy was all for killing the little man, and the little man twice ran away, the work was eventually done, for I stood over Paddy and threatened him.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading For it must be recalled that at this time there was great curiosity in the provinces over the Africans, because it was known that in London people of fashion often had African servants; and although London cared nothing for the provinces, and the provinces cared nothing for London, still the rumour of the strange man interested the country clodhopper so greatly that he called Paddy an African on principle, in order that he might blow to his neighbours that he had seen the fascinating biped.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading At the first large village I bid a little man cut Paddy's hair, and although Paddy was all for killing the little man, and the little man twice ran away, the work was eventually done, for I stood over Paddy and threatened him.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading For it must be recalled that at this time there was great curiosity in the provinces over the Africans, because it was known that in London people of fashion often had African servants; and although London cared nothing for the provinces, and the provinces cared nothing for London, still the rumour of the strange man interested the country clodhopper so greatly that he called Paddy an African on principle, in order that he might blow to his neighbours that he had seen the fascinating biped.

hootnounUS /huːt/

a loud raucous cry (as of an owl)

From this reading Afterward the little boys were not so anxious to hoot us through the streets, calling us Africans.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading At the first large village I bid a little man cut Paddy's hair, and although Paddy was all for killing the little man, and the little man twice ran away, the work was eventually done, for I stood over Paddy and threatened him.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading For it must be recalled that at this time there was great curiosity in the provinces over the Africans, because it was known that in London people of fashion often had African servants; and although London cared nothing for the provinces, and the provinces cared nothing for London, still the rumour of the strange man interested the country clodhopper so greatly that he called Paddy an African on principle, in order that he might blow to his neighbours that he had seen the fascinating biped.

interestedadjectiveUS /ˈɪntrəstɪd/

having or showing interest; especially curiosity or fascination or concern

From this reading For it must be recalled that at this time there was great curiosity in the provinces over the Africans, because it was known that in London people of fashion often had African servants; and although London cared nothing for the provinces, and the provinces cared nothing for London, still the rumour of the strange man interested the country clodhopper so greatly that he called Paddy an African on principle, in order that he might blow to his neighbours that he had seen the fascinating biped.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading For it must be recalled that at this time there was great curiosity in the provinces over the Africans, because it was known that in London people of fashion often had African servants; and although London cared nothing for the provinces, and the provinces cared nothing for London, still the rumour of the strange man interested the country clodhopper so greatly that he called Paddy an African on principle, in order that he might blow to his neighbours that he had seen the fascinating biped.

killingnounUS /ˈkɪlɪŋ/

an event that causes someone to die

From this reading At the first large village I bid a little man cut Paddy's hair, and although Paddy was all for killing the little man, and the little man twice ran away, the work was eventually done, for I stood over Paddy and threatened him.

knownadjectiveUS /noʊn/

apprehended with certainty

From this reading For it must be recalled that at this time there was great curiosity in the provinces over the Africans, because it was known that in London people of fashion often had African servants; and although London cared nothing for the provinces, and the provinces cared nothing for London, still the rumour of the strange man interested the country clodhopper so greatly that he called Paddy an African on principle, in order that he might blow to his neighbours that he had seen the fascinating biped.

largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/

above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading At the first large village I bid a little man cut Paddy's hair, and although Paddy was all for killing the little man, and the little man twice ran away, the work was eventually done, for I stood over Paddy and threatened him.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

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

From this reading At the first large village I bid a little man cut Paddy's hair, and although Paddy was all for killing the little man, and the little man twice ran away, the work was eventually done, for I stood over Paddy and threatened him.

LondonnounUS /ˈlʌndən/

the capital and largest city of England; located on the Thames in southeastern England; financial and industrial and cultural center

From this reading For it must be recalled that at this time there was great curiosity in the provinces over the Africans, because it was known that in London people of fashion often had African servants; and although London cared nothing for the provinces, and the provinces cared nothing for London, still the rumour of the strange man interested the country clodhopper so greatly that he called Paddy an African on principle, in order that he might blow to his neighbours that he had seen the fascinating biped.

mannounUS /mæn/

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

From this reading At the first large village I bid a little man cut Paddy's hair, and although Paddy was all for killing the little man, and the little man twice ran away, the work was eventually done, for I stood over Paddy and threatened him.

marvelverbUS /ˈmɑːrvəl/

be amazed at

From this reading There was no general understanding that the African was a man of black skin; it was only understood that he was a great marvel.

mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading For it must be recalled that at this time there was great curiosity in the provinces over the Africans, because it was known that in London people of fashion often had African servants; and although London cared nothing for the provinces, and the provinces cared nothing for London, still the rumour of the strange man interested the country clodhopper so greatly that he called Paddy an African on principle, in order that he might blow to his neighbours that he had seen the fascinating biped.

mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading For it must be recalled that at this time there was great curiosity in the provinces over the Africans, because it was known that in London people of fashion often had African servants; and although London cared nothing for the provinces, and the provinces cared nothing for London, still the rumour of the strange man interested the country clodhopper so greatly that he called Paddy an African on principle, in order that he might blow to his neighbours that he had seen the fascinating biped.

neighboursnounUS /ˈneɪbərz/

plural of “neighbour” — a person who lives (or is located) near another

From this reading For it must be recalled that at this time there was great curiosity in the provinces over the Africans, because it was known that in London people of fashion often had African servants; and although London cared nothing for the provinces, and the provinces cared nothing for London, still the rumour of the strange man interested the country clodhopper so greatly that he called Paddy an African on principle, in order that he might blow to his neighbours that he had seen the fascinating biped.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading There was no general understanding that the African was a man of black skin; it was only understood that he was a great marvel.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Afterward the little boys were not so anxious to hoot us through the streets, calling us Africans.

nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading For it must be recalled that at this time there was great curiosity in the provinces over the Africans, because it was known that in London people of fashion often had African servants; and although London cared nothing for the provinces, and the provinces cared nothing for London, still the rumour of the strange man interested the country clodhopper so greatly that he called Paddy an African on principle, in order that he might blow to his neighbours that he had seen the fascinating biped.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading For it must be recalled that at this time there was great curiosity in the provinces over the Africans, because it was known that in London people of fashion often had African servants; and although London cared nothing for the provinces, and the provinces cared nothing for London, still the rumour of the strange man interested the country clodhopper so greatly that he called Paddy an African on principle, in order that he might blow to his neighbours that he had seen the fascinating biped.

oftenadverbUS /ˈɔːfən/

many times at short intervals

From this reading For it must be recalled that at this time there was great curiosity in the provinces over the Africans, because it was known that in London people of fashion often had African servants; and although London cared nothing for the provinces, and the provinces cared nothing for London, still the rumour of the strange man interested the country clodhopper so greatly that he called Paddy an African on principle, in order that he might blow to his neighbours that he had seen the fascinating biped.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading We rode on at daybreak.

onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading There was no general understanding that the African was a man of black skin; it was only understood that he was a great marvel.

ordernounUS /ˈɔːrdər/

(often plural) a command given by a superior (e.g., a military or law enforcement officer) that must be obeyed

From this reading For it must be recalled that at this time there was great curiosity in the provinces over the Africans, because it was known that in London people of fashion often had African servants; and although London cared nothing for the provinces, and the provinces cared nothing for London, still the rumour of the strange man interested the country clodhopper so greatly that he called Paddy an African on principle, in order that he might blow to his neighbours that he had seen the fascinating biped.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading At the first large village I bid a little man cut Paddy's hair, and although Paddy was all for killing the little man, and the little man twice ran away, the work was eventually done, for I stood over Paddy and threatened him.

PaddynounUS /ˈpædi/

(ethnic slur) offensive term for a person of Irish descent

From this reading At the first large village I bid a little man cut Paddy's hair, and although Paddy was all for killing the little man, and the little man twice ran away, the work was eventually done, for I stood over Paddy and threatened him.

Paddy'snounUS /ˈpædiz/

possessive form of “paddy” — (ethnic slur) offensive term for a person of Irish descent

From this reading At the first large village I bid a little man cut Paddy's hair, and although Paddy was all for killing the little man, and the little man twice ran away, the work was eventually done, for I stood over Paddy and threatened him.

peoplenounUS /ˈpiːpəl/

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

From this reading For it must be recalled that at this time there was great curiosity in the provinces over the Africans, because it was known that in London people of fashion often had African servants; and although London cared nothing for the provinces, and the provinces cared nothing for London, still the rumour of the strange man interested the country clodhopper so greatly that he called Paddy an African on principle, in order that he might blow to his neighbours that he had seen the fascinating biped.

principlenounUS /ˈprɪnsəpəl/

a basic generalization that is accepted as true and that can be used as a basis for reasoning or conduct

From this reading For it must be recalled that at this time there was great curiosity in the provinces over the Africans, because it was known that in London people of fashion often had African servants; and although London cared nothing for the provinces, and the provinces cared nothing for London, still the rumour of the strange man interested the country clodhopper so greatly that he called Paddy an African on principle, in order that he might blow to his neighbours that he had seen the fascinating biped.

provincesnounUS /ˈprɑːvənsəz/

plural of “province” — the territory occupied by one of the constituent administrative districts of a nation

From this reading For it must be recalled that at this time there was great curiosity in the provinces over the Africans, because it was known that in London people of fashion often had African servants; and although London cared nothing for the provinces, and the provinces cared nothing for London, still the rumour of the strange man interested the country clodhopper so greatly that he called Paddy an African on principle, in order that he might blow to his neighbours that he had seen the fascinating biped.

ranverbUS /ræn/

inflected form of “run” — move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time

From this reading At the first large village I bid a little man cut Paddy's hair, and although Paddy was all for killing the little man, and the little man twice ran away, the work was eventually done, for I stood over Paddy and threatened him.

recalledverbUS /rɪˈkɔːld/

past form of “recall” — recall knowledge from memory; have a recollection

From this reading For it must be recalled that at this time there was great curiosity in the provinces over the Africans, because it was known that in London people of fashion often had African servants; and although London cared nothing for the provinces, and the provinces cared nothing for London, still the rumour of the strange man interested the country clodhopper so greatly that he called Paddy an African on principle, in order that he might blow to his neighbours that he had seen the fascinating biped.

rodeverbUS /roʊd/

inflected form of “ride” — sit and travel on the back of animal, usually while controlling its motions

From this reading We rode on at daybreak.

rumournounUS /ˈruːmər/

gossip (usually a mixture of truth and untruth) passed around by word of mouth

From this reading For it must be recalled that at this time there was great curiosity in the provinces over the Africans, because it was known that in London people of fashion often had African servants; and although London cared nothing for the provinces, and the provinces cared nothing for London, still the rumour of the strange man interested the country clodhopper so greatly that he called Paddy an African on principle, in order that he might blow to his neighbours that he had seen the fascinating biped.

seenverbUS /siːn/

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

From this reading For it must be recalled that at this time there was great curiosity in the provinces over the Africans, because it was known that in London people of fashion often had African servants; and although London cared nothing for the provinces, and the provinces cared nothing for London, still the rumour of the strange man interested the country clodhopper so greatly that he called Paddy an African on principle, in order that he might blow to his neighbours that he had seen the fascinating biped.

servantsnounUS /ˈsɜːrvənts/

plural of “servant” — a person working in the service of another (especially in the household)

From this reading For it must be recalled that at this time there was great curiosity in the provinces over the Africans, because it was known that in London people of fashion often had African servants; and although London cared nothing for the provinces, and the provinces cared nothing for London, still the rumour of the strange man interested the country clodhopper so greatly that he called Paddy an African on principle, in order that he might blow to his neighbours that he had seen the fascinating biped.

skinnounUS /skɪn/

a natural protective body covering and site of the sense of touch

From this reading There was no general understanding that the African was a man of black skin; it was only understood that he was a great marvel.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading Afterward the little boys were not so anxious to hoot us through the streets, calling us Africans.

stilladjectiveUS /stɪl/

not in physical motion

From this reading For it must be recalled that at this time there was great curiosity in the provinces over the Africans, because it was known that in London people of fashion often had African servants; and although London cared nothing for the provinces, and the provinces cared nothing for London, still the rumour of the strange man interested the country clodhopper so greatly that he called Paddy an African on principle, in order that he might blow to his neighbours that he had seen the fascinating biped.

stoodverbUS /stʊd/

Maintained an upright posture.

From this reading At the first large village I bid a little man cut Paddy's hair, and although Paddy was all for killing the little man, and the little man twice ran away, the work was eventually done, for I stood over Paddy and threatened him.

strangeadjectiveUS /streɪndʒ/

being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird

From this reading For it must be recalled that at this time there was great curiosity in the provinces over the Africans, because it was known that in London people of fashion often had African servants; and although London cared nothing for the provinces, and the provinces cared nothing for London, still the rumour of the strange man interested the country clodhopper so greatly that he called Paddy an African on principle, in order that he might blow to his neighbours that he had seen the fascinating biped.

streetsnounUS /striːts/

plural of “street” — a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings

From this reading Afterward the little boys were not so anxious to hoot us through the streets, calling us Africans.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading For it must be recalled that at this time there was great curiosity in the provinces over the Africans, because it was known that in London people of fashion often had African servants; and although London cared nothing for the provinces, and the provinces cared nothing for London, still the rumour of the strange man interested the country clodhopper so greatly that he called Paddy an African on principle, in order that he might blow to his neighbours that he had seen the fascinating biped.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading At the first large village I bid a little man cut Paddy's hair, and although Paddy was all for killing the little man, and the little man twice ran away, the work was eventually done, for I stood over Paddy and threatened him.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading For it must be recalled that at this time there was great curiosity in the provinces over the Africans, because it was known that in London people of fashion often had African servants; and although London cared nothing for the provinces, and the provinces cared nothing for London, still the rumour of the strange man interested the country clodhopper so greatly that he called Paddy an African on principle, in order that he might blow to his neighbours that he had seen the fascinating biped.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading For it must be recalled that at this time there was great curiosity in the provinces over the Africans, because it was known that in London people of fashion often had African servants; and although London cared nothing for the provinces, and the provinces cared nothing for London, still the rumour of the strange man interested the country clodhopper so greatly that he called Paddy an African on principle, in order that he might blow to his neighbours that he had seen the fascinating biped.

threatenedadjectiveUS /ˈθretənd/

(of flora or fauna) likely in the near future to become endangered

From this reading At the first large village I bid a little man cut Paddy's hair, and although Paddy was all for killing the little man, and the little man twice ran away, the work was eventually done, for I stood over Paddy and threatened him.

throughprepositionUS /θruː/

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading Afterward the little boys were not so anxious to hoot us through the streets, calling us Africans.

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading For it must be recalled that at this time there was great curiosity in the provinces over the Africans, because it was known that in London people of fashion often had African servants; and although London cared nothing for the provinces, and the provinces cared nothing for London, still the rumour of the strange man interested the country clodhopper so greatly that he called Paddy an African on principle, in order that he might blow to his neighbours that he had seen the fascinating biped.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Afterward the little boys were not so anxious to hoot us through the streets, calling us Africans.

twiceadverbUS /twaɪs/

two times

From this reading At the first large village I bid a little man cut Paddy's hair, and although Paddy was all for killing the little man, and the little man twice ran away, the work was eventually done, for I stood over Paddy and threatened him.

understandingnounUS /ˌʌndərˈstændɪŋ/

the cognitive condition of someone who understands

From this reading There was no general understanding that the African was a man of black skin; it was only understood that he was a great marvel.

understoodadjectiveUS /ˌʌndərˈstʊd/

fully apprehended as to purport or meaning or explanation

From this reading There was no general understanding that the African was a man of black skin; it was only understood that he was a great marvel.

uspronounUS /ʌs/

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

From this reading Afterward the little boys were not so anxious to hoot us through the streets, calling us Africans.

villagenounUS /ˈvɪlədʒ/

a community of people smaller than a town

From this reading At the first large village I bid a little man cut Paddy's hair, and although Paddy was all for killing the little man, and the little man twice ran away, the work was eventually done, for I stood over Paddy and threatened him.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading At the first large village I bid a little man cut Paddy's hair, and although Paddy was all for killing the little man, and the little man twice ran away, the work was eventually done, for I stood over Paddy and threatened him.

WepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading We rode on at daybreak.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading Afterward the little boys were not so anxious to hoot us through the streets, calling us Africans.

workverbUS /wɜːrk/

exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity

From this reading At the first large village I bid a little man cut Paddy's hair, and although Paddy was all for killing the little man, and the little man twice ran away, the work was eventually done, for I stood over Paddy and threatened him.

Chapter 17 of The O'Ruddy: A Romance by Stephen Crane holds 90 sentences, grouped into 18 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 17 of The O'Ruddy: A Romance contain?

Chapter 17 holds 90 sentences of The O'Ruddy: A Romance, unabridged, divided into 18 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 17 of The O'Ruddy: A Romance by Stephen Crane exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 90 sentences, grouped into 18 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 17 of The O'Ruddy: A Romance?

Work through the 18 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 18 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 17 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 17 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 O'Ruddy: A Romance

Common questions about reading The O'Ruddy: A Romance by Stephen Crane on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The O'Ruddy: A Romance?

Yes. All 5713 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #29573 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The O'Ruddy: A Romance is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #29573, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The O'Ruddy: A Romance take to read?

About 476 minutes of reading across 1143 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The O'Ruddy: A Romance section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

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

Vocabulary met early in The O'Ruddy: A Romance

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

Chieftain
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The O'Ruddy: A Romance; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Ancestors
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The O'Ruddy: A Romance; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Lived
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The O'Ruddy: A Romance; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Glandore
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The O'Ruddy: A Romance; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.