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The Poet at the Breakfast-Table
The Poet at the Breakfast-Table

Chapter XVI · Chapter 16

Chapter 16 of The Poet at the Breakfast-Table is here in full — 137 sentences across 28 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Poet at the Breakfast-Table
Context Illustration Reading 1/27 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
--Something that means more than alchemy ever did!
Boiled just three hours, and as clear as a bell until within the last few days; since then has been clouding up.
--I began to form a pretty shrewd guess at the meaning of all this, and to think I knew very nearly what was coming next.
I was right in my conjecture.
The Master broke off the sealed end of his little flask, took out a small portion of the fluid on a glass rod, and placed it on a slip of glass in the usual way for a microscopic examination.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Poet at the Breakfast-Table

Chapter XVI · Chapter 16

Chapter 16 of The Poet at the Breakfast-Table is here in full — 137 sentences across 28 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/27 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
--Something that means more than alchemy ever did!
/ˈsʌmθɪŋ ðæt miːnz mɔːr ðæn ˈælkəmi ˈevər dɪd/
Line 2
Boiled just three hours, and as clear as a bell until within the last few days; since then has been clouding up.
/bɔɪld dʒʌst θriː ˈaʊərz ənd æz klɪr æz ə bel ənˈtɪl wɪˈðɪn ðə læst fjuː deɪz sɪns ðen hæz bɪn ˈklaʊdɪŋ ʌp/
Line 3
--I began to form a pretty shrewd guess at the meaning of all this, and to think I knew very nearly what was coming next.
/aɪ bɪˈɡæn tuː fɔːrm ə ˈprɪti ʃruːd ɡes æt ðə ˈmiːnɪŋ ʌv ɔːl ðɪs ənd tuː θɪŋk aɪ nuː ˈveri ˈnɪrli wʌt wɑːz ˈkʌmɪŋ nekst/
Line 4
I was right in my conjecture.
/aɪ wɑːz raɪt ɪn maɪ kənˈdʒektʃər/
Line 5
The Master broke off the sealed end of his little flask, took out a small portion of the fluid on a glass rod, and placed it on a slip of glass in the usual way for a microscopic examination.
/ðə ˈmæstər broʊk ɔːf ðə siːld end ʌv hɪz ˈlɪtəl flæsk tʊk aʊt ə smɔːl ˈpɔːrʃən ʌv ðə ˈfluːəd ɑːn ə ɡlæs rɑːd ənd pleɪst ɪt ɑːn ə slɪp ʌv ɡlæs ɪn ðə ˈjuːʒəwəl weɪ fɔːr ə ˌmaɪkrəˈskɑːpɪk ɪɡˌzæməˈneɪʃən/

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.

alchemy noun US /ˈælkəmi/

the way two individuals relate to each other

From this reading “--Something that means more than alchemy ever did!”

Boiled adjective US /bɔɪld/

cooked in hot water

From this reading “Boiled just three hours, and as clear as a bell until within the last few days; since then has been clouding up.”

clouding noun US /ˈklaʊdɪŋ/

the process whereby water particles become visible in the sky

From this reading “Boiled just three hours, and as clear as a bell until within the last few days; since then has been clouding up.”

conjecture noun US /kənˈdʒektʃər/

a hypothesis that has been formed by speculating or conjecturing (usually with little hard evidence)

From this reading “I was right in my conjecture.”

flask noun US /flæsk/

bottle that has a narrow neck

From this reading “The Master broke off the sealed end of his little flask, took out a small portion of the fluid on a glass rod, and placed it on a slip of glass in the usual way for a microscopic examination.”

fluid noun US /ˈfluːəd/

a substance that is fluid at room temperature and pressure

From this reading “The Master broke off the sealed end of his little flask, took out a small portion of the fluid on a glass rod, and placed it on a slip of glass in the usual way for a microscopic examination.”

microscopic adjective US /ˌmaɪkrəˈskɑːpɪk/

of or relating to or used in microscopy

From this reading “The Master broke off the sealed end of his little flask, took out a small portion of the fluid on a glass rod, and placed it on a slip of glass in the usual way for a microscopic examination.”

rod noun US /rɑːd/

a long thin implement made of metal or wood

From this reading “The Master broke off the sealed end of his little flask, took out a small portion of the fluid on a glass rod, and placed it on a slip of glass in the usual way for a microscopic examination.”

All words in this reading · 77

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 Boiled just three hours, and as clear as a bell until within the last few days; since then has been clouding up.

alchemynounUS /ˈælkəmi/

the way two individuals relate to each other

From this reading --Something that means more than alchemy ever did!

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 --I began to form a pretty shrewd guess at the meaning of all this, and to think I knew very nearly what was coming next.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Boiled just three hours, and as clear as a bell until within the last few days; since then has been clouding up.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Boiled just three hours, and as clear as a bell until within the last few days; since then has been clouding up.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading --I began to form a pretty shrewd guess at the meaning of all this, and to think I knew very nearly what was coming next.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading Boiled just three hours, and as clear as a bell until within the last few days; since then has been clouding up.

beganverbUS /bɪˈɡæn/

inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

From this reading --I began to form a pretty shrewd guess at the meaning of all this, and to think I knew very nearly what was coming next.

bellnounUS /bel/

a hollow device made of metal that makes a ringing sound when struck

From this reading Boiled just three hours, and as clear as a bell until within the last few days; since then has been clouding up.

BoiledadjectiveUS /bɔɪld/

cooked in hot water

From this reading Boiled just three hours, and as clear as a bell until within the last few days; since then has been clouding up.

brokeadjectiveUS /broʊk/

lacking funds

From this reading The Master broke off the sealed end of his little flask, took out a small portion of the fluid on a glass rod, and placed it on a slip of glass in the usual way for a microscopic examination.

clearverbUS /klɪr/

rid of obstructions

From this reading Boiled just three hours, and as clear as a bell until within the last few days; since then has been clouding up.

cloudingnounUS /ˈklaʊdɪŋ/

the process whereby water particles become visible in the sky

From this reading Boiled just three hours, and as clear as a bell until within the last few days; since then has been clouding up.

comingnounUS /ˈkʌmɪŋ/

the act of drawing spatially closer to something

From this reading --I began to form a pretty shrewd guess at the meaning of all this, and to think I knew very nearly what was coming next.

conjecturenounUS /kənˈdʒektʃər/

a hypothesis that has been formed by speculating or conjecturing (usually with little hard evidence)

From this reading I was right in my conjecture.

daysnounUS /deɪz/

the time during which someone's life continues

From this reading Boiled just three hours, and as clear as a bell until within the last few days; since then has been clouding up.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

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

From this reading --Something that means more than alchemy ever did!

endnounUS /end/

either extremity of something that has length

From this reading The Master broke off the sealed end of his little flask, took out a small portion of the fluid on a glass rod, and placed it on a slip of glass in the usual way for a microscopic examination.

everadverbUS /ˈevər/

at any time

From this reading --Something that means more than alchemy ever did!

examinationnounUS /ɪɡˌzæməˈneɪʃən/

the act of examining something closely (as for mistakes)

From this reading The Master broke off the sealed end of his little flask, took out a small portion of the fluid on a glass rod, and placed it on a slip of glass in the usual way for a microscopic examination.

fewadjectiveUS /fjuː/

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number

From this reading Boiled just three hours, and as clear as a bell until within the last few days; since then has been clouding up.

flasknounUS /flæsk/

bottle that has a narrow neck

From this reading The Master broke off the sealed end of his little flask, took out a small portion of the fluid on a glass rod, and placed it on a slip of glass in the usual way for a microscopic examination.

fluidnounUS /ˈfluːəd/

a substance that is fluid at room temperature and pressure

From this reading The Master broke off the sealed end of his little flask, took out a small portion of the fluid on a glass rod, and placed it on a slip of glass in the usual way for a microscopic examination.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading The Master broke off the sealed end of his little flask, took out a small portion of the fluid on a glass rod, and placed it on a slip of glass in the usual way for a microscopic examination.

formnounUS /fɔːrm/

the phonological or orthographic sound or appearance of a word that can be used to describe or identify something

From this reading --I began to form a pretty shrewd guess at the meaning of all this, and to think I knew very nearly what was coming next.

glassnounUS /ɡlæs/

a brittle transparent solid with irregular atomic structure

From this reading The Master broke off the sealed end of his little flask, took out a small portion of the fluid on a glass rod, and placed it on a slip of glass in the usual way for a microscopic examination.

guessverbUS /ɡes/

expect, believe, or suppose

From this reading --I began to form a pretty shrewd guess at the meaning of all this, and to think I knew very nearly what was coming next.

hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

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

From this reading Boiled just three hours, and as clear as a bell until within the last few days; since then has been clouding up.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading The Master broke off the sealed end of his little flask, took out a small portion of the fluid on a glass rod, and placed it on a slip of glass in the usual way for a microscopic examination.

hoursnounUS /ˈaʊərz/

a period of time assigned for work

From this reading Boiled just three hours, and as clear as a bell until within the last few days; since then has been clouding up.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading --I began to form a pretty shrewd guess at the meaning of all this, and to think I knew very nearly what was coming next.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading I was right in my conjecture.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading The Master broke off the sealed end of his little flask, took out a small portion of the fluid on a glass rod, and placed it on a slip of glass in the usual way for a microscopic examination.

justadverbUS /dʒʌst/

and nothing more

From this reading Boiled just three hours, and as clear as a bell until within the last few days; since then has been clouding up.

knewverbUS /nuː/

inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading --I began to form a pretty shrewd guess at the meaning of all this, and to think I knew very nearly what was coming next.

lastadjectiveUS /læst/

immediately past

From this reading Boiled just three hours, and as clear as a bell until within the last few days; since then has been clouding up.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

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

From this reading The Master broke off the sealed end of his little flask, took out a small portion of the fluid on a glass rod, and placed it on a slip of glass in the usual way for a microscopic examination.

MasternounUS /ˈmæstər/

an artist of consummate skill

From this reading The Master broke off the sealed end of his little flask, took out a small portion of the fluid on a glass rod, and placed it on a slip of glass in the usual way for a microscopic examination.

meaningnounUS /ˈmiːnɪŋ/

the message that is intended or expressed or signified

From this reading --I began to form a pretty shrewd guess at the meaning of all this, and to think I knew very nearly what was coming next.

meansnounUS /miːnz/

thing or person that acts to produce a particular effect or achieve an end

From this reading --Something that means more than alchemy ever did!

microscopicadjectiveUS /ˌmaɪkrəˈskɑːpɪk/

of or relating to or used in microscopy

From this reading The Master broke off the sealed end of his little flask, took out a small portion of the fluid on a glass rod, and placed it on a slip of glass in the usual way for a microscopic examination.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

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

From this reading --Something that means more than alchemy ever did!

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading I was right in my conjecture.

nearlyadverbUS /ˈnɪrli/

(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but

From this reading --I began to form a pretty shrewd guess at the meaning of all this, and to think I knew very nearly what was coming next.

nextadjectiveUS /nekst/

immediately following in time or order

From this reading --I began to form a pretty shrewd guess at the meaning of all this, and to think I knew very nearly what was coming next.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading --I began to form a pretty shrewd guess at the meaning of all this, and to think I knew very nearly what was coming next.

offadverbUS /ɔːf/

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

From this reading The Master broke off the sealed end of his little flask, took out a small portion of the fluid on a glass rod, and placed it on a slip of glass in the usual way for a microscopic examination.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading The Master broke off the sealed end of his little flask, took out a small portion of the fluid on a glass rod, and placed it on a slip of glass in the usual way for a microscopic examination.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading The Master broke off the sealed end of his little flask, took out a small portion of the fluid on a glass rod, and placed it on a slip of glass in the usual way for a microscopic examination.

placedadjectiveUS /pleɪst/

situated in a particular spot or position

From this reading The Master broke off the sealed end of his little flask, took out a small portion of the fluid on a glass rod, and placed it on a slip of glass in the usual way for a microscopic examination.

portionnounUS /ˈpɔːrʃən/

something determined in relation to something that includes it

From this reading The Master broke off the sealed end of his little flask, took out a small portion of the fluid on a glass rod, and placed it on a slip of glass in the usual way for a microscopic examination.

prettyadjectiveUS /ˈprɪti/

pleasing by delicacy or grace; not imposing

From this reading --I began to form a pretty shrewd guess at the meaning of all this, and to think I knew very nearly what was coming next.

rightadverbUS /raɪt/

precisely, exactly

From this reading I was right in my conjecture.

rodnounUS /rɑːd/

a long thin implement made of metal or wood

From this reading The Master broke off the sealed end of his little flask, took out a small portion of the fluid on a glass rod, and placed it on a slip of glass in the usual way for a microscopic examination.

sealedadjectiveUS /siːld/

established irrevocably

From this reading The Master broke off the sealed end of his little flask, took out a small portion of the fluid on a glass rod, and placed it on a slip of glass in the usual way for a microscopic examination.

shrewdadjectiveUS /ʃruːd/

marked by practical hardheaded intelligence

From this reading --I began to form a pretty shrewd guess at the meaning of all this, and to think I knew very nearly what was coming next.

sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/

from a time in the past until now

From this reading Boiled just three hours, and as clear as a bell until within the last few days; since then has been clouding up.

slipverbUS /slɪp/

move stealthily

From this reading The Master broke off the sealed end of his little flask, took out a small portion of the fluid on a glass rod, and placed it on a slip of glass in the usual way for a microscopic examination.

smalladjectiveUS /smɔːl/

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

From this reading The Master broke off the sealed end of his little flask, took out a small portion of the fluid on a glass rod, and placed it on a slip of glass in the usual way for a microscopic examination.

SomethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/

a thing, without saying which

From this reading --Something that means more than alchemy ever did!

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading --Something that means more than alchemy ever did!

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading --Something that means more than alchemy ever did!

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Boiled just three hours, and as clear as a bell until within the last few days; since then has been clouding up.

thenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading Boiled just three hours, and as clear as a bell until within the last few days; since then has been clouding up.

thinkverbUS /θɪŋk/

judge or regard; look upon; judge

From this reading --I began to form a pretty shrewd guess at the meaning of all this, and to think I knew very nearly what was coming next.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading --I began to form a pretty shrewd guess at the meaning of all this, and to think I knew very nearly what was coming next.

threenounUS /θriː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one

From this reading Boiled just three hours, and as clear as a bell until within the last few days; since then has been clouding up.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading --I began to form a pretty shrewd guess at the meaning of all this, and to think I knew very nearly what was coming next.

tookverbUS /tʊk/

inflected form of “take” — carry out

From this reading The Master broke off the sealed end of his little flask, took out a small portion of the fluid on a glass rod, and placed it on a slip of glass in the usual way for a microscopic examination.

untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading Boiled just three hours, and as clear as a bell until within the last few days; since then has been clouding up.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading Boiled just three hours, and as clear as a bell until within the last few days; since then has been clouding up.

usualadjectiveUS /ˈjuːʒəwəl/

occurring or encountered or experienced or observed frequently or in accordance with regular practice or procedure

From this reading The Master broke off the sealed end of his little flask, took out a small portion of the fluid on a glass rod, and placed it on a slip of glass in the usual way for a microscopic examination.

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading --I began to form a pretty shrewd guess at the meaning of all this, and to think I knew very nearly what was coming next.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading --I began to form a pretty shrewd guess at the meaning of all this, and to think I knew very nearly what was coming next.

waynounUS /weɪ/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading The Master broke off the sealed end of his little flask, took out a small portion of the fluid on a glass rod, and placed it on a slip of glass in the usual way for a microscopic examination.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading --I began to form a pretty shrewd guess at the meaning of all this, and to think I knew very nearly what was coming next.

withinprepositionUS /wɪˈðɪn/

inside; before a period of time has passed

From this reading Boiled just three hours, and as clear as a bell until within the last few days; since then has been clouding up.

Chapter 16 of The Poet at the Breakfast-Table by Oliver Wendell Holmes holds 137 sentences, grouped into 28 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 16 of The Poet at the Breakfast-Table contain?

Chapter 16 holds 137 sentences of The Poet at the Breakfast-Table, unabridged, divided into 28 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 16 of The Poet at the Breakfast-Table by Oliver Wendell Holmes exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 137 sentences, grouped into 28 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 16 of The Poet at the Breakfast-Table?

Work through the 28 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 28 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 16 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 16 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 Poet at the Breakfast-Table

Common questions about reading The Poet at the Breakfast-Table by Oliver Wendell Holmes on this page, its source edition and its audio.

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Yes. All 3841 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #2666 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

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Project Gutenberg eBook #2666, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

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About 320 minutes of reading across 769 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

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Vocabulary met early in The Poet at the Breakfast-Table

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Poet at the Breakfast-Table, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Preface
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Poet at the Breakfast-Table; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Third
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Poet at the Breakfast-Table; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Series
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Poet at the Breakfast-Table; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Breakfast-table
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Poet at the Breakfast-Table; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.