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The Potter's Thumb
The Potter's Thumb

Chapter XVIII

Chapter 18 of The Potter's Thumb is here in full — 249 sentences across 50 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/49 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
The last twelve hours before the advancing rains break over your particular portion of the fiery furnace!--who can describe them?
Who, having once endured them, can need description as an aid to memory?
The world one incarnate expectation, blistering, parched, like the tongue of Dives.
The heavenly drop of water for which you long, squandered on the hot air, moist with a vanguard of vapour, so that the breath you draw is even as the breath you exhale.
If indeed you breathe at all; if indeed by sensation of touch or temperature you can differentiate yourself from the sodden heat of all things, or get rid of the conviction that, like the devils in a still hotter place, you are an integral part of the business!
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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 Potter's Thumb

Chapter XVIII

Chapter 18 of The Potter's Thumb is here in full — 249 sentences across 50 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/49 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
The last twelve hours before the advancing rains break over your particular portion of the fiery furnace!--who can describe them?
Line 2
Who, having once endured them, can need description as an aid to memory?
/huː ˈhævɪŋ wʌns enˈdjʊrd ðem kæn niːd dɪˈskrɪpʃən æz æn eɪd tuː ˈmem.ər.i/
Line 3
The world one incarnate expectation, blistering, parched, like the tongue of Dives.
/ðə wɜːrld wʌn ˌɪnˈkɑːrnət ˌekspekˈteɪʃən ˈblɪstərɪŋ pɑːrtʃt laɪk ðə tʌŋ ʌv daɪvz/
Line 4
The heavenly drop of water for which you long, squandered on the hot air, moist with a vanguard of vapour, so that the breath you draw is even as the breath you exhale.
Line 5
If indeed you breathe at all; if indeed by sensation of touch or temperature you can differentiate yourself from the sodden heat of all things, or get rid of the conviction that, like the devils in a still hotter place, you are an integral part of the business!
/ɪf ˌɪnˈdiːd juː briːð æt ɔːl ɪf ˌɪnˈdiːd baɪ senˈseɪʃən ʌv tʌtʃ ɔːr ˈtemprətʃər juː kæn ˌdɪfərˈenʃieɪt jərˈself frʌm ðə ˈsɑːdən hiːt ʌv ɔːl θɪŋz ɔːr ɡet rɪd ʌv ðə kənˈvɪkʃən ðæt laɪk ðə ˈdevəlz ɪn ə stɪl ˈhɑːtər pleɪs juː ɑːr æn ˈɪntəɡrəl pɑːrt ʌv ðə ˈbɪznəs/

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.

blistering adjective US /ˈblɪstərɪŋ/

harsh or corrosive in tone

From this reading “The world one incarnate expectation, blistering, parched, like the tongue of Dives.”

differentiate verb US /ˌdɪfərˈenʃieɪt/

mark as different

From this reading “If indeed you breathe at all; if indeed by sensation of touch or temperature you can differentiate yourself from the sodden heat of all things, or get rid of the conviction that, like the devils in a still hotter place, you are an integral part of the business!”

Dives noun US /daɪvz/

plural of “dive” — a cheap disreputable nightclub or dance hall

From this reading “The world one incarnate expectation, blistering, parched, like the tongue of Dives.”

exhale verb US /eksˈheɪl/

expel air

From this reading “The heavenly drop of water for which you long, squandered on the hot air, moist with a vanguard of vapour, so that the breath you draw is even as the breath you exhale.”

incarnate verb US /ˌɪnˈkɑːrnət/

make concrete and real

From this reading “The world one incarnate expectation, blistering, parched, like the tongue of Dives.”

integral adjective US /ˈɪntəɡrəl/

existing as an essential constituent or characteristic

From this reading “If indeed you breathe at all; if indeed by sensation of touch or temperature you can differentiate yourself from the sodden heat of all things, or get rid of the conviction that, like the devils in a still hotter place, you are an integral part of the business!”

squandered adjective US /ˈskwɑːndərd/

not used to good advantage

From this reading “The heavenly drop of water for which you long, squandered on the hot air, moist with a vanguard of vapour, so that the breath you draw is even as the breath you exhale.”

vanguard noun US /ˈvænɡɑːrd/

the leading units moving at the head of an army

From this reading “The heavenly drop of water for which you long, squandered on the hot air, moist with a vanguard of vapour, so that the breath you draw is even as the breath you exhale.”

Word partnerships in these lines

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.

fiery furnace adjective + noun

In this reading “The last twelve hours before the advancing rains break over your particular portion of the fiery furnace!--who can describe them?”

twelve hours noun + noun

In this reading “The last twelve hours before the advancing rains break over your particular portion of the fiery furnace!--who can describe them?”

rid of verb + particle

do away with

In this reading “If indeed you breathe at all; if indeed by sensation of touch or temperature you can differentiate yourself from the sodden heat of all things, or get rid of the conviction that, like the devils in a still hotter place, you are an integral part of the business!”

hot air adjective + noun

air that has been heated and tends to rise

In this reading “The heavenly drop of water for which you long, squandered on the hot air, moist with a vanguard of vapour, so that the breath you draw is even as the breath you exhale.”

all things adjective + noun

In this reading “If indeed you breathe at all; if indeed by sensation of touch or temperature you can differentiate yourself from the sodden heat of all things, or get rid of the conviction that, like the devils in a still hotter place, you are an integral part of the business!”

All words in this reading · 89

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 The heavenly drop of water for which you long, squandered on the hot air, moist with a vanguard of vapour, so that the breath you draw is even as the breath you exhale.

advancingadjectiveUS /ədˈvænsɪŋ/

moving forward

From this reading The last twelve hours before the advancing rains break over your particular portion of the fiery furnace!--who can describe them?

aidnounUS /eɪd/

a person or thing that is a resource that helps make something easier or possible to do

From this reading Who, having once endured them, can need description as an aid to memory?

airnounUS /er/

a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of

From this reading The heavenly drop of water for which you long, squandered on the hot air, moist with a vanguard of vapour, so that the breath you draw is even as the breath you exhale.

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 If indeed you breathe at all; if indeed by sensation of touch or temperature you can differentiate yourself from the sodden heat of all things, or get rid of the conviction that, like the devils in a still hotter place, you are an integral part of the business!

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading Who, having once endured them, can need description as an aid to memory?

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading If indeed you breathe at all; if indeed by sensation of touch or temperature you can differentiate yourself from the sodden heat of all things, or get rid of the conviction that, like the devils in a still hotter place, you are an integral part of the business!

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Who, having once endured them, can need description as an aid to memory?

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading If indeed you breathe at all; if indeed by sensation of touch or temperature you can differentiate yourself from the sodden heat of all things, or get rid of the conviction that, like the devils in a still hotter place, you are an integral part of the business!

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading The last twelve hours before the advancing rains break over your particular portion of the fiery furnace!--who can describe them?

blisteringadjectiveUS /ˈblɪstərɪŋ/

harsh or corrosive in tone

From this reading The world one incarnate expectation, blistering, parched, like the tongue of Dives.

breakverbUS /breɪk/

terminate

From this reading The last twelve hours before the advancing rains break over your particular portion of the fiery furnace!--who can describe them?

breathnounUS /breθ/

the process of taking in and expelling air during breathing

From this reading The heavenly drop of water for which you long, squandered on the hot air, moist with a vanguard of vapour, so that the breath you draw is even as the breath you exhale.

breatheverbUS /briːð/

draw air into, and expel out of, the lungs

From this reading If indeed you breathe at all; if indeed by sensation of touch or temperature you can differentiate yourself from the sodden heat of all things, or get rid of the conviction that, like the devils in a still hotter place, you are an integral part of the business!

businessnounUS /ˈbɪznəs/

a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it

From this reading If indeed you breathe at all; if indeed by sensation of touch or temperature you can differentiate yourself from the sodden heat of all things, or get rid of the conviction that, like the devils in a still hotter place, you are an integral part of the business!

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading If indeed you breathe at all; if indeed by sensation of touch or temperature you can differentiate yourself from the sodden heat of all things, or get rid of the conviction that, like the devils in a still hotter place, you are an integral part of the business!

canmodal verbUS /kæn/

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading The last twelve hours before the advancing rains break over your particular portion of the fiery furnace!--who can describe them?

convictionnounUS /kənˈvɪkʃən/

an unshakable belief in something without need for proof or evidence

From this reading If indeed you breathe at all; if indeed by sensation of touch or temperature you can differentiate yourself from the sodden heat of all things, or get rid of the conviction that, like the devils in a still hotter place, you are an integral part of the business!

describeverbUS /dɪˈskraɪb/

give a description of

From this reading The last twelve hours before the advancing rains break over your particular portion of the fiery furnace!--who can describe them?

descriptionnounUS /dɪˈskrɪpʃən/

a statement that represents something in words

From this reading Who, having once endured them, can need description as an aid to memory?

devilsnounUS /ˈdevəlz/

plural of “devil” — (Judeo-Christian and Islamic religions) chief spirit of evil and adversary of God; tempter of mankind; master of Hell

From this reading If indeed you breathe at all; if indeed by sensation of touch or temperature you can differentiate yourself from the sodden heat of all things, or get rid of the conviction that, like the devils in a still hotter place, you are an integral part of the business!

differentiateverbUS /ˌdɪfərˈenʃieɪt/

mark as different

From this reading If indeed you breathe at all; if indeed by sensation of touch or temperature you can differentiate yourself from the sodden heat of all things, or get rid of the conviction that, like the devils in a still hotter place, you are an integral part of the business!

DivesnounUS /daɪvz/

plural of “dive” — a cheap disreputable nightclub or dance hall

From this reading The world one incarnate expectation, blistering, parched, like the tongue of Dives.

drawverbUS /drɔː/

cause to move by pulling

From this reading The heavenly drop of water for which you long, squandered on the hot air, moist with a vanguard of vapour, so that the breath you draw is even as the breath you exhale.

dropverbUS /drɑːp/

let fall to the ground

From this reading The heavenly drop of water for which you long, squandered on the hot air, moist with a vanguard of vapour, so that the breath you draw is even as the breath you exhale.

enduredverbUS /enˈdjʊrd/

past form of “endure” — put up with something or somebody unpleasant

From this reading Who, having once endured them, can need description as an aid to memory?

evenadjectiveUS /ˈiːvɪn/

divisible by two

From this reading The heavenly drop of water for which you long, squandered on the hot air, moist with a vanguard of vapour, so that the breath you draw is even as the breath you exhale.

exhaleverbUS /eksˈheɪl/

expel air

From this reading The heavenly drop of water for which you long, squandered on the hot air, moist with a vanguard of vapour, so that the breath you draw is even as the breath you exhale.

expectationnounUS /ˌekspekˈteɪʃən/

belief about (or mental picture of) the future

From this reading The world one incarnate expectation, blistering, parched, like the tongue of Dives.

fieryadjectiveUS /ˈfaɪəri/

characterized by intense emotion

From this reading The last twelve hours before the advancing rains break over your particular portion of the fiery furnace!--who can describe them?

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading The heavenly drop of water for which you long, squandered on the hot air, moist with a vanguard of vapour, so that the breath you draw is even as the breath you exhale.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading If indeed you breathe at all; if indeed by sensation of touch or temperature you can differentiate yourself from the sodden heat of all things, or get rid of the conviction that, like the devils in a still hotter place, you are an integral part of the business!

furnacenounUS /ˈfɜːrnəs/

an enclosed chamber in which heat is produced to heat buildings, destroy refuse, smelt or refine ores, etc.

From this reading The last twelve hours before the advancing rains break over your particular portion of the fiery furnace!--who can describe them?

getverbUS /ɡet/

come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading If indeed you breathe at all; if indeed by sensation of touch or temperature you can differentiate yourself from the sodden heat of all things, or get rid of the conviction that, like the devils in a still hotter place, you are an integral part of the business!

havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/

the -ing form of “have”

From this reading Who, having once endured them, can need description as an aid to memory?

heatnounUS /hiːt/

a form of energy that is transferred by a difference in temperature

From this reading If indeed you breathe at all; if indeed by sensation of touch or temperature you can differentiate yourself from the sodden heat of all things, or get rid of the conviction that, like the devils in a still hotter place, you are an integral part of the business!

heavenlyadjectiveUS /ˈhevənli/

relating to or inhabiting a divine heaven

From this reading The heavenly drop of water for which you long, squandered on the hot air, moist with a vanguard of vapour, so that the breath you draw is even as the breath you exhale.

hotadjectiveUS /hɑːt/

used of physical heat; having a high or higher than desirable temperature or giving off heat or feeling or causing a sensation of heat or burning

From this reading The heavenly drop of water for which you long, squandered on the hot air, moist with a vanguard of vapour, so that the breath you draw is even as the breath you exhale.

hotteradjectiveUS /ˈhɑːtər/

comparative of “hot” — used of physical heat; having a high or higher than desirable temperature or giving off heat or feeling or causing a sensation of heat or burning

From this reading If indeed you breathe at all; if indeed by sensation of touch or temperature you can differentiate yourself from the sodden heat of all things, or get rid of the conviction that, like the devils in a still hotter place, you are an integral part of the business!

hoursnounUS /ˈaʊərz/

a period of time assigned for work

From this reading The last twelve hours before the advancing rains break over your particular portion of the fiery furnace!--who can describe them?

IfconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading If indeed you breathe at all; if indeed by sensation of touch or temperature you can differentiate yourself from the sodden heat of all things, or get rid of the conviction that, like the devils in a still hotter place, you are an integral part of the business!

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading If indeed you breathe at all; if indeed by sensation of touch or temperature you can differentiate yourself from the sodden heat of all things, or get rid of the conviction that, like the devils in a still hotter place, you are an integral part of the business!

incarnateverbUS /ˌɪnˈkɑːrnət/

make concrete and real

From this reading The world one incarnate expectation, blistering, parched, like the tongue of Dives.

indeedadverbUS /ˌɪnˈdiːd/

in truth (often tends to intensify)

From this reading If indeed you breathe at all; if indeed by sensation of touch or temperature you can differentiate yourself from the sodden heat of all things, or get rid of the conviction that, like the devils in a still hotter place, you are an integral part of the business!

integraladjectiveUS /ˈɪntəɡrəl/

existing as an essential constituent or characteristic

From this reading If indeed you breathe at all; if indeed by sensation of touch or temperature you can differentiate yourself from the sodden heat of all things, or get rid of the conviction that, like the devils in a still hotter place, you are an integral part of the business!

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading The heavenly drop of water for which you long, squandered on the hot air, moist with a vanguard of vapour, so that the breath you draw is even as the breath you exhale.

lastadjectiveUS /læst/

immediately past

From this reading The last twelve hours before the advancing rains break over your particular portion of the fiery furnace!--who can describe them?

likeverbUS /laɪk/

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading The world one incarnate expectation, blistering, parched, like the tongue of Dives.

longadjectiveUS /lɔːŋ/

primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified

From this reading The heavenly drop of water for which you long, squandered on the hot air, moist with a vanguard of vapour, so that the breath you draw is even as the breath you exhale.

memorynounUS /ˈmem.ər.i/

The faculty by which the mind stores and remembers information and knowledge.

From this reading Who, having once endured them, can need description as an aid to memory?

moistadjectiveUS /mɔɪst/

slightly wet

From this reading The heavenly drop of water for which you long, squandered on the hot air, moist with a vanguard of vapour, so that the breath you draw is even as the breath you exhale.

neednounUS /niːd/

a condition requiring relief

From this reading Who, having once endured them, can need description as an aid to memory?

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The last twelve hours before the advancing rains break over your particular portion of the fiery furnace!--who can describe them?

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading The heavenly drop of water for which you long, squandered on the hot air, moist with a vanguard of vapour, so that the breath you draw is even as the breath you exhale.

onceadverbUS /wʌns/

on one occasion

From this reading Who, having once endured them, can need description as an aid to memory?

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading The world one incarnate expectation, blistering, parched, like the tongue of Dives.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading If indeed you breathe at all; if indeed by sensation of touch or temperature you can differentiate yourself from the sodden heat of all things, or get rid of the conviction that, like the devils in a still hotter place, you are an integral part of the business!

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading The last twelve hours before the advancing rains break over your particular portion of the fiery furnace!--who can describe them?

parchedadjectiveUS /pɑːrtʃt/

dried out by heat or excessive exposure to sunlight

From this reading The world one incarnate expectation, blistering, parched, like the tongue of Dives.

partnounUS /pɑːrt/

something determined in relation to something that includes it

From this reading If indeed you breathe at all; if indeed by sensation of touch or temperature you can differentiate yourself from the sodden heat of all things, or get rid of the conviction that, like the devils in a still hotter place, you are an integral part of the business!

particularadjectiveUS /pərˈtɪkjələr/

unique or specific to a person or thing or category

From this reading The last twelve hours before the advancing rains break over your particular portion of the fiery furnace!--who can describe them?

placenounUS /pleɪs/

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading If indeed you breathe at all; if indeed by sensation of touch or temperature you can differentiate yourself from the sodden heat of all things, or get rid of the conviction that, like the devils in a still hotter place, you are an integral part of the business!

portionnounUS /ˈpɔːrʃən/

something determined in relation to something that includes it

From this reading The last twelve hours before the advancing rains break over your particular portion of the fiery furnace!--who can describe them?

rainsnounUS /reɪnz/

plural of “rain” — water falling in drops from vapor condensed in the atmosphere

From this reading The last twelve hours before the advancing rains break over your particular portion of the fiery furnace!--who can describe them?

ridverbUS /rɪd/

relieve from

From this reading If indeed you breathe at all; if indeed by sensation of touch or temperature you can differentiate yourself from the sodden heat of all things, or get rid of the conviction that, like the devils in a still hotter place, you are an integral part of the business!

sensationnounUS /senˈseɪʃən/

an unelaborated elementary awareness of stimulation

From this reading If indeed you breathe at all; if indeed by sensation of touch or temperature you can differentiate yourself from the sodden heat of all things, or get rid of the conviction that, like the devils in a still hotter place, you are an integral part of the business!

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading The heavenly drop of water for which you long, squandered on the hot air, moist with a vanguard of vapour, so that the breath you draw is even as the breath you exhale.

soddenadjectiveUS /ˈsɑːdən/

wet through and through; thoroughly wet

From this reading If indeed you breathe at all; if indeed by sensation of touch or temperature you can differentiate yourself from the sodden heat of all things, or get rid of the conviction that, like the devils in a still hotter place, you are an integral part of the business!

squanderedadjectiveUS /ˈskwɑːndərd/

not used to good advantage

From this reading The heavenly drop of water for which you long, squandered on the hot air, moist with a vanguard of vapour, so that the breath you draw is even as the breath you exhale.

stilladjectiveUS /stɪl/

not in physical motion

From this reading If indeed you breathe at all; if indeed by sensation of touch or temperature you can differentiate yourself from the sodden heat of all things, or get rid of the conviction that, like the devils in a still hotter place, you are an integral part of the business!

temperaturenounUS /ˈtemprətʃər/

the degree of hotness or coldness of a body or environment (corresponding to its molecular activity)

From this reading If indeed you breathe at all; if indeed by sensation of touch or temperature you can differentiate yourself from the sodden heat of all things, or get rid of the conviction that, like the devils in a still hotter place, you are an integral part of the business!

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading The heavenly drop of water for which you long, squandered on the hot air, moist with a vanguard of vapour, so that the breath you draw is even as the breath you exhale.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading The last twelve hours before the advancing rains break over your particular portion of the fiery furnace!--who can describe them?

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading The last twelve hours before the advancing rains break over your particular portion of the fiery furnace!--who can describe them?

thingsnounUS /θɪŋz/

any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)

From this reading If indeed you breathe at all; if indeed by sensation of touch or temperature you can differentiate yourself from the sodden heat of all things, or get rid of the conviction that, like the devils in a still hotter place, you are an integral part of the business!

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Who, having once endured them, can need description as an aid to memory?

tonguenounUS /tʌŋ/

a mobile mass of muscular tissue covered with mucous membrane and located in the oral cavity

From this reading The world one incarnate expectation, blistering, parched, like the tongue of Dives.

touchverbUS /tʌtʃ/

make physical contact with, come in contact with

From this reading If indeed you breathe at all; if indeed by sensation of touch or temperature you can differentiate yourself from the sodden heat of all things, or get rid of the conviction that, like the devils in a still hotter place, you are an integral part of the business!

twelvenounUS /twelv/

the cardinal number that is the sum of eleven and one

From this reading The last twelve hours before the advancing rains break over your particular portion of the fiery furnace!--who can describe them?

vanguardnounUS /ˈvænɡɑːrd/

the leading units moving at the head of an army

From this reading The heavenly drop of water for which you long, squandered on the hot air, moist with a vanguard of vapour, so that the breath you draw is even as the breath you exhale.

vapournoun

a visible suspension in the air of particles of some substance

From this reading The heavenly drop of water for which you long, squandered on the hot air, moist with a vanguard of vapour, so that the breath you draw is even as the breath you exhale.

waternounUS /ˈwɔːtər/

binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent

From this reading The heavenly drop of water for which you long, squandered on the hot air, moist with a vanguard of vapour, so that the breath you draw is even as the breath you exhale.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading The heavenly drop of water for which you long, squandered on the hot air, moist with a vanguard of vapour, so that the breath you draw is even as the breath you exhale.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading The last twelve hours before the advancing rains break over your particular portion of the fiery furnace!--who can describe them?

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading The heavenly drop of water for which you long, squandered on the hot air, moist with a vanguard of vapour, so that the breath you draw is even as the breath you exhale.

worldnounUS /wɜːrld/

everything that exists anywhere

From this reading The world one incarnate expectation, blistering, parched, like the tongue of Dives.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading The heavenly drop of water for which you long, squandered on the hot air, moist with a vanguard of vapour, so that the breath you draw is even as the breath you exhale.

yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading The last twelve hours before the advancing rains break over your particular portion of the fiery furnace!--who can describe them?

yourselfpronounUS /jərˈself/

used when the person spoken to is also the object of the action

From this reading If indeed you breathe at all; if indeed by sensation of touch or temperature you can differentiate yourself from the sodden heat of all things, or get rid of the conviction that, like the devils in a still hotter place, you are an integral part of the business!

Chapter 18 of The Potter's Thumb by Flora Annie Webster Steel holds 249 sentences, grouped into 50 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 18 of The Potter's Thumb contain?

Chapter 18 holds 249 sentences of The Potter's Thumb, unabridged, divided into 50 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 18 of The Potter's Thumb by Flora Annie Webster Steel exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 249 sentences, grouped into 50 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 18 of The Potter's Thumb?

Work through the 50 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 50 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 18 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 18 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 Potter's Thumb

Common questions about reading The Potter's Thumb by Flora Annie Webster Steel on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Potter's Thumb?

Yes. All 6887 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #39985 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Potter's Thumb is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #39985, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Potter's Thumb take to read?

About 573 minutes of reading across 1378 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Potter's Thumb section by section

How to work through The Potter's Thumb section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 28 chapters of The Potter's Thumb to begin.

  2. Read one section

    Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.

  3. Listen and tap

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

Vocabulary met early in The Potter's Thumb

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Potter's Thumb, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Potter's
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Potter's Thumb; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Thumb
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Potter's Thumb; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Huzoor
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Potter's Thumb; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Raised
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Potter's Thumb; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.