Chapter 14 of The Prodigal Father is here in full — 105 sentences across 21 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XIV
Chapter 14 of The Prodigal Father is here in full — 105 sentences across 21 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
The widow started and turned in her chair. This time she did not archly cap his greeting. Instead, her exclamation had a tincture of alarm. He was so very unlike his usual self. "Writing a billet-doux?" he inquired, still smiling.
Chapter 14 of The Prodigal Father is here in full — 105 sentences across 21 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/21 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.
fear resulting from the awareness of danger
From this reading “Instead, her exclamation had a tincture of alarm.”
in an arch manner; with playful slyness or roguishness
From this reading “This time she did not archly cap his greeting.”
an abrupt excited utterance
From this reading “Instead, her exclamation had a tincture of alarm.”
(usually plural) an acknowledgment or expression of good will (especially on meeting)
From this reading “This time she did not archly cap his greeting.”
your consciousness of your own identity
From this reading “He was so very unlike his usual self.”
a substance that colors or dyes
From this reading “Instead, her exclamation had a tincture of alarm.”
marked by dissimilarity
From this reading “He was so very unlike his usual self.”
a woman whose husband is dead especially one who has not remarried
From this reading “The widow started and turned in her chair.”
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.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Instead, her exclamation had a tincture of alarm.
fear resulting from the awareness of danger
From this reading Instead, her exclamation had a tincture of alarm.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The widow started and turned in her chair.
in an arch manner; with playful slyness or roguishness
From this reading This time she did not archly cap his greeting.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Writing a billet-doux?" he inquired, still smiling.
a tight-fitting headdress
From this reading This time she did not archly cap his greeting.
a seat for one person, with a support for the back
From this reading The widow started and turned in her chair.
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading This time she did not archly cap his greeting.
an abrupt excited utterance
From this reading Instead, her exclamation had a tincture of alarm.
(usually plural) an acknowledgment or expression of good will (especially on meeting)
From this reading This time she did not archly cap his greeting.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Instead, her exclamation had a tincture of alarm.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He was so very unlike his usual self.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading The widow started and turned in her chair.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading This time she did not archly cap his greeting.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The widow started and turned in her chair.
past form of “inquire” — address a question to and expect an answer from
From this reading "Writing a billet-doux?" he inquired, still smiling.
in place of, or as an alternative to
From this reading Instead, her exclamation had a tincture of alarm.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading This time she did not archly cap his greeting.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Instead, her exclamation had a tincture of alarm.
your consciousness of your own identity
From this reading He was so very unlike his usual self.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading This time she did not archly cap his greeting.
a facial expression characterized by turning up the corners of the mouth; usually shows pleasure or amusement
From this reading "Writing a billet-doux?" he inquired, still smiling.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading He was so very unlike his usual self.
past form of “start” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading The widow started and turned in her chair.
not in physical motion
From this reading "Writing a billet-doux?" he inquired, still smiling.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The widow started and turned in her chair.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This time she did not archly cap his greeting.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading This time she did not archly cap his greeting.
a substance that colors or dyes
From this reading Instead, her exclamation had a tincture of alarm.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading The widow started and turned in her chair.
marked by dissimilarity
From this reading He was so very unlike his usual self.
occurring or encountered or experienced or observed frequently or in accordance with regular practice or procedure
From this reading He was so very unlike his usual self.
precisely as stated
From this reading He was so very unlike his usual self.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He was so very unlike his usual self.
a woman whose husband is dead especially one who has not remarried
From this reading The widow started and turned in her chair.
the act of creating written works
From this reading "Writing a billet-doux?" he inquired, still smiling.
Chapter 14 of The Prodigal Father by J. Storer (Joseph Storer) Clouston holds 105 sentences, grouped into 21 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.
Chapter 14 holds 105 sentences of The Prodigal Father, unabridged, divided into 21 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 14 of The Prodigal Father by J. Storer (Joseph Storer) Clouston exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 105 sentences, grouped into 21 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.
Work through the 21 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 21 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 14 can be played aloud in United States English.
Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.
Common questions about reading The Prodigal Father by J. Storer (Joseph Storer) Clouston on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 4214 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #25899 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #25899, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 351 minutes of reading across 843 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Prodigal Father section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 39 chapters of The Prodigal Father to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in The Prodigal Father, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
