Chapter 1 of The Riverman is here in full — 204 sentences across 41 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter I
Chapter 1 of The Riverman is here in full — 204 sentences across 41 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
“Keep your shirt on,” advised Orde. “We're getting through as fast as we can. If you want these logs pushed any faster, come down and do it yourself.” Johnson vouchsafed no reply, but splashed away over the logs, examining in detail the progress of the work. After a little he returned within hailing distance.
Chapter 1 of The Riverman is here in full — 204 sentences across 41 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 39/40 · 5 reading units · Lines 191–195
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.
having the benefit of careful prior consideration or counsel
From this reading ““Keep your shirt on,” advised Orde.”
an isolated fact that is considered separately from the whole
From this reading “Johnson vouchsafed no reply, but splashed away over the logs, examining in detail the progress of the work.”
-ing form of “examine” — consider in detail and subject to an analysis in order to discover essential features or meaning
From this reading “Johnson vouchsafed no reply, but splashed away over the logs, examining in detail the progress of the work.”
more quickly
From this reading “If you want these logs pushed any faster, come down and do it yourself.””
-ing form of “hail” — praise vociferously
From this reading “After a little he returned within hailing distance.”
plural of “log” — a segment of the trunk of a tree when stripped of branches
From this reading “If you want these logs pushed any faster, come down and do it yourself.””
a garment worn on the upper half of the body
From this reading ““Keep your shirt on,” advised Orde.”
(of a fluid) having been propelled about in flying drops or masses
From this reading “Johnson vouchsafed no reply, but splashed away over the logs, examining in detail the progress of the work.”
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 After a little he returned within hailing distance.
having the benefit of careful prior consideration or counsel
From this reading “Keep your shirt on,” advised Orde.
later than; following
From this reading After a little he returned within hailing distance.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading If you want these logs pushed any faster, come down and do it yourself.”
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading If you want these logs pushed any faster, come down and do it yourself.”
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading “We're getting through as fast as we can.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Johnson vouchsafed no reply, but splashed away over the logs, examining in detail the progress of the work.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Johnson vouchsafed no reply, but splashed away over the logs, examining in detail the progress of the work.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading “We're getting through as fast as we can.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading If you want these logs pushed any faster, come down and do it yourself.”
an isolated fact that is considered separately from the whole
From this reading Johnson vouchsafed no reply, but splashed away over the logs, examining in detail the progress of the work.
the property created by the space between two objects or points
From this reading After a little he returned within hailing distance.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading If you want these logs pushed any faster, come down and do it yourself.”
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading If you want these logs pushed any faster, come down and do it yourself.”
-ing form of “examine” — consider in detail and subject to an analysis in order to discover essential features or meaning
From this reading Johnson vouchsafed no reply, but splashed away over the logs, examining in detail the progress of the work.
quickly or rapidly (often used as a combining form)
From this reading “We're getting through as fast as we can.
more quickly
From this reading If you want these logs pushed any faster, come down and do it yourself.”
the act of acquiring something
From this reading “We're getting through as fast as we can.
-ing form of “hail” — praise vociferously
From this reading After a little he returned within hailing distance.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading After a little he returned within hailing distance.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If you want these logs pushed any faster, come down and do it yourself.”
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Johnson vouchsafed no reply, but splashed away over the logs, examining in detail the progress of the work.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading If you want these logs pushed any faster, come down and do it yourself.”
English writer and lexicographer (1709-1784)
From this reading Johnson vouchsafed no reply, but splashed away over the logs, examining in detail the progress of the work.
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading “Keep your shirt on,” advised Orde.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading After a little he returned within hailing distance.
plural of “log” — a segment of the trunk of a tree when stripped of branches
From this reading If you want these logs pushed any faster, come down and do it yourself.”
not any; not one
From this reading Johnson vouchsafed no reply, but splashed away over the logs, examining in detail the progress of the work.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Johnson vouchsafed no reply, but splashed away over the logs, examining in detail the progress of the work.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading “Keep your shirt on,” advised Orde.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Keep your shirt on,” advised Orde.
above and across; more than
From this reading Johnson vouchsafed no reply, but splashed away over the logs, examining in detail the progress of the work.
gradual improvement or growth or development
From this reading Johnson vouchsafed no reply, but splashed away over the logs, examining in detail the progress of the work.
past form of “push” — move with force
From this reading If you want these logs pushed any faster, come down and do it yourself.”
a statement (either spoken or written) that is made to reply to a question or request or criticism or accusation
From this reading Johnson vouchsafed no reply, but splashed away over the logs, examining in detail the progress of the work.
past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading After a little he returned within hailing distance.
a garment worn on the upper half of the body
From this reading “Keep your shirt on,” advised Orde.
(of a fluid) having been propelled about in flying drops or masses
From this reading Johnson vouchsafed no reply, but splashed away over the logs, examining in detail the progress of the work.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Johnson vouchsafed no reply, but splashed away over the logs, examining in detail the progress of the work.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading If you want these logs pushed any faster, come down and do it yourself.”
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading “We're getting through as fast as we can.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Johnson vouchsafed no reply, but splashed away over the logs, examining in detail the progress of the work.
feel or have a desire for; want strongly
From this reading If you want these logs pushed any faster, come down and do it yourself.”
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading “We're getting through as fast as we can.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “We're getting through as fast as we can.
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading After a little he returned within hailing distance.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading Johnson vouchsafed no reply, but splashed away over the logs, examining in detail the progress of the work.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading If you want these logs pushed any faster, come down and do it yourself.”
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “Keep your shirt on,” advised Orde.
used when the person spoken to is also the object of the action
From this reading If you want these logs pushed any faster, come down and do it yourself.”
Chapter 1 of The Riverman by Stewart Edward White holds 204 sentences, grouped into 41 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 1 holds 204 sentences of The Riverman, unabridged, divided into 41 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 1 of The Riverman by Stewart Edward White exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 204 sentences, grouped into 41 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 41 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 41 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 1 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 Riverman by Stewart Edward White on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 7499 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #1099 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #1099, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 600 minutes of reading across 1500 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Riverman section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 36 chapters of The Riverman 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 Riverman, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
