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The Three Clerks
The Three Clerks

Chapter III · Chapter 3

Chapter 3 of The Three Clerks is here in full — 211 sentences across 43 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/42 · 5 lines
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CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.
His earliest years were spent in cruising among the West Indies; he then came home and spent some considerable portion of his life in idleness--if that time can be said to have been idly spent which he devoted to torturing the Admiralty with applications, remonstrances, and appeals.
Then he was rated as third lieutenant on the books of some worm-eaten old man-of-war at Portsmouth, and gave up his time to looking after the stowage of anchors, and counting fathoms of rope.
At last he was again sent afloat as senior lieutenant in a ten-gun brig, and cruised for some time off the coast of Africa, hunting for slavers; and returning after a while from this enterprising employment, he received a sort of amphibious appointment at Devonport.
What his duties were here, the author, being in all points a landsman, is unable to describe.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Three Clerks

Chapter III · Chapter 3

Chapter 3 of The Three Clerks is here in full — 211 sentences across 43 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/42 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.
Line 2
His earliest years were spent in cruising among the West Indies; he then came home and spent some considerable portion of his life in idleness--if that time can be said to have been idly spent which he devoted to torturing the Admiralty with applications, remonstrances, and appeals.
Line 3
Then he was rated as third lieutenant on the books of some worm-eaten old man-of-war at Portsmouth, and gave up his time to looking after the stowage of anchors, and counting fathoms of rope.
Line 4
At last he was again sent afloat as senior lieutenant in a ten-gun brig, and cruised for some time off the coast of Africa, hunting for slavers; and returning after a while from this enterprising employment, he received a sort of amphibious appointment at Devonport.
Line 5
What his duties were here, the author, being in all points a landsman, is unable to describe.
/wʌt hɪz ˈduːtiz wɜːr hiːr ðə ˈɔːθər ˈbiːɪŋ ɪn ɔːl pɔɪnts ə ˈlændzmən ɪz əˈneɪbəl tuː dɪˈskraɪb/

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.

amphibious adjective US /æmˈfɪbiəs/

relating to or characteristic of animals of the class Amphibia

From this reading “At last he was again sent afloat as senior lieutenant in a ten-gun brig, and cruised for some time off the coast of Africa, hunting for slavers; and returning after a while from this enterprising employment, he received a sort of amphibious appointment at Devonport.”

applications noun US /ˌæpləˈkeɪʃənz/

plural of “application” — the act of bringing something to bear; using it for a particular purpose

From this reading “His earliest years were spent in cruising among the West Indies; he then came home and spent some considerable portion of his life in idleness--if that time can be said to have been idly spent which he devoted to torturing the Admiralty with applications, remonstrances, and appeals.”

Baltic noun US /ˈbɔːltɪk/

a sea in northern Europe; stronghold of the Russian navy

From this reading “CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.”

bombarding verb US /bɑːmˈbɑːrdɪŋ/

-ing form of “bombard” — cast, hurl, or throw repeatedly with some missile

From this reading “CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.”

cruised verb US /kruːzd/

past form of “cruise” — drive around aimlessly but ostentatiously and at leisure

From this reading “At last he was again sent afloat as senior lieutenant in a ten-gun brig, and cruised for some time off the coast of Africa, hunting for slavers; and returning after a while from this enterprising employment, he received a sort of amphibious appointment at Devonport.”

cruising verb US /ˈkruːzɪŋ/

-ing form of “cruise” — drive around aimlessly but ostentatiously and at leisure

From this reading “His earliest years were spent in cruising among the West Indies; he then came home and spent some considerable portion of his life in idleness--if that time can be said to have been idly spent which he devoted to torturing the Admiralty with applications, remonstrances, and appeals.”

landsman noun US /ˈlændzmən/

a person who lives and works on land

From this reading “What his duties were here, the author, being in all points a landsman, is unable to describe.”

rated verb US /ˈreɪtɪd/

past form of “rate” — assign a rank or rating to

From this reading “Then he was rated as third lieutenant on the books of some worm-eaten old man-of-war at Portsmouth, and gave up his time to looking after the stowage of anchors, and counting fathoms of rope.”

All words in this reading · 153

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 CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

AcrenounUS /ˈeɪkər/

a unit of area (4840 square yards) used in English-speaking countries

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

AdmiraltynounUS /ˈædmərəlti/

the department in charge of the navy (as in Great Britain)

From this reading His earliest years were spent in cruising among the West Indies; he then came home and spent some considerable portion of his life in idleness--if that time can be said to have been idly spent which he devoted to torturing the Admiralty with applications, remonstrances, and appeals.

affairsnounUS /əˈferz/

matters of personal concern

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

afloatadjectiveUS /əˈfloʊt/

aimlessly drifting

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

AfricanounUS /ˈæfrəkɑː/

the second largest continent; located to the south of Europe and bordered to the west by the South Atlantic and to the east by the Indian Ocean

From this reading At last he was again sent afloat as senior lieutenant in a ten-gun brig, and cruised for some time off the coast of Africa, hunting for slavers; and returning after a while from this enterprising employment, he received a sort of amphibious appointment at Devonport.

afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading Then he was rated as third lieutenant on the books of some worm-eaten old man-of-war at Portsmouth, and gave up his time to looking after the stowage of anchors, and counting fathoms of rope.

againadverbUS /əˈɡen/

anew

From this reading At last he was again sent afloat as senior lieutenant in a ten-gun brig, and cruised for some time off the coast of Africa, hunting for slavers; and returning after a while from this enterprising employment, he received a sort of amphibious appointment at Devonport.

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 What his duties were here, the author, being in all points a landsman, is unable to describe.

ambitionnounUS /æmˈbɪʃən/

a cherished desire

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/

surrounded by; in the middle of a group

From this reading His earliest years were spent in cruising among the West Indies; he then came home and spent some considerable portion of his life in idleness--if that time can be said to have been idly spent which he devoted to torturing the Admiralty with applications, remonstrances, and appeals.

amphibiousadjectiveUS /æmˈfɪbiəs/

relating to or characteristic of animals of the class Amphibia

From this reading At last he was again sent afloat as senior lieutenant in a ten-gun brig, and cruised for some time off the coast of Africa, hunting for slavers; and returning after a while from this enterprising employment, he received a sort of amphibious appointment at Devonport.

anchorsnounUS /ˈæŋkərz/

plural of “anchor” — a mechanical device that prevents a vessel from moving

From this reading Then he was rated as third lieutenant on the books of some worm-eaten old man-of-war at Portsmouth, and gave up his time to looking after the stowage of anchors, and counting fathoms of rope.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

appealsnounUS /əˈpiːlz/

plural of “appeal” — earnest or urgent request

From this reading His earliest years were spent in cruising among the West Indies; he then came home and spent some considerable portion of his life in idleness--if that time can be said to have been idly spent which he devoted to torturing the Admiralty with applications, remonstrances, and appeals.

applicationsnounUS /ˌæpləˈkeɪʃənz/

plural of “application” — the act of bringing something to bear; using it for a particular purpose

From this reading His earliest years were spent in cruising among the West Indies; he then came home and spent some considerable portion of his life in idleness--if that time can be said to have been idly spent which he devoted to torturing the Admiralty with applications, remonstrances, and appeals.

appointmentnounUS /əˈpɔɪntmənt/

the act of putting a person into a non-elective position

From this reading At last he was again sent afloat as senior lieutenant in a ten-gun brig, and cruised for some time off the coast of Africa, hunting for slavers; and returning after a while from this enterprising employment, he received a sort of amphibious appointment at Devonport.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

authornounUS /ˈɔːθər/

writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay)

From this reading What his duties were here, the author, being in all points a landsman, is unable to describe.

BalticnounUS /ˈbɔːltɪk/

a sea in northern Europe; stronghold of the Russian navy

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

battlenounUS /ˈbætəl/

a hostile meeting of opposing military forces in the course of a war

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading His earliest years were spent in cruising among the West Indies; he then came home and spent some considerable portion of his life in idleness--if that time can be said to have been idly spent which he devoted to torturing the Admiralty with applications, remonstrances, and appeals.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading What his duties were here, the author, being in all points a landsman, is unable to describe.

bombardingverbUS /bɑːmˈbɑːrdɪŋ/

-ing form of “bombard” — cast, hurl, or throw repeatedly with some missile

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

booksnounUS /bʊks/

Bound written or printed works.

From this reading Then he was rated as third lieutenant on the books of some worm-eaten old man-of-war at Portsmouth, and gave up his time to looking after the stowage of anchors, and counting fathoms of rope.

brignounUS /brɪɡ/

two-masted sailing vessel square-rigged on both masts

From this reading At last he was again sent afloat as senior lieutenant in a ten-gun brig, and cruised for some time off the coast of Africa, hunting for slavers; and returning after a while from this enterprising employment, he received a sort of amphibious appointment at Devonport.

BritishnounUS /ˈbrɪtɪʃ/

the people of Great Britain

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

cameverbUS /keɪm/

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

campaignnounUS /kæmˈpeɪn/

a race between candidates for elective office

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

canmodal verbUS /kæn/

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading His earliest years were spent in cruising among the West Indies; he then came home and spent some considerable portion of his life in idleness--if that time can be said to have been idly spent which he devoted to torturing the Admiralty with applications, remonstrances, and appeals.

CAPTAINnounUS /ˈkæptən/

an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

coastnounUS /koʊst/

the shore of a sea or ocean

From this reading At last he was again sent afloat as senior lieutenant in a ten-gun brig, and cruised for some time off the coast of Africa, hunting for slavers; and returning after a while from this enterprising employment, he received a sort of amphibious appointment at Devonport.

concernedadjectiveUS /kənˈsɜːrnd/

feeling or showing worry or solicitude

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

considerableadjectiveUS /kənˈsɪdərəbəl/

large or relatively large in number or amount or extent or degree

From this reading His earliest years were spent in cruising among the West Indies; he then came home and spent some considerable portion of his life in idleness--if that time can be said to have been idly spent which he devoted to torturing the Admiralty with applications, remonstrances, and appeals.

countingnounUS /ˈkaʊntɪŋ/

the act of counting; reciting numbers in ascending order

From this reading Then he was rated as third lieutenant on the books of some worm-eaten old man-of-war at Portsmouth, and gave up his time to looking after the stowage of anchors, and counting fathoms of rope.

cruisedverbUS /kruːzd/

past form of “cruise” — drive around aimlessly but ostentatiously and at leisure

From this reading At last he was again sent afloat as senior lieutenant in a ten-gun brig, and cruised for some time off the coast of Africa, hunting for slavers; and returning after a while from this enterprising employment, he received a sort of amphibious appointment at Devonport.

cruisingverbUS /ˈkruːzɪŋ/

-ing form of “cruise” — drive around aimlessly but ostentatiously and at leisure

From this reading His earliest years were spent in cruising among the West Indies; he then came home and spent some considerable portion of his life in idleness--if that time can be said to have been idly spent which he devoted to torturing the Admiralty with applications, remonstrances, and appeals.

CUTTWATER

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

describeverbUS /dɪˈskraɪb/

give a description of

From this reading What his duties were here, the author, being in all points a landsman, is unable to describe.

Devonport

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading At last he was again sent afloat as senior lieutenant in a ten-gun brig, and cruised for some time off the coast of Africa, hunting for slavers; and returning after a while from this enterprising employment, he received a sort of amphibious appointment at Devonport.

devotedadjectiveUS /dɪˈvoʊtɪd/

zealous in devotion or affection

From this reading His earliest years were spent in cruising among the West Indies; he then came home and spent some considerable portion of his life in idleness--if that time can be said to have been idly spent which he devoted to torturing the Admiralty with applications, remonstrances, and appeals.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

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

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

distinguishedadjectiveUS /dɪˈstɪŋɡwɪʃt/

(used of persons) standing above others in character or attainment or reputation

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

distinguishingverbUS /dɪˈstɪŋɡwɪʃɪŋ/

-ing form of “distinguish” — mark as different

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

doubtlessadverbUS /ˈdaʊtləs/

without doubt; certainly

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

dutiesnounUS /ˈduːtiz/

plural of “duty” — the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force

From this reading What his duties were here, the author, being in all points a landsman, is unable to describe.

earliestadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrliəst/

(comparative and superlative of “early”) more early than; most early

From this reading His earliest years were spent in cruising among the West Indies; he then came home and spent some considerable portion of his life in idleness--if that time can be said to have been idly spent which he devoted to torturing the Admiralty with applications, remonstrances, and appeals.

eitherdeterminerUS /ˈiːðər/

one or the other of two

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

employmentnounUS /emˈplɔɪmənt/

the state of being employed or having a job

From this reading At last he was again sent afloat as senior lieutenant in a ten-gun brig, and cruised for some time off the coast of Africa, hunting for slavers; and returning after a while from this enterprising employment, he received a sort of amphibious appointment at Devonport.

enterprisingadjectiveUS /ˈentərpraɪzɪŋ/

marked by imagination, initiative, and readiness to undertake new projects

From this reading At last he was again sent afloat as senior lieutenant in a ten-gun brig, and cruised for some time off the coast of Africa, hunting for slavers; and returning after a while from this enterprising employment, he received a sort of amphibious appointment at Devonport.

evenadjectiveUS /ˈiːvɪn/

divisible by two

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

fathomsnounUS /ˈfæðəmz/

plural of “fathom” — a linear unit of measurement (equal to 6 feet) for water depth

From this reading Then he was rated as third lieutenant on the books of some worm-eaten old man-of-war at Portsmouth, and gave up his time to looking after the stowage of anchors, and counting fathoms of rope.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading At last he was again sent afloat as senior lieutenant in a ten-gun brig, and cruised for some time off the coast of Africa, hunting for slavers; and returning after a while from this enterprising employment, he received a sort of amphibious appointment at Devonport.

gaveverbUS /ɡeɪv/

inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

glorynounUS /ˈɡlɔːri/

a state of high honor

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

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

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

halonounUS /ˈheɪloʊ/

an indication of radiant light drawn around the head of a saint

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

hereadverbUS /hiːr/

in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is

From this reading What his duties were here, the author, being in all points a landsman, is unable to describe.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

homenounUS /hoʊm/

where you live at a particular time

From this reading His earliest years were spent in cruising among the West Indies; he then came home and spent some considerable portion of his life in idleness--if that time can be said to have been idly spent which he devoted to torturing the Admiralty with applications, remonstrances, and appeals.

huntingnounUS /ˈhʌntɪŋ/

the pursuit and killing or capture of wild animals regarded as a sport

From this reading At last he was again sent afloat as senior lieutenant in a ten-gun brig, and cruised for some time off the coast of Africa, hunting for slavers; and returning after a while from this enterprising employment, he received a sort of amphibious appointment at Devonport.

idlenessnounUS /ˈaɪdəlnəs/

having no employment

From this reading His earliest years were spent in cruising among the West Indies; he then came home and spent some considerable portion of his life in idleness--if that time can be said to have been idly spent which he devoted to torturing the Admiralty with applications, remonstrances, and appeals.

idlyadverbUS /ˈaɪdli/

in an idle manner

From this reading His earliest years were spent in cruising among the West Indies; he then came home and spent some considerable portion of his life in idleness--if that time can be said to have been idly spent which he devoted to torturing the Admiralty with applications, remonstrances, and appeals.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading His earliest years were spent in cruising among the West Indies; he then came home and spent some considerable portion of his life in idleness--if that time can be said to have been idly spent which he devoted to torturing the Admiralty with applications, remonstrances, and appeals.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

IndiesnounUS /ˈɪndiz/

plural of “indie” — a pop group not affiliated with a major record company

From this reading His earliest years were spent in cruising among the West Indies; he then came home and spent some considerable portion of his life in idleness--if that time can be said to have been idly spent which he devoted to torturing the Admiralty with applications, remonstrances, and appeals.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

landsmannounUS /ˈlændzmən/

a person who lives and works on land

From this reading What his duties were here, the author, being in all points a landsman, is unable to describe.

lastadjectiveUS /læst/

immediately past

From this reading At last he was again sent afloat as senior lieutenant in a ten-gun brig, and cruised for some time off the coast of Africa, hunting for slavers; and returning after a while from this enterprising employment, he received a sort of amphibious appointment at Devonport.

lieutenantnounUS /luːˈtenənt/

a commissioned military officer

From this reading Then he was rated as third lieutenant on the books of some worm-eaten old man-of-war at Portsmouth, and gave up his time to looking after the stowage of anchors, and counting fathoms of rope.

lifenounUS /laɪf/

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading His earliest years were spent in cruising among the West Indies; he then came home and spent some considerable portion of his life in idleness--if that time can be said to have been idly spent which he devoted to torturing the Admiralty with applications, remonstrances, and appeals.

LionnounUS /ˈlaɪən/

large gregarious predatory feline of Africa and India having a tawny coat with a shaggy mane in the male

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

lookingnounUS /ˈlʊkɪŋ/

the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually

From this reading Then he was rated as third lieutenant on the books of some worm-eaten old man-of-war at Portsmouth, and gave up his time to looking after the stowage of anchors, and counting fathoms of rope.

man-of-warnoun

a warship intended for combat

From this reading Then he was rated as third lieutenant on the books of some worm-eaten old man-of-war at Portsmouth, and gave up his time to looking after the stowage of anchors, and counting fathoms of rope.

manyadjectiveUS /ˈmeni/

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

minoradjectiveUS /ˈmaɪnər/

of lesser importance or stature or rank

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

muchadverbUS /mʌtʃ/

to a great degree or extent

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

Navarinonoun

a decisive naval battle in the War of Greek Independence (1827); the Turkish and Egyptian fleet was defeated by an allied fleet of British and French and Russian warships

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

NelsonnounUS /ˈnelsən/

English admiral who defeated the French fleets of Napoleon but was mortally wounded at Trafalgar (1758-1805)

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

norconjunctionUS /nɔːr/

and not; used after a negative to add a second negative

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

occurredverbUS /əˈkɜːrd/

inflected form of “occur” — come to pass

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

offadverbUS /ɔːf/

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

From this reading At last he was again sent afloat as senior lieutenant in a ten-gun brig, and cruised for some time off the coast of Africa, hunting for slavers; and returning after a while from this enterprising employment, he received a sort of amphibious appointment at Devonport.

oldadjectiveUS /oʊld/

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading Then he was rated as third lieutenant on the books of some worm-eaten old man-of-war at Portsmouth, and gave up his time to looking after the stowage of anchors, and counting fathoms of rope.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Then he was rated as third lieutenant on the books of some worm-eaten old man-of-war at Portsmouth, and gave up his time to looking after the stowage of anchors, and counting fathoms of rope.

opportunitynounUS /ˌɑːpərˈtuːnəti/

a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

others

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

partnounUS /pɑːrt/

something determined in relation to something that includes it

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

periodnounUS /ˈpɪriəd/

an amount of time

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

permittedverbUS /pərˈmɪtɪd/

inflected form of “permit” — consent to, give permission

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

personallyadverbUS /ˈpɜːrsənəli/

as yourself

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

pointsnounUS /pɔɪnts/

plural of “point” — a geometric element that has position but no extension

From this reading What his duties were here, the author, being in all points a landsman, is unable to describe.

portionnounUS /ˈpɔːrʃən/

something determined in relation to something that includes it

From this reading His earliest years were spent in cruising among the West Indies; he then came home and spent some considerable portion of his life in idleness--if that time can be said to have been idly spent which he devoted to torturing the Admiralty with applications, remonstrances, and appeals.

PortsmouthnounUS /ˈpɔːrtsməθ/

a port city in southeastern Virginia on the Elizabeth River opposite Norfolk; naval base; shipyards

From this reading Then he was rated as third lieutenant on the books of some worm-eaten old man-of-war at Portsmouth, and gave up his time to looking after the stowage of anchors, and counting fathoms of rope.

prominentadjectiveUS /ˈprɑːmənənt/

having a quality that thrusts itself into attention

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

ratedverbUS /ˈreɪtɪd/

past form of “rate” — assign a rank or rating to

From this reading Then he was rated as third lieutenant on the books of some worm-eaten old man-of-war at Portsmouth, and gave up his time to looking after the stowage of anchors, and counting fathoms of rope.

receivedadjectiveUS /rəˈsiːvd/

conforming to the established language usage of educated native speakers

From this reading At last he was again sent afloat as senior lieutenant in a ten-gun brig, and cruised for some time off the coast of Africa, hunting for slavers; and returning after a while from this enterprising employment, he received a sort of amphibious appointment at Devonport.

remonstrances

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading His earliest years were spent in cruising among the West Indies; he then came home and spent some considerable portion of his life in idleness--if that time can be said to have been idly spent which he devoted to torturing the Admiralty with applications, remonstrances, and appeals.

retirementnounUS /riˈtaɪərmənt/

the state of being retired from one's business or occupation

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

returningadjectiveUS /rɪˈtɜːrnɪŋ/

tending to return to an earlier state

From this reading At last he was again sent afloat as senior lieutenant in a ten-gun brig, and cruised for some time off the coast of Africa, hunting for slavers; and returning after a while from this enterprising employment, he received a sort of amphibious appointment at Devonport.

ropenounUS /roʊp/

a strong line

From this reading Then he was rated as third lieutenant on the books of some worm-eaten old man-of-war at Portsmouth, and gave up his time to looking after the stowage of anchors, and counting fathoms of rope.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading His earliest years were spent in cruising among the West Indies; he then came home and spent some considerable portion of his life in idleness--if that time can be said to have been idly spent which he devoted to torturing the Admiralty with applications, remonstrances, and appeals.

sea-engagements

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

seenverbUS /siːn/

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

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

senioradjectiveUS /ˈsiːnjər/

older; higher in rank; longer in length of tenure or service

From this reading At last he was again sent afloat as senior lieutenant in a ten-gun brig, and cruised for some time off the coast of Africa, hunting for slavers; and returning after a while from this enterprising employment, he received a sort of amphibious appointment at Devonport.

sentnounUS /sent/

100 senti equal 1 kroon in Estonia

From this reading At last he was again sent afloat as senior lieutenant in a ten-gun brig, and cruised for some time off the coast of Africa, hunting for slavers; and returning after a while from this enterprising employment, he received a sort of amphibious appointment at Devonport.

servicenounUS /ˈsɜːrvəs/

work done by one person or group that benefits another

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/

from a time in the past until now

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

slavers

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading At last he was again sent afloat as senior lieutenant in a ten-gun brig, and cruised for some time off the coast of Africa, hunting for slavers; and returning after a while from this enterprising employment, he received a sort of amphibious appointment at Devonport.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

someadjectiveUS /sʌm/

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading His earliest years were spent in cruising among the West Indies; he then came home and spent some considerable portion of his life in idleness--if that time can be said to have been idly spent which he devoted to torturing the Admiralty with applications, remonstrances, and appeals.

sortnounUS /sɔːrt/

a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality

From this reading At last he was again sent afloat as senior lieutenant in a ten-gun brig, and cruised for some time off the coast of Africa, hunting for slavers; and returning after a while from this enterprising employment, he received a sort of amphibious appointment at Devonport.

spentadjectiveUS /spent/

depleted of energy, force, or strength

From this reading His earliest years were spent in cruising among the West Indies; he then came home and spent some considerable portion of his life in idleness--if that time can be said to have been idly spent which he devoted to torturing the Admiralty with applications, remonstrances, and appeals.

stowagenoun

the charge for stowing goods

From this reading Then he was rated as third lieutenant on the books of some worm-eaten old man-of-war at Portsmouth, and gave up his time to looking after the stowage of anchors, and counting fathoms of rope.

suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

takeverbUS /teɪk/

carry out

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

ten-gun

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading At last he was again sent afloat as senior lieutenant in a ten-gun brig, and cruised for some time off the coast of Africa, hunting for slavers; and returning after a while from this enterprising employment, he received a sort of amphibious appointment at Devonport.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

thenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading His earliest years were spent in cruising among the West Indies; he then came home and spent some considerable portion of his life in idleness--if that time can be said to have been idly spent which he devoted to torturing the Admiralty with applications, remonstrances, and appeals.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

thirdnounUS /θɜːrd/

one of three equal parts of a divisible whole

From this reading Then he was rated as third lieutenant on the books of some worm-eaten old man-of-war at Portsmouth, and gave up his time to looking after the stowage of anchors, and counting fathoms of rope.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading At last he was again sent afloat as senior lieutenant in a ten-gun brig, and cruised for some time off the coast of Africa, hunting for slavers; and returning after a while from this enterprising employment, he received a sort of amphibious appointment at Devonport.

thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

torturingadjectiveUS /ˈtɔːrtʃərɪŋ/

extremely painful

From this reading His earliest years were spent in cruising among the West Indies; he then came home and spent some considerable portion of his life in idleness--if that time can be said to have been idly spent which he devoted to torturing the Admiralty with applications, remonstrances, and appeals.

unableadjectiveUS /əˈneɪbəl/

(usually followed by “to”) not having the necessary means or skill or know-how

From this reading What his duties were here, the author, being in all points a landsman, is unable to describe.

unfortunatelyadverbUS /ənˈfɔːrtʃənətli/

by bad luck

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

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

From this reading Then he was rated as third lieutenant on the books of some worm-eaten old man-of-war at Portsmouth, and gave up his time to looking after the stowage of anchors, and counting fathoms of rope.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Then he was rated as third lieutenant on the books of some worm-eaten old man-of-war at Portsmouth, and gave up his time to looking after the stowage of anchors, and counting fathoms of rope.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading His earliest years were spent in cruising among the West Indies; he then came home and spent some considerable portion of his life in idleness--if that time can be said to have been idly spent which he devoted to torturing the Admiralty with applications, remonstrances, and appeals.

WestnounUS /west/

the countries of (originally) Europe and (now including) North America and South America

From this reading His earliest years were spent in cruising among the West Indies; he then came home and spent some considerable portion of his life in idleness--if that time can be said to have been idly spent which he devoted to torturing the Admiralty with applications, remonstrances, and appeals.

WhatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading What his duties were here, the author, being in all points a landsman, is unable to describe.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/

during the time that

From this reading At last he was again sent afloat as senior lieutenant in a ten-gun brig, and cruised for some time off the coast of Africa, hunting for slavers; and returning after a while from this enterprising employment, he received a sort of amphibious appointment at Devonport.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading His earliest years were spent in cruising among the West Indies; he then came home and spent some considerable portion of his life in idleness--if that time can be said to have been idly spent which he devoted to torturing the Admiralty with applications, remonstrances, and appeals.

worm-eatenadjective

infested with or damaged (as if eaten) by worms

From this reading Then he was rated as third lieutenant on the books of some worm-eaten old man-of-war at Portsmouth, and gave up his time to looking after the stowage of anchors, and counting fathoms of rope.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading CAPTAIN CUTTWATER Captain Cuttwater had not seen much service afloat; that is, he had not been personally concerned in many of those sea-engagements which in and about the time of Nelson gave so great a halo of glory to the British Lion; nor had it even been permitted to him to take a prominent part in such minor affairs as have since occurred; he had not the opportunity of distinguishing himself either at the battle of Navarino or the bombarding of Acre; and, unfortunately for his ambition, the period of his retirement came before that great Baltic campaign, in which, had he been there, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as did so many others.

yearsnounUS /jɪrz/

a late time of life

From this reading His earliest years were spent in cruising among the West Indies; he then came home and spent some considerable portion of his life in idleness--if that time can be said to have been idly spent which he devoted to torturing the Admiralty with applications, remonstrances, and appeals.

Chapter 3 of The Three Clerks by Anthony Trollope holds 211 sentences, grouped into 43 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 3 of The Three Clerks contain?

Chapter 3 holds 211 sentences of The Three Clerks, unabridged, divided into 43 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 3 of The Three Clerks by Anthony Trollope exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 211 sentences, grouped into 43 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 3 of The Three Clerks?

Work through the 43 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 43 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 3 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 3 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 Three Clerks

Common questions about reading The Three Clerks by Anthony Trollope on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Three Clerks?

Yes. All 9676 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #7481 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Three Clerks is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #7481, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Three Clerks take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 1936 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Three Clerks section by section

How to work through The Three Clerks section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 40 chapters of The Three Clerks 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 Three Clerks

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Three Clerks, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

London
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Three Clerks; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
World
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Three Clerks; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Visitors
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Three Clerks; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Residents
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Three Clerks; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.