Chapter 23 of The Treasure of the Bucoleon is here in full — 264 sentences across 53 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XXIII
Chapter 23 of The Treasure of the Bucoleon is here in full — 264 sentences across 53 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
OUR BACKS TO THE WALL Hilmi Bey bowed us out, his smirk more tigerish than ever. It seemed to us that he had a perfect right to enjoy our departure. We felt that we had come off distinctly second-best. "Score for them," remarked Hugh, as we shook the dust of the Rue Midhat Pasha from our shoes. "We're chivvied, dished."
Chapter 23 of The Treasure of the Bucoleon is here in full — 264 sentences across 53 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/52 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.
plural of “back” — the posterior part of a human (or animal) body from the neck to the end of the spine
From this reading “OUR BACKS TO THE WALL Hilmi Bey bowed us out, his smirk more tigerish than ever.”
(formerly) a title of respect for a man in Turkey or Egypt
From this reading “OUR BACKS TO THE WALL Hilmi Bey bowed us out, his smirk more tigerish than ever.”
shaped like a dish or pan
From this reading “"We're chivvied, dished."”
clear to the mind; with distinct mental discernment
From this reading “We felt that we had come off distinctly second-best.”
a civil or military authority in Turkey or Egypt
From this reading “"Score for them," remarked Hugh, as we shook the dust of the Rue Midhat Pasha from our shoes.”
European strong-scented perennial herb with grey-green bitter-tasting leaves; an irritant similar to poison ivy
From this reading “"Score for them," remarked Hugh, as we shook the dust of the Rue Midhat Pasha from our shoes.”
a number or letter indicating quality (especially of a student's performance)
From this reading “"Score for them," remarked Hugh, as we shook the dust of the Rue Midhat Pasha from our shoes.”
smile affectedly or derisively
From this reading “OUR BACKS TO THE WALL Hilmi Bey bowed us out, his smirk more tigerish than ever.”
English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.
Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.
Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.
Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It seemed to us that he had a perfect right to enjoy our departure.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading "Score for them," remarked Hugh, as we shook the dust of the Rue Midhat Pasha from our shoes.
plural of “back” — the posterior part of a human (or animal) body from the neck to the end of the spine
From this reading OUR BACKS TO THE WALL Hilmi Bey bowed us out, his smirk more tigerish than ever.
(formerly) a title of respect for a man in Turkey or Egypt
From this reading OUR BACKS TO THE WALL Hilmi Bey bowed us out, his smirk more tigerish than ever.
of a stringed instrument; sounded by stroking with a bow
From this reading OUR BACKS TO THE WALL Hilmi Bey bowed us out, his smirk more tigerish than ever.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "We're chivvied, dished."
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading We felt that we had come off distinctly second-best.
the act of departing
From this reading It seemed to us that he had a perfect right to enjoy our departure.
shaped like a dish or pan
From this reading "We're chivvied, dished."
clear to the mind; with distinct mental discernment
From this reading We felt that we had come off distinctly second-best.
remove the dust from
From this reading "Score for them," remarked Hugh, as we shook the dust of the Rue Midhat Pasha from our shoes.
derive or receive pleasure from; get enjoyment from; take pleasure in
From this reading It seemed to us that he had a perfect right to enjoy our departure.
at any time
From this reading OUR BACKS TO THE WALL Hilmi Bey bowed us out, his smirk more tigerish than ever.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading We felt that we had come off distinctly second-best.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading "Score for them," remarked Hugh, as we shook the dust of the Rue Midhat Pasha from our shoes.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading "Score for them," remarked Hugh, as we shook the dust of the Rue Midhat Pasha from our shoes.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading It seemed to us that he had a perfect right to enjoy our departure.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It seemed to us that he had a perfect right to enjoy our departure.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading OUR BACKS TO THE WALL Hilmi Bey bowed us out, his smirk more tigerish than ever.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading OUR BACKS TO THE WALL Hilmi Bey bowed us out, his smirk more tigerish than ever.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Score for them," remarked Hugh, as we shook the dust of the Rue Midhat Pasha from our shoes.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It seemed to us that he had a perfect right to enjoy our departure.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Score for them," remarked Hugh, as we shook the dust of the Rue Midhat Pasha from our shoes.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading OUR BACKS TO THE WALL Hilmi Bey bowed us out, his smirk more tigerish than ever.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "Score for them," remarked Hugh, as we shook the dust of the Rue Midhat Pasha from our shoes.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading We felt that we had come off distinctly second-best.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading OUR BACKS TO THE WALL Hilmi Bey bowed us out, his smirk more tigerish than ever.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading OUR BACKS TO THE WALL Hilmi Bey bowed us out, his smirk more tigerish than ever.
a civil or military authority in Turkey or Egypt
From this reading "Score for them," remarked Hugh, as we shook the dust of the Rue Midhat Pasha from our shoes.
being complete of its kind and without defect or blemish
From this reading It seemed to us that he had a perfect right to enjoy our departure.
past form of “remark” — make mention of
From this reading "Score for them," remarked Hugh, as we shook the dust of the Rue Midhat Pasha from our shoes.
precisely, exactly
From this reading It seemed to us that he had a perfect right to enjoy our departure.
European strong-scented perennial herb with grey-green bitter-tasting leaves; an irritant similar to poison ivy
From this reading "Score for them," remarked Hugh, as we shook the dust of the Rue Midhat Pasha from our shoes.
a number or letter indicating quality (especially of a student's performance)
From this reading "Score for them," remarked Hugh, as we shook the dust of the Rue Midhat Pasha from our shoes.
next to the best
From this reading We felt that we had come off distinctly second-best.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading It seemed to us that he had a perfect right to enjoy our departure.
a particular situation
From this reading "Score for them," remarked Hugh, as we shook the dust of the Rue Midhat Pasha from our shoes.
a disassembled barrel; the parts packed for storage or shipment
From this reading "Score for them," remarked Hugh, as we shook the dust of the Rue Midhat Pasha from our shoes.
smile affectedly or derisively
From this reading OUR BACKS TO THE WALL Hilmi Bey bowed us out, his smirk more tigerish than ever.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading OUR BACKS TO THE WALL Hilmi Bey bowed us out, his smirk more tigerish than ever.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It seemed to us that he had a perfect right to enjoy our departure.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading OUR BACKS TO THE WALL Hilmi Bey bowed us out, his smirk more tigerish than ever.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading "Score for them," remarked Hugh, as we shook the dust of the Rue Midhat Pasha from our shoes.
resembling a tiger in fierceness and lack of mercy
From this reading OUR BACKS TO THE WALL Hilmi Bey bowed us out, his smirk more tigerish than ever.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading OUR BACKS TO THE WALL Hilmi Bey bowed us out, his smirk more tigerish than ever.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading OUR BACKS TO THE WALL Hilmi Bey bowed us out, his smirk more tigerish than ever.
an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure
From this reading OUR BACKS TO THE WALL Hilmi Bey bowed us out, his smirk more tigerish than ever.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading We felt that we had come off distinctly second-best.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "We're chivvied, dished."
Chapter 23 of The Treasure of the Bucoleon by Arthur D. Howden (Arthur Douglas Howden) Smith holds 264 sentences, grouped into 53 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.
Chapter 23 holds 264 sentences of The Treasure of the Bucoleon, unabridged, divided into 53 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 23 of The Treasure of the Bucoleon by Arthur D. Howden (Arthur Douglas Howden) Smith exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 264 sentences, grouped into 53 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.
Work through the 53 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 53 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 23 can be played aloud in United States English.
Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.
Common questions about reading The Treasure of the Bucoleon by Arthur D. Howden (Arthur Douglas Howden) Smith on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 6827 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #63353 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #63353, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 568 minutes of reading across 1366 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Treasure of the Bucoleon section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 27 chapters of The Treasure of the Bucoleon to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in The Treasure of the Bucoleon, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
