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The wisdom of Father Brown
The wisdom of Father Brown

Chapter VII · Chapter 7

Chapter 7 of The wisdom of Father Brown is here in full — 179 sentences across 36 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The wisdom of Father Brown
Context Illustration Reading 1/35 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
His appearance was distinguished in exactly the same sense; it was at once conventional and unique.
Fashion could have found no fault with his high silk hat--, yet it was unlike anyone else’s hat--a little higher, perhaps, and adding something to his natural height.
His tall, slender figure had a slight stoop yet it looked the reverse of feeble.
His hair was silver-grey, but he did not look old; it was worn longer than the common yet he did not look effeminate; it was curly but it did not look curled.
His carefully pointed beard made him look more manly and militant than otherwise, as it does in those old admirals of Velazquez with whose dark portraits his house was hung.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The wisdom of Father Brown

Chapter VII · Chapter 7

Chapter 7 of The wisdom of Father Brown is here in full — 179 sentences across 36 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/35 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
His appearance wasdistinguishedin exactly the same sense; it was at once conventional and unique.
Line 2
Fashion could have found no fault with his high silk hat--, yet it was unlike anyone else’s hat--a little higher, perhaps, and adding something to his natural height.
Line 3
His tall, slender figure had a slight stoop yet it looked the reverse of feeble.
Line 4
His hair was silver-grey, but he did not look old; it was worn longer than the common yet he did not look effeminate; it was curly but it did not look curled.
Line 5
His carefully pointed beard made him look more manly and militant than otherwise, as it does in those old admirals of Velazquez with whose dark portraits his house was hung.

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.

Same adjective US /seɪm/

Identical; not different.

From this reading “His appearance was “distinguished” in exactly the same sense; it was at once conventional and unique.”

Worn verb US /wɔːrn/

Damaged or thinned by continuous use.

From this reading “His hair was silver-grey, but he did not look old; it was worn longer than the common yet he did not look effeminate; it was curly but it did not look curled.”

All words in this reading · 82

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.

a

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

From this reading Fashion could have found no fault with his high silk hat--, yet it was unlike anyone else’s hat--a little higher, perhaps, and adding something to his natural height.

adding

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

From this reading Fashion could have found no fault with his high silk hat--, yet it was unlike anyone else’s hat--a little higher, perhaps, and adding something to his natural height.

admirals

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

From this reading His carefully pointed beard made him look more manly and militant than otherwise, as it does in those old admirals of Velazquez with whose dark portraits his house was hung.

and

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

From this reading His appearance was “distinguished” in exactly the same sense; it was at once conventional and unique.

anyone

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

From this reading Fashion could have found no fault with his high silk hat--, yet it was unlike anyone else’s hat--a little higher, perhaps, and adding something to his natural height.

appearance

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

From this reading His appearance was “distinguished” in exactly the same sense; it was at once conventional and unique.

as

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

From this reading His carefully pointed beard made him look more manly and militant than otherwise, as it does in those old admirals of Velazquez with whose dark portraits his house was hung.

at

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

From this reading His appearance was “distinguished” in exactly the same sense; it was at once conventional and unique.

beard

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

From this reading His carefully pointed beard made him look more manly and militant than otherwise, as it does in those old admirals of Velazquez with whose dark portraits his house was hung.

but

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

From this reading His hair was silver-grey, but he did not look old; it was worn longer than the common yet he did not look effeminate; it was curly but it did not look curled.

carefully

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

From this reading His carefully pointed beard made him look more manly and militant than otherwise, as it does in those old admirals of Velazquez with whose dark portraits his house was hung.

common

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

From this reading His hair was silver-grey, but he did not look old; it was worn longer than the common yet he did not look effeminate; it was curly but it did not look curled.

conventional

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

From this reading His appearance was “distinguished” in exactly the same sense; it was at once conventional and unique.

could

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

From this reading Fashion could have found no fault with his high silk hat--, yet it was unlike anyone else’s hat--a little higher, perhaps, and adding something to his natural height.

curled

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

From this reading His hair was silver-grey, but he did not look old; it was worn longer than the common yet he did not look effeminate; it was curly but it did not look curled.

curly

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

From this reading His hair was silver-grey, but he did not look old; it was worn longer than the common yet he did not look effeminate; it was curly but it did not look curled.

dark

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

From this reading His carefully pointed beard made him look more manly and militant than otherwise, as it does in those old admirals of Velazquez with whose dark portraits his house was hung.

did

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

From this reading His hair was silver-grey, but he did not look old; it was worn longer than the common yet he did not look effeminate; it was curly but it did not look curled.

distinguished

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

From this reading His appearance was “distinguished” in exactly the same sense; it was at once conventional and unique.

does

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

From this reading His carefully pointed beard made him look more manly and militant than otherwise, as it does in those old admirals of Velazquez with whose dark portraits his house was hung.

effeminate

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

From this reading His hair was silver-grey, but he did not look old; it was worn longer than the common yet he did not look effeminate; it was curly but it did not look curled.

else's

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

From this reading Fashion could have found no fault with his high silk hat--, yet it was unlike anyone else’s hat--a little higher, perhaps, and adding something to his natural height.

exactly

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

From this reading His appearance was “distinguished” in exactly the same sense; it was at once conventional and unique.

Fashion

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

From this reading Fashion could have found no fault with his high silk hat--, yet it was unlike anyone else’s hat--a little higher, perhaps, and adding something to his natural height.

fault

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

From this reading Fashion could have found no fault with his high silk hat--, yet it was unlike anyone else’s hat--a little higher, perhaps, and adding something to his natural height.

feeble

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

From this reading His tall, slender figure had a slight stoop yet it looked the reverse of feeble.

figure

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

From this reading His tall, slender figure had a slight stoop yet it looked the reverse of feeble.

found

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

From this reading Fashion could have found no fault with his high silk hat--, yet it was unlike anyone else’s hat--a little higher, perhaps, and adding something to his natural height.

had

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

From this reading His tall, slender figure had a slight stoop yet it looked the reverse of feeble.

hair

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

From this reading His hair was silver-grey, but he did not look old; it was worn longer than the common yet he did not look effeminate; it was curly but it did not look curled.

hat

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

From this reading Fashion could have found no fault with his high silk hat--, yet it was unlike anyone else’s hat--a little higher, perhaps, and adding something to his natural height.

have

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

From this reading Fashion could have found no fault with his high silk hat--, yet it was unlike anyone else’s hat--a little higher, perhaps, and adding something to his natural height.

he

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

From this reading His hair was silver-grey, but he did not look old; it was worn longer than the common yet he did not look effeminate; it was curly but it did not look curled.

height

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

From this reading Fashion could have found no fault with his high silk hat--, yet it was unlike anyone else’s hat--a little higher, perhaps, and adding something to his natural height.

high

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

From this reading Fashion could have found no fault with his high silk hat--, yet it was unlike anyone else’s hat--a little higher, perhaps, and adding something to his natural height.

higher

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

From this reading Fashion could have found no fault with his high silk hat--, yet it was unlike anyone else’s hat--a little higher, perhaps, and adding something to his natural height.

him

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

From this reading His carefully pointed beard made him look more manly and militant than otherwise, as it does in those old admirals of Velazquez with whose dark portraits his house was hung.

His

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

From this reading His appearance was “distinguished” in exactly the same sense; it was at once conventional and unique.

house

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

From this reading His carefully pointed beard made him look more manly and militant than otherwise, as it does in those old admirals of Velazquez with whose dark portraits his house was hung.

hung

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

From this reading His carefully pointed beard made him look more manly and militant than otherwise, as it does in those old admirals of Velazquez with whose dark portraits his house was hung.

in

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

From this reading His appearance was “distinguished” in exactly the same sense; it was at once conventional and unique.

it

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

From this reading His appearance was “distinguished” in exactly the same sense; it was at once conventional and unique.

little

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

From this reading Fashion could have found no fault with his high silk hat--, yet it was unlike anyone else’s hat--a little higher, perhaps, and adding something to his natural height.

longer

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

From this reading His hair was silver-grey, but he did not look old; it was worn longer than the common yet he did not look effeminate; it was curly but it did not look curled.

look

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

From this reading His hair was silver-grey, but he did not look old; it was worn longer than the common yet he did not look effeminate; it was curly but it did not look curled.

looked

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

From this reading His tall, slender figure had a slight stoop yet it looked the reverse of feeble.

made

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

From this reading His carefully pointed beard made him look more manly and militant than otherwise, as it does in those old admirals of Velazquez with whose dark portraits his house was hung.

manly

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

From this reading His carefully pointed beard made him look more manly and militant than otherwise, as it does in those old admirals of Velazquez with whose dark portraits his house was hung.

militant

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

From this reading His carefully pointed beard made him look more manly and militant than otherwise, as it does in those old admirals of Velazquez with whose dark portraits his house was hung.

more

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

From this reading His carefully pointed beard made him look more manly and militant than otherwise, as it does in those old admirals of Velazquez with whose dark portraits his house was hung.

natural

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

From this reading Fashion could have found no fault with his high silk hat--, yet it was unlike anyone else’s hat--a little higher, perhaps, and adding something to his natural height.

no

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

From this reading Fashion could have found no fault with his high silk hat--, yet it was unlike anyone else’s hat--a little higher, perhaps, and adding something to his natural height.

not

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

From this reading His hair was silver-grey, but he did not look old; it was worn longer than the common yet he did not look effeminate; it was curly but it did not look curled.

of

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

From this reading His tall, slender figure had a slight stoop yet it looked the reverse of feeble.

old

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

From this reading His hair was silver-grey, but he did not look old; it was worn longer than the common yet he did not look effeminate; it was curly but it did not look curled.

once

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

From this reading His appearance was “distinguished” in exactly the same sense; it was at once conventional and unique.

otherwise

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

From this reading His carefully pointed beard made him look more manly and militant than otherwise, as it does in those old admirals of Velazquez with whose dark portraits his house was hung.

perhaps

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

From this reading Fashion could have found no fault with his high silk hat--, yet it was unlike anyone else’s hat--a little higher, perhaps, and adding something to his natural height.

pointed

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

From this reading His carefully pointed beard made him look more manly and militant than otherwise, as it does in those old admirals of Velazquez with whose dark portraits his house was hung.

portraits

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

From this reading His carefully pointed beard made him look more manly and militant than otherwise, as it does in those old admirals of Velazquez with whose dark portraits his house was hung.

reverse

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

From this reading His tall, slender figure had a slight stoop yet it looked the reverse of feeble.

sameadjectiveUS /seɪm/

Identical; not different.

From this reading His appearance was “distinguished” in exactly the same sense; it was at once conventional and unique.

sense

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

From this reading His appearance was “distinguished” in exactly the same sense; it was at once conventional and unique.

silk

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

From this reading Fashion could have found no fault with his high silk hat--, yet it was unlike anyone else’s hat--a little higher, perhaps, and adding something to his natural height.

silver-grey

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

From this reading His hair was silver-grey, but he did not look old; it was worn longer than the common yet he did not look effeminate; it was curly but it did not look curled.

slender

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

From this reading His tall, slender figure had a slight stoop yet it looked the reverse of feeble.

slight

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

From this reading His tall, slender figure had a slight stoop yet it looked the reverse of feeble.

something

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

From this reading Fashion could have found no fault with his high silk hat--, yet it was unlike anyone else’s hat--a little higher, perhaps, and adding something to his natural height.

stoop

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

From this reading His tall, slender figure had a slight stoop yet it looked the reverse of feeble.

tall

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

From this reading His tall, slender figure had a slight stoop yet it looked the reverse of feeble.

than

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

From this reading His hair was silver-grey, but he did not look old; it was worn longer than the common yet he did not look effeminate; it was curly but it did not look curled.

the

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

From this reading His appearance was “distinguished” in exactly the same sense; it was at once conventional and unique.

those

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

From this reading His carefully pointed beard made him look more manly and militant than otherwise, as it does in those old admirals of Velazquez with whose dark portraits his house was hung.

to

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

From this reading Fashion could have found no fault with his high silk hat--, yet it was unlike anyone else’s hat--a little higher, perhaps, and adding something to his natural height.

unique

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

From this reading His appearance was “distinguished” in exactly the same sense; it was at once conventional and unique.

unlike

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

From this reading Fashion could have found no fault with his high silk hat--, yet it was unlike anyone else’s hat--a little higher, perhaps, and adding something to his natural height.

Velazquez

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

From this reading His carefully pointed beard made him look more manly and militant than otherwise, as it does in those old admirals of Velazquez with whose dark portraits his house was hung.

was

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

From this reading His appearance was “distinguished” in exactly the same sense; it was at once conventional and unique.

whose

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

From this reading His carefully pointed beard made him look more manly and militant than otherwise, as it does in those old admirals of Velazquez with whose dark portraits his house was hung.

with

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

From this reading Fashion could have found no fault with his high silk hat--, yet it was unlike anyone else’s hat--a little higher, perhaps, and adding something to his natural height.

wornverbUS /wɔːrn/

Damaged or thinned by continuous use.

From this reading His hair was silver-grey, but he did not look old; it was worn longer than the common yet he did not look effeminate; it was curly but it did not look curled.

yet

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

From this reading Fashion could have found no fault with his high silk hat--, yet it was unlike anyone else’s hat--a little higher, perhaps, and adding something to his natural height.

Chapter 7 of The wisdom of Father Brown by G. K. (Gilbert Keith) Chesterton holds 179 sentences, grouped into 36 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, 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 7 of The wisdom of Father Brown contain?

Chapter 7 holds 179 sentences of The wisdom of Father Brown, unabridged, divided into 36 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 7 of The wisdom of Father Brown by G. K. (Gilbert Keith) Chesterton exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 179 sentences, grouped into 36 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 7 of The wisdom of Father Brown?

Work through the 36 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 36 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 7 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 7 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 wisdom of Father Brown

Common questions about reading The wisdom of Father Brown by G. K. (Gilbert Keith) Chesterton on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The wisdom of Father Brown?

Yes. All 3580 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #223 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The wisdom of Father Brown is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #223, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The wisdom of Father Brown take to read?

About 298 minutes of reading across 716 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The wisdom of Father Brown section by section

How to work through The wisdom of Father Brown section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 21 chapters of The wisdom of Father Brown 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 wisdom of Father Brown

Words and structures a reader meets early in The wisdom of Father Brown, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Absence
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The wisdom of Father Brown; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Glass
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The wisdom of Father Brown; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Paradise
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The wisdom of Father Brown; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Thieves
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The wisdom of Father Brown; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.