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The Wrong Box
The Wrong Box

Chapter XIV · Chapter 14

Chapter 14 of The Wrong Box is here in full — 327 sentences across 66 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/65 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
On the morning of Sunday, William Dent Pitman rose at his usual hour, although with something more than the usual reluctance.
The day before (it should be explained) an addition had been made to his family in the person of a lodger.
Michael Finsbury had acted sponsor in the business, and guaranteed the weekly bill; on the other hand, no doubt with a spice of his prevailing jocularity, he had drawn a depressing portrait of the lodger’s character.
Mr Pitman had been led to understand his guest was not good company; he had approached the gentleman with fear, and had rejoiced to find himself the entertainer of an angel.
At tea he had been vastly pleased; till hard on one in the morning he had sat entranced by eloquence and progressively fortified with information in the studio; and now, as he reviewed over his toilet the harmless pleasures of the evening, the future smiled upon him with revived attractions.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Wrong Box

Chapter XIV · Chapter 14

Chapter 14 of The Wrong Box is here in full — 327 sentences across 66 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/65 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
On the morning of Sunday, William Dent Pitman rose at his usual hour, although with something more than the usual reluctance.
Line 2
The day before (it should be explained) an addition had been made to his family in the person of a lodger.
Line 3
Michael Finsbury had acted sponsor in the business, and guaranteed the weekly bill; on the other hand, no doubt with a spice of his prevailing jocularity, he had drawn a depressing portrait of the lodger’s character.
Line 4
Mr Pitman had been led to understand his guest was not good company; he had approached the gentleman with fear, and had rejoiced to find himself the entertainer of an angel.
/ˈmɪstər ˈpɪtmən hæd bɪn led tuː ˌʌndərˈstænd hɪz ɡest wɑːz nɑːt ɡʊd ˈkʌmpəniː hiː hæd əˈproʊtʃt ðə ˈdʒentəlmən wɪð fɪr ənd hæd rɪˈdʒɔɪst tuː faɪnd hɪmˈself ðə ˌentərˈteɪnər ʌv æn ˈeɪndʒəl/
Line 5
At tea he had been vastly pleased; till hard on one in the morning he had sat entranced by eloquence and progressively fortified with information in the studio; and now, as he reviewed over his toilet the harmless pleasures of the evening, the future smiled upon him with revived attractions.
/æt tiː hiː hæd bɪn ˈvæstli pliːzd tɪl hɑːrd ɑːn wʌn ɪn ðə ˈmɔːrnɪŋ hiː hæd sæt ɪnˈtrænst baɪ ˈel.ə.kwəns ənd prɑːˈɡresɪvli ˈfɔːrtəfaɪd wɪð ˌɪnfərˈmeɪʃən ɪn ðə ˈstuːdioʊ ənd naʊ æz hiː riˈvjuːd ˈoʊvər hɪz ˈtɔɪlət ðə ˈhɑːrmləs ˈpleʒərz ʌv ðə ˈiːvnɪŋ ðə ˈfjuːtʃər smaɪld əˈpɑːn hɪm wɪð rɪˈvaɪvd əˈtrækʃənz/

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.

Dent noun US /dent/

an appreciable consequence (especially a lessening)

From this reading “On the morning of Sunday, William Dent Pitman rose at his usual hour, although with something more than the usual reluctance.”

entertainer noun US /ˌentərˈteɪnər/

a person who tries to please or amuse

From this reading “Mr Pitman had been led to understand his guest was not good company; he had approached the gentleman with fear, and had rejoiced to find himself the entertainer of an angel.”

entranced adjective US /ɪnˈtrænst/

filled with wonder and delight

From this reading “At tea he had been vastly pleased; till hard on one in the morning he had sat entranced by eloquence and progressively fortified with information in the studio; and now, as he reviewed over his toilet the harmless pleasures of the evening, the future smiled upon him with revived attractions.”

guaranteed verb US /ˌɡerənˈtiːd/

past form of “guarantee” — give surety or assume responsibility

From this reading “Michael Finsbury had acted sponsor in the business, and guaranteed the weekly bill; on the other hand, no doubt with a spice of his prevailing jocularity, he had drawn a depressing portrait of the lodger’s character.”

Pitman noun US /ˈpɪtmən/

English educator who invented a system of phonetic shorthand (1813-1897)

From this reading “On the morning of Sunday, William Dent Pitman rose at his usual hour, although with something more than the usual reluctance.”

progressively adverb US /prɑːˈɡresɪvli/

advancing in amount or intensity

From this reading “At tea he had been vastly pleased; till hard on one in the morning he had sat entranced by eloquence and progressively fortified with information in the studio; and now, as he reviewed over his toilet the harmless pleasures of the evening, the future smiled upon him with revived attractions.”

reviewed verb US /riˈvjuːd/

past form of “review” — look at again; examine again

From this reading “At tea he had been vastly pleased; till hard on one in the morning he had sat entranced by eloquence and progressively fortified with information in the studio; and now, as he reviewed over his toilet the harmless pleasures of the evening, the future smiled upon him with revived attractions.”

sponsor verb US /ˈspɑːnsər/

assume sponsorship of

From this reading “Michael Finsbury had acted sponsor in the business, and guaranteed the weekly bill; on the other hand, no doubt with a spice of his prevailing jocularity, he had drawn a depressing portrait of the lodger’s character.”

All words in this reading · 102

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 The day before (it should be explained) an addition had been made to his family in the person of a lodger.

actedverbUS /ˈæktɪd/

past form of “act” — perform an action, or work out or perform (an action)

From this reading Michael Finsbury had acted sponsor in the business, and guaranteed the weekly bill; on the other hand, no doubt with a spice of his prevailing jocularity, he had drawn a depressing portrait of the lodger’s character.

additionnounUS /əˈdɪʃən/

a component that is added to something to improve it

From this reading The day before (it should be explained) an addition had been made to his family in the person of a lodger.

althoughconjunctionUS /ˌɔːlˈðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading On the morning of Sunday, William Dent Pitman rose at his usual hour, although with something more than the usual reluctance.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading The day before (it should be explained) an addition had been made to his family in the person of a lodger.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Michael Finsbury had acted sponsor in the business, and guaranteed the weekly bill; on the other hand, no doubt with a spice of his prevailing jocularity, he had drawn a depressing portrait of the lodger’s character.

angelnounUS /ˈeɪndʒəl/

spiritual being attendant upon God

From this reading Mr Pitman had been led to understand his guest was not good company; he had approached the gentleman with fear, and had rejoiced to find himself the entertainer of an angel.

approachedverbUS /əˈproʊtʃt/

past form of “approach” — move towards

From this reading Mr Pitman had been led to understand his guest was not good company; he had approached the gentleman with fear, and had rejoiced to find himself the entertainer of an angel.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading At tea he had been vastly pleased; till hard on one in the morning he had sat entranced by eloquence and progressively fortified with information in the studio; and now, as he reviewed over his toilet the harmless pleasures of the evening, the future smiled upon him with revived attractions.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading On the morning of Sunday, William Dent Pitman rose at his usual hour, although with something more than the usual reluctance.

attractionsnounUS /əˈtrækʃənz/

plural of “attraction” — the force by which one object attracts another

From this reading At tea he had been vastly pleased; till hard on one in the morning he had sat entranced by eloquence and progressively fortified with information in the studio; and now, as he reviewed over his toilet the harmless pleasures of the evening, the future smiled upon him with revived attractions.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading The day before (it should be explained) an addition had been made to his family in the person of a lodger.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading The day before (it should be explained) an addition had been made to his family in the person of a lodger.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading The day before (it should be explained) an addition had been made to his family in the person of a lodger.

billnounUS /bɪl/

a statute in draft before it becomes law

From this reading Michael Finsbury had acted sponsor in the business, and guaranteed the weekly bill; on the other hand, no doubt with a spice of his prevailing jocularity, he had drawn a depressing portrait of the lodger’s character.

businessnounUS /ˈbɪznəs/

a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it

From this reading Michael Finsbury had acted sponsor in the business, and guaranteed the weekly bill; on the other hand, no doubt with a spice of his prevailing jocularity, he had drawn a depressing portrait of the lodger’s character.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading At tea he had been vastly pleased; till hard on one in the morning he had sat entranced by eloquence and progressively fortified with information in the studio; and now, as he reviewed over his toilet the harmless pleasures of the evening, the future smiled upon him with revived attractions.

characternounUS /ˈkerɪktər/

an imaginary person represented in a work of fiction (play or film or story)

From this reading Michael Finsbury had acted sponsor in the business, and guaranteed the weekly bill; on the other hand, no doubt with a spice of his prevailing jocularity, he had drawn a depressing portrait of the lodger’s character.

companynounUS /ˈkʌmpəniː/

an institution created to conduct business

From this reading Mr Pitman had been led to understand his guest was not good company; he had approached the gentleman with fear, and had rejoiced to find himself the entertainer of an angel.

daynounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading The day before (it should be explained) an addition had been made to his family in the person of a lodger.

DentnounUS /dent/

an appreciable consequence (especially a lessening)

From this reading On the morning of Sunday, William Dent Pitman rose at his usual hour, although with something more than the usual reluctance.

depressingadjectiveUS /dɪˈpresɪŋ/

causing sad feelings of gloom and inadequacy

From this reading Michael Finsbury had acted sponsor in the business, and guaranteed the weekly bill; on the other hand, no doubt with a spice of his prevailing jocularity, he had drawn a depressing portrait of the lodger’s character.

doubtnounUS /daʊt/

the state of being unsure of something

From this reading Michael Finsbury had acted sponsor in the business, and guaranteed the weekly bill; on the other hand, no doubt with a spice of his prevailing jocularity, he had drawn a depressing portrait of the lodger’s character.

drawnadjectiveUS /drɔːn/

showing the wearing effects of overwork or care or suffering

From this reading Michael Finsbury had acted sponsor in the business, and guaranteed the weekly bill; on the other hand, no doubt with a spice of his prevailing jocularity, he had drawn a depressing portrait of the lodger’s character.

eloquencenounUS /ˈel.ə.kwəns/

Fluent, persuasive, and graceful speaking or writing. (Sự hùng biện, tài ăn nói lưu loát.)

From this reading At tea he had been vastly pleased; till hard on one in the morning he had sat entranced by eloquence and progressively fortified with information in the studio; and now, as he reviewed over his toilet the harmless pleasures of the evening, the future smiled upon him with revived attractions.

entertainernounUS /ˌentərˈteɪnər/

a person who tries to please or amuse

From this reading Mr Pitman had been led to understand his guest was not good company; he had approached the gentleman with fear, and had rejoiced to find himself the entertainer of an angel.

entrancedadjectiveUS /ɪnˈtrænst/

filled with wonder and delight

From this reading At tea he had been vastly pleased; till hard on one in the morning he had sat entranced by eloquence and progressively fortified with information in the studio; and now, as he reviewed over his toilet the harmless pleasures of the evening, the future smiled upon him with revived attractions.

eveningnounUS /ˈiːvnɪŋ/

the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)

From this reading At tea he had been vastly pleased; till hard on one in the morning he had sat entranced by eloquence and progressively fortified with information in the studio; and now, as he reviewed over his toilet the harmless pleasures of the evening, the future smiled upon him with revived attractions.

explainedverbUS /ɪkˈspleɪnd/

past form of “explain” — make plain and comprehensible

From this reading The day before (it should be explained) an addition had been made to his family in the person of a lodger.

familynounUS /ˈfæməli/

a social unit living together

From this reading The day before (it should be explained) an addition had been made to his family in the person of a lodger.

fearverbUS /fɪr/

be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event

From this reading Mr Pitman had been led to understand his guest was not good company; he had approached the gentleman with fear, and had rejoiced to find himself the entertainer of an angel.

findverbUS /faɪnd/

come upon, as if by accident; meet with

From this reading Mr Pitman had been led to understand his guest was not good company; he had approached the gentleman with fear, and had rejoiced to find himself the entertainer of an angel.

Finsbury

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

From this reading Michael Finsbury had acted sponsor in the business, and guaranteed the weekly bill; on the other hand, no doubt with a spice of his prevailing jocularity, he had drawn a depressing portrait of the lodger’s character.

fortifiedadjectiveUS /ˈfɔːrtəfaɪd/

secured with bastions or fortifications

From this reading At tea he had been vastly pleased; till hard on one in the morning he had sat entranced by eloquence and progressively fortified with information in the studio; and now, as he reviewed over his toilet the harmless pleasures of the evening, the future smiled upon him with revived attractions.

futureadjectiveUS /ˈfjuːtʃər/

yet to be or coming

From this reading At tea he had been vastly pleased; till hard on one in the morning he had sat entranced by eloquence and progressively fortified with information in the studio; and now, as he reviewed over his toilet the harmless pleasures of the evening, the future smiled upon him with revived attractions.

gentlemannounUS /ˈdʒentəlmən/

a man of refinement

From this reading Mr Pitman had been led to understand his guest was not good company; he had approached the gentleman with fear, and had rejoiced to find himself the entertainer of an angel.

goodadjectiveUS /ɡʊd/

having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified

From this reading Mr Pitman had been led to understand his guest was not good company; he had approached the gentleman with fear, and had rejoiced to find himself the entertainer of an angel.

guaranteedverbUS /ˌɡerənˈtiːd/

past form of “guarantee” — give surety or assume responsibility

From this reading Michael Finsbury had acted sponsor in the business, and guaranteed the weekly bill; on the other hand, no doubt with a spice of his prevailing jocularity, he had drawn a depressing portrait of the lodger’s character.

guestnounUS /ɡest/

a visitor to whom hospitality is extended

From this reading Mr Pitman had been led to understand his guest was not good company; he had approached the gentleman with fear, and had rejoiced to find himself the entertainer of an angel.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading The day before (it should be explained) an addition had been made to his family in the person of a lodger.

handnounUS /hænd/

the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb

From this reading Michael Finsbury had acted sponsor in the business, and guaranteed the weekly bill; on the other hand, no doubt with a spice of his prevailing jocularity, he had drawn a depressing portrait of the lodger’s character.

hardadjectiveUS /hɑːrd/

not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure

From this reading At tea he had been vastly pleased; till hard on one in the morning he had sat entranced by eloquence and progressively fortified with information in the studio; and now, as he reviewed over his toilet the harmless pleasures of the evening, the future smiled upon him with revived attractions.

harmlessadjectiveUS /ˈhɑːrmləs/

not causing or capable of causing harm

From this reading At tea he had been vastly pleased; till hard on one in the morning he had sat entranced by eloquence and progressively fortified with information in the studio; and now, as he reviewed over his toilet the harmless pleasures of the evening, the future smiled upon him with revived attractions.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading Michael Finsbury had acted sponsor in the business, and guaranteed the weekly bill; on the other hand, no doubt with a spice of his prevailing jocularity, he had drawn a depressing portrait of the lodger’s character.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading At tea he had been vastly pleased; till hard on one in the morning he had sat entranced by eloquence and progressively fortified with information in the studio; and now, as he reviewed over his toilet the harmless pleasures of the evening, the future smiled upon him with revived attractions.

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

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

From this reading Mr Pitman had been led to understand his guest was not good company; he had approached the gentleman with fear, and had rejoiced to find himself the entertainer of an angel.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading On the morning of Sunday, William Dent Pitman rose at his usual hour, although with something more than the usual reluctance.

hournounUS /ˈaʊər/

a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day

From this reading On the morning of Sunday, William Dent Pitman rose at his usual hour, although with something more than the usual reluctance.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading The day before (it should be explained) an addition had been made to his family in the person of a lodger.

informationnounUS /ˌɪnfərˈmeɪʃən/

a message received and understood

From this reading At tea he had been vastly pleased; till hard on one in the morning he had sat entranced by eloquence and progressively fortified with information in the studio; and now, as he reviewed over his toilet the harmless pleasures of the evening, the future smiled upon him with revived attractions.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading The day before (it should be explained) an addition had been made to his family in the person of a lodger.

jocularitynoun

a feeling facetious merriment

From this reading Michael Finsbury had acted sponsor in the business, and guaranteed the weekly bill; on the other hand, no doubt with a spice of his prevailing jocularity, he had drawn a depressing portrait of the lodger’s character.

lednounUS /led/

diode such that light emitted at a p-n junction is proportional to the bias current; color depends on the material used

From this reading Mr Pitman had been led to understand his guest was not good company; he had approached the gentleman with fear, and had rejoiced to find himself the entertainer of an angel.

lodgernoun

a tenant in someone's house

From this reading The day before (it should be explained) an addition had been made to his family in the person of a lodger.

lodger's

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

From this reading Michael Finsbury had acted sponsor in the business, and guaranteed the weekly bill; on the other hand, no doubt with a spice of his prevailing jocularity, he had drawn a depressing portrait of the lodger’s character.

madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading The day before (it should be explained) an addition had been made to his family in the person of a lodger.

MichaelnounUS /ˈmaɪkəl/

(Old Testament) the guardian archangel of the Jews

From this reading Michael Finsbury had acted sponsor in the business, and guaranteed the weekly bill; on the other hand, no doubt with a spice of his prevailing jocularity, he had drawn a depressing portrait of the lodger’s character.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading On the morning of Sunday, William Dent Pitman rose at his usual hour, although with something more than the usual reluctance.

morningnounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading On the morning of Sunday, William Dent Pitman rose at his usual hour, although with something more than the usual reluctance.

MrnounUS /ˈmɪstər/

a form of address for a man

From this reading Mr Pitman had been led to understand his guest was not good company; he had approached the gentleman with fear, and had rejoiced to find himself the entertainer of an angel.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading Michael Finsbury had acted sponsor in the business, and guaranteed the weekly bill; on the other hand, no doubt with a spice of his prevailing jocularity, he had drawn a depressing portrait of the lodger’s character.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Mr Pitman had been led to understand his guest was not good company; he had approached the gentleman with fear, and had rejoiced to find himself the entertainer of an angel.

nowadverbUS /naʊ/

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading At tea he had been vastly pleased; till hard on one in the morning he had sat entranced by eloquence and progressively fortified with information in the studio; and now, as he reviewed over his toilet the harmless pleasures of the evening, the future smiled upon him with revived attractions.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading On the morning of Sunday, William Dent Pitman rose at his usual hour, although with something more than the usual reluctance.

OnprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading On the morning of Sunday, William Dent Pitman rose at his usual hour, although with something more than the usual reluctance.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading At tea he had been vastly pleased; till hard on one in the morning he had sat entranced by eloquence and progressively fortified with information in the studio; and now, as he reviewed over his toilet the harmless pleasures of the evening, the future smiled upon him with revived attractions.

otheradjectiveUS /ˈʌðər/

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading Michael Finsbury had acted sponsor in the business, and guaranteed the weekly bill; on the other hand, no doubt with a spice of his prevailing jocularity, he had drawn a depressing portrait of the lodger’s character.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading At tea he had been vastly pleased; till hard on one in the morning he had sat entranced by eloquence and progressively fortified with information in the studio; and now, as he reviewed over his toilet the harmless pleasures of the evening, the future smiled upon him with revived attractions.

personnounUS /ˈpɜːrsən/

a human being

From this reading The day before (it should be explained) an addition had been made to his family in the person of a lodger.

PitmannounUS /ˈpɪtmən/

English educator who invented a system of phonetic shorthand (1813-1897)

From this reading On the morning of Sunday, William Dent Pitman rose at his usual hour, although with something more than the usual reluctance.

pleasedadjectiveUS /pliːzd/

experiencing or manifesting pleasure

From this reading At tea he had been vastly pleased; till hard on one in the morning he had sat entranced by eloquence and progressively fortified with information in the studio; and now, as he reviewed over his toilet the harmless pleasures of the evening, the future smiled upon him with revived attractions.

pleasuresnounUS /ˈpleʒərz/

plural of “pleasure” — a fundamental feeling that is hard to define but that people desire to experience

From this reading At tea he had been vastly pleased; till hard on one in the morning he had sat entranced by eloquence and progressively fortified with information in the studio; and now, as he reviewed over his toilet the harmless pleasures of the evening, the future smiled upon him with revived attractions.

portraitnounUS /ˈpɔːrtrət/

a word picture of a person's appearance and character

From this reading Michael Finsbury had acted sponsor in the business, and guaranteed the weekly bill; on the other hand, no doubt with a spice of his prevailing jocularity, he had drawn a depressing portrait of the lodger’s character.

prevailingadjectiveUS /prɪˈveɪlɪŋ/

most frequent or common

From this reading Michael Finsbury had acted sponsor in the business, and guaranteed the weekly bill; on the other hand, no doubt with a spice of his prevailing jocularity, he had drawn a depressing portrait of the lodger’s character.

progressivelyadverbUS /prɑːˈɡresɪvli/

advancing in amount or intensity

From this reading At tea he had been vastly pleased; till hard on one in the morning he had sat entranced by eloquence and progressively fortified with information in the studio; and now, as he reviewed over his toilet the harmless pleasures of the evening, the future smiled upon him with revived attractions.

rejoicedverbUS /rɪˈdʒɔɪst/

past form of “rejoice” — feel happiness or joy

From this reading Mr Pitman had been led to understand his guest was not good company; he had approached the gentleman with fear, and had rejoiced to find himself the entertainer of an angel.

reluctancenounUS /rɪˈlʌktəns/

(physics) opposition to magnetic flux (analogous to electric resistance)

From this reading On the morning of Sunday, William Dent Pitman rose at his usual hour, although with something more than the usual reluctance.

reviewedverbUS /riˈvjuːd/

past form of “review” — look at again; examine again

From this reading At tea he had been vastly pleased; till hard on one in the morning he had sat entranced by eloquence and progressively fortified with information in the studio; and now, as he reviewed over his toilet the harmless pleasures of the evening, the future smiled upon him with revived attractions.

revivedadjectiveUS /rɪˈvaɪvd/

restored to consciousness or life or vigor

From this reading At tea he had been vastly pleased; till hard on one in the morning he had sat entranced by eloquence and progressively fortified with information in the studio; and now, as he reviewed over his toilet the harmless pleasures of the evening, the future smiled upon him with revived attractions.

rosenounUS /roʊz/

any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses

From this reading On the morning of Sunday, William Dent Pitman rose at his usual hour, although with something more than the usual reluctance.

satnounUS /sæt/

the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians

From this reading At tea he had been vastly pleased; till hard on one in the morning he had sat entranced by eloquence and progressively fortified with information in the studio; and now, as he reviewed over his toilet the harmless pleasures of the evening, the future smiled upon him with revived attractions.

shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading The day before (it should be explained) an addition had been made to his family in the person of a lodger.

smiledverbUS /smaɪld/

past form of “smile” — change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure

From this reading At tea he had been vastly pleased; till hard on one in the morning he had sat entranced by eloquence and progressively fortified with information in the studio; and now, as he reviewed over his toilet the harmless pleasures of the evening, the future smiled upon him with revived attractions.

somethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/

a thing, without saying which

From this reading On the morning of Sunday, William Dent Pitman rose at his usual hour, although with something more than the usual reluctance.

spicenounUS /spaɪs/

aromatic substances of vegetable origin used as a preservative

From this reading Michael Finsbury had acted sponsor in the business, and guaranteed the weekly bill; on the other hand, no doubt with a spice of his prevailing jocularity, he had drawn a depressing portrait of the lodger’s character.

sponsorverbUS /ˈspɑːnsər/

assume sponsorship of

From this reading Michael Finsbury had acted sponsor in the business, and guaranteed the weekly bill; on the other hand, no doubt with a spice of his prevailing jocularity, he had drawn a depressing portrait of the lodger’s character.

studionounUS /ˈstuːdioʊ/

workplace for the teaching or practice of an art

From this reading At tea he had been vastly pleased; till hard on one in the morning he had sat entranced by eloquence and progressively fortified with information in the studio; and now, as he reviewed over his toilet the harmless pleasures of the evening, the future smiled upon him with revived attractions.

SundaynounUS /ˈsʌndeɪ/

first day of the week; observed as a day of rest and worship by most Christians

From this reading On the morning of Sunday, William Dent Pitman rose at his usual hour, although with something more than the usual reluctance.

teanounUS /tiː/

a beverage made by steeping tea leaves in water

From this reading At tea he had been vastly pleased; till hard on one in the morning he had sat entranced by eloquence and progressively fortified with information in the studio; and now, as he reviewed over his toilet the harmless pleasures of the evening, the future smiled upon him with revived attractions.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading On the morning of Sunday, William Dent Pitman rose at his usual hour, although with something more than the usual reluctance.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading On the morning of Sunday, William Dent Pitman rose at his usual hour, although with something more than the usual reluctance.

tillprepositionUS /tɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading At tea he had been vastly pleased; till hard on one in the morning he had sat entranced by eloquence and progressively fortified with information in the studio; and now, as he reviewed over his toilet the harmless pleasures of the evening, the future smiled upon him with revived attractions.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading The day before (it should be explained) an addition had been made to his family in the person of a lodger.

toiletnounUS /ˈtɔɪlət/

a room or building equipped with one or more toilets

From this reading At tea he had been vastly pleased; till hard on one in the morning he had sat entranced by eloquence and progressively fortified with information in the studio; and now, as he reviewed over his toilet the harmless pleasures of the evening, the future smiled upon him with revived attractions.

understandverbUS /ˌʌndərˈstænd/

know and comprehend the nature or meaning of

From this reading Mr Pitman had been led to understand his guest was not good company; he had approached the gentleman with fear, and had rejoiced to find himself the entertainer of an angel.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading At tea he had been vastly pleased; till hard on one in the morning he had sat entranced by eloquence and progressively fortified with information in the studio; and now, as he reviewed over his toilet the harmless pleasures of the evening, the future smiled upon him with revived attractions.

usualadjectiveUS /ˈjuːʒəwəl/

occurring or encountered or experienced or observed frequently or in accordance with regular practice or procedure

From this reading On the morning of Sunday, William Dent Pitman rose at his usual hour, although with something more than the usual reluctance.

vastlyadverbUS /ˈvæstli/

to an exceedingly great extent or degree

From this reading At tea he had been vastly pleased; till hard on one in the morning he had sat entranced by eloquence and progressively fortified with information in the studio; and now, as he reviewed over his toilet the harmless pleasures of the evening, the future smiled upon him with revived attractions.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Mr Pitman had been led to understand his guest was not good company; he had approached the gentleman with fear, and had rejoiced to find himself the entertainer of an angel.

weeklynounUS /ˈwiːkli/

a periodical that is published every week (or 52 issues per year)

From this reading Michael Finsbury had acted sponsor in the business, and guaranteed the weekly bill; on the other hand, no doubt with a spice of his prevailing jocularity, he had drawn a depressing portrait of the lodger’s character.

William

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

From this reading On the morning of Sunday, William Dent Pitman rose at his usual hour, although with something more than the usual reluctance.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading On the morning of Sunday, William Dent Pitman rose at his usual hour, although with something more than the usual reluctance.

Chapter 14 of The Wrong Box by Robert Louis Stevenson holds 327 sentences, grouped into 66 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 14 of The Wrong Box contain?

Chapter 14 holds 327 sentences of The Wrong Box, unabridged, divided into 66 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 14 of The Wrong Box by Robert Louis Stevenson exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 327 sentences, grouped into 66 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 14 of The Wrong Box?

Work through the 66 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 66 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 14 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 14 can be played aloud in United States English.

Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.

Questions about reading The Wrong Box

Common questions about reading The Wrong Box by Robert Louis Stevenson on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Wrong Box?

Yes. All 3428 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #1585 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Wrong Box is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #1585, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Wrong Box take to read?

About 285 minutes of reading across 686 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Wrong Box section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 16 chapters of The Wrong Box 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 Wrong Box

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

Little
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Wrong Box; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Amateur
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Wrong Box; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Dwelling
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Wrong Box; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Comprehend
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Wrong Box; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.