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White Jacket
White Jacket

Chapter XXI · Chapter 21

Chapter 21 of White Jacket is here in full — 76 sentences across 16 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/15 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
PURSER, PURSER’S STEWARD, AND POSTMASTER IN A MAN-OF-WAR.
As the Purser’s steward so conspicuously figured at the unsuccessful auction of my jacket, it reminds me of how important a personage that official is on board of all men-of-war.
He is the right-hand man and confidential deputy and clerk of the Purser, who intrusts to him all his accounts with the crew, while, in most cases, he himself, snug and comfortable in his state-room, glances over a file of newspapers instead of overhauling his ledgers.
Of all the non-combatants of a man-of-war, the Purser, perhaps, stands foremost in importance.
Though he is but a member of the gun-room mess, yet usage seems to assign him a conventional station somewhat above that of his equals in navy rankthe Chaplain, Surgeon, and Professor.
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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.

White Jacket

Chapter XXI · Chapter 21

Chapter 21 of White Jacket is here in full — 76 sentences across 16 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/15 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
PURSER, PURSER’S STEWARD, AND POSTMASTER IN A MAN-OF-WAR.
Line 2
As the Purser’s steward so conspicuously figured at the unsuccessful auction of my jacket, it reminds me of how important a personage that official is on board of all men-of-war.
Line 3
He is the right-hand man and confidential deputy and clerk of the Purser, who intrusts to him all his accounts with the crew, while, in most cases, he himself, snug and comfortable in his state-room, glances over a file of newspapers instead of overhauling his ledgers.
Line 4
Of all the non-combatants of a man-of-war, the Purser, perhaps, stands foremost in importance.
Line 5
Though he is but a member of the gun-room mess, yet usage seems to assign him a conventional station somewhat above that of his equals in navy rankthe Chaplain, Surgeon, and Professor.

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.

assign verb US /əˈsaɪn/

give an assignment to (a person) to a post, or assign a task to (a person)

From this reading “Though he is but a member of the gun-room mess, yet usage seems to assign him a conventional station somewhat above that of his equals in navy rank—the Chaplain, Surgeon, and Professor.”

auction noun US /ˈɑːkʃən/

a variety of bridge in which tricks made in excess of the contract are scored toward game; now generally superseded by contract bridge

From this reading “As the Purser’s steward so conspicuously figured at the unsuccessful auction of my jacket, it reminds me of how important a personage that official is on board of all men-of-war.”

conspicuously adverb US /kənˈspɪkjuːəsli/

in a manner tending to attract attention

From this reading “As the Purser’s steward so conspicuously figured at the unsuccessful auction of my jacket, it reminds me of how important a personage that official is on board of all men-of-war.”

ledgers noun US /ˈledʒərz/

plural of “ledger” — a record in which commercial accounts are recorded

From this reading “He is the right-hand man and confidential deputy and clerk of the Purser, who intrusts to him all his accounts with the crew, while, in most cases, he himself, snug and comfortable in his state-room, glances over a file of newspapers instead of overhauling his ledgers.”

overhauling verb US /ˈoʊvərhɔːlɪŋ/

-ing form of “overhaul” — travel past

From this reading “He is the right-hand man and confidential deputy and clerk of the Purser, who intrusts to him all his accounts with the crew, while, in most cases, he himself, snug and comfortable in his state-room, glances over a file of newspapers instead of overhauling his ledgers.”

postmaster noun US /ˈpoʊstmæstər/

the person in charge of a post office

From this reading “PURSER, PURSER’S STEWARD, AND POSTMASTER IN A MAN-OF-WAR.”

purser noun US /ˈpɜːrsər/

an officer aboard a ship who keeps accounts and attends to the passengers' welfare

From this reading “PURSER, PURSER’S STEWARD, AND POSTMASTER IN A MAN-OF-WAR.”

right-hand adjective US /raɪtˈhænd/

located on or directed toward the right

From this reading “He is the right-hand man and confidential deputy and clerk of the Purser, who intrusts to him all his accounts with the crew, while, in most cases, he himself, snug and comfortable in his state-room, glances over a file of newspapers instead of overhauling his ledgers.”

All words in this reading · 84

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 PURSER, PURSER’S STEWARD, AND POSTMASTER IN A MAN-OF-WAR.

aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/

higher than, or over, something

From this reading Though he is but a member of the gun-room mess, yet usage seems to assign him a conventional station somewhat above that of his equals in navy rank—the Chaplain, Surgeon, and Professor.

accountsnounUS /əˈkaʊnts/

plural of “account” — a record or narrative description of past events

From this reading He is the right-hand man and confidential deputy and clerk of the Purser, who intrusts to him all his accounts with the crew, while, in most cases, he himself, snug and comfortable in his state-room, glances over a file of newspapers instead of overhauling his ledgers.

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 As the Purser’s steward so conspicuously figured at the unsuccessful auction of my jacket, it reminds me of how important a personage that official is on board of all men-of-war.

ANDconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading PURSER, PURSER’S STEWARD, AND POSTMASTER IN A MAN-OF-WAR.

AsconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading As the Purser’s steward so conspicuously figured at the unsuccessful auction of my jacket, it reminds me of how important a personage that official is on board of all men-of-war.

assignverbUS /əˈsaɪn/

give an assignment to (a person) to a post, or assign a task to (a person)

From this reading Though he is but a member of the gun-room mess, yet usage seems to assign him a conventional station somewhat above that of his equals in navy rank—the Chaplain, Surgeon, and Professor.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading As the Purser’s steward so conspicuously figured at the unsuccessful auction of my jacket, it reminds me of how important a personage that official is on board of all men-of-war.

auctionnounUS /ˈɑːkʃən/

a variety of bridge in which tricks made in excess of the contract are scored toward game; now generally superseded by contract bridge

From this reading As the Purser’s steward so conspicuously figured at the unsuccessful auction of my jacket, it reminds me of how important a personage that official is on board of all men-of-war.

boardnounUS /bɔːrd/

a committee having supervisory powers

From this reading As the Purser’s steward so conspicuously figured at the unsuccessful auction of my jacket, it reminds me of how important a personage that official is on board of all men-of-war.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Though he is but a member of the gun-room mess, yet usage seems to assign him a conventional station somewhat above that of his equals in navy rank—the Chaplain, Surgeon, and Professor.

casesnounUS /ˈkeɪsəz/

plural of “case” — an occurrence of something

From this reading He is the right-hand man and confidential deputy and clerk of the Purser, who intrusts to him all his accounts with the crew, while, in most cases, he himself, snug and comfortable in his state-room, glances over a file of newspapers instead of overhauling his ledgers.

ChaplainnounUS /ˈtʃæplən/

a clergyman ministering to some institution

From this reading Though he is but a member of the gun-room mess, yet usage seems to assign him a conventional station somewhat above that of his equals in navy rank—the Chaplain, Surgeon, and Professor.

clerknounUS /klɜːrk/

an employee who performs clerical work (e.g., keeps records or accounts)

From this reading He is the right-hand man and confidential deputy and clerk of the Purser, who intrusts to him all his accounts with the crew, while, in most cases, he himself, snug and comfortable in his state-room, glances over a file of newspapers instead of overhauling his ledgers.

comfortableadjectiveUS /ˈkʌmfərtəbəl/

providing or experiencing physical well-being or relief (“comfy” is informal)

From this reading He is the right-hand man and confidential deputy and clerk of the Purser, who intrusts to him all his accounts with the crew, while, in most cases, he himself, snug and comfortable in his state-room, glances over a file of newspapers instead of overhauling his ledgers.

confidentialadjectiveUS /ˌkɑːnfəˈdenʃəl/

entrusted with private information and the confidence of another

From this reading He is the right-hand man and confidential deputy and clerk of the Purser, who intrusts to him all his accounts with the crew, while, in most cases, he himself, snug and comfortable in his state-room, glances over a file of newspapers instead of overhauling his ledgers.

conspicuouslyadverbUS /kənˈspɪkjuːəsli/

in a manner tending to attract attention

From this reading As the Purser’s steward so conspicuously figured at the unsuccessful auction of my jacket, it reminds me of how important a personage that official is on board of all men-of-war.

conventionaladjectiveUS /kənˈvenʃənəl/

following accepted customs and proprieties

From this reading Though he is but a member of the gun-room mess, yet usage seems to assign him a conventional station somewhat above that of his equals in navy rank—the Chaplain, Surgeon, and Professor.

crewnounUS /kruː/

the men and women who man a vehicle (ship, aircraft, etc.)

From this reading He is the right-hand man and confidential deputy and clerk of the Purser, who intrusts to him all his accounts with the crew, while, in most cases, he himself, snug and comfortable in his state-room, glances over a file of newspapers instead of overhauling his ledgers.

deputynounUS /ˈdepjəti/

someone authorized to exercise the powers of sheriff in emergencies

From this reading He is the right-hand man and confidential deputy and clerk of the Purser, who intrusts to him all his accounts with the crew, while, in most cases, he himself, snug and comfortable in his state-room, glances over a file of newspapers instead of overhauling his ledgers.

equalsnounUS /ˈiːkwəlz/

plural of “equal” — a person who is of equal standing with another in a group

From this reading Though he is but a member of the gun-room mess, yet usage seems to assign him a conventional station somewhat above that of his equals in navy rank—the Chaplain, Surgeon, and Professor.

figuredadjectiveUS /ˈfɪɡjərd/

(of e.g. fabric design) adorned with patterns

From this reading As the Purser’s steward so conspicuously figured at the unsuccessful auction of my jacket, it reminds me of how important a personage that official is on board of all men-of-war.

fileverbUS /faɪl/

record in a public office or in a court of law

From this reading He is the right-hand man and confidential deputy and clerk of the Purser, who intrusts to him all his accounts with the crew, while, in most cases, he himself, snug and comfortable in his state-room, glances over a file of newspapers instead of overhauling his ledgers.

foremostadjectiveUS /ˈfɔːrmoʊst/

ranking above all others

From this reading Of all the non-combatants of a man-of-war, the Purser, perhaps, stands foremost in importance.

glancesnounUS /ˈɡlænsɪz/

plural of “glance” — a quick look

From this reading He is the right-hand man and confidential deputy and clerk of the Purser, who intrusts to him all his accounts with the crew, while, in most cases, he himself, snug and comfortable in his state-room, glances over a file of newspapers instead of overhauling his ledgers.

gun-room

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

From this reading Though he is but a member of the gun-room mess, yet usage seems to assign him a conventional station somewhat above that of his equals in navy rank—the Chaplain, Surgeon, and Professor.

HepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading He is the right-hand man and confidential deputy and clerk of the Purser, who intrusts to him all his accounts with the crew, while, in most cases, he himself, snug and comfortable in his state-room, glances over a file of newspapers instead of overhauling his ledgers.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading He is the right-hand man and confidential deputy and clerk of the Purser, who intrusts to him all his accounts with the crew, while, in most cases, he himself, snug and comfortable in his state-room, glances over a file of newspapers instead of overhauling his ledgers.

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

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

From this reading He is the right-hand man and confidential deputy and clerk of the Purser, who intrusts to him all his accounts with the crew, while, in most cases, he himself, snug and comfortable in his state-room, glances over a file of newspapers instead of overhauling his ledgers.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading He is the right-hand man and confidential deputy and clerk of the Purser, who intrusts to him all his accounts with the crew, while, in most cases, he himself, snug and comfortable in his state-room, glances over a file of newspapers instead of overhauling his ledgers.

how

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

From this reading As the Purser’s steward so conspicuously figured at the unsuccessful auction of my jacket, it reminds me of how important a personage that official is on board of all men-of-war.

importancenounUS /ˌɪmˈpɔːrtəns/

the quality of being important and worthy of note

From this reading Of all the non-combatants of a man-of-war, the Purser, perhaps, stands foremost in importance.

importantadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈpɔːrtənt/

of great significance or value

From this reading As the Purser’s steward so conspicuously figured at the unsuccessful auction of my jacket, it reminds me of how important a personage that official is on board of all men-of-war.

INprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading PURSER, PURSER’S STEWARD, AND POSTMASTER IN A MAN-OF-WAR.

insteadadverbUS /ˌɪnˈsted/

in place of, or as an alternative to

From this reading He is the right-hand man and confidential deputy and clerk of the Purser, who intrusts to him all his accounts with the crew, while, in most cases, he himself, snug and comfortable in his state-room, glances over a file of newspapers instead of overhauling his ledgers.

intrusts

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

From this reading He is the right-hand man and confidential deputy and clerk of the Purser, who intrusts to him all his accounts with the crew, while, in most cases, he himself, snug and comfortable in his state-room, glances over a file of newspapers instead of overhauling his ledgers.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading As the Purser’s steward so conspicuously figured at the unsuccessful auction of my jacket, it reminds me of how important a personage that official is on board of all men-of-war.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading As the Purser’s steward so conspicuously figured at the unsuccessful auction of my jacket, it reminds me of how important a personage that official is on board of all men-of-war.

jacketnounUS /ˈdʒækət/

a short coat

From this reading As the Purser’s steward so conspicuously figured at the unsuccessful auction of my jacket, it reminds me of how important a personage that official is on board of all men-of-war.

ledgersnounUS /ˈledʒərz/

plural of “ledger” — a record in which commercial accounts are recorded

From this reading He is the right-hand man and confidential deputy and clerk of the Purser, who intrusts to him all his accounts with the crew, while, in most cases, he himself, snug and comfortable in his state-room, glances over a file of newspapers instead of overhauling his ledgers.

mannounUS /mæn/

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading He is the right-hand man and confidential deputy and clerk of the Purser, who intrusts to him all his accounts with the crew, while, in most cases, he himself, snug and comfortable in his state-room, glances over a file of newspapers instead of overhauling his ledgers.

MAN-OF-WARnoun

a warship intended for combat

From this reading PURSER, PURSER’S STEWARD, AND POSTMASTER IN A MAN-OF-WAR.

mepronounUS /miː/

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading As the Purser’s steward so conspicuously figured at the unsuccessful auction of my jacket, it reminds me of how important a personage that official is on board of all men-of-war.

membernounUS /ˈmembər/

one of the persons who compose a social group (especially individuals who have joined and participate in a group organization)

From this reading Though he is but a member of the gun-room mess, yet usage seems to assign him a conventional station somewhat above that of his equals in navy rank—the Chaplain, Surgeon, and Professor.

men-of-war

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

From this reading As the Purser’s steward so conspicuously figured at the unsuccessful auction of my jacket, it reminds me of how important a personage that official is on board of all men-of-war.

messnounUS /mes/

a state of confusion and disorderliness

From this reading Though he is but a member of the gun-room mess, yet usage seems to assign him a conventional station somewhat above that of his equals in navy rank—the Chaplain, Surgeon, and Professor.

mostadverbUS /moʊst/

used to form the superlative

From this reading He is the right-hand man and confidential deputy and clerk of the Purser, who intrusts to him all his accounts with the crew, while, in most cases, he himself, snug and comfortable in his state-room, glances over a file of newspapers instead of overhauling his ledgers.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading As the Purser’s steward so conspicuously figured at the unsuccessful auction of my jacket, it reminds me of how important a personage that official is on board of all men-of-war.

navynounUS /ˈneɪvi/

an organization of military vessels belonging to a country and available for sea warfare

From this reading Though he is but a member of the gun-room mess, yet usage seems to assign him a conventional station somewhat above that of his equals in navy rank—the Chaplain, Surgeon, and Professor.

newspapersnounUS /ˈnuːzpeɪpərz/

plural of “newspaper” — a daily or weekly publication on folded sheets; contains news and articles and advertisements

From this reading He is the right-hand man and confidential deputy and clerk of the Purser, who intrusts to him all his accounts with the crew, while, in most cases, he himself, snug and comfortable in his state-room, glances over a file of newspapers instead of overhauling his ledgers.

non-combatants

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

From this reading Of all the non-combatants of a man-of-war, the Purser, perhaps, stands foremost in importance.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading As the Purser’s steward so conspicuously figured at the unsuccessful auction of my jacket, it reminds me of how important a personage that official is on board of all men-of-war.

officialadjectiveUS /əˈfɪʃəl/

having official authority or sanction

From this reading As the Purser’s steward so conspicuously figured at the unsuccessful auction of my jacket, it reminds me of how important a personage that official is on board of all men-of-war.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading As the Purser’s steward so conspicuously figured at the unsuccessful auction of my jacket, it reminds me of how important a personage that official is on board of all men-of-war.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading He is the right-hand man and confidential deputy and clerk of the Purser, who intrusts to him all his accounts with the crew, while, in most cases, he himself, snug and comfortable in his state-room, glances over a file of newspapers instead of overhauling his ledgers.

overhaulingverbUS /ˈoʊvərhɔːlɪŋ/

-ing form of “overhaul” — travel past

From this reading He is the right-hand man and confidential deputy and clerk of the Purser, who intrusts to him all his accounts with the crew, while, in most cases, he himself, snug and comfortable in his state-room, glances over a file of newspapers instead of overhauling his ledgers.

perhapsadverbUS /pərˈhæps/

by chance

From this reading Of all the non-combatants of a man-of-war, the Purser, perhaps, stands foremost in importance.

personagenoun

another word for person; a person not meriting identification

From this reading As the Purser’s steward so conspicuously figured at the unsuccessful auction of my jacket, it reminds me of how important a personage that official is on board of all men-of-war.

POSTMASTERnounUS /ˈpoʊstmæstər/

the person in charge of a post office

From this reading PURSER, PURSER’S STEWARD, AND POSTMASTER IN A MAN-OF-WAR.

ProfessornounUS /prəˈfesər/

someone who is a member of the faculty at a college or university

From this reading Though he is but a member of the gun-room mess, yet usage seems to assign him a conventional station somewhat above that of his equals in navy rank—the Chaplain, Surgeon, and Professor.

PURSERnounUS /ˈpɜːrsər/

an officer aboard a ship who keeps accounts and attends to the passengers' welfare

From this reading PURSER, PURSER’S STEWARD, AND POSTMASTER IN A MAN-OF-WAR.

PURSER'S

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

From this reading PURSER, PURSER’S STEWARD, AND POSTMASTER IN A MAN-OF-WAR.

ranknounUS /ræŋk/

a row or line of people (especially soldiers or police) standing abreast of one another

From this reading Though he is but a member of the gun-room mess, yet usage seems to assign him a conventional station somewhat above that of his equals in navy rank—the Chaplain, Surgeon, and Professor.

remindsverbUS /riˈmaɪndz/

third-person singular of “remind” — put in the mind of someone

From this reading As the Purser’s steward so conspicuously figured at the unsuccessful auction of my jacket, it reminds me of how important a personage that official is on board of all men-of-war.

right-handadjectiveUS /raɪtˈhænd/

located on or directed toward the right

From this reading He is the right-hand man and confidential deputy and clerk of the Purser, who intrusts to him all his accounts with the crew, while, in most cases, he himself, snug and comfortable in his state-room, glances over a file of newspapers instead of overhauling his ledgers.

seemsverbUS /siːmz/

third-person singular of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading Though he is but a member of the gun-room mess, yet usage seems to assign him a conventional station somewhat above that of his equals in navy rank—the Chaplain, Surgeon, and Professor.

snugadjectiveUS /snʌɡ/

offering safety; well protected or concealed

From this reading He is the right-hand man and confidential deputy and clerk of the Purser, who intrusts to him all his accounts with the crew, while, in most cases, he himself, snug and comfortable in his state-room, glances over a file of newspapers instead of overhauling his ledgers.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading As the Purser’s steward so conspicuously figured at the unsuccessful auction of my jacket, it reminds me of how important a personage that official is on board of all men-of-war.

somewhatadverbUS /ˈsʌmˈwʌt/

to a small degree or extent

From this reading Though he is but a member of the gun-room mess, yet usage seems to assign him a conventional station somewhat above that of his equals in navy rank—the Chaplain, Surgeon, and Professor.

standsnounUS /stændz/

plural of “stand” — a support or foundation

From this reading Of all the non-combatants of a man-of-war, the Purser, perhaps, stands foremost in importance.

state-room

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

From this reading He is the right-hand man and confidential deputy and clerk of the Purser, who intrusts to him all his accounts with the crew, while, in most cases, he himself, snug and comfortable in his state-room, glances over a file of newspapers instead of overhauling his ledgers.

stationnounUS /ˈsteɪʃən/

a facility equipped with special equipment and personnel for a particular purpose

From this reading Though he is but a member of the gun-room mess, yet usage seems to assign him a conventional station somewhat above that of his equals in navy rank—the Chaplain, Surgeon, and Professor.

STEWARDnounUS /ˈstuːərd/

someone who manages property or other affairs for someone else

From this reading PURSER, PURSER’S STEWARD, AND POSTMASTER IN A MAN-OF-WAR.

SurgeonnounUS /ˈsɜːrdʒən/

a physician who specializes in surgery

From this reading Though he is but a member of the gun-room mess, yet usage seems to assign him a conventional station somewhat above that of his equals in navy rank—the Chaplain, Surgeon, and Professor.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading As the Purser’s steward so conspicuously figured at the unsuccessful auction of my jacket, it reminds me of how important a personage that official is on board of all men-of-war.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading As the Purser’s steward so conspicuously figured at the unsuccessful auction of my jacket, it reminds me of how important a personage that official is on board of all men-of-war.

ThoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading Though he is but a member of the gun-room mess, yet usage seems to assign him a conventional station somewhat above that of his equals in navy rank—the Chaplain, Surgeon, and Professor.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading He is the right-hand man and confidential deputy and clerk of the Purser, who intrusts to him all his accounts with the crew, while, in most cases, he himself, snug and comfortable in his state-room, glances over a file of newspapers instead of overhauling his ledgers.

unsuccessfuladjectiveUS /ˌʌnsəkˈsesfəl/

not successful; having failed or having an unfavorable outcome

From this reading As the Purser’s steward so conspicuously figured at the unsuccessful auction of my jacket, it reminds me of how important a personage that official is on board of all men-of-war.

usagenounUS /ˈjuːsədʒ/

the act of using

From this reading Though he is but a member of the gun-room mess, yet usage seems to assign him a conventional station somewhat above that of his equals in navy rank—the Chaplain, Surgeon, and Professor.

whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/

during the time that

From this reading He is the right-hand man and confidential deputy and clerk of the Purser, who intrusts to him all his accounts with the crew, while, in most cases, he himself, snug and comfortable in his state-room, glances over a file of newspapers instead of overhauling his ledgers.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading He is the right-hand man and confidential deputy and clerk of the Purser, who intrusts to him all his accounts with the crew, while, in most cases, he himself, snug and comfortable in his state-room, glances over a file of newspapers instead of overhauling his ledgers.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading He is the right-hand man and confidential deputy and clerk of the Purser, who intrusts to him all his accounts with the crew, while, in most cases, he himself, snug and comfortable in his state-room, glances over a file of newspapers instead of overhauling his ledgers.

yetconjunctionUS /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading Though he is but a member of the gun-room mess, yet usage seems to assign him a conventional station somewhat above that of his equals in navy rank—the Chaplain, Surgeon, and Professor.

Chapter 21 of White Jacket by Herman Melville holds 76 sentences, grouped into 16 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 21 of White Jacket contain?

Chapter 21 holds 76 sentences of White Jacket, unabridged, divided into 16 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 21 of White Jacket by Herman Melville exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 76 sentences, grouped into 16 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 21 of White Jacket?

Work through the 16 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 16 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 21 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 21 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 White Jacket

Common questions about reading White Jacket by Herman Melville on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of White Jacket?

Yes. All 5391 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #10712 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of White Jacket is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #10712, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does White Jacket take to read?

About 449 minutes of reading across 1079 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read White Jacket section by section

How to work through White Jacket section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 40 chapters of White Jacket 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 White Jacket

Words and structures a reader meets early in White Jacket, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Homeward
A word that appears in the opening chapter of White Jacket; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Bound
A word that appears in the opening chapter of White Jacket; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Hands
A word that appears in the opening chapter of White Jacket; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Anchor
A word that appears in the opening chapter of White Jacket; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.