William Shakespeare as He Lived

Chapter XXXIX

Chapter 39 of William Shakespeare as He Lived is here in full — 66 sentences across 14 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Henry Curling • Curated US English Learning Edition

Cover illustration for William Shakespeare as He Lived

English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5

THE DISCOMFITED SCRIVENER.

Grasp's return home was somewhat more sudden than he had intended.

He returned indeed in an exceedingly discomfited and excited state.

His friend Dismal was the only person who had gained access to him, and that but for a few moments.

During the interview, however, Dismal had gathered from Doubletongue, who also arrived in all haste, that great events had transpired in London, of one sort or other.

Narrator

Speed 0.75x

AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English

LEARNER DICTIONARY

Archivist

/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/

Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Chapter XXXIX Reading 1/13

William Shakespeare as He Lived

Chapter XXXIX

Chapter 39 of William Shakespeare as He Lived is here in full — 66 sentences across 14 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/13 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1

THE DISCOMFITED SCRIVENER.

Line 2

Grasp's return home was somewhat more sudden than he had intended.

Line 3

He returned indeed in an exceedingly discomfited and excited state.

Line 4

His friend Dismal was the only person who had gained access to him, and that but for a few moments.

/hɪz frend ˈdɪzməl wɑːz ðə ˈoʊnli ˈpɜːrsən huː hæd ɡeɪnd ˈækses tuː hɪm ənd ðæt bʌt fɔːr ə fjuː ˈmoʊmənts/

Line 5

During the interview, however, Dismal had gathered from Doubletongue, who also arrived in all haste, that great events had transpired in London, of one sort or other.

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.

access noun US /ˈækses/

the right to enter

From this reading “His friend Dismal was the only person who had gained access to him, and that but for a few moments.”

Dismal adjective US /ˈdɪzməl/

causing dejection

From this reading “His friend Dismal was the only person who had gained access to him, and that but for a few moments.”

exceedingly adverb US /ɪkˈsiːdɪŋli/

to an extreme degree

From this reading “He returned indeed in an exceedingly discomfited and excited state.”

gained verb US /ɡeɪnd/

past form of “gain” — obtain

From this reading “His friend Dismal was the only person who had gained access to him, and that but for a few moments.”

haste noun US /heɪst/

overly eager speed (and possible carelessness)

From this reading “During the interview, however, Dismal had gathered from Doubletongue, who also arrived in all haste, that great events had transpired in London, of one sort or other.”

interview verb US /ˈɪntərvjuː/

conduct an interview in television, newspaper, and radio reporting

From this reading “During the interview, however, Dismal had gathered from Doubletongue, who also arrived in all haste, that great events had transpired in London, of one sort or other.”

scrivener noun US /ˈskrɪvnər/

someone employed to make written copies of documents and manuscripts

From this reading “THE DISCOMFITED SCRIVENER.”

transpired verb US /trænˈspaɪərd/

past form of “transpire” — pass through the tissue or substance or its pores or interstices, as of gas

From this reading “During the interview, however, Dismal had gathered from Doubletongue, who also arrived in all haste, that great events had transpired in London, of one sort or other.”

Word partnerships in these lines

English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.

Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.

gained access verb + noun counted as “gain access”

In this reading “His friend Dismal was the only person who had gained access to him, and that but for a few moments.”

few moments adjective + noun counted as “few moment”

In this reading “His friend Dismal was the only person who had gained access to him, and that but for a few moments.”

return home verb + noun

In this reading “Grasp's return home was somewhat more sudden than he had intended.”

excited state adjective + noun

In this reading “He returned indeed in an exceedingly discomfited and excited state.”

great events adjective + noun counted as “great event”

In this reading “During the interview, however, Dismal had gathered from Doubletongue, who also arrived in all haste, that great events had transpired in London, of one sort or other.”

somewhat more adverb + adjective

In this reading “Grasp's return home was somewhat more sudden than he had intended.”

all haste adjective + noun

In this reading “During the interview, however, Dismal had gathered from Doubletongue, who also arrived in all haste, that great events had transpired in London, of one sort or other.”

arrived in verb + particle counted as “arrive in”

In this reading “During the interview, however, Dismal had gathered from Doubletongue, who also arrived in all haste, that great events had transpired in London, of one sort or other.”

All words in this reading · 57

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 His friend Dismal was the only person who had gained access to him, and that but for a few moments.

accessnounUS /ˈækses/

the right to enter

From this reading His friend Dismal was the only person who had gained access to him, and that but for a few moments.

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 During the interview, however, Dismal had gathered from Doubletongue, who also arrived in all haste, that great events had transpired in London, of one sort or other.

alsoadverbUS /ˈɔːlsoʊ/

in addition

From this reading During the interview, however, Dismal had gathered from Doubletongue, who also arrived in all haste, that great events had transpired in London, of one sort or other.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading He returned indeed in an exceedingly discomfited and excited state.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading He returned indeed in an exceedingly discomfited and excited state.

arrivedverbUS /ərˈaɪvd/

past form of “arrive” — reach a destination; arrive by movement or progress

From this reading During the interview, however, Dismal had gathered from Doubletongue, who also arrived in all haste, that great events had transpired in London, of one sort or other.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading His friend Dismal was the only person who had gained access to him, and that but for a few moments.

DISCOMFITEDnoun

people who are defeated

From this reading THE DISCOMFITED SCRIVENER.

DismaladjectiveUS /ˈdɪzməl/

causing dejection

From this reading His friend Dismal was the only person who had gained access to him, and that but for a few moments.

Doubletongue

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

From this reading During the interview, however, Dismal had gathered from Doubletongue, who also arrived in all haste, that great events had transpired in London, of one sort or other.

DuringprepositionUS /ˈdʊrɪŋ/

all through a period, or at some point within it

From this reading During the interview, however, Dismal had gathered from Doubletongue, who also arrived in all haste, that great events had transpired in London, of one sort or other.

eventsnounUS /ɪˈvents/

plural of “event” — something that happens at a given place and time

From this reading During the interview, however, Dismal had gathered from Doubletongue, who also arrived in all haste, that great events had transpired in London, of one sort or other.

exceedinglyadverbUS /ɪkˈsiːdɪŋli/

to an extreme degree

From this reading He returned indeed in an exceedingly discomfited and excited state.

excitedadjectiveUS /ɪkˈsaɪtəd/

(of persons) excessively affected by emotion

From this reading He returned indeed in an exceedingly discomfited and excited state.

fewadjectiveUS /fjuː/

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number

From this reading His friend Dismal was the only person who had gained access to him, and that but for a few moments.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading His friend Dismal was the only person who had gained access to him, and that but for a few moments.

friendnounUS /frend/

a person you know well and regard with affection and trust

From this reading His friend Dismal was the only person who had gained access to him, and that but for a few moments.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading During the interview, however, Dismal had gathered from Doubletongue, who also arrived in all haste, that great events had transpired in London, of one sort or other.

gainedverbUS /ɡeɪnd/

past form of “gain” — obtain

From this reading His friend Dismal was the only person who had gained access to him, and that but for a few moments.

gatheredadjectiveUS /ˈɡæðərd/

brought together in one place

From this reading During the interview, however, Dismal had gathered from Doubletongue, who also arrived in all haste, that great events had transpired in London, of one sort or other.

Grasp's

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

From this reading Grasp's return home was somewhat more sudden than he had intended.

greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

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

From this reading During the interview, however, Dismal had gathered from Doubletongue, who also arrived in all haste, that great events had transpired in London, of one sort or other.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Grasp's return home was somewhat more sudden than he had intended.

hastenounUS /heɪst/

overly eager speed (and possible carelessness)

From this reading During the interview, however, Dismal had gathered from Doubletongue, who also arrived in all haste, that great events had transpired in London, of one sort or other.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading Grasp's return home was somewhat more sudden than he had intended.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading His friend Dismal was the only person who had gained access to him, and that but for a few moments.

HisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading His friend Dismal was the only person who had gained access to him, and that but for a few moments.

homenounUS /hoʊm/

where you live at a particular time

From this reading Grasp's return home was somewhat more sudden than he had intended.

howeveradverbUS /ˌhaʊˈevər/

used to add a contrasting statement

From this reading During the interview, however, Dismal had gathered from Doubletongue, who also arrived in all haste, that great events had transpired in London, of one sort or other.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading He returned indeed in an exceedingly discomfited and excited state.

indeedadverbUS /ˌɪnˈdiːd/

in truth (often tends to intensify)

From this reading He returned indeed in an exceedingly discomfited and excited state.

intendedadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈtendɪd/

resulting from one's intentions

From this reading Grasp's return home was somewhat more sudden than he had intended.

interviewverbUS /ˈɪntərvjuː/

conduct an interview in television, newspaper, and radio reporting

From this reading During the interview, however, Dismal had gathered from Doubletongue, who also arrived in all haste, that great events had transpired in London, of one sort or other.

LondonnounUS /ˈlʌndən/

the capital and largest city of England; located on the Thames in southeastern England; financial and industrial and cultural center

From this reading During the interview, however, Dismal had gathered from Doubletongue, who also arrived in all haste, that great events had transpired in London, of one sort or other.

momentsnounUS /ˈmoʊmənts/

plural of “moment” — a particular point in time

From this reading His friend Dismal was the only person who had gained access to him, and that but for a few moments.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

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

From this reading Grasp's return home was somewhat more sudden than he had intended.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading During the interview, however, Dismal had gathered from Doubletongue, who also arrived in all haste, that great events had transpired in London, of one sort or other.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading During the interview, however, Dismal had gathered from Doubletongue, who also arrived in all haste, that great events had transpired in London, of one sort or other.

onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading His friend Dismal was the only person who had gained access to him, and that but for a few moments.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading During the interview, however, Dismal had gathered from Doubletongue, who also arrived in all haste, that great events had transpired in London, of one sort or other.

otheradjectiveUS /ˈʌðər/

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading During the interview, however, Dismal had gathered from Doubletongue, who also arrived in all haste, that great events had transpired in London, of one sort or other.

personnounUS /ˈpɜːrsən/

a human being

From this reading His friend Dismal was the only person who had gained access to him, and that but for a few moments.

returnverbUS /rɪˈtɜːrn/

go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before

From this reading Grasp's return home was somewhat more sudden than he had intended.

returnedverbUS /rɪˈtɜːrnd/

past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before

From this reading He returned indeed in an exceedingly discomfited and excited state.

SCRIVENERnounUS /ˈskrɪvnər/

someone employed to make written copies of documents and manuscripts

From this reading THE DISCOMFITED SCRIVENER.

somewhatadverbUS /ˈsʌmˈwʌt/

to a small degree or extent

From this reading Grasp's return home was somewhat more sudden than he had intended.

sortnounUS /sɔːrt/

a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality

From this reading During the interview, however, Dismal had gathered from Doubletongue, who also arrived in all haste, that great events had transpired in London, of one sort or other.

statenounUS /steɪt/

the territory occupied by one of the constituent administrative districts of a nation

From this reading He returned indeed in an exceedingly discomfited and excited state.

suddenadjectiveUS /ˈsʌdən/

happening without warning or in a short space of time

From this reading Grasp's return home was somewhat more sudden than he had intended.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading Grasp's return home was somewhat more sudden than he had intended.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading His friend Dismal was the only person who had gained access to him, and that but for a few moments.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE DISCOMFITED SCRIVENER.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading His friend Dismal was the only person who had gained access to him, and that but for a few moments.

transpiredverbUS /trænˈspaɪərd/

past form of “transpire” — pass through the tissue or substance or its pores or interstices, as of gas

From this reading During the interview, however, Dismal had gathered from Doubletongue, who also arrived in all haste, that great events had transpired in London, of one sort or other.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Grasp's return home was somewhat more sudden than he had intended.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading His friend Dismal was the only person who had gained access to him, and that but for a few moments.

Chapter 39 of William Shakespeare as He Lived by Henry Curling holds 66 sentences, grouped into 14 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 39 of William Shakespeare as He Lived contain?

Chapter 39 holds 66 sentences of William Shakespeare as He Lived, unabridged, divided into 14 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 39 of William Shakespeare as He Lived by Henry Curling exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 66 sentences, grouped into 14 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 39 of William Shakespeare as He Lived?

Work through the 14 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 14 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 39 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 39 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 William Shakespeare as He Lived

Common questions about reading William Shakespeare as He Lived by Henry Curling on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of William Shakespeare as He Lived?

Yes. All 6811 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #34796 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of William Shakespeare as He Lived is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #34796, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does William Shakespeare as He Lived take to read?

About 567 minutes of reading across 1363 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read William Shakespeare as He Lived section by section

How to work through William Shakespeare as He Lived section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

Open a chapter

Choose one of the 40 chapters of William Shakespeare as He Lived to begin.
Read one section

Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Listen and tap

Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in William Shakespeare as He Lived

Words and structures a reader meets early in William Shakespeare as He Lived, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Lived: A word that appears in the opening chapter of William Shakespeare as He Lived; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Historical: A word that appears in the opening chapter of William Shakespeare as He Lived; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Author: A word that appears in the opening chapter of William Shakespeare as He Lived; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
England: A word that appears in the opening chapter of William Shakespeare as He Lived; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.

Chapter XXXIX

What does chapter 39 of William Shakespeare as He Lived contain?

How do I study chapter 39 of William Shakespeare as He Lived?

Can chapter 39 be read aloud to me?

Questions about reading William Shakespeare as He Lived

How to read William Shakespeare as He Lived section by section

Open a chapter

Read one section

Listen and tap

Vocabulary met early in William Shakespeare as He Lived