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Youth

Chapter XVII · Chapter 17

Chapter 17 of Youth is here in full — 136 sentences across 28 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/27 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Almost every time that winter that I went upstairs to Dimitri’s room, I used to find there a University friend of his named Bezobiedoff, with whom he appeared to be very much taken up.
Bezobiedoff was a small, slight fellow, with a face pitted over with smallpox, freckled, effeminate hands, and a huge flaxen moustache much in need of the comb.
He was invariably dirty, shabby, uncouth, and uninteresting.
To me, Dimitri’s relations with him were as unintelligible as his relations with Lubov Sergievna, and the only reason he could have had for choosing such a man for his associate was that in the whole University there was no worse-looking student than Bezobiedoff.
Yet that alone would have been sufficient to make Dimitri extend him his friendship, and, as a matter of fact, in all his intercourse with this fellow he seemed to be saying proudly: I care nothing who a man may be.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Youth

Chapter XVII · Chapter 17

Chapter 17 of Youth is here in full — 136 sentences across 28 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/27 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Almost every time that winter that I went upstairs to Dimitri’s room, I used to find there a University friend of his named Bezobiedoff, with whom he appeared to be very much taken up.
Line 2
Bezobiedoff was a small, slight fellow, with a face pitted over with smallpox, freckled, effeminate hands, and a huge flaxen moustache much in need of the comb.
Line 3
He was invariably dirty, shabby, uncouth, and uninteresting.
/hiː wɑːz ˌɪnˈveriəbli ˈdɜːrti ˈʃæbi ˈʌnˈkuːθ ənd əˈnɪntrəstɪŋ/
Line 4
To me, Dimitri’s relations with him were as unintelligible as his relations with Lubov Sergievna, and the only reason he could have had for choosing such a man for his associate was that in the whole University there was no worse-looking student than Bezobiedoff.
Line 5
Yet that alone would have been sufficient to make Dimitri extend him his friendship, and, as a matter of fact, in all his intercourse with this fellow he seemed to be saying proudly: “I care nothing who a man may be.

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.

comb verb US /koʊm/

straighten with a comb

From this reading “Bezobiedoff was a small, slight fellow, with a face pitted over with smallpox, freckled, effeminate hands, and a huge flaxen moustache much in need of the comb.”

effeminate adjective US /iˈfemɪnət/

having unsuitable feminine qualities

From this reading “Bezobiedoff was a small, slight fellow, with a face pitted over with smallpox, freckled, effeminate hands, and a huge flaxen moustache much in need of the comb.”

freckled adjective US /ˈfrekəld/

relating to or covered with or resembling freckles

From this reading “Bezobiedoff was a small, slight fellow, with a face pitted over with smallpox, freckled, effeminate hands, and a huge flaxen moustache much in need of the comb.”

pitted adjective US /ˈpɪtɪd/

pitted with cell-like cavities (as a honeycomb)

From this reading “Bezobiedoff was a small, slight fellow, with a face pitted over with smallpox, freckled, effeminate hands, and a huge flaxen moustache much in need of the comb.”

smallpox noun US /ˈsmɔːlpɑːks/

a highly contagious viral disease characterized by fever and weakness and skin eruption with pustules that form scabs that slough off leaving scars

From this reading “Bezobiedoff was a small, slight fellow, with a face pitted over with smallpox, freckled, effeminate hands, and a huge flaxen moustache much in need of the comb.”

uncouth adjective US /ˈʌnˈkuːθ/

lacking refinement or cultivation or taste

From this reading “He was invariably dirty, shabby, uncouth, and uninteresting.”

unintelligible adjective US /ˌʌnɪnˈtelədʒəbəl/

poorly articulated or enunciated, or drowned by noise

From this reading “To me, Dimitri’s relations with him were as unintelligible as his relations with Lubov Sergievna, and the only reason he could have had for choosing such a man for his associate was that in the whole University there was no worse-looking student than Bezobiedoff.”

uninteresting adjective US /əˈnɪntrəstɪŋ/

arousing no interest or attention or curiosity or excitement

From this reading “He was invariably dirty, shabby, uncouth, and uninteresting.”

All words in this reading · 98

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 Almost every time that winter that I went upstairs to Dimitri’s room, I used to find there a University friend of his named Bezobiedoff, with whom he appeared to be very much taken up.

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 Yet that alone would have been sufficient to make Dimitri extend him his friendship, and, as a matter of fact, in all his intercourse with this fellow he seemed to be saying proudly: “I care nothing who a man may be.

AlmostadverbUS /ˈɔːlmoʊst/

(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but

From this reading Almost every time that winter that I went upstairs to Dimitri’s room, I used to find there a University friend of his named Bezobiedoff, with whom he appeared to be very much taken up.

aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/

Having no one else present.

From this reading Yet that alone would have been sufficient to make Dimitri extend him his friendship, and, as a matter of fact, in all his intercourse with this fellow he seemed to be saying proudly: “I care nothing who a man may be.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Bezobiedoff was a small, slight fellow, with a face pitted over with smallpox, freckled, effeminate hands, and a huge flaxen moustache much in need of the comb.

appearedverbUS /əˈpɪrd/

past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading Almost every time that winter that I went upstairs to Dimitri’s room, I used to find there a University friend of his named Bezobiedoff, with whom he appeared to be very much taken up.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading To me, Dimitri’s relations with him were as unintelligible as his relations with Lubov Sergievna, and the only reason he could have had for choosing such a man for his associate was that in the whole University there was no worse-looking student than Bezobiedoff.

associateverbUS /əˈsoʊsiət/

make a logical or causal connection

From this reading To me, Dimitri’s relations with him were as unintelligible as his relations with Lubov Sergievna, and the only reason he could have had for choosing such a man for his associate was that in the whole University there was no worse-looking student than Bezobiedoff.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading Almost every time that winter that I went upstairs to Dimitri’s room, I used to find there a University friend of his named Bezobiedoff, with whom he appeared to be very much taken up.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading Yet that alone would have been sufficient to make Dimitri extend him his friendship, and, as a matter of fact, in all his intercourse with this fellow he seemed to be saying proudly: “I care nothing who a man may be.

Bezobiedoff

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

From this reading Almost every time that winter that I went upstairs to Dimitri’s room, I used to find there a University friend of his named Bezobiedoff, with whom he appeared to be very much taken up.

carenounUS /ker/

the work of providing treatment for or attending to someone or something

From this reading Yet that alone would have been sufficient to make Dimitri extend him his friendship, and, as a matter of fact, in all his intercourse with this fellow he seemed to be saying proudly: “I care nothing who a man may be.

choosingverbUS /ˈtʃuːzɪŋ/

-ing form of “choose” — pick out, select, or choose from a number of alternatives

From this reading To me, Dimitri’s relations with him were as unintelligible as his relations with Lubov Sergievna, and the only reason he could have had for choosing such a man for his associate was that in the whole University there was no worse-looking student than Bezobiedoff.

combverbUS /koʊm/

straighten with a comb

From this reading Bezobiedoff was a small, slight fellow, with a face pitted over with smallpox, freckled, effeminate hands, and a huge flaxen moustache much in need of the comb.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading To me, Dimitri’s relations with him were as unintelligible as his relations with Lubov Sergievna, and the only reason he could have had for choosing such a man for his associate was that in the whole University there was no worse-looking student than Bezobiedoff.

Dimitri

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

From this reading Yet that alone would have been sufficient to make Dimitri extend him his friendship, and, as a matter of fact, in all his intercourse with this fellow he seemed to be saying proudly: “I care nothing who a man may be.

Dimitri's

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

From this reading Almost every time that winter that I went upstairs to Dimitri’s room, I used to find there a University friend of his named Bezobiedoff, with whom he appeared to be very much taken up.

dirtyadjectiveUS /ˈdɜːrti/

soiled or likely to soil with dirt or grime

From this reading He was invariably dirty, shabby, uncouth, and uninteresting.

effeminateadjectiveUS /iˈfemɪnət/

having unsuitable feminine qualities

From this reading Bezobiedoff was a small, slight fellow, with a face pitted over with smallpox, freckled, effeminate hands, and a huge flaxen moustache much in need of the comb.

everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading Almost every time that winter that I went upstairs to Dimitri’s room, I used to find there a University friend of his named Bezobiedoff, with whom he appeared to be very much taken up.

extendverbUS /ɪkˈstend/

extend in scope or range or area

From this reading Yet that alone would have been sufficient to make Dimitri extend him his friendship, and, as a matter of fact, in all his intercourse with this fellow he seemed to be saying proudly: “I care nothing who a man may be.

facenounUS /feɪs/

the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear

From this reading Bezobiedoff was a small, slight fellow, with a face pitted over with smallpox, freckled, effeminate hands, and a huge flaxen moustache much in need of the comb.

factnounUS /fækt/

a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred

From this reading Yet that alone would have been sufficient to make Dimitri extend him his friendship, and, as a matter of fact, in all his intercourse with this fellow he seemed to be saying proudly: “I care nothing who a man may be.

fellownounUS /ˈfeloʊ/

a boy or man

From this reading Bezobiedoff was a small, slight fellow, with a face pitted over with smallpox, freckled, effeminate hands, and a huge flaxen moustache much in need of the comb.

findverbUS /faɪnd/

come upon, as if by accident; meet with

From this reading Almost every time that winter that I went upstairs to Dimitri’s room, I used to find there a University friend of his named Bezobiedoff, with whom he appeared to be very much taken up.

flaxenadjective

of hair color; pale yellowish to yellowish brown

From this reading Bezobiedoff was a small, slight fellow, with a face pitted over with smallpox, freckled, effeminate hands, and a huge flaxen moustache much in need of the comb.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading To me, Dimitri’s relations with him were as unintelligible as his relations with Lubov Sergievna, and the only reason he could have had for choosing such a man for his associate was that in the whole University there was no worse-looking student than Bezobiedoff.

freckledadjectiveUS /ˈfrekəld/

relating to or covered with or resembling freckles

From this reading Bezobiedoff was a small, slight fellow, with a face pitted over with smallpox, freckled, effeminate hands, and a huge flaxen moustache much in need of the comb.

friendnounUS /frend/

a person you know well and regard with affection and trust

From this reading Almost every time that winter that I went upstairs to Dimitri’s room, I used to find there a University friend of his named Bezobiedoff, with whom he appeared to be very much taken up.

friendshipnounUS /ˈfrendʃɪp/

the state of being friends (or friendly)

From this reading Yet that alone would have been sufficient to make Dimitri extend him his friendship, and, as a matter of fact, in all his intercourse with this fellow he seemed to be saying proudly: “I care nothing who a man may be.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading To me, Dimitri’s relations with him were as unintelligible as his relations with Lubov Sergievna, and the only reason he could have had for choosing such a man for his associate was that in the whole University there was no worse-looking student than Bezobiedoff.

handsnounUS /hændz/

(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child

From this reading Bezobiedoff was a small, slight fellow, with a face pitted over with smallpox, freckled, effeminate hands, and a huge flaxen moustache much in need of the comb.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading To me, Dimitri’s relations with him were as unintelligible as his relations with Lubov Sergievna, and the only reason he could have had for choosing such a man for his associate was that in the whole University there was no worse-looking student than Bezobiedoff.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading Almost every time that winter that I went upstairs to Dimitri’s room, I used to find there a University friend of his named Bezobiedoff, with whom he appeared to be very much taken up.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading To me, Dimitri’s relations with him were as unintelligible as his relations with Lubov Sergievna, and the only reason he could have had for choosing such a man for his associate was that in the whole University there was no worse-looking student than Bezobiedoff.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Almost every time that winter that I went upstairs to Dimitri’s room, I used to find there a University friend of his named Bezobiedoff, with whom he appeared to be very much taken up.

hugeadjectiveUS /hjuːdʒ/

unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope

From this reading Bezobiedoff was a small, slight fellow, with a face pitted over with smallpox, freckled, effeminate hands, and a huge flaxen moustache much in need of the comb.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading Almost every time that winter that I went upstairs to Dimitri’s room, I used to find there a University friend of his named Bezobiedoff, with whom he appeared to be very much taken up.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Bezobiedoff was a small, slight fellow, with a face pitted over with smallpox, freckled, effeminate hands, and a huge flaxen moustache much in need of the comb.

intercoursenounUS /ˈɪntərkɔːrs/

communication between individuals

From this reading Yet that alone would have been sufficient to make Dimitri extend him his friendship, and, as a matter of fact, in all his intercourse with this fellow he seemed to be saying proudly: “I care nothing who a man may be.

invariablyadverbUS /ˌɪnˈveriəbli/

without variation or change, in every case

From this reading He was invariably dirty, shabby, uncouth, and uninteresting.

Lubov

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

From this reading To me, Dimitri’s relations with him were as unintelligible as his relations with Lubov Sergievna, and the only reason he could have had for choosing such a man for his associate was that in the whole University there was no worse-looking student than Bezobiedoff.

makeverbUS /meɪk/

engage in

From this reading Yet that alone would have been sufficient to make Dimitri extend him his friendship, and, as a matter of fact, in all his intercourse with this fellow he seemed to be saying proudly: “I care nothing who a man may be.

mannounUS /mæn/

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

From this reading To me, Dimitri’s relations with him were as unintelligible as his relations with Lubov Sergievna, and the only reason he could have had for choosing such a man for his associate was that in the whole University there was no worse-looking student than Bezobiedoff.

matternounUS /ˈmætər/

a vaguely specified concern

From this reading Yet that alone would have been sufficient to make Dimitri extend him his friendship, and, as a matter of fact, in all his intercourse with this fellow he seemed to be saying proudly: “I care nothing who a man may be.

maymodal verbUS /meɪ/

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading Yet that alone would have been sufficient to make Dimitri extend him his friendship, and, as a matter of fact, in all his intercourse with this fellow he seemed to be saying proudly: “I care nothing who a man may be.

mepronounUS /miː/

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

From this reading To me, Dimitri’s relations with him were as unintelligible as his relations with Lubov Sergievna, and the only reason he could have had for choosing such a man for his associate was that in the whole University there was no worse-looking student than Bezobiedoff.

moustachenounUS /ˈmʌstæʃ/

an unshaved growth of hair on the upper lip

From this reading Bezobiedoff was a small, slight fellow, with a face pitted over with smallpox, freckled, effeminate hands, and a huge flaxen moustache much in need of the comb.

muchadverbUS /mʌtʃ/

to a great degree or extent

From this reading Almost every time that winter that I went upstairs to Dimitri’s room, I used to find there a University friend of his named Bezobiedoff, with whom he appeared to be very much taken up.

namedverbUS /neɪmd/

past form of “name” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading Almost every time that winter that I went upstairs to Dimitri’s room, I used to find there a University friend of his named Bezobiedoff, with whom he appeared to be very much taken up.

neednounUS /niːd/

a condition requiring relief

From this reading Bezobiedoff was a small, slight fellow, with a face pitted over with smallpox, freckled, effeminate hands, and a huge flaxen moustache much in need of the comb.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading To me, Dimitri’s relations with him were as unintelligible as his relations with Lubov Sergievna, and the only reason he could have had for choosing such a man for his associate was that in the whole University there was no worse-looking student than Bezobiedoff.

nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading Yet that alone would have been sufficient to make Dimitri extend him his friendship, and, as a matter of fact, in all his intercourse with this fellow he seemed to be saying proudly: “I care nothing who a man may be.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Almost every time that winter that I went upstairs to Dimitri’s room, I used to find there a University friend of his named Bezobiedoff, with whom he appeared to be very much taken up.

onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading To me, Dimitri’s relations with him were as unintelligible as his relations with Lubov Sergievna, and the only reason he could have had for choosing such a man for his associate was that in the whole University there was no worse-looking student than Bezobiedoff.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading Bezobiedoff was a small, slight fellow, with a face pitted over with smallpox, freckled, effeminate hands, and a huge flaxen moustache much in need of the comb.

pittedadjectiveUS /ˈpɪtɪd/

pitted with cell-like cavities (as a honeycomb)

From this reading Bezobiedoff was a small, slight fellow, with a face pitted over with smallpox, freckled, effeminate hands, and a huge flaxen moustache much in need of the comb.

proudlyadverbUS /ˈpraʊdli/

with pride; in a proud manner

From this reading Yet that alone would have been sufficient to make Dimitri extend him his friendship, and, as a matter of fact, in all his intercourse with this fellow he seemed to be saying proudly: “I care nothing who a man may be.

reasonnounUS /ˈriːzən/

a rational motive for a belief or action

From this reading To me, Dimitri’s relations with him were as unintelligible as his relations with Lubov Sergievna, and the only reason he could have had for choosing such a man for his associate was that in the whole University there was no worse-looking student than Bezobiedoff.

relationsnounUS /riˈleɪʃənz/

mutual dealings or connections or communications among persons or groups

From this reading To me, Dimitri’s relations with him were as unintelligible as his relations with Lubov Sergievna, and the only reason he could have had for choosing such a man for his associate was that in the whole University there was no worse-looking student than Bezobiedoff.

roomnounUS /ruːm/

an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling

From this reading Almost every time that winter that I went upstairs to Dimitri’s room, I used to find there a University friend of his named Bezobiedoff, with whom he appeared to be very much taken up.

sayingnounUS /ˈseɪɪŋ/

a word or phrase that particular people use in particular situations

From this reading Yet that alone would have been sufficient to make Dimitri extend him his friendship, and, as a matter of fact, in all his intercourse with this fellow he seemed to be saying proudly: “I care nothing who a man may be.

seemedverbUS /siːmd/

past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading Yet that alone would have been sufficient to make Dimitri extend him his friendship, and, as a matter of fact, in all his intercourse with this fellow he seemed to be saying proudly: “I care nothing who a man may be.

Sergievna

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

From this reading To me, Dimitri’s relations with him were as unintelligible as his relations with Lubov Sergievna, and the only reason he could have had for choosing such a man for his associate was that in the whole University there was no worse-looking student than Bezobiedoff.

shabbyadjectiveUS /ˈʃæbi/

showing signs of wear and tear

From this reading He was invariably dirty, shabby, uncouth, and uninteresting.

slightnounUS /slaɪt/

a deliberate discourteous act (usually as an expression of anger or disapproval)

From this reading Bezobiedoff was a small, slight fellow, with a face pitted over with smallpox, freckled, effeminate hands, and a huge flaxen moustache much in need of the comb.

smalladjectiveUS /smɔːl/

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading Bezobiedoff was a small, slight fellow, with a face pitted over with smallpox, freckled, effeminate hands, and a huge flaxen moustache much in need of the comb.

smallpoxnounUS /ˈsmɔːlpɑːks/

a highly contagious viral disease characterized by fever and weakness and skin eruption with pustules that form scabs that slough off leaving scars

From this reading Bezobiedoff was a small, slight fellow, with a face pitted over with smallpox, freckled, effeminate hands, and a huge flaxen moustache much in need of the comb.

studentnounUS /ˈstuːdənt/

a learner who is enrolled in an educational institution

From this reading To me, Dimitri’s relations with him were as unintelligible as his relations with Lubov Sergievna, and the only reason he could have had for choosing such a man for his associate was that in the whole University there was no worse-looking student than Bezobiedoff.

suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading To me, Dimitri’s relations with him were as unintelligible as his relations with Lubov Sergievna, and the only reason he could have had for choosing such a man for his associate was that in the whole University there was no worse-looking student than Bezobiedoff.

sufficientadjectiveUS /səˈfɪʃənt/

of a quantity that can fulfill a need or requirement but without being abundant

From this reading Yet that alone would have been sufficient to make Dimitri extend him his friendship, and, as a matter of fact, in all his intercourse with this fellow he seemed to be saying proudly: “I care nothing who a man may be.

takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/

understood in a certain way; made sense of

From this reading Almost every time that winter that I went upstairs to Dimitri’s room, I used to find there a University friend of his named Bezobiedoff, with whom he appeared to be very much taken up.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading To me, Dimitri’s relations with him were as unintelligible as his relations with Lubov Sergievna, and the only reason he could have had for choosing such a man for his associate was that in the whole University there was no worse-looking student than Bezobiedoff.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Almost every time that winter that I went upstairs to Dimitri’s room, I used to find there a University friend of his named Bezobiedoff, with whom he appeared to be very much taken up.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Bezobiedoff was a small, slight fellow, with a face pitted over with smallpox, freckled, effeminate hands, and a huge flaxen moustache much in need of the comb.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading Almost every time that winter that I went upstairs to Dimitri’s room, I used to find there a University friend of his named Bezobiedoff, with whom he appeared to be very much taken up.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading Yet that alone would have been sufficient to make Dimitri extend him his friendship, and, as a matter of fact, in all his intercourse with this fellow he seemed to be saying proudly: “I care nothing who a man may be.

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading Almost every time that winter that I went upstairs to Dimitri’s room, I used to find there a University friend of his named Bezobiedoff, with whom he appeared to be very much taken up.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Almost every time that winter that I went upstairs to Dimitri’s room, I used to find there a University friend of his named Bezobiedoff, with whom he appeared to be very much taken up.

uncouthadjectiveUS /ˈʌnˈkuːθ/

lacking refinement or cultivation or taste

From this reading He was invariably dirty, shabby, uncouth, and uninteresting.

unintelligibleadjectiveUS /ˌʌnɪnˈtelədʒəbəl/

poorly articulated or enunciated, or drowned by noise

From this reading To me, Dimitri’s relations with him were as unintelligible as his relations with Lubov Sergievna, and the only reason he could have had for choosing such a man for his associate was that in the whole University there was no worse-looking student than Bezobiedoff.

uninterestingadjectiveUS /əˈnɪntrəstɪŋ/

arousing no interest or attention or curiosity or excitement

From this reading He was invariably dirty, shabby, uncouth, and uninteresting.

UniversitynounUS /ˌjuːnəˈvɜːrsəti/

the body of faculty and students at a university

From this reading Almost every time that winter that I went upstairs to Dimitri’s room, I used to find there a University friend of his named Bezobiedoff, with whom he appeared to be very much taken up.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading Almost every time that winter that I went upstairs to Dimitri’s room, I used to find there a University friend of his named Bezobiedoff, with whom he appeared to be very much taken up.

upstairsadverbUS /əpˈsterz/

on a floor above

From this reading Almost every time that winter that I went upstairs to Dimitri’s room, I used to find there a University friend of his named Bezobiedoff, with whom he appeared to be very much taken up.

usedadjectiveUS /juːzd/

employed in accomplishing something

From this reading Almost every time that winter that I went upstairs to Dimitri’s room, I used to find there a University friend of his named Bezobiedoff, with whom he appeared to be very much taken up.

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading Almost every time that winter that I went upstairs to Dimitri’s room, I used to find there a University friend of his named Bezobiedoff, with whom he appeared to be very much taken up.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Bezobiedoff was a small, slight fellow, with a face pitted over with smallpox, freckled, effeminate hands, and a huge flaxen moustache much in need of the comb.

wentverbUS /went/

inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading Almost every time that winter that I went upstairs to Dimitri’s room, I used to find there a University friend of his named Bezobiedoff, with whom he appeared to be very much taken up.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading To me, Dimitri’s relations with him were as unintelligible as his relations with Lubov Sergievna, and the only reason he could have had for choosing such a man for his associate was that in the whole University there was no worse-looking student than Bezobiedoff.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading Yet that alone would have been sufficient to make Dimitri extend him his friendship, and, as a matter of fact, in all his intercourse with this fellow he seemed to be saying proudly: “I care nothing who a man may be.

wholeadjectiveUS /hoʊl/

including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete

From this reading To me, Dimitri’s relations with him were as unintelligible as his relations with Lubov Sergievna, and the only reason he could have had for choosing such a man for his associate was that in the whole University there was no worse-looking student than Bezobiedoff.

whompronounUS /huːm/

the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Almost every time that winter that I went upstairs to Dimitri’s room, I used to find there a University friend of his named Bezobiedoff, with whom he appeared to be very much taken up.

winternounUS /ˈwɪntər/

the coldest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the winter solstice to the vernal equinox

From this reading Almost every time that winter that I went upstairs to Dimitri’s room, I used to find there a University friend of his named Bezobiedoff, with whom he appeared to be very much taken up.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Almost every time that winter that I went upstairs to Dimitri’s room, I used to find there a University friend of his named Bezobiedoff, with whom he appeared to be very much taken up.

worse-looking

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

From this reading To me, Dimitri’s relations with him were as unintelligible as his relations with Lubov Sergievna, and the only reason he could have had for choosing such a man for his associate was that in the whole University there was no worse-looking student than Bezobiedoff.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading Yet that alone would have been sufficient to make Dimitri extend him his friendship, and, as a matter of fact, in all his intercourse with this fellow he seemed to be saying proudly: “I care nothing who a man may be.

YetconjunctionUS /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading Yet that alone would have been sufficient to make Dimitri extend him his friendship, and, as a matter of fact, in all his intercourse with this fellow he seemed to be saying proudly: “I care nothing who a man may be.

Chapter 17 of Youth by Leo, graf Tolstoy holds 136 sentences, grouped into 28 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 17 of Youth contain?

Chapter 17 holds 136 sentences of Youth, unabridged, divided into 28 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 17 of Youth by Leo, graf Tolstoy exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 136 sentences, grouped into 28 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 17 of Youth?

Work through the 28 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 28 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 17 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 17 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 Youth

Common questions about reading Youth by Leo, graf Tolstoy on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Youth?

Yes. All 2351 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #2637 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Youth is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #2637, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Youth take to read?

About 195 minutes of reading across 471 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Youth section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 18 chapters of Youth 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 Youth

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

Friendship
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Youth; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Dimitri
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Youth; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Opened
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Youth; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Relations
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Youth; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.