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King Solomon's Mines
King Solomon's Mines

Chapter XVIII · We Abandon Hope

CHAPTER XVIII.

We Abandon Hope, section 1: I can give no adequate description of the horrors of the night which followed. Mercifully they were to some extent mitigated by sleep, for even in such a position as ours wearied n
Context Illustration Reading 1/42 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
I can give no adequate description of the horrors of the night which followed.
Mercifully they were to some extent mitigated by sleep, for even in such a position as ours wearied nature will sometimes assert itself.
But I, at any rate, found it impossible to sleep much.
Putting aside the terrifying thought of our impending doom—for the bravest man on earth might well quail from such a fate as awaited us, and I never made any pretensions to be brave—the _silence_ itself was too great to allow of it.
Reader, you may have lain awake at night and thought the quiet oppressive, but I say with confidence that you can have no idea what a vivid, tangible thing is perfect stillness.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
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A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

King Solomon's Mines

Chapter XVIII · We Abandon Hope

Reading 1/42 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
I can give no adequate description of the horrors of the night which followed.
Line 2
Mercifully they were to some extent mitigated by sleep, for even in such a position as ours wearied nature will sometimes assert itself.
Line 3
But I, at any rate, found it impossible to sleep much.
Line 4
Putting aside the terrifying thought of our impending doom—for the bravest man on earth might well quail from such a fate as awaited us, and I never made any pretensions to be brave—the _silence_ itself was too great to allow of it.
Line 5
Reader, you may have lain awake at night and thought the quiet oppressive, but I say with confidence that you can have no idea what a vivid, tangible thing is perfect stillness.

Learner Dictionary

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.

give verb US /ɡɪv/

cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense

From this reading “I can give no adequate description of the horrors of the night which followed.”

Collocations
I canA source-grounded phrase from this reading.
can giveA source-grounded phrase from this reading.
All words in this reading · 92

Every word is available to listen to. 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 Mercifully they were to some extent mitigated by sleep, for even in such a position as ours wearied nature will sometimes assert itself.

adequate

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

From this reading I can give no adequate description of the horrors of the night which followed.

allow

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

From this reading Putting aside the terrifying thought of our impending doom—for the bravest man on earth might well quail from such a fate as awaited us, and I never made any pretensions to be brave—the _silence_ itself was too great to allow of it.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Putting aside the terrifying thought of our impending doom—for the bravest man on earth might well quail from such a fate as awaited us, and I never made any pretensions to be brave—the _silence_ itself was too great to allow of it.

any

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

From this reading But I, at any rate, found it impossible to sleep much.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Mercifully they were to some extent mitigated by sleep, for even in such a position as ours wearied nature will sometimes assert itself.

aside

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

From this reading Putting aside the terrifying thought of our impending doom—for the bravest man on earth might well quail from such a fate as awaited us, and I never made any pretensions to be brave—the _silence_ itself was too great to allow of it.

assert

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

From this reading Mercifully they were to some extent mitigated by sleep, for even in such a position as ours wearied nature will sometimes assert itself.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading But I, at any rate, found it impossible to sleep much.

awaited

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

From this reading Putting aside the terrifying thought of our impending doom—for the bravest man on earth might well quail from such a fate as awaited us, and I never made any pretensions to be brave—the _silence_ itself was too great to allow of it.

awake

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

From this reading Reader, you may have lain awake at night and thought the quiet oppressive, but I say with confidence that you can have no idea what a vivid, tangible thing is perfect stillness.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading Putting aside the terrifying thought of our impending doom—for the bravest man on earth might well quail from such a fate as awaited us, and I never made any pretensions to be brave—the _silence_ itself was too great to allow of it.

brave

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

From this reading Putting aside the terrifying thought of our impending doom—for the bravest man on earth might well quail from such a fate as awaited us, and I never made any pretensions to be brave—the _silence_ itself was too great to allow of it.

bravest

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

From this reading Putting aside the terrifying thought of our impending doom—for the bravest man on earth might well quail from such a fate as awaited us, and I never made any pretensions to be brave—the _silence_ itself was too great to allow of it.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But I, at any rate, found it impossible to sleep much.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Mercifully they were to some extent mitigated by sleep, for even in such a position as ours wearied nature will sometimes assert itself.

canmodal verbUS /kæn/

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading I can give no adequate description of the horrors of the night which followed.

confidencenounUS /ˈconfidence/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading Reader, you may have lain awake at night and thought the quiet oppressive, but I say with confidence that you can have no idea what a vivid, tangible thing is perfect stillness.

description

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

From this reading I can give no adequate description of the horrors of the night which followed.

doom

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

From this reading Putting aside the terrifying thought of our impending doom—for the bravest man on earth might well quail from such a fate as awaited us, and I never made any pretensions to be brave—the _silence_ itself was too great to allow of it.

earth

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

From this reading Putting aside the terrifying thought of our impending doom—for the bravest man on earth might well quail from such a fate as awaited us, and I never made any pretensions to be brave—the _silence_ itself was too great to allow of it.

evennounUS /even/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Mercifully they were to some extent mitigated by sleep, for even in such a position as ours wearied nature will sometimes assert itself.

extent

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

From this reading Mercifully they were to some extent mitigated by sleep, for even in such a position as ours wearied nature will sometimes assert itself.

fate

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

From this reading Putting aside the terrifying thought of our impending doom—for the bravest man on earth might well quail from such a fate as awaited us, and I never made any pretensions to be brave—the _silence_ itself was too great to allow of it.

followed

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

From this reading I can give no adequate description of the horrors of the night which followed.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Mercifully they were to some extent mitigated by sleep, for even in such a position as ours wearied nature will sometimes assert itself.

foundnounUS /found/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading But I, at any rate, found it impossible to sleep much.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Putting aside the terrifying thought of our impending doom—for the bravest man on earth might well quail from such a fate as awaited us, and I never made any pretensions to be brave—the _silence_ itself was too great to allow of it.

giveverbUS /ɡɪv/

cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense

From this reading I can give no adequate description of the horrors of the night which followed.

greatnounUS /great/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Putting aside the terrifying thought of our impending doom—for the bravest man on earth might well quail from such a fate as awaited us, and I never made any pretensions to be brave—the _silence_ itself was too great to allow of it.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading Reader, you may have lain awake at night and thought the quiet oppressive, but I say with confidence that you can have no idea what a vivid, tangible thing is perfect stillness.

horrors

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

From this reading I can give no adequate description of the horrors of the night which followed.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading I can give no adequate description of the horrors of the night which followed.

idea

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

From this reading Reader, you may have lain awake at night and thought the quiet oppressive, but I say with confidence that you can have no idea what a vivid, tangible thing is perfect stillness.

impending

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

From this reading Putting aside the terrifying thought of our impending doom—for the bravest man on earth might well quail from such a fate as awaited us, and I never made any pretensions to be brave—the _silence_ itself was too great to allow of it.

impossible

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

From this reading But I, at any rate, found it impossible to sleep much.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Mercifully they were to some extent mitigated by sleep, for even in such a position as ours wearied nature will sometimes assert itself.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading Reader, you may have lain awake at night and thought the quiet oppressive, but I say with confidence that you can have no idea what a vivid, tangible thing is perfect stillness.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading But I, at any rate, found it impossible to sleep much.

itselfpronounUS /ˌɪtˈself/

used when the thing doing the action is also its object

From this reading Mercifully they were to some extent mitigated by sleep, for even in such a position as ours wearied nature will sometimes assert itself.

lain

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

From this reading Reader, you may have lain awake at night and thought the quiet oppressive, but I say with confidence that you can have no idea what a vivid, tangible thing is perfect stillness.

made

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

From this reading Putting aside the terrifying thought of our impending doom—for the bravest man on earth might well quail from such a fate as awaited us, and I never made any pretensions to be brave—the _silence_ itself was too great to allow of it.

man

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

From this reading Putting aside the terrifying thought of our impending doom—for the bravest man on earth might well quail from such a fate as awaited us, and I never made any pretensions to be brave—the _silence_ itself was too great to allow of it.

maymodal verbUS /meɪ/

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading Reader, you may have lain awake at night and thought the quiet oppressive, but I say with confidence that you can have no idea what a vivid, tangible thing is perfect stillness.

Mercifully

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

From this reading Mercifully they were to some extent mitigated by sleep, for even in such a position as ours wearied nature will sometimes assert itself.

mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading Putting aside the terrifying thought of our impending doom—for the bravest man on earth might well quail from such a fate as awaited us, and I never made any pretensions to be brave—the _silence_ itself was too great to allow of it.

mitigated

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

From this reading Mercifully they were to some extent mitigated by sleep, for even in such a position as ours wearied nature will sometimes assert itself.

much

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

From this reading But I, at any rate, found it impossible to sleep much.

nature

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

From this reading Mercifully they were to some extent mitigated by sleep, for even in such a position as ours wearied nature will sometimes assert itself.

nevernounUS /never/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Putting aside the terrifying thought of our impending doom—for the bravest man on earth might well quail from such a fate as awaited us, and I never made any pretensions to be brave—the _silence_ itself was too great to allow of it.

night

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

From this reading I can give no adequate description of the horrors of the night which followed.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading I can give no adequate description of the horrors of the night which followed.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading I can give no adequate description of the horrors of the night which followed.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Putting aside the terrifying thought of our impending doom—for the bravest man on earth might well quail from such a fate as awaited us, and I never made any pretensions to be brave—the _silence_ itself was too great to allow of it.

oppressive

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

From this reading Reader, you may have lain awake at night and thought the quiet oppressive, but I say with confidence that you can have no idea what a vivid, tangible thing is perfect stillness.

ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading Putting aside the terrifying thought of our impending doom—for the bravest man on earth might well quail from such a fate as awaited us, and I never made any pretensions to be brave—the _silence_ itself was too great to allow of it.

ourspronounUS /ˈaʊərz/

the one or ones belonging to us

From this reading Mercifully they were to some extent mitigated by sleep, for even in such a position as ours wearied nature will sometimes assert itself.

perfect

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

From this reading Reader, you may have lain awake at night and thought the quiet oppressive, but I say with confidence that you can have no idea what a vivid, tangible thing is perfect stillness.

position

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

From this reading Mercifully they were to some extent mitigated by sleep, for even in such a position as ours wearied nature will sometimes assert itself.

pretensions

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

From this reading Putting aside the terrifying thought of our impending doom—for the bravest man on earth might well quail from such a fate as awaited us, and I never made any pretensions to be brave—the _silence_ itself was too great to allow of it.

Putting

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

From this reading Putting aside the terrifying thought of our impending doom—for the bravest man on earth might well quail from such a fate as awaited us, and I never made any pretensions to be brave—the _silence_ itself was too great to allow of it.

quail

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

From this reading Putting aside the terrifying thought of our impending doom—for the bravest man on earth might well quail from such a fate as awaited us, and I never made any pretensions to be brave—the _silence_ itself was too great to allow of it.

quiet

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

From this reading Reader, you may have lain awake at night and thought the quiet oppressive, but I say with confidence that you can have no idea what a vivid, tangible thing is perfect stillness.

rate

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

From this reading But I, at any rate, found it impossible to sleep much.

Reader

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

From this reading Reader, you may have lain awake at night and thought the quiet oppressive, but I say with confidence that you can have no idea what a vivid, tangible thing is perfect stillness.

say

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

From this reading Reader, you may have lain awake at night and thought the quiet oppressive, but I say with confidence that you can have no idea what a vivid, tangible thing is perfect stillness.

silencenounUS /ˈsaɪ.ləns/

Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.

From this reading Putting aside the terrifying thought of our impending doom—for the bravest man on earth might well quail from such a fate as awaited us, and I never made any pretensions to be brave—the _silence_ itself was too great to allow of it.

sleep

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

From this reading Mercifully they were to some extent mitigated by sleep, for even in such a position as ours wearied nature will sometimes assert itself.

some

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

From this reading Mercifully they were to some extent mitigated by sleep, for even in such a position as ours wearied nature will sometimes assert itself.

sometimes

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

From this reading Mercifully they were to some extent mitigated by sleep, for even in such a position as ours wearied nature will sometimes assert itself.

stillness

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

From this reading Reader, you may have lain awake at night and thought the quiet oppressive, but I say with confidence that you can have no idea what a vivid, tangible thing is perfect stillness.

suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading Mercifully they were to some extent mitigated by sleep, for even in such a position as ours wearied nature will sometimes assert itself.

tangible

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

From this reading Reader, you may have lain awake at night and thought the quiet oppressive, but I say with confidence that you can have no idea what a vivid, tangible thing is perfect stillness.

terrifying

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

From this reading Putting aside the terrifying thought of our impending doom—for the bravest man on earth might well quail from such a fate as awaited us, and I never made any pretensions to be brave—the _silence_ itself was too great to allow of it.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Reader, you may have lain awake at night and thought the quiet oppressive, but I say with confidence that you can have no idea what a vivid, tangible thing is perfect stillness.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading I can give no adequate description of the horrors of the night which followed.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Mercifully they were to some extent mitigated by sleep, for even in such a position as ours wearied nature will sometimes assert itself.

thingnounUS /thing/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Reader, you may have lain awake at night and thought the quiet oppressive, but I say with confidence that you can have no idea what a vivid, tangible thing is perfect stillness.

thoughtnounUS /thought/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Putting aside the terrifying thought of our impending doom—for the bravest man on earth might well quail from such a fate as awaited us, and I never made any pretensions to be brave—the _silence_ itself was too great to allow of it.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Mercifully they were to some extent mitigated by sleep, for even in such a position as ours wearied nature will sometimes assert itself.

too

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

From this reading Putting aside the terrifying thought of our impending doom—for the bravest man on earth might well quail from such a fate as awaited us, and I never made any pretensions to be brave—the _silence_ itself was too great to allow of it.

uspronounUS /ʌs/

the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Putting aside the terrifying thought of our impending doom—for the bravest man on earth might well quail from such a fate as awaited us, and I never made any pretensions to be brave—the _silence_ itself was too great to allow of it.

vivid

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

From this reading Reader, you may have lain awake at night and thought the quiet oppressive, but I say with confidence that you can have no idea what a vivid, tangible thing is perfect stillness.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Putting aside the terrifying thought of our impending doom—for the bravest man on earth might well quail from such a fate as awaited us, and I never made any pretensions to be brave—the _silence_ itself was too great to allow of it.

wearied

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

From this reading Mercifully they were to some extent mitigated by sleep, for even in such a position as ours wearied nature will sometimes assert itself.

well

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

From this reading Putting aside the terrifying thought of our impending doom—for the bravest man on earth might well quail from such a fate as awaited us, and I never made any pretensions to be brave—the _silence_ itself was too great to allow of it.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading Mercifully they were to some extent mitigated by sleep, for even in such a position as ours wearied nature will sometimes assert itself.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading Reader, you may have lain awake at night and thought the quiet oppressive, but I say with confidence that you can have no idea what a vivid, tangible thing is perfect stillness.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading I can give no adequate description of the horrors of the night which followed.

willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading Mercifully they were to some extent mitigated by sleep, for even in such a position as ours wearied nature will sometimes assert itself.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Reader, you may have lain awake at night and thought the quiet oppressive, but I say with confidence that you can have no idea what a vivid, tangible thing is perfect stillness.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading Reader, you may have lain awake at night and thought the quiet oppressive, but I say with confidence that you can have no idea what a vivid, tangible thing is perfect stillness.

Chapter Quiz

What is the central narrative or theme conveyed in this section of Chapter 18?

Which core linguistic virtue or character attribute is emphasized in this passage?

According to the text: "CHAPTER XVIII....", what tone does the author establish?

Shadowing Practice

Narrator: CHAPTER XVIII.
Narrator: plunging down into the unknown bowels of the earth, in the wild hope of