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Ali Baba, or the Forty Thieves
Ali Baba, or the Forty Thieves

Chapter I

Cover illustration for Ali Baba, or the Forty Thieves
Context Illustration Reading 1/22 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
ALI BABA, OR THE FORTY THIEVES.
NEW YORK: J. WRIGLEY, 394 GRAND STREET.
HISTORY OF THE FORTY THIEVES.
In a town of Persia lived two brothers, sons of a poor man; one named Cassim, the other Ali Baba.
Cassim, the elder, married a wife with a considerable fortune, and lived at his ease; but the wife of Ali Baba was as poor as himself: they dwelt in a mean cottage in the suburbs, and he maintained his family by cutting wood.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Ali Baba, or the Forty Thieves

Chapter I

Reading 1/22 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
ALI BABA, OR THE FORTY THIEVES.
Line 2
NEW YORK: J. WRIGLEY, 394 GRAND STREET.
Line 3
HISTORY OF THE FORTY THIEVES.
Line 4
In a town of Persia lived two brothers, sons of a poor man; one named Cassim, the other Ali Baba.
Line 5
Cassim, the elder, married a wife with a considerable fortune, and lived at his ease; but the wife of Ali Baba was as poor as himself: they dwelt in a mean cottage in the suburbs, and he maintained his family by cutting wood.

Learner Dictionary

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

Fortune noun US /ˈfortune/

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

From this reading “Cassim, the elder, married a wife with a considerable fortune, and lived at his ease; but the wife of Ali Baba was as poor as himself: they dwelt in a mean cottage in the suburbs, and he maintained his family by cutting wood.”

Himself pronoun US /hɪmˈself/

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

From this reading “Cassim, the elder, married a wife with a considerable fortune, and lived at his ease; but the wife of Ali Baba was as poor as himself: they dwelt in a mean cottage in the suburbs, and he maintained his family by cutting wood.”

One pronoun US /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading “In a town of Persia lived two brothers, sons of a poor man; one named Cassim, the other Ali Baba.”

Poor noun US /poor/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “In a town of Persia lived two brothers, sons of a poor man; one named Cassim, the other Ali Baba.”

All words in this reading · 54

Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

394

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

From this reading NEW YORK: J. WRIGLEY, 394 GRAND STREET.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading In a town of Persia lived two brothers, sons of a poor man; one named Cassim, the other Ali Baba.

ALI

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

From this reading ALI BABA, OR THE FORTY THIEVES.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Cassim, the elder, married a wife with a considerable fortune, and lived at his ease; but the wife of Ali Baba was as poor as himself: they dwelt in a mean cottage in the suburbs, and he maintained his family by cutting wood.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Cassim, the elder, married a wife with a considerable fortune, and lived at his ease; but the wife of Ali Baba was as poor as himself: they dwelt in a mean cottage in the suburbs, and he maintained his family by cutting wood.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Cassim, the elder, married a wife with a considerable fortune, and lived at his ease; but the wife of Ali Baba was as poor as himself: they dwelt in a mean cottage in the suburbs, and he maintained his family by cutting wood.

BABA

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

From this reading ALI BABA, OR THE FORTY THIEVES.

brothers

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

From this reading In a town of Persia lived two brothers, sons of a poor man; one named Cassim, the other Ali Baba.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Cassim, the elder, married a wife with a considerable fortune, and lived at his ease; but the wife of Ali Baba was as poor as himself: they dwelt in a mean cottage in the suburbs, and he maintained his family by cutting wood.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Cassim, the elder, married a wife with a considerable fortune, and lived at his ease; but the wife of Ali Baba was as poor as himself: they dwelt in a mean cottage in the suburbs, and he maintained his family by cutting wood.

Cassim

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

From this reading In a town of Persia lived two brothers, sons of a poor man; one named Cassim, the other Ali Baba.

considerable

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

From this reading Cassim, the elder, married a wife with a considerable fortune, and lived at his ease; but the wife of Ali Baba was as poor as himself: they dwelt in a mean cottage in the suburbs, and he maintained his family by cutting wood.

cottage

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

From this reading Cassim, the elder, married a wife with a considerable fortune, and lived at his ease; but the wife of Ali Baba was as poor as himself: they dwelt in a mean cottage in the suburbs, and he maintained his family by cutting wood.

cutting

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

From this reading Cassim, the elder, married a wife with a considerable fortune, and lived at his ease; but the wife of Ali Baba was as poor as himself: they dwelt in a mean cottage in the suburbs, and he maintained his family by cutting wood.

dwelt

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

From this reading Cassim, the elder, married a wife with a considerable fortune, and lived at his ease; but the wife of Ali Baba was as poor as himself: they dwelt in a mean cottage in the suburbs, and he maintained his family by cutting wood.

ease

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

From this reading Cassim, the elder, married a wife with a considerable fortune, and lived at his ease; but the wife of Ali Baba was as poor as himself: they dwelt in a mean cottage in the suburbs, and he maintained his family by cutting wood.

elder

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

From this reading Cassim, the elder, married a wife with a considerable fortune, and lived at his ease; but the wife of Ali Baba was as poor as himself: they dwelt in a mean cottage in the suburbs, and he maintained his family by cutting wood.

family

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

From this reading Cassim, the elder, married a wife with a considerable fortune, and lived at his ease; but the wife of Ali Baba was as poor as himself: they dwelt in a mean cottage in the suburbs, and he maintained his family by cutting wood.

fortunenounUS /ˈfortune/

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

From this reading Cassim, the elder, married a wife with a considerable fortune, and lived at his ease; but the wife of Ali Baba was as poor as himself: they dwelt in a mean cottage in the suburbs, and he maintained his family by cutting wood.

FORTY

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

From this reading ALI BABA, OR THE FORTY THIEVES.

GRAND

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

From this reading NEW YORK: J. WRIGLEY, 394 GRAND STREET.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading Cassim, the elder, married a wife with a considerable fortune, and lived at his ease; but the wife of Ali Baba was as poor as himself: they dwelt in a mean cottage in the suburbs, and he maintained his family by cutting wood.

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

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

From this reading Cassim, the elder, married a wife with a considerable fortune, and lived at his ease; but the wife of Ali Baba was as poor as himself: they dwelt in a mean cottage in the suburbs, and he maintained his family by cutting wood.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Cassim, the elder, married a wife with a considerable fortune, and lived at his ease; but the wife of Ali Baba was as poor as himself: they dwelt in a mean cottage in the suburbs, and he maintained his family by cutting wood.

HISTORY

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

From this reading HISTORY OF THE FORTY THIEVES.

InprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading In a town of Persia lived two brothers, sons of a poor man; one named Cassim, the other Ali Baba.

J

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

From this reading NEW YORK: J. WRIGLEY, 394 GRAND STREET.

lived

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

From this reading In a town of Persia lived two brothers, sons of a poor man; one named Cassim, the other Ali Baba.

maintained

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

From this reading Cassim, the elder, married a wife with a considerable fortune, and lived at his ease; but the wife of Ali Baba was as poor as himself: they dwelt in a mean cottage in the suburbs, and he maintained his family by cutting wood.

man

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

From this reading In a town of Persia lived two brothers, sons of a poor man; one named Cassim, the other Ali Baba.

married

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

From this reading Cassim, the elder, married a wife with a considerable fortune, and lived at his ease; but the wife of Ali Baba was as poor as himself: they dwelt in a mean cottage in the suburbs, and he maintained his family by cutting wood.

mean

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

From this reading Cassim, the elder, married a wife with a considerable fortune, and lived at his ease; but the wife of Ali Baba was as poor as himself: they dwelt in a mean cottage in the suburbs, and he maintained his family by cutting wood.

named

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

From this reading In a town of Persia lived two brothers, sons of a poor man; one named Cassim, the other Ali Baba.

NEW

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

From this reading NEW YORK: J. WRIGLEY, 394 GRAND STREET.

OFprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading HISTORY OF THE FORTY THIEVES.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading In a town of Persia lived two brothers, sons of a poor man; one named Cassim, the other Ali Baba.

ORconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading ALI BABA, OR THE FORTY THIEVES.

other

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

From this reading In a town of Persia lived two brothers, sons of a poor man; one named Cassim, the other Ali Baba.

Persia

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

From this reading In a town of Persia lived two brothers, sons of a poor man; one named Cassim, the other Ali Baba.

poornounUS /poor/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading In a town of Persia lived two brothers, sons of a poor man; one named Cassim, the other Ali Baba.

sons

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

From this reading In a town of Persia lived two brothers, sons of a poor man; one named Cassim, the other Ali Baba.

STREET

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

From this reading NEW YORK: J. WRIGLEY, 394 GRAND STREET.

suburbs

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

From this reading Cassim, the elder, married a wife with a considerable fortune, and lived at his ease; but the wife of Ali Baba was as poor as himself: they dwelt in a mean cottage in the suburbs, and he maintained his family by cutting wood.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading ALI BABA, OR THE FORTY THIEVES.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading Cassim, the elder, married a wife with a considerable fortune, and lived at his ease; but the wife of Ali Baba was as poor as himself: they dwelt in a mean cottage in the suburbs, and he maintained his family by cutting wood.

THIEVES

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

From this reading ALI BABA, OR THE FORTY THIEVES.

town

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

From this reading In a town of Persia lived two brothers, sons of a poor man; one named Cassim, the other Ali Baba.

two

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

From this reading In a town of Persia lived two brothers, sons of a poor man; one named Cassim, the other Ali Baba.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Cassim, the elder, married a wife with a considerable fortune, and lived at his ease; but the wife of Ali Baba was as poor as himself: they dwelt in a mean cottage in the suburbs, and he maintained his family by cutting wood.

wife

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

From this reading Cassim, the elder, married a wife with a considerable fortune, and lived at his ease; but the wife of Ali Baba was as poor as himself: they dwelt in a mean cottage in the suburbs, and he maintained his family by cutting wood.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Cassim, the elder, married a wife with a considerable fortune, and lived at his ease; but the wife of Ali Baba was as poor as himself: they dwelt in a mean cottage in the suburbs, and he maintained his family by cutting wood.

wood

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

From this reading Cassim, the elder, married a wife with a considerable fortune, and lived at his ease; but the wife of Ali Baba was as poor as himself: they dwelt in a mean cottage in the suburbs, and he maintained his family by cutting wood.

WRIGLEY

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

From this reading NEW YORK: J. WRIGLEY, 394 GRAND STREET.

YORK

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

From this reading NEW YORK: J. WRIGLEY, 394 GRAND STREET.