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The Island Pharisees
The Island Pharisees

Chapter XVI

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Context Illustration Reading 1/29 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE INDIAN CIVILIAN One morning then, a week later, Shelton found himself at the walls of Princetown Prison.
He had seen this lugubrious stone cage before.
But the magic of his morning walk across the moor, the sight of the pagan tors, the songs of the last cuckoo, had unprepared him for that dreary building.
He left the street, and, entering the fosse, began a circuit, scanning the walls with morbid fascination.
This, then, was the system by which men enforced the will of the majority, and it was suddenly borne in on him that all the ideas and maxims which his Christian countrymen believed themselves to be fulfilling daily were stultified in every cellule of the social honeycomb.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Island Pharisees

Chapter XVI

Reading 1/29 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE INDIAN CIVILIAN One morning then, a week later, Shelton found himself at the walls of Princetown Prison.
Line 2
He had seen this lugubrious stone cage before.
Line 3
But the magic of his morning walk across the moor, the sight of the pagan tors, the songs of the last cuckoo, had unprepared him for that dreary building.
Line 4
He left the street, and, entering the fosse, began a circuit, scanning the walls with morbid fascination.
Line 5
This, then, was the system by which men enforced the will of the majority, and it was suddenly borne in on him that all the ideas and maxims which his Christian countrymen believed themselves to be fulfilling daily were stultified in every cellule of the social honeycomb.

Learner Dictionary

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

Across preposition US /əˈkrɔːs/

from one side of something to the other

From this reading “But the magic of his morning walk across the moor, the sight of the pagan tors, the songs of the last cuckoo, had unprepared him for that dreary building.”

Before preposition US /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading “He had seen this lugubrious stone cage before.”

Began noun US /began/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “He left the street, and, entering the fosse, began a circuit, scanning the walls with morbid fascination.”

Christian noun US /ˈchristian/

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

From this reading “This, then, was the system by which men enforced the will of the majority, and it was suddenly borne in on him that all the ideas and maxims which his Christian countrymen believed themselves to be fulfilling daily were stultified in every cellule of the social honeycomb.”

Every determiner US /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading “This, then, was the system by which men enforced the will of the majority, and it was suddenly borne in on him that all the ideas and maxims which his Christian countrymen believed themselves to be fulfilling daily were stultified in every cellule of the social honeycomb.”

Found noun US /found/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “THE INDIAN CIVILIAN One morning then, a week later, Shelton found himself at the walls of Princetown Prison.”

Himself pronoun US /hɪmˈself/

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

From this reading “THE INDIAN CIVILIAN One morning then, a week later, Shelton found himself at the walls of Princetown Prison.”

Last noun US /last/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “But the magic of his morning walk across the moor, the sight of the pagan tors, the songs of the last cuckoo, had unprepared him for that dreary building.”

Left noun US /left/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “He left the street, and, entering the fosse, began a circuit, scanning the walls with morbid fascination.”

Morning noun US /morning/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “THE INDIAN CIVILIAN One morning then, a week later, Shelton found himself at the walls of Princetown Prison.”

One pronoun US /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading “THE INDIAN CIVILIAN One morning then, a week later, Shelton found himself at the walls of Princetown Prison.”

Suddenly noun US /ˈsuddenly/

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

From this reading “This, then, was the system by which men enforced the will of the majority, and it was suddenly borne in on him that all the ideas and maxims which his Christian countrymen believed themselves to be fulfilling daily were stultified in every cellule of the social honeycomb.”

Themselves pronoun US /ðemˈselvz/

used when the people doing the action are also its object

From this reading “This, then, was the system by which men enforced the will of the majority, and it was suddenly borne in on him that all the ideas and maxims which his Christian countrymen believed themselves to be fulfilling daily were stultified in every cellule of the social honeycomb.”

All words in this reading · 84

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 THE INDIAN CIVILIAN One morning then, a week later, Shelton found himself at the walls of Princetown Prison.

acrossprepositionUS /əˈkrɔːs/

from one side of something to the other

From this reading But the magic of his morning walk across the moor, the sight of the pagan tors, the songs of the last cuckoo, had unprepared him for that dreary building.

all

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

From this reading This, then, was the system by which men enforced the will of the majority, and it was suddenly borne in on him that all the ideas and maxims which his Christian countrymen believed themselves to be fulfilling daily were stultified in every cellule of the social honeycomb.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading He left the street, and, entering the fosse, began a circuit, scanning the walls with morbid fascination.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading THE INDIAN CIVILIAN One morning then, a week later, Shelton found himself at the walls of Princetown Prison.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading This, then, was the system by which men enforced the will of the majority, and it was suddenly borne in on him that all the ideas and maxims which his Christian countrymen believed themselves to be fulfilling daily were stultified in every cellule of the social honeycomb.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading He had seen this lugubrious stone cage before.

begannounUS /began/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading He left the street, and, entering the fosse, began a circuit, scanning the walls with morbid fascination.

believed

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

From this reading This, then, was the system by which men enforced the will of the majority, and it was suddenly borne in on him that all the ideas and maxims which his Christian countrymen believed themselves to be fulfilling daily were stultified in every cellule of the social honeycomb.

borne

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

From this reading This, then, was the system by which men enforced the will of the majority, and it was suddenly borne in on him that all the ideas and maxims which his Christian countrymen believed themselves to be fulfilling daily were stultified in every cellule of the social honeycomb.

building

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

From this reading But the magic of his morning walk across the moor, the sight of the pagan tors, the songs of the last cuckoo, had unprepared him for that dreary building.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But the magic of his morning walk across the moor, the sight of the pagan tors, the songs of the last cuckoo, had unprepared him for that dreary building.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading This, then, was the system by which men enforced the will of the majority, and it was suddenly borne in on him that all the ideas and maxims which his Christian countrymen believed themselves to be fulfilling daily were stultified in every cellule of the social honeycomb.

cage

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

From this reading He had seen this lugubrious stone cage before.

cellule

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

From this reading This, then, was the system by which men enforced the will of the majority, and it was suddenly borne in on him that all the ideas and maxims which his Christian countrymen believed themselves to be fulfilling daily were stultified in every cellule of the social honeycomb.

Christian

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

From this reading This, then, was the system by which men enforced the will of the majority, and it was suddenly borne in on him that all the ideas and maxims which his Christian countrymen believed themselves to be fulfilling daily were stultified in every cellule of the social honeycomb.

circuit

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

From this reading He left the street, and, entering the fosse, began a circuit, scanning the walls with morbid fascination.

CIVILIAN

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

From this reading THE INDIAN CIVILIAN One morning then, a week later, Shelton found himself at the walls of Princetown Prison.

countrymen

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

From this reading This, then, was the system by which men enforced the will of the majority, and it was suddenly borne in on him that all the ideas and maxims which his Christian countrymen believed themselves to be fulfilling daily were stultified in every cellule of the social honeycomb.

cuckoo

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

From this reading But the magic of his morning walk across the moor, the sight of the pagan tors, the songs of the last cuckoo, had unprepared him for that dreary building.

daily

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

From this reading This, then, was the system by which men enforced the will of the majority, and it was suddenly borne in on him that all the ideas and maxims which his Christian countrymen believed themselves to be fulfilling daily were stultified in every cellule of the social honeycomb.

dreary

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

From this reading But the magic of his morning walk across the moor, the sight of the pagan tors, the songs of the last cuckoo, had unprepared him for that dreary building.

enforced

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

From this reading This, then, was the system by which men enforced the will of the majority, and it was suddenly borne in on him that all the ideas and maxims which his Christian countrymen believed themselves to be fulfilling daily were stultified in every cellule of the social honeycomb.

entering

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

From this reading He left the street, and, entering the fosse, began a circuit, scanning the walls with morbid fascination.

everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading This, then, was the system by which men enforced the will of the majority, and it was suddenly borne in on him that all the ideas and maxims which his Christian countrymen believed themselves to be fulfilling daily were stultified in every cellule of the social honeycomb.

fascination

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

From this reading He left the street, and, entering the fosse, began a circuit, scanning the walls with morbid fascination.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading But the magic of his morning walk across the moor, the sight of the pagan tors, the songs of the last cuckoo, had unprepared him for that dreary building.

fosse

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

From this reading He left the street, and, entering the fosse, began a circuit, scanning the walls with morbid fascination.

foundnounUS /found/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading THE INDIAN CIVILIAN One morning then, a week later, Shelton found himself at the walls of Princetown Prison.

fulfilling

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

From this reading This, then, was the system by which men enforced the will of the majority, and it was suddenly borne in on him that all the ideas and maxims which his Christian countrymen believed themselves to be fulfilling daily were stultified in every cellule of the social honeycomb.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading He had seen this lugubrious stone cage before.

HepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading He had seen this lugubrious stone cage before.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading But the magic of his morning walk across the moor, the sight of the pagan tors, the songs of the last cuckoo, had unprepared him for that dreary building.

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

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

From this reading THE INDIAN CIVILIAN One morning then, a week later, Shelton found himself at the walls of Princetown Prison.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading But the magic of his morning walk across the moor, the sight of the pagan tors, the songs of the last cuckoo, had unprepared him for that dreary building.

honeycomb

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

From this reading This, then, was the system by which men enforced the will of the majority, and it was suddenly borne in on him that all the ideas and maxims which his Christian countrymen believed themselves to be fulfilling daily were stultified in every cellule of the social honeycomb.

ideas

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

From this reading This, then, was the system by which men enforced the will of the majority, and it was suddenly borne in on him that all the ideas and maxims which his Christian countrymen believed themselves to be fulfilling daily were stultified in every cellule of the social honeycomb.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading This, then, was the system by which men enforced the will of the majority, and it was suddenly borne in on him that all the ideas and maxims which his Christian countrymen believed themselves to be fulfilling daily were stultified in every cellule of the social honeycomb.

INDIAN

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

From this reading THE INDIAN CIVILIAN One morning then, a week later, Shelton found himself at the walls of Princetown Prison.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading This, then, was the system by which men enforced the will of the majority, and it was suddenly borne in on him that all the ideas and maxims which his Christian countrymen believed themselves to be fulfilling daily were stultified in every cellule of the social honeycomb.

lastnounUS /last/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading But the magic of his morning walk across the moor, the sight of the pagan tors, the songs of the last cuckoo, had unprepared him for that dreary building.

later

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

From this reading THE INDIAN CIVILIAN One morning then, a week later, Shelton found himself at the walls of Princetown Prison.

leftnounUS /left/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading He left the street, and, entering the fosse, began a circuit, scanning the walls with morbid fascination.

lugubrious

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

From this reading He had seen this lugubrious stone cage before.

magic

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

From this reading But the magic of his morning walk across the moor, the sight of the pagan tors, the songs of the last cuckoo, had unprepared him for that dreary building.

majority

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

From this reading This, then, was the system by which men enforced the will of the majority, and it was suddenly borne in on him that all the ideas and maxims which his Christian countrymen believed themselves to be fulfilling daily were stultified in every cellule of the social honeycomb.

maxims

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

From this reading This, then, was the system by which men enforced the will of the majority, and it was suddenly borne in on him that all the ideas and maxims which his Christian countrymen believed themselves to be fulfilling daily were stultified in every cellule of the social honeycomb.

men

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

From this reading This, then, was the system by which men enforced the will of the majority, and it was suddenly borne in on him that all the ideas and maxims which his Christian countrymen believed themselves to be fulfilling daily were stultified in every cellule of the social honeycomb.

moor

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

From this reading But the magic of his morning walk across the moor, the sight of the pagan tors, the songs of the last cuckoo, had unprepared him for that dreary building.

morbid

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

From this reading He left the street, and, entering the fosse, began a circuit, scanning the walls with morbid fascination.

morningnounUS /morning/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading THE INDIAN CIVILIAN One morning then, a week later, Shelton found himself at the walls of Princetown Prison.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading THE INDIAN CIVILIAN One morning then, a week later, Shelton found himself at the walls of Princetown Prison.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading This, then, was the system by which men enforced the will of the majority, and it was suddenly borne in on him that all the ideas and maxims which his Christian countrymen believed themselves to be fulfilling daily were stultified in every cellule of the social honeycomb.

OnepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading THE INDIAN CIVILIAN One morning then, a week later, Shelton found himself at the walls of Princetown Prison.

pagan

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

From this reading But the magic of his morning walk across the moor, the sight of the pagan tors, the songs of the last cuckoo, had unprepared him for that dreary building.

Princetown

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

From this reading THE INDIAN CIVILIAN One morning then, a week later, Shelton found himself at the walls of Princetown Prison.

Prison

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

From this reading THE INDIAN CIVILIAN One morning then, a week later, Shelton found himself at the walls of Princetown Prison.

scanning

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

From this reading He left the street, and, entering the fosse, began a circuit, scanning the walls with morbid fascination.

seen

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

From this reading He had seen this lugubrious stone cage before.

Shelton

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

From this reading THE INDIAN CIVILIAN One morning then, a week later, Shelton found himself at the walls of Princetown Prison.

sight

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

From this reading But the magic of his morning walk across the moor, the sight of the pagan tors, the songs of the last cuckoo, had unprepared him for that dreary building.

social

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

From this reading This, then, was the system by which men enforced the will of the majority, and it was suddenly borne in on him that all the ideas and maxims which his Christian countrymen believed themselves to be fulfilling daily were stultified in every cellule of the social honeycomb.

songs

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

From this reading But the magic of his morning walk across the moor, the sight of the pagan tors, the songs of the last cuckoo, had unprepared him for that dreary building.

stone

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

From this reading He had seen this lugubrious stone cage before.

street

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

From this reading He left the street, and, entering the fosse, began a circuit, scanning the walls with morbid fascination.

stultified

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

From this reading This, then, was the system by which men enforced the will of the majority, and it was suddenly borne in on him that all the ideas and maxims which his Christian countrymen believed themselves to be fulfilling daily were stultified in every cellule of the social honeycomb.

suddenlynounUS /ˈsuddenly/

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

From this reading This, then, was the system by which men enforced the will of the majority, and it was suddenly borne in on him that all the ideas and maxims which his Christian countrymen believed themselves to be fulfilling daily were stultified in every cellule of the social honeycomb.

system

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

From this reading This, then, was the system by which men enforced the will of the majority, and it was suddenly borne in on him that all the ideas and maxims which his Christian countrymen believed themselves to be fulfilling daily were stultified in every cellule of the social honeycomb.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading But the magic of his morning walk across the moor, the sight of the pagan tors, the songs of the last cuckoo, had unprepared him for that dreary building.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE INDIAN CIVILIAN One morning then, a week later, Shelton found himself at the walls of Princetown Prison.

themselvespronounUS /ðemˈselvz/

used when the people doing the action are also its object

From this reading This, then, was the system by which men enforced the will of the majority, and it was suddenly borne in on him that all the ideas and maxims which his Christian countrymen believed themselves to be fulfilling daily were stultified in every cellule of the social honeycomb.

then

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

From this reading THE INDIAN CIVILIAN One morning then, a week later, Shelton found himself at the walls of Princetown Prison.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading He had seen this lugubrious stone cage before.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading This, then, was the system by which men enforced the will of the majority, and it was suddenly borne in on him that all the ideas and maxims which his Christian countrymen believed themselves to be fulfilling daily were stultified in every cellule of the social honeycomb.

tors

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

From this reading But the magic of his morning walk across the moor, the sight of the pagan tors, the songs of the last cuckoo, had unprepared him for that dreary building.

unprepared

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

From this reading But the magic of his morning walk across the moor, the sight of the pagan tors, the songs of the last cuckoo, had unprepared him for that dreary building.

walk

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

From this reading But the magic of his morning walk across the moor, the sight of the pagan tors, the songs of the last cuckoo, had unprepared him for that dreary building.

walls

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

From this reading THE INDIAN CIVILIAN One morning then, a week later, Shelton found himself at the walls of Princetown Prison.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading This, then, was the system by which men enforced the will of the majority, and it was suddenly borne in on him that all the ideas and maxims which his Christian countrymen believed themselves to be fulfilling daily were stultified in every cellule of the social honeycomb.

week

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

From this reading THE INDIAN CIVILIAN One morning then, a week later, Shelton found himself at the walls of Princetown Prison.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading This, then, was the system by which men enforced the will of the majority, and it was suddenly borne in on him that all the ideas and maxims which his Christian countrymen believed themselves to be fulfilling daily were stultified in every cellule of the social honeycomb.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading This, then, was the system by which men enforced the will of the majority, and it was suddenly borne in on him that all the ideas and maxims which his Christian countrymen believed themselves to be fulfilling daily were stultified in every cellule of the social honeycomb.

willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading This, then, was the system by which men enforced the will of the majority, and it was suddenly borne in on him that all the ideas and maxims which his Christian countrymen believed themselves to be fulfilling daily were stultified in every cellule of the social honeycomb.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading He left the street, and, entering the fosse, began a circuit, scanning the walls with morbid fascination.