Chapter 19 of A Group of Noble Dames is here in full — 148 sentences across 30 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XIX
Chapter 19 of A Group of Noble Dames is here in full — 148 sentences across 30 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
The old nobleman turned to his nephew and said mildly: 'Leave me to insist, James. It doesn't become you. I can speak to her sharply enough, if I choose.' James, however, did not heed his uncle, and went on to the troublesome young woman: 'You say you don't want to come, indeed! A pretty story to tell me, that!
Chapter 19 of A Group of Noble Dames is here in full — 148 sentences across 30 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/29 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
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.
pick out, select, or choose from a number of alternatives
From this reading “I can speak to her sharply enough, if I choose.'”
paying particular notice (as to children or helpless people)
From this reading “James, however, did not heed his uncle, and went on to the troublesome young woman: 'You say you don't want to come, indeed!”
be emphatic or resolute and refuse to budge
From this reading “The old nobleman turned to his nephew and said mildly: 'Leave me to insist, James.”
to a moderate degree
From this reading “The old nobleman turned to his nephew and said mildly: 'Leave me to insist, James.”
a son of your brother or sister
From this reading “The old nobleman turned to his nephew and said mildly: 'Leave me to insist, James.”
a titled peer of the realm
From this reading “The old nobleman turned to his nephew and said mildly: 'Leave me to insist, James.”
in an aggressive manner
From this reading “I can speak to her sharply enough, if I choose.'”
causing difficulty or annoyance
From this reading “James, however, did not heed his uncle, and went on to the troublesome young woman: 'You say you don't want to come, indeed!”
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.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A pretty story to tell me, that!
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The old nobleman turned to his nephew and said mildly: 'Leave me to insist, James.
enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading It doesn't become you.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading I can speak to her sharply enough, if I choose.'
pick out, select, or choose from a number of alternatives
From this reading I can speak to her sharply enough, if I choose.'
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading James, however, did not heed his uncle, and went on to the troublesome young woman: 'You say you don't want to come, indeed!
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading James, however, did not heed his uncle, and went on to the troublesome young woman: 'You say you don't want to come, indeed!
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It doesn't become you.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading James, however, did not heed his uncle, and went on to the troublesome young woman: 'You say you don't want to come, indeed!
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading I can speak to her sharply enough, if I choose.'
paying particular notice (as to children or helpless people)
From this reading James, however, did not heed his uncle, and went on to the troublesome young woman: 'You say you don't want to come, indeed!
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading I can speak to her sharply enough, if I choose.'
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The old nobleman turned to his nephew and said mildly: 'Leave me to insist, James.
used to add a contrasting statement
From this reading James, however, did not heed his uncle, and went on to the troublesome young woman: 'You say you don't want to come, indeed!
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I can speak to her sharply enough, if I choose.'
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading I can speak to her sharply enough, if I choose.'
in truth (often tends to intensify)
From this reading James, however, did not heed his uncle, and went on to the troublesome young woman: 'You say you don't want to come, indeed!
be emphatic or resolute and refuse to budge
From this reading The old nobleman turned to his nephew and said mildly: 'Leave me to insist, James.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It doesn't become you.
a Stuart king of Scotland who married a daughter of Henry VII; when England and France went to war in 1513 he invaded England and died in defeat at Flodden (1473-1513)
From this reading The old nobleman turned to his nephew and said mildly: 'Leave me to insist, James.
go away from a place
From this reading The old nobleman turned to his nephew and said mildly: 'Leave me to insist, James.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The old nobleman turned to his nephew and said mildly: 'Leave me to insist, James.
to a moderate degree
From this reading The old nobleman turned to his nephew and said mildly: 'Leave me to insist, James.
a son of your brother or sister
From this reading The old nobleman turned to his nephew and said mildly: 'Leave me to insist, James.
a titled peer of the realm
From this reading The old nobleman turned to his nephew and said mildly: 'Leave me to insist, James.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading James, however, did not heed his uncle, and went on to the troublesome young woman: 'You say you don't want to come, indeed!
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading The old nobleman turned to his nephew and said mildly: 'Leave me to insist, James.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading James, however, did not heed his uncle, and went on to the troublesome young woman: 'You say you don't want to come, indeed!
pleasing by delicacy or grace; not imposing
From this reading A pretty story to tell me, that!
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading The old nobleman turned to his nephew and said mildly: 'Leave me to insist, James.
express in words
From this reading James, however, did not heed his uncle, and went on to the troublesome young woman: 'You say you don't want to come, indeed!
in an aggressive manner
From this reading I can speak to her sharply enough, if I choose.'
express in speech
From this reading I can speak to her sharply enough, if I choose.'
a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading A pretty story to tell me, that!
express in words
From this reading A pretty story to tell me, that!
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading A pretty story to tell me, that!
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The old nobleman turned to his nephew and said mildly: 'Leave me to insist, James.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The old nobleman turned to his nephew and said mildly: 'Leave me to insist, James.
causing difficulty or annoyance
From this reading James, however, did not heed his uncle, and went on to the troublesome young woman: 'You say you don't want to come, indeed!
moved around an axis or center
From this reading The old nobleman turned to his nephew and said mildly: 'Leave me to insist, James.
the brother of your father or mother; the husband of your aunt
From this reading James, however, did not heed his uncle, and went on to the troublesome young woman: 'You say you don't want to come, indeed!
feel or have a desire for; want strongly
From this reading James, however, did not heed his uncle, and went on to the troublesome young woman: 'You say you don't want to come, indeed!
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading James, however, did not heed his uncle, and went on to the troublesome young woman: 'You say you don't want to come, indeed!
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading James, however, did not heed his uncle, and went on to the troublesome young woman: 'You say you don't want to come, indeed!
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading It doesn't become you.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading James, however, did not heed his uncle, and went on to the troublesome young woman: 'You say you don't want to come, indeed!
Chapter 19 of A Group of Noble Dames by Thomas Hardy holds 148 sentences, grouped into 30 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, 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.
Chapter 19 holds 148 sentences of A Group of Noble Dames, unabridged, divided into 30 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 19 of A Group of Noble Dames by Thomas Hardy exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 148 sentences, grouped into 30 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.
Work through the 30 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 30 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.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 19 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.
Common questions about reading A Group of Noble Dames by Thomas Hardy on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 3055 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #3049 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #3049, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 254 minutes of reading across 611 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through A Group of Noble Dames section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 20 chapters of A Group of Noble Dames to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in A Group of Noble Dames, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
