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A Nonsense Anthology
A Nonsense Anthology

Chapter V · Chapter 5

Chapter 5 of A Nonsense Anthology is here in full — 344 sentences across 69 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for A Nonsense Anthology
Context Illustration Reading 1/68 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
You are so mighty long, I shud thynk If your tale was kold, yure hed Woodent no it till the next day, But it's hard tu tell: snaix is snaix.
_Anonymous_.
_A GREAT MAN_ Ye muses, pour the pitying tear For Pollio snatch'd away: For had he liv'd another year!
--He had not dy'd to-day.
O, were he born to bless mankind, In virtuous times of yore, Heroes themselves had fallen behind!
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

A Nonsense Anthology

Chapter V · Chapter 5

Chapter 5 of A Nonsense Anthology is here in full — 344 sentences across 69 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/68 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
You are so mighty long, I shud thynk If your tale was kold, yure hed Woodent no it till the next day, But it's hard tu tell: snaix is snaix.
Line 2
_Anonymous_.
/əˈnɑːnəməs/
Line 3
_A GREAT MAN_ Ye muses, pour the pitying tear For Pollio snatch'd away: For had he liv'd another year!
Line 4
--He had not dy'd to-day.
Line 5
O, were he born to bless mankind, In virtuous times of yore, Heroes themselves had fallen behind!
/oʊ wɜːr hiː bɔːrn tuː bles ˈmænˈkaɪnd ɪn ˈvɜːrtʃuːəs taɪmz ʌv jɔːr ˈhɪroʊz ðemˈselvz hæd ˈfɑːlən bɪˈhaɪnd/

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.

Anonymous adjective US /əˈnɑːnəməs/

having no known name or identity or known source

Heroes noun US /ˈhɪroʊz/

plural of “hero” — a man distinguished by exceptional courage and nobility and strength

From this reading “O, were he born to bless mankind, In virtuous times of yore, Heroes themselves had fallen behind!”

mankind noun US /ˈmænˈkaɪnd/

all of the living human inhabitants of the earth

From this reading “O, were he born to bless mankind, In virtuous times of yore, Heroes themselves had fallen behind!”

muses noun US /ˈmjuːzəz/

plural of “mus” — type genus of the Muridae: common house mice; the tips of the upper incisors have a square notch

From this reading “_A GREAT MAN_ Ye muses, pour the pitying tear For Pollio snatch'd away: For had he liv'd another year!”

pitying verb US /ˈpɪtiɪŋ/

-ing form of “pity” — share the suffering of

From this reading “_A GREAT MAN_ Ye muses, pour the pitying tear For Pollio snatch'd away: For had he liv'd another year!”

pour verb US /pɔːr/

cause to run

From this reading “_A GREAT MAN_ Ye muses, pour the pitying tear For Pollio snatch'd away: For had he liv'd another year!”

virtuous adjective US /ˈvɜːrtʃuːəs/

morally excellent

From this reading “O, were he born to bless mankind, In virtuous times of yore, Heroes themselves had fallen behind!”

yore noun US /jɔːr/

time long past

From this reading “O, were he born to bless mankind, In virtuous times of yore, Heroes themselves had fallen behind!”

All words in this reading · 65

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 _A GREAT MAN_ Ye muses, pour the pitying tear For Pollio snatch'd away: For had he liv'd another year!

AnonymousadjectiveUS /əˈnɑːnəməs/

having no known name or identity or known source

From this reading _Anonymous_.

anotherdeterminerUS /əˈnʌðər/

one more of the same kind, or a different one

From this reading _A GREAT MAN_ Ye muses, pour the pitying tear For Pollio snatch'd away: For had he liv'd another year!

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading You are so mighty long, I shud thynk If your tale was kold, yure hed Woodent no it till the next day, But it's hard tu tell: snaix is snaix.

awayadverbUS /əˈweɪ/

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading _A GREAT MAN_ Ye muses, pour the pitying tear For Pollio snatch'd away: For had he liv'd another year!

behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/

at or toward the back of something

From this reading O, were he born to bless mankind, In virtuous times of yore, Heroes themselves had fallen behind!

blessverbUS /bles/

give a benediction to

From this reading O, were he born to bless mankind, In virtuous times of yore, Heroes themselves had fallen behind!

bornadjectiveUS /bɔːrn/

brought into existence

From this reading O, were he born to bless mankind, In virtuous times of yore, Heroes themselves had fallen behind!

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading You are so mighty long, I shud thynk If your tale was kold, yure hed Woodent no it till the next day, But it's hard tu tell: snaix is snaix.

daynounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading You are so mighty long, I shud thynk If your tale was kold, yure hed Woodent no it till the next day, But it's hard tu tell: snaix is snaix.

dy'd

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

From this reading --He had not dy'd to-day.

fallenadjectiveUS /ˈfɑːlən/

having dropped by the force of gravity

From this reading O, were he born to bless mankind, In virtuous times of yore, Heroes themselves had fallen behind!

ForprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading _A GREAT MAN_ Ye muses, pour the pitying tear For Pollio snatch'd away: For had he liv'd another year!

GREATadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

From this reading _A GREAT MAN_ Ye muses, pour the pitying tear For Pollio snatch'd away: For had he liv'd another year!

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading _A GREAT MAN_ Ye muses, pour the pitying tear For Pollio snatch'd away: For had he liv'd another year!

hardadjectiveUS /hɑːrd/

not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure

From this reading You are so mighty long, I shud thynk If your tale was kold, yure hed Woodent no it till the next day, But it's hard tu tell: snaix is snaix.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading _A GREAT MAN_ Ye muses, pour the pitying tear For Pollio snatch'd away: For had he liv'd another year!

hed

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

From this reading You are so mighty long, I shud thynk If your tale was kold, yure hed Woodent no it till the next day, But it's hard tu tell: snaix is snaix.

HeroesnounUS /ˈhɪroʊz/

plural of “hero” — a man distinguished by exceptional courage and nobility and strength

From this reading O, were he born to bless mankind, In virtuous times of yore, Heroes themselves had fallen behind!

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading You are so mighty long, I shud thynk If your tale was kold, yure hed Woodent no it till the next day, But it's hard tu tell: snaix is snaix.

IfconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading You are so mighty long, I shud thynk If your tale was kold, yure hed Woodent no it till the next day, But it's hard tu tell: snaix is snaix.

InprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading O, were he born to bless mankind, In virtuous times of yore, Heroes themselves had fallen behind!

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading You are so mighty long, I shud thynk If your tale was kold, yure hed Woodent no it till the next day, But it's hard tu tell: snaix is snaix.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading You are so mighty long, I shud thynk If your tale was kold, yure hed Woodent no it till the next day, But it's hard tu tell: snaix is snaix.

it's

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

From this reading You are so mighty long, I shud thynk If your tale was kold, yure hed Woodent no it till the next day, But it's hard tu tell: snaix is snaix.

kold

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

From this reading You are so mighty long, I shud thynk If your tale was kold, yure hed Woodent no it till the next day, But it's hard tu tell: snaix is snaix.

liv'd

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

From this reading _A GREAT MAN_ Ye muses, pour the pitying tear For Pollio snatch'd away: For had he liv'd another year!

longadjectiveUS /lɔːŋ/

primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified

From this reading You are so mighty long, I shud thynk If your tale was kold, yure hed Woodent no it till the next day, But it's hard tu tell: snaix is snaix.

MANnounUS /mæn/

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

From this reading _A GREAT MAN_ Ye muses, pour the pitying tear For Pollio snatch'd away: For had he liv'd another year!

mankindnounUS /ˈmænˈkaɪnd/

all of the living human inhabitants of the earth

From this reading O, were he born to bless mankind, In virtuous times of yore, Heroes themselves had fallen behind!

mightyadjectiveUS /ˈmaɪti/

having or showing great strength or force or intensity

From this reading You are so mighty long, I shud thynk If your tale was kold, yure hed Woodent no it till the next day, But it's hard tu tell: snaix is snaix.

musesnounUS /ˈmjuːzəz/

plural of “mus” — type genus of the Muridae: common house mice; the tips of the upper incisors have a square notch

From this reading _A GREAT MAN_ Ye muses, pour the pitying tear For Pollio snatch'd away: For had he liv'd another year!

nextadjectiveUS /nekst/

immediately following in time or order

From this reading You are so mighty long, I shud thynk If your tale was kold, yure hed Woodent no it till the next day, But it's hard tu tell: snaix is snaix.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading You are so mighty long, I shud thynk If your tale was kold, yure hed Woodent no it till the next day, But it's hard tu tell: snaix is snaix.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading --He had not dy'd to-day.

OnounUS /oʊ/

a nonmetallic bivalent element that is normally a colorless odorless tasteless nonflammable diatomic gas; constitutes 21 percent of the atmosphere by volume; the most abundant element in the earth's crust

From this reading O, were he born to bless mankind, In virtuous times of yore, Heroes themselves had fallen behind!

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading O, were he born to bless mankind, In virtuous times of yore, Heroes themselves had fallen behind!

pityingverbUS /ˈpɪtiɪŋ/

-ing form of “pity” — share the suffering of

From this reading _A GREAT MAN_ Ye muses, pour the pitying tear For Pollio snatch'd away: For had he liv'd another year!

Pollio

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

From this reading _A GREAT MAN_ Ye muses, pour the pitying tear For Pollio snatch'd away: For had he liv'd another year!

pourverbUS /pɔːr/

cause to run

From this reading _A GREAT MAN_ Ye muses, pour the pitying tear For Pollio snatch'd away: For had he liv'd another year!

shud

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

From this reading You are so mighty long, I shud thynk If your tale was kold, yure hed Woodent no it till the next day, But it's hard tu tell: snaix is snaix.

snaix

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

From this reading You are so mighty long, I shud thynk If your tale was kold, yure hed Woodent no it till the next day, But it's hard tu tell: snaix is snaix.

snatch'd

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

From this reading _A GREAT MAN_ Ye muses, pour the pitying tear For Pollio snatch'd away: For had he liv'd another year!

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading You are so mighty long, I shud thynk If your tale was kold, yure hed Woodent no it till the next day, But it's hard tu tell: snaix is snaix.

talenounUS /teɪl/

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 You are so mighty long, I shud thynk If your tale was kold, yure hed Woodent no it till the next day, But it's hard tu tell: snaix is snaix.

tearverbUS /ter/

separate or cause to separate abruptly

From this reading _A GREAT MAN_ Ye muses, pour the pitying tear For Pollio snatch'd away: For had he liv'd another year!

tellverbUS /tel/

express in words

From this reading You are so mighty long, I shud thynk If your tale was kold, yure hed Woodent no it till the next day, But it's hard tu tell: snaix is snaix.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading You are so mighty long, I shud thynk If your tale was kold, yure hed Woodent no it till the next day, But it's hard tu tell: snaix is snaix.

themselvespronounUS /ðemˈselvz/

used when the people doing the action are also its object

From this reading O, were he born to bless mankind, In virtuous times of yore, Heroes themselves had fallen behind!

thynk

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

From this reading You are so mighty long, I shud thynk If your tale was kold, yure hed Woodent no it till the next day, But it's hard tu tell: snaix is snaix.

tillprepositionUS /tɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading You are so mighty long, I shud thynk If your tale was kold, yure hed Woodent no it till the next day, But it's hard tu tell: snaix is snaix.

timesnounUS /taɪmz/

a more or less definite period of time now or previously present

From this reading O, were he born to bless mankind, In virtuous times of yore, Heroes themselves had fallen behind!

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading O, were he born to bless mankind, In virtuous times of yore, Heroes themselves had fallen behind!

to-day

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

From this reading --He had not dy'd to-day.

tu

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

From this reading You are so mighty long, I shud thynk If your tale was kold, yure hed Woodent no it till the next day, But it's hard tu tell: snaix is snaix.

virtuousadjectiveUS /ˈvɜːrtʃuːəs/

morally excellent

From this reading O, were he born to bless mankind, In virtuous times of yore, Heroes themselves had fallen behind!

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading You are so mighty long, I shud thynk If your tale was kold, yure hed Woodent no it till the next day, But it's hard tu tell: snaix is snaix.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading O, were he born to bless mankind, In virtuous times of yore, Heroes themselves had fallen behind!

Woodent

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

From this reading You are so mighty long, I shud thynk If your tale was kold, yure hed Woodent no it till the next day, But it's hard tu tell: snaix is snaix.

YepronounUS /jiː/

an old word for “you”, speaking to more than one person

From this reading _A GREAT MAN_ Ye muses, pour the pitying tear For Pollio snatch'd away: For had he liv'd another year!

yearnounUS /jɪr/

a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days

From this reading _A GREAT MAN_ Ye muses, pour the pitying tear For Pollio snatch'd away: For had he liv'd another year!

yorenounUS /jɔːr/

time long past

From this reading O, were he born to bless mankind, In virtuous times of yore, Heroes themselves had fallen behind!

YoupronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading You are so mighty long, I shud thynk If your tale was kold, yure hed Woodent no it till the next day, But it's hard tu tell: snaix is snaix.

yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading You are so mighty long, I shud thynk If your tale was kold, yure hed Woodent no it till the next day, But it's hard tu tell: snaix is snaix.

yure

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

From this reading You are so mighty long, I shud thynk If your tale was kold, yure hed Woodent no it till the next day, But it's hard tu tell: snaix is snaix.

Chapter 5 of A Nonsense Anthology by Carolyn [Compiler] Wells holds 344 sentences, grouped into 69 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 5 of A Nonsense Anthology contain?

Chapter 5 holds 344 sentences of A Nonsense Anthology, unabridged, divided into 69 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 5 of A Nonsense Anthology by Carolyn [Compiler] Wells exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 344 sentences, grouped into 69 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 5 of A Nonsense Anthology?

Work through the 69 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 69 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 5 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 5 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 A Nonsense Anthology

Common questions about reading A Nonsense Anthology by Carolyn [Compiler] Wells on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of A Nonsense Anthology?

Yes. All 2295 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #9380 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of A Nonsense Anthology is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #9380, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does A Nonsense Anthology take to read?

About 191 minutes of reading across 459 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read A Nonsense Anthology section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 7 chapters of A Nonsense Anthology 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 A Nonsense Anthology

Words and structures a reader meets early in A Nonsense Anthology, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Indeed
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Nonsense Anthology; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Cannot
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Nonsense Anthology; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Times
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Nonsense Anthology; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Enjoy
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Nonsense Anthology; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.