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A Strange World: A Novel. Volume 3 (of 3)
A Strange World: A Novel. Volume 3 (of 3)

Chapter XVII · ‘But in Some Wise All Things Wear Round Betimes.’

Chapter XVII of A Strange World: A Novel. Volume 3 (of 3), “‘But in Some Wise All Things Wear Round Betimes.’,” is here in full — 229 sentences across 46 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for A Strange World: A Novel. Volume 3 (of 3)
Context Illustration Reading 1/45 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
For fifteen days and nights Churchill Penwyn watched beside his wife’s bed with only such brief intervals of rest as exhausted nature demanded; an occasional hour, when he allowed himself to fall into a troubled slumber, on the sofa at the foot of the bed, from which he would start into sudden wakefulness, unrefreshed, but with no power to sleep longer.
Even in sleep he did not lose consciousness.
One awful idea for ever pursued him, the expectation of an inevitable end.
She, for whom he could have been content to sacrifice all that earth can give of fame or fortune, she with whom it would have been sweet to him to begin a life of care and toil, his idolized wife, was to be taken from him.
London physicians had been summoned, two of the greatest.
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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 Strange World: A Novel. Volume 3 (of 3)

Chapter XVII · ‘But in Some Wise All Things Wear Round Betimes.’

Chapter XVII of A Strange World: A Novel. Volume 3 (of 3), “‘But in Some Wise All Things Wear Round Betimes.’,” is here in full — 229 sentences across 46 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/45 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
For fifteen days and nights Churchill Penwyn watched beside his wife’s bed with only such brief intervals of rest as exhausted nature demanded; an occasional hour, when he allowed himself to fall into a troubled slumber, on the sofa at the foot of the bed, from which he would start into sudden wakefulness, unrefreshed, but with no power to sleep longer.
Line 2
Even in sleep he did not lose consciousness.
/ˈiːvɪn ɪn sliːp hiː dɪd nɑːt luːz ˈkɑːnʃəsnəs/
Line 3
One awful idea for ever pursued him, the expectation of an inevitable end.
/wʌn ˈɑːfəl aɪˈdiːə fɔːr ˈevər pərˈsuːd hɪm ðə ˌekspekˈteɪʃən ʌv æn ˌɪˈnevətəbəl end/
Line 4
She, for whom he could have been content to sacrifice all that earth can give of fame or fortune, she with whom it would have been sweet to him to begin a life of care and toil, his idolized wife, was to be taken from him.
/ʃiː fɔːr huːm hiː kʊd hæv bɪn ˈkɑːntent tuː ˈsækrəfaɪs ɔːl ðæt ɜːrθ kæn ɡɪv ʌv feɪm ɔːr ˈfɔːrtʃən ʃiː wɪð huːm ɪt wʊd hæv bɪn swiːt tuː hɪm tuː bɪˈɡɪn ə laɪf ʌv ker ənd tɔɪl hɪz ˈaɪdəlaɪzd waɪf wɑːz tuː biː ˈteɪkən frʌm hɪm/
Line 5
London physicians had been summoned, two of the greatest.
/ˈlʌndən fəˈzɪʃənz hæd bɪn ˈsʌmənd tuː ʌv ðə ˈɡreɪtəst/

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.

Churchill noun US /ˈtʃɜːrtʃɪl/

English general considered one of the greatest generals in history (1650-1722)

From this reading “For fifteen days and nights Churchill Penwyn watched beside his wife’s bed with only such brief intervals of rest as exhausted nature demanded; an occasional hour, when he allowed himself to fall into a troubled slumber, on the sofa at the foot of the bed, from which he would start into sudden wakefulness, unrefreshed, but with no power to sleep longer.”

expectation noun US /ˌekspekˈteɪʃən/

belief about (or mental picture of) the future

From this reading “One awful idea for ever pursued him, the expectation of an inevitable end.”

idolized adjective US /ˈaɪdəlaɪzd/

regarded with deep or rapturous love (especially as if for a god)

From this reading “She, for whom he could have been content to sacrifice all that earth can give of fame or fortune, she with whom it would have been sweet to him to begin a life of care and toil, his idolized wife, was to be taken from him.”

inevitable adjective US /ˌɪˈnevətəbəl/

incapable of being avoided or prevented

From this reading “One awful idea for ever pursued him, the expectation of an inevitable end.”

physicians noun US /fəˈzɪʃənz/

plural of “physician” — a licensed medical practitioner

From this reading “London physicians had been summoned, two of the greatest.”

slumber noun US /ˈslʌmbər/

a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended

From this reading “For fifteen days and nights Churchill Penwyn watched beside his wife’s bed with only such brief intervals of rest as exhausted nature demanded; an occasional hour, when he allowed himself to fall into a troubled slumber, on the sofa at the foot of the bed, from which he would start into sudden wakefulness, unrefreshed, but with no power to sleep longer.”

toil verb US /tɔɪl/

work hard

From this reading “She, for whom he could have been content to sacrifice all that earth can give of fame or fortune, she with whom it would have been sweet to him to begin a life of care and toil, his idolized wife, was to be taken from him.”

wife's noun US /waɪfs/

possessive form of “wife” — a married woman; a man's partner in marriage

Word partnerships in these lines

English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.

Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.

brief intervals adjective + noun counted as “brief interval”

In this reading “For fifteen days and nights Churchill Penwyn watched beside his wife’s bed with only such brief intervals of rest as exhausted nature demanded; an occasional hour, when he allowed himself to fall into a troubled slumber, on the sofa at the foot of the bed, from which he would start into sudden wakefulness, unrefreshed, but with no power to sleep longer.”

lose consciousness verb + noun

In this reading “Even in sleep he did not lose consciousness.”

on the sofa preposition + article + noun counted as “on … sofa”

In this reading “For fifteen days and nights Churchill Penwyn watched beside his wife’s bed with only such brief intervals of rest as exhausted nature demanded; an occasional hour, when he allowed himself to fall into a troubled slumber, on the sofa at the foot of the bed, from which he would start into sudden wakefulness, unrefreshed, but with no power to sleep longer.”

fifteen days noun + noun

In this reading “For fifteen days and nights Churchill Penwyn watched beside his wife’s bed with only such brief intervals of rest as exhausted nature demanded; an occasional hour, when he allowed himself to fall into a troubled slumber, on the sofa at the foot of the bed, from which he would start into sudden wakefulness, unrefreshed, but with no power to sleep longer.”

fall into verb + particle

be included in or classified as

In this reading “For fifteen days and nights Churchill Penwyn watched beside his wife’s bed with only such brief intervals of rest as exhausted nature demanded; an occasional hour, when he allowed himself to fall into a troubled slumber, on the sofa at the foot of the bed, from which he would start into sudden wakefulness, unrefreshed, but with no power to sleep longer.”

exhausted nature adjective + noun

In this reading “For fifteen days and nights Churchill Penwyn watched beside his wife’s bed with only such brief intervals of rest as exhausted nature demanded; an occasional hour, when he allowed himself to fall into a troubled slumber, on the sofa at the foot of the bed, from which he would start into sudden wakefulness, unrefreshed, but with no power to sleep longer.”

inevitable end adjective + noun

In this reading “One awful idea for ever pursued him, the expectation of an inevitable end.”

at the foot preposition + article + noun counted as “at … foot”

In this reading “For fifteen days and nights Churchill Penwyn watched beside his wife’s bed with only such brief intervals of rest as exhausted nature demanded; an occasional hour, when he allowed himself to fall into a troubled slumber, on the sofa at the foot of the bed, from which he would start into sudden wakefulness, unrefreshed, but with no power to sleep longer.”

All words in this reading · 100

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 For fifteen days and nights Churchill Penwyn watched beside his wife’s bed with only such brief intervals of rest as exhausted nature demanded; an occasional hour, when he allowed himself to fall into a troubled slumber, on the sofa at the foot of the bed, from which he would start into sudden wakefulness, unrefreshed, but with no power to sleep longer.

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading She, for whom he could have been content to sacrifice all that earth can give of fame or fortune, she with whom it would have been sweet to him to begin a life of care and toil, his idolized wife, was to be taken from him.

allowedverbUS /əˈlaʊd/

past form of “allow” — make it possible through a specific action or lack of action for something to happen

From this reading For fifteen days and nights Churchill Penwyn watched beside his wife’s bed with only such brief intervals of rest as exhausted nature demanded; an occasional hour, when he allowed himself to fall into a troubled slumber, on the sofa at the foot of the bed, from which he would start into sudden wakefulness, unrefreshed, but with no power to sleep longer.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading For fifteen days and nights Churchill Penwyn watched beside his wife’s bed with only such brief intervals of rest as exhausted nature demanded; an occasional hour, when he allowed himself to fall into a troubled slumber, on the sofa at the foot of the bed, from which he would start into sudden wakefulness, unrefreshed, but with no power to sleep longer.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading For fifteen days and nights Churchill Penwyn watched beside his wife’s bed with only such brief intervals of rest as exhausted nature demanded; an occasional hour, when he allowed himself to fall into a troubled slumber, on the sofa at the foot of the bed, from which he would start into sudden wakefulness, unrefreshed, but with no power to sleep longer.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading For fifteen days and nights Churchill Penwyn watched beside his wife’s bed with only such brief intervals of rest as exhausted nature demanded; an occasional hour, when he allowed himself to fall into a troubled slumber, on the sofa at the foot of the bed, from which he would start into sudden wakefulness, unrefreshed, but with no power to sleep longer.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading For fifteen days and nights Churchill Penwyn watched beside his wife’s bed with only such brief intervals of rest as exhausted nature demanded; an occasional hour, when he allowed himself to fall into a troubled slumber, on the sofa at the foot of the bed, from which he would start into sudden wakefulness, unrefreshed, but with no power to sleep longer.

awfuladjectiveUS /ˈɑːfəl/

exceptionally bad or displeasing

From this reading One awful idea for ever pursued him, the expectation of an inevitable end.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading She, for whom he could have been content to sacrifice all that earth can give of fame or fortune, she with whom it would have been sweet to him to begin a life of care and toil, his idolized wife, was to be taken from him.

bednounUS /bed/

a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep

From this reading For fifteen days and nights Churchill Penwyn watched beside his wife’s bed with only such brief intervals of rest as exhausted nature demanded; an occasional hour, when he allowed himself to fall into a troubled slumber, on the sofa at the foot of the bed, from which he would start into sudden wakefulness, unrefreshed, but with no power to sleep longer.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading She, for whom he could have been content to sacrifice all that earth can give of fame or fortune, she with whom it would have been sweet to him to begin a life of care and toil, his idolized wife, was to be taken from him.

beginverbUS /bɪˈɡɪn/

take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

From this reading She, for whom he could have been content to sacrifice all that earth can give of fame or fortune, she with whom it would have been sweet to him to begin a life of care and toil, his idolized wife, was to be taken from him.

besideprepositionUS /bɪˈsaɪd/

next to; at the side of

From this reading For fifteen days and nights Churchill Penwyn watched beside his wife’s bed with only such brief intervals of rest as exhausted nature demanded; an occasional hour, when he allowed himself to fall into a troubled slumber, on the sofa at the foot of the bed, from which he would start into sudden wakefulness, unrefreshed, but with no power to sleep longer.

briefadjectiveUS /briːf/

of short duration or distance

From this reading For fifteen days and nights Churchill Penwyn watched beside his wife’s bed with only such brief intervals of rest as exhausted nature demanded; an occasional hour, when he allowed himself to fall into a troubled slumber, on the sofa at the foot of the bed, from which he would start into sudden wakefulness, unrefreshed, but with no power to sleep longer.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading For fifteen days and nights Churchill Penwyn watched beside his wife’s bed with only such brief intervals of rest as exhausted nature demanded; an occasional hour, when he allowed himself to fall into a troubled slumber, on the sofa at the foot of the bed, from which he would start into sudden wakefulness, unrefreshed, but with no power to sleep longer.

canmodal verbUS /kæn/

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading She, for whom he could have been content to sacrifice all that earth can give of fame or fortune, she with whom it would have been sweet to him to begin a life of care and toil, his idolized wife, was to be taken from him.

carenounUS /ker/

the work of providing treatment for or attending to someone or something

From this reading She, for whom he could have been content to sacrifice all that earth can give of fame or fortune, she with whom it would have been sweet to him to begin a life of care and toil, his idolized wife, was to be taken from him.

ChurchillnounUS /ˈtʃɜːrtʃɪl/

English general considered one of the greatest generals in history (1650-1722)

From this reading For fifteen days and nights Churchill Penwyn watched beside his wife’s bed with only such brief intervals of rest as exhausted nature demanded; an occasional hour, when he allowed himself to fall into a troubled slumber, on the sofa at the foot of the bed, from which he would start into sudden wakefulness, unrefreshed, but with no power to sleep longer.

consciousnessnounUS /ˈkɑːnʃəsnəs/

an alert cognitive state in which you are aware of yourself and your situation

From this reading Even in sleep he did not lose consciousness.

contentnounUS /ˈkɑːntent/

(usually plural) everything that is included in a collection and that is held or included in something

From this reading She, for whom he could have been content to sacrifice all that earth can give of fame or fortune, she with whom it would have been sweet to him to begin a life of care and toil, his idolized wife, was to be taken from him.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading She, for whom he could have been content to sacrifice all that earth can give of fame or fortune, she with whom it would have been sweet to him to begin a life of care and toil, his idolized wife, was to be taken from him.

daysnounUS /deɪz/

the time during which someone's life continues

From this reading For fifteen days and nights Churchill Penwyn watched beside his wife’s bed with only such brief intervals of rest as exhausted nature demanded; an occasional hour, when he allowed himself to fall into a troubled slumber, on the sofa at the foot of the bed, from which he would start into sudden wakefulness, unrefreshed, but with no power to sleep longer.

demandedverbUS /dɪˈmændəd/

past form of “demand” — request urgently and forcefully

From this reading For fifteen days and nights Churchill Penwyn watched beside his wife’s bed with only such brief intervals of rest as exhausted nature demanded; an occasional hour, when he allowed himself to fall into a troubled slumber, on the sofa at the foot of the bed, from which he would start into sudden wakefulness, unrefreshed, but with no power to sleep longer.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading Even in sleep he did not lose consciousness.

earthnounUS /ɜːrθ/

the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on

From this reading She, for whom he could have been content to sacrifice all that earth can give of fame or fortune, she with whom it would have been sweet to him to begin a life of care and toil, his idolized wife, was to be taken from him.

endnounUS /end/

either extremity of something that has length

From this reading One awful idea for ever pursued him, the expectation of an inevitable end.

EvenadjectiveUS /ˈiːvɪn/

divisible by two

From this reading Even in sleep he did not lose consciousness.

everadverbUS /ˈevər/

at any time

From this reading One awful idea for ever pursued him, the expectation of an inevitable end.

exhaustedadjectiveUS /ɪɡˈzɔːstɪd/

drained of energy or effectiveness; extremely tired; completely exhausted

From this reading For fifteen days and nights Churchill Penwyn watched beside his wife’s bed with only such brief intervals of rest as exhausted nature demanded; an occasional hour, when he allowed himself to fall into a troubled slumber, on the sofa at the foot of the bed, from which he would start into sudden wakefulness, unrefreshed, but with no power to sleep longer.

expectationnounUS /ˌekspekˈteɪʃən/

belief about (or mental picture of) the future

From this reading One awful idea for ever pursued him, the expectation of an inevitable end.

fallverbUS /fɔːl/

descend in free fall under the influence of gravity

From this reading For fifteen days and nights Churchill Penwyn watched beside his wife’s bed with only such brief intervals of rest as exhausted nature demanded; an occasional hour, when he allowed himself to fall into a troubled slumber, on the sofa at the foot of the bed, from which he would start into sudden wakefulness, unrefreshed, but with no power to sleep longer.

famenounUS /feɪm/

the state or quality of being widely honored and acclaimed

From this reading She, for whom he could have been content to sacrifice all that earth can give of fame or fortune, she with whom it would have been sweet to him to begin a life of care and toil, his idolized wife, was to be taken from him.

fifteennounUS /fɪfˈtiːn/

the cardinal number that is the sum of fourteen and one

From this reading For fifteen days and nights Churchill Penwyn watched beside his wife’s bed with only such brief intervals of rest as exhausted nature demanded; an occasional hour, when he allowed himself to fall into a troubled slumber, on the sofa at the foot of the bed, from which he would start into sudden wakefulness, unrefreshed, but with no power to sleep longer.

footnounUS /fʊt/

the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint

From this reading For fifteen days and nights Churchill Penwyn watched beside his wife’s bed with only such brief intervals of rest as exhausted nature demanded; an occasional hour, when he allowed himself to fall into a troubled slumber, on the sofa at the foot of the bed, from which he would start into sudden wakefulness, unrefreshed, but with no power to sleep longer.

ForprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading For fifteen days and nights Churchill Penwyn watched beside his wife’s bed with only such brief intervals of rest as exhausted nature demanded; an occasional hour, when he allowed himself to fall into a troubled slumber, on the sofa at the foot of the bed, from which he would start into sudden wakefulness, unrefreshed, but with no power to sleep longer.

fortunenounUS /ˈfɔːrtʃən/

an unknown and unpredictable phenomenon that causes an event to result one way rather than another

From this reading She, for whom he could have been content to sacrifice all that earth can give of fame or fortune, she with whom it would have been sweet to him to begin a life of care and toil, his idolized wife, was to be taken from him.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading For fifteen days and nights Churchill Penwyn watched beside his wife’s bed with only such brief intervals of rest as exhausted nature demanded; an occasional hour, when he allowed himself to fall into a troubled slumber, on the sofa at the foot of the bed, from which he would start into sudden wakefulness, unrefreshed, but with no power to sleep longer.

giveverbUS /ɡɪv/

cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense

From this reading She, for whom he could have been content to sacrifice all that earth can give of fame or fortune, she with whom it would have been sweet to him to begin a life of care and toil, his idolized wife, was to be taken from him.

greatestadjectiveUS /ˈɡreɪtəst/

highest in quality

From this reading London physicians had been summoned, two of the greatest.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading London physicians had been summoned, two of the greatest.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading She, for whom he could have been content to sacrifice all that earth can give of fame or fortune, she with whom it would have been sweet to him to begin a life of care and toil, his idolized wife, was to be taken from him.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading For fifteen days and nights Churchill Penwyn watched beside his wife’s bed with only such brief intervals of rest as exhausted nature demanded; an occasional hour, when he allowed himself to fall into a troubled slumber, on the sofa at the foot of the bed, from which he would start into sudden wakefulness, unrefreshed, but with no power to sleep longer.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading One awful idea for ever pursued him, the expectation of an inevitable end.

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

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

From this reading For fifteen days and nights Churchill Penwyn watched beside his wife’s bed with only such brief intervals of rest as exhausted nature demanded; an occasional hour, when he allowed himself to fall into a troubled slumber, on the sofa at the foot of the bed, from which he would start into sudden wakefulness, unrefreshed, but with no power to sleep longer.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading For fifteen days and nights Churchill Penwyn watched beside his wife’s bed with only such brief intervals of rest as exhausted nature demanded; an occasional hour, when he allowed himself to fall into a troubled slumber, on the sofa at the foot of the bed, from which he would start into sudden wakefulness, unrefreshed, but with no power to sleep longer.

hournounUS /ˈaʊər/

a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day

From this reading For fifteen days and nights Churchill Penwyn watched beside his wife’s bed with only such brief intervals of rest as exhausted nature demanded; an occasional hour, when he allowed himself to fall into a troubled slumber, on the sofa at the foot of the bed, from which he would start into sudden wakefulness, unrefreshed, but with no power to sleep longer.

ideanounUS /aɪˈdiːə/

the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

From this reading One awful idea for ever pursued him, the expectation of an inevitable end.

idolizedadjectiveUS /ˈaɪdəlaɪzd/

regarded with deep or rapturous love (especially as if for a god)

From this reading She, for whom he could have been content to sacrifice all that earth can give of fame or fortune, she with whom it would have been sweet to him to begin a life of care and toil, his idolized wife, was to be taken from him.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Even in sleep he did not lose consciousness.

inevitableadjectiveUS /ˌɪˈnevətəbəl/

incapable of being avoided or prevented

From this reading One awful idea for ever pursued him, the expectation of an inevitable end.

intervalsnounUS /ˈɪntərvəlz/

plural of “interval” — a definite length of time marked off by two instants

From this reading For fifteen days and nights Churchill Penwyn watched beside his wife’s bed with only such brief intervals of rest as exhausted nature demanded; an occasional hour, when he allowed himself to fall into a troubled slumber, on the sofa at the foot of the bed, from which he would start into sudden wakefulness, unrefreshed, but with no power to sleep longer.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading For fifteen days and nights Churchill Penwyn watched beside his wife’s bed with only such brief intervals of rest as exhausted nature demanded; an occasional hour, when he allowed himself to fall into a troubled slumber, on the sofa at the foot of the bed, from which he would start into sudden wakefulness, unrefreshed, but with no power to sleep longer.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading She, for whom he could have been content to sacrifice all that earth can give of fame or fortune, she with whom it would have been sweet to him to begin a life of care and toil, his idolized wife, was to be taken from him.

lifenounUS /laɪf/

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading She, for whom he could have been content to sacrifice all that earth can give of fame or fortune, she with whom it would have been sweet to him to begin a life of care and toil, his idolized wife, was to be taken from him.

LondonnounUS /ˈlʌndən/

the capital and largest city of England; located on the Thames in southeastern England; financial and industrial and cultural center

From this reading London physicians had been summoned, two of the greatest.

longeradverbUS /ˈlɔːŋɡər/

for more time

From this reading For fifteen days and nights Churchill Penwyn watched beside his wife’s bed with only such brief intervals of rest as exhausted nature demanded; an occasional hour, when he allowed himself to fall into a troubled slumber, on the sofa at the foot of the bed, from which he would start into sudden wakefulness, unrefreshed, but with no power to sleep longer.

loseverbUS /luːz/

fail to keep or to maintain; cease to have, either physically or in an abstract sense

From this reading Even in sleep he did not lose consciousness.

naturenounUS /ˈneɪtʃər/

the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized

From this reading For fifteen days and nights Churchill Penwyn watched beside his wife’s bed with only such brief intervals of rest as exhausted nature demanded; an occasional hour, when he allowed himself to fall into a troubled slumber, on the sofa at the foot of the bed, from which he would start into sudden wakefulness, unrefreshed, but with no power to sleep longer.

nightsnounUS /naɪts/

Periods of darkness between sunset and sunrise.

From this reading For fifteen days and nights Churchill Penwyn watched beside his wife’s bed with only such brief intervals of rest as exhausted nature demanded; an occasional hour, when he allowed himself to fall into a troubled slumber, on the sofa at the foot of the bed, from which he would start into sudden wakefulness, unrefreshed, but with no power to sleep longer.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading For fifteen days and nights Churchill Penwyn watched beside his wife’s bed with only such brief intervals of rest as exhausted nature demanded; an occasional hour, when he allowed himself to fall into a troubled slumber, on the sofa at the foot of the bed, from which he would start into sudden wakefulness, unrefreshed, but with no power to sleep longer.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Even in sleep he did not lose consciousness.

occasionaladjectiveUS /əˈkeɪʒənəl/

occurring from time to time

From this reading For fifteen days and nights Churchill Penwyn watched beside his wife’s bed with only such brief intervals of rest as exhausted nature demanded; an occasional hour, when he allowed himself to fall into a troubled slumber, on the sofa at the foot of the bed, from which he would start into sudden wakefulness, unrefreshed, but with no power to sleep longer.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading For fifteen days and nights Churchill Penwyn watched beside his wife’s bed with only such brief intervals of rest as exhausted nature demanded; an occasional hour, when he allowed himself to fall into a troubled slumber, on the sofa at the foot of the bed, from which he would start into sudden wakefulness, unrefreshed, but with no power to sleep longer.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading For fifteen days and nights Churchill Penwyn watched beside his wife’s bed with only such brief intervals of rest as exhausted nature demanded; an occasional hour, when he allowed himself to fall into a troubled slumber, on the sofa at the foot of the bed, from which he would start into sudden wakefulness, unrefreshed, but with no power to sleep longer.

OnepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading One awful idea for ever pursued him, the expectation of an inevitable end.

onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading For fifteen days and nights Churchill Penwyn watched beside his wife’s bed with only such brief intervals of rest as exhausted nature demanded; an occasional hour, when he allowed himself to fall into a troubled slumber, on the sofa at the foot of the bed, from which he would start into sudden wakefulness, unrefreshed, but with no power to sleep longer.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading She, for whom he could have been content to sacrifice all that earth can give of fame or fortune, she with whom it would have been sweet to him to begin a life of care and toil, his idolized wife, was to be taken from him.

Penwyn

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

From this reading For fifteen days and nights Churchill Penwyn watched beside his wife’s bed with only such brief intervals of rest as exhausted nature demanded; an occasional hour, when he allowed himself to fall into a troubled slumber, on the sofa at the foot of the bed, from which he would start into sudden wakefulness, unrefreshed, but with no power to sleep longer.

physiciansnounUS /fəˈzɪʃənz/

plural of “physician” — a licensed medical practitioner

From this reading London physicians had been summoned, two of the greatest.

powernounUS /ˈpaʊər/

possession of controlling influence

From this reading For fifteen days and nights Churchill Penwyn watched beside his wife’s bed with only such brief intervals of rest as exhausted nature demanded; an occasional hour, when he allowed himself to fall into a troubled slumber, on the sofa at the foot of the bed, from which he would start into sudden wakefulness, unrefreshed, but with no power to sleep longer.

pursuednounUS /pərˈsuːd/

a person who is being chased

From this reading One awful idea for ever pursued him, the expectation of an inevitable end.

restverbUS /rest/

not move; be in a resting position

From this reading For fifteen days and nights Churchill Penwyn watched beside his wife’s bed with only such brief intervals of rest as exhausted nature demanded; an occasional hour, when he allowed himself to fall into a troubled slumber, on the sofa at the foot of the bed, from which he would start into sudden wakefulness, unrefreshed, but with no power to sleep longer.

sacrificenounUS /ˈsækrəfaɪs/

the act of losing or surrendering something as a penalty for a mistake or fault or failure to perform etc.

From this reading She, for whom he could have been content to sacrifice all that earth can give of fame or fortune, she with whom it would have been sweet to him to begin a life of care and toil, his idolized wife, was to be taken from him.

ShepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading She, for whom he could have been content to sacrifice all that earth can give of fame or fortune, she with whom it would have been sweet to him to begin a life of care and toil, his idolized wife, was to be taken from him.

sleepnounUS /sliːp/

a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended

From this reading For fifteen days and nights Churchill Penwyn watched beside his wife’s bed with only such brief intervals of rest as exhausted nature demanded; an occasional hour, when he allowed himself to fall into a troubled slumber, on the sofa at the foot of the bed, from which he would start into sudden wakefulness, unrefreshed, but with no power to sleep longer.

slumbernounUS /ˈslʌmbər/

a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended

From this reading For fifteen days and nights Churchill Penwyn watched beside his wife’s bed with only such brief intervals of rest as exhausted nature demanded; an occasional hour, when he allowed himself to fall into a troubled slumber, on the sofa at the foot of the bed, from which he would start into sudden wakefulness, unrefreshed, but with no power to sleep longer.

sofanounUS /ˈsoʊfə/

an upholstered seat for more than one person

From this reading For fifteen days and nights Churchill Penwyn watched beside his wife’s bed with only such brief intervals of rest as exhausted nature demanded; an occasional hour, when he allowed himself to fall into a troubled slumber, on the sofa at the foot of the bed, from which he would start into sudden wakefulness, unrefreshed, but with no power to sleep longer.

startverbUS /stɑːrt/

take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

From this reading For fifteen days and nights Churchill Penwyn watched beside his wife’s bed with only such brief intervals of rest as exhausted nature demanded; an occasional hour, when he allowed himself to fall into a troubled slumber, on the sofa at the foot of the bed, from which he would start into sudden wakefulness, unrefreshed, but with no power to sleep longer.

suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading For fifteen days and nights Churchill Penwyn watched beside his wife’s bed with only such brief intervals of rest as exhausted nature demanded; an occasional hour, when he allowed himself to fall into a troubled slumber, on the sofa at the foot of the bed, from which he would start into sudden wakefulness, unrefreshed, but with no power to sleep longer.

suddenadjectiveUS /ˈsʌdən/

happening without warning or in a short space of time

From this reading For fifteen days and nights Churchill Penwyn watched beside his wife’s bed with only such brief intervals of rest as exhausted nature demanded; an occasional hour, when he allowed himself to fall into a troubled slumber, on the sofa at the foot of the bed, from which he would start into sudden wakefulness, unrefreshed, but with no power to sleep longer.

summonedverbUS /ˈsʌmənd/

past form of “summon” — call in an official matter, such as to attend court

From this reading London physicians had been summoned, two of the greatest.

sweetadjectiveUS /swiːt/

having or denoting the characteristic taste of sugar

From this reading She, for whom he could have been content to sacrifice all that earth can give of fame or fortune, she with whom it would have been sweet to him to begin a life of care and toil, his idolized wife, was to be taken from him.

takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/

understood in a certain way; made sense of

From this reading She, for whom he could have been content to sacrifice all that earth can give of fame or fortune, she with whom it would have been sweet to him to begin a life of care and toil, his idolized wife, was to be taken from him.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading She, for whom he could have been content to sacrifice all that earth can give of fame or fortune, she with whom it would have been sweet to him to begin a life of care and toil, his idolized wife, was to be taken from him.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading For fifteen days and nights Churchill Penwyn watched beside his wife’s bed with only such brief intervals of rest as exhausted nature demanded; an occasional hour, when he allowed himself to fall into a troubled slumber, on the sofa at the foot of the bed, from which he would start into sudden wakefulness, unrefreshed, but with no power to sleep longer.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading For fifteen days and nights Churchill Penwyn watched beside his wife’s bed with only such brief intervals of rest as exhausted nature demanded; an occasional hour, when he allowed himself to fall into a troubled slumber, on the sofa at the foot of the bed, from which he would start into sudden wakefulness, unrefreshed, but with no power to sleep longer.

toilverbUS /tɔɪl/

work hard

From this reading She, for whom he could have been content to sacrifice all that earth can give of fame or fortune, she with whom it would have been sweet to him to begin a life of care and toil, his idolized wife, was to be taken from him.

troubledadjectiveUS /ˈtrʌbəld/

characterized by or indicative of distress or affliction or danger or need

From this reading For fifteen days and nights Churchill Penwyn watched beside his wife’s bed with only such brief intervals of rest as exhausted nature demanded; an occasional hour, when he allowed himself to fall into a troubled slumber, on the sofa at the foot of the bed, from which he would start into sudden wakefulness, unrefreshed, but with no power to sleep longer.

twonounUS /tuː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading London physicians had been summoned, two of the greatest.

unrefreshedadjective

not rested or refreshed

From this reading For fifteen days and nights Churchill Penwyn watched beside his wife’s bed with only such brief intervals of rest as exhausted nature demanded; an occasional hour, when he allowed himself to fall into a troubled slumber, on the sofa at the foot of the bed, from which he would start into sudden wakefulness, unrefreshed, but with no power to sleep longer.

wakefulnessnoun

a periodic state during which you are conscious and aware of the world

From this reading For fifteen days and nights Churchill Penwyn watched beside his wife’s bed with only such brief intervals of rest as exhausted nature demanded; an occasional hour, when he allowed himself to fall into a troubled slumber, on the sofa at the foot of the bed, from which he would start into sudden wakefulness, unrefreshed, but with no power to sleep longer.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading She, for whom he could have been content to sacrifice all that earth can give of fame or fortune, she with whom it would have been sweet to him to begin a life of care and toil, his idolized wife, was to be taken from him.

watchedverbUS /wɑːtʃt/

past form of “watch” — look attentively

From this reading For fifteen days and nights Churchill Penwyn watched beside his wife’s bed with only such brief intervals of rest as exhausted nature demanded; an occasional hour, when he allowed himself to fall into a troubled slumber, on the sofa at the foot of the bed, from which he would start into sudden wakefulness, unrefreshed, but with no power to sleep longer.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading For fifteen days and nights Churchill Penwyn watched beside his wife’s bed with only such brief intervals of rest as exhausted nature demanded; an occasional hour, when he allowed himself to fall into a troubled slumber, on the sofa at the foot of the bed, from which he would start into sudden wakefulness, unrefreshed, but with no power to sleep longer.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading For fifteen days and nights Churchill Penwyn watched beside his wife’s bed with only such brief intervals of rest as exhausted nature demanded; an occasional hour, when he allowed himself to fall into a troubled slumber, on the sofa at the foot of the bed, from which he would start into sudden wakefulness, unrefreshed, but with no power to sleep longer.

whompronounUS /huːm/

the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading She, for whom he could have been content to sacrifice all that earth can give of fame or fortune, she with whom it would have been sweet to him to begin a life of care and toil, his idolized wife, was to be taken from him.

wifenounUS /waɪf/

a married woman; a man's partner in marriage

From this reading She, for whom he could have been content to sacrifice all that earth can give of fame or fortune, she with whom it would have been sweet to him to begin a life of care and toil, his idolized wife, was to be taken from him.

wife'snounUS /waɪfs/

possessive form of “wife” — a married woman; a man's partner in marriage

From this reading For fifteen days and nights Churchill Penwyn watched beside his wife’s bed with only such brief intervals of rest as exhausted nature demanded; an occasional hour, when he allowed himself to fall into a troubled slumber, on the sofa at the foot of the bed, from which he would start into sudden wakefulness, unrefreshed, but with no power to sleep longer.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading For fifteen days and nights Churchill Penwyn watched beside his wife’s bed with only such brief intervals of rest as exhausted nature demanded; an occasional hour, when he allowed himself to fall into a troubled slumber, on the sofa at the foot of the bed, from which he would start into sudden wakefulness, unrefreshed, but with no power to sleep longer.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading For fifteen days and nights Churchill Penwyn watched beside his wife’s bed with only such brief intervals of rest as exhausted nature demanded; an occasional hour, when he allowed himself to fall into a troubled slumber, on the sofa at the foot of the bed, from which he would start into sudden wakefulness, unrefreshed, but with no power to sleep longer.

Chapter 17 of A Strange World: A Novel. Volume 3 (of 3) by M. E. (Mary Elizabeth) Braddon holds 229 sentences, grouped into 46 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 17 of A Strange World: A Novel. Volume 3 (of 3) contain?

Chapter 17 holds 229 sentences of A Strange World: A Novel. Volume 3 (of 3), unabridged, divided into 46 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 17 of A Strange World: A Novel. Volume 3 (of 3) by M. E. (Mary Elizabeth) Braddon exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 229 sentences, grouped into 46 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 17 of A Strange World: A Novel. Volume 3 (of 3)?

Work through the 46 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 46 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 17 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 17 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 Strange World: A Novel. Volume 3 (of 3)

Common questions about reading A Strange World: A Novel. Volume 3 (of 3) by M. E. (Mary Elizabeth) Braddon on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of A Strange World: A Novel. Volume 3 (of 3)?

Yes. All 3014 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #57087 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of A Strange World: A Novel. Volume 3 (of 3) is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #57087, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does A Strange World: A Novel. Volume 3 (of 3) take to read?

About 251 minutes of reading across 603 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read A Strange World: A Novel. Volume 3 (of 3) section by section

How to work through A Strange World: A Novel. Volume 3 (of 3) section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 17 chapters of A Strange World: A Novel. Volume 3 (of 3) to begin.

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    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 Strange World: A Novel. Volume 3 (of 3)

Words and structures a reader meets early in A Strange World: A Novel. Volume 3 (of 3), each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Place
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Strange World: A Novel. Volume 3 (of 3); the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Having
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Strange World: A Novel. Volume 3 (of 3); the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Borcel
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Strange World: A Novel. Volume 3 (of 3); the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Perform
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Strange World: A Novel. Volume 3 (of 3); the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.