Chapter 3 of An ideal husband is here in full — 286 sentences across 58 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter III
Chapter 3 of An ideal husband is here in full — 286 sentences across 58 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
[_Sails out on_ SIR ROBERT CHILTERN’S _arm_. LADY CHILTERN _goes to the top of the staircase and looks down at them as they descend_. _Her expression is troubled_. _After a little time she is joined by some of the guests_, _and passes with them into another reception-room_.] MABEL CHILTERN.
Chapter 3 of An ideal husband is here in full — 286 sentences across 58 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/57 · 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.
move downward and lower, but not necessarily all the way
plural of “guest” — a visitor to whom hospitality is extended
of or relating to two people who are married to each other
From this reading “_After a little time she is joined by some of the guests_, _and passes with them into another reception-room_.]”
plural of “pass” — (baseball) an advance to first base by a batter who receives four balls
From this reading “_After a little time she is joined by some of the guests_, _and passes with them into another reception-room_.]”
United States parliamentary authority and author (in 1876) of Robert's Rules of Order (1837-1923)
From this reading “[_Sails out on_ SIR ROBERT CHILTERN’S _arm_.”
plural of “sail” — a large piece of fabric (usually canvas fabric) by means of which wind is used to propel a sailing vessel
a way of access (upward and downward) consisting of a set of steps
From this reading “LADY CHILTERN _goes to the top of the staircase and looks down at them as they descend_.”
characterized by or indicative of distress or affliction or danger or need
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 _After a little time she is joined by some of the guests_, _and passes with them into another reception-room_.]
later than; following
From this reading _After a little time she is joined by some of the guests_, _and passes with them into another reception-room_.]
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading LADY CHILTERN _goes to the top of the staircase and looks down at them as they descend_.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading _After a little time she is joined by some of the guests_, _and passes with them into another reception-room_.]
a human limb; technically the part of the superior limb between the shoulder and the elbow but commonly used to refer to the whole superior limb
From this reading [_Sails out on_ SIR ROBERT CHILTERN’S _arm_.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading LADY CHILTERN _goes to the top of the staircase and looks down at them as they descend_.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading LADY CHILTERN _goes to the top of the staircase and looks down at them as they descend_.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading _After a little time she is joined by some of the guests_, _and passes with them into another reception-room_.]
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading LADY CHILTERN _goes to the top of the staircase and looks down at them as they descend_.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading [_Sails out on_ SIR ROBERT CHILTERN’S _arm_.
move downward and lower, but not necessarily all the way
From this reading LADY CHILTERN _goes to the top of the staircase and looks down at them as they descend_.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading LADY CHILTERN _goes to the top of the staircase and looks down at them as they descend_.
the feelings expressed on a person's face
From this reading _Her expression is troubled_.
plural of “go” — a time period for working (after which you will be relieved by someone else)
From this reading LADY CHILTERN _goes to the top of the staircase and looks down at them as they descend_.
plural of “guest” — a visitor to whom hospitality is extended
From this reading _After a little time she is joined by some of the guests_, _and passes with them into another reception-room_.]
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading _Her expression is troubled_.
moving to the inside of something
From this reading _After a little time she is joined by some of the guests_, _and passes with them into another reception-room_.]
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading _Her expression is troubled_.
of or relating to two people who are married to each other
From this reading _After a little time she is joined by some of the guests_, _and passes with them into another reception-room_.]
a polite name for any woman
From this reading LADY CHILTERN _goes to the top of the staircase and looks down at them as they descend_.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading _After a little time she is joined by some of the guests_, _and passes with them into another reception-room_.]
plural of “look” — the feelings expressed on a person's face
From this reading LADY CHILTERN _goes to the top of the staircase and looks down at them as they descend_.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading MABEL CHILTERN.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading LADY CHILTERN _goes to the top of the staircase and looks down at them as they descend_.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading [_Sails out on_ SIR ROBERT CHILTERN’S _arm_.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading [_Sails out on_ SIR ROBERT CHILTERN’S _arm_.
plural of “pass” — (baseball) an advance to first base by a batter who receives four balls
From this reading _After a little time she is joined by some of the guests_, _and passes with them into another reception-room_.]
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _After a little time she is joined by some of the guests_, _and passes with them into another reception-room_.]
United States parliamentary authority and author (in 1876) of Robert's Rules of Order (1837-1923)
From this reading [_Sails out on_ SIR ROBERT CHILTERN’S _arm_.
plural of “sail” — a large piece of fabric (usually canvas fabric) by means of which wind is used to propel a sailing vessel
From this reading [_Sails out on_ SIR ROBERT CHILTERN’S _arm_.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading _After a little time she is joined by some of the guests_, _and passes with them into another reception-room_.]
term of address for a man
From this reading [_Sails out on_ SIR ROBERT CHILTERN’S _arm_.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading _After a little time she is joined by some of the guests_, _and passes with them into another reception-room_.]
a way of access (upward and downward) consisting of a set of steps
From this reading LADY CHILTERN _goes to the top of the staircase and looks down at them as they descend_.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading LADY CHILTERN _goes to the top of the staircase and looks down at them as they descend_.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading LADY CHILTERN _goes to the top of the staircase and looks down at them as they descend_.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading LADY CHILTERN _goes to the top of the staircase and looks down at them as they descend_.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading _After a little time she is joined by some of the guests_, _and passes with them into another reception-room_.]
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading LADY CHILTERN _goes to the top of the staircase and looks down at them as they descend_.
the upper part of anything
From this reading LADY CHILTERN _goes to the top of the staircase and looks down at them as they descend_.
characterized by or indicative of distress or affliction or danger or need
From this reading _Her expression is troubled_.
in the company of; together with
From this reading _After a little time she is joined by some of the guests_, _and passes with them into another reception-room_.]
Chapter 3 of An ideal husband by Oscar Wilde holds 286 sentences, grouped into 58 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 3 holds 286 sentences of An ideal husband, unabridged, divided into 58 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 3 of An ideal husband by Oscar Wilde exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 286 sentences, grouped into 58 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 58 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 58 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 3 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 An ideal husband by Oscar Wilde on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 3526 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #885 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #885, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 293 minutes of reading across 706 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through An ideal husband section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 12 chapters of An ideal husband 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 An ideal husband, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
