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Babes in the Bush
Babes in the Bush

Chapter XIV · The Duel

Chapter XIV of Babes in the Bush, “The Duel,” is here in full — 254 sentences across 51 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/50 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.
As it was, a contretemps _did_ occur, which could not be settled without the intervention of seconds.
These gentlemen decided that a meeting must take place.
It chanced after this wise.
As will happen in all lands, there had arisen a veiled but distinct antagonism between two men who aspired to social leadership.
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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.

Babes in the Bush

Chapter XIV · The Duel

Chapter XIV of Babes in the Bush, “The Duel,” is here in full — 254 sentences across 51 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/50 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.
Line 2
As it was, a contretemps _did_ occur, which could not be settled without the intervention of seconds.
/æz ɪt wɑːz ə ˈkɑːntrətemps dɪd əˈkɜːr wɪtʃ kʊd nɑːt biː ˈsetəld wɪˈθaʊt ðə ˌɪntərˈvenʃən ʌv ˈsekəndz/
Line 3
These gentlemen decided that a meeting must take place.
/ðiːz ˈdʒentəlmɪn ˌdɪˈsaɪdɪd ðæt ə ˈmiːtɪŋ mʌst teɪk pleɪs/
Line 4
It chanced after this wise.
/ɪt tʃænst ˈæftər ðɪs waɪz/
Line 5
As will happen in all lands, there had arisen a veiled but distinct antagonism between two men who aspired to social leadership.
/æz wɪl ˈhæpən ɪn ɔːl lændz ðer hæd ərˈɪzən ə veɪld bʌt dɪˈstɪŋkt ænˈtæɡənɪzəm bɪˈtwiːn tuː men huː əˈspaɪrd tuː ˈsoʊʃəl ˈliːdərʃɪp/

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.

aspired verb US /əˈspaɪrd/

past form of “aspire” — have an ambitious plan or a lofty goal

From this reading “As will happen in all lands, there had arisen a veiled but distinct antagonism between two men who aspired to social leadership.”

contretemps noun US /ˈkɑːntrətemps/

an awkward clash

From this reading “As it was, a contretemps _did_ occur, which could not be settled without the intervention of seconds.”

Encumbered adjective US /enˈkʌmbərd/

loaded to excess or impeded by a heavy load

From this reading “In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.”

enviable adjective US /ˈenviəbəl/

causing envy

From this reading “In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.”

hackney noun US /ˈhækni/

a carriage for hire

From this reading “In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.”

Ireland's noun US /ˈaɪrləndz/

possessive form of “ireland” — a republic consisting of 26 of 32 counties comprising the island of Ireland; achieved independence from the United Kingdom in 1921

payments noun US /ˈpeɪmənts/

plural of “payment” — a sum of money paid or a claim discharged

From this reading “In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.”

transacted verb US /trænˈsæktɪd/

past form of “transact” — conduct business

From this reading “In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.”

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.

two men noun + noun

In this reading “As will happen in all lands, there had arisen a veiled but distinct antagonism between two men who aspired to social leadership.”

take place verb + noun

come to pass

In this reading “These gentlemen decided that a meeting must take place.”

between two preposition + noun

In this reading “As will happen in all lands, there had arisen a veiled but distinct antagonism between two men who aspired to social leadership.”

old days adjective + noun

In this reading “In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.”

gone home adjective + noun

In this reading “In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.”

All words in this reading · 103

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 In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.

afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.

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 As will happen in all lands, there had arisen a veiled but distinct antagonism between two men who aspired to social leadership.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.

antagonismnounUS /ænˈtæɡənɪzəm/

a state of deep-seated ill-will

From this reading As will happen in all lands, there had arisen a veiled but distinct antagonism between two men who aspired to social leadership.

apparentlyadverbUS /əˈperəntli/

from appearances alone

From this reading In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.

arisenverbUS /ərˈɪzən/

inflected form of “arise” — come into existence; take on form or shape

From this reading As will happen in all lands, there had arisen a veiled but distinct antagonism between two men who aspired to social leadership.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.

aspiredverbUS /əˈspaɪrd/

past form of “aspire” — have an ambitious plan or a lofty goal

From this reading As will happen in all lands, there had arisen a veiled but distinct antagonism between two men who aspired to social leadership.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading As it was, a contretemps _did_ occur, which could not be settled without the intervention of seconds.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.

beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.

betweenprepositionUS /bɪˈtwiːn/

in the space, time, or range separating two things

From this reading As will happen in all lands, there had arisen a veiled but distinct antagonism between two men who aspired to social leadership.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading As will happen in all lands, there had arisen a veiled but distinct antagonism between two men who aspired to social leadership.

chancedverbUS /tʃænst/

past form of “chance” — be the case by chance

From this reading It chanced after this wise.

claretnoun

a dark purplish-red color

From this reading In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.

contretempsnounUS /ˈkɑːntrətemps/

an awkward clash

From this reading As it was, a contretemps _did_ occur, which could not be settled without the intervention of seconds.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

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

From this reading As it was, a contretemps _did_ occur, which could not be settled without the intervention of seconds.

CourtnounUS /kɔːrt/

an assembly (including one or more judges) to conduct judicial business

From this reading In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.

daysnounUS /deɪz/

the time during which someone's life continues

From this reading In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.

debtnounUS /det/

the state of owing something (especially money)

From this reading In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.

decidedadjectiveUS /ˌdɪˈsaɪdɪd/

recognizable; marked

From this reading These gentlemen decided that a meeting must take place.

declineverbUS /dɪˈklaɪn/

grow worse

From this reading In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.

devilmentnoun

reckless or malicious behavior that causes discomfort or annoyance in others

From this reading In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

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

From this reading As it was, a contretemps _did_ occur, which could not be settled without the intervention of seconds.

distinctadjectiveUS /dɪˈstɪŋkt/

(often followed by “from”) not alike; different in nature or quality

From this reading As will happen in all lands, there had arisen a veiled but distinct antagonism between two men who aspired to social leadership.

doubtnounUS /daʊt/

the state of being unsure of something

From this reading In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.

duelling

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

From this reading In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.

dutynounUS /ˈduːti/

the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force

From this reading In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.

EncumberedadjectiveUS /enˈkʌmbərd/

loaded to excess or impeded by a heavy load

From this reading In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.

enviableadjectiveUS /ˈenviəbəl/

causing envy

From this reading In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.

essayed

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

From this reading In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.

EstatesnounUS /ɪˈsteɪts/

plural of “estate” — everything you own; all of your assets (whether real property or personal property) and liabilities

From this reading In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.

existsverbUS /ɪɡˈzɪsts/

third-person singular of “exist” — have an existence, be extant

From this reading In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.

generallyadverbUS /ˈdʒenərəli/

usually; as a rule

From this reading In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.

gentleman'snounUS /ˈdʒentəlmʌnz/

possessive form of “gentleman” — a man of refinement

From this reading In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.

gentlemennounUS /ˈdʒentəlmɪn/

plural of “gentleman” — a man of refinement

From this reading These gentlemen decided that a meeting must take place.

goneadjectiveUS /ɡɔːn/

destroyed or killed

From this reading In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.

goodadjectiveUS /ɡʊd/

having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified

From this reading In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.

hackneynounUS /ˈhækni/

a carriage for hire

From this reading In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading As will happen in all lands, there had arisen a veiled but distinct antagonism between two men who aspired to social leadership.

happenverbUS /ˈhæpən/

come to pass

From this reading As will happen in all lands, there had arisen a veiled but distinct antagonism between two men who aspired to social leadership.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.

homenounUS /hoʊm/

where you live at a particular time

From this reading In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.

hospitalitynounUS /ˌhɑːspəˈtæləti/

kindness in welcoming guests or strangers

From this reading In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.

InprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.

interventionnounUS /ˌɪntərˈvenʃən/

the act of intervening (as to mediate a dispute, etc.)

From this reading As it was, a contretemps _did_ occur, which could not be settled without the intervention of seconds.

Ireland'snounUS /ˈaɪrləndz/

possessive form of “ireland” — a republic consisting of 26 of 32 counties comprising the island of Ireland; achieved independence from the United Kingdom in 1921

From this reading In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading As it was, a contretemps _did_ occur, which could not be settled without the intervention of seconds.

landsnounUS /lændz/

plural of “land” — the land on which real estate is located

From this reading As will happen in all lands, there had arisen a veiled but distinct antagonism between two men who aspired to social leadership.

leadershipnounUS /ˈliːdərʃɪp/

the activity of leading

From this reading As will happen in all lands, there had arisen a veiled but distinct antagonism between two men who aspired to social leadership.

mannounUS /mæn/

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

From this reading In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.

meetingnounUS /ˈmiːtɪŋ/

a formally arranged gathering

From this reading These gentlemen decided that a meeting must take place.

mennounUS /men/

the force of workers available

From this reading As will happen in all lands, there had arisen a veiled but distinct antagonism between two men who aspired to social leadership.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.

mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading These gentlemen decided that a meeting must take place.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.

occurverbUS /əˈkɜːr/

come to pass

From this reading As it was, a contretemps _did_ occur, which could not be settled without the intervention of seconds.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.

oldadjectiveUS /oʊld/

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.

paymentsnounUS /ˈpeɪmənts/

plural of “payment” — a sum of money paid or a claim discharged

From this reading In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.

pistolnounUS /ˈpɪstəl/

a firearm that is held and fired with one hand

From this reading In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.

placenounUS /pleɪs/

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading These gentlemen decided that a meeting must take place.

practicenounUS /ˈpræktəs/

a customary way of operation or behavior

From this reading In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.

racenounUS /reɪs/

any competition

From this reading In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.

ready-money

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

From this reading In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.

recallverbUS /ˈriːkɔːl/

recall knowledge from memory; have a recollection

From this reading In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.

scornnounUS /skɔːrn/

lack of respect accompanied by a feeling of intense dislike

From this reading In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.

secondsnounUS /ˈsekəndz/

plural of “second” — 1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites

From this reading As it was, a contretemps _did_ occur, which could not be settled without the intervention of seconds.

settledadjectiveUS /ˈsetəld/

established or decided beyond dispute or doubt

From this reading As it was, a contretemps _did_ occur, which could not be settled without the intervention of seconds.

socialadjectiveUS /ˈsoʊʃəl/

relating to human society and its members

From this reading As will happen in all lands, there had arisen a veiled but distinct antagonism between two men who aspired to social leadership.

suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.

takeverbUS /teɪk/

carry out

From this reading These gentlemen decided that a meeting must take place.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading As will happen in all lands, there had arisen a veiled but distinct antagonism between two men who aspired to social leadership.

ThesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading These gentlemen decided that a meeting must take place.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading It chanced after this wise.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.

transactedverbUS /trænˈsæktɪd/

past form of “transact” — conduct business

From this reading In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.

twonounUS /tuː/

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

From this reading As will happen in all lands, there had arisen a veiled but distinct antagonism between two men who aspired to social leadership.

unlessconjunctionUS /ənˈles/

except if; if not

From this reading In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.

unlimitedadjectiveUS /ənˈlɪmətɪd/

having no limits in range or scope

From this reading In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.

usualadjectiveUS /ˈjuːʒəwəl/

occurring or encountered or experienced or observed frequently or in accordance with regular practice or procedure

From this reading In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.

veiledadjectiveUS /veɪld/

having or as if having a veil or concealing cover

From this reading As will happen in all lands, there had arisen a veiled but distinct antagonism between two men who aspired to social leadership.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.

weeknounUS /wiːk/

any period of seven consecutive days

From this reading In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading As it was, a contretemps _did_ occur, which could not be settled without the intervention of seconds.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading As will happen in all lands, there had arisen a veiled but distinct antagonism between two men who aspired to social leadership.

wholeadjectiveUS /hoʊl/

including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete

From this reading In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.

willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading As will happen in all lands, there had arisen a veiled but distinct antagonism between two men who aspired to social leadership.

wiseadjectiveUS /waɪz/

having or prompted by wisdom or discernment

From this reading It chanced after this wise.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.

withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.

worseadjectiveUS /wɜːrs/

(comparative of “bad”) inferior to another in quality or condition or desirability

From this reading In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading In Ireland’s good old days, before the decline of unlimited hospitality and claret, debt, duelling, and devilment generally, when the Court of Encumbered Estates was not, the whole duty of man apparently being transacted with an enviable scorn of ready-money payments, no doubt exists, that after such a race week as we have essayed to recall, more than one gentleman’s hackney would have gone home without him, unless the pistol practice was worse than usual.

Chapter 14 of Babes in the Bush by Rolf Boldrewood holds 254 sentences, grouped into 51 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 14 of Babes in the Bush contain?

Chapter 14 holds 254 sentences of Babes in the Bush, unabridged, divided into 51 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 14 of Babes in the Bush by Rolf Boldrewood exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 254 sentences, grouped into 51 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 14 of Babes in the Bush?

Work through the 51 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 51 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 14 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 14 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 Babes in the Bush

Common questions about reading Babes in the Bush by Rolf Boldrewood on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Babes in the Bush?

Yes. All 8543 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #51209 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Babes in the Bush is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #51209, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Babes in the Bush take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 1709 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Babes in the Bush section by section

How to work through Babes in the Bush section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 28 chapters of Babes in the Bush to begin.

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  3. Listen and tap

    Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in Babes in the Bush

Words and structures a reader meets early in Babes in the Bush, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Https
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Babes in the Bush; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Please
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Babes in the Bush; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Transcriber
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Babes in the Bush; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Details
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Babes in the Bush; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.