Chapter 7 of Believe You Me! is here in full — 432 sentences across 87 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter VII
Chapter 7 of Believe You Me! is here in full — 432 sentences across 87 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Believe you me, never have I been handed a meaner deal than that, no, not even the night Goldringer first heard of me and came to see my try-out for the big time and my pink tights didn't come. "Ma!" says I. "Why don't you call him up and find out why didn't he?" "I've done that!" she says. "And he claims on his oath it was sent with the rest.
Chapter 7 of Believe You Me! is here in full — 432 sentences across 87 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/86 · 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.
plural of “claim” — an assertion of a right (as to money or property)
From this reading “"And he claims on his oath it was sent with the rest.”
act on verbally or in some form of artistic expression
From this reading “Believe you me, never have I been handed a meaner deal than that, no, not even the night Goldringer first heard of me and came to see my try-out for the big time and my pink tights didn't come.”
having or involving the use of hands
From this reading “Believe you me, never have I been handed a meaner deal than that, no, not even the night Goldringer first heard of me and came to see my try-out for the big time and my pink tights didn't come.”
comparative of “mean” — approximating the statistical norm or average or expected value
From this reading “Believe you me, never have I been handed a meaner deal than that, no, not even the night Goldringer first heard of me and came to see my try-out for the big time and my pink tights didn't come.”
profane or obscene expression usually of surprise or anger
From this reading “"And he claims on his oath it was sent with the rest.”
a light shade of red
From this reading “Believe you me, never have I been handed a meaner deal than that, no, not even the night Goldringer first heard of me and came to see my try-out for the big time and my pink tights didn't come.”
100 senti equal 1 kroon in Estonia
From this reading “"And he claims on his oath it was sent with the rest.”
skintight knit hose covering the body from the waist to the feet worn by acrobats and dancers and as stockings by women and girls
From this reading “Believe you me, never have I been handed a meaner deal than that, no, not even the night Goldringer first heard of me and came to see my try-out for the big time and my pink tights didn't come.”
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.
establish after a calculation, investigation, experiment, survey, or study
In this reading “"Why don't you call him up and find out why didn't he?"”
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 Believe you me, never have I been handed a meaner deal than that, no, not even the night Goldringer first heard of me and came to see my try-out for the big time and my pink tights didn't come.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Believe you me, never have I been handed a meaner deal than that, no, not even the night Goldringer first heard of me and came to see my try-out for the big time and my pink tights didn't come.
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Believe you me, never have I been handed a meaner deal than that, no, not even the night Goldringer first heard of me and came to see my try-out for the big time and my pink tights didn't come.
accept as true; take to be true
From this reading Believe you me, never have I been handed a meaner deal than that, no, not even the night Goldringer first heard of me and came to see my try-out for the big time and my pink tights didn't come.
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Believe you me, never have I been handed a meaner deal than that, no, not even the night Goldringer first heard of me and came to see my try-out for the big time and my pink tights didn't come.
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading "Why don't you call him up and find out why didn't he?"
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Believe you me, never have I been handed a meaner deal than that, no, not even the night Goldringer first heard of me and came to see my try-out for the big time and my pink tights didn't come.
plural of “claim” — an assertion of a right (as to money or property)
From this reading "And he claims on his oath it was sent with the rest.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Believe you me, never have I been handed a meaner deal than that, no, not even the night Goldringer first heard of me and came to see my try-out for the big time and my pink tights didn't come.
act on verbally or in some form of artistic expression
From this reading Believe you me, never have I been handed a meaner deal than that, no, not even the night Goldringer first heard of me and came to see my try-out for the big time and my pink tights didn't come.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Believe you me, never have I been handed a meaner deal than that, no, not even the night Goldringer first heard of me and came to see my try-out for the big time and my pink tights didn't come.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Why don't you call him up and find out why didn't he?"
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading "I've done that!" she says.
divisible by two
From this reading Believe you me, never have I been handed a meaner deal than that, no, not even the night Goldringer first heard of me and came to see my try-out for the big time and my pink tights didn't come.
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading "Why don't you call him up and find out why didn't he?"
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading Believe you me, never have I been handed a meaner deal than that, no, not even the night Goldringer first heard of me and came to see my try-out for the big time and my pink tights didn't come.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Believe you me, never have I been handed a meaner deal than that, no, not even the night Goldringer first heard of me and came to see my try-out for the big time and my pink tights didn't come.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Believe you me, never have I been handed a meaner deal than that, no, not even the night Goldringer first heard of me and came to see my try-out for the big time and my pink tights didn't come.
having or involving the use of hands
From this reading Believe you me, never have I been handed a meaner deal than that, no, not even the night Goldringer first heard of me and came to see my try-out for the big time and my pink tights didn't come.
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Believe you me, never have I been handed a meaner deal than that, no, not even the night Goldringer first heard of me and came to see my try-out for the big time and my pink tights didn't come.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Why don't you call him up and find out why didn't he?"
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading Believe you me, never have I been handed a meaner deal than that, no, not even the night Goldringer first heard of me and came to see my try-out for the big time and my pink tights didn't come.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "Why don't you call him up and find out why didn't he?"
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading "And he claims on his oath it was sent with the rest.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading Believe you me, never have I been handed a meaner deal than that, no, not even the night Goldringer first heard of me and came to see my try-out for the big time and my pink tights didn't come.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I've done that!" she says.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "And he claims on his oath it was sent with the rest.
informal terms for a mother
From this reading "Ma!" says I.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Believe you me, never have I been handed a meaner deal than that, no, not even the night Goldringer first heard of me and came to see my try-out for the big time and my pink tights didn't come.
comparative of “mean” — approximating the statistical norm or average or expected value
From this reading Believe you me, never have I been handed a meaner deal than that, no, not even the night Goldringer first heard of me and came to see my try-out for the big time and my pink tights didn't come.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading Believe you me, never have I been handed a meaner deal than that, no, not even the night Goldringer first heard of me and came to see my try-out for the big time and my pink tights didn't come.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading Believe you me, never have I been handed a meaner deal than that, no, not even the night Goldringer first heard of me and came to see my try-out for the big time and my pink tights didn't come.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading Believe you me, never have I been handed a meaner deal than that, no, not even the night Goldringer first heard of me and came to see my try-out for the big time and my pink tights didn't come.
not any; not one
From this reading Believe you me, never have I been handed a meaner deal than that, no, not even the night Goldringer first heard of me and came to see my try-out for the big time and my pink tights didn't come.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Believe you me, never have I been handed a meaner deal than that, no, not even the night Goldringer first heard of me and came to see my try-out for the big time and my pink tights didn't come.
profane or obscene expression usually of surprise or anger
From this reading "And he claims on his oath it was sent with the rest.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Believe you me, never have I been handed a meaner deal than that, no, not even the night Goldringer first heard of me and came to see my try-out for the big time and my pink tights didn't come.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading "And he claims on his oath it was sent with the rest.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading "Why don't you call him up and find out why didn't he?"
a light shade of red
From this reading Believe you me, never have I been handed a meaner deal than that, no, not even the night Goldringer first heard of me and came to see my try-out for the big time and my pink tights didn't come.
not move; be in a resting position
From this reading "And he claims on his oath it was sent with the rest.
plural of “say” — the chance to speak
From this reading "Ma!" says I.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading Believe you me, never have I been handed a meaner deal than that, no, not even the night Goldringer first heard of me and came to see my try-out for the big time and my pink tights didn't come.
100 senti equal 1 kroon in Estonia
From this reading "And he claims on his oath it was sent with the rest.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "I've done that!" she says.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Believe you me, never have I been handed a meaner deal than that, no, not even the night Goldringer first heard of me and came to see my try-out for the big time and my pink tights didn't come.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Believe you me, never have I been handed a meaner deal than that, no, not even the night Goldringer first heard of me and came to see my try-out for the big time and my pink tights didn't come.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Believe you me, never have I been handed a meaner deal than that, no, not even the night Goldringer first heard of me and came to see my try-out for the big time and my pink tights didn't come.
skintight knit hose covering the body from the waist to the feet worn by acrobats and dancers and as stockings by women and girls
From this reading Believe you me, never have I been handed a meaner deal than that, no, not even the night Goldringer first heard of me and came to see my try-out for the big time and my pink tights didn't come.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading Believe you me, never have I been handed a meaner deal than that, no, not even the night Goldringer first heard of me and came to see my try-out for the big time and my pink tights didn't come.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Believe you me, never have I been handed a meaner deal than that, no, not even the night Goldringer first heard of me and came to see my try-out for the big time and my pink tights didn't come.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Believe you me, never have I been handed a meaner deal than that, no, not even the night Goldringer first heard of me and came to see my try-out for the big time and my pink tights didn't come.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading "Why don't you call him up and find out why didn't he?"
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "And he claims on his oath it was sent with the rest.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading "Why don't you call him up and find out why didn't he?"
in the company of; together with
From this reading "And he claims on his oath it was sent with the rest.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading Believe you me, never have I been handed a meaner deal than that, no, not even the night Goldringer first heard of me and came to see my try-out for the big time and my pink tights didn't come.
Chapter 7 of Believe You Me! by Nina Wilcox Putnam holds 432 sentences, grouped into 87 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.
Chapter 7 holds 432 sentences of Believe You Me!, unabridged, divided into 87 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 7 of Believe You Me! by Nina Wilcox Putnam exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 432 sentences, grouped into 87 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 87 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 87 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 7 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 Believe You Me! by Nina Wilcox Putnam on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 2933 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #33728 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #33728, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 244 minutes of reading across 587 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Believe You Me! section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 7 chapters of Believe You Me! 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 Believe You Me!, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
