Chapter 1 of Brief Lives, Vol. 2 is here in full — 393 sentences across 79 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter I
Chapter 1 of Brief Lives, Vol. 2 is here in full — 393 sentences across 79 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
VOL. II. HENRY FROWDE, M.A. _'Brief Lives,' chiefly of Contemporaries, set down by John Aubrey, between the Years 1669 & 1696_ EDITED FROM THE AUTHOR'S MSS. [A]Mr. Ingelbert was the first inventer or projector of bringing the water from Ware to London[1] called _Middleton's water_.
Chapter 1 of Brief Lives, Vol. 2 is here in full — 393 sentences across 79 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/78 · 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.
possessive form of “author” — writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay)
From this reading “_'Brief Lives,' chiefly of Contemporaries, set down by John Aubrey, between the Years 1669 & 1696_ EDITED FROM THE AUTHOR'S MSS.”
of short duration or distance
From this reading “_'Brief Lives,' chiefly of Contemporaries, set down by John Aubrey, between the Years 1669 & 1696_ EDITED FROM THE AUTHOR'S MSS.”
the act of delivering or distributing something (as goods or mail)
From this reading “[A]Mr. Ingelbert was the first inventer or projector of bringing the water from Ware to London[1] called _Middleton's water_.”
for the most part
From this reading “_'Brief Lives,' chiefly of Contemporaries, set down by John Aubrey, between the Years 1669 & 1696_ EDITED FROM THE AUTHOR'S MSS.”
all the people living at the same time or of approximately the same age
From this reading “_'Brief Lives,' chiefly of Contemporaries, set down by John Aubrey, between the Years 1669 & 1696_ EDITED FROM THE AUTHOR'S MSS.”
improved or corrected by critical editing
From this reading “_'Brief Lives,' chiefly of Contemporaries, set down by John Aubrey, between the Years 1669 & 1696_ EDITED FROM THE AUTHOR'S MSS.”
an optical device for projecting a beam of light
From this reading “[A]Mr. Ingelbert was the first inventer or projector of bringing the water from Ware to London[1] called _Middleton's water_.”
articles of the same kind or material; usually used in combination: “silverware”, “software”
From this reading “[A]Mr. Ingelbert was the first inventer or projector of bringing the water from Ware to London[1] called _Middleton's water_.”
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.
put down in writing; of texts, musical compositions, etc.
In this reading “_'Brief Lives,' chiefly of Contemporaries, set down by John Aubrey, between the Years 1669 & 1696_ EDITED FROM THE AUTHOR'S MSS.”
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.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading [A]Mr. Ingelbert was the first inventer or projector of bringing the water from Ware to London[1] called _Middleton's water_.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _'Brief Lives,' chiefly of Contemporaries, set down by John Aubrey, between the Years 1669 & 1696_ EDITED FROM THE AUTHOR'S MSS.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _'Brief Lives,' chiefly of Contemporaries, set down by John Aubrey, between the Years 1669 & 1696_ EDITED FROM THE AUTHOR'S MSS.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading HENRY FROWDE, M.A.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _'Brief Lives,' chiefly of Contemporaries, set down by John Aubrey, between the Years 1669 & 1696_ EDITED FROM THE AUTHOR'S MSS.
possessive form of “author” — writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay)
From this reading _'Brief Lives,' chiefly of Contemporaries, set down by John Aubrey, between the Years 1669 & 1696_ EDITED FROM THE AUTHOR'S MSS.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading _'Brief Lives,' chiefly of Contemporaries, set down by John Aubrey, between the Years 1669 & 1696_ EDITED FROM THE AUTHOR'S MSS.
of short duration or distance
From this reading _'Brief Lives,' chiefly of Contemporaries, set down by John Aubrey, between the Years 1669 & 1696_ EDITED FROM THE AUTHOR'S MSS.
the act of delivering or distributing something (as goods or mail)
From this reading [A]Mr. Ingelbert was the first inventer or projector of bringing the water from Ware to London[1] called _Middleton's water_.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading _'Brief Lives,' chiefly of Contemporaries, set down by John Aubrey, between the Years 1669 & 1696_ EDITED FROM THE AUTHOR'S MSS.
past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading [A]Mr. Ingelbert was the first inventer or projector of bringing the water from Ware to London[1] called _Middleton's water_.
for the most part
From this reading _'Brief Lives,' chiefly of Contemporaries, set down by John Aubrey, between the Years 1669 & 1696_ EDITED FROM THE AUTHOR'S MSS.
all the people living at the same time or of approximately the same age
From this reading _'Brief Lives,' chiefly of Contemporaries, set down by John Aubrey, between the Years 1669 & 1696_ EDITED FROM THE AUTHOR'S MSS.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading _'Brief Lives,' chiefly of Contemporaries, set down by John Aubrey, between the Years 1669 & 1696_ EDITED FROM THE AUTHOR'S MSS.
improved or corrected by critical editing
From this reading _'Brief Lives,' chiefly of Contemporaries, set down by John Aubrey, between the Years 1669 & 1696_ EDITED FROM THE AUTHOR'S MSS.
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading [A]Mr. Ingelbert was the first inventer or projector of bringing the water from Ware to London[1] called _Middleton's water_.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading _'Brief Lives,' chiefly of Contemporaries, set down by John Aubrey, between the Years 1669 & 1696_ EDITED FROM THE AUTHOR'S MSS.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HENRY FROWDE, M.A.
a unit of inductance in which an induced electromotive force of one volt is produced when the current is varied at the rate of one ampere per second
From this reading HENRY FROWDE, M.A.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading II.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading [A]Mr. Ingelbert was the first inventer or projector of bringing the water from Ware to London[1] called _Middleton's water_.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading [A]Mr. Ingelbert was the first inventer or projector of bringing the water from Ware to London[1] called _Middleton's water_.
a room or building equipped with one or more toilets
From this reading _'Brief Lives,' chiefly of Contemporaries, set down by John Aubrey, between the Years 1669 & 1696_ EDITED FROM THE AUTHOR'S MSS.
plural of “life” — a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading _'Brief Lives,' chiefly of Contemporaries, set down by John Aubrey, between the Years 1669 & 1696_ EDITED FROM THE AUTHOR'S MSS.
the capital and largest city of England; located on the Thames in southeastern England; financial and industrial and cultural center
From this reading [A]Mr. Ingelbert was the first inventer or projector of bringing the water from Ware to London[1] called _Middleton's water_.
the basic unit of length adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites (approximately 1.094 yards)
From this reading HENRY FROWDE, M.A.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading [A]Mr. Ingelbert was the first inventer or projector of bringing the water from Ware to London[1] called _Middleton's water_.
a form of address for a man
From this reading [A]Mr. Ingelbert was the first inventer or projector of bringing the water from Ware to London[1] called _Middleton's water_.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _'Brief Lives,' chiefly of Contemporaries, set down by John Aubrey, between the Years 1669 & 1696_ EDITED FROM THE AUTHOR'S MSS.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading _'Brief Lives,' chiefly of Contemporaries, set down by John Aubrey, between the Years 1669 & 1696_ EDITED FROM THE AUTHOR'S MSS.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading [A]Mr. Ingelbert was the first inventer or projector of bringing the water from Ware to London[1] called _Middleton's water_.
an optical device for projecting a beam of light
From this reading [A]Mr. Ingelbert was the first inventer or projector of bringing the water from Ware to London[1] called _Middleton's water_.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading _'Brief Lives,' chiefly of Contemporaries, set down by John Aubrey, between the Years 1669 & 1696_ EDITED FROM THE AUTHOR'S MSS.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading _'Brief Lives,' chiefly of Contemporaries, set down by John Aubrey, between the Years 1669 & 1696_ EDITED FROM THE AUTHOR'S MSS.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading [A]Mr. Ingelbert was the first inventer or projector of bringing the water from Ware to London[1] called _Middleton's water_.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading VOL.
articles of the same kind or material; usually used in combination: “silverware”, “software”
From this reading [A]Mr. Ingelbert was the first inventer or projector of bringing the water from Ware to London[1] called _Middleton's water_.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading [A]Mr. Ingelbert was the first inventer or projector of bringing the water from Ware to London[1] called _Middleton's water_.
binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent
From this reading [A]Mr. Ingelbert was the first inventer or projector of bringing the water from Ware to London[1] called _Middleton's water_.
a late time of life
From this reading _'Brief Lives,' chiefly of Contemporaries, set down by John Aubrey, between the Years 1669 & 1696_ EDITED FROM THE AUTHOR'S MSS.
Chapter 1 of Brief Lives, Vol. 2 by John Aubrey holds 393 sentences, grouped into 79 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 1 holds 393 sentences of Brief Lives, Vol. 2, unabridged, divided into 79 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 1 of Brief Lives, Vol. 2 by John Aubrey exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 393 sentences, grouped into 79 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 79 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 79 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 1 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.
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Yes. All 13426 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #47791 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #47791, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 600 minutes of reading across 2686 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Brief Lives, Vol. 2 section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 33 chapters of Brief Lives, Vol. 2 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 Brief Lives, Vol. 2, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
