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Cecilia: A Story of Modern Rome
Cecilia: A Story of Modern Rome

Chapter XVII · Chapter 17

Chapter 17 of Cecilia: A Story of Modern Rome is here in full — 100 sentences across 20 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/20 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
People said that Guido had ceased to be interesting since he had been engaged to be married.
Until that time, there had been an element of romance about him, which many women thought attractive; and most men had been willing to look upon him as a being slightly superior to themselves, who cared only for books and engravings, though he never thrust his tastes upon other people, nor made any show of knowing more than others, and whose opinion on points of honour was the very best that could be had.
It was so good, indeed, that he was not often asked to give it.
Now, however, they said that he was changed; that he was complacent and pleased with himself; that this was no wonder, because he was marrying a handsome fortune with a pretty and charming wife; that he had done uncommonly well for himself; and much more to the same purpose.
Also, the mothers of impecunious marriageable sons of noble lineage said in their maternal hearts that if they had only guessed that Countess Fortiguerra would give her daughter to the first man who asked for her, they would not have let Guido be the one.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Cecilia: A Story of Modern Rome

Chapter XVII · Chapter 17

Chapter 17 of Cecilia: A Story of Modern Rome is here in full — 100 sentences across 20 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/20 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
People said that Guido had ceased to be interesting since he had been engaged to be married.
Line 2
Until that time, there had been an element of romance about him, which many women thought attractive; and most men had been willing to look upon him as a being slightly superior to themselves, who cared only for books and engravings, though he never thrust his tastes upon other people, nor made any show of knowing more than others, and whose opinion on points of honour was the very best that could be had.
Line 3
It was so good, indeed, that he was not often asked to give it.
/ɪt wɑːz soʊ ɡʊd ˌɪnˈdiːd ðæt hiː wɑːz nɑːt ˈɔːfən æskt tuː ɡɪv ɪt/
Line 4
Now, however, they said that he was changed; that he was complacent and pleased with himself; that this was no wonder, because he was marrying a handsome fortune with a pretty and charming wife; that he had done uncommonly well for himself; and much more to the same purpose.
/naʊ ˌhaʊˈevər ðeɪ sed ðæt hiː wɑːz tʃeɪndʒd ðæt hiː wɑːz kəmˈpleɪsənt ənd pliːzd wɪð hɪmˈself ðæt ðɪs wɑːz noʊ ˈwʌndər bɪˈkɔːz hiː wɑːz ˈmeriɪŋ ə ˈhænsəm ˈfɔːrtʃən wɪð ə ˈprɪti ənd ˈtʃɑːrmɪŋ waɪf ðæt hiː hæd dʌn ˌʌnˈkɑːmənli wel fɔːr hɪmˈself ənd mʌtʃ mɔːr tuː ðə seɪm ˈpɜːrpəs/
Line 5
Also, the mothers of impecunious marriageable sons of noble lineage said in their maternal hearts that if they had only guessed that Countess Fortiguerra would give her daughter to the first man who asked for her, they would not have let Guido be the one.

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.

complacent adjective US /kəmˈpleɪsənt/

contented to a fault with oneself or one's actions

From this reading “Now, however, they said that he was changed; that he was complacent and pleased with himself; that this was no wonder, because he was marrying a handsome fortune with a pretty and charming wife; that he had done uncommonly well for himself; and much more to the same purpose.”

engravings noun US /ɪnˈɡreɪvɪŋz/

plural of “engraving” — a print made from an engraving

From this reading “Until that time, there had been an element of romance about him, which many women thought attractive; and most men had been willing to look upon him as a being slightly superior to themselves, who cared only for books and engravings, though he never thrust his tastes upon other people, nor made any show of knowing more than others, and whose opinion on points of honour was the very best that could be had.”

lineage noun US /ˈlɪniədʒ/

the descendants of one individual

From this reading “Also, the mothers of impecunious marriageable sons of noble lineage said in their maternal hearts that if they had only guessed that Countess Fortiguerra would give her daughter to the first man who asked for her, they would not have let Guido be the one.”

marrying verb US /ˈmeriɪŋ/

-ing form of “marry” — take in marriage

From this reading “Now, however, they said that he was changed; that he was complacent and pleased with himself; that this was no wonder, because he was marrying a handsome fortune with a pretty and charming wife; that he had done uncommonly well for himself; and much more to the same purpose.”

maternal adjective US /məˈtɜːrnəl/

characteristic of a mother

From this reading “Also, the mothers of impecunious marriageable sons of noble lineage said in their maternal hearts that if they had only guessed that Countess Fortiguerra would give her daughter to the first man who asked for her, they would not have let Guido be the one.”

mothers noun US /ˈmʌðərz/

plural of “mother” — a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)

From this reading “Also, the mothers of impecunious marriageable sons of noble lineage said in their maternal hearts that if they had only guessed that Countess Fortiguerra would give her daughter to the first man who asked for her, they would not have let Guido be the one.”

tastes noun US /teɪsts/

plural of “taste” — the sensation that results when taste buds in the tongue and throat convey information about the chemical composition of a soluble stimulus

From this reading “Until that time, there had been an element of romance about him, which many women thought attractive; and most men had been willing to look upon him as a being slightly superior to themselves, who cared only for books and engravings, though he never thrust his tastes upon other people, nor made any show of knowing more than others, and whose opinion on points of honour was the very best that could be had.”

uncommonly adverb US /ˌʌnˈkɑːmənli/

exceptionally

From this reading “Now, however, they said that he was changed; that he was complacent and pleased with himself; that this was no wonder, because he was marrying a handsome fortune with a pretty and charming wife; that he had done uncommonly well for himself; and much more to the same purpose.”

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.

other people adjective + noun

In this reading “Until that time, there had been an element of romance about him, which many women thought attractive; and most men had been willing to look upon him as a being slightly superior to themselves, who cared only for books and engravings, though he never thrust his tastes upon other people, nor made any show of knowing more than others, and whose opinion on points of honour was the very best that could be had.”

handsome fortune adjective + noun

In this reading “Now, however, they said that he was changed; that he was complacent and pleased with himself; that this was no wonder, because he was marrying a handsome fortune with a pretty and charming wife; that he had done uncommonly well for himself; and much more to the same purpose.”

much more adverb + adjective

In this reading “Now, however, they said that he was changed; that he was complacent and pleased with himself; that this was no wonder, because he was marrying a handsome fortune with a pretty and charming wife; that he had done uncommonly well for himself; and much more to the same purpose.”

look upon verb + particle

look on as or consider

In this reading “Until that time, there had been an element of romance about him, which many women thought attractive; and most men had been willing to look upon him as a being slightly superior to themselves, who cared only for books and engravings, though he never thrust his tastes upon other people, nor made any show of knowing more than others, and whose opinion on points of honour was the very best that could be had.”

same purpose adjective + noun

In this reading “Now, however, they said that he was changed; that he was complacent and pleased with himself; that this was no wonder, because he was marrying a handsome fortune with a pretty and charming wife; that he had done uncommonly well for himself; and much more to the same purpose.”

very best adjective + noun

In this reading “Until that time, there had been an element of romance about him, which many women thought attractive; and most men had been willing to look upon him as a being slightly superior to themselves, who cared only for books and engravings, though he never thrust his tastes upon other people, nor made any show of knowing more than others, and whose opinion on points of honour was the very best that could be had.”

asked for verb + particle counted as “ask for”

increase the likelihood of

In this reading “Also, the mothers of impecunious marriageable sons of noble lineage said in their maternal hearts that if they had only guessed that Countess Fortiguerra would give her daughter to the first man who asked for her, they would not have let Guido be the one.”

many women adjective + noun counted as “many woman”

In this reading “Until that time, there had been an element of romance about him, which many women thought attractive; and most men had been willing to look upon him as a being slightly superior to themselves, who cared only for books and engravings, though he never thrust his tastes upon other people, nor made any show of knowing more than others, and whose opinion on points of honour was the very best that could be had.”

All words in this reading · 125

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 Until that time, there had been an element of romance about him, which many women thought attractive; and most men had been willing to look upon him as a being slightly superior to themselves, who cared only for books and engravings, though he never thrust his tastes upon other people, nor made any show of knowing more than others, and whose opinion on points of honour was the very best that could be had.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading Until that time, there had been an element of romance about him, which many women thought attractive; and most men had been willing to look upon him as a being slightly superior to themselves, who cared only for books and engravings, though he never thrust his tastes upon other people, nor made any show of knowing more than others, and whose opinion on points of honour was the very best that could be had.

AlsoadverbUS /ˈɔːlsoʊ/

in addition

From this reading Also, the mothers of impecunious marriageable sons of noble lineage said in their maternal hearts that if they had only guessed that Countess Fortiguerra would give her daughter to the first man who asked for her, they would not have let Guido be the one.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading Until that time, there had been an element of romance about him, which many women thought attractive; and most men had been willing to look upon him as a being slightly superior to themselves, who cared only for books and engravings, though he never thrust his tastes upon other people, nor made any show of knowing more than others, and whose opinion on points of honour was the very best that could be had.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Until that time, there had been an element of romance about him, which many women thought attractive; and most men had been willing to look upon him as a being slightly superior to themselves, who cared only for books and engravings, though he never thrust his tastes upon other people, nor made any show of knowing more than others, and whose opinion on points of honour was the very best that could be had.

anyadjectiveUS /ˈeni/

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading Until that time, there had been an element of romance about him, which many women thought attractive; and most men had been willing to look upon him as a being slightly superior to themselves, who cared only for books and engravings, though he never thrust his tastes upon other people, nor made any show of knowing more than others, and whose opinion on points of honour was the very best that could be had.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Until that time, there had been an element of romance about him, which many women thought attractive; and most men had been willing to look upon him as a being slightly superior to themselves, who cared only for books and engravings, though he never thrust his tastes upon other people, nor made any show of knowing more than others, and whose opinion on points of honour was the very best that could be had.

askedverbUS /æskt/

past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody

From this reading It was so good, indeed, that he was not often asked to give it.

attractiveadjectiveUS /əˈtræktɪv/

pleasing to the eye or mind especially through beauty or charm

From this reading Until that time, there had been an element of romance about him, which many women thought attractive; and most men had been willing to look upon him as a being slightly superior to themselves, who cared only for books and engravings, though he never thrust his tastes upon other people, nor made any show of knowing more than others, and whose opinion on points of honour was the very best that could be had.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading People said that Guido had ceased to be interesting since he had been engaged to be married.

becauseconjunctionUS /bɪˈkɔːz/

for the reason that

From this reading Now, however, they said that he was changed; that he was complacent and pleased with himself; that this was no wonder, because he was marrying a handsome fortune with a pretty and charming wife; that he had done uncommonly well for himself; and much more to the same purpose.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading People said that Guido had ceased to be interesting since he had been engaged to be married.

beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading Until that time, there had been an element of romance about him, which many women thought attractive; and most men had been willing to look upon him as a being slightly superior to themselves, who cared only for books and engravings, though he never thrust his tastes upon other people, nor made any show of knowing more than others, and whose opinion on points of honour was the very best that could be had.

bestnounUS /best/

the supreme effort one can make

From this reading Until that time, there had been an element of romance about him, which many women thought attractive; and most men had been willing to look upon him as a being slightly superior to themselves, who cared only for books and engravings, though he never thrust his tastes upon other people, nor made any show of knowing more than others, and whose opinion on points of honour was the very best that could be had.

booksnounUS /bʊks/

Bound written or printed works.

From this reading Until that time, there had been an element of romance about him, which many women thought attractive; and most men had been willing to look upon him as a being slightly superior to themselves, who cared only for books and engravings, though he never thrust his tastes upon other people, nor made any show of knowing more than others, and whose opinion on points of honour was the very best that could be had.

caredverbUS /kerd/

past form of “care” — feel concern or interest

From this reading Until that time, there had been an element of romance about him, which many women thought attractive; and most men had been willing to look upon him as a being slightly superior to themselves, who cared only for books and engravings, though he never thrust his tastes upon other people, nor made any show of knowing more than others, and whose opinion on points of honour was the very best that could be had.

ceasedverbUS /siːst/

past form of “cease” — put an end to a state or an activity

From this reading People said that Guido had ceased to be interesting since he had been engaged to be married.

changedadjectiveUS /tʃeɪndʒd/

made or become different in nature or form

From this reading Now, however, they said that he was changed; that he was complacent and pleased with himself; that this was no wonder, because he was marrying a handsome fortune with a pretty and charming wife; that he had done uncommonly well for himself; and much more to the same purpose.

charmingadjectiveUS /ˈtʃɑːrmɪŋ/

pleasing or delighting

From this reading Now, however, they said that he was changed; that he was complacent and pleased with himself; that this was no wonder, because he was marrying a handsome fortune with a pretty and charming wife; that he had done uncommonly well for himself; and much more to the same purpose.

complacentadjectiveUS /kəmˈpleɪsənt/

contented to a fault with oneself or one's actions

From this reading Now, however, they said that he was changed; that he was complacent and pleased with himself; that this was no wonder, because he was marrying a handsome fortune with a pretty and charming wife; that he had done uncommonly well for himself; and much more to the same purpose.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

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

From this reading Until that time, there had been an element of romance about him, which many women thought attractive; and most men had been willing to look upon him as a being slightly superior to themselves, who cared only for books and engravings, though he never thrust his tastes upon other people, nor made any show of knowing more than others, and whose opinion on points of honour was the very best that could be had.

CountessnounUS /ˈkaʊntəs/

female equivalent of a count or earl

From this reading Also, the mothers of impecunious marriageable sons of noble lineage said in their maternal hearts that if they had only guessed that Countess Fortiguerra would give her daughter to the first man who asked for her, they would not have let Guido be the one.

daughternounUS /ˈdɔːtər/

a female human offspring

From this reading Also, the mothers of impecunious marriageable sons of noble lineage said in their maternal hearts that if they had only guessed that Countess Fortiguerra would give her daughter to the first man who asked for her, they would not have let Guido be the one.

doneadjectiveUS /dʌn/

having finished or arrived at completion

From this reading Now, however, they said that he was changed; that he was complacent and pleased with himself; that this was no wonder, because he was marrying a handsome fortune with a pretty and charming wife; that he had done uncommonly well for himself; and much more to the same purpose.

elementnounUS /ˈeləmənt/

an abstract part of something

From this reading Until that time, there had been an element of romance about him, which many women thought attractive; and most men had been willing to look upon him as a being slightly superior to themselves, who cared only for books and engravings, though he never thrust his tastes upon other people, nor made any show of knowing more than others, and whose opinion on points of honour was the very best that could be had.

engagedadjectiveUS /enˈɡeɪdʒd/

having ones attention or mind or energy engaged

From this reading People said that Guido had ceased to be interesting since he had been engaged to be married.

engravingsnounUS /ɪnˈɡreɪvɪŋz/

plural of “engraving” — a print made from an engraving

From this reading Until that time, there had been an element of romance about him, which many women thought attractive; and most men had been willing to look upon him as a being slightly superior to themselves, who cared only for books and engravings, though he never thrust his tastes upon other people, nor made any show of knowing more than others, and whose opinion on points of honour was the very best that could be had.

firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading Also, the mothers of impecunious marriageable sons of noble lineage said in their maternal hearts that if they had only guessed that Countess Fortiguerra would give her daughter to the first man who asked for her, they would not have let Guido be the one.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Until that time, there had been an element of romance about him, which many women thought attractive; and most men had been willing to look upon him as a being slightly superior to themselves, who cared only for books and engravings, though he never thrust his tastes upon other people, nor made any show of knowing more than others, and whose opinion on points of honour was the very best that could be had.

Fortiguerra

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

From this reading Also, the mothers of impecunious marriageable sons of noble lineage said in their maternal hearts that if they had only guessed that Countess Fortiguerra would give her daughter to the first man who asked for her, they would not have let Guido be the one.

fortunenounUS /ˈfɔːrtʃən/

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

From this reading Now, however, they said that he was changed; that he was complacent and pleased with himself; that this was no wonder, because he was marrying a handsome fortune with a pretty and charming wife; that he had done uncommonly well for himself; and much more to the same purpose.

giveverbUS /ɡɪv/

cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense

From this reading It was so good, indeed, that he was not often asked to give it.

goodadjectiveUS /ɡʊd/

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

From this reading It was so good, indeed, that he was not often asked to give it.

guessedverbUS /ɡest/

past form of “guess” — expect, believe, or suppose

From this reading Also, the mothers of impecunious marriageable sons of noble lineage said in their maternal hearts that if they had only guessed that Countess Fortiguerra would give her daughter to the first man who asked for her, they would not have let Guido be the one.

Guido

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

From this reading People said that Guido had ceased to be interesting since he had been engaged to be married.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading People said that Guido had ceased to be interesting since he had been engaged to be married.

handsomeadjectiveUS /ˈhænsəm/

pleasing in appearance especially by reason of conformity to ideals of form and proportion

From this reading Now, however, they said that he was changed; that he was complacent and pleased with himself; that this was no wonder, because he was marrying a handsome fortune with a pretty and charming wife; that he had done uncommonly well for himself; and much more to the same purpose.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading Also, the mothers of impecunious marriageable sons of noble lineage said in their maternal hearts that if they had only guessed that Countess Fortiguerra would give her daughter to the first man who asked for her, they would not have let Guido be the one.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading People said that Guido had ceased to be interesting since he had been engaged to be married.

heartsnounUS /hɑːrts/

a form of whist in which players avoid winning tricks containing hearts or the queen of spades

From this reading Also, the mothers of impecunious marriageable sons of noble lineage said in their maternal hearts that if they had only guessed that Countess Fortiguerra would give her daughter to the first man who asked for her, they would not have let Guido be the one.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading Also, the mothers of impecunious marriageable sons of noble lineage said in their maternal hearts that if they had only guessed that Countess Fortiguerra would give her daughter to the first man who asked for her, they would not have let Guido be the one.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading Until that time, there had been an element of romance about him, which many women thought attractive; and most men had been willing to look upon him as a being slightly superior to themselves, who cared only for books and engravings, though he never thrust his tastes upon other people, nor made any show of knowing more than others, and whose opinion on points of honour was the very best that could be had.

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

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

From this reading Now, however, they said that he was changed; that he was complacent and pleased with himself; that this was no wonder, because he was marrying a handsome fortune with a pretty and charming wife; that he had done uncommonly well for himself; and much more to the same purpose.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Until that time, there had been an element of romance about him, which many women thought attractive; and most men had been willing to look upon him as a being slightly superior to themselves, who cared only for books and engravings, though he never thrust his tastes upon other people, nor made any show of knowing more than others, and whose opinion on points of honour was the very best that could be had.

honournounUS /ˈɑːnər/

the state of being honored

From this reading Until that time, there had been an element of romance about him, which many women thought attractive; and most men had been willing to look upon him as a being slightly superior to themselves, who cared only for books and engravings, though he never thrust his tastes upon other people, nor made any show of knowing more than others, and whose opinion on points of honour was the very best that could be had.

howeveradverbUS /ˌhaʊˈevər/

used to add a contrasting statement

From this reading Now, however, they said that he was changed; that he was complacent and pleased with himself; that this was no wonder, because he was marrying a handsome fortune with a pretty and charming wife; that he had done uncommonly well for himself; and much more to the same purpose.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading Also, the mothers of impecunious marriageable sons of noble lineage said in their maternal hearts that if they had only guessed that Countess Fortiguerra would give her daughter to the first man who asked for her, they would not have let Guido be the one.

impecuniousadjective

not having enough money to pay for necessities

From this reading Also, the mothers of impecunious marriageable sons of noble lineage said in their maternal hearts that if they had only guessed that Countess Fortiguerra would give her daughter to the first man who asked for her, they would not have let Guido be the one.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Also, the mothers of impecunious marriageable sons of noble lineage said in their maternal hearts that if they had only guessed that Countess Fortiguerra would give her daughter to the first man who asked for her, they would not have let Guido be the one.

indeedadverbUS /ˌɪnˈdiːd/

in truth (often tends to intensify)

From this reading It was so good, indeed, that he was not often asked to give it.

interestingadjectiveUS /ˈɪntrəstɪŋ/

arousing or holding the attention

From this reading People said that Guido had ceased to be interesting since he had been engaged to be married.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was so good, indeed, that he was not often asked to give it.

knowingadjectiveUS /ˈnoʊɪŋ/

evidencing the possession of inside information

From this reading Until that time, there had been an element of romance about him, which many women thought attractive; and most men had been willing to look upon him as a being slightly superior to themselves, who cared only for books and engravings, though he never thrust his tastes upon other people, nor made any show of knowing more than others, and whose opinion on points of honour was the very best that could be had.

letauxiliary verbUS /let/

used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker

From this reading Also, the mothers of impecunious marriageable sons of noble lineage said in their maternal hearts that if they had only guessed that Countess Fortiguerra would give her daughter to the first man who asked for her, they would not have let Guido be the one.

lineagenounUS /ˈlɪniədʒ/

the descendants of one individual

From this reading Also, the mothers of impecunious marriageable sons of noble lineage said in their maternal hearts that if they had only guessed that Countess Fortiguerra would give her daughter to the first man who asked for her, they would not have let Guido be the one.

lookverbUS /lʊk/

perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading Until that time, there had been an element of romance about him, which many women thought attractive; and most men had been willing to look upon him as a being slightly superior to themselves, who cared only for books and engravings, though he never thrust his tastes upon other people, nor made any show of knowing more than others, and whose opinion on points of honour was the very best that could be had.

madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading Until that time, there had been an element of romance about him, which many women thought attractive; and most men had been willing to look upon him as a being slightly superior to themselves, who cared only for books and engravings, though he never thrust his tastes upon other people, nor made any show of knowing more than others, and whose opinion on points of honour was the very best that could be had.

mannounUS /mæn/

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

From this reading Also, the mothers of impecunious marriageable sons of noble lineage said in their maternal hearts that if they had only guessed that Countess Fortiguerra would give her daughter to the first man who asked for her, they would not have let Guido be the one.

manyadjectiveUS /ˈmeni/

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number

From this reading Until that time, there had been an element of romance about him, which many women thought attractive; and most men had been willing to look upon him as a being slightly superior to themselves, who cared only for books and engravings, though he never thrust his tastes upon other people, nor made any show of knowing more than others, and whose opinion on points of honour was the very best that could be had.

marriageableadjective

of girls or women who are eligible to marry

From this reading Also, the mothers of impecunious marriageable sons of noble lineage said in their maternal hearts that if they had only guessed that Countess Fortiguerra would give her daughter to the first man who asked for her, they would not have let Guido be the one.

marriedadjectiveUS /ˈmerid/

joined in matrimony

From this reading People said that Guido had ceased to be interesting since he had been engaged to be married.

marryingverbUS /ˈmeriɪŋ/

-ing form of “marry” — take in marriage

From this reading Now, however, they said that he was changed; that he was complacent and pleased with himself; that this was no wonder, because he was marrying a handsome fortune with a pretty and charming wife; that he had done uncommonly well for himself; and much more to the same purpose.

maternaladjectiveUS /məˈtɜːrnəl/

characteristic of a mother

From this reading Also, the mothers of impecunious marriageable sons of noble lineage said in their maternal hearts that if they had only guessed that Countess Fortiguerra would give her daughter to the first man who asked for her, they would not have let Guido be the one.

mennounUS /men/

the force of workers available

From this reading Until that time, there had been an element of romance about him, which many women thought attractive; and most men had been willing to look upon him as a being slightly superior to themselves, who cared only for books and engravings, though he never thrust his tastes upon other people, nor made any show of knowing more than others, and whose opinion on points of honour was the very best that could be had.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

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

From this reading Until that time, there had been an element of romance about him, which many women thought attractive; and most men had been willing to look upon him as a being slightly superior to themselves, who cared only for books and engravings, though he never thrust his tastes upon other people, nor made any show of knowing more than others, and whose opinion on points of honour was the very best that could be had.

mostadverbUS /moʊst/

used to form the superlative

From this reading Until that time, there had been an element of romance about him, which many women thought attractive; and most men had been willing to look upon him as a being slightly superior to themselves, who cared only for books and engravings, though he never thrust his tastes upon other people, nor made any show of knowing more than others, and whose opinion on points of honour was the very best that could be had.

mothersnounUS /ˈmʌðərz/

plural of “mother” — a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)

From this reading Also, the mothers of impecunious marriageable sons of noble lineage said in their maternal hearts that if they had only guessed that Countess Fortiguerra would give her daughter to the first man who asked for her, they would not have let Guido be the one.

muchadverbUS /mʌtʃ/

to a great degree or extent

From this reading Now, however, they said that he was changed; that he was complacent and pleased with himself; that this was no wonder, because he was marrying a handsome fortune with a pretty and charming wife; that he had done uncommonly well for himself; and much more to the same purpose.

neveradverbUS /ˈnevər/

not ever; at no time in the past or future

From this reading Until that time, there had been an element of romance about him, which many women thought attractive; and most men had been willing to look upon him as a being slightly superior to themselves, who cared only for books and engravings, though he never thrust his tastes upon other people, nor made any show of knowing more than others, and whose opinion on points of honour was the very best that could be had.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading Now, however, they said that he was changed; that he was complacent and pleased with himself; that this was no wonder, because he was marrying a handsome fortune with a pretty and charming wife; that he had done uncommonly well for himself; and much more to the same purpose.

nobleadjectiveUS /ˈnoʊbəl/

impressive in appearance

From this reading Also, the mothers of impecunious marriageable sons of noble lineage said in their maternal hearts that if they had only guessed that Countess Fortiguerra would give her daughter to the first man who asked for her, they would not have let Guido be the one.

norconjunctionUS /nɔːr/

and not; used after a negative to add a second negative

From this reading Until that time, there had been an element of romance about him, which many women thought attractive; and most men had been willing to look upon him as a being slightly superior to themselves, who cared only for books and engravings, though he never thrust his tastes upon other people, nor made any show of knowing more than others, and whose opinion on points of honour was the very best that could be had.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading It was so good, indeed, that he was not often asked to give it.

NowadverbUS /naʊ/

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading Now, however, they said that he was changed; that he was complacent and pleased with himself; that this was no wonder, because he was marrying a handsome fortune with a pretty and charming wife; that he had done uncommonly well for himself; and much more to the same purpose.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Until that time, there had been an element of romance about him, which many women thought attractive; and most men had been willing to look upon him as a being slightly superior to themselves, who cared only for books and engravings, though he never thrust his tastes upon other people, nor made any show of knowing more than others, and whose opinion on points of honour was the very best that could be had.

oftenadverbUS /ˈɔːfən/

many times at short intervals

From this reading It was so good, indeed, that he was not often asked to give it.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Until that time, there had been an element of romance about him, which many women thought attractive; and most men had been willing to look upon him as a being slightly superior to themselves, who cared only for books and engravings, though he never thrust his tastes upon other people, nor made any show of knowing more than others, and whose opinion on points of honour was the very best that could be had.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Also, the mothers of impecunious marriageable sons of noble lineage said in their maternal hearts that if they had only guessed that Countess Fortiguerra would give her daughter to the first man who asked for her, they would not have let Guido be the one.

onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading Until that time, there had been an element of romance about him, which many women thought attractive; and most men had been willing to look upon him as a being slightly superior to themselves, who cared only for books and engravings, though he never thrust his tastes upon other people, nor made any show of knowing more than others, and whose opinion on points of honour was the very best that could be had.

opinionnounUS /əˈpɪnjən/

a personal belief or judgment that is not founded on proof or certainty

From this reading Until that time, there had been an element of romance about him, which many women thought attractive; and most men had been willing to look upon him as a being slightly superior to themselves, who cared only for books and engravings, though he never thrust his tastes upon other people, nor made any show of knowing more than others, and whose opinion on points of honour was the very best that could be had.

otheradjectiveUS /ˈʌðər/

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading Until that time, there had been an element of romance about him, which many women thought attractive; and most men had been willing to look upon him as a being slightly superior to themselves, who cared only for books and engravings, though he never thrust his tastes upon other people, nor made any show of knowing more than others, and whose opinion on points of honour was the very best that could be had.

others

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

From this reading Until that time, there had been an element of romance about him, which many women thought attractive; and most men had been willing to look upon him as a being slightly superior to themselves, who cared only for books and engravings, though he never thrust his tastes upon other people, nor made any show of knowing more than others, and whose opinion on points of honour was the very best that could be had.

PeoplenounUS /ˈpiːpəl/

(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively

From this reading People said that Guido had ceased to be interesting since he had been engaged to be married.

pleasedadjectiveUS /pliːzd/

experiencing or manifesting pleasure

From this reading Now, however, they said that he was changed; that he was complacent and pleased with himself; that this was no wonder, because he was marrying a handsome fortune with a pretty and charming wife; that he had done uncommonly well for himself; and much more to the same purpose.

pointsnounUS /pɔɪnts/

plural of “point” — a geometric element that has position but no extension

From this reading Until that time, there had been an element of romance about him, which many women thought attractive; and most men had been willing to look upon him as a being slightly superior to themselves, who cared only for books and engravings, though he never thrust his tastes upon other people, nor made any show of knowing more than others, and whose opinion on points of honour was the very best that could be had.

prettyadjectiveUS /ˈprɪti/

pleasing by delicacy or grace; not imposing

From this reading Now, however, they said that he was changed; that he was complacent and pleased with himself; that this was no wonder, because he was marrying a handsome fortune with a pretty and charming wife; that he had done uncommonly well for himself; and much more to the same purpose.

purposenounUS /ˈpɜːrpəs/

an anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your planned actions

From this reading Now, however, they said that he was changed; that he was complacent and pleased with himself; that this was no wonder, because he was marrying a handsome fortune with a pretty and charming wife; that he had done uncommonly well for himself; and much more to the same purpose.

romancenounUS /roʊˈmæns/

a relationship between two lovers

From this reading Until that time, there had been an element of romance about him, which many women thought attractive; and most men had been willing to look upon him as a being slightly superior to themselves, who cared only for books and engravings, though he never thrust his tastes upon other people, nor made any show of knowing more than others, and whose opinion on points of honour was the very best that could be had.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading People said that Guido had ceased to be interesting since he had been engaged to be married.

sameadjectiveUS /seɪm/

Identical; not different.

From this reading Now, however, they said that he was changed; that he was complacent and pleased with himself; that this was no wonder, because he was marrying a handsome fortune with a pretty and charming wife; that he had done uncommonly well for himself; and much more to the same purpose.

showverbUS /ʃoʊ/

give an exhibition of to an interested audience

From this reading Until that time, there had been an element of romance about him, which many women thought attractive; and most men had been willing to look upon him as a being slightly superior to themselves, who cared only for books and engravings, though he never thrust his tastes upon other people, nor made any show of knowing more than others, and whose opinion on points of honour was the very best that could be had.

sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/

from a time in the past until now

From this reading People said that Guido had ceased to be interesting since he had been engaged to be married.

slightlyadverbUS /ˈslaɪtli/

to a small degree or extent

From this reading Until that time, there had been an element of romance about him, which many women thought attractive; and most men had been willing to look upon him as a being slightly superior to themselves, who cared only for books and engravings, though he never thrust his tastes upon other people, nor made any show of knowing more than others, and whose opinion on points of honour was the very best that could be had.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading It was so good, indeed, that he was not often asked to give it.

sonsnounUS /sʌnz/

plural of “son” — a male human offspring

From this reading Also, the mothers of impecunious marriageable sons of noble lineage said in their maternal hearts that if they had only guessed that Countess Fortiguerra would give her daughter to the first man who asked for her, they would not have let Guido be the one.

superioradjectiveUS /suːˈpɪriər/

of high or superior quality or performance

From this reading Until that time, there had been an element of romance about him, which many women thought attractive; and most men had been willing to look upon him as a being slightly superior to themselves, who cared only for books and engravings, though he never thrust his tastes upon other people, nor made any show of knowing more than others, and whose opinion on points of honour was the very best that could be had.

tastesnounUS /teɪsts/

plural of “taste” — the sensation that results when taste buds in the tongue and throat convey information about the chemical composition of a soluble stimulus

From this reading Until that time, there had been an element of romance about him, which many women thought attractive; and most men had been willing to look upon him as a being slightly superior to themselves, who cared only for books and engravings, though he never thrust his tastes upon other people, nor made any show of knowing more than others, and whose opinion on points of honour was the very best that could be had.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading Until that time, there had been an element of romance about him, which many women thought attractive; and most men had been willing to look upon him as a being slightly superior to themselves, who cared only for books and engravings, though he never thrust his tastes upon other people, nor made any show of knowing more than others, and whose opinion on points of honour was the very best that could be had.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading People said that Guido had ceased to be interesting since he had been engaged to be married.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Until that time, there had been an element of romance about him, which many women thought attractive; and most men had been willing to look upon him as a being slightly superior to themselves, who cared only for books and engravings, though he never thrust his tastes upon other people, nor made any show of knowing more than others, and whose opinion on points of honour was the very best that could be had.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading Also, the mothers of impecunious marriageable sons of noble lineage said in their maternal hearts that if they had only guessed that Countess Fortiguerra would give her daughter to the first man who asked for her, they would not have let Guido be the one.

themselvespronounUS /ðemˈselvz/

used when the people doing the action are also its object

From this reading Until that time, there had been an element of romance about him, which many women thought attractive; and most men had been willing to look upon him as a being slightly superior to themselves, who cared only for books and engravings, though he never thrust his tastes upon other people, nor made any show of knowing more than others, and whose opinion on points of honour was the very best that could be had.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading Until that time, there had been an element of romance about him, which many women thought attractive; and most men had been willing to look upon him as a being slightly superior to themselves, who cared only for books and engravings, though he never thrust his tastes upon other people, nor made any show of knowing more than others, and whose opinion on points of honour was the very best that could be had.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Now, however, they said that he was changed; that he was complacent and pleased with himself; that this was no wonder, because he was marrying a handsome fortune with a pretty and charming wife; that he had done uncommonly well for himself; and much more to the same purpose.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading Now, however, they said that he was changed; that he was complacent and pleased with himself; that this was no wonder, because he was marrying a handsome fortune with a pretty and charming wife; that he had done uncommonly well for himself; and much more to the same purpose.

thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading Until that time, there had been an element of romance about him, which many women thought attractive; and most men had been willing to look upon him as a being slightly superior to themselves, who cared only for books and engravings, though he never thrust his tastes upon other people, nor made any show of knowing more than others, and whose opinion on points of honour was the very best that could be had.

thoughtnounUS /θɔːt/

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

From this reading Until that time, there had been an element of romance about him, which many women thought attractive; and most men had been willing to look upon him as a being slightly superior to themselves, who cared only for books and engravings, though he never thrust his tastes upon other people, nor made any show of knowing more than others, and whose opinion on points of honour was the very best that could be had.

thrustverbUS /θrʌst/

push forcefully

From this reading Until that time, there had been an element of romance about him, which many women thought attractive; and most men had been willing to look upon him as a being slightly superior to themselves, who cared only for books and engravings, though he never thrust his tastes upon other people, nor made any show of knowing more than others, and whose opinion on points of honour was the very best that could be had.

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading Until that time, there had been an element of romance about him, which many women thought attractive; and most men had been willing to look upon him as a being slightly superior to themselves, who cared only for books and engravings, though he never thrust his tastes upon other people, nor made any show of knowing more than others, and whose opinion on points of honour was the very best that could be had.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading People said that Guido had ceased to be interesting since he had been engaged to be married.

uncommonlyadverbUS /ˌʌnˈkɑːmənli/

exceptionally

From this reading Now, however, they said that he was changed; that he was complacent and pleased with himself; that this was no wonder, because he was marrying a handsome fortune with a pretty and charming wife; that he had done uncommonly well for himself; and much more to the same purpose.

UntilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading Until that time, there had been an element of romance about him, which many women thought attractive; and most men had been willing to look upon him as a being slightly superior to themselves, who cared only for books and engravings, though he never thrust his tastes upon other people, nor made any show of knowing more than others, and whose opinion on points of honour was the very best that could be had.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading Until that time, there had been an element of romance about him, which many women thought attractive; and most men had been willing to look upon him as a being slightly superior to themselves, who cared only for books and engravings, though he never thrust his tastes upon other people, nor made any show of knowing more than others, and whose opinion on points of honour was the very best that could be had.

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading Until that time, there had been an element of romance about him, which many women thought attractive; and most men had been willing to look upon him as a being slightly superior to themselves, who cared only for books and engravings, though he never thrust his tastes upon other people, nor made any show of knowing more than others, and whose opinion on points of honour was the very best that could be had.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Until that time, there had been an element of romance about him, which many women thought attractive; and most men had been willing to look upon him as a being slightly superior to themselves, who cared only for books and engravings, though he never thrust his tastes upon other people, nor made any show of knowing more than others, and whose opinion on points of honour was the very best that could be had.

welladverbUS /wel/

(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)

From this reading Now, however, they said that he was changed; that he was complacent and pleased with himself; that this was no wonder, because he was marrying a handsome fortune with a pretty and charming wife; that he had done uncommonly well for himself; and much more to the same purpose.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading Until that time, there had been an element of romance about him, which many women thought attractive; and most men had been willing to look upon him as a being slightly superior to themselves, who cared only for books and engravings, though he never thrust his tastes upon other people, nor made any show of knowing more than others, and whose opinion on points of honour was the very best that could be had.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading Until that time, there had been an element of romance about him, which many women thought attractive; and most men had been willing to look upon him as a being slightly superior to themselves, who cared only for books and engravings, though he never thrust his tastes upon other people, nor made any show of knowing more than others, and whose opinion on points of honour was the very best that could be had.

whosedeterminerUS /huːz/

belonging to which person

From this reading Until that time, there had been an element of romance about him, which many women thought attractive; and most men had been willing to look upon him as a being slightly superior to themselves, who cared only for books and engravings, though he never thrust his tastes upon other people, nor made any show of knowing more than others, and whose opinion on points of honour was the very best that could be had.

wifenounUS /waɪf/

a married woman; a man's partner in marriage

From this reading Now, however, they said that he was changed; that he was complacent and pleased with himself; that this was no wonder, because he was marrying a handsome fortune with a pretty and charming wife; that he had done uncommonly well for himself; and much more to the same purpose.

willingadjectiveUS /ˈwɪlɪŋ/

disposed or inclined toward

From this reading Until that time, there had been an element of romance about him, which many women thought attractive; and most men had been willing to look upon him as a being slightly superior to themselves, who cared only for books and engravings, though he never thrust his tastes upon other people, nor made any show of knowing more than others, and whose opinion on points of honour was the very best that could be had.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Now, however, they said that he was changed; that he was complacent and pleased with himself; that this was no wonder, because he was marrying a handsome fortune with a pretty and charming wife; that he had done uncommonly well for himself; and much more to the same purpose.

womennounUS /ˈwɪmən/

plural of “woman” — an adult female person (as opposed to a man)

From this reading Until that time, there had been an element of romance about him, which many women thought attractive; and most men had been willing to look upon him as a being slightly superior to themselves, who cared only for books and engravings, though he never thrust his tastes upon other people, nor made any show of knowing more than others, and whose opinion on points of honour was the very best that could be had.

wondernounUS /ˈwʌndər/

the feeling aroused by something strange and surprising

From this reading Now, however, they said that he was changed; that he was complacent and pleased with himself; that this was no wonder, because he was marrying a handsome fortune with a pretty and charming wife; that he had done uncommonly well for himself; and much more to the same purpose.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading Also, the mothers of impecunious marriageable sons of noble lineage said in their maternal hearts that if they had only guessed that Countess Fortiguerra would give her daughter to the first man who asked for her, they would not have let Guido be the one.

Chapter 17 of Cecilia: A Story of Modern Rome by F. Marion (Francis Marion) Crawford holds 100 sentences, grouped into 20 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.

What does chapter 17 of Cecilia: A Story of Modern Rome contain?

Chapter 17 holds 100 sentences of Cecilia: A Story of Modern Rome, unabridged, divided into 20 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 17 of Cecilia: A Story of Modern Rome by F. Marion (Francis Marion) Crawford exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 100 sentences, grouped into 20 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.

How do I study chapter 17 of Cecilia: A Story of Modern Rome?

Work through the 20 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 20 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.

Can chapter 17 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 17 can be played aloud in United States English.

Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.

Questions about reading Cecilia: A Story of Modern Rome

Common questions about reading Cecilia: A Story of Modern Rome by F. Marion (Francis Marion) Crawford on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Cecilia: A Story of Modern Rome?

Yes. All 5929 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #31723 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Cecilia: A Story of Modern Rome is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #31723, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Cecilia: A Story of Modern Rome take to read?

About 494 minutes of reading across 1186 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

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How to work through Cecilia: A Story of Modern Rome section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

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

Vocabulary met early in Cecilia: A Story of Modern Rome

Words and structures a reader meets early in Cecilia: A Story of Modern Rome, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Sitting
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Cecilia: A Story of Modern Rome; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Stone
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Cecilia: A Story of Modern Rome; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Bench
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Cecilia: A Story of Modern Rome; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Forgotten
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Cecilia: A Story of Modern Rome; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.