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Emma
Emma

Chapter XXX

Chapter 30 of Emma is here in full — 105 sentences across 21 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Emma
Context Illustration Reading 1/21 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
One thing only was wanting to make the prospect of the ball completely satisfactory to Emma—its being fixed for a day within the granted term of Frank Churchill’s stay in Surry; for, in spite of Mr. Weston’s confidence, she could not think it so very impossible that the Churchills might not allow their nephew to remain a day beyond his fortnight.
But this was not judged feasible.
The preparations must take their time, nothing could be properly ready till the third week were entered on, and for a few days they must be planning, proceeding and hoping in uncertainty—at the risk—in her opinion, the great risk, of its being all in vain.
Enscombe however was gracious, gracious in fact, if not in word.
His wish of staying longer evidently did not please; but it was not opposed.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Emma

Chapter XXX

Chapter 30 of Emma is here in full — 105 sentences across 21 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/21 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
One thing only was wanting to make the prospect of the ball completely satisfactory to Emma—its being fixed for a day within the granted term of Frank Churchill’s stay in Surry; for, in spite of Mr. Weston’s confidence, she could not think it so very impossible that the Churchills might not allow their nephew to remain a day beyond his fortnight.
Line 2
But this was not judged feasible.
/bʌt ðɪs wɑːz nɑːt dʒʌdʒd ˈfiːzəbəl/
Line 3
The preparations must take their time, nothing could be properly ready till the third week were entered on, and for a few days they must be planning, proceeding and hoping in uncertainty—at the risk—in her opinion, the great risk, of its being all in vain.
Line 4
Enscombe however was gracious, gracious in fact, if not in word.
Line 5
His wish of staying longer evidently did not please; but it was not opposed.
/hɪz wɪʃ ʌv ˈsteɪɪŋ ˈlɔːŋɡər ˈevədəntli dɪd nɑːt pliːz bʌt ɪt wɑːz nɑːt əˈpoʊzd/

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.

Churchill's noun US /ˈtʃɜːrtʃɪlz/

possessive form of “churchill” — English general considered one of the greatest generals in history (1650-1722)

feasible adjective US /ˈfiːzəbəl/

capable of being done with means at hand and circumstances as they are

From this reading “But this was not judged feasible.”

judged verb US /dʒʌdʒd/

past form of “judge” — determine the result of (a competition)

From this reading “But this was not judged feasible.”

opposed adjective US /əˈpoʊzd/

being in opposition or having an opponent

From this reading “His wish of staying longer evidently did not please; but it was not opposed.”

planning noun US /ˈplænɪŋ/

an act of formulating a program for a definite course of action

From this reading “The preparations must take their time, nothing could be properly ready till the third week were entered on, and for a few days they must be planning, proceeding and hoping in uncertainty—at the risk—in her opinion, the great risk, of its being all in vain.”

proceeding noun US /prəˈsiːdɪŋ/

(law) the institution of a sequence of steps by which legal judgments are invoked

From this reading “The preparations must take their time, nothing could be properly ready till the third week were entered on, and for a few days they must be planning, proceeding and hoping in uncertainty—at the risk—in her opinion, the great risk, of its being all in vain.”

satisfactory adjective US /ˌsætəˈsfæktri/

giving satisfaction

From this reading “One thing only was wanting to make the prospect of the ball completely satisfactory to Emma—its being fixed for a day within the granted term of Frank Churchill’s stay in Surry; for, in spite of Mr. Weston’s confidence, she could not think it so very impossible that the Churchills might not allow their nephew to remain a day beyond his fortnight.”

uncertainty noun US /ənˈsɜːrtənti/

being unsettled or in doubt or dependent on chance

From this reading “The preparations must take their time, nothing could be properly ready till the third week were entered on, and for a few days they must be planning, proceeding and hoping in uncertainty—at the risk—in her opinion, the great risk, of its being all in vain.”

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.

few days adjective + noun

In this reading “The preparations must take their time, nothing could be properly ready till the third week were entered on, and for a few days they must be planning, proceeding and hoping in uncertainty—at the risk—in her opinion, the great risk, of its being all in vain.”

in spite preposition + noun

In this reading “One thing only was wanting to make the prospect of the ball completely satisfactory to Emma—its being fixed for a day within the granted term of Frank Churchill’s stay in Surry; for, in spite of Mr. Weston’s confidence, she could not think it so very impossible that the Churchills might not allow their nephew to remain a day beyond his fortnight.”

staying longer verb + particle counted as “stay longer”

In this reading “His wish of staying longer evidently did not please; but it was not opposed.”

third week noun + noun

In this reading “The preparations must take their time, nothing could be properly ready till the third week were entered on, and for a few days they must be planning, proceeding and hoping in uncertainty—at the risk—in her opinion, the great risk, of its being all in vain.”

great risk adjective + noun

In this reading “The preparations must take their time, nothing could be properly ready till the third week were entered on, and for a few days they must be planning, proceeding and hoping in uncertainty—at the risk—in her opinion, the great risk, of its being all in vain.”

in fact preposition + noun

in reality or actuality

In this reading “Enscombe however was gracious, gracious in fact, if not in word.”

at the risk preposition + article + noun counted as “at … risk”

In this reading “The preparations must take their time, nothing could be properly ready till the third week were entered on, and for a few days they must be planning, proceeding and hoping in uncertainty—at the risk—in her opinion, the great risk, of its being all in vain.”

stay in verb + particle

In this reading “One thing only was wanting to make the prospect of the ball completely satisfactory to Emma—its being fixed for a day within the granted term of Frank Churchill’s stay in Surry; for, in spite of Mr. Weston’s confidence, she could not think it so very impossible that the Churchills might not allow their nephew to remain a day beyond his fortnight.”

All words in this reading · 96

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 One thing only was wanting to make the prospect of the ball completely satisfactory to Emma—its being fixed for a day within the granted term of Frank Churchill’s stay in Surry; for, in spite of Mr. Weston’s confidence, she could not think it so very impossible that the Churchills might not allow their nephew to remain a day beyond his fortnight.

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading The preparations must take their time, nothing could be properly ready till the third week were entered on, and for a few days they must be planning, proceeding and hoping in uncertainty—at the risk—in her opinion, the great risk, of its being all in vain.

allowverbUS /əˈlaʊ/

make it possible through a specific action or lack of action for something to happen

From this reading One thing only was wanting to make the prospect of the ball completely satisfactory to Emma—its being fixed for a day within the granted term of Frank Churchill’s stay in Surry; for, in spite of Mr. Weston’s confidence, she could not think it so very impossible that the Churchills might not allow their nephew to remain a day beyond his fortnight.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading The preparations must take their time, nothing could be properly ready till the third week were entered on, and for a few days they must be planning, proceeding and hoping in uncertainty—at the risk—in her opinion, the great risk, of its being all in vain.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading The preparations must take their time, nothing could be properly ready till the third week were entered on, and for a few days they must be planning, proceeding and hoping in uncertainty—at the risk—in her opinion, the great risk, of its being all in vain.

ballnounUS /bɔːl/

round object that is hit or thrown or kicked in games

From this reading One thing only was wanting to make the prospect of the ball completely satisfactory to Emma—its being fixed for a day within the granted term of Frank Churchill’s stay in Surry; for, in spite of Mr. Weston’s confidence, she could not think it so very impossible that the Churchills might not allow their nephew to remain a day beyond his fortnight.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading The preparations must take their time, nothing could be properly ready till the third week were entered on, and for a few days they must be planning, proceeding and hoping in uncertainty—at the risk—in her opinion, the great risk, of its being all in vain.

beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading One thing only was wanting to make the prospect of the ball completely satisfactory to Emma—its being fixed for a day within the granted term of Frank Churchill’s stay in Surry; for, in spite of Mr. Weston’s confidence, she could not think it so very impossible that the Churchills might not allow their nephew to remain a day beyond his fortnight.

beyondprepositionUS /bɪˈɑːnd/

on the far side of; further than

From this reading One thing only was wanting to make the prospect of the ball completely satisfactory to Emma—its being fixed for a day within the granted term of Frank Churchill’s stay in Surry; for, in spite of Mr. Weston’s confidence, she could not think it so very impossible that the Churchills might not allow their nephew to remain a day beyond his fortnight.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But this was not judged feasible.

Churchill'snounUS /ˈtʃɜːrtʃɪlz/

possessive form of “churchill” — English general considered one of the greatest generals in history (1650-1722)

From this reading One thing only was wanting to make the prospect of the ball completely satisfactory to Emma—its being fixed for a day within the granted term of Frank Churchill’s stay in Surry; for, in spite of Mr. Weston’s confidence, she could not think it so very impossible that the Churchills might not allow their nephew to remain a day beyond his fortnight.

Churchills

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

From this reading One thing only was wanting to make the prospect of the ball completely satisfactory to Emma—its being fixed for a day within the granted term of Frank Churchill’s stay in Surry; for, in spite of Mr. Weston’s confidence, she could not think it so very impossible that the Churchills might not allow their nephew to remain a day beyond his fortnight.

completelyadverbUS /kəmˈpliːtli/

to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally for “wholly”)

From this reading One thing only was wanting to make the prospect of the ball completely satisfactory to Emma—its being fixed for a day within the granted term of Frank Churchill’s stay in Surry; for, in spite of Mr. Weston’s confidence, she could not think it so very impossible that the Churchills might not allow their nephew to remain a day beyond his fortnight.

confidencenounUS /ˈkɑːnfədəns/

freedom from doubt; belief in yourself and your abilities

From this reading One thing only was wanting to make the prospect of the ball completely satisfactory to Emma—its being fixed for a day within the granted term of Frank Churchill’s stay in Surry; for, in spite of Mr. Weston’s confidence, she could not think it so very impossible that the Churchills might not allow their nephew to remain a day beyond his fortnight.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

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

From this reading One thing only was wanting to make the prospect of the ball completely satisfactory to Emma—its being fixed for a day within the granted term of Frank Churchill’s stay in Surry; for, in spite of Mr. Weston’s confidence, she could not think it so very impossible that the Churchills might not allow their nephew to remain a day beyond his fortnight.

daynounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading One thing only was wanting to make the prospect of the ball completely satisfactory to Emma—its being fixed for a day within the granted term of Frank Churchill’s stay in Surry; for, in spite of Mr. Weston’s confidence, she could not think it so very impossible that the Churchills might not allow their nephew to remain a day beyond his fortnight.

daysnounUS /deɪz/

the time during which someone's life continues

From this reading The preparations must take their time, nothing could be properly ready till the third week were entered on, and for a few days they must be planning, proceeding and hoping in uncertainty—at the risk—in her opinion, the great risk, of its being all in vain.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

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

From this reading His wish of staying longer evidently did not please; but it was not opposed.

Emma

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

From this reading One thing only was wanting to make the prospect of the ball completely satisfactory to Emma—its being fixed for a day within the granted term of Frank Churchill’s stay in Surry; for, in spite of Mr. Weston’s confidence, she could not think it so very impossible that the Churchills might not allow their nephew to remain a day beyond his fortnight.

Enscombe

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

From this reading Enscombe however was gracious, gracious in fact, if not in word.

enteredverbUS /ˈentərd/

past form of “enter” — to come or go into

From this reading The preparations must take their time, nothing could be properly ready till the third week were entered on, and for a few days they must be planning, proceeding and hoping in uncertainty—at the risk—in her opinion, the great risk, of its being all in vain.

evidentlyadverbUS /ˈevədəntli/

unmistakably (“plain” is often used informally for “plainly”)

From this reading His wish of staying longer evidently did not please; but it was not opposed.

factnounUS /fækt/

a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred

From this reading Enscombe however was gracious, gracious in fact, if not in word.

feasibleadjectiveUS /ˈfiːzəbəl/

capable of being done with means at hand and circumstances as they are

From this reading But this was not judged feasible.

fewadjectiveUS /fjuː/

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number

From this reading The preparations must take their time, nothing could be properly ready till the third week were entered on, and for a few days they must be planning, proceeding and hoping in uncertainty—at the risk—in her opinion, the great risk, of its being all in vain.

fixedadjectiveUS /fɪkst/

(of a number) having a fixed and unchanging value

From this reading One thing only was wanting to make the prospect of the ball completely satisfactory to Emma—its being fixed for a day within the granted term of Frank Churchill’s stay in Surry; for, in spite of Mr. Weston’s confidence, she could not think it so very impossible that the Churchills might not allow their nephew to remain a day beyond his fortnight.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading One thing only was wanting to make the prospect of the ball completely satisfactory to Emma—its being fixed for a day within the granted term of Frank Churchill’s stay in Surry; for, in spite of Mr. Weston’s confidence, she could not think it so very impossible that the Churchills might not allow their nephew to remain a day beyond his fortnight.

fortnightnounUS /ˈfɔːrtnaɪt/

a period of fourteen consecutive days

From this reading One thing only was wanting to make the prospect of the ball completely satisfactory to Emma—its being fixed for a day within the granted term of Frank Churchill’s stay in Surry; for, in spite of Mr. Weston’s confidence, she could not think it so very impossible that the Churchills might not allow their nephew to remain a day beyond his fortnight.

FrankadjectiveUS /fræŋk/

characterized by directness in manner or speech; without subtlety or evasion

From this reading One thing only was wanting to make the prospect of the ball completely satisfactory to Emma—its being fixed for a day within the granted term of Frank Churchill’s stay in Surry; for, in spite of Mr. Weston’s confidence, she could not think it so very impossible that the Churchills might not allow their nephew to remain a day beyond his fortnight.

graciousadjectiveUS /ˈɡreɪʃəs/

characterized by charm, good taste, and generosity of spirit

From this reading Enscombe however was gracious, gracious in fact, if not in word.

grantedadjectiveUS /ˈɡræntəd/

acknowledged as a supposition

From this reading One thing only was wanting to make the prospect of the ball completely satisfactory to Emma—its being fixed for a day within the granted term of Frank Churchill’s stay in Surry; for, in spite of Mr. Weston’s confidence, she could not think it so very impossible that the Churchills might not allow their nephew to remain a day beyond his fortnight.

greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

From this reading The preparations must take their time, nothing could be properly ready till the third week were entered on, and for a few days they must be planning, proceeding and hoping in uncertainty—at the risk—in her opinion, the great risk, of its being all in vain.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading The preparations must take their time, nothing could be properly ready till the third week were entered on, and for a few days they must be planning, proceeding and hoping in uncertainty—at the risk—in her opinion, the great risk, of its being all in vain.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading One thing only was wanting to make the prospect of the ball completely satisfactory to Emma—its being fixed for a day within the granted term of Frank Churchill’s stay in Surry; for, in spite of Mr. Weston’s confidence, she could not think it so very impossible that the Churchills might not allow their nephew to remain a day beyond his fortnight.

hopingverbUS /ˈhoʊpɪŋ/

-ing form of “hope” — expect and wish

From this reading The preparations must take their time, nothing could be properly ready till the third week were entered on, and for a few days they must be planning, proceeding and hoping in uncertainty—at the risk—in her opinion, the great risk, of its being all in vain.

howeveradverbUS /ˌhaʊˈevər/

used to add a contrasting statement

From this reading Enscombe however was gracious, gracious in fact, if not in word.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading Enscombe however was gracious, gracious in fact, if not in word.

impossibleadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈpɑːsəbəl/

not capable of occurring or being accomplished or dealt with

From this reading One thing only was wanting to make the prospect of the ball completely satisfactory to Emma—its being fixed for a day within the granted term of Frank Churchill’s stay in Surry; for, in spite of Mr. Weston’s confidence, she could not think it so very impossible that the Churchills might not allow their nephew to remain a day beyond his fortnight.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading One thing only was wanting to make the prospect of the ball completely satisfactory to Emma—its being fixed for a day within the granted term of Frank Churchill’s stay in Surry; for, in spite of Mr. Weston’s confidence, she could not think it so very impossible that the Churchills might not allow their nephew to remain a day beyond his fortnight.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading One thing only was wanting to make the prospect of the ball completely satisfactory to Emma—its being fixed for a day within the granted term of Frank Churchill’s stay in Surry; for, in spite of Mr. Weston’s confidence, she could not think it so very impossible that the Churchills might not allow their nephew to remain a day beyond his fortnight.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading One thing only was wanting to make the prospect of the ball completely satisfactory to Emma—its being fixed for a day within the granted term of Frank Churchill’s stay in Surry; for, in spite of Mr. Weston’s confidence, she could not think it so very impossible that the Churchills might not allow their nephew to remain a day beyond his fortnight.

judgedverbUS /dʒʌdʒd/

past form of “judge” — determine the result of (a competition)

From this reading But this was not judged feasible.

longeradverbUS /ˈlɔːŋɡər/

for more time

From this reading His wish of staying longer evidently did not please; but it was not opposed.

makeverbUS /meɪk/

engage in

From this reading One thing only was wanting to make the prospect of the ball completely satisfactory to Emma—its being fixed for a day within the granted term of Frank Churchill’s stay in Surry; for, in spite of Mr. Weston’s confidence, she could not think it so very impossible that the Churchills might not allow their nephew to remain a day beyond his fortnight.

mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading One thing only was wanting to make the prospect of the ball completely satisfactory to Emma—its being fixed for a day within the granted term of Frank Churchill’s stay in Surry; for, in spite of Mr. Weston’s confidence, she could not think it so very impossible that the Churchills might not allow their nephew to remain a day beyond his fortnight.

MrnounUS /ˈmɪstər/

a form of address for a man

From this reading One thing only was wanting to make the prospect of the ball completely satisfactory to Emma—its being fixed for a day within the granted term of Frank Churchill’s stay in Surry; for, in spite of Mr. Weston’s confidence, she could not think it so very impossible that the Churchills might not allow their nephew to remain a day beyond his fortnight.

mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading The preparations must take their time, nothing could be properly ready till the third week were entered on, and for a few days they must be planning, proceeding and hoping in uncertainty—at the risk—in her opinion, the great risk, of its being all in vain.

nephewnounUS /ˈnefjuː/

a son of your brother or sister

From this reading One thing only was wanting to make the prospect of the ball completely satisfactory to Emma—its being fixed for a day within the granted term of Frank Churchill’s stay in Surry; for, in spite of Mr. Weston’s confidence, she could not think it so very impossible that the Churchills might not allow their nephew to remain a day beyond his fortnight.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading One thing only was wanting to make the prospect of the ball completely satisfactory to Emma—its being fixed for a day within the granted term of Frank Churchill’s stay in Surry; for, in spite of Mr. Weston’s confidence, she could not think it so very impossible that the Churchills might not allow their nephew to remain a day beyond his fortnight.

nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading The preparations must take their time, nothing could be properly ready till the third week were entered on, and for a few days they must be planning, proceeding and hoping in uncertainty—at the risk—in her opinion, the great risk, of its being all in vain.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading One thing only was wanting to make the prospect of the ball completely satisfactory to Emma—its being fixed for a day within the granted term of Frank Churchill’s stay in Surry; for, in spite of Mr. Weston’s confidence, she could not think it so very impossible that the Churchills might not allow their nephew to remain a day beyond his fortnight.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading The preparations must take their time, nothing could be properly ready till the third week were entered on, and for a few days they must be planning, proceeding and hoping in uncertainty—at the risk—in her opinion, the great risk, of its being all in vain.

OnepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading One thing only was wanting to make the prospect of the ball completely satisfactory to Emma—its being fixed for a day within the granted term of Frank Churchill’s stay in Surry; for, in spite of Mr. Weston’s confidence, she could not think it so very impossible that the Churchills might not allow their nephew to remain a day beyond his fortnight.

onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading One thing only was wanting to make the prospect of the ball completely satisfactory to Emma—its being fixed for a day within the granted term of Frank Churchill’s stay in Surry; for, in spite of Mr. Weston’s confidence, she could not think it so very impossible that the Churchills might not allow their nephew to remain a day beyond his fortnight.

opinionnounUS /əˈpɪnjən/

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

From this reading The preparations must take their time, nothing could be properly ready till the third week were entered on, and for a few days they must be planning, proceeding and hoping in uncertainty—at the risk—in her opinion, the great risk, of its being all in vain.

opposedadjectiveUS /əˈpoʊzd/

being in opposition or having an opponent

From this reading His wish of staying longer evidently did not please; but it was not opposed.

planningnounUS /ˈplænɪŋ/

an act of formulating a program for a definite course of action

From this reading The preparations must take their time, nothing could be properly ready till the third week were entered on, and for a few days they must be planning, proceeding and hoping in uncertainty—at the risk—in her opinion, the great risk, of its being all in vain.

pleaseverbUS /pliːz/

give pleasure to or be pleasing to

From this reading His wish of staying longer evidently did not please; but it was not opposed.

preparationsnounUS /ˌprepərˈeɪʃənz/

plural of “preparation” — the activity of putting or setting in order in advance of some act or purpose

From this reading The preparations must take their time, nothing could be properly ready till the third week were entered on, and for a few days they must be planning, proceeding and hoping in uncertainty—at the risk—in her opinion, the great risk, of its being all in vain.

proceedingnounUS /prəˈsiːdɪŋ/

(law) the institution of a sequence of steps by which legal judgments are invoked

From this reading The preparations must take their time, nothing could be properly ready till the third week were entered on, and for a few days they must be planning, proceeding and hoping in uncertainty—at the risk—in her opinion, the great risk, of its being all in vain.

properlyadverbUS /ˈprɑːpərli/

in the right manner; correctly; suitably

From this reading The preparations must take their time, nothing could be properly ready till the third week were entered on, and for a few days they must be planning, proceeding and hoping in uncertainty—at the risk—in her opinion, the great risk, of its being all in vain.

prospectnounUS /ˈprɑːspekt/

the possibility of future success

From this reading One thing only was wanting to make the prospect of the ball completely satisfactory to Emma—its being fixed for a day within the granted term of Frank Churchill’s stay in Surry; for, in spite of Mr. Weston’s confidence, she could not think it so very impossible that the Churchills might not allow their nephew to remain a day beyond his fortnight.

readyadjectiveUS /ˈredi/

completely prepared or in condition for immediate action or use or progress

From this reading The preparations must take their time, nothing could be properly ready till the third week were entered on, and for a few days they must be planning, proceeding and hoping in uncertainty—at the risk—in her opinion, the great risk, of its being all in vain.

remainverbUS /rɪˈmeɪn/

stay the same; remain in a certain state

From this reading One thing only was wanting to make the prospect of the ball completely satisfactory to Emma—its being fixed for a day within the granted term of Frank Churchill’s stay in Surry; for, in spite of Mr. Weston’s confidence, she could not think it so very impossible that the Churchills might not allow their nephew to remain a day beyond his fortnight.

risknounUS /rɪsk/

a source of danger; a possibility of incurring loss or misfortune

From this reading The preparations must take their time, nothing could be properly ready till the third week were entered on, and for a few days they must be planning, proceeding and hoping in uncertainty—at the risk—in her opinion, the great risk, of its being all in vain.

satisfactoryadjectiveUS /ˌsætəˈsfæktri/

giving satisfaction

From this reading One thing only was wanting to make the prospect of the ball completely satisfactory to Emma—its being fixed for a day within the granted term of Frank Churchill’s stay in Surry; for, in spite of Mr. Weston’s confidence, she could not think it so very impossible that the Churchills might not allow their nephew to remain a day beyond his fortnight.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading One thing only was wanting to make the prospect of the ball completely satisfactory to Emma—its being fixed for a day within the granted term of Frank Churchill’s stay in Surry; for, in spite of Mr. Weston’s confidence, she could not think it so very impossible that the Churchills might not allow their nephew to remain a day beyond his fortnight.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading One thing only was wanting to make the prospect of the ball completely satisfactory to Emma—its being fixed for a day within the granted term of Frank Churchill’s stay in Surry; for, in spite of Mr. Weston’s confidence, she could not think it so very impossible that the Churchills might not allow their nephew to remain a day beyond his fortnight.

spitenounUS /spaɪt/

feeling a need to see others suffer

From this reading One thing only was wanting to make the prospect of the ball completely satisfactory to Emma—its being fixed for a day within the granted term of Frank Churchill’s stay in Surry; for, in spite of Mr. Weston’s confidence, she could not think it so very impossible that the Churchills might not allow their nephew to remain a day beyond his fortnight.

stayverbUS /steɪ/

stay the same; remain in a certain state

From this reading One thing only was wanting to make the prospect of the ball completely satisfactory to Emma—its being fixed for a day within the granted term of Frank Churchill’s stay in Surry; for, in spite of Mr. Weston’s confidence, she could not think it so very impossible that the Churchills might not allow their nephew to remain a day beyond his fortnight.

stayingverbUS /ˈsteɪɪŋ/

-ing form of “stay” — stay the same; remain in a certain state

From this reading His wish of staying longer evidently did not please; but it was not opposed.

Surry

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

From this reading One thing only was wanting to make the prospect of the ball completely satisfactory to Emma—its being fixed for a day within the granted term of Frank Churchill’s stay in Surry; for, in spite of Mr. Weston’s confidence, she could not think it so very impossible that the Churchills might not allow their nephew to remain a day beyond his fortnight.

takeverbUS /teɪk/

carry out

From this reading The preparations must take their time, nothing could be properly ready till the third week were entered on, and for a few days they must be planning, proceeding and hoping in uncertainty—at the risk—in her opinion, the great risk, of its being all in vain.

termnounUS /tɜːrm/

a word or expression used for some particular thing

From this reading One thing only was wanting to make the prospect of the ball completely satisfactory to Emma—its being fixed for a day within the granted term of Frank Churchill’s stay in Surry; for, in spite of Mr. Weston’s confidence, she could not think it so very impossible that the Churchills might not allow their nephew to remain a day beyond his fortnight.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading One thing only was wanting to make the prospect of the ball completely satisfactory to Emma—its being fixed for a day within the granted term of Frank Churchill’s stay in Surry; for, in spite of Mr. Weston’s confidence, she could not think it so very impossible that the Churchills might not allow their nephew to remain a day beyond his fortnight.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading One thing only was wanting to make the prospect of the ball completely satisfactory to Emma—its being fixed for a day within the granted term of Frank Churchill’s stay in Surry; for, in spite of Mr. Weston’s confidence, she could not think it so very impossible that the Churchills might not allow their nephew to remain a day beyond his fortnight.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading One thing only was wanting to make the prospect of the ball completely satisfactory to Emma—its being fixed for a day within the granted term of Frank Churchill’s stay in Surry; for, in spite of Mr. Weston’s confidence, she could not think it so very impossible that the Churchills might not allow their nephew to remain a day beyond his fortnight.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading The preparations must take their time, nothing could be properly ready till the third week were entered on, and for a few days they must be planning, proceeding and hoping in uncertainty—at the risk—in her opinion, the great risk, of its being all in vain.

thingnounUS /θɪŋ/

a special situation

From this reading One thing only was wanting to make the prospect of the ball completely satisfactory to Emma—its being fixed for a day within the granted term of Frank Churchill’s stay in Surry; for, in spite of Mr. Weston’s confidence, she could not think it so very impossible that the Churchills might not allow their nephew to remain a day beyond his fortnight.

thinkverbUS /θɪŋk/

judge or regard; look upon; judge

From this reading One thing only was wanting to make the prospect of the ball completely satisfactory to Emma—its being fixed for a day within the granted term of Frank Churchill’s stay in Surry; for, in spite of Mr. Weston’s confidence, she could not think it so very impossible that the Churchills might not allow their nephew to remain a day beyond his fortnight.

thirdnounUS /θɜːrd/

one of three equal parts of a divisible whole

From this reading The preparations must take their time, nothing could be properly ready till the third week were entered on, and for a few days they must be planning, proceeding and hoping in uncertainty—at the risk—in her opinion, the great risk, of its being all in vain.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading But this was not judged feasible.

tillprepositionUS /tɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading The preparations must take their time, nothing could be properly ready till the third week were entered on, and for a few days they must be planning, proceeding and hoping in uncertainty—at the risk—in her opinion, the great risk, of its being all in vain.

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading The preparations must take their time, nothing could be properly ready till the third week were entered on, and for a few days they must be planning, proceeding and hoping in uncertainty—at the risk—in her opinion, the great risk, of its being all in vain.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading One thing only was wanting to make the prospect of the ball completely satisfactory to Emma—its being fixed for a day within the granted term of Frank Churchill’s stay in Surry; for, in spite of Mr. Weston’s confidence, she could not think it so very impossible that the Churchills might not allow their nephew to remain a day beyond his fortnight.

uncertaintynounUS /ənˈsɜːrtənti/

being unsettled or in doubt or dependent on chance

From this reading The preparations must take their time, nothing could be properly ready till the third week were entered on, and for a few days they must be planning, proceeding and hoping in uncertainty—at the risk—in her opinion, the great risk, of its being all in vain.

vainadjectiveUS /veɪn/

characteristic of false pride; having an exaggerated sense of self-importance

From this reading The preparations must take their time, nothing could be properly ready till the third week were entered on, and for a few days they must be planning, proceeding and hoping in uncertainty—at the risk—in her opinion, the great risk, of its being all in vain.

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading One thing only was wanting to make the prospect of the ball completely satisfactory to Emma—its being fixed for a day within the granted term of Frank Churchill’s stay in Surry; for, in spite of Mr. Weston’s confidence, she could not think it so very impossible that the Churchills might not allow their nephew to remain a day beyond his fortnight.

wantingadjectiveUS /ˈwɑːntɪŋ/

nonexistent

From this reading One thing only was wanting to make the prospect of the ball completely satisfactory to Emma—its being fixed for a day within the granted term of Frank Churchill’s stay in Surry; for, in spite of Mr. Weston’s confidence, she could not think it so very impossible that the Churchills might not allow their nephew to remain a day beyond his fortnight.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading One thing only was wanting to make the prospect of the ball completely satisfactory to Emma—its being fixed for a day within the granted term of Frank Churchill’s stay in Surry; for, in spite of Mr. Weston’s confidence, she could not think it so very impossible that the Churchills might not allow their nephew to remain a day beyond his fortnight.

weeknounUS /wiːk/

any period of seven consecutive days

From this reading The preparations must take their time, nothing could be properly ready till the third week were entered on, and for a few days they must be planning, proceeding and hoping in uncertainty—at the risk—in her opinion, the great risk, of its being all in vain.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading The preparations must take their time, nothing could be properly ready till the third week were entered on, and for a few days they must be planning, proceeding and hoping in uncertainty—at the risk—in her opinion, the great risk, of its being all in vain.

Weston's

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

From this reading One thing only was wanting to make the prospect of the ball completely satisfactory to Emma—its being fixed for a day within the granted term of Frank Churchill’s stay in Surry; for, in spite of Mr. Weston’s confidence, she could not think it so very impossible that the Churchills might not allow their nephew to remain a day beyond his fortnight.

wishverbUS /wɪʃ/

hope for; have a wish

From this reading His wish of staying longer evidently did not please; but it was not opposed.

withinprepositionUS /wɪˈðɪn/

inside; before a period of time has passed

From this reading One thing only was wanting to make the prospect of the ball completely satisfactory to Emma—its being fixed for a day within the granted term of Frank Churchill’s stay in Surry; for, in spite of Mr. Weston’s confidence, she could not think it so very impossible that the Churchills might not allow their nephew to remain a day beyond his fortnight.

wordnounUS /wɜːrd/

a unit of language that native speakers can identify

From this reading Enscombe however was gracious, gracious in fact, if not in word.

Chapter 30 of Emma by Jane Austen holds 105 sentences, grouped into 21 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 30 of Emma contain?

Chapter 30 holds 105 sentences of Emma, unabridged, divided into 21 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 30 of Emma by Jane Austen exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 105 sentences, grouped into 21 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 30 of Emma?

Work through the 21 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 21 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 30 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 30 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 Emma

Common questions about reading Emma by Jane Austen on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Emma?

Yes. All 0 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #? are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Emma is used?

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

How long does Emma take to read?

About 5 minutes of reading across 0 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Emma section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 0 chapters of Emma to begin.

  2. Read one section

    Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.

  3. Listen and tap

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

Vocabulary met early in Emma

Words and structures a reader meets early in Emma, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Chapter 1
One of the 0 chapters of Emma, divided into 5-sentence reading sections.
Chapter 2
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Chapter 3
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