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Les Misérables
Les Misérables

Chapter CCCXXI

Chapter 321 of Les Misérables is here in full — 71 sentences across 15 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Les Misérables
Context Illustration Reading 1/14 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
When there were no longer any of the leaders left alive, except Enjolras and Marius at the two extremities of the barricade, the centre, which had so long sustained Courfeyrac, Joly, Bossuet, Feuilly and Combeferre, gave way.
The cannon, though it had not effected a practicable breach, had made a rather large hollow in the middle of the redoubt; there, the summit of the wall had disappeared before the balls, and had crumbled away; and the rubbish which had fallen, now inside, now outside, had, as it accumulated, formed two piles in the nature of slopes on the two sides of the barrier, one on the inside, the other on the outside.
The exterior slope presented an inclined plane to the attack.
A final assault was there attempted, and this assault succeeded.
The mass bristling with bayonets and hurled forward at a run, came up with irresistible force, and the serried front of battle of the attacking column made its appearance through the smoke on the crest of the battlements.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Les Misérables

Chapter CCCXXI

Chapter 321 of Les Misérables is here in full — 71 sentences across 15 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/14 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
When there were no longer any of the leaders left alive, except Enjolras and Marius at the two extremities of the barricade, the centre, which had so long sustained Courfeyrac, Joly, Bossuet, Feuilly and Combeferre, gave way.
Line 2
The cannon, though it had not effected a practicable breach, had made a rather large hollow in the middle of the redoubt; there, the summit of the wall had disappeared before the balls, and had crumbled away; and the rubbish which had fallen, now inside, now outside, had, as it accumulated, formed two piles in the nature of slopes on the two sides of the barrier, one on the inside, the other on the outside.
/ðə ˈkænən ðoʊ ɪt hæd nɑːt ɪˈfektɪd ə ˈpræktəkəbəl briːtʃ hæd meɪd ə ˈræðər lɑːrdʒ ˈhɑːloʊ ɪn ðə ˈmɪdəl ʌv ðə riˈdaʊt ðer ðə ˈsʌmət ʌv ðə wɔːl hæd ˌdɪsəˈpɪrd bɪˈfɔːr ðə bɔːlz ənd hæd ˈkrʌmbəld əˈweɪ ənd ðə ˈrʌbɪʃ wɪtʃ hæd ˈfɑːlən naʊ ˌɪnˈsaɪd naʊ ˈaʊtˈsaɪd hæd æz ɪt əˈkjuːmjəleɪtɪd fɔːrmd tuː paɪlz ɪn ðə ˈneɪtʃər ʌv sloʊps ɑːn ðə tuː saɪdz ʌv ðə ˈbæriər wʌn ɑːn ðə ˌɪnˈsaɪd ðə ˈʌðər ɑːn ðə ˈaʊtˈsaɪd/
Line 3
The exterior slope presented an inclined plane to the attack.
/ðə ɪkˈstɪriər sloʊp priˈzentɪd æn ˌɪnˈklaɪnd pleɪn tuː ðə əˈtæk/
Line 4
A final assault was there attempted, and this assault succeeded.
/ə ˈfaɪnəl əˈsɔːlt wɑːz ðer əˈtemptɪd ənd ðɪs əˈsɔːlt səkˈsiːdɪd/
Line 5
The mass bristling with bayonets and hurled forward at a run, came up with irresistible force, and the serried front of battle of the attacking column made its appearance through the smoke on the crest of the battlements.

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.

barricade noun US /ˈbærəkeɪd/

a barrier set up by police to stop traffic on a street or road in order to catch a fugitive or inspect traffic etc.

From this reading “When there were no longer any of the leaders left alive, except Enjolras and Marius at the two extremities of the barricade, the centre, which had so long sustained Courfeyrac, Joly, Bossuet, Feuilly and Combeferre, gave way.”

battlements noun US /ˈbætəlmənts/

plural of “battlement” — a rampart built around the top of a castle with regular gaps for firing arrows or guns

From this reading “The mass bristling with bayonets and hurled forward at a run, came up with irresistible force, and the serried front of battle of the attacking column made its appearance through the smoke on the crest of the battlements.”

bayonets noun US /ˈbeɪənets/

plural of “bayonet” — a knife that can be fixed to the end of a rifle and used as a weapon

From this reading “The mass bristling with bayonets and hurled forward at a run, came up with irresistible force, and the serried front of battle of the attacking column made its appearance through the smoke on the crest of the battlements.”

bristling verb US /ˈbrɪsəlɪŋ/

-ing form of “bristle” — be in a state of movement or action

From this reading “The mass bristling with bayonets and hurled forward at a run, came up with irresistible force, and the serried front of battle of the attacking column made its appearance through the smoke on the crest of the battlements.”

crumbled verb US /ˈkrʌmbəld/

past form of “crumble” — fall apart

From this reading “The cannon, though it had not effected a practicable breach, had made a rather large hollow in the middle of the redoubt; there, the summit of the wall had disappeared before the balls, and had crumbled away; and the rubbish which had fallen, now inside, now outside, had, as it accumulated, formed two piles in the nature of slopes on the two sides of the barrier, one on the inside, the other on the outside.”

extremities noun US /ekˈstremətiz/

plural of “extremity” — an external body part that projects from the body

From this reading “When there were no longer any of the leaders left alive, except Enjolras and Marius at the two extremities of the barricade, the centre, which had so long sustained Courfeyrac, Joly, Bossuet, Feuilly and Combeferre, gave way.”

practicable adjective US /ˈpræktəkəbəl/

usable for a specific purpose

From this reading “The cannon, though it had not effected a practicable breach, had made a rather large hollow in the middle of the redoubt; there, the summit of the wall had disappeared before the balls, and had crumbled away; and the rubbish which had fallen, now inside, now outside, had, as it accumulated, formed two piles in the nature of slopes on the two sides of the barrier, one on the inside, the other on the outside.”

redoubt noun US /riˈdaʊt/

(military) a temporary or supplementary fortification; typically square or polygonal without flanking defenses

From this reading “The cannon, though it had not effected a practicable breach, had made a rather large hollow in the middle of the redoubt; there, the summit of the wall had disappeared before the balls, and had crumbled away; and the rubbish which had fallen, now inside, now outside, had, as it accumulated, formed two piles in the nature of slopes on the two sides of the barrier, one on the inside, the other on the outside.”

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.

inclined plane adjective + noun

a simple machine for elevating objects; consists of plane surface that makes an acute angle with the horizontal

In this reading “The exterior slope presented an inclined plane to the attack.”

irresistible force adjective + noun

In this reading “The mass bristling with bayonets and hurled forward at a run, came up with irresistible force, and the serried front of battle of the attacking column made its appearance through the smoke on the crest of the battlements.”

crumbled away verb + particle counted as “crumble away”

In this reading “The cannon, though it had not effected a practicable breach, had made a rather large hollow in the middle of the redoubt; there, the summit of the wall had disappeared before the balls, and had crumbled away; and the rubbish which had fallen, now inside, now outside, had, as it accumulated, formed two piles in the nature of slopes on the two sides of the barrier, one on the inside, the other on the outside.”

in the middle preposition + article + noun counted as “in … middle”

In this reading “The cannon, though it had not effected a practicable breach, had made a rather large hollow in the middle of the redoubt; there, the summit of the wall had disappeared before the balls, and had crumbled away; and the rubbish which had fallen, now inside, now outside, had, as it accumulated, formed two piles in the nature of slopes on the two sides of the barrier, one on the inside, the other on the outside.”

bristling with verb + particle counted as “bristle with”

In this reading “The mass bristling with bayonets and hurled forward at a run, came up with irresistible force, and the serried front of battle of the attacking column made its appearance through the smoke on the crest of the battlements.”

gave way verb + noun counted as “give way”

move in order to make room for someone for something

In this reading “When there were no longer any of the leaders left alive, except Enjolras and Marius at the two extremities of the barricade, the centre, which had so long sustained Courfeyrac, Joly, Bossuet, Feuilly and Combeferre, gave way.”

on the crest preposition + article + noun counted as “on … crest”

In this reading “The mass bristling with bayonets and hurled forward at a run, came up with irresistible force, and the serried front of battle of the attacking column made its appearance through the smoke on the crest of the battlements.”

longer any adverb + adjective

In this reading “When there were no longer any of the leaders left alive, except Enjolras and Marius at the two extremities of the barricade, the centre, which had so long sustained Courfeyrac, Joly, Bossuet, Feuilly and Combeferre, gave way.”

All words in this reading · 106

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 The cannon, though it had not effected a practicable breach, had made a rather large hollow in the middle of the redoubt; there, the summit of the wall had disappeared before the balls, and had crumbled away; and the rubbish which had fallen, now inside, now outside, had, as it accumulated, formed two piles in the nature of slopes on the two sides of the barrier, one on the inside, the other on the outside.

accumulatedadjectiveUS /əˈkjuːmjəleɪtɪd/

periodically accumulated over time

From this reading The cannon, though it had not effected a practicable breach, had made a rather large hollow in the middle of the redoubt; there, the summit of the wall had disappeared before the balls, and had crumbled away; and the rubbish which had fallen, now inside, now outside, had, as it accumulated, formed two piles in the nature of slopes on the two sides of the barrier, one on the inside, the other on the outside.

aliveadjectiveUS /əˈlaɪv/

possessing life

From this reading When there were no longer any of the leaders left alive, except Enjolras and Marius at the two extremities of the barricade, the centre, which had so long sustained Courfeyrac, Joly, Bossuet, Feuilly and Combeferre, gave way.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading The exterior slope presented an inclined plane to the attack.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading When there were no longer any of the leaders left alive, except Enjolras and Marius at the two extremities of the barricade, the centre, which had so long sustained Courfeyrac, Joly, Bossuet, Feuilly and Combeferre, gave way.

anyadjectiveUS /ˈeni/

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading When there were no longer any of the leaders left alive, except Enjolras and Marius at the two extremities of the barricade, the centre, which had so long sustained Courfeyrac, Joly, Bossuet, Feuilly and Combeferre, gave way.

appearancenounUS /əˈpɪrəns/

outward or visible aspect of a person or thing

From this reading The mass bristling with bayonets and hurled forward at a run, came up with irresistible force, and the serried front of battle of the attacking column made its appearance through the smoke on the crest of the battlements.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading The cannon, though it had not effected a practicable breach, had made a rather large hollow in the middle of the redoubt; there, the summit of the wall had disappeared before the balls, and had crumbled away; and the rubbish which had fallen, now inside, now outside, had, as it accumulated, formed two piles in the nature of slopes on the two sides of the barrier, one on the inside, the other on the outside.

assaultnounUS /əˈsɔːlt/

close fighting during the culmination of a military attack

From this reading A final assault was there attempted, and this assault succeeded.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading When there were no longer any of the leaders left alive, except Enjolras and Marius at the two extremities of the barricade, the centre, which had so long sustained Courfeyrac, Joly, Bossuet, Feuilly and Combeferre, gave way.

attacknounUS /əˈtæk/

(military) an offensive against an enemy (using weapons)

From this reading The exterior slope presented an inclined plane to the attack.

attackingadjectiveUS /əˈtækɪŋ/

disposed to attack

From this reading The mass bristling with bayonets and hurled forward at a run, came up with irresistible force, and the serried front of battle of the attacking column made its appearance through the smoke on the crest of the battlements.

attemptedadjectiveUS /əˈtemptɪd/

tried unsuccessfully

From this reading A final assault was there attempted, and this assault succeeded.

awayadverbUS /əˈweɪ/

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading The cannon, though it had not effected a practicable breach, had made a rather large hollow in the middle of the redoubt; there, the summit of the wall had disappeared before the balls, and had crumbled away; and the rubbish which had fallen, now inside, now outside, had, as it accumulated, formed two piles in the nature of slopes on the two sides of the barrier, one on the inside, the other on the outside.

ballsnounUS /bɔːlz/

plural of “ball” — round object that is hit or thrown or kicked in games

From this reading The cannon, though it had not effected a practicable breach, had made a rather large hollow in the middle of the redoubt; there, the summit of the wall had disappeared before the balls, and had crumbled away; and the rubbish which had fallen, now inside, now outside, had, as it accumulated, formed two piles in the nature of slopes on the two sides of the barrier, one on the inside, the other on the outside.

barricadenounUS /ˈbærəkeɪd/

a barrier set up by police to stop traffic on a street or road in order to catch a fugitive or inspect traffic etc.

From this reading When there were no longer any of the leaders left alive, except Enjolras and Marius at the two extremities of the barricade, the centre, which had so long sustained Courfeyrac, Joly, Bossuet, Feuilly and Combeferre, gave way.

barriernounUS /ˈbæriər/

a structure or object that impedes free movement

From this reading The cannon, though it had not effected a practicable breach, had made a rather large hollow in the middle of the redoubt; there, the summit of the wall had disappeared before the balls, and had crumbled away; and the rubbish which had fallen, now inside, now outside, had, as it accumulated, formed two piles in the nature of slopes on the two sides of the barrier, one on the inside, the other on the outside.

battlenounUS /ˈbætəl/

a hostile meeting of opposing military forces in the course of a war

From this reading The mass bristling with bayonets and hurled forward at a run, came up with irresistible force, and the serried front of battle of the attacking column made its appearance through the smoke on the crest of the battlements.

battlementsnounUS /ˈbætəlmənts/

plural of “battlement” — a rampart built around the top of a castle with regular gaps for firing arrows or guns

From this reading The mass bristling with bayonets and hurled forward at a run, came up with irresistible force, and the serried front of battle of the attacking column made its appearance through the smoke on the crest of the battlements.

bayonetsnounUS /ˈbeɪənets/

plural of “bayonet” — a knife that can be fixed to the end of a rifle and used as a weapon

From this reading The mass bristling with bayonets and hurled forward at a run, came up with irresistible force, and the serried front of battle of the attacking column made its appearance through the smoke on the crest of the battlements.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading The cannon, though it had not effected a practicable breach, had made a rather large hollow in the middle of the redoubt; there, the summit of the wall had disappeared before the balls, and had crumbled away; and the rubbish which had fallen, now inside, now outside, had, as it accumulated, formed two piles in the nature of slopes on the two sides of the barrier, one on the inside, the other on the outside.

Bossuet

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

From this reading When there were no longer any of the leaders left alive, except Enjolras and Marius at the two extremities of the barricade, the centre, which had so long sustained Courfeyrac, Joly, Bossuet, Feuilly and Combeferre, gave way.

breachverbUS /briːtʃ/

act in disregard of laws, rules, contracts, or promises

From this reading The cannon, though it had not effected a practicable breach, had made a rather large hollow in the middle of the redoubt; there, the summit of the wall had disappeared before the balls, and had crumbled away; and the rubbish which had fallen, now inside, now outside, had, as it accumulated, formed two piles in the nature of slopes on the two sides of the barrier, one on the inside, the other on the outside.

bristlingverbUS /ˈbrɪsəlɪŋ/

-ing form of “bristle” — be in a state of movement or action

From this reading The mass bristling with bayonets and hurled forward at a run, came up with irresistible force, and the serried front of battle of the attacking column made its appearance through the smoke on the crest of the battlements.

cameverbUS /keɪm/

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading The mass bristling with bayonets and hurled forward at a run, came up with irresistible force, and the serried front of battle of the attacking column made its appearance through the smoke on the crest of the battlements.

cannonnounUS /ˈkænən/

a large artillery gun that is usually on wheels

From this reading The cannon, though it had not effected a practicable breach, had made a rather large hollow in the middle of the redoubt; there, the summit of the wall had disappeared before the balls, and had crumbled away; and the rubbish which had fallen, now inside, now outside, had, as it accumulated, formed two piles in the nature of slopes on the two sides of the barrier, one on the inside, the other on the outside.

centrenounUS /ˈsentər/

a low-lying region in central France

From this reading When there were no longer any of the leaders left alive, except Enjolras and Marius at the two extremities of the barricade, the centre, which had so long sustained Courfeyrac, Joly, Bossuet, Feuilly and Combeferre, gave way.

columnnounUS /ˈkɑːləm/

a line of units following one after another

From this reading The mass bristling with bayonets and hurled forward at a run, came up with irresistible force, and the serried front of battle of the attacking column made its appearance through the smoke on the crest of the battlements.

Combeferre

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

From this reading When there were no longer any of the leaders left alive, except Enjolras and Marius at the two extremities of the barricade, the centre, which had so long sustained Courfeyrac, Joly, Bossuet, Feuilly and Combeferre, gave way.

Courfeyrac

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

From this reading When there were no longer any of the leaders left alive, except Enjolras and Marius at the two extremities of the barricade, the centre, which had so long sustained Courfeyrac, Joly, Bossuet, Feuilly and Combeferre, gave way.

crestnounUS /krest/

the top line of a hill, mountain, or wave

From this reading The mass bristling with bayonets and hurled forward at a run, came up with irresistible force, and the serried front of battle of the attacking column made its appearance through the smoke on the crest of the battlements.

crumbledverbUS /ˈkrʌmbəld/

past form of “crumble” — fall apart

From this reading The cannon, though it had not effected a practicable breach, had made a rather large hollow in the middle of the redoubt; there, the summit of the wall had disappeared before the balls, and had crumbled away; and the rubbish which had fallen, now inside, now outside, had, as it accumulated, formed two piles in the nature of slopes on the two sides of the barrier, one on the inside, the other on the outside.

disappearedverbUS /ˌdɪsəˈpɪrd/

past form of “disappear” — get lost, as without warning or explanation

From this reading The cannon, though it had not effected a practicable breach, had made a rather large hollow in the middle of the redoubt; there, the summit of the wall had disappeared before the balls, and had crumbled away; and the rubbish which had fallen, now inside, now outside, had, as it accumulated, formed two piles in the nature of slopes on the two sides of the barrier, one on the inside, the other on the outside.

effectedadjectiveUS /ɪˈfektɪd/

settled securely and unconditionally

From this reading The cannon, though it had not effected a practicable breach, had made a rather large hollow in the middle of the redoubt; there, the summit of the wall had disappeared before the balls, and had crumbled away; and the rubbish which had fallen, now inside, now outside, had, as it accumulated, formed two piles in the nature of slopes on the two sides of the barrier, one on the inside, the other on the outside.

Enjolras

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

From this reading When there were no longer any of the leaders left alive, except Enjolras and Marius at the two extremities of the barricade, the centre, which had so long sustained Courfeyrac, Joly, Bossuet, Feuilly and Combeferre, gave way.

exceptprepositionUS /ɪkˈsept/

apart from; not including

From this reading When there were no longer any of the leaders left alive, except Enjolras and Marius at the two extremities of the barricade, the centre, which had so long sustained Courfeyrac, Joly, Bossuet, Feuilly and Combeferre, gave way.

exteriornounUS /ɪkˈstɪriər/

the region that is outside of something

From this reading The exterior slope presented an inclined plane to the attack.

extremitiesnounUS /ekˈstremətiz/

plural of “extremity” — an external body part that projects from the body

From this reading When there were no longer any of the leaders left alive, except Enjolras and Marius at the two extremities of the barricade, the centre, which had so long sustained Courfeyrac, Joly, Bossuet, Feuilly and Combeferre, gave way.

fallenadjectiveUS /ˈfɑːlən/

having dropped by the force of gravity

From this reading The cannon, though it had not effected a practicable breach, had made a rather large hollow in the middle of the redoubt; there, the summit of the wall had disappeared before the balls, and had crumbled away; and the rubbish which had fallen, now inside, now outside, had, as it accumulated, formed two piles in the nature of slopes on the two sides of the barrier, one on the inside, the other on the outside.

Feuilly

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

From this reading When there were no longer any of the leaders left alive, except Enjolras and Marius at the two extremities of the barricade, the centre, which had so long sustained Courfeyrac, Joly, Bossuet, Feuilly and Combeferre, gave way.

finaladjectiveUS /ˈfaɪnəl/

occurring at or forming an end or termination

From this reading A final assault was there attempted, and this assault succeeded.

forcenounUS /fɔːrs/

a powerful effect or influence

From this reading The mass bristling with bayonets and hurled forward at a run, came up with irresistible force, and the serried front of battle of the attacking column made its appearance through the smoke on the crest of the battlements.

formedadjectiveUS /fɔːrmd/

having or given a form or shape

From this reading The cannon, though it had not effected a practicable breach, had made a rather large hollow in the middle of the redoubt; there, the summit of the wall had disappeared before the balls, and had crumbled away; and the rubbish which had fallen, now inside, now outside, had, as it accumulated, formed two piles in the nature of slopes on the two sides of the barrier, one on the inside, the other on the outside.

forwardadverbUS /ˈfɔːrwərd/

at or to or toward the front

From this reading The mass bristling with bayonets and hurled forward at a run, came up with irresistible force, and the serried front of battle of the attacking column made its appearance through the smoke on the crest of the battlements.

frontnounUS /frʌnt/

the side that is forward or prominent

From this reading The mass bristling with bayonets and hurled forward at a run, came up with irresistible force, and the serried front of battle of the attacking column made its appearance through the smoke on the crest of the battlements.

gaveverbUS /ɡeɪv/

inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense

From this reading When there were no longer any of the leaders left alive, except Enjolras and Marius at the two extremities of the barricade, the centre, which had so long sustained Courfeyrac, Joly, Bossuet, Feuilly and Combeferre, gave way.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading When there were no longer any of the leaders left alive, except Enjolras and Marius at the two extremities of the barricade, the centre, which had so long sustained Courfeyrac, Joly, Bossuet, Feuilly and Combeferre, gave way.

hollowadjectiveUS /ˈhɑːloʊ/

not solid; having a space or gap or cavity

From this reading The cannon, though it had not effected a practicable breach, had made a rather large hollow in the middle of the redoubt; there, the summit of the wall had disappeared before the balls, and had crumbled away; and the rubbish which had fallen, now inside, now outside, had, as it accumulated, formed two piles in the nature of slopes on the two sides of the barrier, one on the inside, the other on the outside.

hurledverbUS /hɜːrld/

past form of “hurl” — throw forcefully

From this reading The mass bristling with bayonets and hurled forward at a run, came up with irresistible force, and the serried front of battle of the attacking column made its appearance through the smoke on the crest of the battlements.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading The cannon, though it had not effected a practicable breach, had made a rather large hollow in the middle of the redoubt; there, the summit of the wall had disappeared before the balls, and had crumbled away; and the rubbish which had fallen, now inside, now outside, had, as it accumulated, formed two piles in the nature of slopes on the two sides of the barrier, one on the inside, the other on the outside.

inclinedadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈklaɪnd/

(often followed by “to”) having a preference, disposition, or tendency

From this reading The exterior slope presented an inclined plane to the attack.

insideadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈsaɪd/

relating to or being on the side closer to the center or within a defined space

From this reading The cannon, though it had not effected a practicable breach, had made a rather large hollow in the middle of the redoubt; there, the summit of the wall had disappeared before the balls, and had crumbled away; and the rubbish which had fallen, now inside, now outside, had, as it accumulated, formed two piles in the nature of slopes on the two sides of the barrier, one on the inside, the other on the outside.

irresistibleadjectiveUS /ˌɪrɪˈzɪstəbəl/

impossible to resist; overpowering

From this reading The mass bristling with bayonets and hurled forward at a run, came up with irresistible force, and the serried front of battle of the attacking column made its appearance through the smoke on the crest of the battlements.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading The cannon, though it had not effected a practicable breach, had made a rather large hollow in the middle of the redoubt; there, the summit of the wall had disappeared before the balls, and had crumbled away; and the rubbish which had fallen, now inside, now outside, had, as it accumulated, formed two piles in the nature of slopes on the two sides of the barrier, one on the inside, the other on the outside.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading The mass bristling with bayonets and hurled forward at a run, came up with irresistible force, and the serried front of battle of the attacking column made its appearance through the smoke on the crest of the battlements.

Joly

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

From this reading When there were no longer any of the leaders left alive, except Enjolras and Marius at the two extremities of the barricade, the centre, which had so long sustained Courfeyrac, Joly, Bossuet, Feuilly and Combeferre, gave way.

largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/

above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading The cannon, though it had not effected a practicable breach, had made a rather large hollow in the middle of the redoubt; there, the summit of the wall had disappeared before the balls, and had crumbled away; and the rubbish which had fallen, now inside, now outside, had, as it accumulated, formed two piles in the nature of slopes on the two sides of the barrier, one on the inside, the other on the outside.

leadersnounUS /ˈliːdərz/

the body of people who lead a group

From this reading When there were no longer any of the leaders left alive, except Enjolras and Marius at the two extremities of the barricade, the centre, which had so long sustained Courfeyrac, Joly, Bossuet, Feuilly and Combeferre, gave way.

leftnounUS /left/

location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east

From this reading When there were no longer any of the leaders left alive, except Enjolras and Marius at the two extremities of the barricade, the centre, which had so long sustained Courfeyrac, Joly, Bossuet, Feuilly and Combeferre, gave way.

longadjectiveUS /lɔːŋ/

primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified

From this reading When there were no longer any of the leaders left alive, except Enjolras and Marius at the two extremities of the barricade, the centre, which had so long sustained Courfeyrac, Joly, Bossuet, Feuilly and Combeferre, gave way.

longeradverbUS /ˈlɔːŋɡər/

for more time

From this reading When there were no longer any of the leaders left alive, except Enjolras and Marius at the two extremities of the barricade, the centre, which had so long sustained Courfeyrac, Joly, Bossuet, Feuilly and Combeferre, gave way.

madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading The cannon, though it had not effected a practicable breach, had made a rather large hollow in the middle of the redoubt; there, the summit of the wall had disappeared before the balls, and had crumbled away; and the rubbish which had fallen, now inside, now outside, had, as it accumulated, formed two piles in the nature of slopes on the two sides of the barrier, one on the inside, the other on the outside.

Marius

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

From this reading When there were no longer any of the leaders left alive, except Enjolras and Marius at the two extremities of the barricade, the centre, which had so long sustained Courfeyrac, Joly, Bossuet, Feuilly and Combeferre, gave way.

massnounUS /mæs/

the property of a body that causes it to have weight in a gravitational field

From this reading The mass bristling with bayonets and hurled forward at a run, came up with irresistible force, and the serried front of battle of the attacking column made its appearance through the smoke on the crest of the battlements.

middlenounUS /ˈmɪdəl/

an area that is approximately central within some larger region

From this reading The cannon, though it had not effected a practicable breach, had made a rather large hollow in the middle of the redoubt; there, the summit of the wall had disappeared before the balls, and had crumbled away; and the rubbish which had fallen, now inside, now outside, had, as it accumulated, formed two piles in the nature of slopes on the two sides of the barrier, one on the inside, the other on the outside.

naturenounUS /ˈneɪtʃər/

the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized

From this reading The cannon, though it had not effected a practicable breach, had made a rather large hollow in the middle of the redoubt; there, the summit of the wall had disappeared before the balls, and had crumbled away; and the rubbish which had fallen, now inside, now outside, had, as it accumulated, formed two piles in the nature of slopes on the two sides of the barrier, one on the inside, the other on the outside.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading When there were no longer any of the leaders left alive, except Enjolras and Marius at the two extremities of the barricade, the centre, which had so long sustained Courfeyrac, Joly, Bossuet, Feuilly and Combeferre, gave way.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading The cannon, though it had not effected a practicable breach, had made a rather large hollow in the middle of the redoubt; there, the summit of the wall had disappeared before the balls, and had crumbled away; and the rubbish which had fallen, now inside, now outside, had, as it accumulated, formed two piles in the nature of slopes on the two sides of the barrier, one on the inside, the other on the outside.

nowadverbUS /naʊ/

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

From this reading The cannon, though it had not effected a practicable breach, had made a rather large hollow in the middle of the redoubt; there, the summit of the wall had disappeared before the balls, and had crumbled away; and the rubbish which had fallen, now inside, now outside, had, as it accumulated, formed two piles in the nature of slopes on the two sides of the barrier, one on the inside, the other on the outside.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading When there were no longer any of the leaders left alive, except Enjolras and Marius at the two extremities of the barricade, the centre, which had so long sustained Courfeyrac, Joly, Bossuet, Feuilly and Combeferre, gave way.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading The cannon, though it had not effected a practicable breach, had made a rather large hollow in the middle of the redoubt; there, the summit of the wall had disappeared before the balls, and had crumbled away; and the rubbish which had fallen, now inside, now outside, had, as it accumulated, formed two piles in the nature of slopes on the two sides of the barrier, one on the inside, the other on the outside.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading The cannon, though it had not effected a practicable breach, had made a rather large hollow in the middle of the redoubt; there, the summit of the wall had disappeared before the balls, and had crumbled away; and the rubbish which had fallen, now inside, now outside, had, as it accumulated, formed two piles in the nature of slopes on the two sides of the barrier, one on the inside, the other on the outside.

otheradjectiveUS /ˈʌðər/

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading The cannon, though it had not effected a practicable breach, had made a rather large hollow in the middle of the redoubt; there, the summit of the wall had disappeared before the balls, and had crumbled away; and the rubbish which had fallen, now inside, now outside, had, as it accumulated, formed two piles in the nature of slopes on the two sides of the barrier, one on the inside, the other on the outside.

outsideadjectiveUS /ˈaʊtˈsaɪd/

relating to or being on or near the outer side or limit

From this reading The cannon, though it had not effected a practicable breach, had made a rather large hollow in the middle of the redoubt; there, the summit of the wall had disappeared before the balls, and had crumbled away; and the rubbish which had fallen, now inside, now outside, had, as it accumulated, formed two piles in the nature of slopes on the two sides of the barrier, one on the inside, the other on the outside.

pilesnounUS /paɪlz/

venous swelling external or internal to the anal sphincter

From this reading The cannon, though it had not effected a practicable breach, had made a rather large hollow in the middle of the redoubt; there, the summit of the wall had disappeared before the balls, and had crumbled away; and the rubbish which had fallen, now inside, now outside, had, as it accumulated, formed two piles in the nature of slopes on the two sides of the barrier, one on the inside, the other on the outside.

planenounUS /pleɪn/

an aircraft that has a fixed wing and is powered by propellers or jets

From this reading The exterior slope presented an inclined plane to the attack.

practicableadjectiveUS /ˈpræktəkəbəl/

usable for a specific purpose

From this reading The cannon, though it had not effected a practicable breach, had made a rather large hollow in the middle of the redoubt; there, the summit of the wall had disappeared before the balls, and had crumbled away; and the rubbish which had fallen, now inside, now outside, had, as it accumulated, formed two piles in the nature of slopes on the two sides of the barrier, one on the inside, the other on the outside.

presentedverbUS /priˈzentɪd/

past form of “present” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience

From this reading The exterior slope presented an inclined plane to the attack.

ratheradverbUS /ˈræðər/

on the contrary

From this reading The cannon, though it had not effected a practicable breach, had made a rather large hollow in the middle of the redoubt; there, the summit of the wall had disappeared before the balls, and had crumbled away; and the rubbish which had fallen, now inside, now outside, had, as it accumulated, formed two piles in the nature of slopes on the two sides of the barrier, one on the inside, the other on the outside.

redoubtnounUS /riˈdaʊt/

(military) a temporary or supplementary fortification; typically square or polygonal without flanking defenses

From this reading The cannon, though it had not effected a practicable breach, had made a rather large hollow in the middle of the redoubt; there, the summit of the wall had disappeared before the balls, and had crumbled away; and the rubbish which had fallen, now inside, now outside, had, as it accumulated, formed two piles in the nature of slopes on the two sides of the barrier, one on the inside, the other on the outside.

rubbishnounUS /ˈrʌbɪʃ/

worthless material that is to be disposed of

From this reading The cannon, though it had not effected a practicable breach, had made a rather large hollow in the middle of the redoubt; there, the summit of the wall had disappeared before the balls, and had crumbled away; and the rubbish which had fallen, now inside, now outside, had, as it accumulated, formed two piles in the nature of slopes on the two sides of the barrier, one on the inside, the other on the outside.

runverbUS /rʌn/

move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time

From this reading The mass bristling with bayonets and hurled forward at a run, came up with irresistible force, and the serried front of battle of the attacking column made its appearance through the smoke on the crest of the battlements.

serriedadjective

(especially of rows as of troops or mountains) pressed together

From this reading The mass bristling with bayonets and hurled forward at a run, came up with irresistible force, and the serried front of battle of the attacking column made its appearance through the smoke on the crest of the battlements.

sidesnounUS /saɪdz/

plural of “side” — a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location

From this reading The cannon, though it had not effected a practicable breach, had made a rather large hollow in the middle of the redoubt; there, the summit of the wall had disappeared before the balls, and had crumbled away; and the rubbish which had fallen, now inside, now outside, had, as it accumulated, formed two piles in the nature of slopes on the two sides of the barrier, one on the inside, the other on the outside.

slopenounUS /sloʊp/

an elevated geological formation

From this reading The exterior slope presented an inclined plane to the attack.

slopesnounUS /sloʊps/

plural of “slope” — an elevated geological formation

From this reading The cannon, though it had not effected a practicable breach, had made a rather large hollow in the middle of the redoubt; there, the summit of the wall had disappeared before the balls, and had crumbled away; and the rubbish which had fallen, now inside, now outside, had, as it accumulated, formed two piles in the nature of slopes on the two sides of the barrier, one on the inside, the other on the outside.

smokenounUS /smoʊk/

a cloud of fine particles suspended in a gas

From this reading The mass bristling with bayonets and hurled forward at a run, came up with irresistible force, and the serried front of battle of the attacking column made its appearance through the smoke on the crest of the battlements.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading When there were no longer any of the leaders left alive, except Enjolras and Marius at the two extremities of the barricade, the centre, which had so long sustained Courfeyrac, Joly, Bossuet, Feuilly and Combeferre, gave way.

succeededverbUS /səkˈsiːdɪd/

past form of “succeed” — attain success or reach a desired goal

From this reading A final assault was there attempted, and this assault succeeded.

summitnounUS /ˈsʌmət/

the highest level or degree attainable; the highest stage of development

From this reading The cannon, though it had not effected a practicable breach, had made a rather large hollow in the middle of the redoubt; there, the summit of the wall had disappeared before the balls, and had crumbled away; and the rubbish which had fallen, now inside, now outside, had, as it accumulated, formed two piles in the nature of slopes on the two sides of the barrier, one on the inside, the other on the outside.

sustainedadjectiveUS /səˈsteɪnd/

maintained at length without interruption or weakening

From this reading When there were no longer any of the leaders left alive, except Enjolras and Marius at the two extremities of the barricade, the centre, which had so long sustained Courfeyrac, Joly, Bossuet, Feuilly and Combeferre, gave way.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading When there were no longer any of the leaders left alive, except Enjolras and Marius at the two extremities of the barricade, the centre, which had so long sustained Courfeyrac, Joly, Bossuet, Feuilly and Combeferre, gave way.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading When there were no longer any of the leaders left alive, except Enjolras and Marius at the two extremities of the barricade, the centre, which had so long sustained Courfeyrac, Joly, Bossuet, Feuilly and Combeferre, gave way.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading A final assault was there attempted, and this assault succeeded.

thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading The cannon, though it had not effected a practicable breach, had made a rather large hollow in the middle of the redoubt; there, the summit of the wall had disappeared before the balls, and had crumbled away; and the rubbish which had fallen, now inside, now outside, had, as it accumulated, formed two piles in the nature of slopes on the two sides of the barrier, one on the inside, the other on the outside.

throughprepositionUS /θruː/

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading The mass bristling with bayonets and hurled forward at a run, came up with irresistible force, and the serried front of battle of the attacking column made its appearance through the smoke on the crest of the battlements.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading The exterior slope presented an inclined plane to the attack.

twonounUS /tuː/

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

From this reading When there were no longer any of the leaders left alive, except Enjolras and Marius at the two extremities of the barricade, the centre, which had so long sustained Courfeyrac, Joly, Bossuet, Feuilly and Combeferre, gave way.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading The mass bristling with bayonets and hurled forward at a run, came up with irresistible force, and the serried front of battle of the attacking column made its appearance through the smoke on the crest of the battlements.

wallnounUS /wɔːl/

an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure

From this reading The cannon, though it had not effected a practicable breach, had made a rather large hollow in the middle of the redoubt; there, the summit of the wall had disappeared before the balls, and had crumbled away; and the rubbish which had fallen, now inside, now outside, had, as it accumulated, formed two piles in the nature of slopes on the two sides of the barrier, one on the inside, the other on the outside.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading A final assault was there attempted, and this assault succeeded.

waynounUS /weɪ/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading When there were no longer any of the leaders left alive, except Enjolras and Marius at the two extremities of the barricade, the centre, which had so long sustained Courfeyrac, Joly, Bossuet, Feuilly and Combeferre, gave way.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading When there were no longer any of the leaders left alive, except Enjolras and Marius at the two extremities of the barricade, the centre, which had so long sustained Courfeyrac, Joly, Bossuet, Feuilly and Combeferre, gave way.

WhenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading When there were no longer any of the leaders left alive, except Enjolras and Marius at the two extremities of the barricade, the centre, which had so long sustained Courfeyrac, Joly, Bossuet, Feuilly and Combeferre, gave way.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading When there were no longer any of the leaders left alive, except Enjolras and Marius at the two extremities of the barricade, the centre, which had so long sustained Courfeyrac, Joly, Bossuet, Feuilly and Combeferre, gave way.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading The mass bristling with bayonets and hurled forward at a run, came up with irresistible force, and the serried front of battle of the attacking column made its appearance through the smoke on the crest of the battlements.

Chapter 321 of Les Misérables by Victor Hugo holds 71 sentences, grouped into 15 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 321 of Les Misérables contain?

Chapter 321 holds 71 sentences of Les Misérables, unabridged, divided into 15 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 321 of Les Misérables by Victor Hugo exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 71 sentences, grouped into 15 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 321 of Les Misérables?

Work through the 15 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 15 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.

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Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 321 can be played aloud in United States English.

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

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Vocabulary met early in Les Misérables

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

Chapter 1
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Chapter 2
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Chapter 3
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