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Complete Project Gutenberg Oliver Wendell
Complete Project Gutenberg Oliver Wendell

Chapter XXVII · Chapter 27

Chapter 27 of Complete Project Gutenberg Oliver Wendell is here in full — 409 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Oliver Wendell Holmes • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for Complete Project Gutenberg Oliver Wendell
Context Illustration Reading 1/81 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
MASTER BYLES GRIDLEY CALLS ON MISS CYNTHIA BADLAM.
MISS Cynthia Badlam was seated in a small parlor which she was accustomed to consider her own during her long residences at The Poplars.
The entry stove warmed it but imperfectly, and she looked pinched and cold, for the evenings were still pretty sharp, and the old house let in the chill blasts, as old houses are in the habit of doing.
She was sitting at her table, with a little trunk open before her.
She had taken some papers from it, which she was looking over, when a knock at her door announced a visitor, and Master Byles Gridley entered the parlor.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Complete Project Gutenberg Oliver Wendell

Chapter XXVII · Chapter 27

Chapter 27 of Complete Project Gutenberg Oliver Wendell is here in full — 409 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/81 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
MASTER BYLES GRIDLEY CALLS ON MISS CYNTHIA BADLAM.
Line 2
MISS Cynthia Badlam was seated in a small parlor which she was accustomed to consider her own during her long residences at The Poplars.
Line 3
The entry stove warmed it but imperfectly, and she looked pinched and cold, for the evenings were still pretty sharp, and the old house let in the chill blasts, as old houses are in the habit of doing.
/ðə ˈentri stoʊv wɔːrmd ɪt bʌt ˌɪmˈpɜːrfɪktli ənd ʃiː lʊkt pɪntʃt ənd koʊld fɔːr ðə ˈiːvnɪŋz wɜːr stɪl ˈprɪti ʃɑːrp ənd ðə oʊld haʊs let ɪn ðə tʃɪl blæsts æz oʊld ˈhaʊsəz ɑːr ɪn ðə ˈhæbət ʌv ˈduːɪŋ/
Line 4
She was sitting at her table, with a little trunk open before her.
/ʃiː wɑːz ˈsɪtɪŋ æt hɜːr ˈteɪbəl wɪð ə ˈlɪtəl trʌŋk ˈoʊ.pən bɪˈfɔːr hɜːr/
Line 5
She had taken some papers from it, which she was looking over, when a knock at her door announced a visitor, and Master Byles Gridley entered the parlor.

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.

blasts noun US /blæsts/

plural of “blast” — a very long fly ball

From this reading “The entry stove warmed it but imperfectly, and she looked pinched and cold, for the evenings were still pretty sharp, and the old house let in the chill blasts, as old houses are in the habit of doing.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
cynthia noun US /ˈsɪnθiə/

(Greek mythology) the virgin goddess of the hunt and the Moon; daughter of Leto and twin sister of Apollo; identified with Roman Diana

From this reading “MASTER BYLES GRIDLEY CALLS ON MISS CYNTHIA BADLAM.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
entry noun US /ˈentri/

an item inserted in a written record

From this reading “The entry stove warmed it but imperfectly, and she looked pinched and cold, for the evenings were still pretty sharp, and the old house let in the chill blasts, as old houses are in the habit of doing.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
evenings noun US /ˈiːvnɪŋz/

plural of “evening” — the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)

From this reading “The entry stove warmed it but imperfectly, and she looked pinched and cold, for the evenings were still pretty sharp, and the old house let in the chill blasts, as old houses are in the habit of doing.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
imperfectly adverb US /ˌɪmˈpɜːrfɪktli/

in an imperfect or faulty way

From this reading “The entry stove warmed it but imperfectly, and she looked pinched and cold, for the evenings were still pretty sharp, and the old house let in the chill blasts, as old houses are in the habit of doing.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
pinched adjective US /pɪntʃt/

sounding as if the nose were pinched

From this reading “The entry stove warmed it but imperfectly, and she looked pinched and cold, for the evenings were still pretty sharp, and the old house let in the chill blasts, as old houses are in the habit of doing.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
residences noun US /ˈrezɪdənsɪz/

plural of “residence” — any address at which you dwell more than temporarily

From this reading “MISS Cynthia Badlam was seated in a small parlor which she was accustomed to consider her own during her long residences at The Poplars.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
warmed adjective US /wɔːrmd/

having been warmed up

From this reading “The entry stove warmed it but imperfectly, and she looked pinched and cold, for the evenings were still pretty sharp, and the old house let in the chill blasts, as old houses are in the habit of doing.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

All words in this reading · 74

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 MISS Cynthia Badlam was seated in a small parlor which she was accustomed to consider her own during her long residences at The Poplars.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
accustomedadjectiveUS /əˈkʌstəmd/

commonly used or practiced; usual

From this reading MISS Cynthia Badlam was seated in a small parlor which she was accustomed to consider her own during her long residences at The Poplars.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading The entry stove warmed it but imperfectly, and she looked pinched and cold, for the evenings were still pretty sharp, and the old house let in the chill blasts, as old houses are in the habit of doing.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
announcedadjectiveUS /əˈnaʊnst/

declared publicly; made widely known

From this reading She had taken some papers from it, which she was looking over, when a knock at her door announced a visitor, and Master Byles Gridley entered the parlor.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading The entry stove warmed it but imperfectly, and she looked pinched and cold, for the evenings were still pretty sharp, and the old house let in the chill blasts, as old houses are in the habit of doing.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading The entry stove warmed it but imperfectly, and she looked pinched and cold, for the evenings were still pretty sharp, and the old house let in the chill blasts, as old houses are in the habit of doing.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading MISS Cynthia Badlam was seated in a small parlor which she was accustomed to consider her own during her long residences at The Poplars.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
BADLAM

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

From this reading MASTER BYLES GRIDLEY CALLS ON MISS CYNTHIA BADLAM.

Pending verification
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading She was sitting at her table, with a little trunk open before her.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
blastsnounUS /blæsts/

plural of “blast” — a very long fly ball

From this reading The entry stove warmed it but imperfectly, and she looked pinched and cold, for the evenings were still pretty sharp, and the old house let in the chill blasts, as old houses are in the habit of doing.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading The entry stove warmed it but imperfectly, and she looked pinched and cold, for the evenings were still pretty sharp, and the old house let in the chill blasts, as old houses are in the habit of doing.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
BYLES

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

From this reading MASTER BYLES GRIDLEY CALLS ON MISS CYNTHIA BADLAM.

Pending verification
CALLSnounUS /kɔːlz/

plural of “call” — a telephone connection

From this reading MASTER BYLES GRIDLEY CALLS ON MISS CYNTHIA BADLAM.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
chillnounUS /tʃɪl/

coldness due to a cold environment

From this reading The entry stove warmed it but imperfectly, and she looked pinched and cold, for the evenings were still pretty sharp, and the old house let in the chill blasts, as old houses are in the habit of doing.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
coldadjectiveUS /koʊld/

having a low or inadequate temperature or feeling a sensation of coldness or having been made cold by e.g. ice or refrigeration

From this reading The entry stove warmed it but imperfectly, and she looked pinched and cold, for the evenings were still pretty sharp, and the old house let in the chill blasts, as old houses are in the habit of doing.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
considerverbUS /kənˈsɪdər/

deem to be

From this reading MISS Cynthia Badlam was seated in a small parlor which she was accustomed to consider her own during her long residences at The Poplars.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
CYNTHIAnounUS /ˈsɪnθiə/

(Greek mythology) the virgin goddess of the hunt and the Moon; daughter of Leto and twin sister of Apollo; identified with Roman Diana

From this reading MASTER BYLES GRIDLEY CALLS ON MISS CYNTHIA BADLAM.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
doingverbUS /ˈduːɪŋ/

-ing form of “do” — engage in

From this reading The entry stove warmed it but imperfectly, and she looked pinched and cold, for the evenings were still pretty sharp, and the old house let in the chill blasts, as old houses are in the habit of doing.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
doornounUS /dɔːr/

a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle

From this reading She had taken some papers from it, which she was looking over, when a knock at her door announced a visitor, and Master Byles Gridley entered the parlor.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
duringprepositionUS /ˈdʊrɪŋ/

all through a period, or at some point within it

From this reading MISS Cynthia Badlam was seated in a small parlor which she was accustomed to consider her own during her long residences at The Poplars.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
enteredverbUS /ˈentərd/

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

From this reading She had taken some papers from it, which she was looking over, when a knock at her door announced a visitor, and Master Byles Gridley entered the parlor.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
entrynounUS /ˈentri/

an item inserted in a written record

From this reading The entry stove warmed it but imperfectly, and she looked pinched and cold, for the evenings were still pretty sharp, and the old house let in the chill blasts, as old houses are in the habit of doing.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
eveningsnounUS /ˈiːvnɪŋz/

plural of “evening” — the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)

From this reading The entry stove warmed it but imperfectly, and she looked pinched and cold, for the evenings were still pretty sharp, and the old house let in the chill blasts, as old houses are in the habit of doing.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading The entry stove warmed it but imperfectly, and she looked pinched and cold, for the evenings were still pretty sharp, and the old house let in the chill blasts, as old houses are in the habit of doing.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading She had taken some papers from it, which she was looking over, when a knock at her door announced a visitor, and Master Byles Gridley entered the parlor.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
GRIDLEY

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

From this reading MASTER BYLES GRIDLEY CALLS ON MISS CYNTHIA BADLAM.

Pending verification
habitnounUS /ˈhæbət/

an established custom

From this reading The entry stove warmed it but imperfectly, and she looked pinched and cold, for the evenings were still pretty sharp, and the old house let in the chill blasts, as old houses are in the habit of doing.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading She had taken some papers from it, which she was looking over, when a knock at her door announced a visitor, and Master Byles Gridley entered the parlor.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading MISS Cynthia Badlam was seated in a small parlor which she was accustomed to consider her own during her long residences at The Poplars.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
housenounUS /haʊs/

a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading The entry stove warmed it but imperfectly, and she looked pinched and cold, for the evenings were still pretty sharp, and the old house let in the chill blasts, as old houses are in the habit of doing.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
housesnounUS /ˈhaʊsəz/

plural of “house” — a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading The entry stove warmed it but imperfectly, and she looked pinched and cold, for the evenings were still pretty sharp, and the old house let in the chill blasts, as old houses are in the habit of doing.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
imperfectlyadverbUS /ˌɪmˈpɜːrfɪktli/

in an imperfect or faulty way

From this reading The entry stove warmed it but imperfectly, and she looked pinched and cold, for the evenings were still pretty sharp, and the old house let in the chill blasts, as old houses are in the habit of doing.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading MISS Cynthia Badlam was seated in a small parlor which she was accustomed to consider her own during her long residences at The Poplars.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading The entry stove warmed it but imperfectly, and she looked pinched and cold, for the evenings were still pretty sharp, and the old house let in the chill blasts, as old houses are in the habit of doing.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
knockverbUS /nɑːk/

deliver a sharp blow or push

From this reading She had taken some papers from it, which she was looking over, when a knock at her door announced a visitor, and Master Byles Gridley entered the parlor.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
letauxiliary verbUS /let/

used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker

From this reading The entry stove warmed it but imperfectly, and she looked pinched and cold, for the evenings were still pretty sharp, and the old house let in the chill blasts, as old houses are in the habit of doing.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading She was sitting at her table, with a little trunk open before her.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
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 MISS Cynthia Badlam was seated in a small parlor which she was accustomed to consider her own during her long residences at The Poplars.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
lookedverbUS /lʊkt/

past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading The entry stove warmed it but imperfectly, and she looked pinched and cold, for the evenings were still pretty sharp, and the old house let in the chill blasts, as old houses are in the habit of doing.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
lookingnounUS /ˈlʊkɪŋ/

the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually

From this reading She had taken some papers from it, which she was looking over, when a knock at her door announced a visitor, and Master Byles Gridley entered the parlor.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
MASTERnounUS /ˈmæstər/

an artist of consummate skill

From this reading MASTER BYLES GRIDLEY CALLS ON MISS CYNTHIA BADLAM.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
MISSverbUS /mɪs/

fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind

From this reading MASTER BYLES GRIDLEY CALLS ON MISS CYNTHIA BADLAM.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The entry stove warmed it but imperfectly, and she looked pinched and cold, for the evenings were still pretty sharp, and the old house let in the chill blasts, as old houses are in the habit of doing.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
oldadjectiveUS /oʊld/

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading The entry stove warmed it but imperfectly, and she looked pinched and cold, for the evenings were still pretty sharp, and the old house let in the chill blasts, as old houses are in the habit of doing.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ONprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading MASTER BYLES GRIDLEY CALLS ON MISS CYNTHIA BADLAM.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/

To move from a closed position.

From this reading She was sitting at her table, with a little trunk open before her.

Velmora curated lexicon
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading She had taken some papers from it, which she was looking over, when a knock at her door announced a visitor, and Master Byles Gridley entered the parlor.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ownverbUS /oʊn/

have ownership or possession of

From this reading MISS Cynthia Badlam was seated in a small parlor which she was accustomed to consider her own during her long residences at The Poplars.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
papersnounUS /ˈpeɪpərz/

writing that provides information (especially information of an official nature)

From this reading She had taken some papers from it, which she was looking over, when a knock at her door announced a visitor, and Master Byles Gridley entered the parlor.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
parlornounUS /ˈpɑːrlər/

reception room in an inn or club where visitors can be received

From this reading MISS Cynthia Badlam was seated in a small parlor which she was accustomed to consider her own during her long residences at The Poplars.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
pinchedadjectiveUS /pɪntʃt/

sounding as if the nose were pinched

From this reading The entry stove warmed it but imperfectly, and she looked pinched and cold, for the evenings were still pretty sharp, and the old house let in the chill blasts, as old houses are in the habit of doing.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Poplars

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

From this reading MISS Cynthia Badlam was seated in a small parlor which she was accustomed to consider her own during her long residences at The Poplars.

Pending verification
prettyadjectiveUS /ˈprɪti/

pleasing by delicacy or grace; not imposing

From this reading The entry stove warmed it but imperfectly, and she looked pinched and cold, for the evenings were still pretty sharp, and the old house let in the chill blasts, as old houses are in the habit of doing.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
residencesnounUS /ˈrezɪdənsɪz/

plural of “residence” — any address at which you dwell more than temporarily

From this reading MISS Cynthia Badlam was seated in a small parlor which she was accustomed to consider her own during her long residences at The Poplars.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
seatedadjectiveUS /ˈsiːtɪd/

(of persons) having the torso erect and legs bent with the body supported on the buttocks

From this reading MISS Cynthia Badlam was seated in a small parlor which she was accustomed to consider her own during her long residences at The Poplars.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sharpadjectiveUS /ʃɑːrp/

(of something seen or heard) clearly defined

From this reading The entry stove warmed it but imperfectly, and she looked pinched and cold, for the evenings were still pretty sharp, and the old house let in the chill blasts, as old houses are in the habit of doing.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading MISS Cynthia Badlam was seated in a small parlor which she was accustomed to consider her own during her long residences at The Poplars.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
sittingnounUS /ˈsɪtɪŋ/

(photography) the act of assuming a certain position (as for a photograph or portrait)

From this reading She was sitting at her table, with a little trunk open before her.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
smalladjectiveUS /smɔːl/

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading MISS Cynthia Badlam was seated in a small parlor which she was accustomed to consider her own during her long residences at The Poplars.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
someadjectiveUS /sʌm/

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading She had taken some papers from it, which she was looking over, when a knock at her door announced a visitor, and Master Byles Gridley entered the parlor.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
stilladjectiveUS /stɪl/

not in physical motion

From this reading The entry stove warmed it but imperfectly, and she looked pinched and cold, for the evenings were still pretty sharp, and the old house let in the chill blasts, as old houses are in the habit of doing.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
stovenounUS /stoʊv/

a kitchen appliance used for cooking food

From this reading The entry stove warmed it but imperfectly, and she looked pinched and cold, for the evenings were still pretty sharp, and the old house let in the chill blasts, as old houses are in the habit of doing.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
tablenounUS /ˈteɪbəl/

a set of data arranged in rows and columns

From this reading She was sitting at her table, with a little trunk open before her.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/

understood in a certain way; made sense of

From this reading She had taken some papers from it, which she was looking over, when a knock at her door announced a visitor, and Master Byles Gridley entered the parlor.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading MISS Cynthia Badlam was seated in a small parlor which she was accustomed to consider her own during her long residences at The Poplars.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading MISS Cynthia Badlam was seated in a small parlor which she was accustomed to consider her own during her long residences at The Poplars.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
trunknounUS /trʌŋk/

the main stem of a tree; usually covered with bark; the bole is usually the part that is commercially useful for lumber

From this reading She was sitting at her table, with a little trunk open before her.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
visitornounUS /ˈvɪzɪtər/

someone who visits

From this reading She had taken some papers from it, which she was looking over, when a knock at her door announced a visitor, and Master Byles Gridley entered the parlor.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
warmedadjectiveUS /wɔːrmd/

having been warmed up

From this reading The entry stove warmed it but imperfectly, and she looked pinched and cold, for the evenings were still pretty sharp, and the old house let in the chill blasts, as old houses are in the habit of doing.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading MISS Cynthia Badlam was seated in a small parlor which she was accustomed to consider her own during her long residences at The Poplars.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading The entry stove warmed it but imperfectly, and she looked pinched and cold, for the evenings were still pretty sharp, and the old house let in the chill blasts, as old houses are in the habit of doing.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading She had taken some papers from it, which she was looking over, when a knock at her door announced a visitor, and Master Byles Gridley entered the parlor.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading MISS Cynthia Badlam was seated in a small parlor which she was accustomed to consider her own during her long residences at The Poplars.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading She was sitting at her table, with a little trunk open before her.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary

Chapter 27 of Complete Project Gutenberg Oliver Wendell by Oliver Wendell Holmes holds 409 sentences, grouped into 82 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, 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 27 of Complete Project Gutenberg Oliver Wendell contain?

Chapter 27 holds 409 sentences of Complete Project Gutenberg Oliver Wendell, unabridged, divided into 82 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 27 of Complete Project Gutenberg Oliver Wendell by Oliver Wendell Holmes exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 409 sentences, grouped into 82 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 27 of Complete Project Gutenberg Oliver Wendell?

Work through the 82 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 82 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 27 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 27 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 Complete Project Gutenberg Oliver Wendell

Common questions about reading Complete Project Gutenberg Oliver Wendell by Oliver Wendell Holmes on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Complete Project Gutenberg Oliver Wendell?

Yes. All 48676 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #3252 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Complete Project Gutenberg Oliver Wendell is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #3252, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Complete Project Gutenberg Oliver Wendell take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 9736 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Complete Project Gutenberg Oliver Wendell section by section

How to work through Complete Project Gutenberg Oliver Wendell section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 40 chapters of Complete Project Gutenberg Oliver Wendell 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 Complete Project Gutenberg Oliver Wendell

Words and structures a reader meets early in Complete Project Gutenberg Oliver Wendell, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Going
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Complete Project Gutenberg Oliver Wendell; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Interrupted
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Complete Project Gutenberg Oliver Wendell; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Classifying
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Complete Project Gutenberg Oliver Wendell; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Minds
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Complete Project Gutenberg Oliver Wendell; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.