Chapter 4 of Cynthia's Revels is here in full — 405 sentences across 81 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
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Chapter IV
Chapter 4 of Cynthia's Revels is here in full — 405 sentences across 81 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
PHA. Yes, faith; the other was so near the common, it had no extraordinary grace; besides, I had worn it almost a day, in good troth. PHI. I'll be sworn, this is most excellent for the device, and rare; 'tis after the Italian print we look'd on t'other night. PHA.
Chapter 4 of Cynthia's Revels is here in full — 405 sentences across 81 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/81 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.
an instrumentality invented for a particular purpose
From this reading “I'll be sworn, this is most excellent for the device, and rare; 'tis after the Italian print we look'd on t'other night.”
a native or inhabitant of Italy
From this reading “I'll be sworn, this is most excellent for the device, and rare; 'tis after the Italian print we look'd on t'other night.”
the 21st letter of the Greek alphabet
From this reading “PHI.”
the text appearing in a book, newspaper, or other printed publication
From this reading “I'll be sworn, this is most excellent for the device, and rare; 'tis after the Italian print we look'd on t'other night.”
not widely known; especially valued for its uncommonness
From this reading “I'll be sworn, this is most excellent for the device, and rare; 'tis after the Italian print we look'd on t'other night.”
bound by or as if by an oath
From this reading “I'll be sworn, this is most excellent for the device, and rare; 'tis after the Italian print we look'd on t'other night.”
a mutual promise to marry
From this reading “Yes, faith; the other was so near the common, it had no extraordinary grace; besides, I had worn it almost a day, in good troth.”
Damaged or thinned by continuous use.
From this reading “Yes, faith; the other was so near the common, it had no extraordinary grace; besides, I had worn it almost a day, in good troth.”
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.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Yes, faith; the other was so near the common, it had no extraordinary grace; besides, I had worn it almost a day, in good troth.
later than; following
From this reading I'll be sworn, this is most excellent for the device, and rare; 'tis after the Italian print we look'd on t'other night.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading Yes, faith; the other was so near the common, it had no extraordinary grace; besides, I had worn it almost a day, in good troth.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading I'll be sworn, this is most excellent for the device, and rare; 'tis after the Italian print we look'd on t'other night.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading I'll be sworn, this is most excellent for the device, and rare; 'tis after the Italian print we look'd on t'other night.
in addition to; as well as
From this reading Yes, faith; the other was so near the common, it had no extraordinary grace; besides, I had worn it almost a day, in good troth.
belonging to or participated in by a community as a whole; public
From this reading Yes, faith; the other was so near the common, it had no extraordinary grace; besides, I had worn it almost a day, in good troth.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading Yes, faith; the other was so near the common, it had no extraordinary grace; besides, I had worn it almost a day, in good troth.
an instrumentality invented for a particular purpose
From this reading I'll be sworn, this is most excellent for the device, and rare; 'tis after the Italian print we look'd on t'other night.
very good; of the highest quality
From this reading I'll be sworn, this is most excellent for the device, and rare; 'tis after the Italian print we look'd on t'other night.
beyond what is ordinary or usual; highly unusual or exceptional or remarkable
From this reading Yes, faith; the other was so near the common, it had no extraordinary grace; besides, I had worn it almost a day, in good troth.
a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny
From this reading Yes, faith; the other was so near the common, it had no extraordinary grace; besides, I had worn it almost a day, in good troth.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading I'll be sworn, this is most excellent for the device, and rare; 'tis after the Italian print we look'd on t'other night.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading Yes, faith; the other was so near the common, it had no extraordinary grace; besides, I had worn it almost a day, in good troth.
(Christian theology) a state of sanctification by God; the state of one who is under such divine influence
From this reading Yes, faith; the other was so near the common, it had no extraordinary grace; besides, I had worn it almost a day, in good troth.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Yes, faith; the other was so near the common, it had no extraordinary grace; besides, I had worn it almost a day, in good troth.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading Yes, faith; the other was so near the common, it had no extraordinary grace; besides, I had worn it almost a day, in good troth.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I'll be sworn, this is most excellent for the device, and rare; 'tis after the Italian print we look'd on t'other night.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Yes, faith; the other was so near the common, it had no extraordinary grace; besides, I had worn it almost a day, in good troth.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading I'll be sworn, this is most excellent for the device, and rare; 'tis after the Italian print we look'd on t'other night.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Yes, faith; the other was so near the common, it had no extraordinary grace; besides, I had worn it almost a day, in good troth.
a native or inhabitant of Italy
From this reading I'll be sworn, this is most excellent for the device, and rare; 'tis after the Italian print we look'd on t'other night.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I'll be sworn, this is most excellent for the device, and rare; 'tis after the Italian print we look'd on t'other night.
used to form the superlative
From this reading I'll be sworn, this is most excellent for the device, and rare; 'tis after the Italian print we look'd on t'other night.
near in time or place or relationship
From this reading Yes, faith; the other was so near the common, it had no extraordinary grace; besides, I had worn it almost a day, in good troth.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading I'll be sworn, this is most excellent for the device, and rare; 'tis after the Italian print we look'd on t'other night.
not any; not one
From this reading Yes, faith; the other was so near the common, it had no extraordinary grace; besides, I had worn it almost a day, in good troth.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading I'll be sworn, this is most excellent for the device, and rare; 'tis after the Italian print we look'd on t'other night.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading Yes, faith; the other was so near the common, it had no extraordinary grace; besides, I had worn it almost a day, in good troth.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading PHA.
the 21st letter of the Greek alphabet
From this reading PHI.
the text appearing in a book, newspaper, or other printed publication
From this reading I'll be sworn, this is most excellent for the device, and rare; 'tis after the Italian print we look'd on t'other night.
not widely known; especially valued for its uncommonness
From this reading I'll be sworn, this is most excellent for the device, and rare; 'tis after the Italian print we look'd on t'other night.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Yes, faith; the other was so near the common, it had no extraordinary grace; besides, I had worn it almost a day, in good troth.
bound by or as if by an oath
From this reading I'll be sworn, this is most excellent for the device, and rare; 'tis after the Italian print we look'd on t'other night.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I'll be sworn, this is most excellent for the device, and rare; 'tis after the Italian print we look'd on t'other night.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Yes, faith; the other was so near the common, it had no extraordinary grace; besides, I had worn it almost a day, in good troth.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading I'll be sworn, this is most excellent for the device, and rare; 'tis after the Italian print we look'd on t'other night.
plural of “ti” — a light strong grey lustrous corrosion-resistant metallic element used in strong lightweight alloys (as for airplane parts); the main sources are rutile and ilmenite
From this reading I'll be sworn, this is most excellent for the device, and rare; 'tis after the Italian print we look'd on t'other night.
a mutual promise to marry
From this reading Yes, faith; the other was so near the common, it had no extraordinary grace; besides, I had worn it almost a day, in good troth.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Yes, faith; the other was so near the common, it had no extraordinary grace; besides, I had worn it almost a day, in good troth.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading I'll be sworn, this is most excellent for the device, and rare; 'tis after the Italian print we look'd on t'other night.
Damaged or thinned by continuous use.
From this reading Yes, faith; the other was so near the common, it had no extraordinary grace; besides, I had worn it almost a day, in good troth.
an affirmative
From this reading Yes, faith; the other was so near the common, it had no extraordinary grace; besides, I had worn it almost a day, in good troth.
Chapter 4 of Cynthia's Revels by Ben Jonson holds 405 sentences, grouped into 81 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.
Chapter 4 holds 405 sentences of Cynthia's Revels, unabridged, divided into 81 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 4 of Cynthia's Revels by Ben Jonson exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 405 sentences, grouped into 81 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.
Work through the 81 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 81 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 4 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.
Common questions about reading Cynthia's Revels by Ben Jonson on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 4811 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #3771 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #3771, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 400 minutes of reading across 963 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Cynthia's Revels section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 12 chapters of Cynthia's Revels to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in Cynthia's Revels, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
