Chapter 31 of Dainty's Cruel Rivals is here in full — 52 sentences across 11 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XXXI
Chapter 31 of Dainty's Cruel Rivals is here in full — 52 sentences across 11 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
LOST! LOST! LOST! "Stop! stranger; may I speak with you?-- Ah, yes, you needn't fear-- While I whisper through the grating, I wouldn't have them hear. These jailers, if a body But chance to speak her name, They roll their eyes so savage, As if they meant to tame Some wild beast, and they scare me.
Chapter 31 of Dainty's Cruel Rivals is here in full — 52 sentences across 11 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/10 · 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.
a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading “These jailers, if a body But chance to speak her name, They roll their eyes so savage, As if they meant to tame Some wild beast, and they scare me.”
a barrier that has parallel or crossed bars blocking a passage but admitting air
From this reading “"Stop! stranger; may I speak with you?-- Ah, yes, you needn't fear-- While I whisper through the grating, I wouldn't have them hear.”
plural of “jailer” — someone who guards prisoners
From this reading “These jailers, if a body But chance to speak her name, They roll their eyes so savage, As if they meant to tame Some wild beast, and they scare me.”
move by turning over or rotating
From this reading “These jailers, if a body But chance to speak her name, They roll their eyes so savage, As if they meant to tame Some wild beast, and they scare me.”
(of persons or their actions) able or disposed to inflict pain or suffering
From this reading “These jailers, if a body But chance to speak her name, They roll their eyes so savage, As if they meant to tame Some wild beast, and they scare me.”
cause fear in
From this reading “These jailers, if a body But chance to speak her name, They roll their eyes so savage, As if they meant to tame Some wild beast, and they scare me.”
correct by punishment or discipline
From this reading “These jailers, if a body But chance to speak her name, They roll their eyes so savage, As if they meant to tame Some wild beast, and they scare me.”
speaking softly without vibration of the vocal cords
From this reading “"Stop! stranger; may I speak with you?-- Ah, yes, you needn't fear-- While I whisper through the grating, I wouldn't have them hear.”
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.
In this reading “These jailers, if a body But chance to speak her name, They roll their eyes so savage, As if they meant to tame Some wild beast, and they scare me.”
In this reading “"Stop! stranger; may I speak with you?-- Ah, yes, you needn't fear-- While I whisper through the grating, I wouldn't have them hear.”
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 These jailers, if a body But chance to speak her name, They roll their eyes so savage, As if they meant to tame Some wild beast, and they scare me.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Stop! stranger; may I speak with you?-- Ah, yes, you needn't fear-- While I whisper through the grating, I wouldn't have them hear.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading These jailers, if a body But chance to speak her name, They roll their eyes so savage, As if they meant to tame Some wild beast, and they scare me.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading These jailers, if a body But chance to speak her name, They roll their eyes so savage, As if they meant to tame Some wild beast, and they scare me.
a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading These jailers, if a body But chance to speak her name, They roll their eyes so savage, As if they meant to tame Some wild beast, and they scare me.
the entire physical structure of an organism (an animal, plant, or human being)
From this reading These jailers, if a body But chance to speak her name, They roll their eyes so savage, As if they meant to tame Some wild beast, and they scare me.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading These jailers, if a body But chance to speak her name, They roll their eyes so savage, As if they meant to tame Some wild beast, and they scare me.
a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances
From this reading These jailers, if a body But chance to speak her name, They roll their eyes so savage, As if they meant to tame Some wild beast, and they scare me.
opinion or judgment
From this reading These jailers, if a body But chance to speak her name, They roll their eyes so savage, As if they meant to tame Some wild beast, and they scare me.
be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event
From this reading "Stop! stranger; may I speak with you?-- Ah, yes, you needn't fear-- While I whisper through the grating, I wouldn't have them hear.
a barrier that has parallel or crossed bars blocking a passage but admitting air
From this reading "Stop! stranger; may I speak with you?-- Ah, yes, you needn't fear-- While I whisper through the grating, I wouldn't have them hear.
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading "Stop! stranger; may I speak with you?-- Ah, yes, you needn't fear-- While I whisper through the grating, I wouldn't have them hear.
perceive (sound) via the auditory sense
From this reading "Stop! stranger; may I speak with you?-- Ah, yes, you needn't fear-- While I whisper through the grating, I wouldn't have them hear.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading These jailers, if a body But chance to speak her name, They roll their eyes so savage, As if they meant to tame Some wild beast, and they scare me.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "Stop! stranger; may I speak with you?-- Ah, yes, you needn't fear-- While I whisper through the grating, I wouldn't have them hear.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading These jailers, if a body But chance to speak her name, They roll their eyes so savage, As if they meant to tame Some wild beast, and they scare me.
plural of “jailer” — someone who guards prisoners
From this reading These jailers, if a body But chance to speak her name, They roll their eyes so savage, As if they meant to tame Some wild beast, and they scare me.
no longer in your possession or control; unable to be found or recovered
From this reading LOST!
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading "Stop! stranger; may I speak with you?-- Ah, yes, you needn't fear-- While I whisper through the grating, I wouldn't have them hear.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading These jailers, if a body But chance to speak her name, They roll their eyes so savage, As if they meant to tame Some wild beast, and they scare me.
inflected form of “mean” — mean or intend to express or convey
From this reading These jailers, if a body But chance to speak her name, They roll their eyes so savage, As if they meant to tame Some wild beast, and they scare me.
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading These jailers, if a body But chance to speak her name, They roll their eyes so savage, As if they meant to tame Some wild beast, and they scare me.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Stop! stranger; may I speak with you?-- Ah, yes, you needn't fear-- While I whisper through the grating, I wouldn't have them hear.
move by turning over or rotating
From this reading These jailers, if a body But chance to speak her name, They roll their eyes so savage, As if they meant to tame Some wild beast, and they scare me.
(of persons or their actions) able or disposed to inflict pain or suffering
From this reading These jailers, if a body But chance to speak her name, They roll their eyes so savage, As if they meant to tame Some wild beast, and they scare me.
cause fear in
From this reading These jailers, if a body But chance to speak her name, They roll their eyes so savage, As if they meant to tame Some wild beast, and they scare me.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading These jailers, if a body But chance to speak her name, They roll their eyes so savage, As if they meant to tame Some wild beast, and they scare me.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading These jailers, if a body But chance to speak her name, They roll their eyes so savage, As if they meant to tame Some wild beast, and they scare me.
express in speech
From this reading "Stop! stranger; may I speak with you?-- Ah, yes, you needn't fear-- While I whisper through the grating, I wouldn't have them hear.
come to a halt, stop moving
From this reading "Stop! stranger; may I speak with you?-- Ah, yes, you needn't fear-- While I whisper through the grating, I wouldn't have them hear.
anyone who does not belong in the environment in which they are found
From this reading "Stop! stranger; may I speak with you?-- Ah, yes, you needn't fear-- While I whisper through the grating, I wouldn't have them hear.
correct by punishment or discipline
From this reading These jailers, if a body But chance to speak her name, They roll their eyes so savage, As if they meant to tame Some wild beast, and they scare me.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "Stop! stranger; may I speak with you?-- Ah, yes, you needn't fear-- While I whisper through the grating, I wouldn't have them hear.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading These jailers, if a body But chance to speak her name, They roll their eyes so savage, As if they meant to tame Some wild beast, and they scare me.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading "Stop! stranger; may I speak with you?-- Ah, yes, you needn't fear-- While I whisper through the grating, I wouldn't have them hear.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading These jailers, if a body But chance to speak her name, They roll their eyes so savage, As if they meant to tame Some wild beast, and they scare me.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading These jailers, if a body But chance to speak her name, They roll their eyes so savage, As if they meant to tame Some wild beast, and they scare me.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading "Stop! stranger; may I speak with you?-- Ah, yes, you needn't fear-- While I whisper through the grating, I wouldn't have them hear.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading These jailers, if a body But chance to speak her name, They roll their eyes so savage, As if they meant to tame Some wild beast, and they scare me.
during the time that
From this reading "Stop! stranger; may I speak with you?-- Ah, yes, you needn't fear-- While I whisper through the grating, I wouldn't have them hear.
speaking softly without vibration of the vocal cords
From this reading "Stop! stranger; may I speak with you?-- Ah, yes, you needn't fear-- While I whisper through the grating, I wouldn't have them hear.
marked by extreme lack of restraint or control
From this reading These jailers, if a body But chance to speak her name, They roll their eyes so savage, As if they meant to tame Some wild beast, and they scare me.
in the company of; together with
From this reading "Stop! stranger; may I speak with you?-- Ah, yes, you needn't fear-- While I whisper through the grating, I wouldn't have them hear.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Stop! stranger; may I speak with you?-- Ah, yes, you needn't fear-- While I whisper through the grating, I wouldn't have them hear.
an affirmative
From this reading "Stop! stranger; may I speak with you?-- Ah, yes, you needn't fear-- While I whisper through the grating, I wouldn't have them hear.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Stop! stranger; may I speak with you?-- Ah, yes, you needn't fear-- While I whisper through the grating, I wouldn't have them hear.
Chapter 31 of Dainty's Cruel Rivals by Alex. McVeigh, Mrs. Miller holds 52 sentences, grouped into 11 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.
Chapter 31 holds 52 sentences of Dainty's Cruel Rivals, unabridged, divided into 11 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 31 of Dainty's Cruel Rivals by Alex. McVeigh, Mrs. Miller exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 52 sentences, grouped into 11 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 11 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 11 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 31 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 Dainty's Cruel Rivals by Alex. McVeigh, Mrs. Miller on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 2450 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #31257 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #31257, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 204 minutes of reading across 490 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Dainty's Cruel Rivals section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 40 chapters of Dainty's Cruel Rivals 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 Dainty's Cruel Rivals, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
