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Dombey and Son
Dombey and Son

Chapter XXXIX · Chapter 39

Chapter 39 of Dombey and Son is here in full — 402 sentences across 81 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Dombey and Son
Context Illustration Reading 1/80 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Relenting Florence had need of help.
Her father’s need of it was sore, and made the aid of her old friend invaluable.
Death stood at his pillow.
A shade, already, of what he had been, shattered in mind, and perilously sick in body, he laid his weary head down on the bed his daughter’s hands prepared for him, and had never raised it since.
She was always with him.
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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.

Dombey and Son

Chapter XXXIX · Chapter 39

Chapter 39 of Dombey and Son is here in full — 402 sentences across 81 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/80 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Relenting Florence had need of help.
Line 2
Her father’s need of it was sore, and made the aid of her old friend invaluable.
Line 3
Death stood at his pillow.
Line 4
A shade, already, of what he had been, shattered in mind, and perilously sick in body, he laid his weary head down on the bed his daughter’s hands prepared for him, and had never raised it since.
Line 5
She was always with him.

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.

Mind noun US /maɪnd/

The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.

From this reading “A shade, already, of what he had been, shattered in mind, and perilously sick in body, he laid his weary head down on the bed his daughter’s hands prepared for him, and had never raised it since.”

Stood verb US /stʊd/

Maintained an upright posture.

From this reading “Death stood at his pillow.”

All words in this reading · 52

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.

A

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

From this reading A shade, already, of what he had been, shattered in mind, and perilously sick in body, he laid his weary head down on the bed his daughter’s hands prepared for him, and had never raised it since.

aid

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

From this reading Her father’s need of it was sore, and made the aid of her old friend invaluable.

already

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

From this reading A shade, already, of what he had been, shattered in mind, and perilously sick in body, he laid his weary head down on the bed his daughter’s hands prepared for him, and had never raised it since.

always

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

From this reading She was always with him.

and

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

From this reading Her father’s need of it was sore, and made the aid of her old friend invaluable.

at

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

From this reading Death stood at his pillow.

bed

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

From this reading A shade, already, of what he had been, shattered in mind, and perilously sick in body, he laid his weary head down on the bed his daughter’s hands prepared for him, and had never raised it since.

been

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

From this reading A shade, already, of what he had been, shattered in mind, and perilously sick in body, he laid his weary head down on the bed his daughter’s hands prepared for him, and had never raised it since.

body

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

From this reading A shade, already, of what he had been, shattered in mind, and perilously sick in body, he laid his weary head down on the bed his daughter’s hands prepared for him, and had never raised it since.

daughter's

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

From this reading A shade, already, of what he had been, shattered in mind, and perilously sick in body, he laid his weary head down on the bed his daughter’s hands prepared for him, and had never raised it since.

Death

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

From this reading Death stood at his pillow.

down

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

From this reading A shade, already, of what he had been, shattered in mind, and perilously sick in body, he laid his weary head down on the bed his daughter’s hands prepared for him, and had never raised it since.

father's

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

From this reading Her father’s need of it was sore, and made the aid of her old friend invaluable.

Florence

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

From this reading Relenting Florence had need of help.

for

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

From this reading A shade, already, of what he had been, shattered in mind, and perilously sick in body, he laid his weary head down on the bed his daughter’s hands prepared for him, and had never raised it since.

friend

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

From this reading Her father’s need of it was sore, and made the aid of her old friend invaluable.

had

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

From this reading Relenting Florence had need of help.

hands

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

From this reading A shade, already, of what he had been, shattered in mind, and perilously sick in body, he laid his weary head down on the bed his daughter’s hands prepared for him, and had never raised it since.

he

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

From this reading A shade, already, of what he had been, shattered in mind, and perilously sick in body, he laid his weary head down on the bed his daughter’s hands prepared for him, and had never raised it since.

head

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

From this reading A shade, already, of what he had been, shattered in mind, and perilously sick in body, he laid his weary head down on the bed his daughter’s hands prepared for him, and had never raised it since.

help

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

From this reading Relenting Florence had need of help.

Her

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

From this reading Her father’s need of it was sore, and made the aid of her old friend invaluable.

him

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

From this reading A shade, already, of what he had been, shattered in mind, and perilously sick in body, he laid his weary head down on the bed his daughter’s hands prepared for him, and had never raised it since.

his

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

From this reading Death stood at his pillow.

in

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

From this reading A shade, already, of what he had been, shattered in mind, and perilously sick in body, he laid his weary head down on the bed his daughter’s hands prepared for him, and had never raised it since.

invaluable

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

From this reading Her father’s need of it was sore, and made the aid of her old friend invaluable.

it

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

From this reading Her father’s need of it was sore, and made the aid of her old friend invaluable.

laid

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

From this reading A shade, already, of what he had been, shattered in mind, and perilously sick in body, he laid his weary head down on the bed his daughter’s hands prepared for him, and had never raised it since.

made

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

From this reading Her father’s need of it was sore, and made the aid of her old friend invaluable.

mindnounUS /maɪnd/

The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.

From this reading A shade, already, of what he had been, shattered in mind, and perilously sick in body, he laid his weary head down on the bed his daughter’s hands prepared for him, and had never raised it since.

need

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

From this reading Relenting Florence had need of help.

never

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

From this reading A shade, already, of what he had been, shattered in mind, and perilously sick in body, he laid his weary head down on the bed his daughter’s hands prepared for him, and had never raised it since.

of

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

From this reading Relenting Florence had need of help.

old

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

From this reading Her father’s need of it was sore, and made the aid of her old friend invaluable.

on

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

From this reading A shade, already, of what he had been, shattered in mind, and perilously sick in body, he laid his weary head down on the bed his daughter’s hands prepared for him, and had never raised it since.

perilously

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

From this reading A shade, already, of what he had been, shattered in mind, and perilously sick in body, he laid his weary head down on the bed his daughter’s hands prepared for him, and had never raised it since.

pillow

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

From this reading Death stood at his pillow.

prepared

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

From this reading A shade, already, of what he had been, shattered in mind, and perilously sick in body, he laid his weary head down on the bed his daughter’s hands prepared for him, and had never raised it since.

raised

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

From this reading A shade, already, of what he had been, shattered in mind, and perilously sick in body, he laid his weary head down on the bed his daughter’s hands prepared for him, and had never raised it since.

Relenting

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

From this reading Relenting Florence had need of help.

shade

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

From this reading A shade, already, of what he had been, shattered in mind, and perilously sick in body, he laid his weary head down on the bed his daughter’s hands prepared for him, and had never raised it since.

shattered

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

From this reading A shade, already, of what he had been, shattered in mind, and perilously sick in body, he laid his weary head down on the bed his daughter’s hands prepared for him, and had never raised it since.

She

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

From this reading She was always with him.

sick

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

From this reading A shade, already, of what he had been, shattered in mind, and perilously sick in body, he laid his weary head down on the bed his daughter’s hands prepared for him, and had never raised it since.

since

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

From this reading A shade, already, of what he had been, shattered in mind, and perilously sick in body, he laid his weary head down on the bed his daughter’s hands prepared for him, and had never raised it since.

sore

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

From this reading Her father’s need of it was sore, and made the aid of her old friend invaluable.

stoodverbUS /stʊd/

Maintained an upright posture.

From this reading Death stood at his pillow.

the

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

From this reading Her father’s need of it was sore, and made the aid of her old friend invaluable.

was

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

From this reading Her father’s need of it was sore, and made the aid of her old friend invaluable.

weary

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

From this reading A shade, already, of what he had been, shattered in mind, and perilously sick in body, he laid his weary head down on the bed his daughter’s hands prepared for him, and had never raised it since.

what

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

From this reading A shade, already, of what he had been, shattered in mind, and perilously sick in body, he laid his weary head down on the bed his daughter’s hands prepared for him, and had never raised it since.

with

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

From this reading She was always with him.

Chapter 39 of Dombey and Son by Charles Dickens holds 402 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.

What does chapter 39 of Dombey and Son contain?

Chapter 39 holds 402 sentences of Dombey and Son, unabridged, divided into 81 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 39 of Dombey and Son by Charles Dickens exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 402 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.

How do I study chapter 39 of Dombey and Son?

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.

Can chapter 39 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 39 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 Dombey and Son

Common questions about reading Dombey and Son by Charles Dickens on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Dombey and Son?

Yes. All 16397 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #821 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Dombey and Son is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #821, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Dombey and Son take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 3280 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Dombey and Son section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 39 chapters of Dombey and Son 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 Dombey and Son

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

Chapter
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Dombey and Son; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Timely
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Dombey and Son; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Provision
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Dombey and Son; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Emergency
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Dombey and Son; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.