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Elinor Wyllys
Elinor Wyllys

Chapter XVI · Chapter 16

Chapter 16 of Elinor Wyllys is here in full — 211 sentences across 43 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/42 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
"Weak and irresolute is man; The purpose of to-day Woven with pains into his plan, To-morrow rends away."
COWPER.
{William Cowper (English poet, 1731-1800), "Human Frailty" lines 1-4} AFTER an absence of a week, or ten days, Harry returned to Wyllys-Roof, not at all sorry to hear that he was too late to see the Grahams, as they were going to New York the next morning.
He was very attentive to Elinor--pointedly so.
Once or twice, she was going to jest with him upon the subject, and inquire the cause of this studied gallantry; but observing he was still a little out of spirits, she contented herself with thanking him for the books he had brought her.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Elinor Wyllys

Chapter XVI · Chapter 16

Chapter 16 of Elinor Wyllys is here in full — 211 sentences across 43 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/42 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
"Weak and irresolute is man; The purpose of to-day Woven with pains into his plan, To-morrow rends away."
Line 2
COWPER.
/ˈkaʊpər/
Line 3
{William Cowper (English poet, 1731-1800), "Human Frailty" lines 1-4} AFTER an absence of a week, or ten days, Harry returned to Wyllys-Roof, not at all sorry to hear that he was too late to see the Grahams, as they were going to New York the next morning.
Line 4
He was very attentive to Elinor--pointedly so.
Line 5
Once or twice, she was going to jest with him upon the subject, and inquire the cause of this studied gallantry; but observing he was still a little out of spirits, she contented herself with thanking him for the books he had brought her.
/wʌns ɔːr twaɪs ʃiː wɑːz ˈɡoʊɪŋ tuː dʒest wɪð hɪm əˈpɑːn ðə səbˈdʒekt ənd ˌɪnˈkwaɪr ðə kɑːz ʌv ðɪs ˈstʌdid ˈɡæləntri bʌt əbˈzɜːrvɪŋ hiː wɑːz stɪl ə ˈlɪtəl aʊt ʌv ˈspɪrɪts ʃiː kənˈtentəd hərˈself wɪð ˈθæŋkɪŋ hɪm fɔːr ðə bʊks hiː hæd brɔːt hɜːr/

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.

attentive adjective US /əˈtentɪv/

(often followed by “to”) giving care or attention

From this reading “He was very attentive to Elinor--pointedly so.”

cowper noun US /ˈkaʊpər/

English surgeon who discovered Cowper's gland (1666-1709)

From this reading “COWPER.”

Frailty noun US /ˈfreɪlti/

the state of being weak in health or body (especially from old age)

From this reading “{William Cowper (English poet, 1731-1800), "Human Frailty" lines 1-4} AFTER an absence of a week, or ten days, Harry returned to Wyllys-Roof, not at all sorry to hear that he was too late to see the Grahams, as they were going to New York the next morning.”

gallantry noun US /ˈɡæləntri/

the qualities of a hero or heroine; exceptional or heroic courage when facing danger (especially in battle)

From this reading “Once or twice, she was going to jest with him upon the subject, and inquire the cause of this studied gallantry; but observing he was still a little out of spirits, she contented herself with thanking him for the books he had brought her.”

Grahams noun US /ɡræmz/

plural of “graham” — United States evangelical preacher famous as a mass evangelist (born in 1918)

From this reading “{William Cowper (English poet, 1731-1800), "Human Frailty" lines 1-4} AFTER an absence of a week, or ten days, Harry returned to Wyllys-Roof, not at all sorry to hear that he was too late to see the Grahams, as they were going to New York the next morning.”

pointedly adverb US /ˈpɔɪntɪdliː/

in such a manner as to make something clearly evident

From this reading “He was very attentive to Elinor--pointedly so.”

thanking verb US /ˈθæŋkɪŋ/

-ing form of “thank” — express gratitude or show appreciation to

From this reading “Once or twice, she was going to jest with him upon the subject, and inquire the cause of this studied gallantry; but observing he was still a little out of spirits, she contented herself with thanking him for the books he had brought her.”

Woven adjective US /ˈwoʊvən/

made or constructed by interlacing threads or strips of material or other elements into a whole

From this reading “"Weak and irresolute is man; The purpose of to-day Woven with pains into his plan, To-morrow rends away."”

All words in this reading · 92

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.

1

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

From this reading {William Cowper (English poet, 1731-1800), "Human Frailty" lines 1-4} AFTER an absence of a week, or ten days, Harry returned to Wyllys-Roof, not at all sorry to hear that he was too late to see the Grahams, as they were going to New York the next morning.

1731

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

From this reading {William Cowper (English poet, 1731-1800), "Human Frailty" lines 1-4} AFTER an absence of a week, or ten days, Harry returned to Wyllys-Roof, not at all sorry to hear that he was too late to see the Grahams, as they were going to New York the next morning.

1800

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

From this reading {William Cowper (English poet, 1731-1800), "Human Frailty" lines 1-4} AFTER an absence of a week, or ten days, Harry returned to Wyllys-Roof, not at all sorry to hear that he was too late to see the Grahams, as they were going to New York the next morning.

4

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

From this reading {William Cowper (English poet, 1731-1800), "Human Frailty" lines 1-4} AFTER an absence of a week, or ten days, Harry returned to Wyllys-Roof, not at all sorry to hear that he was too late to see the Grahams, as they were going to New York the next morning.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading {William Cowper (English poet, 1731-1800), "Human Frailty" lines 1-4} AFTER an absence of a week, or ten days, Harry returned to Wyllys-Roof, not at all sorry to hear that he was too late to see the Grahams, as they were going to New York the next morning.

absencenounUS /ˈæbsəns/

the state of being absent

From this reading {William Cowper (English poet, 1731-1800), "Human Frailty" lines 1-4} AFTER an absence of a week, or ten days, Harry returned to Wyllys-Roof, not at all sorry to hear that he was too late to see the Grahams, as they were going to New York the next morning.

AFTERprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading {William Cowper (English poet, 1731-1800), "Human Frailty" lines 1-4} AFTER an absence of a week, or ten days, Harry returned to Wyllys-Roof, not at all sorry to hear that he was too late to see the Grahams, as they were going to New York the next morning.

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading {William Cowper (English poet, 1731-1800), "Human Frailty" lines 1-4} AFTER an absence of a week, or ten days, Harry returned to Wyllys-Roof, not at all sorry to hear that he was too late to see the Grahams, as they were going to New York the next morning.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading {William Cowper (English poet, 1731-1800), "Human Frailty" lines 1-4} AFTER an absence of a week, or ten days, Harry returned to Wyllys-Roof, not at all sorry to hear that he was too late to see the Grahams, as they were going to New York the next morning.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading "Weak and irresolute is man; The purpose of to-day Woven with pains into his plan, To-morrow rends away."

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading {William Cowper (English poet, 1731-1800), "Human Frailty" lines 1-4} AFTER an absence of a week, or ten days, Harry returned to Wyllys-Roof, not at all sorry to hear that he was too late to see the Grahams, as they were going to New York the next morning.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading {William Cowper (English poet, 1731-1800), "Human Frailty" lines 1-4} AFTER an absence of a week, or ten days, Harry returned to Wyllys-Roof, not at all sorry to hear that he was too late to see the Grahams, as they were going to New York the next morning.

attentiveadjectiveUS /əˈtentɪv/

(often followed by “to”) giving care or attention

From this reading He was very attentive to Elinor--pointedly so.

awayadverbUS /əˈweɪ/

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

From this reading "Weak and irresolute is man; The purpose of to-day Woven with pains into his plan, To-morrow rends away."

booksnounUS /bʊks/

Bound written or printed works.

From this reading Once or twice, she was going to jest with him upon the subject, and inquire the cause of this studied gallantry; but observing he was still a little out of spirits, she contented herself with thanking him for the books he had brought her.

broughtverbUS /brɔːt/

inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere

From this reading Once or twice, she was going to jest with him upon the subject, and inquire the cause of this studied gallantry; but observing he was still a little out of spirits, she contented herself with thanking him for the books he had brought her.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Once or twice, she was going to jest with him upon the subject, and inquire the cause of this studied gallantry; but observing he was still a little out of spirits, she contented herself with thanking him for the books he had brought her.

causenounUS /kɑːz/

events that provide the generative force that is the origin of something

From this reading Once or twice, she was going to jest with him upon the subject, and inquire the cause of this studied gallantry; but observing he was still a little out of spirits, she contented herself with thanking him for the books he had brought her.

contentedadjectiveUS /kənˈtentəd/

satisfied or showing satisfaction with things as they are

From this reading Once or twice, she was going to jest with him upon the subject, and inquire the cause of this studied gallantry; but observing he was still a little out of spirits, she contented herself with thanking him for the books he had brought her.

COWPERnounUS /ˈkaʊpər/

English surgeon who discovered Cowper's gland (1666-1709)

From this reading COWPER.

daysnounUS /deɪz/

the time during which someone's life continues

From this reading {William Cowper (English poet, 1731-1800), "Human Frailty" lines 1-4} AFTER an absence of a week, or ten days, Harry returned to Wyllys-Roof, not at all sorry to hear that he was too late to see the Grahams, as they were going to New York the next morning.

Elinor

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

From this reading He was very attentive to Elinor--pointedly so.

EnglishnounUS /ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ/

an Indo-European language belonging to the West Germanic branch; the official language of Britain and the United States and most of the commonwealth countries

From this reading {William Cowper (English poet, 1731-1800), "Human Frailty" lines 1-4} AFTER an absence of a week, or ten days, Harry returned to Wyllys-Roof, not at all sorry to hear that he was too late to see the Grahams, as they were going to New York the next morning.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Once or twice, she was going to jest with him upon the subject, and inquire the cause of this studied gallantry; but observing he was still a little out of spirits, she contented herself with thanking him for the books he had brought her.

FrailtynounUS /ˈfreɪlti/

the state of being weak in health or body (especially from old age)

From this reading {William Cowper (English poet, 1731-1800), "Human Frailty" lines 1-4} AFTER an absence of a week, or ten days, Harry returned to Wyllys-Roof, not at all sorry to hear that he was too late to see the Grahams, as they were going to New York the next morning.

gallantrynounUS /ˈɡæləntri/

the qualities of a hero or heroine; exceptional or heroic courage when facing danger (especially in battle)

From this reading Once or twice, she was going to jest with him upon the subject, and inquire the cause of this studied gallantry; but observing he was still a little out of spirits, she contented herself with thanking him for the books he had brought her.

goingnounUS /ˈɡoʊɪŋ/

the act of departing

From this reading {William Cowper (English poet, 1731-1800), "Human Frailty" lines 1-4} AFTER an absence of a week, or ten days, Harry returned to Wyllys-Roof, not at all sorry to hear that he was too late to see the Grahams, as they were going to New York the next morning.

GrahamsnounUS /ɡræmz/

plural of “graham” — United States evangelical preacher famous as a mass evangelist (born in 1918)

From this reading {William Cowper (English poet, 1731-1800), "Human Frailty" lines 1-4} AFTER an absence of a week, or ten days, Harry returned to Wyllys-Roof, not at all sorry to hear that he was too late to see the Grahams, as they were going to New York the next morning.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Once or twice, she was going to jest with him upon the subject, and inquire the cause of this studied gallantry; but observing he was still a little out of spirits, she contented herself with thanking him for the books he had brought her.

HarryverbUS /ˈheri/

annoy continually or chronically

From this reading {William Cowper (English poet, 1731-1800), "Human Frailty" lines 1-4} AFTER an absence of a week, or ten days, Harry returned to Wyllys-Roof, not at all sorry to hear that he was too late to see the Grahams, as they were going to New York the next morning.

hepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading {William Cowper (English poet, 1731-1800), "Human Frailty" lines 1-4} AFTER an absence of a week, or ten days, Harry returned to Wyllys-Roof, not at all sorry to hear that he was too late to see the Grahams, as they were going to New York the next morning.

hearverbUS /hiːr/

perceive (sound) via the auditory sense

From this reading {William Cowper (English poet, 1731-1800), "Human Frailty" lines 1-4} AFTER an absence of a week, or ten days, Harry returned to Wyllys-Roof, not at all sorry to hear that he was too late to see the Grahams, as they were going to New York the next morning.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading Once or twice, she was going to jest with him upon the subject, and inquire the cause of this studied gallantry; but observing he was still a little out of spirits, she contented herself with thanking him for the books he had brought her.

herselfpronounUS /hərˈself/

used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object

From this reading Once or twice, she was going to jest with him upon the subject, and inquire the cause of this studied gallantry; but observing he was still a little out of spirits, she contented herself with thanking him for the books he had brought her.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Once or twice, she was going to jest with him upon the subject, and inquire the cause of this studied gallantry; but observing he was still a little out of spirits, she contented herself with thanking him for the books he had brought her.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading "Weak and irresolute is man; The purpose of to-day Woven with pains into his plan, To-morrow rends away."

HumanadjectiveUS /ˈhjuːmən/

characteristic of humanity

From this reading {William Cowper (English poet, 1731-1800), "Human Frailty" lines 1-4} AFTER an absence of a week, or ten days, Harry returned to Wyllys-Roof, not at all sorry to hear that he was too late to see the Grahams, as they were going to New York the next morning.

inquireverbUS /ˌɪnˈkwaɪr/

address a question to and expect an answer from

From this reading Once or twice, she was going to jest with him upon the subject, and inquire the cause of this studied gallantry; but observing he was still a little out of spirits, she contented herself with thanking him for the books he had brought her.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading "Weak and irresolute is man; The purpose of to-day Woven with pains into his plan, To-morrow rends away."

irresoluteadjective

uncertain how to act or proceed

From this reading "Weak and irresolute is man; The purpose of to-day Woven with pains into his plan, To-morrow rends away."

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading "Weak and irresolute is man; The purpose of to-day Woven with pains into his plan, To-morrow rends away."

jestnounUS /dʒest/

a humorous anecdote or remark intended to provoke laughter

From this reading Once or twice, she was going to jest with him upon the subject, and inquire the cause of this studied gallantry; but observing he was still a little out of spirits, she contented herself with thanking him for the books he had brought her.

lateadjectiveUS /leɪt/

being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time

From this reading {William Cowper (English poet, 1731-1800), "Human Frailty" lines 1-4} AFTER an absence of a week, or ten days, Harry returned to Wyllys-Roof, not at all sorry to hear that he was too late to see the Grahams, as they were going to New York the next morning.

linesnounUS /laɪnz/

plural of “line” — a formation of people or things one beside another

From this reading {William Cowper (English poet, 1731-1800), "Human Frailty" lines 1-4} AFTER an absence of a week, or ten days, Harry returned to Wyllys-Roof, not at all sorry to hear that he was too late to see the Grahams, as they were going to New York the next morning.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

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

From this reading Once or twice, she was going to jest with him upon the subject, and inquire the cause of this studied gallantry; but observing he was still a little out of spirits, she contented herself with thanking him for the books he had brought her.

mannounUS /mæn/

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading "Weak and irresolute is man; The purpose of to-day Woven with pains into his plan, To-morrow rends away."

morningnounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading {William Cowper (English poet, 1731-1800), "Human Frailty" lines 1-4} AFTER an absence of a week, or ten days, Harry returned to Wyllys-Roof, not at all sorry to hear that he was too late to see the Grahams, as they were going to New York the next morning.

NewadjectiveUS /nuː/

not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered

From this reading {William Cowper (English poet, 1731-1800), "Human Frailty" lines 1-4} AFTER an absence of a week, or ten days, Harry returned to Wyllys-Roof, not at all sorry to hear that he was too late to see the Grahams, as they were going to New York the next morning.

nextadjectiveUS /nekst/

immediately following in time or order

From this reading {William Cowper (English poet, 1731-1800), "Human Frailty" lines 1-4} AFTER an absence of a week, or ten days, Harry returned to Wyllys-Roof, not at all sorry to hear that he was too late to see the Grahams, as they were going to New York the next morning.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading {William Cowper (English poet, 1731-1800), "Human Frailty" lines 1-4} AFTER an absence of a week, or ten days, Harry returned to Wyllys-Roof, not at all sorry to hear that he was too late to see the Grahams, as they were going to New York the next morning.

observingadjectiveUS /əbˈzɜːrvɪŋ/

quick to notice; showing quick and keen perception

From this reading Once or twice, she was going to jest with him upon the subject, and inquire the cause of this studied gallantry; but observing he was still a little out of spirits, she contented herself with thanking him for the books he had brought her.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading "Weak and irresolute is man; The purpose of to-day Woven with pains into his plan, To-morrow rends away."

OnceadverbUS /wʌns/

on one occasion

From this reading Once or twice, she was going to jest with him upon the subject, and inquire the cause of this studied gallantry; but observing he was still a little out of spirits, she contented herself with thanking him for the books he had brought her.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading {William Cowper (English poet, 1731-1800), "Human Frailty" lines 1-4} AFTER an absence of a week, or ten days, Harry returned to Wyllys-Roof, not at all sorry to hear that he was too late to see the Grahams, as they were going to New York the next morning.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading Once or twice, she was going to jest with him upon the subject, and inquire the cause of this studied gallantry; but observing he was still a little out of spirits, she contented herself with thanking him for the books he had brought her.

painsnounUS /peɪnz/

an effortful attempt to attain a goal

From this reading "Weak and irresolute is man; The purpose of to-day Woven with pains into his plan, To-morrow rends away."

planverbUS /plæn/

have the will and intention to carry out some action

From this reading "Weak and irresolute is man; The purpose of to-day Woven with pains into his plan, To-morrow rends away."

poetnounUS /ˈpoʊət/

a writer of poems (the term is usually reserved for writers of good poetry)

From this reading {William Cowper (English poet, 1731-1800), "Human Frailty" lines 1-4} AFTER an absence of a week, or ten days, Harry returned to Wyllys-Roof, not at all sorry to hear that he was too late to see the Grahams, as they were going to New York the next morning.

pointedlyadverbUS /ˈpɔɪntɪdliː/

in such a manner as to make something clearly evident

From this reading He was very attentive to Elinor--pointedly so.

purposenounUS /ˈpɜːrpəs/

an anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your planned actions

From this reading "Weak and irresolute is man; The purpose of to-day Woven with pains into his plan, To-morrow rends away."

rends

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

From this reading "Weak and irresolute is man; The purpose of to-day Woven with pains into his plan, To-morrow rends away."

returnedverbUS /rɪˈtɜːrnd/

past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before

From this reading {William Cowper (English poet, 1731-1800), "Human Frailty" lines 1-4} AFTER an absence of a week, or ten days, Harry returned to Wyllys-Roof, not at all sorry to hear that he was too late to see the Grahams, as they were going to New York the next morning.

seeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading {William Cowper (English poet, 1731-1800), "Human Frailty" lines 1-4} AFTER an absence of a week, or ten days, Harry returned to Wyllys-Roof, not at all sorry to hear that he was too late to see the Grahams, as they were going to New York the next morning.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading Once or twice, she was going to jest with him upon the subject, and inquire the cause of this studied gallantry; but observing he was still a little out of spirits, she contented herself with thanking him for the books he had brought her.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading He was very attentive to Elinor--pointedly so.

sorryadjectiveUS /ˈsɑːri/

feeling or expressing regret or sorrow or a sense of loss over something done or undone

From this reading {William Cowper (English poet, 1731-1800), "Human Frailty" lines 1-4} AFTER an absence of a week, or ten days, Harry returned to Wyllys-Roof, not at all sorry to hear that he was too late to see the Grahams, as they were going to New York the next morning.

spiritsnounUS /ˈspɪrɪts/

an alcoholic beverage that is distilled rather than fermented

From this reading Once or twice, she was going to jest with him upon the subject, and inquire the cause of this studied gallantry; but observing he was still a little out of spirits, she contented herself with thanking him for the books he had brought her.

stilladjectiveUS /stɪl/

not in physical motion

From this reading Once or twice, she was going to jest with him upon the subject, and inquire the cause of this studied gallantry; but observing he was still a little out of spirits, she contented herself with thanking him for the books he had brought her.

studiedadjectiveUS /ˈstʌdid/

produced or marked by conscious design or premeditation

From this reading Once or twice, she was going to jest with him upon the subject, and inquire the cause of this studied gallantry; but observing he was still a little out of spirits, she contented herself with thanking him for the books he had brought her.

subjectnounUS /səbˈdʒekt/

the subject matter of a conversation or discussion

From this reading Once or twice, she was going to jest with him upon the subject, and inquire the cause of this studied gallantry; but observing he was still a little out of spirits, she contented herself with thanking him for the books he had brought her.

tennounUS /ten/

the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system

From this reading {William Cowper (English poet, 1731-1800), "Human Frailty" lines 1-4} AFTER an absence of a week, or ten days, Harry returned to Wyllys-Roof, not at all sorry to hear that he was too late to see the Grahams, as they were going to New York the next morning.

thankingverbUS /ˈθæŋkɪŋ/

-ing form of “thank” — express gratitude or show appreciation to

From this reading Once or twice, she was going to jest with him upon the subject, and inquire the cause of this studied gallantry; but observing he was still a little out of spirits, she contented herself with thanking him for the books he had brought her.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading {William Cowper (English poet, 1731-1800), "Human Frailty" lines 1-4} AFTER an absence of a week, or ten days, Harry returned to Wyllys-Roof, not at all sorry to hear that he was too late to see the Grahams, as they were going to New York the next morning.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading "Weak and irresolute is man; The purpose of to-day Woven with pains into his plan, To-morrow rends away."

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading {William Cowper (English poet, 1731-1800), "Human Frailty" lines 1-4} AFTER an absence of a week, or ten days, Harry returned to Wyllys-Roof, not at all sorry to hear that he was too late to see the Grahams, as they were going to New York the next morning.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading Once or twice, she was going to jest with him upon the subject, and inquire the cause of this studied gallantry; but observing he was still a little out of spirits, she contented herself with thanking him for the books he had brought her.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading {William Cowper (English poet, 1731-1800), "Human Frailty" lines 1-4} AFTER an absence of a week, or ten days, Harry returned to Wyllys-Roof, not at all sorry to hear that he was too late to see the Grahams, as they were going to New York the next morning.

to-day

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

From this reading "Weak and irresolute is man; The purpose of to-day Woven with pains into his plan, To-morrow rends away."

To-morrow

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

From this reading "Weak and irresolute is man; The purpose of to-day Woven with pains into his plan, To-morrow rends away."

tooadverbUS /tuː/

to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits

From this reading {William Cowper (English poet, 1731-1800), "Human Frailty" lines 1-4} AFTER an absence of a week, or ten days, Harry returned to Wyllys-Roof, not at all sorry to hear that he was too late to see the Grahams, as they were going to New York the next morning.

twiceadverbUS /twaɪs/

two times

From this reading Once or twice, she was going to jest with him upon the subject, and inquire the cause of this studied gallantry; but observing he was still a little out of spirits, she contented herself with thanking him for the books he had brought her.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading Once or twice, she was going to jest with him upon the subject, and inquire the cause of this studied gallantry; but observing he was still a little out of spirits, she contented herself with thanking him for the books he had brought her.

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading He was very attentive to Elinor--pointedly so.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading {William Cowper (English poet, 1731-1800), "Human Frailty" lines 1-4} AFTER an absence of a week, or ten days, Harry returned to Wyllys-Roof, not at all sorry to hear that he was too late to see the Grahams, as they were going to New York the next morning.

WeakadjectiveUS /wiːk/

wanting in physical strength

From this reading "Weak and irresolute is man; The purpose of to-day Woven with pains into his plan, To-morrow rends away."

weeknounUS /wiːk/

any period of seven consecutive days

From this reading {William Cowper (English poet, 1731-1800), "Human Frailty" lines 1-4} AFTER an absence of a week, or ten days, Harry returned to Wyllys-Roof, not at all sorry to hear that he was too late to see the Grahams, as they were going to New York the next morning.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading {William Cowper (English poet, 1731-1800), "Human Frailty" lines 1-4} AFTER an absence of a week, or ten days, Harry returned to Wyllys-Roof, not at all sorry to hear that he was too late to see the Grahams, as they were going to New York the next morning.

William

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

From this reading {William Cowper (English poet, 1731-1800), "Human Frailty" lines 1-4} AFTER an absence of a week, or ten days, Harry returned to Wyllys-Roof, not at all sorry to hear that he was too late to see the Grahams, as they were going to New York the next morning.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading "Weak and irresolute is man; The purpose of to-day Woven with pains into his plan, To-morrow rends away."

WovenadjectiveUS /ˈwoʊvən/

made or constructed by interlacing threads or strips of material or other elements into a whole

From this reading "Weak and irresolute is man; The purpose of to-day Woven with pains into his plan, To-morrow rends away."

Wyllys-Roof

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

From this reading {William Cowper (English poet, 1731-1800), "Human Frailty" lines 1-4} AFTER an absence of a week, or ten days, Harry returned to Wyllys-Roof, not at all sorry to hear that he was too late to see the Grahams, as they were going to New York the next morning.

YorknounUS /jɔːrk/

the English royal house (a branch of the Plantagenet line) that reigned from 1461 to 1485; its emblem was a white rose

From this reading {William Cowper (English poet, 1731-1800), "Human Frailty" lines 1-4} AFTER an absence of a week, or ten days, Harry returned to Wyllys-Roof, not at all sorry to hear that he was too late to see the Grahams, as they were going to New York the next morning.

Chapter 16 of Elinor Wyllys by Susan Fenimore Cooper holds 211 sentences, grouped into 43 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 16 of Elinor Wyllys contain?

Chapter 16 holds 211 sentences of Elinor Wyllys, unabridged, divided into 43 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 16 of Elinor Wyllys by Susan Fenimore Cooper exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 211 sentences, grouped into 43 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 16 of Elinor Wyllys?

Work through the 43 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 43 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 16 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 16 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 Elinor Wyllys

Common questions about reading Elinor Wyllys by Susan Fenimore Cooper on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Elinor Wyllys?

Yes. All 3568 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #1927 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Elinor Wyllys is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #1927, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Elinor Wyllys take to read?

About 297 minutes of reading across 714 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Elinor Wyllys section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

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  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 Elinor Wyllys

Words and structures a reader meets early in Elinor Wyllys, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Enter
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Elinor Wyllys; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
House
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Elinor Wyllys; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Pr'ythee
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Elinor Wyllys; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Rogers
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Elinor Wyllys; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.