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Forest Days: A Romance of Old Times
Forest Days: A Romance of Old Times

Chapter IV

Chapter 4 of Forest Days: A Romance of Old Times is here in full — 102 sentences across 21 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/20 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
The animal called the sluggard has greatly increased in modern days.
In former times the specimens were few and far between.
The rising of the sun was generally the signal for knight and yeoman to quit their beds, and if some of the old or the soft cumbered their pillows for an hour or so later, the sleeping time rarely if ever extended beyond seven in the morning.
The sky was still grey when the stout yeoman, whom we have mentioned under the title of the lord's man, but whose real name was Thomas Blawket, sprang lightly out of his bed, and made that sort of rapid, but not unwholesome toilet, which a hardy Englishman, in his rank of life, was then accustomed to use.
It consisted merely in one or two large buckets of clean cold water poured over his round curly head and naked shoulders, and then, with but some small ceremony of drying, his clothes were cast on, and bound round him with his belt.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Forest Days: A Romance of Old Times

Chapter IV

Chapter 4 of Forest Days: A Romance of Old Times is here in full — 102 sentences across 21 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/20 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
The animal called the sluggard has greatly increased in modern days.
Line 2
In former times the specimens were few and far between.
/ɪn ˈfɔːrmər taɪmz ðə ˈspesəmənz wɜːr fjuː ənd fɑːr bɪˈtwiːn/
Line 3
The rising of the sun was generally the signal for knight and yeoman to quit their beds, and if some of the old or the soft cumbered their pillows for an hour or so later, the sleeping time rarely if ever extended beyond seven in the morning.
Line 4
The sky was still grey when the stout yeoman, whom we have mentioned under the title of the lord's man, but whose real name was Thomas Blawket, sprang lightly out of his bed, and made that sort of rapid, but not unwholesome toilet, which a hardy Englishman, in his rank of life, was then accustomed to use.
Line 5
It consisted merely in one or two large buckets of clean cold water poured over his round curly head and naked shoulders, and then, with but some small ceremony of drying, his clothes were cast on, and bound round him with his belt.
/ɪt kənˈsɪstəd ˈmɪrli ɪn wʌn ɔːr tuː lɑːrdʒ ˈbʌkəts ʌv kliːn koʊld ˈwɔːtər pɔːrd ˈoʊvər hɪz raʊnd ˈkɜːrli hed ənd ˈneɪkəd ˈʃoʊldərz ənd ðen wɪð bʌt sʌm smɔːl ˈserəmoʊni ʌv ˈdraɪɪŋ hɪz kloʊðz wɜːr kæst ɑːn ənd baʊnd raʊnd hɪm wɪð hɪz belt/

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.

buckets noun US /ˈbʌkəts/

plural of “bucket” — a roughly cylindrical vessel that is open at the top

From this reading “It consisted merely in one or two large buckets of clean cold water poured over his round curly head and naked shoulders, and then, with but some small ceremony of drying, his clothes were cast on, and bound round him with his belt.”

curly adjective US /ˈkɜːrli/

(of hair) having curls or waves

From this reading “It consisted merely in one or two large buckets of clean cold water poured over his round curly head and naked shoulders, and then, with but some small ceremony of drying, his clothes were cast on, and bound round him with his belt.”

drying verb US /ˈdraɪɪŋ/

-ing form of “dry” — remove the moisture from and make dry

From this reading “It consisted merely in one or two large buckets of clean cold water poured over his round curly head and naked shoulders, and then, with but some small ceremony of drying, his clothes were cast on, and bound round him with his belt.”

lord's noun US /lɔːrdz/

possessive form of “lord” — terms referring to the Judeo-Christian God

From this reading “The sky was still grey when the stout yeoman, whom we have mentioned under the title of the lord's man, but whose real name was Thomas Blawket, sprang lightly out of his bed, and made that sort of rapid, but not unwholesome toilet, which a hardy Englishman, in his rank of life, was then accustomed to use.”

pillows noun US /ˈpɪloʊz/

plural of “pillow” — a cushion to support the head of a sleeping person

From this reading “The rising of the sun was generally the signal for knight and yeoman to quit their beds, and if some of the old or the soft cumbered their pillows for an hour or so later, the sleeping time rarely if ever extended beyond seven in the morning.”

specimens noun US /ˈspesəmənz/

plural of “specimen” — an example regarded as typical of its class

From this reading “In former times the specimens were few and far between.”

toilet noun US /ˈtɔɪlət/

a room or building equipped with one or more toilets

From this reading “The sky was still grey when the stout yeoman, whom we have mentioned under the title of the lord's man, but whose real name was Thomas Blawket, sprang lightly out of his bed, and made that sort of rapid, but not unwholesome toilet, which a hardy Englishman, in his rank of life, was then accustomed to use.”

yeoman noun US /ˈjoʊmən/

officer in the (ceremonial) bodyguard of the British monarch

From this reading “The rising of the sun was generally the signal for knight and yeoman to quit their beds, and if some of the old or the soft cumbered their pillows for an hour or so later, the sleeping time rarely if ever extended beyond seven in the morning.”

Word partnerships in these lines

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.

greatly increased adverb + adjective

In this reading “The animal called the sluggard has greatly increased in modern days.”

curly head adjective + noun

In this reading “It consisted merely in one or two large buckets of clean cold water poured over his round curly head and naked shoulders, and then, with but some small ceremony of drying, his clothes were cast on, and bound round him with his belt.”

former times adjective + noun

In this reading “In former times the specimens were few and far between.”

under the title preposition + article + noun counted as “under … title”

In this reading “The sky was still grey when the stout yeoman, whom we have mentioned under the title of the lord's man, but whose real name was Thomas Blawket, sprang lightly out of his bed, and made that sort of rapid, but not unwholesome toilet, which a hardy Englishman, in his rank of life, was then accustomed to use.”

sprang lightly verb + particle counted as “spring lightly”

In this reading “The sky was still grey when the stout yeoman, whom we have mentioned under the title of the lord's man, but whose real name was Thomas Blawket, sprang lightly out of his bed, and made that sort of rapid, but not unwholesome toilet, which a hardy Englishman, in his rank of life, was then accustomed to use.”

consisted merely verb + particle counted as “consist merely”

In this reading “It consisted merely in one or two large buckets of clean cold water poured over his round curly head and naked shoulders, and then, with but some small ceremony of drying, his clothes were cast on, and bound round him with his belt.”

cold water adjective + noun

disparagement of a plan or hope or expectation

In this reading “It consisted merely in one or two large buckets of clean cold water poured over his round curly head and naked shoulders, and then, with but some small ceremony of drying, his clothes were cast on, and bound round him with his belt.”

modern days adjective + noun

In this reading “The animal called the sluggard has greatly increased in modern days.”

All words in this reading · 117

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 The sky was still grey when the stout yeoman, whom we have mentioned under the title of the lord's man, but whose real name was Thomas Blawket, sprang lightly out of his bed, and made that sort of rapid, but not unwholesome toilet, which a hardy Englishman, in his rank of life, was then accustomed to use.

accustomedadjectiveUS /əˈkʌstəmd/

commonly used or practiced; usual

From this reading The sky was still grey when the stout yeoman, whom we have mentioned under the title of the lord's man, but whose real name was Thomas Blawket, sprang lightly out of his bed, and made that sort of rapid, but not unwholesome toilet, which a hardy Englishman, in his rank of life, was then accustomed to use.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading The rising of the sun was generally the signal for knight and yeoman to quit their beds, and if some of the old or the soft cumbered their pillows for an hour or so later, the sleeping time rarely if ever extended beyond seven in the morning.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading In former times the specimens were few and far between.

animalnounUS /ˈænəməl/

a living organism characterized by voluntary movement

From this reading The animal called the sluggard has greatly increased in modern days.

bednounUS /bed/

a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep

From this reading The sky was still grey when the stout yeoman, whom we have mentioned under the title of the lord's man, but whose real name was Thomas Blawket, sprang lightly out of his bed, and made that sort of rapid, but not unwholesome toilet, which a hardy Englishman, in his rank of life, was then accustomed to use.

bedsnounUS /bedz/

plural of “bed” — a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep

From this reading The rising of the sun was generally the signal for knight and yeoman to quit their beds, and if some of the old or the soft cumbered their pillows for an hour or so later, the sleeping time rarely if ever extended beyond seven in the morning.

beltnounUS /belt/

endless loop of flexible material between two rotating shafts or pulleys

From this reading It consisted merely in one or two large buckets of clean cold water poured over his round curly head and naked shoulders, and then, with but some small ceremony of drying, his clothes were cast on, and bound round him with his belt.

betweenprepositionUS /bɪˈtwiːn/

in the space, time, or range separating two things

From this reading In former times the specimens were few and far between.

beyondprepositionUS /bɪˈɑːnd/

on the far side of; further than

From this reading The rising of the sun was generally the signal for knight and yeoman to quit their beds, and if some of the old or the soft cumbered their pillows for an hour or so later, the sleeping time rarely if ever extended beyond seven in the morning.

Blawket

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

From this reading The sky was still grey when the stout yeoman, whom we have mentioned under the title of the lord's man, but whose real name was Thomas Blawket, sprang lightly out of his bed, and made that sort of rapid, but not unwholesome toilet, which a hardy Englishman, in his rank of life, was then accustomed to use.

boundadjectiveUS /baʊnd/

confined by bonds

From this reading It consisted merely in one or two large buckets of clean cold water poured over his round curly head and naked shoulders, and then, with but some small ceremony of drying, his clothes were cast on, and bound round him with his belt.

bucketsnounUS /ˈbʌkəts/

plural of “bucket” — a roughly cylindrical vessel that is open at the top

From this reading It consisted merely in one or two large buckets of clean cold water poured over his round curly head and naked shoulders, and then, with but some small ceremony of drying, his clothes were cast on, and bound round him with his belt.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading The sky was still grey when the stout yeoman, whom we have mentioned under the title of the lord's man, but whose real name was Thomas Blawket, sprang lightly out of his bed, and made that sort of rapid, but not unwholesome toilet, which a hardy Englishman, in his rank of life, was then accustomed to use.

calledverbUS /kɔːld/

past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading The animal called the sluggard has greatly increased in modern days.

castverbUS /kæst/

put or send forth

From this reading It consisted merely in one or two large buckets of clean cold water poured over his round curly head and naked shoulders, and then, with but some small ceremony of drying, his clothes were cast on, and bound round him with his belt.

ceremonynounUS /ˈserəmoʊni/

a formal event performed on a special occasion

From this reading It consisted merely in one or two large buckets of clean cold water poured over his round curly head and naked shoulders, and then, with but some small ceremony of drying, his clothes were cast on, and bound round him with his belt.

cleanadjectiveUS /kliːn/

free from dirt or impurities; or having clean habits

From this reading It consisted merely in one or two large buckets of clean cold water poured over his round curly head and naked shoulders, and then, with but some small ceremony of drying, his clothes were cast on, and bound round him with his belt.

clothesnounUS /kloʊðz/

clothing in general

From this reading It consisted merely in one or two large buckets of clean cold water poured over his round curly head and naked shoulders, and then, with but some small ceremony of drying, his clothes were cast on, and bound round him with his belt.

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 It consisted merely in one or two large buckets of clean cold water poured over his round curly head and naked shoulders, and then, with but some small ceremony of drying, his clothes were cast on, and bound round him with his belt.

consistedverbUS /kənˈsɪstəd/

past form of “consist” — originate

From this reading It consisted merely in one or two large buckets of clean cold water poured over his round curly head and naked shoulders, and then, with but some small ceremony of drying, his clothes were cast on, and bound round him with his belt.

cumbered

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

From this reading The rising of the sun was generally the signal for knight and yeoman to quit their beds, and if some of the old or the soft cumbered their pillows for an hour or so later, the sleeping time rarely if ever extended beyond seven in the morning.

curlyadjectiveUS /ˈkɜːrli/

(of hair) having curls or waves

From this reading It consisted merely in one or two large buckets of clean cold water poured over his round curly head and naked shoulders, and then, with but some small ceremony of drying, his clothes were cast on, and bound round him with his belt.

daysnounUS /deɪz/

the time during which someone's life continues

From this reading The animal called the sluggard has greatly increased in modern days.

dryingverbUS /ˈdraɪɪŋ/

-ing form of “dry” — remove the moisture from and make dry

From this reading It consisted merely in one or two large buckets of clean cold water poured over his round curly head and naked shoulders, and then, with but some small ceremony of drying, his clothes were cast on, and bound round him with his belt.

EnglishmannounUS /ˈɪŋɡlɪʃmən/

a man who is a native or inhabitant of England

From this reading The sky was still grey when the stout yeoman, whom we have mentioned under the title of the lord's man, but whose real name was Thomas Blawket, sprang lightly out of his bed, and made that sort of rapid, but not unwholesome toilet, which a hardy Englishman, in his rank of life, was then accustomed to use.

everadverbUS /ˈevər/

at any time

From this reading The rising of the sun was generally the signal for knight and yeoman to quit their beds, and if some of the old or the soft cumbered their pillows for an hour or so later, the sleeping time rarely if ever extended beyond seven in the morning.

extendedadjectiveUS /ɪkˈstendəd/

relatively long in duration; tediously protracted

From this reading The rising of the sun was generally the signal for knight and yeoman to quit their beds, and if some of the old or the soft cumbered their pillows for an hour or so later, the sleeping time rarely if ever extended beyond seven in the morning.

faradverbUS /fɑːr/

to a considerable degree; very much

From this reading In former times the specimens were few and far between.

fewadjectiveUS /fjuː/

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number

From this reading In former times the specimens were few and far between.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading The rising of the sun was generally the signal for knight and yeoman to quit their beds, and if some of the old or the soft cumbered their pillows for an hour or so later, the sleeping time rarely if ever extended beyond seven in the morning.

formeradjectiveUS /ˈfɔːrmər/

referring to the first of two things or persons mentioned (or the earlier one or ones of several)

From this reading In former times the specimens were few and far between.

generallyadverbUS /ˈdʒenərəli/

usually; as a rule

From this reading The rising of the sun was generally the signal for knight and yeoman to quit their beds, and if some of the old or the soft cumbered their pillows for an hour or so later, the sleeping time rarely if ever extended beyond seven in the morning.

greatlyadverbUS /ˈɡreɪtli/

to an extraordinary extent or degree

From this reading The animal called the sluggard has greatly increased in modern days.

greyadjectiveUS /ɡreɪ/

of an achromatic color of any lightness intermediate between the extremes of white and black

From this reading The sky was still grey when the stout yeoman, whom we have mentioned under the title of the lord's man, but whose real name was Thomas Blawket, sprang lightly out of his bed, and made that sort of rapid, but not unwholesome toilet, which a hardy Englishman, in his rank of life, was then accustomed to use.

hardyadjectiveUS /ˈhɑːrdi/

having rugged physical strength; inured to fatigue or hardships

From this reading The sky was still grey when the stout yeoman, whom we have mentioned under the title of the lord's man, but whose real name was Thomas Blawket, sprang lightly out of his bed, and made that sort of rapid, but not unwholesome toilet, which a hardy Englishman, in his rank of life, was then accustomed to use.

hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

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

From this reading The animal called the sluggard has greatly increased in modern days.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading The sky was still grey when the stout yeoman, whom we have mentioned under the title of the lord's man, but whose real name was Thomas Blawket, sprang lightly out of his bed, and made that sort of rapid, but not unwholesome toilet, which a hardy Englishman, in his rank of life, was then accustomed to use.

headnounUS /hed/

the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains

From this reading It consisted merely in one or two large buckets of clean cold water poured over his round curly head and naked shoulders, and then, with but some small ceremony of drying, his clothes were cast on, and bound round him with his belt.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading It consisted merely in one or two large buckets of clean cold water poured over his round curly head and naked shoulders, and then, with but some small ceremony of drying, his clothes were cast on, and bound round him with his belt.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading The sky was still grey when the stout yeoman, whom we have mentioned under the title of the lord's man, but whose real name was Thomas Blawket, sprang lightly out of his bed, and made that sort of rapid, but not unwholesome toilet, which a hardy Englishman, in his rank of life, was then accustomed to use.

hournounUS /ˈaʊər/

a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day

From this reading The rising of the sun was generally the signal for knight and yeoman to quit their beds, and if some of the old or the soft cumbered their pillows for an hour or so later, the sleeping time rarely if ever extended beyond seven in the morning.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading The rising of the sun was generally the signal for knight and yeoman to quit their beds, and if some of the old or the soft cumbered their pillows for an hour or so later, the sleeping time rarely if ever extended beyond seven in the morning.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading The animal called the sluggard has greatly increased in modern days.

increasedadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈkriːst/

made greater in size or amount or degree

From this reading The animal called the sluggard has greatly increased in modern days.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It consisted merely in one or two large buckets of clean cold water poured over his round curly head and naked shoulders, and then, with but some small ceremony of drying, his clothes were cast on, and bound round him with his belt.

knightnounUS /naɪt/

originally a person of noble birth trained to arms and chivalry; today in Great Britain a person honored by the sovereign for personal merit

From this reading The rising of the sun was generally the signal for knight and yeoman to quit their beds, and if some of the old or the soft cumbered their pillows for an hour or so later, the sleeping time rarely if ever extended beyond seven in the morning.

largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/

above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading It consisted merely in one or two large buckets of clean cold water poured over his round curly head and naked shoulders, and then, with but some small ceremony of drying, his clothes were cast on, and bound round him with his belt.

lateradverbUS /ˈleɪtər/

happening at a time subsequent to a reference time

From this reading The rising of the sun was generally the signal for knight and yeoman to quit their beds, and if some of the old or the soft cumbered their pillows for an hour or so later, the sleeping time rarely if ever extended beyond seven in the morning.

lifenounUS /laɪf/

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading The sky was still grey when the stout yeoman, whom we have mentioned under the title of the lord's man, but whose real name was Thomas Blawket, sprang lightly out of his bed, and made that sort of rapid, but not unwholesome toilet, which a hardy Englishman, in his rank of life, was then accustomed to use.

lightlyadverbUS /ˈlaɪtli/

without good reason

From this reading The sky was still grey when the stout yeoman, whom we have mentioned under the title of the lord's man, but whose real name was Thomas Blawket, sprang lightly out of his bed, and made that sort of rapid, but not unwholesome toilet, which a hardy Englishman, in his rank of life, was then accustomed to use.

lord'snounUS /lɔːrdz/

possessive form of “lord” — terms referring to the Judeo-Christian God

From this reading The sky was still grey when the stout yeoman, whom we have mentioned under the title of the lord's man, but whose real name was Thomas Blawket, sprang lightly out of his bed, and made that sort of rapid, but not unwholesome toilet, which a hardy Englishman, in his rank of life, was then accustomed to use.

madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading The sky was still grey when the stout yeoman, whom we have mentioned under the title of the lord's man, but whose real name was Thomas Blawket, sprang lightly out of his bed, and made that sort of rapid, but not unwholesome toilet, which a hardy Englishman, in his rank of life, was then accustomed to use.

mannounUS /mæn/

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

From this reading The sky was still grey when the stout yeoman, whom we have mentioned under the title of the lord's man, but whose real name was Thomas Blawket, sprang lightly out of his bed, and made that sort of rapid, but not unwholesome toilet, which a hardy Englishman, in his rank of life, was then accustomed to use.

mentionedverbUS /ˈmenʃənd/

past form of “mention” — make reference to

From this reading The sky was still grey when the stout yeoman, whom we have mentioned under the title of the lord's man, but whose real name was Thomas Blawket, sprang lightly out of his bed, and made that sort of rapid, but not unwholesome toilet, which a hardy Englishman, in his rank of life, was then accustomed to use.

merelyadverbUS /ˈmɪrli/

and nothing more

From this reading It consisted merely in one or two large buckets of clean cold water poured over his round curly head and naked shoulders, and then, with but some small ceremony of drying, his clothes were cast on, and bound round him with his belt.

modernadjectiveUS /ˈmɑːdərn/

belonging to the modern era; since the Middle Ages

From this reading The animal called the sluggard has greatly increased in modern days.

morningnounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading The rising of the sun was generally the signal for knight and yeoman to quit their beds, and if some of the old or the soft cumbered their pillows for an hour or so later, the sleeping time rarely if ever extended beyond seven in the morning.

nakedadjectiveUS /ˈneɪkəd/

completely unclothed

From this reading It consisted merely in one or two large buckets of clean cold water poured over his round curly head and naked shoulders, and then, with but some small ceremony of drying, his clothes were cast on, and bound round him with his belt.

nameverbUS /neɪm/

assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading The sky was still grey when the stout yeoman, whom we have mentioned under the title of the lord's man, but whose real name was Thomas Blawket, sprang lightly out of his bed, and made that sort of rapid, but not unwholesome toilet, which a hardy Englishman, in his rank of life, was then accustomed to use.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading The sky was still grey when the stout yeoman, whom we have mentioned under the title of the lord's man, but whose real name was Thomas Blawket, sprang lightly out of his bed, and made that sort of rapid, but not unwholesome toilet, which a hardy Englishman, in his rank of life, was then accustomed to use.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The rising of the sun was generally the signal for knight and yeoman to quit their beds, and if some of the old or the soft cumbered their pillows for an hour or so later, the sleeping time rarely if ever extended beyond seven in the morning.

oldadjectiveUS /oʊld/

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

From this reading The rising of the sun was generally the signal for knight and yeoman to quit their beds, and if some of the old or the soft cumbered their pillows for an hour or so later, the sleeping time rarely if ever extended beyond seven in the morning.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading It consisted merely in one or two large buckets of clean cold water poured over his round curly head and naked shoulders, and then, with but some small ceremony of drying, his clothes were cast on, and bound round him with his belt.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading It consisted merely in one or two large buckets of clean cold water poured over his round curly head and naked shoulders, and then, with but some small ceremony of drying, his clothes were cast on, and bound round him with his belt.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading The rising of the sun was generally the signal for knight and yeoman to quit their beds, and if some of the old or the soft cumbered their pillows for an hour or so later, the sleeping time rarely if ever extended beyond seven in the morning.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading The sky was still grey when the stout yeoman, whom we have mentioned under the title of the lord's man, but whose real name was Thomas Blawket, sprang lightly out of his bed, and made that sort of rapid, but not unwholesome toilet, which a hardy Englishman, in his rank of life, was then accustomed to use.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading It consisted merely in one or two large buckets of clean cold water poured over his round curly head and naked shoulders, and then, with but some small ceremony of drying, his clothes were cast on, and bound round him with his belt.

pillowsnounUS /ˈpɪloʊz/

plural of “pillow” — a cushion to support the head of a sleeping person

From this reading The rising of the sun was generally the signal for knight and yeoman to quit their beds, and if some of the old or the soft cumbered their pillows for an hour or so later, the sleeping time rarely if ever extended beyond seven in the morning.

pouredverbUS /pɔːrd/

past form of “pour” — cause to run

From this reading It consisted merely in one or two large buckets of clean cold water poured over his round curly head and naked shoulders, and then, with but some small ceremony of drying, his clothes were cast on, and bound round him with his belt.

quitverbUS /kwɪt/

put an end to a state or an activity

From this reading The rising of the sun was generally the signal for knight and yeoman to quit their beds, and if some of the old or the soft cumbered their pillows for an hour or so later, the sleeping time rarely if ever extended beyond seven in the morning.

ranknounUS /ræŋk/

a row or line of people (especially soldiers or police) standing abreast of one another

From this reading The sky was still grey when the stout yeoman, whom we have mentioned under the title of the lord's man, but whose real name was Thomas Blawket, sprang lightly out of his bed, and made that sort of rapid, but not unwholesome toilet, which a hardy Englishman, in his rank of life, was then accustomed to use.

rapidadjectiveUS /ˈræpəd/

done or occurring in a brief period of time

From this reading The sky was still grey when the stout yeoman, whom we have mentioned under the title of the lord's man, but whose real name was Thomas Blawket, sprang lightly out of his bed, and made that sort of rapid, but not unwholesome toilet, which a hardy Englishman, in his rank of life, was then accustomed to use.

rarelyadverbUS /ˈrerli/

not often

From this reading The rising of the sun was generally the signal for knight and yeoman to quit their beds, and if some of the old or the soft cumbered their pillows for an hour or so later, the sleeping time rarely if ever extended beyond seven in the morning.

realadjectiveUS /riːl/

being or occurring in fact or actuality; having verified existence; not illusory

From this reading The sky was still grey when the stout yeoman, whom we have mentioned under the title of the lord's man, but whose real name was Thomas Blawket, sprang lightly out of his bed, and made that sort of rapid, but not unwholesome toilet, which a hardy Englishman, in his rank of life, was then accustomed to use.

risingadjectiveUS /ˈraɪzɪŋ/

advancing or becoming higher or greater in degree or value or status

From this reading The rising of the sun was generally the signal for knight and yeoman to quit their beds, and if some of the old or the soft cumbered their pillows for an hour or so later, the sleeping time rarely if ever extended beyond seven in the morning.

roundnounUS /raʊnd/

a charge of ammunition for a single shot

From this reading It consisted merely in one or two large buckets of clean cold water poured over his round curly head and naked shoulders, and then, with but some small ceremony of drying, his clothes were cast on, and bound round him with his belt.

sevennounUS /ˈsevən/

the cardinal number that is the sum of six and one

From this reading The rising of the sun was generally the signal for knight and yeoman to quit their beds, and if some of the old or the soft cumbered their pillows for an hour or so later, the sleeping time rarely if ever extended beyond seven in the morning.

shouldersnounUS /ˈʃoʊldərz/

plural of “shoulder” — the part of the body between the neck and the upper arm

From this reading It consisted merely in one or two large buckets of clean cold water poured over his round curly head and naked shoulders, and then, with but some small ceremony of drying, his clothes were cast on, and bound round him with his belt.

signalnounUS /ˈsɪɡnəl/

any nonverbal action or gesture that encodes a message

From this reading The rising of the sun was generally the signal for knight and yeoman to quit their beds, and if some of the old or the soft cumbered their pillows for an hour or so later, the sleeping time rarely if ever extended beyond seven in the morning.

skynounUS /skaɪ/

the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth

From this reading The sky was still grey when the stout yeoman, whom we have mentioned under the title of the lord's man, but whose real name was Thomas Blawket, sprang lightly out of his bed, and made that sort of rapid, but not unwholesome toilet, which a hardy Englishman, in his rank of life, was then accustomed to use.

sleepingnounUS /ˈsliːpɪŋ/

the state of being asleep

From this reading The rising of the sun was generally the signal for knight and yeoman to quit their beds, and if some of the old or the soft cumbered their pillows for an hour or so later, the sleeping time rarely if ever extended beyond seven in the morning.

sluggardnoun

an idle slothful person

From this reading The animal called the sluggard has greatly increased in modern days.

smalladjectiveUS /smɔːl/

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

From this reading It consisted merely in one or two large buckets of clean cold water poured over his round curly head and naked shoulders, and then, with but some small ceremony of drying, his clothes were cast on, and bound round him with his belt.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading The rising of the sun was generally the signal for knight and yeoman to quit their beds, and if some of the old or the soft cumbered their pillows for an hour or so later, the sleeping time rarely if ever extended beyond seven in the morning.

softadjectiveUS /sɑːft/

yielding readily to pressure or weight

From this reading The rising of the sun was generally the signal for knight and yeoman to quit their beds, and if some of the old or the soft cumbered their pillows for an hour or so later, the sleeping time rarely if ever extended beyond seven in the morning.

someadjectiveUS /sʌm/

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

From this reading The rising of the sun was generally the signal for knight and yeoman to quit their beds, and if some of the old or the soft cumbered their pillows for an hour or so later, the sleeping time rarely if ever extended beyond seven in the morning.

sortnounUS /sɔːrt/

a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality

From this reading The sky was still grey when the stout yeoman, whom we have mentioned under the title of the lord's man, but whose real name was Thomas Blawket, sprang lightly out of his bed, and made that sort of rapid, but not unwholesome toilet, which a hardy Englishman, in his rank of life, was then accustomed to use.

specimensnounUS /ˈspesəmənz/

plural of “specimen” — an example regarded as typical of its class

From this reading In former times the specimens were few and far between.

sprangverbUS /spræŋ/

inflected form of “spring” — move forward by leaps and bounds

From this reading The sky was still grey when the stout yeoman, whom we have mentioned under the title of the lord's man, but whose real name was Thomas Blawket, sprang lightly out of his bed, and made that sort of rapid, but not unwholesome toilet, which a hardy Englishman, in his rank of life, was then accustomed to use.

stilladjectiveUS /stɪl/

not in physical motion

From this reading The sky was still grey when the stout yeoman, whom we have mentioned under the title of the lord's man, but whose real name was Thomas Blawket, sprang lightly out of his bed, and made that sort of rapid, but not unwholesome toilet, which a hardy Englishman, in his rank of life, was then accustomed to use.

stoutadjectiveUS /staʊt/

dependable

From this reading The sky was still grey when the stout yeoman, whom we have mentioned under the title of the lord's man, but whose real name was Thomas Blawket, sprang lightly out of his bed, and made that sort of rapid, but not unwholesome toilet, which a hardy Englishman, in his rank of life, was then accustomed to use.

sunnounUS /sʌn/

the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system

From this reading The rising of the sun was generally the signal for knight and yeoman to quit their beds, and if some of the old or the soft cumbered their pillows for an hour or so later, the sleeping time rarely if ever extended beyond seven in the morning.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading The sky was still grey when the stout yeoman, whom we have mentioned under the title of the lord's man, but whose real name was Thomas Blawket, sprang lightly out of his bed, and made that sort of rapid, but not unwholesome toilet, which a hardy Englishman, in his rank of life, was then accustomed to use.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading The animal called the sluggard has greatly increased in modern days.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading The rising of the sun was generally the signal for knight and yeoman to quit their beds, and if some of the old or the soft cumbered their pillows for an hour or so later, the sleeping time rarely if ever extended beyond seven in the morning.

thenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading The sky was still grey when the stout yeoman, whom we have mentioned under the title of the lord's man, but whose real name was Thomas Blawket, sprang lightly out of his bed, and made that sort of rapid, but not unwholesome toilet, which a hardy Englishman, in his rank of life, was then accustomed to use.

ThomasnounUS /ˈtɑːməs/

United States clockmaker who introduced mass production (1785-1859)

From this reading The sky was still grey when the stout yeoman, whom we have mentioned under the title of the lord's man, but whose real name was Thomas Blawket, sprang lightly out of his bed, and made that sort of rapid, but not unwholesome toilet, which a hardy Englishman, in his rank of life, was then accustomed to use.

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading The rising of the sun was generally the signal for knight and yeoman to quit their beds, and if some of the old or the soft cumbered their pillows for an hour or so later, the sleeping time rarely if ever extended beyond seven in the morning.

timesnounUS /taɪmz/

a more or less definite period of time now or previously present

From this reading In former times the specimens were few and far between.

titlenounUS /ˈtaɪtəl/

a heading that names a statute or legislative bill; may give a brief summary of the matters it deals with

From this reading The sky was still grey when the stout yeoman, whom we have mentioned under the title of the lord's man, but whose real name was Thomas Blawket, sprang lightly out of his bed, and made that sort of rapid, but not unwholesome toilet, which a hardy Englishman, in his rank of life, was then accustomed to use.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading The rising of the sun was generally the signal for knight and yeoman to quit their beds, and if some of the old or the soft cumbered their pillows for an hour or so later, the sleeping time rarely if ever extended beyond seven in the morning.

toiletnounUS /ˈtɔɪlət/

a room or building equipped with one or more toilets

From this reading The sky was still grey when the stout yeoman, whom we have mentioned under the title of the lord's man, but whose real name was Thomas Blawket, sprang lightly out of his bed, and made that sort of rapid, but not unwholesome toilet, which a hardy Englishman, in his rank of life, was then accustomed to use.

twonounUS /tuː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading It consisted merely in one or two large buckets of clean cold water poured over his round curly head and naked shoulders, and then, with but some small ceremony of drying, his clothes were cast on, and bound round him with his belt.

underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading The sky was still grey when the stout yeoman, whom we have mentioned under the title of the lord's man, but whose real name was Thomas Blawket, sprang lightly out of his bed, and made that sort of rapid, but not unwholesome toilet, which a hardy Englishman, in his rank of life, was then accustomed to use.

unwholesomeadjective

detrimental to physical or moral well-being

From this reading The sky was still grey when the stout yeoman, whom we have mentioned under the title of the lord's man, but whose real name was Thomas Blawket, sprang lightly out of his bed, and made that sort of rapid, but not unwholesome toilet, which a hardy Englishman, in his rank of life, was then accustomed to use.

usenounUS /juːs/

the act of using

From this reading The sky was still grey when the stout yeoman, whom we have mentioned under the title of the lord's man, but whose real name was Thomas Blawket, sprang lightly out of his bed, and made that sort of rapid, but not unwholesome toilet, which a hardy Englishman, in his rank of life, was then accustomed to use.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading The rising of the sun was generally the signal for knight and yeoman to quit their beds, and if some of the old or the soft cumbered their pillows for an hour or so later, the sleeping time rarely if ever extended beyond seven in the morning.

waternounUS /ˈwɔːtər/

binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent

From this reading It consisted merely in one or two large buckets of clean cold water poured over his round curly head and naked shoulders, and then, with but some small ceremony of drying, his clothes were cast on, and bound round him with his belt.

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading The sky was still grey when the stout yeoman, whom we have mentioned under the title of the lord's man, but whose real name was Thomas Blawket, sprang lightly out of his bed, and made that sort of rapid, but not unwholesome toilet, which a hardy Englishman, in his rank of life, was then accustomed to use.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading In former times the specimens were few and far between.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading The sky was still grey when the stout yeoman, whom we have mentioned under the title of the lord's man, but whose real name was Thomas Blawket, sprang lightly out of his bed, and made that sort of rapid, but not unwholesome toilet, which a hardy Englishman, in his rank of life, was then accustomed to use.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading The sky was still grey when the stout yeoman, whom we have mentioned under the title of the lord's man, but whose real name was Thomas Blawket, sprang lightly out of his bed, and made that sort of rapid, but not unwholesome toilet, which a hardy Englishman, in his rank of life, was then accustomed to use.

whompronounUS /huːm/

the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading The sky was still grey when the stout yeoman, whom we have mentioned under the title of the lord's man, but whose real name was Thomas Blawket, sprang lightly out of his bed, and made that sort of rapid, but not unwholesome toilet, which a hardy Englishman, in his rank of life, was then accustomed to use.

whosedeterminerUS /huːz/

belonging to which person

From this reading The sky was still grey when the stout yeoman, whom we have mentioned under the title of the lord's man, but whose real name was Thomas Blawket, sprang lightly out of his bed, and made that sort of rapid, but not unwholesome toilet, which a hardy Englishman, in his rank of life, was then accustomed to use.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading It consisted merely in one or two large buckets of clean cold water poured over his round curly head and naked shoulders, and then, with but some small ceremony of drying, his clothes were cast on, and bound round him with his belt.

yeomannounUS /ˈjoʊmən/

officer in the (ceremonial) bodyguard of the British monarch

From this reading The rising of the sun was generally the signal for knight and yeoman to quit their beds, and if some of the old or the soft cumbered their pillows for an hour or so later, the sleeping time rarely if ever extended beyond seven in the morning.

Chapter 4 of Forest Days: A Romance of Old Times by G. P. R. (George Payne Rainsford) James holds 102 sentences, grouped into 21 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 4 of Forest Days: A Romance of Old Times contain?

Chapter 4 holds 102 sentences of Forest Days: A Romance of Old Times, unabridged, divided into 21 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 4 of Forest Days: A Romance of Old Times by G. P. R. (George Payne Rainsford) James exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 102 sentences, grouped into 21 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 4 of Forest Days: A Romance of Old Times?

Work through the 21 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 21 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.

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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.

Questions about reading Forest Days: A Romance of Old Times

Common questions about reading Forest Days: A Romance of Old Times by G. P. R. (George Payne Rainsford) James on this page, its source edition and its audio.

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Project Gutenberg eBook #49987, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Forest Days: A Romance of Old Times take to read?

About 502 minutes of reading across 1205 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

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How to work through Forest Days: A Romance of Old Times section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

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Vocabulary met early in Forest Days: A Romance of Old Times

Words and structures a reader meets early in Forest Days: A Romance of Old Times, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Collection
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Forest Days: A Romance of Old Times; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Ancient
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Forest Days: A Romance of Old Times; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Modern
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Forest Days: A Romance of Old Times; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
British
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Forest Days: A Romance of Old Times; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.