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Icebound: A Play
Icebound: A Play

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of Icebound: A Play is here in full — 443 sentences across 89 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Icebound: A Play
Context Illustration Reading 1/88 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
No performance of this play, professional or amateur,--or public reading of it--may be given without the written permission of the author and the payment of royalty.
Application for the rights of performing Icebound must be made to Sam H. Harris, Sam H. Harris Theatre, New York City.
With the production of The Detour,” about a year ago, I managed to secure some measure of success in drawing a simple picture of life as it is lived on a Long Island farm; encouraged by this, I am now turning toward my own people, the people of northern New England, whose folklore, up to the present time, has been quite neglected in our theatre.
I mean, of course, that few serious attempts have been made in the direction of a genre comedy of this locality.
Here I have at least tried to draw a true picture of these people, and I am of their blood, born of generations of Northern Maine, small-town folk, and brought up among them.
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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.

Icebound: A Play

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of Icebound: A Play is here in full — 443 sentences across 89 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/88 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
No performance of this play, professional or amateur,--or public reading of it--may be given without the written permission of the author and the payment of royalty.
Line 2
Application for the rights of performingIceboundmust be made to Sam H. Harris, Sam H. Harris Theatre, New York City.
Line 3
With the production ofThe Detour,” about a year ago, I managed to secure some measure of success in drawing a simple picture of life as it is lived on a Long Island farm; encouraged by this, I am now turning toward my own people, the people of northern New England, whose folklore, up to the present time, has been quite neglected in our theatre.
/wɪð ðə prəˈdʌkʃən ʌv ðə dɪˈtʊr əˈbaʊt ə jɪr əˈɡoʊ aɪ ˈmænədʒd tuː sɪˈkjʊr sʌm ˈmeʒər ʌv səkˈses ɪn ˈdrɔːɪŋ ə ˈsɪmpəl ˈpɪktʃər ʌv laɪf æz ɪt ɪz lɪvd ɑːn ə lɔːŋ ˈaɪlənd fɑːrm enˈkɜːrɪdʒd baɪ ðɪs aɪ æm naʊ ˈtɜːrnɪŋ təˈwɔːrd maɪ oʊn ˈpiːpəl ðə ˈpiːpəl ʌv ˈnɔːrðərn nuː ˈɪŋɡlənd huːz ˈfoʊklɔːr ʌp tuː ðə ˈprezənt taɪm hæz bɪn kwaɪt nəˈɡlektəd ɪn ˈaʊər ˈθiːətər/
Line 4
I mean, of course, that few serious attempts have been made in the direction of a genre comedy of this locality.
/aɪ miːn ʌv kɔːrs ðæt fjuː ˈsɪriəs əˈtempts hæv bɪn meɪd ɪn ðə dərˈekʃən ʌv ə ˈʒɑːnrə ˈkɑːmədi ʌv ðɪs loʊˈkæləti/
Line 5
Here I have at least tried to draw a true picture of these people, and I am of their blood, born of generations of Northern Maine, small-town folk, and brought up among them.

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.

amateur noun US /ˈæmətɜːr/

someone who pursues a study or sport as a pastime

From this reading “No performance of this play, professional or amateur,--or public reading of it--may be given without the written permission of the author and the payment of royalty.”

Detour noun US /dɪˈtʊr/

a roundabout road (especially one that is used temporarily while a main route is blocked)

From this reading “With the production of “The Detour,” about a year ago, I managed to secure some measure of success in drawing a simple picture of life as it is lived on a Long Island farm; encouraged by this, I am now turning toward my own people, the people of northern New England, whose folklore, up to the present time, has been quite neglected in our theatre.”

folklore noun US /ˈfoʊklɔːr/

the unwritten lore (stories and proverbs and riddles and songs) of a culture

From this reading “With the production of “The Detour,” about a year ago, I managed to secure some measure of success in drawing a simple picture of life as it is lived on a Long Island farm; encouraged by this, I am now turning toward my own people, the people of northern New England, whose folklore, up to the present time, has been quite neglected in our theatre.”

genre noun US /ˈʒɑːnrə/

a kind of literary or artistic work

From this reading “I mean, of course, that few serious attempts have been made in the direction of a genre comedy of this locality.”

locality noun US /loʊˈkæləti/

a surrounding or nearby region

From this reading “I mean, of course, that few serious attempts have been made in the direction of a genre comedy of this locality.”

Maine noun US /meɪn/

a state in New England

From this reading “Here I have at least tried to draw a true picture of these people, and I am of their blood, born of generations of Northern Maine, small-town folk, and brought up among them.”

performing noun US /pərˈfɔːrmɪŋ/

the performance of a part or role in a drama

From this reading “Application for the rights of performing “Icebound” must be made to Sam H. Harris, Sam H. Harris Theatre, New York City.”

royalty noun US /ˈrɔɪəlti/

payment to the holder of a patent or copyright or resource for the right to use their property

From this reading “No performance of this play, professional or amateur,--or public reading of it--may be given without the written permission of the author and the payment of royalty.”

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.

some measure adjective + noun

In this reading “With the production of “The Detour,” about a year ago, I managed to secure some measure of success in drawing a simple picture of life as it is lived on a Long Island farm; encouraged by this, I am now turning toward my own people, the people of northern New England, whose folklore, up to the present time, has been quite neglected in our theatre.”

of course preposition + noun

as might be expected

In this reading “I mean, of course, that few serious attempts have been made in the direction of a genre comedy of this locality.”

brought up verb + adjective counted as “bring up”

summon into action or bring into existence, often as if by magic

In this reading “Here I have at least tried to draw a true picture of these people, and I am of their blood, born of generations of Northern Maine, small-town folk, and brought up among them.”

in the direction preposition + article + noun counted as “in … direction”

In this reading “I mean, of course, that few serious attempts have been made in the direction of a genre comedy of this locality.”

of royalty preposition + noun

In this reading “No performance of this play, professional or amateur,--or public reading of it--may be given without the written permission of the author and the payment of royalty.”

own people verb + noun

In this reading “With the production of “The Detour,” about a year ago, I managed to secure some measure of success in drawing a simple picture of life as it is lived on a Long Island farm; encouraged by this, I am now turning toward my own people, the people of northern New England, whose folklore, up to the present time, has been quite neglected in our theatre.”

about a year preposition + article + noun counted as “about … year”

In this reading “With the production of “The Detour,” about a year ago, I managed to secure some measure of success in drawing a simple picture of life as it is lived on a Long Island farm; encouraged by this, I am now turning toward my own people, the people of northern New England, whose folklore, up to the present time, has been quite neglected in our theatre.”

present time verb + noun

In this reading “With the production of “The Detour,” about a year ago, I managed to secure some measure of success in drawing a simple picture of life as it is lived on a Long Island farm; encouraged by this, I am now turning toward my own people, the people of northern New England, whose folklore, up to the present time, has been quite neglected in our theatre.”

All words in this reading · 111

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 With the production of “The Detour,” about a year ago, I managed to secure some measure of success in drawing a simple picture of life as it is lived on a Long Island farm; encouraged by this, I am now turning toward my own people, the people of northern New England, whose folklore, up to the present time, has been quite neglected in our theatre.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading With the production of “The Detour,” about a year ago, I managed to secure some measure of success in drawing a simple picture of life as it is lived on a Long Island farm; encouraged by this, I am now turning toward my own people, the people of northern New England, whose folklore, up to the present time, has been quite neglected in our theatre.

agoadverbUS /əˈɡoʊ/

in the past

From this reading With the production of “The Detour,” about a year ago, I managed to secure some measure of success in drawing a simple picture of life as it is lived on a Long Island farm; encouraged by this, I am now turning toward my own people, the people of northern New England, whose folklore, up to the present time, has been quite neglected in our theatre.

amauxiliary verbUS /æm/

the form of “be” used with “I”

From this reading With the production of “The Detour,” about a year ago, I managed to secure some measure of success in drawing a simple picture of life as it is lived on a Long Island farm; encouraged by this, I am now turning toward my own people, the people of northern New England, whose folklore, up to the present time, has been quite neglected in our theatre.

amateurnounUS /ˈæmətɜːr/

someone who pursues a study or sport as a pastime

From this reading No performance of this play, professional or amateur,--or public reading of it--may be given without the written permission of the author and the payment of royalty.

amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/

surrounded by; in the middle of a group

From this reading Here I have at least tried to draw a true picture of these people, and I am of their blood, born of generations of Northern Maine, small-town folk, and brought up among them.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading No performance of this play, professional or amateur,--or public reading of it--may be given without the written permission of the author and the payment of royalty.

ApplicationnounUS /ˌæpləˈkeɪʃən/

the act of bringing something to bear; using it for a particular purpose

From this reading Application for the rights of performing “Icebound” must be made to Sam H. Harris, Sam H. Harris Theatre, New York City.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading With the production of “The Detour,” about a year ago, I managed to secure some measure of success in drawing a simple picture of life as it is lived on a Long Island farm; encouraged by this, I am now turning toward my own people, the people of northern New England, whose folklore, up to the present time, has been quite neglected in our theatre.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Here I have at least tried to draw a true picture of these people, and I am of their blood, born of generations of Northern Maine, small-town folk, and brought up among them.

attemptsnounUS /əˈtempts/

plural of “attempt” — earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something

From this reading I mean, of course, that few serious attempts have been made in the direction of a genre comedy of this locality.

authornounUS /ˈɔːθər/

writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay)

From this reading No performance of this play, professional or amateur,--or public reading of it--may be given without the written permission of the author and the payment of royalty.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading No performance of this play, professional or amateur,--or public reading of it--may be given without the written permission of the author and the payment of royalty.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading With the production of “The Detour,” about a year ago, I managed to secure some measure of success in drawing a simple picture of life as it is lived on a Long Island farm; encouraged by this, I am now turning toward my own people, the people of northern New England, whose folklore, up to the present time, has been quite neglected in our theatre.

bloodnounUS /blʌd/

The red fluid that circulates in the heart and blood vessels.

From this reading Here I have at least tried to draw a true picture of these people, and I am of their blood, born of generations of Northern Maine, small-town folk, and brought up among them.

bornadjectiveUS /bɔːrn/

brought into existence

From this reading Here I have at least tried to draw a true picture of these people, and I am of their blood, born of generations of Northern Maine, small-town folk, and brought up among them.

broughtverbUS /brɔːt/

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

From this reading Here I have at least tried to draw a true picture of these people, and I am of their blood, born of generations of Northern Maine, small-town folk, and brought up among them.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading With the production of “The Detour,” about a year ago, I managed to secure some measure of success in drawing a simple picture of life as it is lived on a Long Island farm; encouraged by this, I am now turning toward my own people, the people of northern New England, whose folklore, up to the present time, has been quite neglected in our theatre.

CitynounUS /ˈsɪti/

a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts

From this reading Application for the rights of performing “Icebound” must be made to Sam H. Harris, Sam H. Harris Theatre, New York City.

comedynounUS /ˈkɑːmədi/

light and humorous drama with a happy ending

From this reading I mean, of course, that few serious attempts have been made in the direction of a genre comedy of this locality.

coursenounUS /kɔːrs/

education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings

From this reading I mean, of course, that few serious attempts have been made in the direction of a genre comedy of this locality.

DetournounUS /dɪˈtʊr/

a roundabout road (especially one that is used temporarily while a main route is blocked)

From this reading With the production of “The Detour,” about a year ago, I managed to secure some measure of success in drawing a simple picture of life as it is lived on a Long Island farm; encouraged by this, I am now turning toward my own people, the people of northern New England, whose folklore, up to the present time, has been quite neglected in our theatre.

directionnounUS /dərˈekʃən/

a line leading to a place or point

From this reading I mean, of course, that few serious attempts have been made in the direction of a genre comedy of this locality.

drawverbUS /drɔː/

cause to move by pulling

From this reading Here I have at least tried to draw a true picture of these people, and I am of their blood, born of generations of Northern Maine, small-town folk, and brought up among them.

drawingnounUS /ˈdrɔːɪŋ/

an illustration that is drawn by hand and published in a book, magazine, or newspaper

From this reading With the production of “The Detour,” about a year ago, I managed to secure some measure of success in drawing a simple picture of life as it is lived on a Long Island farm; encouraged by this, I am now turning toward my own people, the people of northern New England, whose folklore, up to the present time, has been quite neglected in our theatre.

encouragedadjectiveUS /enˈkɜːrɪdʒd/

inspired with confidence

From this reading With the production of “The Detour,” about a year ago, I managed to secure some measure of success in drawing a simple picture of life as it is lived on a Long Island farm; encouraged by this, I am now turning toward my own people, the people of northern New England, whose folklore, up to the present time, has been quite neglected in our theatre.

EnglandnounUS /ˈɪŋɡlənd/

a division of the United Kingdom

From this reading With the production of “The Detour,” about a year ago, I managed to secure some measure of success in drawing a simple picture of life as it is lived on a Long Island farm; encouraged by this, I am now turning toward my own people, the people of northern New England, whose folklore, up to the present time, has been quite neglected in our theatre.

farmverbUS /fɑːrm/

be a farmer; work as a farmer

From this reading With the production of “The Detour,” about a year ago, I managed to secure some measure of success in drawing a simple picture of life as it is lived on a Long Island farm; encouraged by this, I am now turning toward my own people, the people of northern New England, whose folklore, up to the present time, has been quite neglected in our theatre.

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 I mean, of course, that few serious attempts have been made in the direction of a genre comedy of this locality.

folknounUS /foʊk/

people in general (often used in the plural)

From this reading Here I have at least tried to draw a true picture of these people, and I am of their blood, born of generations of Northern Maine, small-town folk, and brought up among them.

folklorenounUS /ˈfoʊklɔːr/

the unwritten lore (stories and proverbs and riddles and songs) of a culture

From this reading With the production of “The Detour,” about a year ago, I managed to secure some measure of success in drawing a simple picture of life as it is lived on a Long Island farm; encouraged by this, I am now turning toward my own people, the people of northern New England, whose folklore, up to the present time, has been quite neglected in our theatre.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Application for the rights of performing “Icebound” must be made to Sam H. Harris, Sam H. Harris Theatre, New York City.

generationsnounUS /ˌdʒenərˈeɪʃənz/

plural of “generation” — all the people living at the same time or of approximately the same age

From this reading Here I have at least tried to draw a true picture of these people, and I am of their blood, born of generations of Northern Maine, small-town folk, and brought up among them.

genrenounUS /ˈʒɑːnrə/

a kind of literary or artistic work

From this reading I mean, of course, that few serious attempts have been made in the direction of a genre comedy of this locality.

givenadjectiveUS /ˈɡɪvən/

acknowledged as a supposition

From this reading No performance of this play, professional or amateur,--or public reading of it--may be given without the written permission of the author and the payment of royalty.

HnounUS /eɪtʃ/

a nonmetallic univalent element that is normally a colorless and odorless highly flammable diatomic gas; the simplest and lightest and most abundant element in the universe

From this reading Application for the rights of performing “Icebound” must be made to Sam H. Harris, Sam H. Harris Theatre, New York City.

HarrisnounUS /ˈherɪs/

United States author who wrote the stories about Uncle Remus (1848-1908)

From this reading Application for the rights of performing “Icebound” must be made to Sam H. Harris, Sam H. Harris Theatre, New York City.

hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

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

From this reading With the production of “The Detour,” about a year ago, I managed to secure some measure of success in drawing a simple picture of life as it is lived on a Long Island farm; encouraged by this, I am now turning toward my own people, the people of northern New England, whose folklore, up to the present time, has been quite neglected in our theatre.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading I mean, of course, that few serious attempts have been made in the direction of a genre comedy of this locality.

HereadverbUS /hiːr/

in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is

From this reading Here I have at least tried to draw a true picture of these people, and I am of their blood, born of generations of Northern Maine, small-town folk, and brought up among them.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading With the production of “The Detour,” about a year ago, I managed to secure some measure of success in drawing a simple picture of life as it is lived on a Long Island farm; encouraged by this, I am now turning toward my own people, the people of northern New England, whose folklore, up to the present time, has been quite neglected in our theatre.

Iceboundadjective

locked in by ice

From this reading Application for the rights of performing “Icebound” must be made to Sam H. Harris, Sam H. Harris Theatre, New York City.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading With the production of “The Detour,” about a year ago, I managed to secure some measure of success in drawing a simple picture of life as it is lived on a Long Island farm; encouraged by this, I am now turning toward my own people, the people of northern New England, whose folklore, up to the present time, has been quite neglected in our theatre.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading With the production of “The Detour,” about a year ago, I managed to secure some measure of success in drawing a simple picture of life as it is lived on a Long Island farm; encouraged by this, I am now turning toward my own people, the people of northern New England, whose folklore, up to the present time, has been quite neglected in our theatre.

IslandnounUS /ˈaɪlənd/

a land mass (smaller than a continent) that is surrounded by water

From this reading With the production of “The Detour,” about a year ago, I managed to secure some measure of success in drawing a simple picture of life as it is lived on a Long Island farm; encouraged by this, I am now turning toward my own people, the people of northern New England, whose folklore, up to the present time, has been quite neglected in our theatre.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading No performance of this play, professional or amateur,--or public reading of it--may be given without the written permission of the author and the payment of royalty.

leastadjectiveUS /liːst/

the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree

From this reading Here I have at least tried to draw a true picture of these people, and I am of their blood, born of generations of Northern Maine, small-town folk, and brought up among them.

lifenounUS /laɪf/

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading With the production of “The Detour,” about a year ago, I managed to secure some measure of success in drawing a simple picture of life as it is lived on a Long Island farm; encouraged by this, I am now turning toward my own people, the people of northern New England, whose folklore, up to the present time, has been quite neglected in our theatre.

livedverbUS /lɪvd/

past form of “live” — be an inhabitant of or reside in

From this reading With the production of “The Detour,” about a year ago, I managed to secure some measure of success in drawing a simple picture of life as it is lived on a Long Island farm; encouraged by this, I am now turning toward my own people, the people of northern New England, whose folklore, up to the present time, has been quite neglected in our theatre.

localitynounUS /loʊˈkæləti/

a surrounding or nearby region

From this reading I mean, of course, that few serious attempts have been made in the direction of a genre comedy of this locality.

LongadjectiveUS /lɔːŋ/

primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified

From this reading With the production of “The Detour,” about a year ago, I managed to secure some measure of success in drawing a simple picture of life as it is lived on a Long Island farm; encouraged by this, I am now turning toward my own people, the people of northern New England, whose folklore, up to the present time, has been quite neglected in our theatre.

madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading Application for the rights of performing “Icebound” must be made to Sam H. Harris, Sam H. Harris Theatre, New York City.

MainenounUS /meɪn/

a state in New England

From this reading Here I have at least tried to draw a true picture of these people, and I am of their blood, born of generations of Northern Maine, small-town folk, and brought up among them.

managedverbUS /ˈmænədʒd/

past form of “manage” — be successful; achieve a goal

From this reading With the production of “The Detour,” about a year ago, I managed to secure some measure of success in drawing a simple picture of life as it is lived on a Long Island farm; encouraged by this, I am now turning toward my own people, the people of northern New England, whose folklore, up to the present time, has been quite neglected in our theatre.

maymodal verbUS /meɪ/

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading No performance of this play, professional or amateur,--or public reading of it--may be given without the written permission of the author and the payment of royalty.

meanverbUS /miːn/

mean or intend to express or convey

From this reading I mean, of course, that few serious attempts have been made in the direction of a genre comedy of this locality.

measurenounUS /ˈmeʒər/

any maneuver made as part of progress toward a goal

From this reading With the production of “The Detour,” about a year ago, I managed to secure some measure of success in drawing a simple picture of life as it is lived on a Long Island farm; encouraged by this, I am now turning toward my own people, the people of northern New England, whose folklore, up to the present time, has been quite neglected in our theatre.

mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading Application for the rights of performing “Icebound” must be made to Sam H. Harris, Sam H. Harris Theatre, New York City.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading With the production of “The Detour,” about a year ago, I managed to secure some measure of success in drawing a simple picture of life as it is lived on a Long Island farm; encouraged by this, I am now turning toward my own people, the people of northern New England, whose folklore, up to the present time, has been quite neglected in our theatre.

neglectedadjectiveUS /nəˈɡlektəd/

disregarded

From this reading With the production of “The Detour,” about a year ago, I managed to secure some measure of success in drawing a simple picture of life as it is lived on a Long Island farm; encouraged by this, I am now turning toward my own people, the people of northern New England, whose folklore, up to the present time, has been quite neglected in our theatre.

NewadjectiveUS /nuː/

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

From this reading Application for the rights of performing “Icebound” must be made to Sam H. Harris, Sam H. Harris Theatre, New York City.

NodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading No performance of this play, professional or amateur,--or public reading of it--may be given without the written permission of the author and the payment of royalty.

northernadjectiveUS /ˈnɔːrðərn/

in or characteristic of a region of the United States north of (approximately) the Mason-Dixon line

From this reading With the production of “The Detour,” about a year ago, I managed to secure some measure of success in drawing a simple picture of life as it is lived on a Long Island farm; encouraged by this, I am now turning toward my own people, the people of northern New England, whose folklore, up to the present time, has been quite neglected in our theatre.

nowadverbUS /naʊ/

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading With the production of “The Detour,” about a year ago, I managed to secure some measure of success in drawing a simple picture of life as it is lived on a Long Island farm; encouraged by this, I am now turning toward my own people, the people of northern New England, whose folklore, up to the present time, has been quite neglected in our theatre.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading No performance of this play, professional or amateur,--or public reading of it--may be given without the written permission of the author and the payment of royalty.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading With the production of “The Detour,” about a year ago, I managed to secure some measure of success in drawing a simple picture of life as it is lived on a Long Island farm; encouraged by this, I am now turning toward my own people, the people of northern New England, whose folklore, up to the present time, has been quite neglected in our theatre.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading No performance of this play, professional or amateur,--or public reading of it--may be given without the written permission of the author and the payment of royalty.

ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading With the production of “The Detour,” about a year ago, I managed to secure some measure of success in drawing a simple picture of life as it is lived on a Long Island farm; encouraged by this, I am now turning toward my own people, the people of northern New England, whose folklore, up to the present time, has been quite neglected in our theatre.

ownverbUS /oʊn/

have ownership or possession of

From this reading With the production of “The Detour,” about a year ago, I managed to secure some measure of success in drawing a simple picture of life as it is lived on a Long Island farm; encouraged by this, I am now turning toward my own people, the people of northern New England, whose folklore, up to the present time, has been quite neglected in our theatre.

paymentnounUS /ˈpeɪmənt/

a sum of money paid or a claim discharged

From this reading No performance of this play, professional or amateur,--or public reading of it--may be given without the written permission of the author and the payment of royalty.

peoplenounUS /ˈpiːpəl/

(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively

From this reading With the production of “The Detour,” about a year ago, I managed to secure some measure of success in drawing a simple picture of life as it is lived on a Long Island farm; encouraged by this, I am now turning toward my own people, the people of northern New England, whose folklore, up to the present time, has been quite neglected in our theatre.

performancenounUS /pərˈfɔːrməns/

a dramatic or musical entertainment

From this reading No performance of this play, professional or amateur,--or public reading of it--may be given without the written permission of the author and the payment of royalty.

performingnounUS /pərˈfɔːrmɪŋ/

the performance of a part or role in a drama

From this reading Application for the rights of performing “Icebound” must be made to Sam H. Harris, Sam H. Harris Theatre, New York City.

permissionnounUS /pərˈmɪʃən/

approval to do something

From this reading No performance of this play, professional or amateur,--or public reading of it--may be given without the written permission of the author and the payment of royalty.

picturenounUS /ˈpɪktʃər/

a visual representation (of an object or scene or person or abstraction) produced on a surface

From this reading With the production of “The Detour,” about a year ago, I managed to secure some measure of success in drawing a simple picture of life as it is lived on a Long Island farm; encouraged by this, I am now turning toward my own people, the people of northern New England, whose folklore, up to the present time, has been quite neglected in our theatre.

playverbUS /pleɪ/

participate in games or sport

From this reading No performance of this play, professional or amateur,--or public reading of it--may be given without the written permission of the author and the payment of royalty.

presentverbUS /ˈprezənt/

give an exhibition of to an interested audience

From this reading With the production of “The Detour,” about a year ago, I managed to secure some measure of success in drawing a simple picture of life as it is lived on a Long Island farm; encouraged by this, I am now turning toward my own people, the people of northern New England, whose folklore, up to the present time, has been quite neglected in our theatre.

productionnounUS /prəˈdʌkʃən/

the act or process of producing something

From this reading With the production of “The Detour,” about a year ago, I managed to secure some measure of success in drawing a simple picture of life as it is lived on a Long Island farm; encouraged by this, I am now turning toward my own people, the people of northern New England, whose folklore, up to the present time, has been quite neglected in our theatre.

professionaladjectiveUS /prəˈfeʃənəl/

engaged in a profession or engaging in as a profession or means of livelihood

From this reading No performance of this play, professional or amateur,--or public reading of it--may be given without the written permission of the author and the payment of royalty.

publicnounUS /ˈpʌblɪk/

people in general considered as a whole

From this reading No performance of this play, professional or amateur,--or public reading of it--may be given without the written permission of the author and the payment of royalty.

quiteadverbUS /kwaɪt/

to a degree (not used with a negative)

From this reading With the production of “The Detour,” about a year ago, I managed to secure some measure of success in drawing a simple picture of life as it is lived on a Long Island farm; encouraged by this, I am now turning toward my own people, the people of northern New England, whose folklore, up to the present time, has been quite neglected in our theatre.

readingnounUS /ˈriːdɪŋ/

the cognitive process of understanding a written linguistic message

From this reading No performance of this play, professional or amateur,--or public reading of it--may be given without the written permission of the author and the payment of royalty.

rightsnounUS /raɪts/

plural of “right” — an abstract idea of that which is due to a person or governmental body by law or tradition or nature

From this reading Application for the rights of performing “Icebound” must be made to Sam H. Harris, Sam H. Harris Theatre, New York City.

royaltynounUS /ˈrɔɪəlti/

payment to the holder of a patent or copyright or resource for the right to use their property

From this reading No performance of this play, professional or amateur,--or public reading of it--may be given without the written permission of the author and the payment of royalty.

SamnounUS /sæm/

a guided missile fired from land or shipboard against an airborne target

From this reading Application for the rights of performing “Icebound” must be made to Sam H. Harris, Sam H. Harris Theatre, New York City.

secureverbUS /sɪˈkjʊr/

get by special effort

From this reading With the production of “The Detour,” about a year ago, I managed to secure some measure of success in drawing a simple picture of life as it is lived on a Long Island farm; encouraged by this, I am now turning toward my own people, the people of northern New England, whose folklore, up to the present time, has been quite neglected in our theatre.

seriousadjectiveUS /ˈsɪriəs/

concerned with work or important matters rather than play or trivialities

From this reading I mean, of course, that few serious attempts have been made in the direction of a genre comedy of this locality.

simpleadjectiveUS /ˈsɪmpəl/

having few parts; not complex or complicated or involved

From this reading With the production of “The Detour,” about a year ago, I managed to secure some measure of success in drawing a simple picture of life as it is lived on a Long Island farm; encouraged by this, I am now turning toward my own people, the people of northern New England, whose folklore, up to the present time, has been quite neglected in our theatre.

small-town

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

From this reading Here I have at least tried to draw a true picture of these people, and I am of their blood, born of generations of Northern Maine, small-town folk, and brought up among them.

someadjectiveUS /sʌm/

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

From this reading With the production of “The Detour,” about a year ago, I managed to secure some measure of success in drawing a simple picture of life as it is lived on a Long Island farm; encouraged by this, I am now turning toward my own people, the people of northern New England, whose folklore, up to the present time, has been quite neglected in our theatre.

successnounUS /səkˈses/

an event that accomplishes its intended purpose

From this reading With the production of “The Detour,” about a year ago, I managed to secure some measure of success in drawing a simple picture of life as it is lived on a Long Island farm; encouraged by this, I am now turning toward my own people, the people of northern New England, whose folklore, up to the present time, has been quite neglected in our theatre.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading I mean, of course, that few serious attempts have been made in the direction of a genre comedy of this locality.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading No performance of this play, professional or amateur,--or public reading of it--may be given without the written permission of the author and the payment of royalty.

TheatrenounUS /ˈθiːətər/

a building where theatrical performances or motion-picture shows can be presented

From this reading Application for the rights of performing “Icebound” must be made to Sam H. Harris, Sam H. Harris Theatre, New York City.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading Here I have at least tried to draw a true picture of these people, and I am of their blood, born of generations of Northern Maine, small-town folk, and brought up among them.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading Here I have at least tried to draw a true picture of these people, and I am of their blood, born of generations of Northern Maine, small-town folk, and brought up among them.

thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading Here I have at least tried to draw a true picture of these people, and I am of their blood, born of generations of Northern Maine, small-town folk, and brought up among them.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading No performance of this play, professional or amateur,--or public reading of it--may be given without the written permission of the author and the payment of royalty.

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading With the production of “The Detour,” about a year ago, I managed to secure some measure of success in drawing a simple picture of life as it is lived on a Long Island farm; encouraged by this, I am now turning toward my own people, the people of northern New England, whose folklore, up to the present time, has been quite neglected in our theatre.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Application for the rights of performing “Icebound” must be made to Sam H. Harris, Sam H. Harris Theatre, New York City.

towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/

in the direction of

From this reading With the production of “The Detour,” about a year ago, I managed to secure some measure of success in drawing a simple picture of life as it is lived on a Long Island farm; encouraged by this, I am now turning toward my own people, the people of northern New England, whose folklore, up to the present time, has been quite neglected in our theatre.

triedadjectiveUS /traɪd/

tested and proved useful or correct

From this reading Here I have at least tried to draw a true picture of these people, and I am of their blood, born of generations of Northern Maine, small-town folk, and brought up among them.

trueadjectiveUS /truː/

consistent with fact or reality; not false

From this reading Here I have at least tried to draw a true picture of these people, and I am of their blood, born of generations of Northern Maine, small-town folk, and brought up among them.

turningnounUS /ˈtɜːrnɪŋ/

the act of changing or reversing the direction of the course

From this reading With the production of “The Detour,” about a year ago, I managed to secure some measure of success in drawing a simple picture of life as it is lived on a Long Island farm; encouraged by this, I am now turning toward my own people, the people of northern New England, whose folklore, up to the present time, has been quite neglected in our theatre.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading With the production of “The Detour,” about a year ago, I managed to secure some measure of success in drawing a simple picture of life as it is lived on a Long Island farm; encouraged by this, I am now turning toward my own people, the people of northern New England, whose folklore, up to the present time, has been quite neglected in our theatre.

whosedeterminerUS /huːz/

belonging to which person

From this reading With the production of “The Detour,” about a year ago, I managed to secure some measure of success in drawing a simple picture of life as it is lived on a Long Island farm; encouraged by this, I am now turning toward my own people, the people of northern New England, whose folklore, up to the present time, has been quite neglected in our theatre.

WithprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading With the production of “The Detour,” about a year ago, I managed to secure some measure of success in drawing a simple picture of life as it is lived on a Long Island farm; encouraged by this, I am now turning toward my own people, the people of northern New England, whose folklore, up to the present time, has been quite neglected in our theatre.

withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading No performance of this play, professional or amateur,--or public reading of it--may be given without the written permission of the author and the payment of royalty.

writtenadjectiveUS /ˈrɪtən/

set down in writing in any of various ways

From this reading No performance of this play, professional or amateur,--or public reading of it--may be given without the written permission of the author and the payment of royalty.

yearnounUS /jɪr/

a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days

From this reading With the production of “The Detour,” about a year ago, I managed to secure some measure of success in drawing a simple picture of life as it is lived on a Long Island farm; encouraged by this, I am now turning toward my own people, the people of northern New England, whose folklore, up to the present time, has been quite neglected in our theatre.

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 Application for the rights of performing “Icebound” must be made to Sam H. Harris, Sam H. Harris Theatre, New York City.

Chapter 1 of Icebound: A Play by Owen Davis holds 443 sentences, grouped into 89 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 1 of Icebound: A Play contain?

Chapter 1 holds 443 sentences of Icebound: A Play, unabridged, divided into 89 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of Icebound: A Play by Owen Davis exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 443 sentences, grouped into 89 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 1 of Icebound: A Play?

Work through the 89 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 89 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 1 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 1 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 Icebound: A Play

Common questions about reading Icebound: A Play by Owen Davis on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Icebound: A Play?

Yes. All 1813 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #59777 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Icebound: A Play is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #59777, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Icebound: A Play take to read?

About 151 minutes of reading across 363 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Icebound: A Play section by section

How to work through Icebound: A Play section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 4 chapters of Icebound: A Play 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 Icebound: A Play

Words and structures a reader meets early in Icebound: A Play, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Performance
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Icebound: A Play; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Professional
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Icebound: A Play; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Amateur
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Icebound: A Play; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Public
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Icebound: A Play; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.