Chapter 1 of Kincaid's Battery is here in full — 423 sentences across 85 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
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Chapter I
Chapter 1 of Kincaid's Battery is here in full — 423 sentences across 85 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
E.C.S.C. "If any one alive," he cried, "knows any cause why this thing should not be" And the next instant she was in his arms "No! not under this roof--nor in sight of _these things_." "You 'ave no ri-ight to leave me! _Ah, you shall not_!" She dropped into a seat, staring like one demented.
Chapter 1 of Kincaid's Battery is here in full — 423 sentences across 85 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/84 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.
possessing life
From this reading “"If any one alive," he cried, "knows any cause why this thing should not be" And the next instant she was in his arms "No! not under this roof--nor in sight of _these things_."”
events that provide the generative force that is the origin of something
From this reading “"If any one alive," he cried, "knows any cause why this thing should not be" And the next instant she was in his arms "No! not under this roof--nor in sight of _these things_."”
affected with madness or insanity
From this reading “She dropped into a seat, staring like one demented.”
inflected form of “drop” — let fall to the ground
From this reading “She dropped into a seat, staring like one demented.”
a very short time (as the time it takes the eye to blink or the heart to beat)
From this reading “"If any one alive," he cried, "knows any cause why this thing should not be" And the next instant she was in his arms "No! not under this roof--nor in sight of _these things_."”
a protective covering that covers or forms the top of a building
From this reading “"If any one alive," he cried, "knows any cause why this thing should not be" And the next instant she was in his arms "No! not under this roof--nor in sight of _these things_."”
a space reserved for sitting (as in a theater or on a train or airplane)
From this reading “She dropped into a seat, staring like one demented.”
(used of eyes) open and fixed as if in fear or wonder
From this reading “She dropped into a seat, staring like one demented.”
Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.
Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading She dropped into a seat, staring like one demented.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _Ah, you shall not_!"
possessing life
From this reading "If any one alive," he cried, "knows any cause why this thing should not be" And the next instant she was in his arms "No! not under this roof--nor in sight of _these things_."
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "If any one alive," he cried, "knows any cause why this thing should not be" And the next instant she was in his arms "No! not under this roof--nor in sight of _these things_."
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading "If any one alive," he cried, "knows any cause why this thing should not be" And the next instant she was in his arms "No! not under this roof--nor in sight of _these things_."
weapons considered collectively
From this reading "If any one alive," he cried, "knows any cause why this thing should not be" And the next instant she was in his arms "No! not under this roof--nor in sight of _these things_."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "You 'ave no ri-ight to leave me!
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading "If any one alive," he cried, "knows any cause why this thing should not be" And the next instant she was in his arms "No! not under this roof--nor in sight of _these things_."
a degree on the centigrade scale of temperature
From this reading E.C.S.C.
events that provide the generative force that is the origin of something
From this reading "If any one alive," he cried, "knows any cause why this thing should not be" And the next instant she was in his arms "No! not under this roof--nor in sight of _these things_."
inflected form of “cry” — utter a sudden loud cry
From this reading "If any one alive," he cried, "knows any cause why this thing should not be" And the next instant she was in his arms "No! not under this roof--nor in sight of _these things_."
affected with madness or insanity
From this reading She dropped into a seat, staring like one demented.
inflected form of “drop” — let fall to the ground
From this reading She dropped into a seat, staring like one demented.
a fat-soluble vitamin that is essential for normal reproduction; an important antioxidant that neutralizes free radicals in the body
From this reading E.C.S.C.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "If any one alive," he cried, "knows any cause why this thing should not be" And the next instant she was in his arms "No! not under this roof--nor in sight of _these things_."
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading "If any one alive," he cried, "knows any cause why this thing should not be" And the next instant she was in his arms "No! not under this roof--nor in sight of _these things_."
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading "If any one alive," he cried, "knows any cause why this thing should not be" And the next instant she was in his arms "No! not under this roof--nor in sight of _these things_."
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "If any one alive," he cried, "knows any cause why this thing should not be" And the next instant she was in his arms "No! not under this roof--nor in sight of _these things_."
a very short time (as the time it takes the eye to blink or the heart to beat)
From this reading "If any one alive," he cried, "knows any cause why this thing should not be" And the next instant she was in his arms "No! not under this roof--nor in sight of _these things_."
moving to the inside of something
From this reading She dropped into a seat, staring like one demented.
plural of “know” — the fact of being aware of information that is known to few people
From this reading "If any one alive," he cried, "knows any cause why this thing should not be" And the next instant she was in his arms "No! not under this roof--nor in sight of _these things_."
go away from a place
From this reading "You 'ave no ri-ight to leave me!
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading She dropped into a seat, staring like one demented.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "You 'ave no ri-ight to leave me!
immediately following in time or order
From this reading "If any one alive," he cried, "knows any cause why this thing should not be" And the next instant she was in his arms "No! not under this roof--nor in sight of _these things_."
not any; not one
From this reading "If any one alive," he cried, "knows any cause why this thing should not be" And the next instant she was in his arms "No! not under this roof--nor in sight of _these things_."
and not; used after a negative to add a second negative
From this reading "If any one alive," he cried, "knows any cause why this thing should not be" And the next instant she was in his arms "No! not under this roof--nor in sight of _these things_."
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading "If any one alive," he cried, "knows any cause why this thing should not be" And the next instant she was in his arms "No! not under this roof--nor in sight of _these things_."
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "If any one alive," he cried, "knows any cause why this thing should not be" And the next instant she was in his arms "No! not under this roof--nor in sight of _these things_."
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading "If any one alive," he cried, "knows any cause why this thing should not be" And the next instant she was in his arms "No! not under this roof--nor in sight of _these things_."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "You 'ave no ri-ight to leave me!
a protective covering that covers or forms the top of a building
From this reading "If any one alive," he cried, "knows any cause why this thing should not be" And the next instant she was in his arms "No! not under this roof--nor in sight of _these things_."
1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
From this reading E.C.S.C.
a space reserved for sitting (as in a theater or on a train or airplane)
From this reading She dropped into a seat, staring like one demented.
used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest
From this reading _Ah, you shall not_!"
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "If any one alive," he cried, "knows any cause why this thing should not be" And the next instant she was in his arms "No! not under this roof--nor in sight of _these things_."
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading "If any one alive," he cried, "knows any cause why this thing should not be" And the next instant she was in his arms "No! not under this roof--nor in sight of _these things_."
an instance of visual perception
From this reading "If any one alive," he cried, "knows any cause why this thing should not be" And the next instant she was in his arms "No! not under this roof--nor in sight of _these things_."
(used of eyes) open and fixed as if in fear or wonder
From this reading She dropped into a seat, staring like one demented.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "If any one alive," he cried, "knows any cause why this thing should not be" And the next instant she was in his arms "No! not under this roof--nor in sight of _these things_."
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading "If any one alive," he cried, "knows any cause why this thing should not be" And the next instant she was in his arms "No! not under this roof--nor in sight of _these things_."
a special situation
From this reading "If any one alive," he cried, "knows any cause why this thing should not be" And the next instant she was in his arms "No! not under this roof--nor in sight of _these things_."
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading "If any one alive," he cried, "knows any cause why this thing should not be" And the next instant she was in his arms "No! not under this roof--nor in sight of _these things_."
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading "If any one alive," he cried, "knows any cause why this thing should not be" And the next instant she was in his arms "No! not under this roof--nor in sight of _these things_."
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "You 'ave no ri-ight to leave me!
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading "If any one alive," he cried, "knows any cause why this thing should not be" And the next instant she was in his arms "No! not under this roof--nor in sight of _these things_."
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "If any one alive," he cried, "knows any cause why this thing should not be" And the next instant she was in his arms "No! not under this roof--nor in sight of _these things_."
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading "If any one alive," he cried, "knows any cause why this thing should not be" And the next instant she was in his arms "No! not under this roof--nor in sight of _these things_."
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "You 'ave no ri-ight to leave me!
Chapter 1 of Kincaid's Battery by George Washington Cable holds 423 sentences, grouped into 85 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.
Chapter 1 holds 423 sentences of Kincaid's Battery, unabridged, divided into 85 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 1 of Kincaid's Battery by George Washington Cable exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 423 sentences, grouped into 85 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.
Work through the 85 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 85 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 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.
Common questions about reading Kincaid's Battery by George Washington Cable on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 5644 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #11719 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #11719, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 470 minutes of reading across 1129 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Kincaid's Battery section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 14 chapters of Kincaid's Battery to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in Kincaid's Battery, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
