Learn English through classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
Lightfoot the Deer
Lightfoot the Deer

Chapter VII · Chapter 7

Chapter 7 of Lightfoot the Deer is here in full — 28 sentences across 6 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Lightfoot the Deer
Context Illustration Reading 1/5 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
It was a dreadful game the hunter with the terrible gun and Lightfoot the Deer were playing in the Green Forest.
It was a matching of wit against wit, the hunter seeking to take Lightfoot's life, and Lightfoot seeking to save it.
The experience of other years had taught Lightfoot much of the ways of hunters and not one of the things he had learned about them was forgotten.
But the hunter in his turn knew much of the ways of Deer.
So it was that each was trying his best to outguess the other.
0:00 / 0:00
Speed 0.75x
AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Lightfoot the Deer

Chapter VII · Chapter 7

Chapter 7 of Lightfoot the Deer is here in full — 28 sentences across 6 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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

Line 1
It was a dreadful game the hunter with the terrible gun and Lightfoot the Deer were playing in the Green Forest.
Line 2
It was a matching of wit against wit, the hunter seeking to take Lightfoot's life, and Lightfoot seeking to save it.
Line 3
The experience of other years had taught Lightfoot much of the ways of hunters and not one of the things he had learned about them was forgotten.
Line 4
But the hunter in his turn knew much of the ways of Deer.
/bʌt ðə ˈhʌntər ɪn hɪz tɜːrn nuː mʌtʃ ʌv ðə weɪz ʌv dɪr/
Line 5
So it was that each was trying his best to outguess the other.
/soʊ ɪt wɑːz ðæt iːtʃ wɑːz ˈtraɪɪŋ hɪz best tuː ˈaʊtɡes ðə ˈʌðər/

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.

Deer noun US /dɪr/

distinguished from Bovidae by the male's having solid deciduous antlers

From this reading “It was a dreadful game the hunter with the terrible gun and Lightfoot the Deer were playing in the Green Forest.”

gun noun US /ɡʌn/

a weapon that discharges a missile at high velocity (especially from a metal tube or barrel)

From this reading “It was a dreadful game the hunter with the terrible gun and Lightfoot the Deer were playing in the Green Forest.”

hunter noun US /ˈhʌntər/

someone who hunts game

From this reading “It was a dreadful game the hunter with the terrible gun and Lightfoot the Deer were playing in the Green Forest.”

hunters noun US /ˈhʌntərz/

plural of “hunter” — someone who hunts game

From this reading “The experience of other years had taught Lightfoot much of the ways of hunters and not one of the things he had learned about them was forgotten.”

matching adjective US /ˈmætʃɪŋ/

being two identical

From this reading “It was a matching of wit against wit, the hunter seeking to take Lightfoot's life, and Lightfoot seeking to save it.”

outguess verb US /ˈaʊtɡes/

attempt to anticipate or predict

From this reading “So it was that each was trying his best to outguess the other.”

seeking noun US /ˈsiːkɪŋ/

the act of searching for something

From this reading “It was a matching of wit against wit, the hunter seeking to take Lightfoot's life, and Lightfoot seeking to save it.”

wit noun US /wɪt/

a message whose ingenuity or verbal skill or incongruity has the power to evoke laughter

From this reading “It was a matching of wit against wit, the hunter seeking to take Lightfoot's life, and Lightfoot seeking to save it.”

All words in this reading · 54

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 It was a dreadful game the hunter with the terrible gun and Lightfoot the Deer were playing in the Green Forest.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading The experience of other years had taught Lightfoot much of the ways of hunters and not one of the things he had learned about them was forgotten.

againstprepositionUS /əˈɡenst/

touching and pressing; in opposition to

From this reading It was a matching of wit against wit, the hunter seeking to take Lightfoot's life, and Lightfoot seeking to save it.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading It was a dreadful game the hunter with the terrible gun and Lightfoot the Deer were playing in the Green Forest.

bestnounUS /best/

the supreme effort one can make

From this reading So it was that each was trying his best to outguess the other.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But the hunter in his turn knew much of the ways of Deer.

DeernounUS /dɪr/

distinguished from Bovidae by the male's having solid deciduous antlers

From this reading It was a dreadful game the hunter with the terrible gun and Lightfoot the Deer were playing in the Green Forest.

dreadfuladjectiveUS /ˈdredfəl/

causing fear or dread or terror

From this reading It was a dreadful game the hunter with the terrible gun and Lightfoot the Deer were playing in the Green Forest.

eachdeterminerUS /iːtʃ/

every one of two or more people or things, taken separately

From this reading So it was that each was trying his best to outguess the other.

experienceverbUS /ɪkˈspɪriəns/

undergo or live through a difficult experience

From this reading The experience of other years had taught Lightfoot much of the ways of hunters and not one of the things he had learned about them was forgotten.

ForestnounUS /ˈfɔːrəst/

the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area

From this reading It was a dreadful game the hunter with the terrible gun and Lightfoot the Deer were playing in the Green Forest.

forgottenadjectiveUS /fərˈɡɑːt.n̩/

Not remembered; lapsed from memory.

From this reading The experience of other years had taught Lightfoot much of the ways of hunters and not one of the things he had learned about them was forgotten.

gamenounUS /ɡeɪm/

a contest with rules to determine a winner

From this reading It was a dreadful game the hunter with the terrible gun and Lightfoot the Deer were playing in the Green Forest.

GreennounUS /ɡriːn/

green color or pigment; resembling the color of growing grass

From this reading It was a dreadful game the hunter with the terrible gun and Lightfoot the Deer were playing in the Green Forest.

gunnounUS /ɡʌn/

a weapon that discharges a missile at high velocity (especially from a metal tube or barrel)

From this reading It was a dreadful game the hunter with the terrible gun and Lightfoot the Deer were playing in the Green Forest.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading The experience of other years had taught Lightfoot much of the ways of hunters and not one of the things he had learned about them was forgotten.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading The experience of other years had taught Lightfoot much of the ways of hunters and not one of the things he had learned about them was forgotten.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading But the hunter in his turn knew much of the ways of Deer.

hunternounUS /ˈhʌntər/

someone who hunts game

From this reading It was a dreadful game the hunter with the terrible gun and Lightfoot the Deer were playing in the Green Forest.

huntersnounUS /ˈhʌntərz/

plural of “hunter” — someone who hunts game

From this reading The experience of other years had taught Lightfoot much of the ways of hunters and not one of the things he had learned about them was forgotten.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading It was a dreadful game the hunter with the terrible gun and Lightfoot the Deer were playing in the Green Forest.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was a dreadful game the hunter with the terrible gun and Lightfoot the Deer were playing in the Green Forest.

knewverbUS /nuː/

inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading But the hunter in his turn knew much of the ways of Deer.

learnedadjectiveUS /lɜːrnd/

having or showing profound knowledge

From this reading The experience of other years had taught Lightfoot much of the ways of hunters and not one of the things he had learned about them was forgotten.

lifenounUS /laɪf/

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading It was a matching of wit against wit, the hunter seeking to take Lightfoot's life, and Lightfoot seeking to save it.

Lightfoot

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

From this reading It was a dreadful game the hunter with the terrible gun and Lightfoot the Deer were playing in the Green Forest.

Lightfoot's

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

From this reading It was a matching of wit against wit, the hunter seeking to take Lightfoot's life, and Lightfoot seeking to save it.

matchingadjectiveUS /ˈmætʃɪŋ/

being two identical

From this reading It was a matching of wit against wit, the hunter seeking to take Lightfoot's life, and Lightfoot seeking to save it.

muchadverbUS /mʌtʃ/

to a great degree or extent

From this reading The experience of other years had taught Lightfoot much of the ways of hunters and not one of the things he had learned about them was forgotten.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading The experience of other years had taught Lightfoot much of the ways of hunters and not one of the things he had learned about them was forgotten.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading It was a matching of wit against wit, the hunter seeking to take Lightfoot's life, and Lightfoot seeking to save it.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading The experience of other years had taught Lightfoot much of the ways of hunters and not one of the things he had learned about them was forgotten.

otheradjectiveUS /ˈʌðər/

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading The experience of other years had taught Lightfoot much of the ways of hunters and not one of the things he had learned about them was forgotten.

outguessverbUS /ˈaʊtɡes/

attempt to anticipate or predict

From this reading So it was that each was trying his best to outguess the other.

playingnounUS /ˈpleɪɪŋ/

the act of playing a musical instrument

From this reading It was a dreadful game the hunter with the terrible gun and Lightfoot the Deer were playing in the Green Forest.

saveprepositionUS /seɪv/

except for; apart from

From this reading It was a matching of wit against wit, the hunter seeking to take Lightfoot's life, and Lightfoot seeking to save it.

seekingnounUS /ˈsiːkɪŋ/

the act of searching for something

From this reading It was a matching of wit against wit, the hunter seeking to take Lightfoot's life, and Lightfoot seeking to save it.

SoconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading So it was that each was trying his best to outguess the other.

takeverbUS /teɪk/

carry out

From this reading It was a matching of wit against wit, the hunter seeking to take Lightfoot's life, and Lightfoot seeking to save it.

taughtverbUS /tɔːt/

inflected form of “teach” — impart skills or knowledge to

From this reading The experience of other years had taught Lightfoot much of the ways of hunters and not one of the things he had learned about them was forgotten.

terribleadjectiveUS /ˈterəbəl/

causing fear or dread or terror

From this reading It was a dreadful game the hunter with the terrible gun and Lightfoot the Deer were playing in the Green Forest.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading So it was that each was trying his best to outguess the other.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading It was a dreadful game the hunter with the terrible gun and Lightfoot the Deer were playing in the Green Forest.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading The experience of other years had taught Lightfoot much of the ways of hunters and not one of the things he had learned about them was forgotten.

thingsnounUS /θɪŋz/

any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)

From this reading The experience of other years had taught Lightfoot much of the ways of hunters and not one of the things he had learned about them was forgotten.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading It was a matching of wit against wit, the hunter seeking to take Lightfoot's life, and Lightfoot seeking to save it.

tryingadjectiveUS /ˈtraɪɪŋ/

hard to endure

From this reading So it was that each was trying his best to outguess the other.

turnverbUS /tɜːrn/

change orientation or direction, also in the abstract sense

From this reading But the hunter in his turn knew much of the ways of Deer.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading It was a dreadful game the hunter with the terrible gun and Lightfoot the Deer were playing in the Green Forest.

waysnounUS /weɪz/

structure consisting of a sloping way down to the water from the place where ships are built or repaired

From this reading The experience of other years had taught Lightfoot much of the ways of hunters and not one of the things he had learned about them was forgotten.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading It was a dreadful game the hunter with the terrible gun and Lightfoot the Deer were playing in the Green Forest.

witnounUS /wɪt/

a message whose ingenuity or verbal skill or incongruity has the power to evoke laughter

From this reading It was a matching of wit against wit, the hunter seeking to take Lightfoot's life, and Lightfoot seeking to save it.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading It was a dreadful game the hunter with the terrible gun and Lightfoot the Deer were playing in the Green Forest.

yearsnounUS /jɪrz/

a late time of life

From this reading The experience of other years had taught Lightfoot much of the ways of hunters and not one of the things he had learned about them was forgotten.

Chapter 7 of Lightfoot the Deer by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess holds 28 sentences, grouped into 6 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.

What does chapter 7 of Lightfoot the Deer contain?

Chapter 7 holds 28 sentences of Lightfoot the Deer, unabridged, divided into 6 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 7 of Lightfoot the Deer by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 28 sentences, grouped into 6 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 7 of Lightfoot the Deer?

Work through the 6 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 6 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 7 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 7 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 Lightfoot the Deer

Common questions about reading Lightfoot the Deer by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Lightfoot the Deer?

Yes. All 1304 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #4670 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Lightfoot the Deer is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #4670, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Lightfoot the Deer take to read?

About 108 minutes of reading across 261 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Lightfoot the Deer section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 39 chapters of Lightfoot the Deer 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 Lightfoot the Deer

Words and structures a reader meets early in Lightfoot the Deer, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Peter
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Lightfoot the Deer; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Rabbit
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Lightfoot the Deer; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Puzzled
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Lightfoot the Deer; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Stared
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Lightfoot the Deer; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.