Chapter 1 of Made to Measure is here in full — 773 sentences across 155 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter I
Chapter 1 of Made to Measure is here in full — 773 sentences across 155 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Somewhere is an ideal mate for every man and woman, but Joe wasn't willing to bet on it. He was a man who rolled his own! The pressure tube locks clicked behind them, as the train moved on. It was a strange, sighing click and to Joe it sounded like, "She's not right--she's not right--she's not right--" So, finally, he said it. "She's not right."
Chapter 1 of Made to Measure is here in full — 773 sentences across 155 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/154 · 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.
maintain with or as if with a bet
From this reading “Somewhere is an ideal mate for every man and woman, but Joe wasn't willing to bet on it.”
move or strike with a noise
From this reading “It was a strange, sighing click and to Joe it sounded like, "She's not right--she's not right--she's not right--" So, finally, he said it.”
past form of “click” — move or strike with a noise
From this reading “The pressure tube locks clicked behind them, as the train moved on.”
conforming to an ultimate standard of perfection or excellence; embodying an ideal
From this reading “Somewhere is an ideal mate for every man and woman, but Joe wasn't willing to bet on it.”
plural of “lock” — a fastener fitted to a door or drawer to keep it firmly closed
From this reading “The pressure tube locks clicked behind them, as the train moved on.”
the force applied to a unit area of surface; measured in pascals (SI unit) or in dynes (cgs unit)
From this reading “The pressure tube locks clicked behind them, as the train moved on.”
-ing form of “sigh” — heave or utter a sigh; breathe deeply and heavily
From this reading “It was a strange, sighing click and to Joe it sounded like, "She's not right--she's not right--she's not right--" So, finally, he said it.”
conduit consisting of a long hollow object (usually cylindrical) used to hold and conduct objects or liquids or gases
From this reading “The pressure tube locks clicked behind them, as the train moved on.”
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.
In this reading “The pressure tube locks clicked behind them, as the train moved on.”
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 He was a man who rolled his own!
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Somewhere is an ideal mate for every man and woman, but Joe wasn't willing to bet on it.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Somewhere is an ideal mate for every man and woman, but Joe wasn't willing to bet on it.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The pressure tube locks clicked behind them, as the train moved on.
at or toward the back of something
From this reading The pressure tube locks clicked behind them, as the train moved on.
maintain with or as if with a bet
From this reading Somewhere is an ideal mate for every man and woman, but Joe wasn't willing to bet on it.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Somewhere is an ideal mate for every man and woman, but Joe wasn't willing to bet on it.
move or strike with a noise
From this reading It was a strange, sighing click and to Joe it sounded like, "She's not right--she's not right--she's not right--" So, finally, he said it.
past form of “click” — move or strike with a noise
From this reading The pressure tube locks clicked behind them, as the train moved on.
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading Somewhere is an ideal mate for every man and woman, but Joe wasn't willing to bet on it.
after an unspecified period of time or an especially long delay
From this reading It was a strange, sighing click and to Joe it sounded like, "She's not right--she's not right--she's not right--" So, finally, he said it.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Somewhere is an ideal mate for every man and woman, but Joe wasn't willing to bet on it.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He was a man who rolled his own!
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He was a man who rolled his own!
conforming to an ultimate standard of perfection or excellence; embodying an ideal
From this reading Somewhere is an ideal mate for every man and woman, but Joe wasn't willing to bet on it.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Somewhere is an ideal mate for every man and woman, but Joe wasn't willing to bet on it.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Somewhere is an ideal mate for every man and woman, but Joe wasn't willing to bet on it.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Somewhere is an ideal mate for every man and woman, but Joe wasn't willing to bet on it.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading It was a strange, sighing click and to Joe it sounded like, "She's not right--she's not right--she's not right--" So, finally, he said it.
plural of “lock” — a fastener fitted to a door or drawer to keep it firmly closed
From this reading The pressure tube locks clicked behind them, as the train moved on.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading Somewhere is an ideal mate for every man and woman, but Joe wasn't willing to bet on it.
the officer below the master on a commercial ship
From this reading Somewhere is an ideal mate for every man and woman, but Joe wasn't willing to bet on it.
being excited or provoked to the expression of an emotion
From this reading The pressure tube locks clicked behind them, as the train moved on.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading It was a strange, sighing click and to Joe it sounded like, "She's not right--she's not right--she's not right--" So, finally, he said it.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Somewhere is an ideal mate for every man and woman, but Joe wasn't willing to bet on it.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading He was a man who rolled his own!
the force applied to a unit area of surface; measured in pascals (SI unit) or in dynes (cgs unit)
From this reading The pressure tube locks clicked behind them, as the train moved on.
precisely, exactly
From this reading It was a strange, sighing click and to Joe it sounded like, "She's not right--she's not right--she's not right--" So, finally, he said it.
especially of petals or leaves in bud; having margins rolled inward
From this reading He was a man who rolled his own!
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading It was a strange, sighing click and to Joe it sounded like, "She's not right--she's not right--she's not right--" So, finally, he said it.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a strange, sighing click and to Joe it sounded like, "She's not right--she's not right--she's not right--" So, finally, he said it.
-ing form of “sigh” — heave or utter a sigh; breathe deeply and heavily
From this reading It was a strange, sighing click and to Joe it sounded like, "She's not right--she's not right--she's not right--" So, finally, he said it.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading It was a strange, sighing click and to Joe it sounded like, "She's not right--she's not right--she's not right--" So, finally, he said it.
in or at or to some place
From this reading Somewhere is an ideal mate for every man and woman, but Joe wasn't willing to bet on it.
past form of “sound” — appear in a certain way
From this reading It was a strange, sighing click and to Joe it sounded like, "She's not right--she's not right--she's not right--" So, finally, he said it.
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading It was a strange, sighing click and to Joe it sounded like, "She's not right--she's not right--she's not right--" So, finally, he said it.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The pressure tube locks clicked behind them, as the train moved on.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading The pressure tube locks clicked behind them, as the train moved on.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Somewhere is an ideal mate for every man and woman, but Joe wasn't willing to bet on it.
create by training and teaching
From this reading The pressure tube locks clicked behind them, as the train moved on.
conduit consisting of a long hollow object (usually cylindrical) used to hold and conduct objects or liquids or gases
From this reading The pressure tube locks clicked behind them, as the train moved on.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He was a man who rolled his own!
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Somewhere is an ideal mate for every man and woman, but Joe wasn't willing to bet on it.
which person or people
From this reading He was a man who rolled his own!
disposed or inclined toward
From this reading Somewhere is an ideal mate for every man and woman, but Joe wasn't willing to bet on it.
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading Somewhere is an ideal mate for every man and woman, but Joe wasn't willing to bet on it.
Chapter 1 of Made to Measure by William Campbell Gault holds 773 sentences, grouped into 155 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 773 sentences of Made to Measure, unabridged, divided into 155 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 1 of Made to Measure by William Campbell Gault exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 773 sentences, grouped into 155 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 155 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 155 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 Made to Measure by William Campbell Gault on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 773 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #51194 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #51194, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 64 minutes of reading across 155 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Made to Measure section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 1 chapters of Made to Measure 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 Made to Measure, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
