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Marriage
Marriage

Chapter XXXVIII · Chapter 38

Chapter 38 of Marriage is here in full — 45 sentences across 9 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/9 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
"They were in sooth a most enchanting train; .
. skilful to unite With evil good, and strew with pleasure pain."
_Castle of Indolence._ IN writing to her maternal friend Mary did not follow the mode usually adopted by young ladies of the heroic cast, viz. that of giving a minute and circumstantial detail of their own complete wretchedness, and abusing, in terms highly sentimental, every member of the family with whom they are associated.
Mary knew that to breathe a hint of her own unhappiness would be to embitter the peace of those she loved; and she therefore strove to conceal from their observation the disappointment she had experienced.
Many a sigh was heaved, however, and many a tear was wiped away ere a letter could be composed that would carry pleasure to the dear group at Glenfern.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Marriage

Chapter XXXVIII · Chapter 38

Chapter 38 of Marriage is here in full — 45 sentences across 9 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/9 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
"They were in sooth a most enchanting train; .
Line 2
. skilful to unite With evil good, and strew with pleasure pain."
Line 3
_Castle of Indolence._ IN writing to her maternal friend Mary did not follow the mode usually adopted by young ladies of the heroic cast, viz. that of giving a minute and circumstantial detail of their own complete wretchedness, and abusing, in terms highly sentimental, every member of the family with whom they are associated.
Line 4
Mary knew that to breathe a hint of her own unhappiness would be to embitter the peace of those she loved; and she therefore strove to conceal from their observation the disappointment she had experienced.
/ˈmeri nuː ðæt tuː briːð ə hɪnt ʌv hɜːr oʊn ənˈhæpinɪs wʊd biː tuː emˈbɪtər ðə piːs ʌv ðoʊz ʃiː lʌvd ənd ʃiː ˈðerfɔːr stroʊv tuː kənˈsiːl frʌm ðer ˌɑːbzərˈveɪʃən ðə ˌdɪsəˈpɔɪntmənt ʃiː hæd ɪkˈspɪriənst/
Line 5
Many a sigh was heaved, however, and many a tear was wiped away ere a letter could be composed that would carry pleasure to the dear group at Glenfern.

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.

abusing verb US /əˈbjuːzɪŋ/

-ing form of “abuse” — treat badly

From this reading “_Castle of Indolence._ IN writing to her maternal friend Mary did not follow the mode usually adopted by young ladies of the heroic cast, viz. that of giving a minute and circumstantial detail of their own complete wretchedness, and abusing, in terms highly sentimental, every member of the family with whom they are associated.”

circumstantial adjective US /ˌsɜːrkəmˈstænʃəl/

fully detailed and specific about particulars

From this reading “_Castle of Indolence._ IN writing to her maternal friend Mary did not follow the mode usually adopted by young ladies of the heroic cast, viz. that of giving a minute and circumstantial detail of their own complete wretchedness, and abusing, in terms highly sentimental, every member of the family with whom they are associated.”

embitter verb US /emˈbɪtər/

cause to be bitter or resentful

From this reading “Mary knew that to breathe a hint of her own unhappiness would be to embitter the peace of those she loved; and she therefore strove to conceal from their observation the disappointment she had experienced.”

enchanting adjective US /enˈtʃæntɪŋ/

capturing interest as if by a spell

From this reading “"They were in sooth a most enchanting train; .”

maternal adjective US /məˈtɜːrnəl/

characteristic of a mother

From this reading “_Castle of Indolence._ IN writing to her maternal friend Mary did not follow the mode usually adopted by young ladies of the heroic cast, viz. that of giving a minute and circumstantial detail of their own complete wretchedness, and abusing, in terms highly sentimental, every member of the family with whom they are associated.”

strew verb US /struː/

spread by scattering ("straw" is archaic)

From this reading “. skilful to unite With evil good, and strew with pleasure pain."”

unhappiness noun US /ənˈhæpinɪs/

emotions experienced when not in a state of well-being

From this reading “Mary knew that to breathe a hint of her own unhappiness would be to embitter the peace of those she loved; and she therefore strove to conceal from their observation the disappointment she had experienced.”

unite verb US /ˈjuːnaɪt/

act in concert or unite in a common purpose or belief

From this reading “. skilful to unite With evil good, and strew with pleasure pain."”

All words in this reading · 94

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 "They were in sooth a most enchanting train; .

abusingverbUS /əˈbjuːzɪŋ/

-ing form of “abuse” — treat badly

From this reading _Castle of Indolence._ IN writing to her maternal friend Mary did not follow the mode usually adopted by young ladies of the heroic cast, viz. that of giving a minute and circumstantial detail of their own complete wretchedness, and abusing, in terms highly sentimental, every member of the family with whom they are associated.

adoptedadjectiveUS /əˈdɑːptɪd/

acquired as your own by free choice

From this reading _Castle of Indolence._ IN writing to her maternal friend Mary did not follow the mode usually adopted by young ladies of the heroic cast, viz. that of giving a minute and circumstantial detail of their own complete wretchedness, and abusing, in terms highly sentimental, every member of the family with whom they are associated.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading . skilful to unite With evil good, and strew with pleasure pain."

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading _Castle of Indolence._ IN writing to her maternal friend Mary did not follow the mode usually adopted by young ladies of the heroic cast, viz. that of giving a minute and circumstantial detail of their own complete wretchedness, and abusing, in terms highly sentimental, every member of the family with whom they are associated.

associatedverbUS /əˈsoʊsieɪtɪd/

past form of “associate” — make a logical or causal connection

From this reading _Castle of Indolence._ IN writing to her maternal friend Mary did not follow the mode usually adopted by young ladies of the heroic cast, viz. that of giving a minute and circumstantial detail of their own complete wretchedness, and abusing, in terms highly sentimental, every member of the family with whom they are associated.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Many a sigh was heaved, however, and many a tear was wiped away ere a letter could be composed that would carry pleasure to the dear group at Glenfern.

awayadverbUS /əˈweɪ/

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading Many a sigh was heaved, however, and many a tear was wiped away ere a letter could be composed that would carry pleasure to the dear group at Glenfern.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading Mary knew that to breathe a hint of her own unhappiness would be to embitter the peace of those she loved; and she therefore strove to conceal from their observation the disappointment she had experienced.

breatheverbUS /briːð/

draw air into, and expel out of, the lungs

From this reading Mary knew that to breathe a hint of her own unhappiness would be to embitter the peace of those she loved; and she therefore strove to conceal from their observation the disappointment she had experienced.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading _Castle of Indolence._ IN writing to her maternal friend Mary did not follow the mode usually adopted by young ladies of the heroic cast, viz. that of giving a minute and circumstantial detail of their own complete wretchedness, and abusing, in terms highly sentimental, every member of the family with whom they are associated.

carryverbUS /ˈkæri/

move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body

From this reading Many a sigh was heaved, however, and many a tear was wiped away ere a letter could be composed that would carry pleasure to the dear group at Glenfern.

castverbUS /kæst/

put or send forth

From this reading _Castle of Indolence._ IN writing to her maternal friend Mary did not follow the mode usually adopted by young ladies of the heroic cast, viz. that of giving a minute and circumstantial detail of their own complete wretchedness, and abusing, in terms highly sentimental, every member of the family with whom they are associated.

CastlenounUS /ˈkæsəl/

a large and stately mansion

From this reading _Castle of Indolence._ IN writing to her maternal friend Mary did not follow the mode usually adopted by young ladies of the heroic cast, viz. that of giving a minute and circumstantial detail of their own complete wretchedness, and abusing, in terms highly sentimental, every member of the family with whom they are associated.

circumstantialadjectiveUS /ˌsɜːrkəmˈstænʃəl/

fully detailed and specific about particulars

From this reading _Castle of Indolence._ IN writing to her maternal friend Mary did not follow the mode usually adopted by young ladies of the heroic cast, viz. that of giving a minute and circumstantial detail of their own complete wretchedness, and abusing, in terms highly sentimental, every member of the family with whom they are associated.

completeverbUS /kəmˈpliːt/

come or bring to a finish or an end

From this reading _Castle of Indolence._ IN writing to her maternal friend Mary did not follow the mode usually adopted by young ladies of the heroic cast, viz. that of giving a minute and circumstantial detail of their own complete wretchedness, and abusing, in terms highly sentimental, every member of the family with whom they are associated.

composedadjectiveUS /kəmˈpoʊzd/

serenely self-possessed and free from agitation especially in times of stress

From this reading Many a sigh was heaved, however, and many a tear was wiped away ere a letter could be composed that would carry pleasure to the dear group at Glenfern.

concealverbUS /kənˈsiːl/

prevent from being seen or discovered

From this reading Mary knew that to breathe a hint of her own unhappiness would be to embitter the peace of those she loved; and she therefore strove to conceal from their observation the disappointment she had experienced.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading Many a sigh was heaved, however, and many a tear was wiped away ere a letter could be composed that would carry pleasure to the dear group at Glenfern.

dearadjectiveUS /dɪr/

dearly loved

From this reading Many a sigh was heaved, however, and many a tear was wiped away ere a letter could be composed that would carry pleasure to the dear group at Glenfern.

detailnounUS /dɪˈteɪl/

an isolated fact that is considered separately from the whole

From this reading _Castle of Indolence._ IN writing to her maternal friend Mary did not follow the mode usually adopted by young ladies of the heroic cast, viz. that of giving a minute and circumstantial detail of their own complete wretchedness, and abusing, in terms highly sentimental, every member of the family with whom they are associated.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading _Castle of Indolence._ IN writing to her maternal friend Mary did not follow the mode usually adopted by young ladies of the heroic cast, viz. that of giving a minute and circumstantial detail of their own complete wretchedness, and abusing, in terms highly sentimental, every member of the family with whom they are associated.

disappointmentnounUS /ˌdɪsəˈpɔɪntmənt/

a feeling of dissatisfaction that results when your expectations are not realized

From this reading Mary knew that to breathe a hint of her own unhappiness would be to embitter the peace of those she loved; and she therefore strove to conceal from their observation the disappointment she had experienced.

embitterverbUS /emˈbɪtər/

cause to be bitter or resentful

From this reading Mary knew that to breathe a hint of her own unhappiness would be to embitter the peace of those she loved; and she therefore strove to conceal from their observation the disappointment she had experienced.

enchantingadjectiveUS /enˈtʃæntɪŋ/

capturing interest as if by a spell

From this reading "They were in sooth a most enchanting train; .

ereconjunctionUS /er/

an old word for “before”

From this reading Many a sigh was heaved, however, and many a tear was wiped away ere a letter could be composed that would carry pleasure to the dear group at Glenfern.

everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading _Castle of Indolence._ IN writing to her maternal friend Mary did not follow the mode usually adopted by young ladies of the heroic cast, viz. that of giving a minute and circumstantial detail of their own complete wretchedness, and abusing, in terms highly sentimental, every member of the family with whom they are associated.

evilnounUS /ˈiːvəl/

morally objectionable behavior

From this reading . skilful to unite With evil good, and strew with pleasure pain."

experiencedadjectiveUS /ɪkˈspɪriənst/

having experience; having knowledge or skill from observation or participation

From this reading Mary knew that to breathe a hint of her own unhappiness would be to embitter the peace of those she loved; and she therefore strove to conceal from their observation the disappointment she had experienced.

familynounUS /ˈfæməli/

a social unit living together

From this reading _Castle of Indolence._ IN writing to her maternal friend Mary did not follow the mode usually adopted by young ladies of the heroic cast, viz. that of giving a minute and circumstantial detail of their own complete wretchedness, and abusing, in terms highly sentimental, every member of the family with whom they are associated.

followverbUS /ˈfɑːloʊ/

to travel behind, go after, come after

From this reading _Castle of Indolence._ IN writing to her maternal friend Mary did not follow the mode usually adopted by young ladies of the heroic cast, viz. that of giving a minute and circumstantial detail of their own complete wretchedness, and abusing, in terms highly sentimental, every member of the family with whom they are associated.

friendnounUS /frend/

a person you know well and regard with affection and trust

From this reading _Castle of Indolence._ IN writing to her maternal friend Mary did not follow the mode usually adopted by young ladies of the heroic cast, viz. that of giving a minute and circumstantial detail of their own complete wretchedness, and abusing, in terms highly sentimental, every member of the family with whom they are associated.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Mary knew that to breathe a hint of her own unhappiness would be to embitter the peace of those she loved; and she therefore strove to conceal from their observation the disappointment she had experienced.

givingnounUS /ˈɡɪvɪŋ/

the act of giving

From this reading _Castle of Indolence._ IN writing to her maternal friend Mary did not follow the mode usually adopted by young ladies of the heroic cast, viz. that of giving a minute and circumstantial detail of their own complete wretchedness, and abusing, in terms highly sentimental, every member of the family with whom they are associated.

Glenfern

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

From this reading Many a sigh was heaved, however, and many a tear was wiped away ere a letter could be composed that would carry pleasure to the dear group at Glenfern.

goodadjectiveUS /ɡʊd/

having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified

From this reading . skilful to unite With evil good, and strew with pleasure pain."

groupnounUS /ɡruːp/

any number of entities (members) considered as a unit

From this reading Many a sigh was heaved, however, and many a tear was wiped away ere a letter could be composed that would carry pleasure to the dear group at Glenfern.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Mary knew that to breathe a hint of her own unhappiness would be to embitter the peace of those she loved; and she therefore strove to conceal from their observation the disappointment she had experienced.

heavedverbUS /hiːvd/

past form of “heave” — utter a sound, as with obvious effort

From this reading Many a sigh was heaved, however, and many a tear was wiped away ere a letter could be composed that would carry pleasure to the dear group at Glenfern.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading _Castle of Indolence._ IN writing to her maternal friend Mary did not follow the mode usually adopted by young ladies of the heroic cast, viz. that of giving a minute and circumstantial detail of their own complete wretchedness, and abusing, in terms highly sentimental, every member of the family with whom they are associated.

heroicadjectiveUS /hɪˈroʊɪk/

very imposing or impressive; surpassing the ordinary (especially in size or scale)

From this reading _Castle of Indolence._ IN writing to her maternal friend Mary did not follow the mode usually adopted by young ladies of the heroic cast, viz. that of giving a minute and circumstantial detail of their own complete wretchedness, and abusing, in terms highly sentimental, every member of the family with whom they are associated.

highlyadverbUS /ˈhaɪli/

to a high degree or extent; favorably or with much respect

From this reading _Castle of Indolence._ IN writing to her maternal friend Mary did not follow the mode usually adopted by young ladies of the heroic cast, viz. that of giving a minute and circumstantial detail of their own complete wretchedness, and abusing, in terms highly sentimental, every member of the family with whom they are associated.

hintnounUS /hɪnt/

an indirect suggestion

From this reading Mary knew that to breathe a hint of her own unhappiness would be to embitter the peace of those she loved; and she therefore strove to conceal from their observation the disappointment she had experienced.

howeveradverbUS /ˌhaʊˈevər/

used to add a contrasting statement

From this reading Many a sigh was heaved, however, and many a tear was wiped away ere a letter could be composed that would carry pleasure to the dear group at Glenfern.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading "They were in sooth a most enchanting train; .

Indolencenoun

inactivity resulting from a dislike of work

From this reading _Castle of Indolence._ IN writing to her maternal friend Mary did not follow the mode usually adopted by young ladies of the heroic cast, viz. that of giving a minute and circumstantial detail of their own complete wretchedness, and abusing, in terms highly sentimental, every member of the family with whom they are associated.

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 Mary knew that to breathe a hint of her own unhappiness would be to embitter the peace of those she loved; and she therefore strove to conceal from their observation the disappointment she had experienced.

ladiesnounUS /ˈleɪdiz/

plural of “lady” — a polite name for any woman

From this reading _Castle of Indolence._ IN writing to her maternal friend Mary did not follow the mode usually adopted by young ladies of the heroic cast, viz. that of giving a minute and circumstantial detail of their own complete wretchedness, and abusing, in terms highly sentimental, every member of the family with whom they are associated.

letternounUS /ˈletər/

a written message addressed to a person or organization

From this reading Many a sigh was heaved, however, and many a tear was wiped away ere a letter could be composed that would carry pleasure to the dear group at Glenfern.

lovedadjectiveUS /lʌvd/

held dear

From this reading Mary knew that to breathe a hint of her own unhappiness would be to embitter the peace of those she loved; and she therefore strove to conceal from their observation the disappointment she had experienced.

ManyadjectiveUS /ˈmeni/

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number

From this reading Many a sigh was heaved, however, and many a tear was wiped away ere a letter could be composed that would carry pleasure to the dear group at Glenfern.

MarynounUS /ˈmeri/

the mother of Jesus; Christians refer to her as the Virgin Mary; she is especially honored by Roman Catholics

From this reading _Castle of Indolence._ IN writing to her maternal friend Mary did not follow the mode usually adopted by young ladies of the heroic cast, viz. that of giving a minute and circumstantial detail of their own complete wretchedness, and abusing, in terms highly sentimental, every member of the family with whom they are associated.

maternaladjectiveUS /məˈtɜːrnəl/

characteristic of a mother

From this reading _Castle of Indolence._ IN writing to her maternal friend Mary did not follow the mode usually adopted by young ladies of the heroic cast, viz. that of giving a minute and circumstantial detail of their own complete wretchedness, and abusing, in terms highly sentimental, every member of the family with whom they are associated.

membernounUS /ˈmembər/

one of the persons who compose a social group (especially individuals who have joined and participate in a group organization)

From this reading _Castle of Indolence._ IN writing to her maternal friend Mary did not follow the mode usually adopted by young ladies of the heroic cast, viz. that of giving a minute and circumstantial detail of their own complete wretchedness, and abusing, in terms highly sentimental, every member of the family with whom they are associated.

minutenounUS /ˈmɪnət/

a unit of time equal to 60 seconds or 1/60th of an hour

From this reading _Castle of Indolence._ IN writing to her maternal friend Mary did not follow the mode usually adopted by young ladies of the heroic cast, viz. that of giving a minute and circumstantial detail of their own complete wretchedness, and abusing, in terms highly sentimental, every member of the family with whom they are associated.

modenounUS /moʊd/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading _Castle of Indolence._ IN writing to her maternal friend Mary did not follow the mode usually adopted by young ladies of the heroic cast, viz. that of giving a minute and circumstantial detail of their own complete wretchedness, and abusing, in terms highly sentimental, every member of the family with whom they are associated.

mostadverbUS /moʊst/

used to form the superlative

From this reading "They were in sooth a most enchanting train; .

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading _Castle of Indolence._ IN writing to her maternal friend Mary did not follow the mode usually adopted by young ladies of the heroic cast, viz. that of giving a minute and circumstantial detail of their own complete wretchedness, and abusing, in terms highly sentimental, every member of the family with whom they are associated.

observationnounUS /ˌɑːbzərˈveɪʃən/

the act of making and recording a measurement

From this reading Mary knew that to breathe a hint of her own unhappiness would be to embitter the peace of those she loved; and she therefore strove to conceal from their observation the disappointment she had experienced.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading _Castle of Indolence._ IN writing to her maternal friend Mary did not follow the mode usually adopted by young ladies of the heroic cast, viz. that of giving a minute and circumstantial detail of their own complete wretchedness, and abusing, in terms highly sentimental, every member of the family with whom they are associated.

ownverbUS /oʊn/

have ownership or possession of

From this reading _Castle of Indolence._ IN writing to her maternal friend Mary did not follow the mode usually adopted by young ladies of the heroic cast, viz. that of giving a minute and circumstantial detail of their own complete wretchedness, and abusing, in terms highly sentimental, every member of the family with whom they are associated.

painnounUS /peɪn/

a symptom of some physical hurt or disorder

From this reading . skilful to unite With evil good, and strew with pleasure pain."

peacenounUS /piːs/

the state prevailing during the absence of war

From this reading Mary knew that to breathe a hint of her own unhappiness would be to embitter the peace of those she loved; and she therefore strove to conceal from their observation the disappointment she had experienced.

pleasurenounUS /ˈpleʒər/

a fundamental feeling that is hard to define but that people desire to experience

From this reading . skilful to unite With evil good, and strew with pleasure pain."

sentimentaladjectiveUS /ˌsentəˈmentəl/

given to or marked by sentiment or sentimentality

From this reading _Castle of Indolence._ IN writing to her maternal friend Mary did not follow the mode usually adopted by young ladies of the heroic cast, viz. that of giving a minute and circumstantial detail of their own complete wretchedness, and abusing, in terms highly sentimental, every member of the family with whom they are associated.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Mary knew that to breathe a hint of her own unhappiness would be to embitter the peace of those she loved; and she therefore strove to conceal from their observation the disappointment she had experienced.

sighverbUS /saɪ/

heave or utter a sigh; breathe deeply and heavily

From this reading Many a sigh was heaved, however, and many a tear was wiped away ere a letter could be composed that would carry pleasure to the dear group at Glenfern.

skilfuladjective

having or showing knowledge and skill and aptitude

From this reading . skilful to unite With evil good, and strew with pleasure pain."

soothnoun

truth or reality

From this reading "They were in sooth a most enchanting train; .

strewverbUS /struː/

spread by scattering ("straw" is archaic)

From this reading . skilful to unite With evil good, and strew with pleasure pain."

stroveverbUS /stroʊv/

inflected form of “strive” — attempt by employing effort

From this reading Mary knew that to breathe a hint of her own unhappiness would be to embitter the peace of those she loved; and she therefore strove to conceal from their observation the disappointment she had experienced.

tearverbUS /ter/

separate or cause to separate abruptly

From this reading Many a sigh was heaved, however, and many a tear was wiped away ere a letter could be composed that would carry pleasure to the dear group at Glenfern.

termsnounUS /tɜːrmz/

status with respect to the relations between people or groups

From this reading _Castle of Indolence._ IN writing to her maternal friend Mary did not follow the mode usually adopted by young ladies of the heroic cast, viz. that of giving a minute and circumstantial detail of their own complete wretchedness, and abusing, in terms highly sentimental, every member of the family with whom they are associated.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading _Castle of Indolence._ IN writing to her maternal friend Mary did not follow the mode usually adopted by young ladies of the heroic cast, viz. that of giving a minute and circumstantial detail of their own complete wretchedness, and abusing, in terms highly sentimental, every member of the family with whom they are associated.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading _Castle of Indolence._ IN writing to her maternal friend Mary did not follow the mode usually adopted by young ladies of the heroic cast, viz. that of giving a minute and circumstantial detail of their own complete wretchedness, and abusing, in terms highly sentimental, every member of the family with whom they are associated.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading _Castle of Indolence._ IN writing to her maternal friend Mary did not follow the mode usually adopted by young ladies of the heroic cast, viz. that of giving a minute and circumstantial detail of their own complete wretchedness, and abusing, in terms highly sentimental, every member of the family with whom they are associated.

thereforeadverbUS /ˈðerfɔːr/

for that reason; as a result

From this reading Mary knew that to breathe a hint of her own unhappiness would be to embitter the peace of those she loved; and she therefore strove to conceal from their observation the disappointment she had experienced.

TheypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading "They were in sooth a most enchanting train; .

thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading Mary knew that to breathe a hint of her own unhappiness would be to embitter the peace of those she loved; and she therefore strove to conceal from their observation the disappointment she had experienced.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading . skilful to unite With evil good, and strew with pleasure pain."

trainverbUS /treɪn/

create by training and teaching

From this reading "They were in sooth a most enchanting train; .

unhappinessnounUS /ənˈhæpinɪs/

emotions experienced when not in a state of well-being

From this reading Mary knew that to breathe a hint of her own unhappiness would be to embitter the peace of those she loved; and she therefore strove to conceal from their observation the disappointment she had experienced.

uniteverbUS /ˈjuːnaɪt/

act in concert or unite in a common purpose or belief

From this reading . skilful to unite With evil good, and strew with pleasure pain."

usuallyadverbUS /ˈjuːʒəwəli/

under normal conditions

From this reading _Castle of Indolence._ IN writing to her maternal friend Mary did not follow the mode usually adopted by young ladies of the heroic cast, viz. that of giving a minute and circumstantial detail of their own complete wretchedness, and abusing, in terms highly sentimental, every member of the family with whom they are associated.

viz

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

From this reading _Castle of Indolence._ IN writing to her maternal friend Mary did not follow the mode usually adopted by young ladies of the heroic cast, viz. that of giving a minute and circumstantial detail of their own complete wretchedness, and abusing, in terms highly sentimental, every member of the family with whom they are associated.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Many a sigh was heaved, however, and many a tear was wiped away ere a letter could be composed that would carry pleasure to the dear group at Glenfern.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading "They were in sooth a most enchanting train; .

whompronounUS /huːm/

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

From this reading _Castle of Indolence._ IN writing to her maternal friend Mary did not follow the mode usually adopted by young ladies of the heroic cast, viz. that of giving a minute and circumstantial detail of their own complete wretchedness, and abusing, in terms highly sentimental, every member of the family with whom they are associated.

wipedverbUS /waɪpt/

past form of “wipe” — rub with a circular motion

From this reading Many a sigh was heaved, however, and many a tear was wiped away ere a letter could be composed that would carry pleasure to the dear group at Glenfern.

WithprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading . skilful to unite With evil good, and strew with pleasure pain."

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading Mary knew that to breathe a hint of her own unhappiness would be to embitter the peace of those she loved; and she therefore strove to conceal from their observation the disappointment she had experienced.

wretchednessnoun

a state of ill-being due to affliction or misfortune

From this reading _Castle of Indolence._ IN writing to her maternal friend Mary did not follow the mode usually adopted by young ladies of the heroic cast, viz. that of giving a minute and circumstantial detail of their own complete wretchedness, and abusing, in terms highly sentimental, every member of the family with whom they are associated.

writingnounUS /ˈraɪtɪŋ/

the act of creating written works

From this reading _Castle of Indolence._ IN writing to her maternal friend Mary did not follow the mode usually adopted by young ladies of the heroic cast, viz. that of giving a minute and circumstantial detail of their own complete wretchedness, and abusing, in terms highly sentimental, every member of the family with whom they are associated.

youngadjectiveUS /jʌŋ/

(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth

From this reading _Castle of Indolence._ IN writing to her maternal friend Mary did not follow the mode usually adopted by young ladies of the heroic cast, viz. that of giving a minute and circumstantial detail of their own complete wretchedness, and abusing, in terms highly sentimental, every member of the family with whom they are associated.

Chapter 38 of Marriage by Susan Ferrier holds 45 sentences, grouped into 9 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 38 of Marriage contain?

Chapter 38 holds 45 sentences of Marriage, unabridged, divided into 9 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 38 of Marriage by Susan Ferrier exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 45 sentences, grouped into 9 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 38 of Marriage?

Work through the 9 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 9 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 38 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 38 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 Marriage

Common questions about reading Marriage by Susan Ferrier on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Marriage?

Yes. All 0 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #? are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Marriage is used?

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

How long does Marriage take to read?

About 5 minutes of reading across 0 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Marriage section by section

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

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  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 Marriage

Words and structures a reader meets early in Marriage, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Chapter 1
One of the 0 chapters of Marriage, divided into 5-sentence reading sections.
Chapter 2
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Chapter 3
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