Chapter 4 of McGuffey's Fifth Eclectic Reader is here in full — 387 sentences across 78 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter IV
Chapter 4 of McGuffey's Fifth Eclectic Reader is here in full — 387 sentences across 78 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
5. I doubt if he who lolls his head Where idleness and plenty meet, Enjoys his pillow or his bread As those who earn the meals they eat. 6. And man is never half so blest As when the busy day is spent So as to make his evening rest A holiday of glad content. DEFINITIONS.--3.
Chapter 4 of McGuffey's Fifth Eclectic Reader is here in full — 387 sentences across 78 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/77 · 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.
highly favored or fortunate (as e.g. by divine grace)
From this reading “And man is never half so blest As when the busy day is spent So as to make his evening rest A holiday of glad content.”
plural of “definition” — a concise explanation of the meaning of a word or phrase or symbol
From this reading “DEFINITIONS.--3.”
earn on some commercial or business transaction; earn as salary or wages
From this reading “I doubt if he who lolls his head Where idleness and plenty meet, Enjoys his pillow or his bread As those who earn the meals they eat.”
third-person singular of “enjoy” — derive or receive pleasure from; get enjoyment from; take pleasure in
From this reading “I doubt if he who lolls his head Where idleness and plenty meet, Enjoys his pillow or his bread As those who earn the meals they eat.”
leisure time away from work devoted to rest or pleasure
From this reading “And man is never half so blest As when the busy day is spent So as to make his evening rest A holiday of glad content.”
having no employment
From this reading “I doubt if he who lolls his head Where idleness and plenty meet, Enjoys his pillow or his bread As those who earn the meals they eat.”
plural of “meal” — the food served and eaten at one time
From this reading “I doubt if he who lolls his head Where idleness and plenty meet, Enjoys his pillow or his bread As those who earn the meals they eat.”
a cushion to support the head of a sleeping person
From this reading “I doubt if he who lolls his head Where idleness and plenty meet, Enjoys his pillow or his bread As those who earn the meals they eat.”
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.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading DEFINITIONS.--3.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 5.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 6.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading And man is never half so blest As when the busy day is spent So as to make his evening rest A holiday of glad content.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading I doubt if he who lolls his head Where idleness and plenty meet, Enjoys his pillow or his bread As those who earn the meals they eat.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading I doubt if he who lolls his head Where idleness and plenty meet, Enjoys his pillow or his bread As those who earn the meals they eat.
highly favored or fortunate (as e.g. by divine grace)
From this reading And man is never half so blest As when the busy day is spent So as to make his evening rest A holiday of glad content.
food made from dough of flour or meal and usually raised with yeast or baking powder and then baked
From this reading I doubt if he who lolls his head Where idleness and plenty meet, Enjoys his pillow or his bread As those who earn the meals they eat.
actively or fully engaged or occupied
From this reading And man is never half so blest As when the busy day is spent So as to make his evening rest A holiday of glad content.
(usually plural) everything that is included in a collection and that is held or included in something
From this reading And man is never half so blest As when the busy day is spent So as to make his evening rest A holiday of glad content.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading And man is never half so blest As when the busy day is spent So as to make his evening rest A holiday of glad content.
plural of “definition” — a concise explanation of the meaning of a word or phrase or symbol
From this reading DEFINITIONS.--3.
the state of being unsure of something
From this reading I doubt if he who lolls his head Where idleness and plenty meet, Enjoys his pillow or his bread As those who earn the meals they eat.
earn on some commercial or business transaction; earn as salary or wages
From this reading I doubt if he who lolls his head Where idleness and plenty meet, Enjoys his pillow or his bread As those who earn the meals they eat.
take in solid food
From this reading I doubt if he who lolls his head Where idleness and plenty meet, Enjoys his pillow or his bread As those who earn the meals they eat.
third-person singular of “enjoy” — derive or receive pleasure from; get enjoyment from; take pleasure in
From this reading I doubt if he who lolls his head Where idleness and plenty meet, Enjoys his pillow or his bread As those who earn the meals they eat.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading And man is never half so blest As when the busy day is spent So as to make his evening rest A holiday of glad content.
showing or causing joy and pleasure; especially made happy
From this reading And man is never half so blest As when the busy day is spent So as to make his evening rest A holiday of glad content.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading And man is never half so blest As when the busy day is spent So as to make his evening rest A holiday of glad content.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading I doubt if he who lolls his head Where idleness and plenty meet, Enjoys his pillow or his bread As those who earn the meals they eat.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading I doubt if he who lolls his head Where idleness and plenty meet, Enjoys his pillow or his bread As those who earn the meals they eat.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading I doubt if he who lolls his head Where idleness and plenty meet, Enjoys his pillow or his bread As those who earn the meals they eat.
leisure time away from work devoted to rest or pleasure
From this reading And man is never half so blest As when the busy day is spent So as to make his evening rest A holiday of glad content.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I doubt if he who lolls his head Where idleness and plenty meet, Enjoys his pillow or his bread As those who earn the meals they eat.
having no employment
From this reading I doubt if he who lolls his head Where idleness and plenty meet, Enjoys his pillow or his bread As those who earn the meals they eat.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading I doubt if he who lolls his head Where idleness and plenty meet, Enjoys his pillow or his bread As those who earn the meals they eat.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading And man is never half so blest As when the busy day is spent So as to make his evening rest A holiday of glad content.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I doubt if he who lolls his head Where idleness and plenty meet, Enjoys his pillow or his bread As those who earn the meals they eat.
engage in
From this reading And man is never half so blest As when the busy day is spent So as to make his evening rest A holiday of glad content.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading And man is never half so blest As when the busy day is spent So as to make his evening rest A holiday of glad content.
plural of “meal” — the food served and eaten at one time
From this reading I doubt if he who lolls his head Where idleness and plenty meet, Enjoys his pillow or his bread As those who earn the meals they eat.
come together
From this reading I doubt if he who lolls his head Where idleness and plenty meet, Enjoys his pillow or his bread As those who earn the meals they eat.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading And man is never half so blest As when the busy day is spent So as to make his evening rest A holiday of glad content.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading And man is never half so blest As when the busy day is spent So as to make his evening rest A holiday of glad content.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading I doubt if he who lolls his head Where idleness and plenty meet, Enjoys his pillow or his bread As those who earn the meals they eat.
a cushion to support the head of a sleeping person
From this reading I doubt if he who lolls his head Where idleness and plenty meet, Enjoys his pillow or his bread As those who earn the meals they eat.
a full supply
From this reading I doubt if he who lolls his head Where idleness and plenty meet, Enjoys his pillow or his bread As those who earn the meals they eat.
not move; be in a resting position
From this reading And man is never half so blest As when the busy day is spent So as to make his evening rest A holiday of glad content.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading And man is never half so blest As when the busy day is spent So as to make his evening rest A holiday of glad content.
depleted of energy, force, or strength
From this reading And man is never half so blest As when the busy day is spent So as to make his evening rest A holiday of glad content.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading I doubt if he who lolls his head Where idleness and plenty meet, Enjoys his pillow or his bread As those who earn the meals they eat.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading I doubt if he who lolls his head Where idleness and plenty meet, Enjoys his pillow or his bread As those who earn the meals they eat.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading I doubt if he who lolls his head Where idleness and plenty meet, Enjoys his pillow or his bread As those who earn the meals they eat.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading And man is never half so blest As when the busy day is spent So as to make his evening rest A holiday of glad content.
at the time that
From this reading And man is never half so blest As when the busy day is spent So as to make his evening rest A holiday of glad content.
in or at the place that
From this reading I doubt if he who lolls his head Where idleness and plenty meet, Enjoys his pillow or his bread As those who earn the meals they eat.
which person or people
From this reading I doubt if he who lolls his head Where idleness and plenty meet, Enjoys his pillow or his bread As those who earn the meals they eat.
Chapter 4 of McGuffey's Fifth Eclectic Reader by William Holmes McGuffey holds 387 sentences, grouped into 78 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 4 holds 387 sentences of McGuffey's Fifth Eclectic Reader, unabridged, divided into 78 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 4 of McGuffey's Fifth Eclectic Reader by William Holmes McGuffey exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 387 sentences, grouped into 78 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 78 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 78 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 4 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 McGuffey's Fifth Eclectic Reader by William Holmes McGuffey on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 7800 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #15040 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #15040, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 600 minutes of reading across 1560 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through McGuffey's Fifth Eclectic Reader section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 20 chapters of McGuffey's Fifth Eclectic Reader 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 McGuffey's Fifth Eclectic Reader, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
