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Merrylips
Merrylips

Chapter VII

Chapter 7 of Merrylips is here in full — 108 sentences across 22 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Beulah Marie Dix • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for Merrylips
Context Illustration Reading 1/21 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
IN THE MIDST OF ALARUMS Indeed, what could poor Merrylips say?
Even she must admit that Rupert had deceived her.
At the very moment when he promised to wait for her, he had been stealing away from Larkland, like the spy that Goody Trot and Roger and Mawkin called him.
No doubt he had Claus with him all the time, crouched in the bushes underneath the wall.
No doubt he had let her fetch the crossbow only to get rid of her, that she might not see their flight.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Merrylips

Chapter VII

Chapter 7 of Merrylips is here in full — 108 sentences across 22 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/21 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
IN THE MIDST OF ALARUMS Indeed, what could poor Merrylips say?
Line 2
Even she must admit that Rupert had deceived her.
/ˈiːvɪn ʃiː mʌst ədˈmɪt ðæt ˈruːpərt hæd dɪˈsiːvd hɜːr/
Line 3
At the very moment when he promised to wait for her, he had been stealing away from Larkland, like the spy that Goody Trot and Roger and Mawkin called him.
Line 4
No doubt he had Claus with him all the time, crouched in the bushes underneath the wall.
Line 5
No doubt he had let her fetch the crossbow only to get rid of her, that she might not see their flight.
/noʊ daʊt hiː hæd let hɜːr fetʃ ðə ˈkrɔːsboʊ ˈoʊnli tuː ɡet rɪd ʌv hɜːr ðæt ʃiː maɪt nɑːt siː ðer flaɪt/

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.

crossbow noun US /ˈkrɔːsboʊ/

a bow fixed transversely on a wooden stock grooved to direct the arrow

From this reading “No doubt he had let her fetch the crossbow only to get rid of her, that she might not see their flight.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
crouched verb US /kraʊtʃt/

past form of “crouch” — bend one's back forward from the waist on down

From this reading “No doubt he had Claus with him all the time, crouched in the bushes underneath the wall.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Goody noun US /ˈɡʊdi/

something considered choice to eat

From this reading “At the very moment when he promised to wait for her, he had been stealing away from Larkland, like the spy that Goody Trot and Roger and Mawkin called him.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Rupert noun US /ˈruːpərt/

English leader (born in Germany) of the Royalist forces during the English Civil War (1619-1682)

From this reading “Even she must admit that Rupert had deceived her.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
spy verb US /spaɪ/

catch sight of

From this reading “At the very moment when he promised to wait for her, he had been stealing away from Larkland, like the spy that Goody Trot and Roger and Mawkin called him.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
stealing noun US /ˈstiːlɪŋ/

the act of taking something from someone unlawfully

From this reading “At the very moment when he promised to wait for her, he had been stealing away from Larkland, like the spy that Goody Trot and Roger and Mawkin called him.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Trot verb US /trɑːt/

run at a moderately swift pace

From this reading “At the very moment when he promised to wait for her, he had been stealing away from Larkland, like the spy that Goody Trot and Roger and Mawkin called him.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
underneath preposition US /ˌʌndərˈniːθ/

directly under, often hidden by what is above

From this reading “No doubt he had Claus with him all the time, crouched in the bushes underneath the wall.”

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary

Word partnerships in these lines

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 THE MIDST preposition + article + noun counted as “in … midst”

the middle or central part or point

In this reading “IN THE MIDST OF ALARUMS Indeed, what could poor Merrylips say?”

42,254 times in 225,867 chapters
rid of verb + particle

do away with

In this reading “No doubt he had let her fetch the crossbow only to get rid of her, that she might not see their flight.”

24,988 times in 225,867 chapters
wait for verb + particle

In this reading “At the very moment when he promised to wait for her, he had been stealing away from Larkland, like the spy that Goody Trot and Roger and Mawkin called him.”

50,095 times in 225,867 chapters
crouched in verb + particle counted as “crouch in”

In this reading “No doubt he had Claus with him all the time, crouched in the bushes underneath the wall.”

2,210 times in 225,867 chapters
very moment adjective + noun

In this reading “At the very moment when he promised to wait for her, he had been stealing away from Larkland, like the spy that Goody Trot and Roger and Mawkin called him.”

7,372 times in 225,867 chapters
in the bushes preposition + article + noun counted as “in … bush”

In this reading “No doubt he had Claus with him all the time, crouched in the bushes underneath the wall.”

5,013 times in 225,867 chapters

All words in this reading · 64

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.

admitverbUS /ədˈmɪt/

declare to be true or admit the existence or reality or truth of

From this reading Even she must admit that Rupert had deceived her.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ALARUMS

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

From this reading IN THE MIDST OF ALARUMS Indeed, what could poor Merrylips say?

Pending verification
alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading No doubt he had Claus with him all the time, crouched in the bushes underneath the wall.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading At the very moment when he promised to wait for her, he had been stealing away from Larkland, like the spy that Goody Trot and Roger and Mawkin called him.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
AtprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading At the very moment when he promised to wait for her, he had been stealing away from Larkland, like the spy that Goody Trot and Roger and Mawkin called him.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
awayadverbUS /əˈweɪ/

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

From this reading At the very moment when he promised to wait for her, he had been stealing away from Larkland, like the spy that Goody Trot and Roger and Mawkin called him.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading At the very moment when he promised to wait for her, he had been stealing away from Larkland, like the spy that Goody Trot and Roger and Mawkin called him.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
bushesnounUS /ˈbʊʃəz/

plural of “bush” — a low woody perennial plant usually having several major stems

From this reading No doubt he had Claus with him all the time, crouched in the bushes underneath the wall.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
calledverbUS /kɔːld/

past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading At the very moment when he promised to wait for her, he had been stealing away from Larkland, like the spy that Goody Trot and Roger and Mawkin called him.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Claus

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

From this reading No doubt he had Claus with him all the time, crouched in the bushes underneath the wall.

Pending verification
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

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

From this reading IN THE MIDST OF ALARUMS Indeed, what could poor Merrylips say?

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
crossbownounUS /ˈkrɔːsboʊ/

a bow fixed transversely on a wooden stock grooved to direct the arrow

From this reading No doubt he had let her fetch the crossbow only to get rid of her, that she might not see their flight.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
crouchedverbUS /kraʊtʃt/

past form of “crouch” — bend one's back forward from the waist on down

From this reading No doubt he had Claus with him all the time, crouched in the bushes underneath the wall.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
deceivedverbUS /dɪˈsiːvd/

past form of “deceive” — be false to; be dishonest with

From this reading Even she must admit that Rupert had deceived her.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
doubtnounUS /daʊt/

the state of being unsure of something

From this reading No doubt he had Claus with him all the time, crouched in the bushes underneath the wall.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
EvenadjectiveUS /ˈiːvɪn/

divisible by two

From this reading Even she must admit that Rupert had deceived her.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
fetchverbUS /fetʃ/

go or come after and bring or take back

From this reading No doubt he had let her fetch the crossbow only to get rid of her, that she might not see their flight.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
flightnounUS /flaɪt/

a formation of aircraft in flight

From this reading No doubt he had let her fetch the crossbow only to get rid of her, that she might not see their flight.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading At the very moment when he promised to wait for her, he had been stealing away from Larkland, like the spy that Goody Trot and Roger and Mawkin called him.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading At the very moment when he promised to wait for her, he had been stealing away from Larkland, like the spy that Goody Trot and Roger and Mawkin called him.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
getverbUS /ɡet/

come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading No doubt he had let her fetch the crossbow only to get rid of her, that she might not see their flight.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
GoodynounUS /ˈɡʊdi/

something considered choice to eat

From this reading At the very moment when he promised to wait for her, he had been stealing away from Larkland, like the spy that Goody Trot and Roger and Mawkin called him.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Even she must admit that Rupert had deceived her.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading At the very moment when he promised to wait for her, he had been stealing away from Larkland, like the spy that Goody Trot and Roger and Mawkin called him.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading Even she must admit that Rupert had deceived her.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading At the very moment when he promised to wait for her, he had been stealing away from Larkland, like the spy that Goody Trot and Roger and Mawkin called him.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
INprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading IN THE MIDST OF ALARUMS Indeed, what could poor Merrylips say?

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
IndeedadverbUS /ˌɪnˈdiːd/

in truth (often tends to intensify)

From this reading IN THE MIDST OF ALARUMS Indeed, what could poor Merrylips say?

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Larkland

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

From this reading At the very moment when he promised to wait for her, he had been stealing away from Larkland, like the spy that Goody Trot and Roger and Mawkin called him.

Pending verification
letauxiliary verbUS /let/

used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker

From this reading No doubt he had let her fetch the crossbow only to get rid of her, that she might not see their flight.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
likeverbUS /laɪk/

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading At the very moment when he promised to wait for her, he had been stealing away from Larkland, like the spy that Goody Trot and Roger and Mawkin called him.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Mawkin

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

From this reading At the very moment when he promised to wait for her, he had been stealing away from Larkland, like the spy that Goody Trot and Roger and Mawkin called him.

Pending verification
Merrylips

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

From this reading IN THE MIDST OF ALARUMS Indeed, what could poor Merrylips say?

Pending verification
MIDSTnounUS /mɪdst/

the location of something surrounded by other things

From this reading IN THE MIDST OF ALARUMS Indeed, what could poor Merrylips say?

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading No doubt he had let her fetch the crossbow only to get rid of her, that she might not see their flight.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
momentnounUS /ˈmoʊmənt/

a particular point in time

From this reading At the very moment when he promised to wait for her, he had been stealing away from Larkland, like the spy that Goody Trot and Roger and Mawkin called him.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading Even she must admit that Rupert had deceived her.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
NodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading No doubt he had Claus with him all the time, crouched in the bushes underneath the wall.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading No doubt he had let her fetch the crossbow only to get rid of her, that she might not see their flight.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
OFprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading IN THE MIDST OF ALARUMS Indeed, what could poor Merrylips say?

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading No doubt he had let her fetch the crossbow only to get rid of her, that she might not see their flight.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
pooradjectiveUS /puːr/

deserving or inciting pity

From this reading IN THE MIDST OF ALARUMS Indeed, what could poor Merrylips say?

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
promisedverbUS /ˈprɑːməst/

past form of “promise” — make a promise or commitment

From this reading At the very moment when he promised to wait for her, he had been stealing away from Larkland, like the spy that Goody Trot and Roger and Mawkin called him.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ridverbUS /rɪd/

relieve from

From this reading No doubt he had let her fetch the crossbow only to get rid of her, that she might not see their flight.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Roger

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

From this reading At the very moment when he promised to wait for her, he had been stealing away from Larkland, like the spy that Goody Trot and Roger and Mawkin called him.

Pending verification
RupertnounUS /ˈruːpərt/

English leader (born in Germany) of the Royalist forces during the English Civil War (1619-1682)

From this reading Even she must admit that Rupert had deceived her.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sayverbUS /seɪ/

express in words

From this reading IN THE MIDST OF ALARUMS Indeed, what could poor Merrylips say?

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
seeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading No doubt he had let her fetch the crossbow only to get rid of her, that she might not see their flight.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading Even she must admit that Rupert had deceived her.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
spyverbUS /spaɪ/

catch sight of

From this reading At the very moment when he promised to wait for her, he had been stealing away from Larkland, like the spy that Goody Trot and Roger and Mawkin called him.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
stealingnounUS /ˈstiːlɪŋ/

the act of taking something from someone unlawfully

From this reading At the very moment when he promised to wait for her, he had been stealing away from Larkland, like the spy that Goody Trot and Roger and Mawkin called him.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Even she must admit that Rupert had deceived her.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading IN THE MIDST OF ALARUMS Indeed, what could poor Merrylips say?

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading No doubt he had let her fetch the crossbow only to get rid of her, that she might not see their flight.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading No doubt he had Claus with him all the time, crouched in the bushes underneath the wall.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading At the very moment when he promised to wait for her, he had been stealing away from Larkland, like the spy that Goody Trot and Roger and Mawkin called him.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
TrotverbUS /trɑːt/

run at a moderately swift pace

From this reading At the very moment when he promised to wait for her, he had been stealing away from Larkland, like the spy that Goody Trot and Roger and Mawkin called him.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
underneathprepositionUS /ˌʌndərˈniːθ/

directly under, often hidden by what is above

From this reading No doubt he had Claus with him all the time, crouched in the bushes underneath the wall.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading At the very moment when he promised to wait for her, he had been stealing away from Larkland, like the spy that Goody Trot and Roger and Mawkin called him.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
waitverbUS /weɪt/

stay in one place and anticipate or expect something

From this reading At the very moment when he promised to wait for her, he had been stealing away from Larkland, like the spy that Goody Trot and Roger and Mawkin called him.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
wallnounUS /wɔːl/

an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure

From this reading No doubt he had Claus with him all the time, crouched in the bushes underneath the wall.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading IN THE MIDST OF ALARUMS Indeed, what could poor Merrylips say?

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading At the very moment when he promised to wait for her, he had been stealing away from Larkland, like the spy that Goody Trot and Roger and Mawkin called him.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading No doubt he had Claus with him all the time, crouched in the bushes underneath the wall.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary

Chapter 7 of Merrylips by Beulah Marie Dix holds 108 sentences, grouped into 22 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 7 of Merrylips contain?

Chapter 7 holds 108 sentences of Merrylips, unabridged, divided into 22 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 7 of Merrylips by Beulah Marie Dix exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 108 sentences, grouped into 22 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 Merrylips?

Work through the 22 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 22 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 Merrylips

Common questions about reading Merrylips by Beulah Marie Dix on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Merrylips?

Yes. All 3981 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #75142 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Merrylips is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #75142, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Merrylips take to read?

About 331 minutes of reading across 797 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Merrylips section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 35 chapters of Merrylips 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 Merrylips

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

Little
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Merrylips; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Girl's
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Merrylips; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Sybil
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Merrylips; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Venner
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Merrylips; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.