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Mistress and Maid: A Household Story
Mistress and Maid: A Household Story

Chapter XVIII · Chapter 18

Chapter 18 of Mistress and Maid: A Household Story is here in full — 226 sentences across 46 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Mistress and Maid: A Household Story
Context Illustration Reading 1/45 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
The week passed by, and Hilary received no ill tidings from home.
Incessant occupation kept her from dwelling too much on anxious subjects: besides, she would not have thought it exactly right, while her time and her mental powers were for so many hours per diem legally Miss Balquidder's, to waste the one and weaken the other by what is commonly called "fretting."
Nor, carrying this conscientious duty to a higher degree, and toward a higher Master, would she have dared to sit grieving overmuch over their dark future.
And yet it was very dark.
She pondered over what was to be done with Ascott, or whether he was still to be left to the hopeless hope of doing something for himself: how long the little establishment at No. 15 could be kept together, or if, after Selina's marriage, it would not be advisable to make some change that should contract expenses, and prevent this hard separation, from Monday to Saturday, between Johanna and herself.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Mistress and Maid: A Household Story

Chapter XVIII · Chapter 18

Chapter 18 of Mistress and Maid: A Household Story is here in full — 226 sentences across 46 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/45 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
The week passed by, and Hilary received no ill tidings from home.
Line 2
Incessant occupation kept her from dwelling too much on anxious subjects: besides, she would not have thought it exactly right, while her time and her mental powers were for so many hours per diem legally Miss Balquidder's, to waste the one and weaken the other by what is commonly called "fretting."
Line 3
Nor, carrying this conscientious duty to a higher degree, and toward a higher Master, would she have dared to sit grieving overmuch over their dark future.
Line 4
And yet it was very dark.
/ənd jet ɪt wɑːz ˈveri dɑːrk/
Line 5
She pondered over what was to be done with Ascott, or whether he was still to be left to the hopeless hope of doing something for himself: how long the little establishment at No. 15 could be kept together, or if, after Selina's marriage, it would not be advisable to make some change that should contract expenses, and prevent this hard separation, from Monday to Saturday, between Johanna and herself.

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.

advisable adjective US /ədˈvaɪzəbəl/

worthy of being recommended or suggested; prudent or wise

From this reading “She pondered over what was to be done with Ascott, or whether he was still to be left to the hopeless hope of doing something for himself: how long the little establishment at No. 15 could be kept together, or if, after Selina's marriage, it would not be advisable to make some change that should contract expenses, and prevent this hard separation, from Monday to Saturday, between Johanna and herself.”

conscientious adjective US /ˌkɑːnʃiˈenʃəs/

characterized by extreme care and great effort

From this reading “Nor, carrying this conscientious duty to a higher degree, and toward a higher Master, would she have dared to sit grieving overmuch over their dark future.”

fretting verb US /ˈfretɪŋ/

inflected form of “fret” — worry unnecessarily or excessively

From this reading “Incessant occupation kept her from dwelling too much on anxious subjects: besides, she would not have thought it exactly right, while her time and her mental powers were for so many hours per diem legally Miss Balquidder's, to waste the one and weaken the other by what is commonly called "fretting."”

grieving adjective US /ˈɡriːvɪŋ/

sorrowful through loss or deprivation

From this reading “Nor, carrying this conscientious duty to a higher degree, and toward a higher Master, would she have dared to sit grieving overmuch over their dark future.”

Incessant adjective US /ˌɪnˈsesənt/

uninterrupted in time and indefinitely long continuing

From this reading “Incessant occupation kept her from dwelling too much on anxious subjects: besides, she would not have thought it exactly right, while her time and her mental powers were for so many hours per diem legally Miss Balquidder's, to waste the one and weaken the other by what is commonly called "fretting."”

legally adverb US /ˈliːɡəli/

by law; conforming to the law

From this reading “Incessant occupation kept her from dwelling too much on anxious subjects: besides, she would not have thought it exactly right, while her time and her mental powers were for so many hours per diem legally Miss Balquidder's, to waste the one and weaken the other by what is commonly called "fretting."”

pondered verb US /ˈpɑːndərd/

past form of “ponder” — reflect deeply on a subject

From this reading “She pondered over what was to be done with Ascott, or whether he was still to be left to the hopeless hope of doing something for himself: how long the little establishment at No. 15 could be kept together, or if, after Selina's marriage, it would not be advisable to make some change that should contract expenses, and prevent this hard separation, from Monday to Saturday, between Johanna and herself.”

weaken verb US /ˈwiːkən/

lessen the strength of

From this reading “Incessant occupation kept her from dwelling too much on anxious subjects: besides, she would not have thought it exactly right, while her time and her mental powers were for so many hours per diem legally Miss Balquidder's, to waste the one and weaken the other by what is commonly called "fretting."”

All words in this reading · 120

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.

15

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

From this reading She pondered over what was to be done with Ascott, or whether he was still to be left to the hopeless hope of doing something for himself: how long the little establishment at No. 15 could be kept together, or if, after Selina's marriage, it would not be advisable to make some change that should contract expenses, and prevent this hard separation, from Monday to Saturday, between Johanna and herself.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading Nor, carrying this conscientious duty to a higher degree, and toward a higher Master, would she have dared to sit grieving overmuch over their dark future.

advisableadjectiveUS /ədˈvaɪzəbəl/

worthy of being recommended or suggested; prudent or wise

From this reading She pondered over what was to be done with Ascott, or whether he was still to be left to the hopeless hope of doing something for himself: how long the little establishment at No. 15 could be kept together, or if, after Selina's marriage, it would not be advisable to make some change that should contract expenses, and prevent this hard separation, from Monday to Saturday, between Johanna and herself.

afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading She pondered over what was to be done with Ascott, or whether he was still to be left to the hopeless hope of doing something for himself: how long the little establishment at No. 15 could be kept together, or if, after Selina's marriage, it would not be advisable to make some change that should contract expenses, and prevent this hard separation, from Monday to Saturday, between Johanna and herself.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading The week passed by, and Hilary received no ill tidings from home.

anxiousadjectiveUS /ˈæŋkʃəs/

eagerly desirous

From this reading Incessant occupation kept her from dwelling too much on anxious subjects: besides, she would not have thought it exactly right, while her time and her mental powers were for so many hours per diem legally Miss Balquidder's, to waste the one and weaken the other by what is commonly called "fretting."

Ascott

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

From this reading She pondered over what was to be done with Ascott, or whether he was still to be left to the hopeless hope of doing something for himself: how long the little establishment at No. 15 could be kept together, or if, after Selina's marriage, it would not be advisable to make some change that should contract expenses, and prevent this hard separation, from Monday to Saturday, between Johanna and herself.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading She pondered over what was to be done with Ascott, or whether he was still to be left to the hopeless hope of doing something for himself: how long the little establishment at No. 15 could be kept together, or if, after Selina's marriage, it would not be advisable to make some change that should contract expenses, and prevent this hard separation, from Monday to Saturday, between Johanna and herself.

Balquidder's

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

From this reading Incessant occupation kept her from dwelling too much on anxious subjects: besides, she would not have thought it exactly right, while her time and her mental powers were for so many hours per diem legally Miss Balquidder's, to waste the one and weaken the other by what is commonly called "fretting."

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading She pondered over what was to be done with Ascott, or whether he was still to be left to the hopeless hope of doing something for himself: how long the little establishment at No. 15 could be kept together, or if, after Selina's marriage, it would not be advisable to make some change that should contract expenses, and prevent this hard separation, from Monday to Saturday, between Johanna and herself.

besidesprepositionUS /bɪˈsaɪdz/

in addition to; as well as

From this reading Incessant occupation kept her from dwelling too much on anxious subjects: besides, she would not have thought it exactly right, while her time and her mental powers were for so many hours per diem legally Miss Balquidder's, to waste the one and weaken the other by what is commonly called "fretting."

betweenprepositionUS /bɪˈtwiːn/

in the space, time, or range separating two things

From this reading She pondered over what was to be done with Ascott, or whether he was still to be left to the hopeless hope of doing something for himself: how long the little establishment at No. 15 could be kept together, or if, after Selina's marriage, it would not be advisable to make some change that should contract expenses, and prevent this hard separation, from Monday to Saturday, between Johanna and herself.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading The week passed by, and Hilary received no ill tidings from home.

calledverbUS /kɔːld/

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

From this reading Incessant occupation kept her from dwelling too much on anxious subjects: besides, she would not have thought it exactly right, while her time and her mental powers were for so many hours per diem legally Miss Balquidder's, to waste the one and weaken the other by what is commonly called "fretting."

carryingverbUS /ˈkæriɪŋ/

-ing form of “carry” — move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body

From this reading Nor, carrying this conscientious duty to a higher degree, and toward a higher Master, would she have dared to sit grieving overmuch over their dark future.

changeverbUS /tʃeɪndʒ/

cause to change; make different; cause a transformation

From this reading She pondered over what was to be done with Ascott, or whether he was still to be left to the hopeless hope of doing something for himself: how long the little establishment at No. 15 could be kept together, or if, after Selina's marriage, it would not be advisable to make some change that should contract expenses, and prevent this hard separation, from Monday to Saturday, between Johanna and herself.

commonlyadverbUS /ˈkɑːmənli/

under normal conditions

From this reading Incessant occupation kept her from dwelling too much on anxious subjects: besides, she would not have thought it exactly right, while her time and her mental powers were for so many hours per diem legally Miss Balquidder's, to waste the one and weaken the other by what is commonly called "fretting."

conscientiousadjectiveUS /ˌkɑːnʃiˈenʃəs/

characterized by extreme care and great effort

From this reading Nor, carrying this conscientious duty to a higher degree, and toward a higher Master, would she have dared to sit grieving overmuch over their dark future.

contractverbUS /ˈkɑːntrækt/

enter into a contractual arrangement

From this reading She pondered over what was to be done with Ascott, or whether he was still to be left to the hopeless hope of doing something for himself: how long the little establishment at No. 15 could be kept together, or if, after Selina's marriage, it would not be advisable to make some change that should contract expenses, and prevent this hard separation, from Monday to Saturday, between Johanna and herself.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

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

From this reading She pondered over what was to be done with Ascott, or whether he was still to be left to the hopeless hope of doing something for himself: how long the little establishment at No. 15 could be kept together, or if, after Selina's marriage, it would not be advisable to make some change that should contract expenses, and prevent this hard separation, from Monday to Saturday, between Johanna and herself.

daredverbUS /derd/

past form of “dare” — take upon oneself; act presumptuously, without permission

From this reading Nor, carrying this conscientious duty to a higher degree, and toward a higher Master, would she have dared to sit grieving overmuch over their dark future.

darknounUS /dɑːrk/

absence of light or illumination

From this reading Nor, carrying this conscientious duty to a higher degree, and toward a higher Master, would she have dared to sit grieving overmuch over their dark future.

degreenounUS /dɪˈɡriː/

a position on a scale of intensity or amount or quality

From this reading Nor, carrying this conscientious duty to a higher degree, and toward a higher Master, would she have dared to sit grieving overmuch over their dark future.

diem

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

From this reading Incessant occupation kept her from dwelling too much on anxious subjects: besides, she would not have thought it exactly right, while her time and her mental powers were for so many hours per diem legally Miss Balquidder's, to waste the one and weaken the other by what is commonly called "fretting."

doingverbUS /ˈduːɪŋ/

-ing form of “do” — engage in

From this reading She pondered over what was to be done with Ascott, or whether he was still to be left to the hopeless hope of doing something for himself: how long the little establishment at No. 15 could be kept together, or if, after Selina's marriage, it would not be advisable to make some change that should contract expenses, and prevent this hard separation, from Monday to Saturday, between Johanna and herself.

doneadjectiveUS /dʌn/

having finished or arrived at completion

From this reading She pondered over what was to be done with Ascott, or whether he was still to be left to the hopeless hope of doing something for himself: how long the little establishment at No. 15 could be kept together, or if, after Selina's marriage, it would not be advisable to make some change that should contract expenses, and prevent this hard separation, from Monday to Saturday, between Johanna and herself.

dutynounUS /ˈduːti/

the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force

From this reading Nor, carrying this conscientious duty to a higher degree, and toward a higher Master, would she have dared to sit grieving overmuch over their dark future.

dwellingnounUS /ˈdwelɪŋ/

housing that someone is living in

From this reading Incessant occupation kept her from dwelling too much on anxious subjects: besides, she would not have thought it exactly right, while her time and her mental powers were for so many hours per diem legally Miss Balquidder's, to waste the one and weaken the other by what is commonly called "fretting."

establishmentnounUS /ɪˈstæblɪʃmənt/

the act of forming or establishing something

From this reading She pondered over what was to be done with Ascott, or whether he was still to be left to the hopeless hope of doing something for himself: how long the little establishment at No. 15 could be kept together, or if, after Selina's marriage, it would not be advisable to make some change that should contract expenses, and prevent this hard separation, from Monday to Saturday, between Johanna and herself.

exactlyadverbUS /ɪɡˈzæktli/

indicating exactness or preciseness

From this reading Incessant occupation kept her from dwelling too much on anxious subjects: besides, she would not have thought it exactly right, while her time and her mental powers were for so many hours per diem legally Miss Balquidder's, to waste the one and weaken the other by what is commonly called "fretting."

expensesnounUS /ɪkˈspensəz/

plural of “expense” — amounts paid for goods and services that may be currently tax deductible (as opposed to capital expenditures)

From this reading She pondered over what was to be done with Ascott, or whether he was still to be left to the hopeless hope of doing something for himself: how long the little establishment at No. 15 could be kept together, or if, after Selina's marriage, it would not be advisable to make some change that should contract expenses, and prevent this hard separation, from Monday to Saturday, between Johanna and herself.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Incessant occupation kept her from dwelling too much on anxious subjects: besides, she would not have thought it exactly right, while her time and her mental powers were for so many hours per diem legally Miss Balquidder's, to waste the one and weaken the other by what is commonly called "fretting."

frettingverbUS /ˈfretɪŋ/

inflected form of “fret” — worry unnecessarily or excessively

From this reading Incessant occupation kept her from dwelling too much on anxious subjects: besides, she would not have thought it exactly right, while her time and her mental powers were for so many hours per diem legally Miss Balquidder's, to waste the one and weaken the other by what is commonly called "fretting."

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading The week passed by, and Hilary received no ill tidings from home.

futureadjectiveUS /ˈfjuːtʃər/

yet to be or coming

From this reading Nor, carrying this conscientious duty to a higher degree, and toward a higher Master, would she have dared to sit grieving overmuch over their dark future.

grievingadjectiveUS /ˈɡriːvɪŋ/

sorrowful through loss or deprivation

From this reading Nor, carrying this conscientious duty to a higher degree, and toward a higher Master, would she have dared to sit grieving overmuch over their dark future.

hardadjectiveUS /hɑːrd/

not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure

From this reading She pondered over what was to be done with Ascott, or whether he was still to be left to the hopeless hope of doing something for himself: how long the little establishment at No. 15 could be kept together, or if, after Selina's marriage, it would not be advisable to make some change that should contract expenses, and prevent this hard separation, from Monday to Saturday, between Johanna and herself.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading Incessant occupation kept her from dwelling too much on anxious subjects: besides, she would not have thought it exactly right, while her time and her mental powers were for so many hours per diem legally Miss Balquidder's, to waste the one and weaken the other by what is commonly called "fretting."

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading She pondered over what was to be done with Ascott, or whether he was still to be left to the hopeless hope of doing something for himself: how long the little establishment at No. 15 could be kept together, or if, after Selina's marriage, it would not be advisable to make some change that should contract expenses, and prevent this hard separation, from Monday to Saturday, between Johanna and herself.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading Incessant occupation kept her from dwelling too much on anxious subjects: besides, she would not have thought it exactly right, while her time and her mental powers were for so many hours per diem legally Miss Balquidder's, to waste the one and weaken the other by what is commonly called "fretting."

herselfpronounUS /hərˈself/

used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object

From this reading She pondered over what was to be done with Ascott, or whether he was still to be left to the hopeless hope of doing something for himself: how long the little establishment at No. 15 could be kept together, or if, after Selina's marriage, it would not be advisable to make some change that should contract expenses, and prevent this hard separation, from Monday to Saturday, between Johanna and herself.

higheradjectiveUS /ˈhaɪər/

advanced in complexity or elaboration

From this reading Nor, carrying this conscientious duty to a higher degree, and toward a higher Master, would she have dared to sit grieving overmuch over their dark future.

Hilary

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

From this reading The week passed by, and Hilary received no ill tidings from home.

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading She pondered over what was to be done with Ascott, or whether he was still to be left to the hopeless hope of doing something for himself: how long the little establishment at No. 15 could be kept together, or if, after Selina's marriage, it would not be advisable to make some change that should contract expenses, and prevent this hard separation, from Monday to Saturday, between Johanna and herself.

homenounUS /hoʊm/

where you live at a particular time

From this reading The week passed by, and Hilary received no ill tidings from home.

hopenounUS /hoʊp/

a specific instance of feeling hopeful

From this reading She pondered over what was to be done with Ascott, or whether he was still to be left to the hopeless hope of doing something for himself: how long the little establishment at No. 15 could be kept together, or if, after Selina's marriage, it would not be advisable to make some change that should contract expenses, and prevent this hard separation, from Monday to Saturday, between Johanna and herself.

hopelessadjectiveUS /ˈhoʊpləs/

without hope because there seems to be no possibility of comfort or success

From this reading She pondered over what was to be done with Ascott, or whether he was still to be left to the hopeless hope of doing something for himself: how long the little establishment at No. 15 could be kept together, or if, after Selina's marriage, it would not be advisable to make some change that should contract expenses, and prevent this hard separation, from Monday to Saturday, between Johanna and herself.

hoursnounUS /ˈaʊərz/

a period of time assigned for work

From this reading Incessant occupation kept her from dwelling too much on anxious subjects: besides, she would not have thought it exactly right, while her time and her mental powers were for so many hours per diem legally Miss Balquidder's, to waste the one and weaken the other by what is commonly called "fretting."

how

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

From this reading She pondered over what was to be done with Ascott, or whether he was still to be left to the hopeless hope of doing something for himself: how long the little establishment at No. 15 could be kept together, or if, after Selina's marriage, it would not be advisable to make some change that should contract expenses, and prevent this hard separation, from Monday to Saturday, between Johanna and herself.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading She pondered over what was to be done with Ascott, or whether he was still to be left to the hopeless hope of doing something for himself: how long the little establishment at No. 15 could be kept together, or if, after Selina's marriage, it would not be advisable to make some change that should contract expenses, and prevent this hard separation, from Monday to Saturday, between Johanna and herself.

illadjectiveUS /ɪl/

affected by an impairment of normal physical or mental function

From this reading The week passed by, and Hilary received no ill tidings from home.

IncessantadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈsesənt/

uninterrupted in time and indefinitely long continuing

From this reading Incessant occupation kept her from dwelling too much on anxious subjects: besides, she would not have thought it exactly right, while her time and her mental powers were for so many hours per diem legally Miss Balquidder's, to waste the one and weaken the other by what is commonly called "fretting."

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading Incessant occupation kept her from dwelling too much on anxious subjects: besides, she would not have thought it exactly right, while her time and her mental powers were for so many hours per diem legally Miss Balquidder's, to waste the one and weaken the other by what is commonly called "fretting."

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Incessant occupation kept her from dwelling too much on anxious subjects: besides, she would not have thought it exactly right, while her time and her mental powers were for so many hours per diem legally Miss Balquidder's, to waste the one and weaken the other by what is commonly called "fretting."

Johanna

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

From this reading She pondered over what was to be done with Ascott, or whether he was still to be left to the hopeless hope of doing something for himself: how long the little establishment at No. 15 could be kept together, or if, after Selina's marriage, it would not be advisable to make some change that should contract expenses, and prevent this hard separation, from Monday to Saturday, between Johanna and herself.

keptadjectiveUS /kept/

(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded

From this reading Incessant occupation kept her from dwelling too much on anxious subjects: besides, she would not have thought it exactly right, while her time and her mental powers were for so many hours per diem legally Miss Balquidder's, to waste the one and weaken the other by what is commonly called "fretting."

leftnounUS /left/

location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east

From this reading She pondered over what was to be done with Ascott, or whether he was still to be left to the hopeless hope of doing something for himself: how long the little establishment at No. 15 could be kept together, or if, after Selina's marriage, it would not be advisable to make some change that should contract expenses, and prevent this hard separation, from Monday to Saturday, between Johanna and herself.

legallyadverbUS /ˈliːɡəli/

by law; conforming to the law

From this reading Incessant occupation kept her from dwelling too much on anxious subjects: besides, she would not have thought it exactly right, while her time and her mental powers were for so many hours per diem legally Miss Balquidder's, to waste the one and weaken the other by what is commonly called "fretting."

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading She pondered over what was to be done with Ascott, or whether he was still to be left to the hopeless hope of doing something for himself: how long the little establishment at No. 15 could be kept together, or if, after Selina's marriage, it would not be advisable to make some change that should contract expenses, and prevent this hard separation, from Monday to Saturday, between Johanna and herself.

longadjectiveUS /lɔːŋ/

primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified

From this reading She pondered over what was to be done with Ascott, or whether he was still to be left to the hopeless hope of doing something for himself: how long the little establishment at No. 15 could be kept together, or if, after Selina's marriage, it would not be advisable to make some change that should contract expenses, and prevent this hard separation, from Monday to Saturday, between Johanna and herself.

makeverbUS /meɪk/

engage in

From this reading She pondered over what was to be done with Ascott, or whether he was still to be left to the hopeless hope of doing something for himself: how long the little establishment at No. 15 could be kept together, or if, after Selina's marriage, it would not be advisable to make some change that should contract expenses, and prevent this hard separation, from Monday to Saturday, between Johanna and herself.

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 Incessant occupation kept her from dwelling too much on anxious subjects: besides, she would not have thought it exactly right, while her time and her mental powers were for so many hours per diem legally Miss Balquidder's, to waste the one and weaken the other by what is commonly called "fretting."

marriagenounUS /ˈmerɪdʒ/

the state of being a married couple voluntarily joined for life (or until divorce)

From this reading She pondered over what was to be done with Ascott, or whether he was still to be left to the hopeless hope of doing something for himself: how long the little establishment at No. 15 could be kept together, or if, after Selina's marriage, it would not be advisable to make some change that should contract expenses, and prevent this hard separation, from Monday to Saturday, between Johanna and herself.

MasternounUS /ˈmæstər/

an artist of consummate skill

From this reading Nor, carrying this conscientious duty to a higher degree, and toward a higher Master, would she have dared to sit grieving overmuch over their dark future.

mentaladjectiveUS /ˈmentəl/

involving the mind or an intellectual process

From this reading Incessant occupation kept her from dwelling too much on anxious subjects: besides, she would not have thought it exactly right, while her time and her mental powers were for so many hours per diem legally Miss Balquidder's, to waste the one and weaken the other by what is commonly called "fretting."

MissverbUS /mɪs/

fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind

From this reading Incessant occupation kept her from dwelling too much on anxious subjects: besides, she would not have thought it exactly right, while her time and her mental powers were for so many hours per diem legally Miss Balquidder's, to waste the one and weaken the other by what is commonly called "fretting."

MondaynounUS /ˈmʌndi/

the second day of the week; the first working day

From this reading She pondered over what was to be done with Ascott, or whether he was still to be left to the hopeless hope of doing something for himself: how long the little establishment at No. 15 could be kept together, or if, after Selina's marriage, it would not be advisable to make some change that should contract expenses, and prevent this hard separation, from Monday to Saturday, between Johanna and herself.

muchadverbUS /mʌtʃ/

to a great degree or extent

From this reading Incessant occupation kept her from dwelling too much on anxious subjects: besides, she would not have thought it exactly right, while her time and her mental powers were for so many hours per diem legally Miss Balquidder's, to waste the one and weaken the other by what is commonly called "fretting."

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading The week passed by, and Hilary received no ill tidings from home.

NorconjunctionUS /nɔːr/

and not; used after a negative to add a second negative

From this reading Nor, carrying this conscientious duty to a higher degree, and toward a higher Master, would she have dared to sit grieving overmuch over their dark future.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Incessant occupation kept her from dwelling too much on anxious subjects: besides, she would not have thought it exactly right, while her time and her mental powers were for so many hours per diem legally Miss Balquidder's, to waste the one and weaken the other by what is commonly called "fretting."

occupationnounUS /ˌɑːkjəˈpeɪʃən/

the principal activity in your life that you do to earn money

From this reading Incessant occupation kept her from dwelling too much on anxious subjects: besides, she would not have thought it exactly right, while her time and her mental powers were for so many hours per diem legally Miss Balquidder's, to waste the one and weaken the other by what is commonly called "fretting."

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading She pondered over what was to be done with Ascott, or whether he was still to be left to the hopeless hope of doing something for himself: how long the little establishment at No. 15 could be kept together, or if, after Selina's marriage, it would not be advisable to make some change that should contract expenses, and prevent this hard separation, from Monday to Saturday, between Johanna and herself.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Incessant occupation kept her from dwelling too much on anxious subjects: besides, she would not have thought it exactly right, while her time and her mental powers were for so many hours per diem legally Miss Balquidder's, to waste the one and weaken the other by what is commonly called "fretting."

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Incessant occupation kept her from dwelling too much on anxious subjects: besides, she would not have thought it exactly right, while her time and her mental powers were for so many hours per diem legally Miss Balquidder's, to waste the one and weaken the other by what is commonly called "fretting."

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading She pondered over what was to be done with Ascott, or whether he was still to be left to the hopeless hope of doing something for himself: how long the little establishment at No. 15 could be kept together, or if, after Selina's marriage, it would not be advisable to make some change that should contract expenses, and prevent this hard separation, from Monday to Saturday, between Johanna and herself.

otheradjectiveUS /ˈʌðər/

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading Incessant occupation kept her from dwelling too much on anxious subjects: besides, she would not have thought it exactly right, while her time and her mental powers were for so many hours per diem legally Miss Balquidder's, to waste the one and weaken the other by what is commonly called "fretting."

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading Nor, carrying this conscientious duty to a higher degree, and toward a higher Master, would she have dared to sit grieving overmuch over their dark future.

overmuchnoun

a quantity that is more than what is appropriate

From this reading Nor, carrying this conscientious duty to a higher degree, and toward a higher Master, would she have dared to sit grieving overmuch over their dark future.

passedverbUS /pæst/

past form of “pass” — go across or through

From this reading The week passed by, and Hilary received no ill tidings from home.

perprepositionUS /pɜːr/

for each

From this reading Incessant occupation kept her from dwelling too much on anxious subjects: besides, she would not have thought it exactly right, while her time and her mental powers were for so many hours per diem legally Miss Balquidder's, to waste the one and weaken the other by what is commonly called "fretting."

ponderedverbUS /ˈpɑːndərd/

past form of “ponder” — reflect deeply on a subject

From this reading She pondered over what was to be done with Ascott, or whether he was still to be left to the hopeless hope of doing something for himself: how long the little establishment at No. 15 could be kept together, or if, after Selina's marriage, it would not be advisable to make some change that should contract expenses, and prevent this hard separation, from Monday to Saturday, between Johanna and herself.

powersnounUS /ˈpaʊərz/

plural of “power” — possession of controlling influence

From this reading Incessant occupation kept her from dwelling too much on anxious subjects: besides, she would not have thought it exactly right, while her time and her mental powers were for so many hours per diem legally Miss Balquidder's, to waste the one and weaken the other by what is commonly called "fretting."

preventverbUS /prɪˈvent/

keep from happening or arising; make impossible

From this reading She pondered over what was to be done with Ascott, or whether he was still to be left to the hopeless hope of doing something for himself: how long the little establishment at No. 15 could be kept together, or if, after Selina's marriage, it would not be advisable to make some change that should contract expenses, and prevent this hard separation, from Monday to Saturday, between Johanna and herself.

receivedadjectiveUS /rəˈsiːvd/

conforming to the established language usage of educated native speakers

From this reading The week passed by, and Hilary received no ill tidings from home.

rightadverbUS /raɪt/

precisely, exactly

From this reading Incessant occupation kept her from dwelling too much on anxious subjects: besides, she would not have thought it exactly right, while her time and her mental powers were for so many hours per diem legally Miss Balquidder's, to waste the one and weaken the other by what is commonly called "fretting."

SaturdaynounUS /ˈsætərdi/

the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians

From this reading She pondered over what was to be done with Ascott, or whether he was still to be left to the hopeless hope of doing something for himself: how long the little establishment at No. 15 could be kept together, or if, after Selina's marriage, it would not be advisable to make some change that should contract expenses, and prevent this hard separation, from Monday to Saturday, between Johanna and herself.

Selina's

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

From this reading She pondered over what was to be done with Ascott, or whether he was still to be left to the hopeless hope of doing something for himself: how long the little establishment at No. 15 could be kept together, or if, after Selina's marriage, it would not be advisable to make some change that should contract expenses, and prevent this hard separation, from Monday to Saturday, between Johanna and herself.

separationnounUS /ˌsepərˈeɪʃən/

the state of lacking unity

From this reading She pondered over what was to be done with Ascott, or whether he was still to be left to the hopeless hope of doing something for himself: how long the little establishment at No. 15 could be kept together, or if, after Selina's marriage, it would not be advisable to make some change that should contract expenses, and prevent this hard separation, from Monday to Saturday, between Johanna and herself.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading Incessant occupation kept her from dwelling too much on anxious subjects: besides, she would not have thought it exactly right, while her time and her mental powers were for so many hours per diem legally Miss Balquidder's, to waste the one and weaken the other by what is commonly called "fretting."

shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading She pondered over what was to be done with Ascott, or whether he was still to be left to the hopeless hope of doing something for himself: how long the little establishment at No. 15 could be kept together, or if, after Selina's marriage, it would not be advisable to make some change that should contract expenses, and prevent this hard separation, from Monday to Saturday, between Johanna and herself.

sitverbUS /sɪt/

be seated

From this reading Nor, carrying this conscientious duty to a higher degree, and toward a higher Master, would she have dared to sit grieving overmuch over their dark future.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading Incessant occupation kept her from dwelling too much on anxious subjects: besides, she would not have thought it exactly right, while her time and her mental powers were for so many hours per diem legally Miss Balquidder's, to waste the one and weaken the other by what is commonly called "fretting."

someadjectiveUS /sʌm/

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading She pondered over what was to be done with Ascott, or whether he was still to be left to the hopeless hope of doing something for himself: how long the little establishment at No. 15 could be kept together, or if, after Selina's marriage, it would not be advisable to make some change that should contract expenses, and prevent this hard separation, from Monday to Saturday, between Johanna and herself.

somethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/

a thing, without saying which

From this reading She pondered over what was to be done with Ascott, or whether he was still to be left to the hopeless hope of doing something for himself: how long the little establishment at No. 15 could be kept together, or if, after Selina's marriage, it would not be advisable to make some change that should contract expenses, and prevent this hard separation, from Monday to Saturday, between Johanna and herself.

stilladjectiveUS /stɪl/

not in physical motion

From this reading She pondered over what was to be done with Ascott, or whether he was still to be left to the hopeless hope of doing something for himself: how long the little establishment at No. 15 could be kept together, or if, after Selina's marriage, it would not be advisable to make some change that should contract expenses, and prevent this hard separation, from Monday to Saturday, between Johanna and herself.

subjectsnounUS /ˈsʌbdʒɪkts/

plural of “subject” — the subject matter of a conversation or discussion

From this reading Incessant occupation kept her from dwelling too much on anxious subjects: besides, she would not have thought it exactly right, while her time and her mental powers were for so many hours per diem legally Miss Balquidder's, to waste the one and weaken the other by what is commonly called "fretting."

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading She pondered over what was to be done with Ascott, or whether he was still to be left to the hopeless hope of doing something for himself: how long the little establishment at No. 15 could be kept together, or if, after Selina's marriage, it would not be advisable to make some change that should contract expenses, and prevent this hard separation, from Monday to Saturday, between Johanna and herself.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading The week passed by, and Hilary received no ill tidings from home.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading Nor, carrying this conscientious duty to a higher degree, and toward a higher Master, would she have dared to sit grieving overmuch over their dark future.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading Nor, carrying this conscientious duty to a higher degree, and toward a higher Master, would she have dared to sit grieving overmuch over their dark future.

thoughtnounUS /θɔːt/

the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

From this reading Incessant occupation kept her from dwelling too much on anxious subjects: besides, she would not have thought it exactly right, while her time and her mental powers were for so many hours per diem legally Miss Balquidder's, to waste the one and weaken the other by what is commonly called "fretting."

tidingsnounUS /ˈtaɪdɪŋz/

information about recent and important events

From this reading The week passed by, and Hilary received no ill tidings from home.

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading Incessant occupation kept her from dwelling too much on anxious subjects: besides, she would not have thought it exactly right, while her time and her mental powers were for so many hours per diem legally Miss Balquidder's, to waste the one and weaken the other by what is commonly called "fretting."

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Incessant occupation kept her from dwelling too much on anxious subjects: besides, she would not have thought it exactly right, while her time and her mental powers were for so many hours per diem legally Miss Balquidder's, to waste the one and weaken the other by what is commonly called "fretting."

togetheradverbUS /təˈɡeðər/

in contact with each other or in proximity

From this reading She pondered over what was to be done with Ascott, or whether he was still to be left to the hopeless hope of doing something for himself: how long the little establishment at No. 15 could be kept together, or if, after Selina's marriage, it would not be advisable to make some change that should contract expenses, and prevent this hard separation, from Monday to Saturday, between Johanna and herself.

tooadverbUS /tuː/

to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits

From this reading Incessant occupation kept her from dwelling too much on anxious subjects: besides, she would not have thought it exactly right, while her time and her mental powers were for so many hours per diem legally Miss Balquidder's, to waste the one and weaken the other by what is commonly called "fretting."

towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/

in the direction of

From this reading Nor, carrying this conscientious duty to a higher degree, and toward a higher Master, would she have dared to sit grieving overmuch over their dark future.

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading And yet it was very dark.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading And yet it was very dark.

wastenounUS /weɪst/

any materials unused and rejected as worthless or unwanted

From this reading Incessant occupation kept her from dwelling too much on anxious subjects: besides, she would not have thought it exactly right, while her time and her mental powers were for so many hours per diem legally Miss Balquidder's, to waste the one and weaken the other by what is commonly called "fretting."

weakenverbUS /ˈwiːkən/

lessen the strength of

From this reading Incessant occupation kept her from dwelling too much on anxious subjects: besides, she would not have thought it exactly right, while her time and her mental powers were for so many hours per diem legally Miss Balquidder's, to waste the one and weaken the other by what is commonly called "fretting."

weeknounUS /wiːk/

any period of seven consecutive days

From this reading The week passed by, and Hilary received no ill tidings from home.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading Incessant occupation kept her from dwelling too much on anxious subjects: besides, she would not have thought it exactly right, while her time and her mental powers were for so many hours per diem legally Miss Balquidder's, to waste the one and weaken the other by what is commonly called "fretting."

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading Incessant occupation kept her from dwelling too much on anxious subjects: besides, she would not have thought it exactly right, while her time and her mental powers were for so many hours per diem legally Miss Balquidder's, to waste the one and weaken the other by what is commonly called "fretting."

whetherconjunctionUS /ˈweðər/

used to introduce two or more possibilities

From this reading She pondered over what was to be done with Ascott, or whether he was still to be left to the hopeless hope of doing something for himself: how long the little establishment at No. 15 could be kept together, or if, after Selina's marriage, it would not be advisable to make some change that should contract expenses, and prevent this hard separation, from Monday to Saturday, between Johanna and herself.

whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/

during the time that

From this reading Incessant occupation kept her from dwelling too much on anxious subjects: besides, she would not have thought it exactly right, while her time and her mental powers were for so many hours per diem legally Miss Balquidder's, to waste the one and weaken the other by what is commonly called "fretting."

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading She pondered over what was to be done with Ascott, or whether he was still to be left to the hopeless hope of doing something for himself: how long the little establishment at No. 15 could be kept together, or if, after Selina's marriage, it would not be advisable to make some change that should contract expenses, and prevent this hard separation, from Monday to Saturday, between Johanna and herself.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading Incessant occupation kept her from dwelling too much on anxious subjects: besides, she would not have thought it exactly right, while her time and her mental powers were for so many hours per diem legally Miss Balquidder's, to waste the one and weaken the other by what is commonly called "fretting."

yetconjunctionUS /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading And yet it was very dark.

Chapter 18 of Mistress and Maid: A Household Story by Dinah Maria Mulock Craik holds 226 sentences, grouped into 46 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 18 of Mistress and Maid: A Household Story contain?

Chapter 18 holds 226 sentences of Mistress and Maid: A Household Story, unabridged, divided into 46 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 18 of Mistress and Maid: A Household Story by Dinah Maria Mulock Craik exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 226 sentences, grouped into 46 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 18 of Mistress and Maid: A Household Story?

Work through the 46 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 46 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 18 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 18 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 Mistress and Maid: A Household Story

Common questions about reading Mistress and Maid: A Household Story by Dinah Maria Mulock Craik on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Mistress and Maid: A Household Story?

Yes. All 5120 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #13461 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Mistress and Maid: A Household Story is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #13461, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Mistress and Maid: A Household Story take to read?

About 426 minutes of reading across 1024 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Mistress and Maid: A Household Story section by section

How to work through Mistress and Maid: A Household Story section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

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    Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in Mistress and Maid: A Household Story

Words and structures a reader meets early in Mistress and Maid: A Household Story, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Rather
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Mistress and Maid: A Household Story; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Awkward
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Mistress and Maid: A Household Story; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Strongly-built
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Mistress and Maid: A Household Story; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Fifteen
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Mistress and Maid: A Household Story; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.