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Poems, with The Ballad of Reading Gaol
Poems, with The Ballad of Reading Gaol

Chapter VII · Chapter 7

Chapter 7 of Poems, with The Ballad of Reading Gaol is here in full — 85 sentences across 17 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Poems, with The Ballad of Reading Gaol
Context Illustration Reading 1/17 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Fast climbing up the eastern sky To grasp and slay the shuddering night, All careless of my heart’s delight, Or if the nightingale should die.
IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!
PHÈDRE TO SARAH BERNHARDT HOW vain and dull this common world must seem To such a One as thou, who should’st have talked At Florence with Mirandola, or walked Through the cool olives of the Academe: Thou should’st have gathered reeds from a green stream For Goat-foot Pan’s shrill piping, and have played With the white girls in that Phæacian glade Where grave Odysseus wakened from his dream.
Ah! surely once some urn of Attic clay Held thy wan dust, and thou hast come again Back to this common world so dull and vain, For thou wert weary of the sunless day, The heavy fields of scentless asphodel, The loveless lips with which men kiss in Hell.
WRITTEN AT THE LYCEUM THEATRE I PORTIA TO ELLEN TERRY I MARVEL not Bassanio was so bold To peril all he had upon the lead, Or that proud Aragon bent low his head Or that Morocco’s fiery heart grew cold: For in that gorgeous dress of beaten gold Which is more golden than the golden sun No woman Veronesé looked upon Was half so fair as thou whom I behold.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Poems, with The Ballad of Reading Gaol

Chapter VII · Chapter 7

Chapter 7 of Poems, with The Ballad of Reading Gaol is here in full — 85 sentences across 17 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/17 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Fast climbing up the eastern sky To grasp and slay the shuddering night, All careless of my heart’s delight, Or if the nightingale should die.
/fæst ˈklaɪmɪŋ ʌp ðə ˈiːstərn skaɪ tuː ɡræsp ənd sleɪ ðə ˈʃʌdərɪŋ naɪt ɔːl ˈkerləs ʌv maɪ hɑːrts dɪˈlaɪt ɔːr ɪf ðə ˈnaɪtɪŋɡeɪl ʃʊd daɪ/
Line 2
IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheathThou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!
Line 3
PHÈDRE TO SARAH BERNHARDT HOW vain and dull this common world must seem To such a One as thou, who should’st have talked At Florence with Mirandola, or walked Through the cool olives of the Academe: Thou should’st have gathered reeds from a green stream For Goat-foot Pan’s shrill piping, and have played With the white girls in that Phæacian glade Where grave Odysseus wakened from his dream.
Line 4
Ah! surely once some urn of Attic clay Held thy wan dust, and thou hast come again Back to this common world so dull and vain, For thou wert weary of the sunless day, The heavy fields of scentless asphodel, The loveless lips with which men kiss in Hell.
Line 5
WRITTEN AT THE LYCEUM THEATRE I PORTIA TO ELLEN TERRY I MARVEL not Bassanio was so bold To peril all he had upon the lead, Or that proud Aragon bent low his head Or that Morocco’s fiery heart grew cold: For in that gorgeous dress of beaten gold Which is more golden than the golden sun No woman Veronesé looked upon Was half so fair as thou whom I behold.

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.

Academe noun US /ˈækədiːm/

the academic world

From this reading “PHÈDRE TO SARAH BERNHARDT HOW vain and dull this common world must seem To such a One as thou, who should’st have talked At Florence with Mirandola, or walked Through the cool olives of the Academe: Thou should’st have gathered reeds from a green stream For Goat-foot Pan’s shrill piping, and have played With the white girls in that Phæacian glade Where grave Odysseus wakened from his dream.”

Aragon noun US /ˈerəɡɑːn/

French writer who generalized surrealism to literature (1897-1982)

From this reading “WRITTEN AT THE LYCEUM THEATRE I PORTIA TO ELLEN TERRY I MARVEL not Bassanio was so bold To peril all he had upon the lead, Or that proud Aragon bent low his head Or that Morocco’s fiery heart grew cold: For in that gorgeous dress of beaten gold Which is more golden than the golden sun No woman Veronesé looked upon Was half so fair as thou whom I behold.”

bernhardt noun US /ˈbɜːrnhɑːrt/

French actress (1844-1923)

From this reading “PHÈDRE TO SARAH BERNHARDT HOW vain and dull this common world must seem To such a One as thou, who should’st have talked At Florence with Mirandola, or walked Through the cool olives of the Academe: Thou should’st have gathered reeds from a green stream For Goat-foot Pan’s shrill piping, and have played With the white girls in that Phæacian glade Where grave Odysseus wakened from his dream.”

gore verb US /ɡɔːr/

wound by piercing with a sharp or penetrating object or instrument

From this reading “IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!”

loveless adjective US /ˈlʌvləs/

without love

From this reading “Ah! surely once some urn of Attic clay Held thy wan dust, and thou hast come again Back to this common world so dull and vain, For thou wert weary of the sunless day, The heavy fields of scentless asphodel, The loveless lips with which men kiss in Hell.”

olives noun US /ˈɑːlɪvz/

plural of “olive” — small ovoid fruit of the European olive tree; important food and source of oil

From this reading “PHÈDRE TO SARAH BERNHARDT HOW vain and dull this common world must seem To such a One as thou, who should’st have talked At Florence with Mirandola, or walked Through the cool olives of the Academe: Thou should’st have gathered reeds from a green stream For Goat-foot Pan’s shrill piping, and have played With the white girls in that Phæacian glade Where grave Odysseus wakened from his dream.”

Pan's noun US /pænz/

possessive form of “pan” — cooking utensil consisting of a wide metal vessel

urn noun US /ɜːrn/

a large vase that usually has a pedestal or feet

From this reading “Ah! surely once some urn of Attic clay Held thy wan dust, and thou hast come again Back to this common world so dull and vain, For thou wert weary of the sunless day, The heavy fields of scentless asphodel, The loveless lips with which men kiss in Hell.”

All words in this reading · 221

Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.

Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

adeterminerUS /ə/

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

From this reading PHÈDRE TO SARAH BERNHARDT HOW vain and dull this common world must seem To such a One as thou, who should’st have talked At Florence with Mirandola, or walked Through the cool olives of the Academe: Thou should’st have gathered reeds from a green stream For Goat-foot Pan’s shrill piping, and have played With the white girls in that Phæacian glade Where grave Odysseus wakened from his dream.

AcademenounUS /ˈækədiːm/

the academic world

From this reading PHÈDRE TO SARAH BERNHARDT HOW vain and dull this common world must seem To such a One as thou, who should’st have talked At Florence with Mirandola, or walked Through the cool olives of the Academe: Thou should’st have gathered reeds from a green stream For Goat-foot Pan’s shrill piping, and have played With the white girls in that Phæacian glade Where grave Odysseus wakened from his dream.

againadverbUS /əˈɡen/

anew

From this reading Ah! surely once some urn of Attic clay Held thy wan dust, and thou hast come again Back to this common world so dull and vain, For thou wert weary of the sunless day, The heavy fields of scentless asphodel, The loveless lips with which men kiss in Hell.

Ah

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

From this reading Ah! surely once some urn of Attic clay Held thy wan dust, and thou hast come again Back to this common world so dull and vain, For thou wert weary of the sunless day, The heavy fields of scentless asphodel, The loveless lips with which men kiss in Hell.

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 Fast climbing up the eastern sky To grasp and slay the shuddering night, All careless of my heart’s delight, Or if the nightingale should die.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Fast climbing up the eastern sky To grasp and slay the shuddering night, All careless of my heart’s delight, Or if the nightingale should die.

AragonnounUS /ˈerəɡɑːn/

French writer who generalized surrealism to literature (1897-1982)

From this reading WRITTEN AT THE LYCEUM THEATRE I PORTIA TO ELLEN TERRY I MARVEL not Bassanio was so bold To peril all he had upon the lead, Or that proud Aragon bent low his head Or that Morocco’s fiery heart grew cold: For in that gorgeous dress of beaten gold Which is more golden than the golden sun No woman Veronesé looked upon Was half so fair as thou whom I behold.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading PHÈDRE TO SARAH BERNHARDT HOW vain and dull this common world must seem To such a One as thou, who should’st have talked At Florence with Mirandola, or walked Through the cool olives of the Academe: Thou should’st have gathered reeds from a green stream For Goat-foot Pan’s shrill piping, and have played With the white girls in that Phæacian glade Where grave Odysseus wakened from his dream.

asphodelnoun

any of various chiefly Mediterranean plants of the genera Asphodeline and Asphodelus having linear leaves and racemes of white or pink or yellow flowers

From this reading Ah! surely once some urn of Attic clay Held thy wan dust, and thou hast come again Back to this common world so dull and vain, For thou wert weary of the sunless day, The heavy fields of scentless asphodel, The loveless lips with which men kiss in Hell.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

AtticnounUS /ˈætɪk/

floor consisting of open space at the top of a house just below roof; often used for storage

From this reading Ah! surely once some urn of Attic clay Held thy wan dust, and thou hast come again Back to this common world so dull and vain, For thou wert weary of the sunless day, The heavy fields of scentless asphodel, The loveless lips with which men kiss in Hell.

augustnounUS /ˈɑːɡəst/

the month following July and preceding September

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

BackadverbUS /bæk/

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading Ah! surely once some urn of Attic clay Held thy wan dust, and thou hast come again Back to this common world so dull and vain, For thou wert weary of the sunless day, The heavy fields of scentless asphodel, The loveless lips with which men kiss in Hell.

Bassanio

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

From this reading WRITTEN AT THE LYCEUM THEATRE I PORTIA TO ELLEN TERRY I MARVEL not Bassanio was so bold To peril all he had upon the lead, Or that proud Aragon bent low his head Or that Morocco’s fiery heart grew cold: For in that gorgeous dress of beaten gold Which is more golden than the golden sun No woman Veronesé looked upon Was half so fair as thou whom I behold.

beatenadjectiveUS /ˈbiːtən/

formed or made thin by hammering

From this reading WRITTEN AT THE LYCEUM THEATRE I PORTIA TO ELLEN TERRY I MARVEL not Bassanio was so bold To peril all he had upon the lead, Or that proud Aragon bent low his head Or that Morocco’s fiery heart grew cold: For in that gorgeous dress of beaten gold Which is more golden than the golden sun No woman Veronesé looked upon Was half so fair as thou whom I behold.

beholdverbUS /bɪˈhoʊld/

see with attention

From this reading WRITTEN AT THE LYCEUM THEATRE I PORTIA TO ELLEN TERRY I MARVEL not Bassanio was so bold To peril all he had upon the lead, Or that proud Aragon bent low his head Or that Morocco’s fiery heart grew cold: For in that gorgeous dress of beaten gold Which is more golden than the golden sun No woman Veronesé looked upon Was half so fair as thou whom I behold.

bentnounUS /bent/

a relatively permanent inclination to react in a particular way

From this reading WRITTEN AT THE LYCEUM THEATRE I PORTIA TO ELLEN TERRY I MARVEL not Bassanio was so bold To peril all he had upon the lead, Or that proud Aragon bent low his head Or that Morocco’s fiery heart grew cold: For in that gorgeous dress of beaten gold Which is more golden than the golden sun No woman Veronesé looked upon Was half so fair as thou whom I behold.

BERNHARDTnounUS /ˈbɜːrnhɑːrt/

French actress (1844-1923)

From this reading PHÈDRE TO SARAH BERNHARDT HOW vain and dull this common world must seem To such a One as thou, who should’st have talked At Florence with Mirandola, or walked Through the cool olives of the Academe: Thou should’st have gathered reeds from a green stream For Goat-foot Pan’s shrill piping, and have played With the white girls in that Phæacian glade Where grave Odysseus wakened from his dream.

biddingnounUS /ˈbɪdɪŋ/

an authoritative direction or instruction to do something

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

blowverbUS /bloʊ/

exhale hard

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

boldadjectiveUS /boʊld/

fearless and daring

From this reading WRITTEN AT THE LYCEUM THEATRE I PORTIA TO ELLEN TERRY I MARVEL not Bassanio was so bold To peril all he had upon the lead, Or that proud Aragon bent low his head Or that Morocco’s fiery heart grew cold: For in that gorgeous dress of beaten gold Which is more golden than the golden sun No woman Veronesé looked upon Was half so fair as thou whom I behold.

brokenadjectiveUS /ˈbroʊkən/

physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

brothernounUS /ˈbrʌðər/

a male with the same parents as someone else

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

carelessadjectiveUS /ˈkerləs/

marked by lack of attention or consideration or forethought or thoroughness; not careful

From this reading Fast climbing up the eastern sky To grasp and slay the shuddering night, All careless of my heart’s delight, Or if the nightingale should die.

claynounUS /kleɪ/

a very fine-grained soil that is plastic when moist but hard when fired

From this reading Ah! surely once some urn of Attic clay Held thy wan dust, and thou hast come again Back to this common world so dull and vain, For thou wert weary of the sunless day, The heavy fields of scentless asphodel, The loveless lips with which men kiss in Hell.

climbingnounUS /ˈklaɪmɪŋ/

an event that involves rising to a higher point (as in altitude or temperature or intensity etc.)

From this reading Fast climbing up the eastern sky To grasp and slay the shuddering night, All careless of my heart’s delight, Or if the nightingale should die.

coldadjectiveUS /koʊld/

having a low or inadequate temperature or feeling a sensation of coldness or having been made cold by e.g. ice or refrigeration

From this reading WRITTEN AT THE LYCEUM THEATRE I PORTIA TO ELLEN TERRY I MARVEL not Bassanio was so bold To peril all he had upon the lead, Or that proud Aragon bent low his head Or that Morocco’s fiery heart grew cold: For in that gorgeous dress of beaten gold Which is more golden than the golden sun No woman Veronesé looked upon Was half so fair as thou whom I behold.

comeverbUS /kʌm/

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading Ah! surely once some urn of Attic clay Held thy wan dust, and thou hast come again Back to this common world so dull and vain, For thou wert weary of the sunless day, The heavy fields of scentless asphodel, The loveless lips with which men kiss in Hell.

commonadjectiveUS /ˈkɑːmən/

belonging to or participated in by a community as a whole; public

From this reading PHÈDRE TO SARAH BERNHARDT HOW vain and dull this common world must seem To such a One as thou, who should’st have talked At Florence with Mirandola, or walked Through the cool olives of the Academe: Thou should’st have gathered reeds from a green stream For Goat-foot Pan’s shrill piping, and have played With the white girls in that Phæacian glade Where grave Odysseus wakened from his dream.

cooladjectiveUS /kuːl/

neither warm nor very cold; giving relief from heat

From this reading PHÈDRE TO SARAH BERNHARDT HOW vain and dull this common world must seem To such a One as thou, who should’st have talked At Florence with Mirandola, or walked Through the cool olives of the Academe: Thou should’st have gathered reeds from a green stream For Goat-foot Pan’s shrill piping, and have played With the white girls in that Phæacian glade Where grave Odysseus wakened from his dream.

creationnounUS /kriˈeɪʃən/

the human act of creating

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

creepingnounUS /ˈkriːpɪŋ/

a slow mode of locomotion on hands and knees or dragging the body

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

daggernounUS /ˈdæɡ.ər/

A short knife with a pointed and edged blade, used as a stealth weapon.

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

daynounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading Ah! surely once some urn of Attic clay Held thy wan dust, and thou hast come again Back to this common world so dull and vain, For thou wert weary of the sunless day, The heavy fields of scentless asphodel, The loveless lips with which men kiss in Hell.

DEnounUS /diː/

a Mid-Atlantic state; one of the original 13 colonies

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

deadadjectiveUS /ded/

no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

DEI

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

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

delightverbUS /dɪˈlaɪt/

give pleasure to or be pleasing to

From this reading Fast climbing up the eastern sky To grasp and slay the shuddering night, All careless of my heart’s delight, Or if the nightingale should die.

desperateadjectiveUS /ˈdesprɪt/

arising from or marked by despair or loss of hope

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

dieverbUS /daɪ/

pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life

From this reading Fast climbing up the eastern sky To grasp and slay the shuddering night, All careless of my heart’s delight, Or if the nightingale should die.

doornounUS /dɔːr/

a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

dreamnounUS /driːm/

A series of thoughts, images, or emotions during sleep.

From this reading PHÈDRE TO SARAH BERNHARDT HOW vain and dull this common world must seem To such a One as thou, who should’st have talked At Florence with Mirandola, or walked Through the cool olives of the Academe: Thou should’st have gathered reeds from a green stream For Goat-foot Pan’s shrill piping, and have played With the white girls in that Phæacian glade Where grave Odysseus wakened from his dream.

dressverbUS /dres/

put on clothes

From this reading WRITTEN AT THE LYCEUM THEATRE I PORTIA TO ELLEN TERRY I MARVEL not Bassanio was so bold To peril all he had upon the lead, Or that proud Aragon bent low his head Or that Morocco’s fiery heart grew cold: For in that gorgeous dress of beaten gold Which is more golden than the golden sun No woman Veronesé looked upon Was half so fair as thou whom I behold.

duelnounUS /ˈduːəl/

a prearranged fight with deadly weapons by two people (accompanied by seconds) in order to settle a quarrel over a point of honor

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

dulladjectiveUS /dʌl/

lacking in liveliness or animation

From this reading PHÈDRE TO SARAH BERNHARDT HOW vain and dull this common world must seem To such a One as thou, who should’st have talked At Florence with Mirandola, or walked Through the cool olives of the Academe: Thou should’st have gathered reeds from a green stream For Goat-foot Pan’s shrill piping, and have played With the white girls in that Phæacian glade Where grave Odysseus wakened from his dream.

dustverbUS /dʌst/

remove the dust from

From this reading Ah! surely once some urn of Attic clay Held thy wan dust, and thou hast come again Back to this common world so dull and vain, For thou wert weary of the sunless day, The heavy fields of scentless asphodel, The loveless lips with which men kiss in Hell.

easternadjectiveUS /ˈiːstərn/

lying toward or situated in the east

From this reading Fast climbing up the eastern sky To grasp and slay the shuddering night, All careless of my heart’s delight, Or if the nightingale should die.

ELLEN

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

From this reading WRITTEN AT THE LYCEUM THEATRE I PORTIA TO ELLEN TERRY I MARVEL not Bassanio was so bold To peril all he had upon the lead, Or that proud Aragon bent low his head Or that Morocco’s fiery heart grew cold: For in that gorgeous dress of beaten gold Which is more golden than the golden sun No woman Veronesé looked upon Was half so fair as thou whom I behold.

enoughnounUS /ɪˈnʌf/

an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

eyesnounUS /aɪz/

opinion or judgment

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

FABIEN

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

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

fairadjectiveUS /fer/

free from favoritism or self-interest or bias or deception; conforming with established standards or rules

From this reading WRITTEN AT THE LYCEUM THEATRE I PORTIA TO ELLEN TERRY I MARVEL not Bassanio was so bold To peril all he had upon the lead, Or that proud Aragon bent low his head Or that Morocco’s fiery heart grew cold: For in that gorgeous dress of beaten gold Which is more golden than the golden sun No woman Veronesé looked upon Was half so fair as thou whom I behold.

FastadverbUS /fæst/

quickly or rapidly (often used as a combining form)

From this reading Fast climbing up the eastern sky To grasp and slay the shuddering night, All careless of my heart’s delight, Or if the nightingale should die.

fearverbUS /fɪr/

be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

fieldsnounUS /fiːldz/

United States comedian and film actor (1880-1946)

From this reading Ah! surely once some urn of Attic clay Held thy wan dust, and thou hast come again Back to this common world so dull and vain, For thou wert weary of the sunless day, The heavy fields of scentless asphodel, The loveless lips with which men kiss in Hell.

fieryadjectiveUS /ˈfaɪəri/

characterized by intense emotion

From this reading WRITTEN AT THE LYCEUM THEATRE I PORTIA TO ELLEN TERRY I MARVEL not Bassanio was so bold To peril all he had upon the lead, Or that proud Aragon bent low his head Or that Morocco’s fiery heart grew cold: For in that gorgeous dress of beaten gold Which is more golden than the golden sun No woman Veronesé looked upon Was half so fair as thou whom I behold.

fingersnounUS /ˈfɪŋɡərz/

plural of “finger” — any of the terminal members of the hand (sometimes excepting the thumb)

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

floornounUS /flɔːr/

the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

FlorencenounUS /ˈflɔːrəns/

a city in central Italy on the Arno; provincial capital of Tuscany; center of the Italian Renaissance from 14th to 16th centuries

From this reading PHÈDRE TO SARAH BERNHARDT HOW vain and dull this common world must seem To such a One as thou, who should’st have talked At Florence with Mirandola, or walked Through the cool olives of the Academe: Thou should’st have gathered reeds from a green stream For Goat-foot Pan’s shrill piping, and have played With the white girls in that Phæacian glade Where grave Odysseus wakened from his dream.

foolnounUS /fuːl/

a person who lacks good judgment

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

ForprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

FRANCHI

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

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

frenziedadjectiveUS /ˈfrenzid/

affected with or marked by frenzy or mania uncontrolled by reason

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

FRIENDnounUS /frend/

a person you know well and regard with affection and trust

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

gatheredadjectiveUS /ˈɡæðərd/

brought together in one place

From this reading PHÈDRE TO SARAH BERNHARDT HOW vain and dull this common world must seem To such a One as thou, who should’st have talked At Florence with Mirandola, or walked Through the cool olives of the Academe: Thou should’st have gathered reeds from a green stream For Goat-foot Pan’s shrill piping, and have played With the white girls in that Phæacian glade Where grave Odysseus wakened from his dream.

ghost's

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

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

girlsnounUS /ɡɜːrlz/

plural of “girl” — a young female

From this reading PHÈDRE TO SARAH BERNHARDT HOW vain and dull this common world must seem To such a One as thou, who should’st have talked At Florence with Mirandola, or walked Through the cool olives of the Academe: Thou should’st have gathered reeds from a green stream For Goat-foot Pan’s shrill piping, and have played With the white girls in that Phæacian glade Where grave Odysseus wakened from his dream.

gladenounUS /ɡleɪd/

a tract of land with few or no trees in the middle of a wooded area

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

Goat-foot

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

From this reading PHÈDRE TO SARAH BERNHARDT HOW vain and dull this common world must seem To such a One as thou, who should’st have talked At Florence with Mirandola, or walked Through the cool olives of the Academe: Thou should’st have gathered reeds from a green stream For Goat-foot Pan’s shrill piping, and have played With the white girls in that Phæacian glade Where grave Odysseus wakened from his dream.

goldnounUS /ɡoʊld/

coins made of gold

From this reading WRITTEN AT THE LYCEUM THEATRE I PORTIA TO ELLEN TERRY I MARVEL not Bassanio was so bold To peril all he had upon the lead, Or that proud Aragon bent low his head Or that Morocco’s fiery heart grew cold: For in that gorgeous dress of beaten gold Which is more golden than the golden sun No woman Veronesé looked upon Was half so fair as thou whom I behold.

goldenadjectiveUS /ˈɡoʊldən/

having the deep slightly brownish color of gold

From this reading WRITTEN AT THE LYCEUM THEATRE I PORTIA TO ELLEN TERRY I MARVEL not Bassanio was so bold To peril all he had upon the lead, Or that proud Aragon bent low his head Or that Morocco’s fiery heart grew cold: For in that gorgeous dress of beaten gold Which is more golden than the golden sun No woman Veronesé looked upon Was half so fair as thou whom I behold.

goreverbUS /ɡɔːr/

wound by piercing with a sharp or penetrating object or instrument

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

gorgeousadjectiveUS /ˈɡɔːrdʒəs/

dazzlingly beautiful

From this reading WRITTEN AT THE LYCEUM THEATRE I PORTIA TO ELLEN TERRY I MARVEL not Bassanio was so bold To peril all he had upon the lead, Or that proud Aragon bent low his head Or that Morocco’s fiery heart grew cold: For in that gorgeous dress of beaten gold Which is more golden than the golden sun No woman Veronesé looked upon Was half so fair as thou whom I behold.

grandadjectiveUS /ɡrænd/

of behavior that is impressive and ambitious in scale or scope

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

graspverbUS /ɡræsp/

hold firmly

From this reading Fast climbing up the eastern sky To grasp and slay the shuddering night, All careless of my heart’s delight, Or if the nightingale should die.

gravenounUS /ɡreɪv/

death of a person

From this reading PHÈDRE TO SARAH BERNHARDT HOW vain and dull this common world must seem To such a One as thou, who should’st have talked At Florence with Mirandola, or walked Through the cool olives of the Academe: Thou should’st have gathered reeds from a green stream For Goat-foot Pan’s shrill piping, and have played With the white girls in that Phæacian glade Where grave Odysseus wakened from his dream.

greennounUS /ɡriːn/

green color or pigment; resembling the color of growing grass

From this reading PHÈDRE TO SARAH BERNHARDT HOW vain and dull this common world must seem To such a One as thou, who should’st have talked At Florence with Mirandola, or walked Through the cool olives of the Academe: Thou should’st have gathered reeds from a green stream For Goat-foot Pan’s shrill piping, and have played With the white girls in that Phæacian glade Where grave Odysseus wakened from his dream.

grewverbUS /ɡruː/

inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become

From this reading WRITTEN AT THE LYCEUM THEATRE I PORTIA TO ELLEN TERRY I MARVEL not Bassanio was so bold To peril all he had upon the lead, Or that proud Aragon bent low his head Or that Morocco’s fiery heart grew cold: For in that gorgeous dress of beaten gold Which is more golden than the golden sun No woman Veronesé looked upon Was half so fair as thou whom I behold.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading WRITTEN AT THE LYCEUM THEATRE I PORTIA TO ELLEN TERRY I MARVEL not Bassanio was so bold To peril all he had upon the lead, Or that proud Aragon bent low his head Or that Morocco’s fiery heart grew cold: For in that gorgeous dress of beaten gold Which is more golden than the golden sun No woman Veronesé looked upon Was half so fair as thou whom I behold.

halfadjectiveUS /hæf/

consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity

From this reading WRITTEN AT THE LYCEUM THEATRE I PORTIA TO ELLEN TERRY I MARVEL not Bassanio was so bold To peril all he had upon the lead, Or that proud Aragon bent low his head Or that Morocco’s fiery heart grew cold: For in that gorgeous dress of beaten gold Which is more golden than the golden sun No woman Veronesé looked upon Was half so fair as thou whom I behold.

hastauxiliary verbUS /hæst/

an old form of “have”, used with “thou”

From this reading Ah! surely once some urn of Attic clay Held thy wan dust, and thou hast come again Back to this common world so dull and vain, For thou wert weary of the sunless day, The heavy fields of scentless asphodel, The loveless lips with which men kiss in Hell.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading PHÈDRE TO SARAH BERNHARDT HOW vain and dull this common world must seem To such a One as thou, who should’st have talked At Florence with Mirandola, or walked Through the cool olives of the Academe: Thou should’st have gathered reeds from a green stream For Goat-foot Pan’s shrill piping, and have played With the white girls in that Phæacian glade Where grave Odysseus wakened from his dream.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading WRITTEN AT THE LYCEUM THEATRE I PORTIA TO ELLEN TERRY I MARVEL not Bassanio was so bold To peril all he had upon the lead, Or that proud Aragon bent low his head Or that Morocco’s fiery heart grew cold: For in that gorgeous dress of beaten gold Which is more golden than the golden sun No woman Veronesé looked upon Was half so fair as thou whom I behold.

headnounUS /hed/

the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains

From this reading WRITTEN AT THE LYCEUM THEATRE I PORTIA TO ELLEN TERRY I MARVEL not Bassanio was so bold To peril all he had upon the lead, Or that proud Aragon bent low his head Or that Morocco’s fiery heart grew cold: For in that gorgeous dress of beaten gold Which is more golden than the golden sun No woman Veronesé looked upon Was half so fair as thou whom I behold.

heartnounUS /hɑːrt/

the locus of feelings and intuitions

From this reading WRITTEN AT THE LYCEUM THEATRE I PORTIA TO ELLEN TERRY I MARVEL not Bassanio was so bold To peril all he had upon the lead, Or that proud Aragon bent low his head Or that Morocco’s fiery heart grew cold: For in that gorgeous dress of beaten gold Which is more golden than the golden sun No woman Veronesé looked upon Was half so fair as thou whom I behold.

heart'snounUS /hɑːrts/

possessive form of “heart” — the locus of feelings and intuitions

From this reading Fast climbing up the eastern sky To grasp and slay the shuddering night, All careless of my heart’s delight, Or if the nightingale should die.

heathnounUS /hiːθ/

a low evergreen shrub of the family Ericaceae; has small bell-shaped pink or purple flowers

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

heavyadjectiveUS /ˈhevi/

of comparatively great physical weight or density

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

HeldadjectiveUS /held/

occupied or in the control of; often used in combination

From this reading Ah! surely once some urn of Attic clay Held thy wan dust, and thou hast come again Back to this common world so dull and vain, For thou wert weary of the sunless day, The heavy fields of scentless asphodel, The loveless lips with which men kiss in Hell.

HellnounUS /hel/

any place of pain and turmoil

From this reading Ah! surely once some urn of Attic clay Held thy wan dust, and thou hast come again Back to this common world so dull and vain, For thou wert weary of the sunless day, The heavy fields of scentless asphodel, The loveless lips with which men kiss in Hell.

HENRYnounUS /ˈhenri/

a unit of inductance in which an induced electromotive force of one volt is produced when the current is varied at the rate of one ampere per second

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

HOW

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

From this reading PHÈDRE TO SARAH BERNHARDT HOW vain and dull this common world must seem To such a One as thou, who should’st have talked At Florence with Mirandola, or walked Through the cool olives of the Academe: Thou should’st have gathered reeds from a green stream For Goat-foot Pan’s shrill piping, and have played With the white girls in that Phæacian glade Where grave Odysseus wakened from his dream.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading WRITTEN AT THE LYCEUM THEATRE I PORTIA TO ELLEN TERRY I MARVEL not Bassanio was so bold To peril all he had upon the lead, Or that proud Aragon bent low his head Or that Morocco’s fiery heart grew cold: For in that gorgeous dress of beaten gold Which is more golden than the golden sun No woman Veronesé looked upon Was half so fair as thou whom I behold.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading Fast climbing up the eastern sky To grasp and slay the shuddering night, All careless of my heart’s delight, Or if the nightingale should die.

IMPRESSIONSnounUS /ˌɪmˈpreʃənz/

plural of “impression” — a vague idea in which some confidence is placed

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

IRVINGnounUS /ˈɜːrvɪŋ/

United States writer remembered for his stories (1783-1859)

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

kissnounUS /kɪs/

the act of caressing with the lips (or an instance thereof)

From this reading Ah! surely once some urn of Attic clay Held thy wan dust, and thou hast come again Back to this common world so dull and vain, For thou wert weary of the sunless day, The heavy fields of scentless asphodel, The loveless lips with which men kiss in Hell.

laidadjectiveUS /leɪd/

set down according to a plan

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

leadverbUS /led/

take somebody somewhere

From this reading WRITTEN AT THE LYCEUM THEATRE I PORTIA TO ELLEN TERRY I MARVEL not Bassanio was so bold To peril all he had upon the lead, Or that proud Aragon bent low his head Or that Morocco’s fiery heart grew cold: For in that gorgeous dress of beaten gold Which is more golden than the golden sun No woman Veronesé looked upon Was half so fair as thou whom I behold.

LearnounUS /lɪr/

British artist and writer of nonsense verse (1812-1888)

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

lipsnounUS /lɪps/

plural of “lip” — either of two fleshy folds of tissue that surround the mouth and play a role in speaking

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

lonelyadjectiveUS /ˈloʊnli/

lacking companions or companionship

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

lookedverbUS /lʊkt/

past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading WRITTEN AT THE LYCEUM THEATRE I PORTIA TO ELLEN TERRY I MARVEL not Bassanio was so bold To peril all he had upon the lead, Or that proud Aragon bent low his head Or that Morocco’s fiery heart grew cold: For in that gorgeous dress of beaten gold Which is more golden than the golden sun No woman Veronesé looked upon Was half so fair as thou whom I behold.

lovenounUS /lʌv/

a strong positive emotion of regard and affection

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

lovelessadjectiveUS /ˈlʌvləs/

without love

From this reading Ah! surely once some urn of Attic clay Held thy wan dust, and thou hast come again Back to this common world so dull and vain, For thou wert weary of the sunless day, The heavy fields of scentless asphodel, The loveless lips with which men kiss in Hell.

lowadjectiveUS /loʊ/

less than normal in degree or intensity or amount

From this reading WRITTEN AT THE LYCEUM THEATRE I PORTIA TO ELLEN TERRY I MARVEL not Bassanio was so bold To peril all he had upon the lead, Or that proud Aragon bent low his head Or that Morocco’s fiery heart grew cold: For in that gorgeous dress of beaten gold Which is more golden than the golden sun No woman Veronesé looked upon Was half so fair as thou whom I behold.

lurenounUS /lʊr/

qualities that attract by seeming to promise some kind of reward

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

LYCEUMnoun

a school for students intermediate between elementary school and college; usually grades 9 to 12

From this reading WRITTEN AT THE LYCEUM THEATRE I PORTIA TO ELLEN TERRY I MARVEL not Bassanio was so bold To peril all he had upon the lead, Or that proud Aragon bent low his head Or that Morocco’s fiery heart grew cold: For in that gorgeous dress of beaten gold Which is more golden than the golden sun No woman Veronesé looked upon Was half so fair as thou whom I behold.

madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

MARVELverbUS /ˈmɑːrvəl/

be amazed at

From this reading WRITTEN AT THE LYCEUM THEATRE I PORTIA TO ELLEN TERRY I MARVEL not Bassanio was so bold To peril all he had upon the lead, Or that proud Aragon bent low his head Or that Morocco’s fiery heart grew cold: For in that gorgeous dress of beaten gold Which is more golden than the golden sun No woman Veronesé looked upon Was half so fair as thou whom I behold.

mennounUS /men/

the force of workers available

From this reading Ah! surely once some urn of Attic clay Held thy wan dust, and thou hast come again Back to this common world so dull and vain, For thou wert weary of the sunless day, The heavy fields of scentless asphodel, The loveless lips with which men kiss in Hell.

Mirandola

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

From this reading PHÈDRE TO SARAH BERNHARDT HOW vain and dull this common world must seem To such a One as thou, who should’st have talked At Florence with Mirandola, or walked Through the cool olives of the Academe: Thou should’st have gathered reeds from a green stream For Goat-foot Pan’s shrill piping, and have played With the white girls in that Phæacian glade Where grave Odysseus wakened from his dream.

mockverbUS /mɑːk/

treat with contempt

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

Morocco's

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

From this reading WRITTEN AT THE LYCEUM THEATRE I PORTIA TO ELLEN TERRY I MARVEL not Bassanio was so bold To peril all he had upon the lead, Or that proud Aragon bent low his head Or that Morocco’s fiery heart grew cold: For in that gorgeous dress of beaten gold Which is more golden than the golden sun No woman Veronesé looked upon Was half so fair as thou whom I behold.

murderedadjectiveUS /ˈmɜːrdərd/

killed unlawfully

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading PHÈDRE TO SARAH BERNHARDT HOW vain and dull this common world must seem To such a One as thou, who should’st have talked At Florence with Mirandola, or walked Through the cool olives of the Academe: Thou should’st have gathered reeds from a green stream For Goat-foot Pan’s shrill piping, and have played With the white girls in that Phæacian glade Where grave Odysseus wakened from his dream.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading Fast climbing up the eastern sky To grasp and slay the shuddering night, All careless of my heart’s delight, Or if the nightingale should die.

nightnounUS /naɪt/

the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside

From this reading Fast climbing up the eastern sky To grasp and slay the shuddering night, All careless of my heart’s delight, Or if the nightingale should die.

nightingalenounUS /ˈnaɪtɪŋɡeɪl/

European songbird noted for its melodious nocturnal song

From this reading Fast climbing up the eastern sky To grasp and slay the shuddering night, All careless of my heart’s delight, Or if the nightingale should die.

NodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading WRITTEN AT THE LYCEUM THEATRE I PORTIA TO ELLEN TERRY I MARVEL not Bassanio was so bold To peril all he had upon the lead, Or that proud Aragon bent low his head Or that Morocco’s fiery heart grew cold: For in that gorgeous dress of beaten gold Which is more golden than the golden sun No woman Veronesé looked upon Was half so fair as thou whom I behold.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading WRITTEN AT THE LYCEUM THEATRE I PORTIA TO ELLEN TERRY I MARVEL not Bassanio was so bold To peril all he had upon the lead, Or that proud Aragon bent low his head Or that Morocco’s fiery heart grew cold: For in that gorgeous dress of beaten gold Which is more golden than the golden sun No woman Veronesé looked upon Was half so fair as thou whom I behold.

o'eradverb

throughout a period of time

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

OdysseusnounUS /oʊˈdɪsiəs/

(Greek mythology) a famous mythical Greek hero; his return to Ithaca after the siege of Troy was described in the Odyssey

From this reading PHÈDRE TO SARAH BERNHARDT HOW vain and dull this common world must seem To such a One as thou, who should’st have talked At Florence with Mirandola, or walked Through the cool olives of the Academe: Thou should’st have gathered reeds from a green stream For Goat-foot Pan’s shrill piping, and have played With the white girls in that Phæacian glade Where grave Odysseus wakened from his dream.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Fast climbing up the eastern sky To grasp and slay the shuddering night, All careless of my heart’s delight, Or if the nightingale should die.

olivesnounUS /ˈɑːlɪvz/

plural of “olive” — small ovoid fruit of the European olive tree; important food and source of oil

From this reading PHÈDRE TO SARAH BERNHARDT HOW vain and dull this common world must seem To such a One as thou, who should’st have talked At Florence with Mirandola, or walked Through the cool olives of the Academe: Thou should’st have gathered reeds from a green stream For Goat-foot Pan’s shrill piping, and have played With the white girls in that Phæacian glade Where grave Odysseus wakened from his dream.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

onceadverbUS /wʌns/

on one occasion

From this reading Ah! surely once some urn of Attic clay Held thy wan dust, and thou hast come again Back to this common world so dull and vain, For thou wert weary of the sunless day, The heavy fields of scentless asphodel, The loveless lips with which men kiss in Hell.

OnepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading PHÈDRE TO SARAH BERNHARDT HOW vain and dull this common world must seem To such a One as thou, who should’st have talked At Florence with Mirandola, or walked Through the cool olives of the Academe: Thou should’st have gathered reeds from a green stream For Goat-foot Pan’s shrill piping, and have played With the white girls in that Phæacian glade Where grave Odysseus wakened from his dream.

openingnounUS /ˈoʊpənɪŋ/

an open or empty space in or between things

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

OrconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading Fast climbing up the eastern sky To grasp and slay the shuddering night, All careless of my heart’s delight, Or if the nightingale should die.

Pan'snounUS /pænz/

possessive form of “pan” — cooking utensil consisting of a wide metal vessel

From this reading PHÈDRE TO SARAH BERNHARDT HOW vain and dull this common world must seem To such a One as thou, who should’st have talked At Florence with Mirandola, or walked Through the cool olives of the Academe: Thou should’st have gathered reeds from a green stream For Goat-foot Pan’s shrill piping, and have played With the white girls in that Phæacian glade Where grave Odysseus wakened from his dream.

perilnounUS /ˈperəl/

a source of danger; a possibility of incurring loss or misfortune

From this reading WRITTEN AT THE LYCEUM THEATRE I PORTIA TO ELLEN TERRY I MARVEL not Bassanio was so bold To peril all he had upon the lead, Or that proud Aragon bent low his head Or that Morocco’s fiery heart grew cold: For in that gorgeous dress of beaten gold Which is more golden than the golden sun No woman Veronesé looked upon Was half so fair as thou whom I behold.

Phæacian

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

From this reading PHÈDRE TO SARAH BERNHARDT HOW vain and dull this common world must seem To such a One as thou, who should’st have talked At Florence with Mirandola, or walked Through the cool olives of the Academe: Thou should’st have gathered reeds from a green stream For Goat-foot Pan’s shrill piping, and have played With the white girls in that Phæacian glade Where grave Odysseus wakened from his dream.

PHÈDRE

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

From this reading PHÈDRE TO SARAH BERNHARDT HOW vain and dull this common world must seem To such a One as thou, who should’st have talked At Florence with Mirandola, or walked Through the cool olives of the Academe: Thou should’st have gathered reeds from a green stream For Goat-foot Pan’s shrill piping, and have played With the white girls in that Phæacian glade Where grave Odysseus wakened from his dream.

pipingnounUS /ˈpaɪpɪŋ/

a thin strip of covered cord used to edge hems

From this reading PHÈDRE TO SARAH BERNHARDT HOW vain and dull this common world must seem To such a One as thou, who should’st have talked At Florence with Mirandola, or walked Through the cool olives of the Academe: Thou should’st have gathered reeds from a green stream For Goat-foot Pan’s shrill piping, and have played With the white girls in that Phæacian glade Where grave Odysseus wakened from his dream.

playedadjectiveUS /pleɪd/

(of games) engaged in

From this reading PHÈDRE TO SARAH BERNHARDT HOW vain and dull this common world must seem To such a One as thou, who should’st have talked At Florence with Mirandola, or walked Through the cool olives of the Academe: Thou should’st have gathered reeds from a green stream For Goat-foot Pan’s shrill piping, and have played With the white girls in that Phæacian glade Where grave Odysseus wakened from his dream.

PluckverbUS /plʌk/

pull or pull out sharply

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

PORTIA

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

From this reading WRITTEN AT THE LYCEUM THEATRE I PORTIA TO ELLEN TERRY I MARVEL not Bassanio was so bold To peril all he had upon the lead, Or that proud Aragon bent low his head Or that Morocco’s fiery heart grew cold: For in that gorgeous dress of beaten gold Which is more golden than the golden sun No woman Veronesé looked upon Was half so fair as thou whom I behold.

proudadjectiveUS /praʊd/

feeling self-respect or pleasure in something by which you measure your self-worth; or being a reason for pride

From this reading WRITTEN AT THE LYCEUM THEATRE I PORTIA TO ELLEN TERRY I MARVEL not Bassanio was so bold To peril all he had upon the lead, Or that proud Aragon bent low his head Or that Morocco’s fiery heart grew cold: For in that gorgeous dress of beaten gold Which is more golden than the golden sun No woman Veronesé looked upon Was half so fair as thou whom I behold.

recreantnoun

an abject coward

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

reedsnounUS /riːdz/

plural of “reed” — tall woody perennial grasses with hollow slender stems especially of the genera Arundo and Phragmites

From this reading PHÈDRE TO SARAH BERNHARDT HOW vain and dull this common world must seem To such a One as thou, who should’st have talked At Florence with Mirandola, or walked Through the cool olives of the Academe: Thou should’st have gathered reeds from a green stream For Goat-foot Pan’s shrill piping, and have played With the white girls in that Phæacian glade Where grave Odysseus wakened from his dream.

revengefuladjective

disposed to seek revenge or intended for revenge

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

Richard'snounUS /ˈrɪtʃərdz/

possessive form of “richards” — English literary critic who collaborated with C. K. Ogden and contributed to the development of Basic English (1893-1979)

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

risingadjectiveUS /ˈraɪzɪŋ/

advancing or becoming higher or greater in degree or value or status

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

RomeonounUS /ˈroʊmioʊ/

an ardent male lover

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

roomnounUS /ruːm/

an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

SARAHnounUS /ˈserə/

(Old Testament) the wife of Abraham and mother of Isaac

From this reading PHÈDRE TO SARAH BERNHARDT HOW vain and dull this common world must seem To such a One as thou, who should’st have talked At Florence with Mirandola, or walked Through the cool olives of the Academe: Thou should’st have gathered reeds from a green stream For Goat-foot Pan’s shrill piping, and have played With the white girls in that Phæacian glade Where grave Odysseus wakened from his dream.

scentlessadjective

lacking the sense of smell

From this reading Ah! surely once some urn of Attic clay Held thy wan dust, and thou hast come again Back to this common world so dull and vain, For thou wert weary of the sunless day, The heavy fields of scentless asphodel, The loveless lips with which men kiss in Hell.

screamverbUS /skriːm/

utter a sudden loud cry

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

seemverbUS /siːm/

give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading PHÈDRE TO SARAH BERNHARDT HOW vain and dull this common world must seem To such a One as thou, who should’st have talked At Florence with Mirandola, or walked Through the cool olives of the Academe: Thou should’st have gathered reeds from a green stream For Goat-foot Pan’s shrill piping, and have played With the white girls in that Phæacian glade Where grave Odysseus wakened from his dream.

setverbUS /set/

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

shadenounUS /ʃeɪd/

relative darkness caused by light rays being intercepted by an opaque body

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

Shakespeare'snounUS /ˈʃeɪkspiːrz/

possessive form of “shakespeare” — English poet and dramatist considered one of the greatest English writers (1564-1616)

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

sheathnounUS /ʃiːθ/

a protective covering (as for a knife or sword)

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading Fast climbing up the eastern sky To grasp and slay the shuddering night, All careless of my heart’s delight, Or if the nightingale should die.

should'st

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

From this reading PHÈDRE TO SARAH BERNHARDT HOW vain and dull this common world must seem To such a One as thou, who should’st have talked At Florence with Mirandola, or walked Through the cool olives of the Academe: Thou should’st have gathered reeds from a green stream For Goat-foot Pan’s shrill piping, and have played With the white girls in that Phæacian glade Where grave Odysseus wakened from his dream.

shouldersnounUS /ˈʃoʊldərz/

plural of “shoulder” — the part of the body between the neck and the upper arm

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

shrilladjectiveUS /ʃrɪl/

having or emitting a high-pitched and sharp tone or tones

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

shudderingadjectiveUS /ˈʃʌdərɪŋ/

shaking convulsively or violently

From this reading Fast climbing up the eastern sky To grasp and slay the shuddering night, All careless of my heart’s delight, Or if the nightingale should die.

silentadjectiveUS /ˈsaɪlənt/

marked by absence of sound

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

skynounUS /skaɪ/

the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth

From this reading Fast climbing up the eastern sky To grasp and slay the shuddering night, All careless of my heart’s delight, Or if the nightingale should die.

slayverbUS /sleɪ/

kill intentionally and with premeditation

From this reading Fast climbing up the eastern sky To grasp and slay the shuddering night, All careless of my heart’s delight, Or if the nightingale should die.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading Ah! surely once some urn of Attic clay Held thy wan dust, and thou hast come again Back to this common world so dull and vain, For thou wert weary of the sunless day, The heavy fields of scentless asphodel, The loveless lips with which men kiss in Hell.

someadjectiveUS /sʌm/

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

From this reading Ah! surely once some urn of Attic clay Held thy wan dust, and thou hast come again Back to this common world so dull and vain, For thou wert weary of the sunless day, The heavy fields of scentless asphodel, The loveless lips with which men kiss in Hell.

stifledadjectiveUS /ˈstaɪfəld/

held in check with difficulty

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

streamnounUS /striːm/

a natural body of running water flowing on or under the earth

From this reading PHÈDRE TO SARAH BERNHARDT HOW vain and dull this common world must seem To such a One as thou, who should’st have talked At Florence with Mirandola, or walked Through the cool olives of the Academe: Thou should’st have gathered reeds from a green stream For Goat-foot Pan’s shrill piping, and have played With the white girls in that Phæacian glade Where grave Odysseus wakened from his dream.

suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading PHÈDRE TO SARAH BERNHARDT HOW vain and dull this common world must seem To such a One as thou, who should’st have talked At Florence with Mirandola, or walked Through the cool olives of the Academe: Thou should’st have gathered reeds from a green stream For Goat-foot Pan’s shrill piping, and have played With the white girls in that Phæacian glade Where grave Odysseus wakened from his dream.

sunnounUS /sʌn/

the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system

From this reading WRITTEN AT THE LYCEUM THEATRE I PORTIA TO ELLEN TERRY I MARVEL not Bassanio was so bold To peril all he had upon the lead, Or that proud Aragon bent low his head Or that Morocco’s fiery heart grew cold: For in that gorgeous dress of beaten gold Which is more golden than the golden sun No woman Veronesé looked upon Was half so fair as thou whom I behold.

sunlessadjective

filled or abounding with clouds

From this reading Ah! surely once some urn of Attic clay Held thy wan dust, and thou hast come again Back to this common world so dull and vain, For thou wert weary of the sunless day, The heavy fields of scentless asphodel, The loveless lips with which men kiss in Hell.

surelyadverbUS /ˈʃʊrli/

definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)

From this reading Ah! surely once some urn of Attic clay Held thy wan dust, and thou hast come again Back to this common world so dull and vain, For thou wert weary of the sunless day, The heavy fields of scentless asphodel, The loveless lips with which men kiss in Hell.

swordsnounUS /sɔːrdz/

plural of “sword” — a cutting or thrusting weapon that has a long metal blade and a hilt with a hand guard

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

talkedverbUS /tɔːkt/

past form of “talk” — exchange thoughts; talk with

From this reading PHÈDRE TO SARAH BERNHARDT HOW vain and dull this common world must seem To such a One as thou, who should’st have talked At Florence with Mirandola, or walked Through the cool olives of the Academe: Thou should’st have gathered reeds from a green stream For Goat-foot Pan’s shrill piping, and have played With the white girls in that Phæacian glade Where grave Odysseus wakened from his dream.

TERRYnounUS /ˈteri/

English actress (1847-1928)

From this reading WRITTEN AT THE LYCEUM THEATRE I PORTIA TO ELLEN TERRY I MARVEL not Bassanio was so bold To peril all he had upon the lead, Or that proud Aragon bent low his head Or that Morocco’s fiery heart grew cold: For in that gorgeous dress of beaten gold Which is more golden than the golden sun No woman Veronesé looked upon Was half so fair as thou whom I behold.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading WRITTEN AT THE LYCEUM THEATRE I PORTIA TO ELLEN TERRY I MARVEL not Bassanio was so bold To peril all he had upon the lead, Or that proud Aragon bent low his head Or that Morocco’s fiery heart grew cold: For in that gorgeous dress of beaten gold Which is more golden than the golden sun No woman Veronesé looked upon Was half so fair as thou whom I behold.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Fast climbing up the eastern sky To grasp and slay the shuddering night, All careless of my heart’s delight, Or if the nightingale should die.

THEATREnounUS /ˈθiːətər/

a building where theatrical performances or motion-picture shows can be presented

From this reading WRITTEN AT THE LYCEUM THEATRE I PORTIA TO ELLEN TERRY I MARVEL not Bassanio was so bold To peril all he had upon the lead, Or that proud Aragon bent low his head Or that Morocco’s fiery heart grew cold: For in that gorgeous dress of beaten gold Which is more golden than the golden sun No woman Veronesé looked upon Was half so fair as thou whom I behold.

theepronounUS /ðiː/

an old word for “you”, as the object, speaking to one person

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

thenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

ThesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

thingsnounUS /θɪŋz/

any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading PHÈDRE TO SARAH BERNHARDT HOW vain and dull this common world must seem To such a One as thou, who should’st have talked At Florence with Mirandola, or walked Through the cool olives of the Academe: Thou should’st have gathered reeds from a green stream For Goat-foot Pan’s shrill piping, and have played With the white girls in that Phæacian glade Where grave Odysseus wakened from his dream.

thoupronounUS /ðaʊ/

an old word for “you”, as the subject, speaking to one person

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

throughprepositionUS /θruː/

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

thydeterminerUS /ðaɪ/

an old word for “your”, speaking to one person

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

THÉÂTRE

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

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

ToparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Fast climbing up the eastern sky To grasp and slay the shuddering night, All careless of my heart’s delight, Or if the nightingale should die.

travelverbUS /ˈtrævəl/

change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

trumpetverbUS /ˈtrʌmpət/

proclaim on, or as if on, a trumpet

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading Fast climbing up the eastern sky To grasp and slay the shuddering night, All careless of my heart’s delight, Or if the nightingale should die.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading WRITTEN AT THE LYCEUM THEATRE I PORTIA TO ELLEN TERRY I MARVEL not Bassanio was so bold To peril all he had upon the lead, Or that proud Aragon bent low his head Or that Morocco’s fiery heart grew cold: For in that gorgeous dress of beaten gold Which is more golden than the golden sun No woman Veronesé looked upon Was half so fair as thou whom I behold.

urnnounUS /ɜːrn/

a large vase that usually has a pedestal or feet

From this reading Ah! surely once some urn of Attic clay Held thy wan dust, and thou hast come again Back to this common world so dull and vain, For thou wert weary of the sunless day, The heavy fields of scentless asphodel, The loveless lips with which men kiss in Hell.

vainadjectiveUS /veɪn/

characteristic of false pride; having an exaggerated sense of self-importance

From this reading PHÈDRE TO SARAH BERNHARDT HOW vain and dull this common world must seem To such a One as thou, who should’st have talked At Florence with Mirandola, or walked Through the cool olives of the Academe: Thou should’st have gathered reeds from a green stream For Goat-foot Pan’s shrill piping, and have played With the white girls in that Phæacian glade Where grave Odysseus wakened from his dream.

Veronesé

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

From this reading WRITTEN AT THE LYCEUM THEATRE I PORTIA TO ELLEN TERRY I MARVEL not Bassanio was so bold To peril all he had upon the lead, Or that proud Aragon bent low his head Or that Morocco’s fiery heart grew cold: For in that gorgeous dress of beaten gold Which is more golden than the golden sun No woman Veronesé looked upon Was half so fair as thou whom I behold.

wakened

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

From this reading PHÈDRE TO SARAH BERNHARDT HOW vain and dull this common world must seem To such a One as thou, who should’st have talked At Florence with Mirandola, or walked Through the cool olives of the Academe: Thou should’st have gathered reeds from a green stream For Goat-foot Pan’s shrill piping, and have played With the white girls in that Phæacian glade Where grave Odysseus wakened from his dream.

walkedverbUS /wɔːkt/

past form of “walk” — use one's feet to advance; advance by steps

From this reading PHÈDRE TO SARAH BERNHARDT HOW vain and dull this common world must seem To such a One as thou, who should’st have talked At Florence with Mirandola, or walked Through the cool olives of the Academe: Thou should’st have gathered reeds from a green stream For Goat-foot Pan’s shrill piping, and have played With the white girls in that Phæacian glade Where grave Odysseus wakened from his dream.

wanadjectiveUS /wɑːn/

(of light) lacking in intensity or brightness; dim or feeble

From this reading Ah! surely once some urn of Attic clay Held thy wan dust, and thou hast come again Back to this common world so dull and vain, For thou wert weary of the sunless day, The heavy fields of scentless asphodel, The loveless lips with which men kiss in Hell.

wanderverbUS /ˈwɑːndər/

move about aimlessly or without any destination, often in search of food or employment

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading WRITTEN AT THE LYCEUM THEATRE I PORTIA TO ELLEN TERRY I MARVEL not Bassanio was so bold To peril all he had upon the lead, Or that proud Aragon bent low his head Or that Morocco’s fiery heart grew cold: For in that gorgeous dress of beaten gold Which is more golden than the golden sun No woman Veronesé looked upon Was half so fair as thou whom I behold.

wearyverbUS /ˈwɪri/

exhaust or get tired through overuse or great strain or stress

From this reading Ah! surely once some urn of Attic clay Held thy wan dust, and thou hast come again Back to this common world so dull and vain, For thou wert weary of the sunless day, The heavy fields of scentless asphodel, The loveless lips with which men kiss in Hell.

welladverbUS /wel/

(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

wertauxiliary verbUS /wɜːrt/

an old form of “were”, used with “thou”

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

WhereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading PHÈDRE TO SARAH BERNHARDT HOW vain and dull this common world must seem To such a One as thou, who should’st have talked At Florence with Mirandola, or walked Through the cool olives of the Academe: Thou should’st have gathered reeds from a green stream For Goat-foot Pan’s shrill piping, and have played With the white girls in that Phæacian glade Where grave Odysseus wakened from his dream.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading Ah! surely once some urn of Attic clay Held thy wan dust, and thou hast come again Back to this common world so dull and vain, For thou wert weary of the sunless day, The heavy fields of scentless asphodel, The loveless lips with which men kiss in Hell.

whitenounUS /waɪt/

a Caucasian

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading PHÈDRE TO SARAH BERNHARDT HOW vain and dull this common world must seem To such a One as thou, who should’st have talked At Florence with Mirandola, or walked Through the cool olives of the Academe: Thou should’st have gathered reeds from a green stream For Goat-foot Pan’s shrill piping, and have played With the white girls in that Phæacian glade Where grave Odysseus wakened from his dream.

whompronounUS /huːm/

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

From this reading WRITTEN AT THE LYCEUM THEATRE I PORTIA TO ELLEN TERRY I MARVEL not Bassanio was so bold To peril all he had upon the lead, Or that proud Aragon bent low his head Or that Morocco’s fiery heart grew cold: For in that gorgeous dress of beaten gold Which is more golden than the golden sun No woman Veronesé looked upon Was half so fair as thou whom I behold.

WithprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading IMPRESSIONS DE THÉÂTRE FABIEN DEI FRANCHI TO MY FRIEND HENRY IRVING THE silent room, the heavy creeping shade, The dead that travel fast, the opening door, The murdered brother rising through the floor, The ghost’s white fingers on thy shoulders laid, And then the lonely duel in the glade, The broken swords, the stifled scream, the gore, Thy grand revengeful eyes when all is o’er,— These things are well enough,—but thou wert made For more august creation! frenzied Lear Should at thy bidding wander on the heath With the shrill fool to mock him, Romeo For thee should lure his love, and desperate fear Pluck Richard’s recreant dagger from its sheath— Thou trumpet set for Shakespeare’s lips to blow!

womannounUS /ˈwʊmən/

an adult female person (as opposed to a man)

From this reading WRITTEN AT THE LYCEUM THEATRE I PORTIA TO ELLEN TERRY I MARVEL not Bassanio was so bold To peril all he had upon the lead, Or that proud Aragon bent low his head Or that Morocco’s fiery heart grew cold: For in that gorgeous dress of beaten gold Which is more golden than the golden sun No woman Veronesé looked upon Was half so fair as thou whom I behold.

worldnounUS /wɜːrld/

everything that exists anywhere

From this reading PHÈDRE TO SARAH BERNHARDT HOW vain and dull this common world must seem To such a One as thou, who should’st have talked At Florence with Mirandola, or walked Through the cool olives of the Academe: Thou should’st have gathered reeds from a green stream For Goat-foot Pan’s shrill piping, and have played With the white girls in that Phæacian glade Where grave Odysseus wakened from his dream.

WRITTENadjectiveUS /ˈrɪtən/

set down in writing in any of various ways

From this reading WRITTEN AT THE LYCEUM THEATRE I PORTIA TO ELLEN TERRY I MARVEL not Bassanio was so bold To peril all he had upon the lead, Or that proud Aragon bent low his head Or that Morocco’s fiery heart grew cold: For in that gorgeous dress of beaten gold Which is more golden than the golden sun No woman Veronesé looked upon Was half so fair as thou whom I behold.

Chapter 7 of Poems, with The Ballad of Reading Gaol by Oscar Wilde holds 85 sentences, grouped into 17 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, 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 Poems, with The Ballad of Reading Gaol contain?

Chapter 7 holds 85 sentences of Poems, with The Ballad of Reading Gaol, unabridged, divided into 17 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 7 of Poems, with The Ballad of Reading Gaol by Oscar Wilde exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 85 sentences, grouped into 17 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 Poems, with The Ballad of Reading Gaol?

Work through the 17 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 17 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 Poems, with The Ballad of Reading Gaol

Common questions about reading Poems, with The Ballad of Reading Gaol by Oscar Wilde on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Poems, with The Ballad of Reading Gaol?

Yes. All 1183 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #1057 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Poems, with The Ballad of Reading Gaol is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #1057, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Poems, with The Ballad of Reading Gaol take to read?

About 98 minutes of reading across 237 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Poems, with The Ballad of Reading Gaol section by section

How to work through Poems, with The Ballad of Reading Gaol 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 Poems, with The Ballad of Reading Gaol

Words and structures a reader meets early in Poems, with The Ballad of Reading Gaol, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

First
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Poems, with The Ballad of Reading Gaol; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Published
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Poems, with The Ballad of Reading Gaol; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Ravenna
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Poems, with The Ballad of Reading Gaol; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Poems
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Poems, with The Ballad of Reading Gaol; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.