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Rhyme? And Reason?
Rhyme? And Reason?

Chapter III

Chapter 3 of Rhyme? And Reason? is here in full — 315 sentences across 63 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Rhyme? And Reason?
Context Illustration Reading 1/63 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
"A dear uncle of mine (after whom I was named) Remarked, when I bade him farewell--" "Oh, skip your dear uncle!" the Bellman exclaimed, As he angrily tingled his bell.
"He remarked to me then," said that mildest of men, "'If your Snark be a Snark, that is right: Fetch it home by all means--you may serve it with greens And it's handy for striking a light.
"'You may seek it with thimbles--and seek it with care; You may hunt it with forks and hope; You may threaten its life with a railway-share; You may charm it with smiles and soap--'" ("That's exactly the method," the Bellman bold In a hasty parenthesis cried, "That's exactly the way I have always been told That the capture of Snarks should be tried!")
"'But oh, beamish nephew, beware of the day, If your Snark be a Boojum!
For then You will softly and suddenly vanish away, And never be met with again!'
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Rhyme? And Reason?

Chapter III

Chapter 3 of Rhyme? And Reason? is here in full — 315 sentences across 63 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/63 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
"A dear uncle of mine (after whom I was named) Remarked, when I bade him farewell--" "Oh, skip your dear uncle!" the Bellman exclaimed, As he angrily tingled his bell.
Line 2
"He remarked to me then," said that mildest of men, "'If your Snark be a Snark, that is right: Fetch it home by all means--you may serve it with greens And it's handy for striking a light.
Line 3
"'You may seek it with thimbles--and seek it with care; You may hunt it with forks and hope; You may threaten its life with a railway-share; You may charm it with smiles and soap--'" ("That's exactly the method," the Bellman bold In a hasty parenthesis cried, "That's exactly the way I have always been told That the capture of Snarks should be tried!")
Line 4
"'But oh, beamish nephew, beware of the day, If your Snark be a Boojum!
Line 5
For then You will softly and suddenly vanish away, And never be met with again!'
/fɔːr ðen juː wɪl ˈsɔːftli ənd ˈsʌdənli ˈvænɪʃ əˈweɪ ənd ˈnevər biː met wɪð əˈɡen/

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.

beamish adjective US /ˈbiːmɪʃ/

smiling with happiness or optimism

From this reading “"'But oh, beamish nephew, beware of the day, If your Snark be a Boojum!”

Bellman noun US /ˈbelmən/

someone employed as an errand boy and luggage carrier around hotels

From this reading “"A dear uncle of mine (after whom I was named) Remarked, when I bade him farewell--" "Oh, skip your dear uncle!" the Bellman exclaimed, As he angrily tingled his bell.”

forks noun US /fɔːrks/

plural of “fork” — cutlery used for serving and eating food

From this reading “"'You may seek it with thimbles--and seek it with care; You may hunt it with forks and hope; You may threaten its life with a railway-share; You may charm it with smiles and soap--'" ("That's exactly the method," the Bellman bold In a hasty parenthesis cried, "That's exactly the way I have always been told That the capture of Snarks should be tried!")”

greens noun US /ɡriːnz/

any of various leafy plants or their leaves and stems eaten as vegetables

From this reading “"He remarked to me then," said that mildest of men, "'If your Snark be a Snark, that is right: Fetch it home by all means--you may serve it with greens And it's handy for striking a light.”

mildest adjective US /ˈmaɪldəst/

superlative of “mild” — moderate in type or degree or effect or force; far from extreme

From this reading “"He remarked to me then," said that mildest of men, "'If your Snark be a Snark, that is right: Fetch it home by all means--you may serve it with greens And it's handy for striking a light.”

parenthesis noun US /pərˈenθəsɪs/

either of two punctuation marks (or) used to enclose textual material

From this reading “"'You may seek it with thimbles--and seek it with care; You may hunt it with forks and hope; You may threaten its life with a railway-share; You may charm it with smiles and soap--'" ("That's exactly the method," the Bellman bold In a hasty parenthesis cried, "That's exactly the way I have always been told That the capture of Snarks should be tried!")”

skip verb US /skɪp/

bypass

From this reading “"A dear uncle of mine (after whom I was named) Remarked, when I bade him farewell--" "Oh, skip your dear uncle!" the Bellman exclaimed, As he angrily tingled his bell.”

threaten verb US /ˈθretən/

pose a threat to; present a danger to

From this reading “"'You may seek it with thimbles--and seek it with care; You may hunt it with forks and hope; You may threaten its life with a railway-share; You may charm it with smiles and soap--'" ("That's exactly the method," the Bellman bold In a hasty parenthesis cried, "That's exactly the way I have always been told That the capture of Snarks should be tried!")”

Word partnerships in these lines

English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.

Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.

vanish away verb + particle

In this reading “For then You will softly and suddenly vanish away, And never be met with again!'”

dear uncle adjective + noun

In this reading “"A dear uncle of mine (after whom I was named) Remarked, when I bade him farewell--" "Oh, skip your dear uncle!" the Bellman exclaimed, As he angrily tingled his bell.”

beware of verb + particle

In this reading “"'But oh, beamish nephew, beware of the day, If your Snark be a Boojum!”

met with verb + particle counted as “meet with”

In this reading “For then You will softly and suddenly vanish away, And never be met with again!'”

All words in this reading · 100

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 "A dear uncle of mine (after whom I was named) Remarked, when I bade him farewell--" "Oh, skip your dear uncle!" the Bellman exclaimed, As he angrily tingled his bell.

afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading "A dear uncle of mine (after whom I was named) Remarked, when I bade him farewell--" "Oh, skip your dear uncle!" the Bellman exclaimed, As he angrily tingled his bell.

againadverbUS /əˈɡen/

anew

From this reading For then You will softly and suddenly vanish away, And never be met with again!'

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 "He remarked to me then," said that mildest of men, "'If your Snark be a Snark, that is right: Fetch it home by all means--you may serve it with greens And it's handy for striking a light.

alwaysadverbUS /ˈɔːlweɪz/

at all times; all the time and on every occasion

From this reading "'You may seek it with thimbles--and seek it with care; You may hunt it with forks and hope; You may threaten its life with a railway-share; You may charm it with smiles and soap--'" ("That's exactly the method," the Bellman bold In a hasty parenthesis cried, "That's exactly the way I have always been told That the capture of Snarks should be tried!")

AndconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading "He remarked to me then," said that mildest of men, "'If your Snark be a Snark, that is right: Fetch it home by all means--you may serve it with greens And it's handy for striking a light.

angrilyadverbUS /ˈæŋɡrəli/

with anger

From this reading "A dear uncle of mine (after whom I was named) Remarked, when I bade him farewell--" "Oh, skip your dear uncle!" the Bellman exclaimed, As he angrily tingled his bell.

AsconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading "A dear uncle of mine (after whom I was named) Remarked, when I bade him farewell--" "Oh, skip your dear uncle!" the Bellman exclaimed, As he angrily tingled his bell.

awayadverbUS /əˈweɪ/

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

From this reading For then You will softly and suddenly vanish away, And never be met with again!'

badenounUS /beɪd/

a Chadic language spoken in northern Nigeria

From this reading "A dear uncle of mine (after whom I was named) Remarked, when I bade him farewell--" "Oh, skip your dear uncle!" the Bellman exclaimed, As he angrily tingled his bell.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading "He remarked to me then," said that mildest of men, "'If your Snark be a Snark, that is right: Fetch it home by all means--you may serve it with greens And it's handy for striking a light.

beamishadjectiveUS /ˈbiːmɪʃ/

smiling with happiness or optimism

From this reading "'But oh, beamish nephew, beware of the day, If your Snark be a Boojum!

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading "'You may seek it with thimbles--and seek it with care; You may hunt it with forks and hope; You may threaten its life with a railway-share; You may charm it with smiles and soap--'" ("That's exactly the method," the Bellman bold In a hasty parenthesis cried, "That's exactly the way I have always been told That the capture of Snarks should be tried!")

bellnounUS /bel/

a hollow device made of metal that makes a ringing sound when struck

From this reading "A dear uncle of mine (after whom I was named) Remarked, when I bade him farewell--" "Oh, skip your dear uncle!" the Bellman exclaimed, As he angrily tingled his bell.

BellmannounUS /ˈbelmən/

someone employed as an errand boy and luggage carrier around hotels

From this reading "A dear uncle of mine (after whom I was named) Remarked, when I bade him farewell--" "Oh, skip your dear uncle!" the Bellman exclaimed, As he angrily tingled his bell.

bewareverbUS /bɪˈwer/

be on one's guard; be cautious or wary about; be alert to

From this reading "'But oh, beamish nephew, beware of the day, If your Snark be a Boojum!

boldadjectiveUS /boʊld/

fearless and daring

From this reading "'You may seek it with thimbles--and seek it with care; You may hunt it with forks and hope; You may threaten its life with a railway-share; You may charm it with smiles and soap--'" ("That's exactly the method," the Bellman bold In a hasty parenthesis cried, "That's exactly the way I have always been told That the capture of Snarks should be tried!")

Boojum

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

From this reading "'But oh, beamish nephew, beware of the day, If your Snark be a Boojum!

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading "'But oh, beamish nephew, beware of the day, If your Snark be a Boojum!

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading "He remarked to me then," said that mildest of men, "'If your Snark be a Snark, that is right: Fetch it home by all means--you may serve it with greens And it's handy for striking a light.

captureverbUS /ˈkæptʃər/

succeed in representing or expressing something intangible

From this reading "'You may seek it with thimbles--and seek it with care; You may hunt it with forks and hope; You may threaten its life with a railway-share; You may charm it with smiles and soap--'" ("That's exactly the method," the Bellman bold In a hasty parenthesis cried, "That's exactly the way I have always been told That the capture of Snarks should be tried!")

carenounUS /ker/

the work of providing treatment for or attending to someone or something

From this reading "'You may seek it with thimbles--and seek it with care; You may hunt it with forks and hope; You may threaten its life with a railway-share; You may charm it with smiles and soap--'" ("That's exactly the method," the Bellman bold In a hasty parenthesis cried, "That's exactly the way I have always been told That the capture of Snarks should be tried!")

charmnounUS /tʃɑːrm/

attractiveness that interests or pleases or stimulates

From this reading "'You may seek it with thimbles--and seek it with care; You may hunt it with forks and hope; You may threaten its life with a railway-share; You may charm it with smiles and soap--'" ("That's exactly the method," the Bellman bold In a hasty parenthesis cried, "That's exactly the way I have always been told That the capture of Snarks should be tried!")

criedverbUS /kraɪd/

inflected form of “cry” — utter a sudden loud cry

From this reading "'You may seek it with thimbles--and seek it with care; You may hunt it with forks and hope; You may threaten its life with a railway-share; You may charm it with smiles and soap--'" ("That's exactly the method," the Bellman bold In a hasty parenthesis cried, "That's exactly the way I have always been told That the capture of Snarks should be tried!")

daynounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading "'But oh, beamish nephew, beware of the day, If your Snark be a Boojum!

dearadjectiveUS /dɪr/

dearly loved

From this reading "A dear uncle of mine (after whom I was named) Remarked, when I bade him farewell--" "Oh, skip your dear uncle!" the Bellman exclaimed, As he angrily tingled his bell.

exactlyadverbUS /ɪɡˈzæktli/

indicating exactness or preciseness

From this reading "'You may seek it with thimbles--and seek it with care; You may hunt it with forks and hope; You may threaten its life with a railway-share; You may charm it with smiles and soap--'" ("That's exactly the method," the Bellman bold In a hasty parenthesis cried, "That's exactly the way I have always been told That the capture of Snarks should be tried!")

exclaimedverbUS /ɪkˈskleɪmd/

past form of “exclaim” — utter aloud; often with surprise, horror, or joy

From this reading "A dear uncle of mine (after whom I was named) Remarked, when I bade him farewell--" "Oh, skip your dear uncle!" the Bellman exclaimed, As he angrily tingled his bell.

farewellnounUS /ˌferˈwel/

an acknowledgment or expression of goodwill at parting

From this reading "A dear uncle of mine (after whom I was named) Remarked, when I bade him farewell--" "Oh, skip your dear uncle!" the Bellman exclaimed, As he angrily tingled his bell.

FetchverbUS /fetʃ/

go or come after and bring or take back

From this reading "He remarked to me then," said that mildest of men, "'If your Snark be a Snark, that is right: Fetch it home by all means--you may serve it with greens And it's handy for striking a light.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading "He remarked to me then," said that mildest of men, "'If your Snark be a Snark, that is right: Fetch it home by all means--you may serve it with greens And it's handy for striking a light.

forksnounUS /fɔːrks/

plural of “fork” — cutlery used for serving and eating food

From this reading "'You may seek it with thimbles--and seek it with care; You may hunt it with forks and hope; You may threaten its life with a railway-share; You may charm it with smiles and soap--'" ("That's exactly the method," the Bellman bold In a hasty parenthesis cried, "That's exactly the way I have always been told That the capture of Snarks should be tried!")

greensnounUS /ɡriːnz/

any of various leafy plants or their leaves and stems eaten as vegetables

From this reading "He remarked to me then," said that mildest of men, "'If your Snark be a Snark, that is right: Fetch it home by all means--you may serve it with greens And it's handy for striking a light.

handyadjectiveUS /ˈhændi/

easy to reach

From this reading "He remarked to me then," said that mildest of men, "'If your Snark be a Snark, that is right: Fetch it home by all means--you may serve it with greens And it's handy for striking a light.

hastyadjectiveUS /ˈheɪsti/

excessively quick

From this reading "'You may seek it with thimbles--and seek it with care; You may hunt it with forks and hope; You may threaten its life with a railway-share; You may charm it with smiles and soap--'" ("That's exactly the method," the Bellman bold In a hasty parenthesis cried, "That's exactly the way I have always been told That the capture of Snarks should be tried!")

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading "'You may seek it with thimbles--and seek it with care; You may hunt it with forks and hope; You may threaten its life with a railway-share; You may charm it with smiles and soap--'" ("That's exactly the method," the Bellman bold In a hasty parenthesis cried, "That's exactly the way I have always been told That the capture of Snarks should be tried!")

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading "A dear uncle of mine (after whom I was named) Remarked, when I bade him farewell--" "Oh, skip your dear uncle!" the Bellman exclaimed, As he angrily tingled his bell.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading "A dear uncle of mine (after whom I was named) Remarked, when I bade him farewell--" "Oh, skip your dear uncle!" the Bellman exclaimed, As he angrily tingled his bell.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading "A dear uncle of mine (after whom I was named) Remarked, when I bade him farewell--" "Oh, skip your dear uncle!" the Bellman exclaimed, As he angrily tingled his bell.

homenounUS /hoʊm/

where you live at a particular time

From this reading "He remarked to me then," said that mildest of men, "'If your Snark be a Snark, that is right: Fetch it home by all means--you may serve it with greens And it's handy for striking a light.

hopenounUS /hoʊp/

a specific instance of feeling hopeful

From this reading "'You may seek it with thimbles--and seek it with care; You may hunt it with forks and hope; You may threaten its life with a railway-share; You may charm it with smiles and soap--'" ("That's exactly the method," the Bellman bold In a hasty parenthesis cried, "That's exactly the way I have always been told That the capture of Snarks should be tried!")

huntverbUS /hʌnt/

pursue for food or sport (as of wild animals)

From this reading "'You may seek it with thimbles--and seek it with care; You may hunt it with forks and hope; You may threaten its life with a railway-share; You may charm it with smiles and soap--'" ("That's exactly the method," the Bellman bold In a hasty parenthesis cried, "That's exactly the way I have always been told That the capture of Snarks should be tried!")

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading "A dear uncle of mine (after whom I was named) Remarked, when I bade him farewell--" "Oh, skip your dear uncle!" the Bellman exclaimed, As he angrily tingled his bell.

IfconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading "He remarked to me then," said that mildest of men, "'If your Snark be a Snark, that is right: Fetch it home by all means--you may serve it with greens And it's handy for striking a light.

InprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading "'You may seek it with thimbles--and seek it with care; You may hunt it with forks and hope; You may threaten its life with a railway-share; You may charm it with smiles and soap--'" ("That's exactly the method," the Bellman bold In a hasty parenthesis cried, "That's exactly the way I have always been told That the capture of Snarks should be tried!")

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading "He remarked to me then," said that mildest of men, "'If your Snark be a Snark, that is right: Fetch it home by all means--you may serve it with greens And it's handy for striking a light.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading "He remarked to me then," said that mildest of men, "'If your Snark be a Snark, that is right: Fetch it home by all means--you may serve it with greens And it's handy for striking a light.

it's

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

From this reading "He remarked to me then," said that mildest of men, "'If your Snark be a Snark, that is right: Fetch it home by all means--you may serve it with greens And it's handy for striking a light.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading "'You may seek it with thimbles--and seek it with care; You may hunt it with forks and hope; You may threaten its life with a railway-share; You may charm it with smiles and soap--'" ("That's exactly the method," the Bellman bold In a hasty parenthesis cried, "That's exactly the way I have always been told That the capture of Snarks should be tried!")

lifenounUS /laɪf/

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading "'You may seek it with thimbles--and seek it with care; You may hunt it with forks and hope; You may threaten its life with a railway-share; You may charm it with smiles and soap--'" ("That's exactly the method," the Bellman bold In a hasty parenthesis cried, "That's exactly the way I have always been told That the capture of Snarks should be tried!")

lightadjectiveUS /laɪt/

of comparatively little physical weight or density

From this reading "He remarked to me then," said that mildest of men, "'If your Snark be a Snark, that is right: Fetch it home by all means--you may serve it with greens And it's handy for striking a light.

maymodal verbUS /meɪ/

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading "He remarked to me then," said that mildest of men, "'If your Snark be a Snark, that is right: Fetch it home by all means--you may serve it with greens And it's handy for striking a light.

mepronounUS /miː/

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading "He remarked to me then," said that mildest of men, "'If your Snark be a Snark, that is right: Fetch it home by all means--you may serve it with greens And it's handy for striking a light.

meansnounUS /miːnz/

thing or person that acts to produce a particular effect or achieve an end

From this reading "He remarked to me then," said that mildest of men, "'If your Snark be a Snark, that is right: Fetch it home by all means--you may serve it with greens And it's handy for striking a light.

mennounUS /men/

the force of workers available

From this reading "He remarked to me then," said that mildest of men, "'If your Snark be a Snark, that is right: Fetch it home by all means--you may serve it with greens And it's handy for striking a light.

metverbUS /met/

inflected form of “meet” — come together

From this reading For then You will softly and suddenly vanish away, And never be met with again!'

methodnounUS /ˈmeθəd/

a way of doing something, especially a systematic way; implies an orderly logical arrangement (usually in steps)

From this reading "'You may seek it with thimbles--and seek it with care; You may hunt it with forks and hope; You may threaten its life with a railway-share; You may charm it with smiles and soap--'" ("That's exactly the method," the Bellman bold In a hasty parenthesis cried, "That's exactly the way I have always been told That the capture of Snarks should be tried!")

mildestadjectiveUS /ˈmaɪldəst/

superlative of “mild” — moderate in type or degree or effect or force; far from extreme

From this reading "He remarked to me then," said that mildest of men, "'If your Snark be a Snark, that is right: Fetch it home by all means--you may serve it with greens And it's handy for striking a light.

minepronounUS /maɪn/

the one or ones belonging to the person speaking

From this reading "A dear uncle of mine (after whom I was named) Remarked, when I bade him farewell--" "Oh, skip your dear uncle!" the Bellman exclaimed, As he angrily tingled his bell.

namedverbUS /neɪmd/

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

From this reading "A dear uncle of mine (after whom I was named) Remarked, when I bade him farewell--" "Oh, skip your dear uncle!" the Bellman exclaimed, As he angrily tingled his bell.

nephewnounUS /ˈnefjuː/

a son of your brother or sister

From this reading "'But oh, beamish nephew, beware of the day, If your Snark be a Boojum!

neveradverbUS /ˈnevər/

not ever; at no time in the past or future

From this reading For then You will softly and suddenly vanish away, And never be met with again!'

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading "A dear uncle of mine (after whom I was named) Remarked, when I bade him farewell--" "Oh, skip your dear uncle!" the Bellman exclaimed, As he angrily tingled his bell.

OhnounUS /oʊ/

a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region

From this reading "A dear uncle of mine (after whom I was named) Remarked, when I bade him farewell--" "Oh, skip your dear uncle!" the Bellman exclaimed, As he angrily tingled his bell.

parenthesisnounUS /pərˈenθəsɪs/

either of two punctuation marks (or) used to enclose textual material

From this reading "'You may seek it with thimbles--and seek it with care; You may hunt it with forks and hope; You may threaten its life with a railway-share; You may charm it with smiles and soap--'" ("That's exactly the method," the Bellman bold In a hasty parenthesis cried, "That's exactly the way I have always been told That the capture of Snarks should be tried!")

railway-share

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

From this reading "'You may seek it with thimbles--and seek it with care; You may hunt it with forks and hope; You may threaten its life with a railway-share; You may charm it with smiles and soap--'" ("That's exactly the method," the Bellman bold In a hasty parenthesis cried, "That's exactly the way I have always been told That the capture of Snarks should be tried!")

RemarkedverbUS /rɪˈmɑːrkt/

past form of “remark” — make mention of

From this reading "A dear uncle of mine (after whom I was named) Remarked, when I bade him farewell--" "Oh, skip your dear uncle!" the Bellman exclaimed, As he angrily tingled his bell.

rightadverbUS /raɪt/

precisely, exactly

From this reading "He remarked to me then," said that mildest of men, "'If your Snark be a Snark, that is right: Fetch it home by all means--you may serve it with greens And it's handy for striking a light.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading "He remarked to me then," said that mildest of men, "'If your Snark be a Snark, that is right: Fetch it home by all means--you may serve it with greens And it's handy for striking a light.

seekverbUS /siːk/

try to get or reach

From this reading "'You may seek it with thimbles--and seek it with care; You may hunt it with forks and hope; You may threaten its life with a railway-share; You may charm it with smiles and soap--'" ("That's exactly the method," the Bellman bold In a hasty parenthesis cried, "That's exactly the way I have always been told That the capture of Snarks should be tried!")

serveverbUS /sɜːrv/

serve a purpose, role, or function

From this reading "He remarked to me then," said that mildest of men, "'If your Snark be a Snark, that is right: Fetch it home by all means--you may serve it with greens And it's handy for striking a light.

shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading "'You may seek it with thimbles--and seek it with care; You may hunt it with forks and hope; You may threaten its life with a railway-share; You may charm it with smiles and soap--'" ("That's exactly the method," the Bellman bold In a hasty parenthesis cried, "That's exactly the way I have always been told That the capture of Snarks should be tried!")

skipverbUS /skɪp/

bypass

From this reading "A dear uncle of mine (after whom I was named) Remarked, when I bade him farewell--" "Oh, skip your dear uncle!" the Bellman exclaimed, As he angrily tingled his bell.

smilesnounUS /smaɪlz/

plural of “smile” — a facial expression characterized by turning up the corners of the mouth; usually shows pleasure or amusement

From this reading "'You may seek it with thimbles--and seek it with care; You may hunt it with forks and hope; You may threaten its life with a railway-share; You may charm it with smiles and soap--'" ("That's exactly the method," the Bellman bold In a hasty parenthesis cried, "That's exactly the way I have always been told That the capture of Snarks should be tried!")

Snark

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

From this reading "He remarked to me then," said that mildest of men, "'If your Snark be a Snark, that is right: Fetch it home by all means--you may serve it with greens And it's handy for striking a light.

Snarks

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

From this reading "'You may seek it with thimbles--and seek it with care; You may hunt it with forks and hope; You may threaten its life with a railway-share; You may charm it with smiles and soap--'" ("That's exactly the method," the Bellman bold In a hasty parenthesis cried, "That's exactly the way I have always been told That the capture of Snarks should be tried!")

soapnounUS /soʊp/

a cleansing agent made from the salts of vegetable or animal fats

From this reading "'You may seek it with thimbles--and seek it with care; You may hunt it with forks and hope; You may threaten its life with a railway-share; You may charm it with smiles and soap--'" ("That's exactly the method," the Bellman bold In a hasty parenthesis cried, "That's exactly the way I have always been told That the capture of Snarks should be tried!")

softlyadverbUS /ˈsɔːftli/

with low volume

From this reading For then You will softly and suddenly vanish away, And never be met with again!'

strikingadjectiveUS /ˈstraɪkɪŋ/

sensational in appearance or thrilling in effect

From this reading "He remarked to me then," said that mildest of men, "'If your Snark be a Snark, that is right: Fetch it home by all means--you may serve it with greens And it's handy for striking a light.

suddenlyadverbUS /ˈsʌdənli/

happening unexpectedly

From this reading For then You will softly and suddenly vanish away, And never be met with again!'

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading "He remarked to me then," said that mildest of men, "'If your Snark be a Snark, that is right: Fetch it home by all means--you may serve it with greens And it's handy for striking a light.

That's

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

From this reading "'You may seek it with thimbles--and seek it with care; You may hunt it with forks and hope; You may threaten its life with a railway-share; You may charm it with smiles and soap--'" ("That's exactly the method," the Bellman bold In a hasty parenthesis cried, "That's exactly the way I have always been told That the capture of Snarks should be tried!")

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading "A dear uncle of mine (after whom I was named) Remarked, when I bade him farewell--" "Oh, skip your dear uncle!" the Bellman exclaimed, As he angrily tingled his bell.

thenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading "He remarked to me then," said that mildest of men, "'If your Snark be a Snark, that is right: Fetch it home by all means--you may serve it with greens And it's handy for striking a light.

thimbles

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

From this reading "'You may seek it with thimbles--and seek it with care; You may hunt it with forks and hope; You may threaten its life with a railway-share; You may charm it with smiles and soap--'" ("That's exactly the method," the Bellman bold In a hasty parenthesis cried, "That's exactly the way I have always been told That the capture of Snarks should be tried!")

threatenverbUS /ˈθretən/

pose a threat to; present a danger to

From this reading "'You may seek it with thimbles--and seek it with care; You may hunt it with forks and hope; You may threaten its life with a railway-share; You may charm it with smiles and soap--'" ("That's exactly the method," the Bellman bold In a hasty parenthesis cried, "That's exactly the way I have always been told That the capture of Snarks should be tried!")

tingled

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

From this reading "A dear uncle of mine (after whom I was named) Remarked, when I bade him farewell--" "Oh, skip your dear uncle!" the Bellman exclaimed, As he angrily tingled his bell.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading "He remarked to me then," said that mildest of men, "'If your Snark be a Snark, that is right: Fetch it home by all means--you may serve it with greens And it's handy for striking a light.

toldverbUS /toʊld/

inflected form of “tell” — express in words

From this reading "'You may seek it with thimbles--and seek it with care; You may hunt it with forks and hope; You may threaten its life with a railway-share; You may charm it with smiles and soap--'" ("That's exactly the method," the Bellman bold In a hasty parenthesis cried, "That's exactly the way I have always been told That the capture of Snarks should be tried!")

triedadjectiveUS /traɪd/

tested and proved useful or correct

From this reading "'You may seek it with thimbles--and seek it with care; You may hunt it with forks and hope; You may threaten its life with a railway-share; You may charm it with smiles and soap--'" ("That's exactly the method," the Bellman bold In a hasty parenthesis cried, "That's exactly the way I have always been told That the capture of Snarks should be tried!")

unclenounUS /ˈʌŋkəl/

the brother of your father or mother; the husband of your aunt

From this reading "A dear uncle of mine (after whom I was named) Remarked, when I bade him farewell--" "Oh, skip your dear uncle!" the Bellman exclaimed, As he angrily tingled his bell.

vanishverbUS /ˈvænɪʃ/

get lost, as without warning or explanation

From this reading For then You will softly and suddenly vanish away, And never be met with again!'

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading "A dear uncle of mine (after whom I was named) Remarked, when I bade him farewell--" "Oh, skip your dear uncle!" the Bellman exclaimed, As he angrily tingled his bell.

waynounUS /weɪ/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading "'You may seek it with thimbles--and seek it with care; You may hunt it with forks and hope; You may threaten its life with a railway-share; You may charm it with smiles and soap--'" ("That's exactly the method," the Bellman bold In a hasty parenthesis cried, "That's exactly the way I have always been told That the capture of Snarks should be tried!")

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading "A dear uncle of mine (after whom I was named) Remarked, when I bade him farewell--" "Oh, skip your dear uncle!" the Bellman exclaimed, As he angrily tingled his bell.

whompronounUS /huːm/

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

From this reading "A dear uncle of mine (after whom I was named) Remarked, when I bade him farewell--" "Oh, skip your dear uncle!" the Bellman exclaimed, As he angrily tingled his bell.

willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading For then You will softly and suddenly vanish away, And never be met with again!'

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading "He remarked to me then," said that mildest of men, "'If your Snark be a Snark, that is right: Fetch it home by all means--you may serve it with greens And it's handy for striking a light.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading "He remarked to me then," said that mildest of men, "'If your Snark be a Snark, that is right: Fetch it home by all means--you may serve it with greens And it's handy for striking a light.

yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading "A dear uncle of mine (after whom I was named) Remarked, when I bade him farewell--" "Oh, skip your dear uncle!" the Bellman exclaimed, As he angrily tingled his bell.

Chapter 3 of Rhyme? And Reason? by Lewis Carroll holds 315 sentences, grouped into 63 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.

What does chapter 3 of Rhyme? And Reason? contain?

Chapter 3 holds 315 sentences of Rhyme? And Reason?, unabridged, divided into 63 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 3 of Rhyme? And Reason? by Lewis Carroll exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 315 sentences, grouped into 63 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 3 of Rhyme? And Reason??

Work through the 63 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 63 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 3 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 3 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 Rhyme? And Reason?

Common questions about reading Rhyme? And Reason? by Lewis Carroll on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Rhyme? And Reason??

Yes. All 961 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #33582 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Rhyme? And Reason? is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #33582, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Rhyme? And Reason? take to read?

About 80 minutes of reading across 193 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Rhyme? And Reason? section by section

How to work through Rhyme? And Reason? section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 3 chapters of Rhyme? And Reason? to begin.

  2. Read one section

    Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.

  3. Listen and tap

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

Vocabulary met early in Rhyme? And Reason?

Words and structures a reader meets early in Rhyme? And Reason?, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Rhyme
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Rhyme? And Reason?; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Reason
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Rhyme? And Reason?; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
London
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Rhyme? And Reason?; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Taylor
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Rhyme? And Reason?; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.