Chapter 38 of Sir Gibbie is here in full — 277 sentences across 56 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XXXVIII
Chapter 38 of Sir Gibbie is here in full — 277 sentences across 56 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
THE CONFESSION. Although Gibbie had taken no notice of the laird’s party, he had recognized each of the three as he came up the stair, and in Ginevra’s face read an appeal for deliverance. It seemed to say, “You help everybody but me! Why do you not come and help me too? Am I to have no pity because I am neither hungry nor cold?”
Chapter 38 of Sir Gibbie is here in full — 277 sentences across 56 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/55 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.
take a court case to a higher court for review
From this reading “Although Gibbie had taken no notice of the laird’s party, he had recognized each of the three as he came up the stair, and in Ginevra’s face read an appeal for deliverance.”
an admission of misdeeds or faults
From this reading “THE CONFESSION.”
recovery or preservation from loss or danger
From this reading “Although Gibbie had taken no notice of the laird’s party, he had recognized each of the three as he came up the stair, and in Ginevra’s face read an appeal for deliverance.”
every person
From this reading “It seemed to say, “You help everybody but me!”
feeling hunger; feeling a need or desire to eat food
From this reading “Am I to have no pity because I am neither hungry nor cold?””
an announcement containing information about an event
From this reading “Although Gibbie had taken no notice of the laird’s party, he had recognized each of the three as he came up the stair, and in Ginevra’s face read an appeal for deliverance.”
generally approved or compelling recognition
From this reading “Although Gibbie had taken no notice of the laird’s party, he had recognized each of the three as he came up the stair, and in Ginevra’s face read an appeal for deliverance.”
support consisting of a place to rest the foot while ascending or descending a stairway
From this reading “Although Gibbie had taken no notice of the laird’s party, he had recognized each of the three as he came up the stair, and in Ginevra’s face read an appeal for deliverance.”
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.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading Although Gibbie had taken no notice of the laird’s party, he had recognized each of the three as he came up the stair, and in Ginevra’s face read an appeal for deliverance.
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading Am I to have no pity because I am neither hungry nor cold?”
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Although Gibbie had taken no notice of the laird’s party, he had recognized each of the three as he came up the stair, and in Ginevra’s face read an appeal for deliverance.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Although Gibbie had taken no notice of the laird’s party, he had recognized each of the three as he came up the stair, and in Ginevra’s face read an appeal for deliverance.
take a court case to a higher court for review
From this reading Although Gibbie had taken no notice of the laird’s party, he had recognized each of the three as he came up the stair, and in Ginevra’s face read an appeal for deliverance.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Although Gibbie had taken no notice of the laird’s party, he had recognized each of the three as he came up the stair, and in Ginevra’s face read an appeal for deliverance.
for the reason that
From this reading Am I to have no pity because I am neither hungry nor cold?”
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading It seemed to say, “You help everybody but me!
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Although Gibbie had taken no notice of the laird’s party, he had recognized each of the three as he came up the stair, and in Ginevra’s face read an appeal for deliverance.
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 Am I to have no pity because I am neither hungry nor cold?”
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Why do you not come and help me too?
an admission of misdeeds or faults
From this reading THE CONFESSION.
recovery or preservation from loss or danger
From this reading Although Gibbie had taken no notice of the laird’s party, he had recognized each of the three as he came up the stair, and in Ginevra’s face read an appeal for deliverance.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading Why do you not come and help me too?
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading Although Gibbie had taken no notice of the laird’s party, he had recognized each of the three as he came up the stair, and in Ginevra’s face read an appeal for deliverance.
every person
From this reading It seemed to say, “You help everybody but me!
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading Although Gibbie had taken no notice of the laird’s party, he had recognized each of the three as he came up the stair, and in Ginevra’s face read an appeal for deliverance.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Although Gibbie had taken no notice of the laird’s party, he had recognized each of the three as he came up the stair, and in Ginevra’s face read an appeal for deliverance.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Although Gibbie had taken no notice of the laird’s party, he had recognized each of the three as he came up the stair, and in Ginevra’s face read an appeal for deliverance.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Although Gibbie had taken no notice of the laird’s party, he had recognized each of the three as he came up the stair, and in Ginevra’s face read an appeal for deliverance.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Although Gibbie had taken no notice of the laird’s party, he had recognized each of the three as he came up the stair, and in Ginevra’s face read an appeal for deliverance.
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Am I to have no pity because I am neither hungry nor cold?”
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Although Gibbie had taken no notice of the laird’s party, he had recognized each of the three as he came up the stair, and in Ginevra’s face read an appeal for deliverance.
give help or assistance; be of service
From this reading It seemed to say, “You help everybody but me!
feeling hunger; feeling a need or desire to eat food
From this reading Am I to have no pity because I am neither hungry nor cold?”
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading Am I to have no pity because I am neither hungry nor cold?”
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Although Gibbie had taken no notice of the laird’s party, he had recognized each of the three as he came up the stair, and in Ginevra’s face read an appeal for deliverance.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It seemed to say, “You help everybody but me!
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Although Gibbie had taken no notice of the laird’s party, he had recognized each of the three as he came up the stair, and in Ginevra’s face read an appeal for deliverance.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading It seemed to say, “You help everybody but me!
not one and not the other of two
From this reading Am I to have no pity because I am neither hungry nor cold?”
not any; not one
From this reading Although Gibbie had taken no notice of the laird’s party, he had recognized each of the three as he came up the stair, and in Ginevra’s face read an appeal for deliverance.
and not; used after a negative to add a second negative
From this reading Am I to have no pity because I am neither hungry nor cold?”
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Why do you not come and help me too?
an announcement containing information about an event
From this reading Although Gibbie had taken no notice of the laird’s party, he had recognized each of the three as he came up the stair, and in Ginevra’s face read an appeal for deliverance.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Although Gibbie had taken no notice of the laird’s party, he had recognized each of the three as he came up the stair, and in Ginevra’s face read an appeal for deliverance.
an organization to gain political power
From this reading Although Gibbie had taken no notice of the laird’s party, he had recognized each of the three as he came up the stair, and in Ginevra’s face read an appeal for deliverance.
a feeling of sympathy and sorrow for the misfortunes of others
From this reading Am I to have no pity because I am neither hungry nor cold?”
interpret something that is written or printed
From this reading Although Gibbie had taken no notice of the laird’s party, he had recognized each of the three as he came up the stair, and in Ginevra’s face read an appeal for deliverance.
generally approved or compelling recognition
From this reading Although Gibbie had taken no notice of the laird’s party, he had recognized each of the three as he came up the stair, and in Ginevra’s face read an appeal for deliverance.
express in words
From this reading It seemed to say, “You help everybody but me!
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading It seemed to say, “You help everybody but me!
support consisting of a place to rest the foot while ascending or descending a stairway
From this reading Although Gibbie had taken no notice of the laird’s party, he had recognized each of the three as he came up the stair, and in Ginevra’s face read an appeal for deliverance.
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading Although Gibbie had taken no notice of the laird’s party, he had recognized each of the three as he came up the stair, and in Ginevra’s face read an appeal for deliverance.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE CONFESSION.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading Although Gibbie had taken no notice of the laird’s party, he had recognized each of the three as he came up the stair, and in Ginevra’s face read an appeal for deliverance.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It seemed to say, “You help everybody but me!
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading Why do you not come and help me too?
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Although Gibbie had taken no notice of the laird’s party, he had recognized each of the three as he came up the stair, and in Ginevra’s face read an appeal for deliverance.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading Why do you not come and help me too?
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading It seemed to say, “You help everybody but me!
Chapter 38 of Sir Gibbie by George MacDonald holds 277 sentences, grouped into 56 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.
Chapter 38 holds 277 sentences of Sir Gibbie, unabridged, divided into 56 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 38 of Sir Gibbie by George MacDonald exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 277 sentences, grouped into 56 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.
Work through the 56 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 56 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 38 can be played aloud in United States English.
Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.
Common questions about reading Sir Gibbie by George MacDonald on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 7818 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #2370 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #2370, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 600 minutes of reading across 1564 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Sir Gibbie section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 40 chapters of Sir Gibbie to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in Sir Gibbie, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
