Chapter 3 of Soldiers Three is here in full — 362 sentences across 73 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
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Chapter III
Chapter 3 of Soldiers Three is here in full — 362 sentences across 73 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
'“Your arms to yoursilf!” sez she, an' her eyes sparkild. '“Sure, 'tis only human nature,” sez I, an' I kep' my arm where ut was. '“Nature or no nature,” sez she, “you take your arm away or I'll tell Bragin, an' he'll alter the nature av your head. Fwhat d'you take me for?” she sez. '“A woman,” sez I; “the prettiest in barricks.”
Chapter 3 of Soldiers Three is here in full — 362 sentences across 73 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/72 · 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.
cause to change; make different; cause a transformation
From this reading “'“Nature or no nature,” sez she, “you take your arm away or I'll tell Bragin, an' he'll alter the nature av your head.”
a human limb; technically the part of the superior limb between the shoulder and the elbow but commonly used to refer to the whole superior limb
From this reading “'“Sure, 'tis only human nature,” sez I, an' I kep' my arm where ut was.”
weapons considered collectively
From this reading “'“Your arms to yoursilf!” sez she, an' her eyes sparkild.”
characteristic of humanity
From this reading “'“Sure, 'tis only human nature,” sez I, an' I kep' my arm where ut was.”
the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized
From this reading “'“Sure, 'tis only human nature,” sez I, an' I kep' my arm where ut was.”
superlative of “pretty” — pleasing by delicacy or grace; not imposing
From this reading “'“A woman,” sez I; “the prettiest in barricks.””
having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured
From this reading “'“Sure, 'tis only human nature,” sez I, an' I kep' my arm where ut was.”
plural of “ti” — a light strong grey lustrous corrosion-resistant metallic element used in strong lightweight alloys (as for airplane parts); the main sources are rutile and ilmenite
From this reading “'“Sure, 'tis only human nature,” sez I, an' I kep' my arm where ut was.”
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.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading '“A woman,” sez I; “the prettiest in barricks.”
cause to change; make different; cause a transformation
From this reading '“Nature or no nature,” sez she, “you take your arm away or I'll tell Bragin, an' he'll alter the nature av your head.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading '“Your arms to yoursilf!” sez she, an' her eyes sparkild.
a human limb; technically the part of the superior limb between the shoulder and the elbow but commonly used to refer to the whole superior limb
From this reading '“Sure, 'tis only human nature,” sez I, an' I kep' my arm where ut was.
weapons considered collectively
From this reading '“Your arms to yoursilf!” sez she, an' her eyes sparkild.
the eleventh month of the civil year; the fifth month of the ecclesiastical year in the Jewish calendar (in July and August)
From this reading '“Nature or no nature,” sez she, “you take your arm away or I'll tell Bragin, an' he'll alter the nature av your head.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading '“Nature or no nature,” sez she, “you take your arm away or I'll tell Bragin, an' he'll alter the nature av your head.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading '“A woman,” sez I; “the prettiest in barricks.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading '“Nature or no nature,” sez she, “you take your arm away or I'll tell Bragin, an' he'll alter the nature av your head.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Fwhat d'you take me for?” she sez.
opinion or judgment
From this reading '“Your arms to yoursilf!” sez she, an' her eyes sparkild.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Fwhat d'you take me for?” she sez.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Fwhat d'you take me for?” she sez.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading '“Nature or no nature,” sez she, “you take your arm away or I'll tell Bragin, an' he'll alter the nature av your head.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading '“Nature or no nature,” sez she, “you take your arm away or I'll tell Bragin, an' he'll alter the nature av your head.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading '“Your arms to yoursilf!” sez she, an' her eyes sparkild.
characteristic of humanity
From this reading '“Sure, 'tis only human nature,” sez I, an' I kep' my arm where ut was.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading '“Sure, 'tis only human nature,” sez I, an' I kep' my arm where ut was.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading '“Nature or no nature,” sez she, “you take your arm away or I'll tell Bragin, an' he'll alter the nature av your head.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading '“A woman,” sez I; “the prettiest in barricks.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading '“Sure, 'tis only human nature,” sez I, an' I kep' my arm where ut was.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Fwhat d'you take me for?” she sez.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading '“Sure, 'tis only human nature,” sez I, an' I kep' my arm where ut was.
the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized
From this reading '“Sure, 'tis only human nature,” sez I, an' I kep' my arm where ut was.
not any; not one
From this reading '“Nature or no nature,” sez she, “you take your arm away or I'll tell Bragin, an' he'll alter the nature av your head.
and nothing more
From this reading '“Sure, 'tis only human nature,” sez I, an' I kep' my arm where ut was.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading '“Nature or no nature,” sez she, “you take your arm away or I'll tell Bragin, an' he'll alter the nature av your head.
superlative of “pretty” — pleasing by delicacy or grace; not imposing
From this reading '“A woman,” sez I; “the prettiest in barricks.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading '“Your arms to yoursilf!” sez she, an' her eyes sparkild.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading '“Your arms to yoursilf!” sez she, an' her eyes sparkild.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading '“Your arms to yoursilf!” sez she, an' her eyes sparkild.
having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured
From this reading '“Sure, 'tis only human nature,” sez I, an' I kep' my arm where ut was.
carry out
From this reading '“Nature or no nature,” sez she, “you take your arm away or I'll tell Bragin, an' he'll alter the nature av your head.
express in words
From this reading '“Nature or no nature,” sez she, “you take your arm away or I'll tell Bragin, an' he'll alter the nature av your head.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading '“Nature or no nature,” sez she, “you take your arm away or I'll tell Bragin, an' he'll alter the nature av your head.
plural of “ti” — a light strong grey lustrous corrosion-resistant metallic element used in strong lightweight alloys (as for airplane parts); the main sources are rutile and ilmenite
From this reading '“Sure, 'tis only human nature,” sez I, an' I kep' my arm where ut was.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading '“Your arms to yoursilf!” sez she, an' her eyes sparkild.
the local time at the 0 meridian passing through Greenwich, England; it is the same everywhere
From this reading '“Sure, 'tis only human nature,” sez I, an' I kep' my arm where ut was.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading '“Sure, 'tis only human nature,” sez I, an' I kep' my arm where ut was.
in or at the place that
From this reading '“Sure, 'tis only human nature,” sez I, an' I kep' my arm where ut was.
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading '“A woman,” sez I; “the prettiest in barricks.”
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading '“Nature or no nature,” sez she, “you take your arm away or I'll tell Bragin, an' he'll alter the nature av your head.
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading '“Your arms to yoursilf!” sez she, an' her eyes sparkild.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading '“Your arms to yoursilf!” sez she, an' her eyes sparkild.
Chapter 3 of Soldiers Three by Rudyard Kipling holds 362 sentences, grouped into 73 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 3 holds 362 sentences of Soldiers Three, unabridged, divided into 73 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 3 of Soldiers Three by Rudyard Kipling exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 362 sentences, grouped into 73 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 73 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 73 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 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.
Common questions about reading Soldiers Three by Rudyard Kipling on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 7579 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #6120 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #6120, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 600 minutes of reading across 1516 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Soldiers Three section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 19 chapters of Soldiers Three 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 Soldiers Three, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
