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St. George and St. Michael
St. George and St. Michael

Chapter V · Chapter 5

Chapter 5 of St. George and St. Michael is here in full — 325 sentences across 65 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for St. George and St. Michael
Context Illustration Reading 1/65 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
REFLECTIONS.
Left alone with Lady, his mare, Richard could not help brooding--rather than pondering--over what the old woman had said.
Not that for a moment he contemplated as a possibility the acceptance of the witch's offer.
To come himself into any such close relations with her as that would imply, was in repulsiveness second only to the idea of subjecting Dorothy to her influences.
For something to occupy his hands, that his mind might be restless at will, he gave his mare a careful currying, then an extra feed of oats, and then a gallop; after which it was time to go to bed.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

St. George and St. Michael

Chapter V · Chapter 5

Chapter 5 of St. George and St. Michael is here in full — 325 sentences across 65 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/65 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
REFLECTIONS.
/rɪˈflekʃənz/
Line 2
Left alone with Lady, his mare, Richard could not help brooding--rather than pondering--over what the old woman had said.
Line 3
Not that for a moment he contemplated as a possibility the acceptance of the witch's offer.
/nɑːt ðæt fɔːr ə ˈmoʊmənt hiː ˈkɑːntəmpleɪtɪd æz ə ˌpɑːsəˈbɪlətiː ðə ækˈseptəns ʌv ðə ˈwɪtʃɪz ˈɔːfər/
Line 4
To come himself into any such close relations with her as that would imply, was in repulsiveness second only to the idea of subjecting Dorothy to her influences.
Line 5
For something to occupy his hands, that his mind might be restless at will, he gave his mare a careful currying, then an extra feed of oats, and then a gallop; after which it was time to go to bed.
/fɔːr ˈsʌmθɪŋ tuː ˈɑːkjəpaɪ hɪz hændz ðæt hɪz maɪnd maɪt biː ˈrestləs æt wɪl hiː ɡeɪv hɪz mer ə ˈkerfəl ˈkɜːriɪŋ ðen æn ˈekstrə fiːd ʌv oʊts ənd ðen ə ˈɡæləp ˈæftər wɪtʃ ɪt wɑːz taɪm tuː ɡoʊ tuː bed/

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.

acceptance noun US /ækˈseptəns/

the mental attitude that something is believable and should be accepted as true

From this reading “Not that for a moment he contemplated as a possibility the acceptance of the witch's offer.”

contemplated verb US /ˈkɑːntəmpleɪtɪd/

past form of “contemplate” — look at thoughtfully; observe deep in thought

From this reading “Not that for a moment he contemplated as a possibility the acceptance of the witch's offer.”

currying verb US /ˈkɜːriɪŋ/

-ing form of “curry” — season with a mixture of spices; typical of Indian cooking

From this reading “For something to occupy his hands, that his mind might be restless at will, he gave his mare a careful currying, then an extra feed of oats, and then a gallop; after which it was time to go to bed.”

imply verb US /ˌɪmˈplaɪ/

express or state indirectly

From this reading “To come himself into any such close relations with her as that would imply, was in repulsiveness second only to the idea of subjecting Dorothy to her influences.”

oats noun US /oʊts/

plural of “oat” — annual grass of Europe and North Africa; grains used as food and fodder (referred to primarily in the plural: “oats”)

From this reading “For something to occupy his hands, that his mind might be restless at will, he gave his mare a careful currying, then an extra feed of oats, and then a gallop; after which it was time to go to bed.”

pondering adjective US /ˈpɑːndərɪŋ/

deeply or seriously thoughtful

From this reading “Left alone with Lady, his mare, Richard could not help brooding--rather than pondering--over what the old woman had said.”

subjecting verb US /səbˈdʒektɪŋ/

-ing form of “subject” — cause to experience or suffer or make liable or vulnerable to

From this reading “To come himself into any such close relations with her as that would imply, was in repulsiveness second only to the idea of subjecting Dorothy to her influences.”

witch's noun US /ˈwɪtʃɪz/

possessive form of “witch” — a female sorcerer or magician

From this reading “Not that for a moment he contemplated as a possibility the acceptance of the witch's offer.”

All words in this reading · 79

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 Not that for a moment he contemplated as a possibility the acceptance of the witch's offer.

acceptancenounUS /ækˈseptəns/

the mental attitude that something is believable and should be accepted as true

From this reading Not that for a moment he contemplated as a possibility the acceptance of the witch's offer.

afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading For something to occupy his hands, that his mind might be restless at will, he gave his mare a careful currying, then an extra feed of oats, and then a gallop; after which it was time to go to bed.

aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/

Having no one else present.

From this reading Left alone with Lady, his mare, Richard could not help brooding--rather than pondering--over what the old woman had said.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading For something to occupy his hands, that his mind might be restless at will, he gave his mare a careful currying, then an extra feed of oats, and then a gallop; after which it was time to go to bed.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading For something to occupy his hands, that his mind might be restless at will, he gave his mare a careful currying, then an extra feed of oats, and then a gallop; after which it was time to go to bed.

anyadjectiveUS /ˈeni/

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading To come himself into any such close relations with her as that would imply, was in repulsiveness second only to the idea of subjecting Dorothy to her influences.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Not that for a moment he contemplated as a possibility the acceptance of the witch's offer.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading For something to occupy his hands, that his mind might be restless at will, he gave his mare a careful currying, then an extra feed of oats, and then a gallop; after which it was time to go to bed.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading For something to occupy his hands, that his mind might be restless at will, he gave his mare a careful currying, then an extra feed of oats, and then a gallop; after which it was time to go to bed.

bednounUS /bed/

a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep

From this reading For something to occupy his hands, that his mind might be restless at will, he gave his mare a careful currying, then an extra feed of oats, and then a gallop; after which it was time to go to bed.

broodingnounUS /ˈbruːdɪŋ/

sitting on eggs so as to hatch them by the warmth of the body

From this reading Left alone with Lady, his mare, Richard could not help brooding--rather than pondering--over what the old woman had said.

carefuladjectiveUS /ˈkerfəl/

exercising caution or showing care or attention

From this reading For something to occupy his hands, that his mind might be restless at will, he gave his mare a careful currying, then an extra feed of oats, and then a gallop; after which it was time to go to bed.

closeadjectiveUS /kloʊs/

at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other

From this reading To come himself into any such close relations with her as that would imply, was in repulsiveness second only to the idea of subjecting Dorothy to her influences.

comeverbUS /kʌm/

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

From this reading To come himself into any such close relations with her as that would imply, was in repulsiveness second only to the idea of subjecting Dorothy to her influences.

contemplatedverbUS /ˈkɑːntəmpleɪtɪd/

past form of “contemplate” — look at thoughtfully; observe deep in thought

From this reading Not that for a moment he contemplated as a possibility the acceptance of the witch's offer.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

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

From this reading Left alone with Lady, his mare, Richard could not help brooding--rather than pondering--over what the old woman had said.

curryingverbUS /ˈkɜːriɪŋ/

-ing form of “curry” — season with a mixture of spices; typical of Indian cooking

From this reading For something to occupy his hands, that his mind might be restless at will, he gave his mare a careful currying, then an extra feed of oats, and then a gallop; after which it was time to go to bed.

Dorothy

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

From this reading To come himself into any such close relations with her as that would imply, was in repulsiveness second only to the idea of subjecting Dorothy to her influences.

extraadjectiveUS /ˈekstrə/

more than is needed, desired, or required

From this reading For something to occupy his hands, that his mind might be restless at will, he gave his mare a careful currying, then an extra feed of oats, and then a gallop; after which it was time to go to bed.

feedverbUS /fiːd/

provide as food

From this reading For something to occupy his hands, that his mind might be restless at will, he gave his mare a careful currying, then an extra feed of oats, and then a gallop; after which it was time to go to bed.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Not that for a moment he contemplated as a possibility the acceptance of the witch's offer.

gallopverbUS /ˈɡæləp/

ride at a galloping pace

From this reading For something to occupy his hands, that his mind might be restless at will, he gave his mare a careful currying, then an extra feed of oats, and then a gallop; after which it was time to go to bed.

gaveverbUS /ɡeɪv/

inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense

From this reading For something to occupy his hands, that his mind might be restless at will, he gave his mare a careful currying, then an extra feed of oats, and then a gallop; after which it was time to go to bed.

goverbUS /ɡoʊ/

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

From this reading For something to occupy his hands, that his mind might be restless at will, he gave his mare a careful currying, then an extra feed of oats, and then a gallop; after which it was time to go to bed.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Left alone with Lady, his mare, Richard could not help brooding--rather than pondering--over what the old woman had said.

handsnounUS /hændz/

(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child

From this reading For something to occupy his hands, that his mind might be restless at will, he gave his mare a careful currying, then an extra feed of oats, and then a gallop; after which it was time to go to bed.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading Not that for a moment he contemplated as a possibility the acceptance of the witch's offer.

helpverbUS /help/

give help or assistance; be of service

From this reading Left alone with Lady, his mare, Richard could not help brooding--rather than pondering--over what the old woman had said.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading To come himself into any such close relations with her as that would imply, was in repulsiveness second only to the idea of subjecting Dorothy to her influences.

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

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

From this reading To come himself into any such close relations with her as that would imply, was in repulsiveness second only to the idea of subjecting Dorothy to her influences.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Left alone with Lady, his mare, Richard could not help brooding--rather than pondering--over what the old woman had said.

ideanounUS /aɪˈdiːə/

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

From this reading To come himself into any such close relations with her as that would imply, was in repulsiveness second only to the idea of subjecting Dorothy to her influences.

implyverbUS /ˌɪmˈplaɪ/

express or state indirectly

From this reading To come himself into any such close relations with her as that would imply, was in repulsiveness second only to the idea of subjecting Dorothy to her influences.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading To come himself into any such close relations with her as that would imply, was in repulsiveness second only to the idea of subjecting Dorothy to her influences.

influencesnounUS /ˈɪnfluːənsɪz/

plural of “influence” — a power to affect persons or events especially power based on prestige etc

From this reading To come himself into any such close relations with her as that would imply, was in repulsiveness second only to the idea of subjecting Dorothy to her influences.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading To come himself into any such close relations with her as that would imply, was in repulsiveness second only to the idea of subjecting Dorothy to her influences.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading For something to occupy his hands, that his mind might be restless at will, he gave his mare a careful currying, then an extra feed of oats, and then a gallop; after which it was time to go to bed.

LadynounUS /ˈleɪdi/

a polite name for any woman

From this reading Left alone with Lady, his mare, Richard could not help brooding--rather than pondering--over what the old woman had said.

LeftnounUS /left/

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

From this reading Left alone with Lady, his mare, Richard could not help brooding--rather than pondering--over what the old woman had said.

marenounUS /mer/

female equine animal

From this reading Left alone with Lady, his mare, Richard could not help brooding--rather than pondering--over what the old woman had said.

mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading For something to occupy his hands, that his mind might be restless at will, he gave his mare a careful currying, then an extra feed of oats, and then a gallop; after which it was time to go to bed.

mindnounUS /maɪnd/

The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.

From this reading For something to occupy his hands, that his mind might be restless at will, he gave his mare a careful currying, then an extra feed of oats, and then a gallop; after which it was time to go to bed.

momentnounUS /ˈmoʊmənt/

a particular point in time

From this reading Not that for a moment he contemplated as a possibility the acceptance of the witch's offer.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Left alone with Lady, his mare, Richard could not help brooding--rather than pondering--over what the old woman had said.

oatsnounUS /oʊts/

plural of “oat” — annual grass of Europe and North Africa; grains used as food and fodder (referred to primarily in the plural: “oats”)

From this reading For something to occupy his hands, that his mind might be restless at will, he gave his mare a careful currying, then an extra feed of oats, and then a gallop; after which it was time to go to bed.

occupyverbUS /ˈɑːkjəpaɪ/

keep busy with

From this reading For something to occupy his hands, that his mind might be restless at will, he gave his mare a careful currying, then an extra feed of oats, and then a gallop; after which it was time to go to bed.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Not that for a moment he contemplated as a possibility the acceptance of the witch's offer.

offerverbUS /ˈɔːfər/

make available or accessible, provide or furnish

From this reading Not that for a moment he contemplated as a possibility the acceptance of the witch's offer.

oldadjectiveUS /oʊld/

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading Left alone with Lady, his mare, Richard could not help brooding--rather than pondering--over what the old woman had said.

onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading To come himself into any such close relations with her as that would imply, was in repulsiveness second only to the idea of subjecting Dorothy to her influences.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading Left alone with Lady, his mare, Richard could not help brooding--rather than pondering--over what the old woman had said.

ponderingadjectiveUS /ˈpɑːndərɪŋ/

deeply or seriously thoughtful

From this reading Left alone with Lady, his mare, Richard could not help brooding--rather than pondering--over what the old woman had said.

possibilitynounUS /ˌpɑːsəˈbɪlətiː/

a future prospect or potential

From this reading Not that for a moment he contemplated as a possibility the acceptance of the witch's offer.

ratheradverbUS /ˈræðər/

on the contrary

From this reading Left alone with Lady, his mare, Richard could not help brooding--rather than pondering--over what the old woman had said.

REFLECTIONSnounUS /rɪˈflekʃənz/

plural of “reflection” — a calm, lengthy, intent consideration

From this reading REFLECTIONS.

relationsnounUS /riˈleɪʃənz/

mutual dealings or connections or communications among persons or groups

From this reading To come himself into any such close relations with her as that would imply, was in repulsiveness second only to the idea of subjecting Dorothy to her influences.

repulsivenessnoun

the quality of being disgusting to the senses or emotions

From this reading To come himself into any such close relations with her as that would imply, was in repulsiveness second only to the idea of subjecting Dorothy to her influences.

restlessadjectiveUS /ˈrestləs/

worried and uneasy

From this reading For something to occupy his hands, that his mind might be restless at will, he gave his mare a careful currying, then an extra feed of oats, and then a gallop; after which it was time to go to bed.

Richard

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

From this reading Left alone with Lady, his mare, Richard could not help brooding--rather than pondering--over what the old woman had said.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading Left alone with Lady, his mare, Richard could not help brooding--rather than pondering--over what the old woman had said.

secondnounUS /ˈsekənd/

1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites

From this reading To come himself into any such close relations with her as that would imply, was in repulsiveness second only to the idea of subjecting Dorothy to her influences.

somethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/

a thing, without saying which

From this reading For something to occupy his hands, that his mind might be restless at will, he gave his mare a careful currying, then an extra feed of oats, and then a gallop; after which it was time to go to bed.

subjectingverbUS /səbˈdʒektɪŋ/

-ing form of “subject” — cause to experience or suffer or make liable or vulnerable to

From this reading To come himself into any such close relations with her as that would imply, was in repulsiveness second only to the idea of subjecting Dorothy to her influences.

suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading To come himself into any such close relations with her as that would imply, was in repulsiveness second only to the idea of subjecting Dorothy to her influences.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading Left alone with Lady, his mare, Richard could not help brooding--rather than pondering--over what the old woman had said.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Not that for a moment he contemplated as a possibility the acceptance of the witch's offer.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Left alone with Lady, his mare, Richard could not help brooding--rather than pondering--over what the old woman had said.

thenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading For something to occupy his hands, that his mind might be restless at will, he gave his mare a careful currying, then an extra feed of oats, and then a gallop; after which it was time to go to bed.

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading For something to occupy his hands, that his mind might be restless at will, he gave his mare a careful currying, then an extra feed of oats, and then a gallop; after which it was time to go to bed.

ToparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading To come himself into any such close relations with her as that would imply, was in repulsiveness second only to the idea of subjecting Dorothy to her influences.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading To come himself into any such close relations with her as that would imply, was in repulsiveness second only to the idea of subjecting Dorothy to her influences.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading Left alone with Lady, his mare, Richard could not help brooding--rather than pondering--over what the old woman had said.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading For something to occupy his hands, that his mind might be restless at will, he gave his mare a careful currying, then an extra feed of oats, and then a gallop; after which it was time to go to bed.

willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading For something to occupy his hands, that his mind might be restless at will, he gave his mare a careful currying, then an extra feed of oats, and then a gallop; after which it was time to go to bed.

witch'snounUS /ˈwɪtʃɪz/

possessive form of “witch” — a female sorcerer or magician

From this reading Not that for a moment he contemplated as a possibility the acceptance of the witch's offer.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Left alone with Lady, his mare, Richard could not help brooding--rather than pondering--over what the old woman had said.

womannounUS /ˈwʊmən/

an adult female person (as opposed to a man)

From this reading Left alone with Lady, his mare, Richard could not help brooding--rather than pondering--over what the old woman had said.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading To come himself into any such close relations with her as that would imply, was in repulsiveness second only to the idea of subjecting Dorothy to her influences.

Chapter 5 of St. George and St. Michael by George MacDonald holds 325 sentences, grouped into 65 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 5 of St. George and St. Michael contain?

Chapter 5 holds 325 sentences of St. George and St. Michael, unabridged, divided into 65 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 5 of St. George and St. Michael by George MacDonald exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 325 sentences, grouped into 65 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 5 of St. George and St. Michael?

Work through the 65 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 65 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 5 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 5 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 St. George and St. Michael

Common questions about reading St. George and St. Michael by George MacDonald on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of St. George and St. Michael?

Yes. All 7279 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #5753 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of St. George and St. Michael is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #5753, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does St. George and St. Michael take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 1456 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read St. George and St. Michael section by section

How to work through St. George and St. Michael section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 38 chapters of St. George and St. Michael 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 St. George and St. Michael

Words and structures a reader meets early in St. George and St. Michael, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Dorothy
A word that appears in the opening chapter of St. George and St. Michael; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Richard
A word that appears in the opening chapter of St. George and St. Michael; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Middle
A word that appears in the opening chapter of St. George and St. Michael; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Autumn
A word that appears in the opening chapter of St. George and St. Michael; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.