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Starvecrow Farm
Starvecrow Farm

Chapter II · A Red Waistcoat

Chapter II of Starvecrow Farm, “A Red Waistcoat,” is here in full — 244 sentences across 49 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/48 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Cheerful lights shining from the open doorway and the red-curtained windows of the inn, illumined the road immediately before it; and if these and the change in all the surroundings did not at once dispel the loneliness at Henrietta’s heart, at least they drove the tears from her eyes and the blushes from her cheeks.
The cold moonlight, the unchanging face of nature, had sobered and frightened her; the warmth of fire and candle, the sound of voices, and the low, homely front of the house, with its two projecting gables, reassured her.
The forlorn child who had flung herself into her lover’s arms not forty seconds before was not to be recognised in the girl who alighted slowly and with gay self-possession, took in the scene at a glance, and won the hearts of ostler and stableboy by her ease and her fresh young beauty.
She was bare-headed, and her high-dressed hair, a little disordered by the journey, gleamed in the lanthorn-light.
Her eyes were like stars.
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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.

Starvecrow Farm

Chapter II · A Red Waistcoat

Chapter II of Starvecrow Farm, “A Red Waistcoat,” is here in full — 244 sentences across 49 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/48 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Cheerful lights shining from the open doorway and the red-curtained windows of the inn, illumined the road immediately before it; and if these and the change in all the surroundings did not at once dispel the loneliness at Henrietta’s heart, at least they drove the tears from her eyes and the blushes from her cheeks.
Line 2
The cold moonlight, the unchanging face of nature, had sobered and frightened her; the warmth of fire and candle, the sound of voices, and the low, homely front of the house, with its two projecting gables, reassured her.
/ðə koʊld ˈmuːnlaɪt ðə ənˈtʃeɪndʒɪŋ feɪs ʌv ˈneɪtʃər hæd ˈsoʊbərd ənd ˈfraɪtənd hɜːr ðə wɔːrmθ ʌv ˈfaɪər ənd ˈkændəl ðə saʊnd ʌv ˈvɔɪsəz ənd ðə loʊ ˈhoʊmli frʌnt ʌv ðə haʊs wɪð ɪts tuː prəˈdʒektɪŋ ˈɡeɪbəlz ˌriːəˈʃʊrd hɜːr/
Line 3
The forlorn child who had flung herself into her lover’s arms not forty seconds before was not to be recognised in the girl who alighted slowly and with gay self-possession, took in the scene at a glance, and won the hearts of ostler and stableboy by her ease and her fresh young beauty.
Line 4
She was bare-headed, and her high-dressed hair, a little disordered by the journey, gleamed in the lanthorn-light.
Line 5
Her eyes were like stars.
/hɜːr aɪz wɜːr laɪk stɑːrz/

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.

blushes noun US /ˈblʌʃəz/

plural of “blush” — a rosy color (especially in the cheeks) taken as a sign of good health

From this reading “Cheerful lights shining from the open doorway and the red-curtained windows of the inn, illumined the road immediately before it; and if these and the change in all the surroundings did not at once dispel the loneliness at Henrietta’s heart, at least they drove the tears from her eyes and the blushes from her cheeks.”

disordered adjective US /dɪˈsɔːrdərd/

thrown into a state of disarray or confusion

From this reading “She was bare-headed, and her high-dressed hair, a little disordered by the journey, gleamed in the lanthorn-light.”

dispel verb US /dɪˈspel/

force to go away; used both with concrete and metaphoric meanings

From this reading “Cheerful lights shining from the open doorway and the red-curtained windows of the inn, illumined the road immediately before it; and if these and the change in all the surroundings did not at once dispel the loneliness at Henrietta’s heart, at least they drove the tears from her eyes and the blushes from her cheeks.”

gables noun US /ˈɡeɪbəlz/

plural of “gable” — the vertical triangular wall between the sloping ends of gable roof

From this reading “The cold moonlight, the unchanging face of nature, had sobered and frightened her; the warmth of fire and candle, the sound of voices, and the low, homely front of the house, with its two projecting gables, reassured her.”

illumined verb US /ˌɪˈluːmənd/

past form of “illumine” — make lighter or brighter

From this reading “Cheerful lights shining from the open doorway and the red-curtained windows of the inn, illumined the road immediately before it; and if these and the change in all the surroundings did not at once dispel the loneliness at Henrietta’s heart, at least they drove the tears from her eyes and the blushes from her cheeks.”

lover's noun US /ˈlʌvərz/

possessive form of “lover” — a person who loves someone or is loved by someone

sobered verb US /ˈsoʊbərd/

past form of “sober” — cause to become sober

From this reading “The cold moonlight, the unchanging face of nature, had sobered and frightened her; the warmth of fire and candle, the sound of voices, and the low, homely front of the house, with its two projecting gables, reassured her.”

unchanging adjective US /ənˈtʃeɪndʒɪŋ/

conforming to the same principles or course of action over time

From this reading “The cold moonlight, the unchanging face of nature, had sobered and frightened her; the warmth of fire and candle, the sound of voices, and the low, homely front of the house, with its two projecting gables, reassured her.”

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.

open doorway verb + noun

In this reading “Cheerful lights shining from the open doorway and the red-curtained windows of the inn, illumined the road immediately before it; and if these and the change in all the surroundings did not at once dispel the loneliness at Henrietta’s heart, at least they drove the tears from her eyes and the blushes from her cheeks.”

at once preposition + adverb

without delay or hesitation; with no time intervening

In this reading “Cheerful lights shining from the open doorway and the red-curtained windows of the inn, illumined the road immediately before it; and if these and the change in all the surroundings did not at once dispel the loneliness at Henrietta’s heart, at least they drove the tears from her eyes and the blushes from her cheeks.”

change in verb + particle

In this reading “Cheerful lights shining from the open doorway and the red-curtained windows of the inn, illumined the road immediately before it; and if these and the change in all the surroundings did not at once dispel the loneliness at Henrietta’s heart, at least they drove the tears from her eyes and the blushes from her cheeks.”

gleamed in verb + particle counted as “gleam in”

In this reading “She was bare-headed, and her high-dressed hair, a little disordered by the journey, gleamed in the lanthorn-light.”

All words in this reading · 106

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 The forlorn child who had flung herself into her lover’s arms not forty seconds before was not to be recognised in the girl who alighted slowly and with gay self-possession, took in the scene at a glance, and won the hearts of ostler and stableboy by her ease and her fresh young beauty.

alighted

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

From this reading The forlorn child who had flung herself into her lover’s arms not forty seconds before was not to be recognised in the girl who alighted slowly and with gay self-possession, took in the scene at a glance, and won the hearts of ostler and stableboy by her ease and her fresh young beauty.

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 Cheerful lights shining from the open doorway and the red-curtained windows of the inn, illumined the road immediately before it; and if these and the change in all the surroundings did not at once dispel the loneliness at Henrietta’s heart, at least they drove the tears from her eyes and the blushes from her cheeks.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Cheerful lights shining from the open doorway and the red-curtained windows of the inn, illumined the road immediately before it; and if these and the change in all the surroundings did not at once dispel the loneliness at Henrietta’s heart, at least they drove the tears from her eyes and the blushes from her cheeks.

armsnounUS /ɑːrmz/

weapons considered collectively

From this reading The forlorn child who had flung herself into her lover’s arms not forty seconds before was not to be recognised in the girl who alighted slowly and with gay self-possession, took in the scene at a glance, and won the hearts of ostler and stableboy by her ease and her fresh young beauty.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Cheerful lights shining from the open doorway and the red-curtained windows of the inn, illumined the road immediately before it; and if these and the change in all the surroundings did not at once dispel the loneliness at Henrietta’s heart, at least they drove the tears from her eyes and the blushes from her cheeks.

bare-headed

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

From this reading She was bare-headed, and her high-dressed hair, a little disordered by the journey, gleamed in the lanthorn-light.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading The forlorn child who had flung herself into her lover’s arms not forty seconds before was not to be recognised in the girl who alighted slowly and with gay self-possession, took in the scene at a glance, and won the hearts of ostler and stableboy by her ease and her fresh young beauty.

beautynounUS /ˈbjuːti/

the qualities that give pleasure to the senses

From this reading The forlorn child who had flung herself into her lover’s arms not forty seconds before was not to be recognised in the girl who alighted slowly and with gay self-possession, took in the scene at a glance, and won the hearts of ostler and stableboy by her ease and her fresh young beauty.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading Cheerful lights shining from the open doorway and the red-curtained windows of the inn, illumined the road immediately before it; and if these and the change in all the surroundings did not at once dispel the loneliness at Henrietta’s heart, at least they drove the tears from her eyes and the blushes from her cheeks.

blushesnounUS /ˈblʌʃəz/

plural of “blush” — a rosy color (especially in the cheeks) taken as a sign of good health

From this reading Cheerful lights shining from the open doorway and the red-curtained windows of the inn, illumined the road immediately before it; and if these and the change in all the surroundings did not at once dispel the loneliness at Henrietta’s heart, at least they drove the tears from her eyes and the blushes from her cheeks.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading The forlorn child who had flung herself into her lover’s arms not forty seconds before was not to be recognised in the girl who alighted slowly and with gay self-possession, took in the scene at a glance, and won the hearts of ostler and stableboy by her ease and her fresh young beauty.

candlenounUS /ˈkændəl/

stick of wax with a wick in the middle

From this reading The cold moonlight, the unchanging face of nature, had sobered and frightened her; the warmth of fire and candle, the sound of voices, and the low, homely front of the house, with its two projecting gables, reassured her.

changeverbUS /tʃeɪndʒ/

cause to change; make different; cause a transformation

From this reading Cheerful lights shining from the open doorway and the red-curtained windows of the inn, illumined the road immediately before it; and if these and the change in all the surroundings did not at once dispel the loneliness at Henrietta’s heart, at least they drove the tears from her eyes and the blushes from her cheeks.

cheeksnounUS /tʃiːks/

plural of “cheek” — either side of the face below the eyes

From this reading Cheerful lights shining from the open doorway and the red-curtained windows of the inn, illumined the road immediately before it; and if these and the change in all the surroundings did not at once dispel the loneliness at Henrietta’s heart, at least they drove the tears from her eyes and the blushes from her cheeks.

CheerfuladjectiveUS /ˈtʃɪrfəl/

being full of or promoting cheer; having or showing good spirits

From this reading Cheerful lights shining from the open doorway and the red-curtained windows of the inn, illumined the road immediately before it; and if these and the change in all the surroundings did not at once dispel the loneliness at Henrietta’s heart, at least they drove the tears from her eyes and the blushes from her cheeks.

childnounUS /tʃaɪld/

a young person of either sex

From this reading The forlorn child who had flung herself into her lover’s arms not forty seconds before was not to be recognised in the girl who alighted slowly and with gay self-possession, took in the scene at a glance, and won the hearts of ostler and stableboy by her ease and her fresh young beauty.

coldadjectiveUS /koʊld/

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

From this reading The cold moonlight, the unchanging face of nature, had sobered and frightened her; the warmth of fire and candle, the sound of voices, and the low, homely front of the house, with its two projecting gables, reassured her.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading Cheerful lights shining from the open doorway and the red-curtained windows of the inn, illumined the road immediately before it; and if these and the change in all the surroundings did not at once dispel the loneliness at Henrietta’s heart, at least they drove the tears from her eyes and the blushes from her cheeks.

disorderedadjectiveUS /dɪˈsɔːrdərd/

thrown into a state of disarray or confusion

From this reading She was bare-headed, and her high-dressed hair, a little disordered by the journey, gleamed in the lanthorn-light.

dispelverbUS /dɪˈspel/

force to go away; used both with concrete and metaphoric meanings

From this reading Cheerful lights shining from the open doorway and the red-curtained windows of the inn, illumined the road immediately before it; and if these and the change in all the surroundings did not at once dispel the loneliness at Henrietta’s heart, at least they drove the tears from her eyes and the blushes from her cheeks.

doorwaynounUS /ˈdɔːrweɪ/

the entrance (the space in a wall) through which you enter or leave a room or building; the space that a door can close

From this reading Cheerful lights shining from the open doorway and the red-curtained windows of the inn, illumined the road immediately before it; and if these and the change in all the surroundings did not at once dispel the loneliness at Henrietta’s heart, at least they drove the tears from her eyes and the blushes from her cheeks.

drovenounUS /droʊv/

a group of animals (a herd or flock) moving together

From this reading Cheerful lights shining from the open doorway and the red-curtained windows of the inn, illumined the road immediately before it; and if these and the change in all the surroundings did not at once dispel the loneliness at Henrietta’s heart, at least they drove the tears from her eyes and the blushes from her cheeks.

easeverbUS /iːz/

move gently or carefully

From this reading The forlorn child who had flung herself into her lover’s arms not forty seconds before was not to be recognised in the girl who alighted slowly and with gay self-possession, took in the scene at a glance, and won the hearts of ostler and stableboy by her ease and her fresh young beauty.

eyesnounUS /aɪz/

opinion or judgment

From this reading Cheerful lights shining from the open doorway and the red-curtained windows of the inn, illumined the road immediately before it; and if these and the change in all the surroundings did not at once dispel the loneliness at Henrietta’s heart, at least they drove the tears from her eyes and the blushes from her cheeks.

facenounUS /feɪs/

the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear

From this reading The cold moonlight, the unchanging face of nature, had sobered and frightened her; the warmth of fire and candle, the sound of voices, and the low, homely front of the house, with its two projecting gables, reassured her.

fireverbUS /ˈfaɪər/

start firing a weapon

From this reading The cold moonlight, the unchanging face of nature, had sobered and frightened her; the warmth of fire and candle, the sound of voices, and the low, homely front of the house, with its two projecting gables, reassured her.

flungverbUS /flʌŋ/

inflected form of “fling” — throw with force or recklessness

From this reading The forlorn child who had flung herself into her lover’s arms not forty seconds before was not to be recognised in the girl who alighted slowly and with gay self-possession, took in the scene at a glance, and won the hearts of ostler and stableboy by her ease and her fresh young beauty.

forlornadjectiveUS /fərˈlɔːrn/

marked by or showing hopelessness

From this reading The forlorn child who had flung herself into her lover’s arms not forty seconds before was not to be recognised in the girl who alighted slowly and with gay self-possession, took in the scene at a glance, and won the hearts of ostler and stableboy by her ease and her fresh young beauty.

fortyadjectiveUS /ˈfɔːrti/

being ten more than thirty

From this reading The forlorn child who had flung herself into her lover’s arms not forty seconds before was not to be recognised in the girl who alighted slowly and with gay self-possession, took in the scene at a glance, and won the hearts of ostler and stableboy by her ease and her fresh young beauty.

freshadjectiveUS /freʃ/

recently made, produced, or harvested

From this reading The forlorn child who had flung herself into her lover’s arms not forty seconds before was not to be recognised in the girl who alighted slowly and with gay self-possession, took in the scene at a glance, and won the hearts of ostler and stableboy by her ease and her fresh young beauty.

frightenedadjectiveUS /ˈfraɪtənd/

made afraid

From this reading The cold moonlight, the unchanging face of nature, had sobered and frightened her; the warmth of fire and candle, the sound of voices, and the low, homely front of the house, with its two projecting gables, reassured her.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Cheerful lights shining from the open doorway and the red-curtained windows of the inn, illumined the road immediately before it; and if these and the change in all the surroundings did not at once dispel the loneliness at Henrietta’s heart, at least they drove the tears from her eyes and the blushes from her cheeks.

frontnounUS /frʌnt/

the side that is forward or prominent

From this reading The cold moonlight, the unchanging face of nature, had sobered and frightened her; the warmth of fire and candle, the sound of voices, and the low, homely front of the house, with its two projecting gables, reassured her.

gablesnounUS /ˈɡeɪbəlz/

plural of “gable” — the vertical triangular wall between the sloping ends of gable roof

From this reading The cold moonlight, the unchanging face of nature, had sobered and frightened her; the warmth of fire and candle, the sound of voices, and the low, homely front of the house, with its two projecting gables, reassured her.

gayadjectiveUS /ɡeɪ/

bright and pleasant; promoting a feeling of cheer

From this reading The forlorn child who had flung herself into her lover’s arms not forty seconds before was not to be recognised in the girl who alighted slowly and with gay self-possession, took in the scene at a glance, and won the hearts of ostler and stableboy by her ease and her fresh young beauty.

girlnounUS /ɡɜːrl/

a young female

From this reading The forlorn child who had flung herself into her lover’s arms not forty seconds before was not to be recognised in the girl who alighted slowly and with gay self-possession, took in the scene at a glance, and won the hearts of ostler and stableboy by her ease and her fresh young beauty.

glanceverbUS /ɡlæns/

throw a glance at; take a brief look at

From this reading The forlorn child who had flung herself into her lover’s arms not forty seconds before was not to be recognised in the girl who alighted slowly and with gay self-possession, took in the scene at a glance, and won the hearts of ostler and stableboy by her ease and her fresh young beauty.

gleamedverbUS /ɡliːmd/

past form of “gleam” — be shiny, as if wet

From this reading She was bare-headed, and her high-dressed hair, a little disordered by the journey, gleamed in the lanthorn-light.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading The cold moonlight, the unchanging face of nature, had sobered and frightened her; the warmth of fire and candle, the sound of voices, and the low, homely front of the house, with its two projecting gables, reassured her.

hairnounUS /her/

a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss

From this reading She was bare-headed, and her high-dressed hair, a little disordered by the journey, gleamed in the lanthorn-light.

heartnounUS /hɑːrt/

the locus of feelings and intuitions

From this reading Cheerful lights shining from the open doorway and the red-curtained windows of the inn, illumined the road immediately before it; and if these and the change in all the surroundings did not at once dispel the loneliness at Henrietta’s heart, at least they drove the tears from her eyes and the blushes from her cheeks.

heartsnounUS /hɑːrts/

a form of whist in which players avoid winning tricks containing hearts or the queen of spades

From this reading The forlorn child who had flung herself into her lover’s arms not forty seconds before was not to be recognised in the girl who alighted slowly and with gay self-possession, took in the scene at a glance, and won the hearts of ostler and stableboy by her ease and her fresh young beauty.

Henrietta's

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

From this reading Cheerful lights shining from the open doorway and the red-curtained windows of the inn, illumined the road immediately before it; and if these and the change in all the surroundings did not at once dispel the loneliness at Henrietta’s heart, at least they drove the tears from her eyes and the blushes from her cheeks.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading Cheerful lights shining from the open doorway and the red-curtained windows of the inn, illumined the road immediately before it; and if these and the change in all the surroundings did not at once dispel the loneliness at Henrietta’s heart, at least they drove the tears from her eyes and the blushes from her cheeks.

herselfpronounUS /hərˈself/

used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object

From this reading The forlorn child who had flung herself into her lover’s arms not forty seconds before was not to be recognised in the girl who alighted slowly and with gay self-possession, took in the scene at a glance, and won the hearts of ostler and stableboy by her ease and her fresh young beauty.

high-dressed

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

From this reading She was bare-headed, and her high-dressed hair, a little disordered by the journey, gleamed in the lanthorn-light.

homelyadjectiveUS /ˈhoʊmli/

lacking in physical beauty or proportion

From this reading The cold moonlight, the unchanging face of nature, had sobered and frightened her; the warmth of fire and candle, the sound of voices, and the low, homely front of the house, with its two projecting gables, reassured her.

housenounUS /haʊs/

a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading The cold moonlight, the unchanging face of nature, had sobered and frightened her; the warmth of fire and candle, the sound of voices, and the low, homely front of the house, with its two projecting gables, reassured her.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading Cheerful lights shining from the open doorway and the red-curtained windows of the inn, illumined the road immediately before it; and if these and the change in all the surroundings did not at once dispel the loneliness at Henrietta’s heart, at least they drove the tears from her eyes and the blushes from her cheeks.

illuminedverbUS /ˌɪˈluːmənd/

past form of “illumine” — make lighter or brighter

From this reading Cheerful lights shining from the open doorway and the red-curtained windows of the inn, illumined the road immediately before it; and if these and the change in all the surroundings did not at once dispel the loneliness at Henrietta’s heart, at least they drove the tears from her eyes and the blushes from her cheeks.

immediatelyadverbUS /ˌɪˈmiːdiːətli/

without delay or hesitation; with no time intervening

From this reading Cheerful lights shining from the open doorway and the red-curtained windows of the inn, illumined the road immediately before it; and if these and the change in all the surroundings did not at once dispel the loneliness at Henrietta’s heart, at least they drove the tears from her eyes and the blushes from her cheeks.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Cheerful lights shining from the open doorway and the red-curtained windows of the inn, illumined the road immediately before it; and if these and the change in all the surroundings did not at once dispel the loneliness at Henrietta’s heart, at least they drove the tears from her eyes and the blushes from her cheeks.

innnounUS /ɪn/

a hotel providing overnight lodging for travelers

From this reading Cheerful lights shining from the open doorway and the red-curtained windows of the inn, illumined the road immediately before it; and if these and the change in all the surroundings did not at once dispel the loneliness at Henrietta’s heart, at least they drove the tears from her eyes and the blushes from her cheeks.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading The forlorn child who had flung herself into her lover’s arms not forty seconds before was not to be recognised in the girl who alighted slowly and with gay self-possession, took in the scene at a glance, and won the hearts of ostler and stableboy by her ease and her fresh young beauty.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Cheerful lights shining from the open doorway and the red-curtained windows of the inn, illumined the road immediately before it; and if these and the change in all the surroundings did not at once dispel the loneliness at Henrietta’s heart, at least they drove the tears from her eyes and the blushes from her cheeks.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading The cold moonlight, the unchanging face of nature, had sobered and frightened her; the warmth of fire and candle, the sound of voices, and the low, homely front of the house, with its two projecting gables, reassured her.

journeyverbUS /ˈdʒɜːrni/

undertake a journey or trip

From this reading She was bare-headed, and her high-dressed hair, a little disordered by the journey, gleamed in the lanthorn-light.

lanthorn-light

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

From this reading She was bare-headed, and her high-dressed hair, a little disordered by the journey, gleamed in the lanthorn-light.

leastadjectiveUS /liːst/

the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree

From this reading Cheerful lights shining from the open doorway and the red-curtained windows of the inn, illumined the road immediately before it; and if these and the change in all the surroundings did not at once dispel the loneliness at Henrietta’s heart, at least they drove the tears from her eyes and the blushes from her cheeks.

lightsnounUS /laɪts/

plural of “light” — (physics) electromagnetic radiation that can produce a visual sensation

From this reading Cheerful lights shining from the open doorway and the red-curtained windows of the inn, illumined the road immediately before it; and if these and the change in all the surroundings did not at once dispel the loneliness at Henrietta’s heart, at least they drove the tears from her eyes and the blushes from her cheeks.

likeverbUS /laɪk/

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading Her eyes were like stars.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading She was bare-headed, and her high-dressed hair, a little disordered by the journey, gleamed in the lanthorn-light.

lonelinessnounUS /ˈloʊnlinəs/

the state of being alone in solitary isolation

From this reading Cheerful lights shining from the open doorway and the red-curtained windows of the inn, illumined the road immediately before it; and if these and the change in all the surroundings did not at once dispel the loneliness at Henrietta’s heart, at least they drove the tears from her eyes and the blushes from her cheeks.

lover'snounUS /ˈlʌvərz/

possessive form of “lover” — a person who loves someone or is loved by someone

From this reading The forlorn child who had flung herself into her lover’s arms not forty seconds before was not to be recognised in the girl who alighted slowly and with gay self-possession, took in the scene at a glance, and won the hearts of ostler and stableboy by her ease and her fresh young beauty.

lowadjectiveUS /loʊ/

less than normal in degree or intensity or amount

From this reading The cold moonlight, the unchanging face of nature, had sobered and frightened her; the warmth of fire and candle, the sound of voices, and the low, homely front of the house, with its two projecting gables, reassured her.

moonlightnounUS /ˈmuːnlaɪt/

the light of the Moon

From this reading The cold moonlight, the unchanging face of nature, had sobered and frightened her; the warmth of fire and candle, the sound of voices, and the low, homely front of the house, with its two projecting gables, reassured her.

naturenounUS /ˈneɪtʃər/

the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized

From this reading The cold moonlight, the unchanging face of nature, had sobered and frightened her; the warmth of fire and candle, the sound of voices, and the low, homely front of the house, with its two projecting gables, reassured her.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Cheerful lights shining from the open doorway and the red-curtained windows of the inn, illumined the road immediately before it; and if these and the change in all the surroundings did not at once dispel the loneliness at Henrietta’s heart, at least they drove the tears from her eyes and the blushes from her cheeks.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Cheerful lights shining from the open doorway and the red-curtained windows of the inn, illumined the road immediately before it; and if these and the change in all the surroundings did not at once dispel the loneliness at Henrietta’s heart, at least they drove the tears from her eyes and the blushes from her cheeks.

onceadverbUS /wʌns/

on one occasion

From this reading Cheerful lights shining from the open doorway and the red-curtained windows of the inn, illumined the road immediately before it; and if these and the change in all the surroundings did not at once dispel the loneliness at Henrietta’s heart, at least they drove the tears from her eyes and the blushes from her cheeks.

openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/

To move from a closed position.

From this reading Cheerful lights shining from the open doorway and the red-curtained windows of the inn, illumined the road immediately before it; and if these and the change in all the surroundings did not at once dispel the loneliness at Henrietta’s heart, at least they drove the tears from her eyes and the blushes from her cheeks.

ostlernoun

someone employed in a stable to take care of the horses

From this reading The forlorn child who had flung herself into her lover’s arms not forty seconds before was not to be recognised in the girl who alighted slowly and with gay self-possession, took in the scene at a glance, and won the hearts of ostler and stableboy by her ease and her fresh young beauty.

projectingadjectiveUS /prəˈdʒektɪŋ/

extending out above or beyond a surface or boundary

From this reading The cold moonlight, the unchanging face of nature, had sobered and frightened her; the warmth of fire and candle, the sound of voices, and the low, homely front of the house, with its two projecting gables, reassured her.

reassuredadjectiveUS /ˌriːəˈʃʊrd/

having confidence restored; freed from anxiety

From this reading The cold moonlight, the unchanging face of nature, had sobered and frightened her; the warmth of fire and candle, the sound of voices, and the low, homely front of the house, with its two projecting gables, reassured her.

recognisedadjectiveUS /ˈrekəɡnaɪzd/

provided with a secure reputation

From this reading The forlorn child who had flung herself into her lover’s arms not forty seconds before was not to be recognised in the girl who alighted slowly and with gay self-possession, took in the scene at a glance, and won the hearts of ostler and stableboy by her ease and her fresh young beauty.

red-curtained

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

From this reading Cheerful lights shining from the open doorway and the red-curtained windows of the inn, illumined the road immediately before it; and if these and the change in all the surroundings did not at once dispel the loneliness at Henrietta’s heart, at least they drove the tears from her eyes and the blushes from her cheeks.

roadnounUS /roʊd/

an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation

From this reading Cheerful lights shining from the open doorway and the red-curtained windows of the inn, illumined the road immediately before it; and if these and the change in all the surroundings did not at once dispel the loneliness at Henrietta’s heart, at least they drove the tears from her eyes and the blushes from her cheeks.

scenenounUS /siːn/

the place where some action occurs

From this reading The forlorn child who had flung herself into her lover’s arms not forty seconds before was not to be recognised in the girl who alighted slowly and with gay self-possession, took in the scene at a glance, and won the hearts of ostler and stableboy by her ease and her fresh young beauty.

secondsnounUS /ˈsekəndz/

plural of “second” — 1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites

From this reading The forlorn child who had flung herself into her lover’s arms not forty seconds before was not to be recognised in the girl who alighted slowly and with gay self-possession, took in the scene at a glance, and won the hearts of ostler and stableboy by her ease and her fresh young beauty.

self-possessionnoun

the trait of resolutely controlling your own behavior

From this reading The forlorn child who had flung herself into her lover’s arms not forty seconds before was not to be recognised in the girl who alighted slowly and with gay self-possession, took in the scene at a glance, and won the hearts of ostler and stableboy by her ease and her fresh young beauty.

ShepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading She was bare-headed, and her high-dressed hair, a little disordered by the journey, gleamed in the lanthorn-light.

shiningadjectiveUS /ˈʃaɪnɪŋ/

marked by exceptional merit

From this reading Cheerful lights shining from the open doorway and the red-curtained windows of the inn, illumined the road immediately before it; and if these and the change in all the surroundings did not at once dispel the loneliness at Henrietta’s heart, at least they drove the tears from her eyes and the blushes from her cheeks.

slowlyadverbUS /ˈsloʊli/

without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)

From this reading The forlorn child who had flung herself into her lover’s arms not forty seconds before was not to be recognised in the girl who alighted slowly and with gay self-possession, took in the scene at a glance, and won the hearts of ostler and stableboy by her ease and her fresh young beauty.

soberedverbUS /ˈsoʊbərd/

past form of “sober” — cause to become sober

From this reading The cold moonlight, the unchanging face of nature, had sobered and frightened her; the warmth of fire and candle, the sound of voices, and the low, homely front of the house, with its two projecting gables, reassured her.

soundnounUS /saʊnd/

the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause

From this reading The cold moonlight, the unchanging face of nature, had sobered and frightened her; the warmth of fire and candle, the sound of voices, and the low, homely front of the house, with its two projecting gables, reassured her.

stableboynoun

someone employed in a stable to take care of the horses

From this reading The forlorn child who had flung herself into her lover’s arms not forty seconds before was not to be recognised in the girl who alighted slowly and with gay self-possession, took in the scene at a glance, and won the hearts of ostler and stableboy by her ease and her fresh young beauty.

starsnounUS /stɑːrz/

plural of “star” — (astronomy) a celestial body of hot gases that radiates energy derived from thermonuclear reactions in the interior

From this reading Her eyes were like stars.

surroundingsnounUS /sərˈaʊndɪŋz/

the environmental condition

From this reading Cheerful lights shining from the open doorway and the red-curtained windows of the inn, illumined the road immediately before it; and if these and the change in all the surroundings did not at once dispel the loneliness at Henrietta’s heart, at least they drove the tears from her eyes and the blushes from her cheeks.

tearsnounUS /terz/

the process of shedding tears (usually accompanied by sobs or other inarticulate sounds)

From this reading Cheerful lights shining from the open doorway and the red-curtained windows of the inn, illumined the road immediately before it; and if these and the change in all the surroundings did not at once dispel the loneliness at Henrietta’s heart, at least they drove the tears from her eyes and the blushes from her cheeks.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Cheerful lights shining from the open doorway and the red-curtained windows of the inn, illumined the road immediately before it; and if these and the change in all the surroundings did not at once dispel the loneliness at Henrietta’s heart, at least they drove the tears from her eyes and the blushes from her cheeks.

thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

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

From this reading Cheerful lights shining from the open doorway and the red-curtained windows of the inn, illumined the road immediately before it; and if these and the change in all the surroundings did not at once dispel the loneliness at Henrietta’s heart, at least they drove the tears from her eyes and the blushes from her cheeks.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Cheerful lights shining from the open doorway and the red-curtained windows of the inn, illumined the road immediately before it; and if these and the change in all the surroundings did not at once dispel the loneliness at Henrietta’s heart, at least they drove the tears from her eyes and the blushes from her cheeks.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading The forlorn child who had flung herself into her lover’s arms not forty seconds before was not to be recognised in the girl who alighted slowly and with gay self-possession, took in the scene at a glance, and won the hearts of ostler and stableboy by her ease and her fresh young beauty.

tookverbUS /tʊk/

inflected form of “take” — carry out

From this reading The forlorn child who had flung herself into her lover’s arms not forty seconds before was not to be recognised in the girl who alighted slowly and with gay self-possession, took in the scene at a glance, and won the hearts of ostler and stableboy by her ease and her fresh young beauty.

twonounUS /tuː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading The cold moonlight, the unchanging face of nature, had sobered and frightened her; the warmth of fire and candle, the sound of voices, and the low, homely front of the house, with its two projecting gables, reassured her.

unchangingadjectiveUS /ənˈtʃeɪndʒɪŋ/

conforming to the same principles or course of action over time

From this reading The cold moonlight, the unchanging face of nature, had sobered and frightened her; the warmth of fire and candle, the sound of voices, and the low, homely front of the house, with its two projecting gables, reassured her.

voicesnounUS /ˈvɔɪsəz/

plural of “voice” — the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech

From this reading The cold moonlight, the unchanging face of nature, had sobered and frightened her; the warmth of fire and candle, the sound of voices, and the low, homely front of the house, with its two projecting gables, reassured her.

warmthnounUS /wɔːrmθ/

the sensation caused by heat energy

From this reading The cold moonlight, the unchanging face of nature, had sobered and frightened her; the warmth of fire and candle, the sound of voices, and the low, homely front of the house, with its two projecting gables, reassured her.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading The forlorn child who had flung herself into her lover’s arms not forty seconds before was not to be recognised in the girl who alighted slowly and with gay self-possession, took in the scene at a glance, and won the hearts of ostler and stableboy by her ease and her fresh young beauty.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading Her eyes were like stars.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading The forlorn child who had flung herself into her lover’s arms not forty seconds before was not to be recognised in the girl who alighted slowly and with gay self-possession, took in the scene at a glance, and won the hearts of ostler and stableboy by her ease and her fresh young beauty.

windowsnounUS /ˈwɪndoʊz/

(trademark) an operating system with a graphical user interface

From this reading Cheerful lights shining from the open doorway and the red-curtained windows of the inn, illumined the road immediately before it; and if these and the change in all the surroundings did not at once dispel the loneliness at Henrietta’s heart, at least they drove the tears from her eyes and the blushes from her cheeks.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading The cold moonlight, the unchanging face of nature, had sobered and frightened her; the warmth of fire and candle, the sound of voices, and the low, homely front of the house, with its two projecting gables, reassured her.

wonnounUS /wʌn/

the basic unit of money in South Korea

From this reading The forlorn child who had flung herself into her lover’s arms not forty seconds before was not to be recognised in the girl who alighted slowly and with gay self-possession, took in the scene at a glance, and won the hearts of ostler and stableboy by her ease and her fresh young beauty.

youngadjectiveUS /jʌŋ/

(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth

From this reading The forlorn child who had flung herself into her lover’s arms not forty seconds before was not to be recognised in the girl who alighted slowly and with gay self-possession, took in the scene at a glance, and won the hearts of ostler and stableboy by her ease and her fresh young beauty.

Chapter 2 of Starvecrow Farm by Stanley John Weyman holds 244 sentences, grouped into 49 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 2 of Starvecrow Farm contain?

Chapter 2 holds 244 sentences of Starvecrow Farm, unabridged, divided into 49 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 2 of Starvecrow Farm by Stanley John Weyman exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 244 sentences, grouped into 49 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 2 of Starvecrow Farm?

Work through the 49 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 49 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 2 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 2 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 Starvecrow Farm

Common questions about reading Starvecrow Farm by Stanley John Weyman on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Starvecrow Farm?

Yes. All 8968 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #39138 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Starvecrow Farm is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #39138, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Starvecrow Farm take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 1794 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Starvecrow Farm section by section

How to work through Starvecrow Farm section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 36 chapters of Starvecrow Farm 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 Starvecrow Farm

Words and structures a reader meets early in Starvecrow Farm, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Across
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Starvecrow Farm; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Quicksands
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Starvecrow Farm; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Appeared
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Starvecrow Farm; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Either
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Starvecrow Farm; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.