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Tales From Scottish Ballads
Tales From Scottish Ballads

Chapter II · Chapter 2

Chapter 2 of Tales From Scottish Ballads is here in full — 443 sentences across 89 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/88 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.
Just as the door was being burst open, my lord caught sight of me as I squeezed along the passage, anxious to see all that could be seen.
He laid his hand on the men's shoulders and held them back.
"Let the bairn go first," he said; "it is his right, for he has saved him."
Then I darted across the cell, and stood at my father's side.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Tales From Scottish Ballads

Chapter II · Chapter 2

Chapter 2 of Tales From Scottish Ballads is here in full — 443 sentences across 89 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/88 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.
Line 2
Just as the door was being burst open, my lord caught sight of me as I squeezed along the passage, anxious to see all that could be seen.
/dʒʌst æz ðə dɔːr wɑːz ˈbiːɪŋ bɜːrst ˈoʊ.pən maɪ lɔːrd kɑːt saɪt ʌv miː æz aɪ skwiːzd əˈlɔːŋ ðə ˈpæsədʒ ˈæŋkʃəs tuː siː ɔːl ðæt kʊd biː siːn/
Line 3
He laid his hand on the men's shoulders and held them back.
/hiː leɪd hɪz hænd ɑːn ðə menz ˈʃoʊldərz ənd held ðem bæk/
Line 4
"Let the bairn go first," he said; "it is his right, for he has saved him."
Line 5
Then I darted across the cell, and stood at my father's side.
/ðen aɪ ˈdɑːrtɪd əˈkrɔːs ðə sel ənd stʊd æt maɪ ˈfɑːðərz saɪd/

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.

beset verb US /bɪˈset/

annoy continually or chronically

From this reading “And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.”

chained adjective US /tʃeɪnd/

bound with chains

From this reading “And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.”

cowards noun US /ˈkaʊərdz/

plural of “coward” — a person who shows fear or timidity

From this reading “And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.”

darted verb US /ˈdɑːrtɪd/

past form of “dart” — move along rapidly and lightly; skim or dart

From this reading “Then I darted across the cell, and stood at my father's side.”

innermost adjective US /ˈɪnərmoʊst/

being deepest within the self

From this reading “And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.”

men's noun US /menz/

a public toilet for men

From this reading “He laid his hand on the men's shoulders and held them back.”

peeps noun US /piːps/

plural of “peep” — the short weak cry of a young bird

From this reading “And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.”

squeezed verb US /skwiːzd/

past form of “squeeze” — to compress with violence, out of natural shape or condition

From this reading “Just as the door was being burst open, my lord caught sight of me as I squeezed along the passage, anxious to see all that could be seen.”

All words in this reading · 115

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 And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.

acrossprepositionUS /əˈkrɔːs/

from one side of something to the other

From this reading Then I darted across the cell, and stood at my father's side.

afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.

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 Just as the door was being burst open, my lord caught sight of me as I squeezed along the passage, anxious to see all that could be seen.

alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/

following the length of something from one end toward the other

From this reading Just as the door was being burst open, my lord caught sight of me as I squeezed along the passage, anxious to see all that could be seen.

AndconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.

anxiousadjectiveUS /ˈæŋkʃəs/

eagerly desirous

From this reading Just as the door was being burst open, my lord caught sight of me as I squeezed along the passage, anxious to see all that could be seen.

anyadjectiveUS /ˈeni/

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.

armynounUS /ˈɑːrmi/

a permanent organization of the military land forces of a nation or state

From this reading And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Then I darted across the cell, and stood at my father's side.

backadverbUS /bæk/

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading He laid his hand on the men's shoulders and held them back.

bairnnoun

a child: son or daughter

From this reading "Let the bairn go first," he said; "it is his right, for he has saved him."

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading Just as the door was being burst open, my lord caught sight of me as I squeezed along the passage, anxious to see all that could be seen.

beatverbUS /biːt/

come out better in a competition, race, or conflict

From this reading And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.

behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/

at or toward the back of something

From this reading And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.

beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading Just as the door was being burst open, my lord caught sight of me as I squeezed along the passage, anxious to see all that could be seen.

besetverbUS /bɪˈset/

annoy continually or chronically

From this reading And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.

bestnounUS /best/

the supreme effort one can make

From this reading And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.

burstverbUS /bɜːrst/

come open suddenly and violently, as if from internal pressure

From this reading Just as the door was being burst open, my lord caught sight of me as I squeezed along the passage, anxious to see all that could be seen.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.

cameverbUS /keɪm/

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.

CastlenounUS /ˈkæsəl/

a large and stately mansion

From this reading And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.

caughtverbUS /kɑːt/

inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state

From this reading Just as the door was being burst open, my lord caught sight of me as I squeezed along the passage, anxious to see all that could be seen.

cellnounUS /sel/

A small stone room in a prison where an inmate is locked behind iron bars.

From this reading Then I darted across the cell, and stood at my father's side.

chainedadjectiveUS /tʃeɪnd/

bound with chains

From this reading And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

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

From this reading Just as the door was being burst open, my lord caught sight of me as I squeezed along the passage, anxious to see all that could be seen.

cowardsnounUS /ˈkaʊərdz/

plural of “coward” — a person who shows fear or timidity

From this reading And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.

dartedverbUS /ˈdɑːrtɪd/

past form of “dart” — move along rapidly and lightly; skim or dart

From this reading Then I darted across the cell, and stood at my father's side.

dognounUS /dɔːɡ/

a member of the genus Canis (probably descended from the common wolf) that has been domesticated by man since prehistoric times; occurs in many breeds

From this reading And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.

doornounUS /dɔːr/

a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle

From this reading And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.

doorsnounUS /dɔːrz/

plural of “door” — a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle

From this reading And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.

downadjectiveUS /daʊn/

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.

evenadjectiveUS /ˈiːvɪn/

divisible by two

From this reading And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.

faithnounUS /feɪθ/

a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny

From this reading And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.

fathernounUS /ˈfɑːðər/

a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)

From this reading And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.

father'snounUS /ˈfɑːðərz/

possessive form of “father” — a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)

From this reading Then I darted across the cell, and stood at my father's side.

firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading "Let the bairn go first," he said; "it is his right, for he has saved him."

footnounUS /fʊt/

the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint

From this reading And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading "Let the bairn go first," he said; "it is his right, for he has saved him."

frightenedadjectiveUS /ˈfraɪtənd/

made afraid

From this reading And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.

goverbUS /ɡoʊ/

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

From this reading "Let the bairn go first," he said; "it is his right, for he has saved him."

goodadjectiveUS /ɡʊd/

having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified

From this reading And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.

handnounUS /hænd/

the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb

From this reading And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.

hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

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

From this reading "Let the bairn go first," he said; "it is his right, for he has saved him."

HepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading He laid his hand on the men's shoulders and held them back.

heldadjectiveUS /held/

occupied or in the control of; often used in combination

From this reading He laid his hand on the men's shoulders and held them back.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading "Let the bairn go first," he said; "it is his right, for he has saved him."

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

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

From this reading And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading He laid his hand on the men's shoulders and held them back.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading Just as the door was being burst open, my lord caught sight of me as I squeezed along the passage, anxious to see all that could be seen.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.

innermostadjectiveUS /ˈɪnərmoʊst/

being deepest within the self

From this reading And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading "Let the bairn go first," he said; "it is his right, for he has saved him."

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading "Let the bairn go first," he said; "it is his right, for he has saved him."

itselfpronounUS /ˌɪtˈself/

used when the thing doing the action is also its object

From this reading And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.

JustadverbUS /dʒʌst/

and nothing more

From this reading Just as the door was being burst open, my lord caught sight of me as I squeezed along the passage, anxious to see all that could be seen.

laidadjectiveUS /leɪd/

set down according to a plan

From this reading He laid his hand on the men's shoulders and held them back.

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 And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.

Letauxiliary verbUS /let/

used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker

From this reading "Let the bairn go first," he said; "it is his right, for he has saved him."

likeverbUS /laɪk/

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.

LordnounUS /lɔːrd/

terms referring to the Judeo-Christian God

From this reading And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.

mepronounUS /miː/

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

From this reading Just as the door was being burst open, my lord caught sight of me as I squeezed along the passage, anxious to see all that could be seen.

men'snounUS /menz/

a public toilet for men

From this reading He laid his hand on the men's shoulders and held them back.

mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading He laid his hand on the men's shoulders and held them back.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.

openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/

To move from a closed position.

From this reading Just as the door was being burst open, my lord caught sight of me as I squeezed along the passage, anxious to see all that could be seen.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.

ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.

ownverbUS /oʊn/

have ownership or possession of

From this reading And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.

passagenounUS /ˈpæsədʒ/

the act of passing from one state or place to the next

From this reading Just as the door was being burst open, my lord caught sight of me as I squeezed along the passage, anxious to see all that could be seen.

peepsnounUS /piːps/

plural of “peep” — the short weak cry of a young bird

From this reading And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.

peoplenounUS /ˈpiːpəl/

(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively

From this reading And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.

prisonnounUS /ˈprɪzən/

a correctional institution where persons are confined while on trial or for punishment

From this reading And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.

quartersnounUS /ˈkwɔːrtərz/

housing available for people to live in

From this reading And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.

rightadverbUS /raɪt/

precisely, exactly

From this reading "Let the bairn go first," he said; "it is his right, for he has saved him."

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading "Let the bairn go first," he said; "it is his right, for he has saved him."

savedadjectiveUS /seɪvd/

rescued; especially from the power and consequences of sin

From this reading "Let the bairn go first," he said; "it is his right, for he has saved him."

Scroope

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

From this reading And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.

seeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading Just as the door was being burst open, my lord caught sight of me as I squeezed along the passage, anxious to see all that could be seen.

seenverbUS /siːn/

inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading Just as the door was being burst open, my lord caught sight of me as I squeezed along the passage, anxious to see all that could be seen.

shouldersnounUS /ˈʃoʊldərz/

plural of “shoulder” — the part of the body between the neck and the upper arm

From this reading He laid his hand on the men's shoulders and held them back.

shutverbUS /ʃʌt/

move so that an opening or passage is obstructed; make shut

From this reading And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.

sidenounUS /saɪd/

a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location

From this reading Then I darted across the cell, and stood at my father's side.

sightnounUS /saɪt/

an instance of visual perception

From this reading Just as the door was being burst open, my lord caught sight of me as I squeezed along the passage, anxious to see all that could be seen.

squeezedverbUS /skwiːzd/

past form of “squeeze” — to compress with violence, out of natural shape or condition

From this reading Just as the door was being burst open, my lord caught sight of me as I squeezed along the passage, anxious to see all that could be seen.

stoodverbUS /stʊd/

Maintained an upright posture.

From this reading Then I darted across the cell, and stood at my father's side.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading He laid his hand on the men's shoulders and held them back.

themselvespronounUS /ðemˈselvz/

used when the people doing the action are also its object

From this reading And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.

ThenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading Then I darted across the cell, and stood at my father's side.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.

thoughtnounUS /θɔːt/

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

From this reading And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.

twonounUS /tuː/

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

From this reading And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.

untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.

uspronounUS /ʌs/

the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.

wallnounUS /wɔːl/

an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure

From this reading And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.

wholeadjectiveUS /hoʊl/

including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete

From this reading And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.

willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.

windowsnounUS /ˈwɪndoʊz/

(trademark) an operating system with a graphical user interface

From this reading And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.

workverbUS /wɜːrk/

exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity

From this reading And in good faith the people of the Castle, cowards that they were, and even my Lord Scroope himself, thought that they were beset by a whole army, and after one or two frightened peeps from out of windows, and behind doors, they shut themselves up as best they might in their own quarters, and left us to work our will, and beat down door after door until we came to the very innermost prison itself, where my father was chained hand and foot to the wall like any dog.

Chapter 2 of Tales From Scottish Ballads by Elizabeth W. (Elizabeth Wilson) Grierson holds 443 sentences, grouped into 89 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 Tales From Scottish Ballads contain?

Chapter 2 holds 443 sentences of Tales From Scottish Ballads, unabridged, divided into 89 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 2 of Tales From Scottish Ballads by Elizabeth W. (Elizabeth Wilson) Grierson exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 443 sentences, grouped into 89 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 Tales From Scottish Ballads?

Work through the 89 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 89 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 Tales From Scottish Ballads

Common questions about reading Tales From Scottish Ballads by Elizabeth W. (Elizabeth Wilson) Grierson on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Tales From Scottish Ballads?

Yes. All 2654 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #28424 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Tales From Scottish Ballads is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #28424, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Tales From Scottish Ballads take to read?

About 221 minutes of reading across 531 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Tales From Scottish Ballads section by section

How to work through Tales From Scottish Ballads section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 6 chapters of Tales From Scottish Ballads 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 Tales From Scottish Ballads

Words and structures a reader meets early in Tales From Scottish Ballads, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Cranford
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Tales From Scottish Ballads; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Elizabeth
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Tales From Scottish Ballads; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Gaskell
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Tales From Scottish Ballads; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Illustrations
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Tales From Scottish Ballads; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.