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Tales of the Toys, Told by Themselves
Tales of the Toys, Told by Themselves

Chapter XIV

Chapter 14 of Tales of the Toys, Told by Themselves is here in full — 113 sentences across 23 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Tales of the Toys, Told by Themselves
Context Illustration Reading 1/22 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE INTERRUPTION AND CONCLUSION.
Just at this moment the Humming Top was suddenly interrupted by a violent, loud noise which checked his humming pretty quickly, and startled all the rest of the toys so much, that they rolled and rattled back into their shelter, the toy cupboard, as speedily as they could.
"Vich of the painters is a coming to-morrow, Seusan, my child," said old Mrs. Jones, the charwoman, as she popped her head in at the door, and held up a tall dip in a tin candlestick to see if all was safe.
"Well, I thought I'd a shet up these here windows," said she, "but I s'pose I didn't, and the wind must have blowed the cupboard door open, and sent these here old playthings all over the room.
Come in, my dear, and just help me to put them in again, will ye?"
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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.

Tales of the Toys, Told by Themselves

Chapter XIV

Chapter 14 of Tales of the Toys, Told by Themselves is here in full — 113 sentences across 23 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/22 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE INTERRUPTION AND CONCLUSION.
/ðə ˌɪntərˈʌpʃən ənd kənˈkluːʒən/
Line 2
Just at this moment the Humming Top was suddenly interrupted by a violent, loud noise which checked his humming pretty quickly, and startled all the rest of the toys so much, that they rolled and rattled back into their shelter, the toy cupboard, as speedily as they could.
/dʒʌst æt ðɪs ˈmoʊmənt ðə ˈhʌmɪŋ tɑːp wɑːz ˈsʌdənli ˌɪntərˈʌptɪd baɪ ə ˈvaɪələnt laʊd nɔɪz wɪtʃ tʃekt hɪz ˈhʌmɪŋ ˈprɪti ˈkwɪkli ənd ˈstɑːrtəld ɔːl ðə rest ʌv ðə tɔɪz soʊ mʌtʃ ðæt ðeɪ roʊld ənd ˈrætəld bæk ˈɪntuː ðer ˈʃeltər ðə tɔɪ ˈkʌbərd æz ˈspiːdəli æz ðeɪ kʊd/
Line 3
"Vich of the painters is a coming to-morrow, Seusan, my child," said old Mrs. Jones, the charwoman, as she popped her head in at the door, and held up a tall dip in a tin candlestick to see if all was safe.
Line 4
"Well, I thought I'd a shet up these here windows," said she, "but I s'pose I didn't, and the wind must have blowed the cupboard door open, and sent these here old playthings all over the room.
Line 5
Come in, my dear, and just help me to put them in again, will ye?"
/kʌm ɪn maɪ dɪr ənd dʒʌst help miː tuː pʊt ðem ɪn əˈɡen wɪl jiː/

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.

blowed verb US /bloʊd/

past form of “blow” — exhale hard

From this reading “"Well, I thought I'd a shet up these here windows," said she, "but I s'pose I didn't, and the wind must have blowed the cupboard door open, and sent these here old playthings all over the room.”

candlestick noun US /ˈkændəlstɪk/

a holder with sockets for candles

From this reading “"Vich of the painters is a coming to-morrow, Seusan, my child," said old Mrs. Jones, the charwoman, as she popped her head in at the door, and held up a tall dip in a tin candlestick to see if all was safe.”

charwoman noun US /ˈtʃɑːrwʊmən/

a human female employed to do housework

From this reading “"Vich of the painters is a coming to-morrow, Seusan, my child," said old Mrs. Jones, the charwoman, as she popped her head in at the door, and held up a tall dip in a tin candlestick to see if all was safe.”

dip verb US /dɪp/

immerse briefly into a liquid so as to wet, coat, or saturate

From this reading “"Vich of the painters is a coming to-morrow, Seusan, my child," said old Mrs. Jones, the charwoman, as she popped her head in at the door, and held up a tall dip in a tin candlestick to see if all was safe.”

humming noun US /ˈhʌmɪŋ/

a humming noise

From this reading “Just at this moment the Humming Top was suddenly interrupted by a violent, loud noise which checked his humming pretty quickly, and startled all the rest of the toys so much, that they rolled and rattled back into their shelter, the toy cupboard, as speedily as they could.”

painters noun US /ˈpeɪntərz/

plural of “painter” — an artist who paints

From this reading “"Vich of the painters is a coming to-morrow, Seusan, my child," said old Mrs. Jones, the charwoman, as she popped her head in at the door, and held up a tall dip in a tin candlestick to see if all was safe.”

playthings noun US /ˈpleɪθɪŋz/

plural of “plaything” — an artifact designed to be played with

From this reading “"Well, I thought I'd a shet up these here windows," said she, "but I s'pose I didn't, and the wind must have blowed the cupboard door open, and sent these here old playthings all over the room.”

popped verb US /pɑːpt/

inflected form of “pop” — bulge outward

From this reading “"Vich of the painters is a coming to-morrow, Seusan, my child," said old Mrs. Jones, the charwoman, as she popped her head in at the door, and held up a tall dip in a tin candlestick to see if all was safe.”

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.

loud noise adjective + noun

In this reading “Just at this moment the Humming Top was suddenly interrupted by a violent, loud noise which checked his humming pretty quickly, and startled all the rest of the toys so much, that they rolled and rattled back into their shelter, the toy cupboard, as speedily as they could.”

cupboard door noun + noun

In this reading “"Well, I thought I'd a shet up these here windows," said she, "but I s'pose I didn't, and the wind must have blowed the cupboard door open, and sent these here old playthings all over the room.”

suddenly interrupted adverb + adjective

In this reading “Just at this moment the Humming Top was suddenly interrupted by a violent, loud noise which checked his humming pretty quickly, and startled all the rest of the toys so much, that they rolled and rattled back into their shelter, the toy cupboard, as speedily as they could.”

at the door preposition + article + noun counted as “at … door”

In this reading “"Vich of the painters is a coming to-morrow, Seusan, my child," said old Mrs. Jones, the charwoman, as she popped her head in at the door, and held up a tall dip in a tin candlestick to see if all was safe.”

rest of verb + particle

In this reading “Just at this moment the Humming Top was suddenly interrupted by a violent, loud noise which checked his humming pretty quickly, and startled all the rest of the toys so much, that they rolled and rattled back into their shelter, the toy cupboard, as speedily as they could.”

All words in this reading · 101

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 Just at this moment the Humming Top was suddenly interrupted by a violent, loud noise which checked his humming pretty quickly, and startled all the rest of the toys so much, that they rolled and rattled back into their shelter, the toy cupboard, as speedily as they could.

againadverbUS /əˈɡen/

anew

From this reading Come in, my dear, and just help me to put them in again, will ye?"

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 at this moment the Humming Top was suddenly interrupted by a violent, loud noise which checked his humming pretty quickly, and startled all the rest of the toys so much, that they rolled and rattled back into their shelter, the toy cupboard, as speedily as they could.

ANDconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading THE INTERRUPTION AND CONCLUSION.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Just at this moment the Humming Top was suddenly interrupted by a violent, loud noise which checked his humming pretty quickly, and startled all the rest of the toys so much, that they rolled and rattled back into their shelter, the toy cupboard, as speedily as they could.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Just at this moment the Humming Top was suddenly interrupted by a violent, loud noise which checked his humming pretty quickly, and startled all the rest of the toys so much, that they rolled and rattled back into their shelter, the toy cupboard, as speedily as they could.

backadverbUS /bæk/

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading Just at this moment the Humming Top was suddenly interrupted by a violent, loud noise which checked his humming pretty quickly, and startled all the rest of the toys so much, that they rolled and rattled back into their shelter, the toy cupboard, as speedily as they could.

blowedverbUS /bloʊd/

past form of “blow” — exhale hard

From this reading "Well, I thought I'd a shet up these here windows," said she, "but I s'pose I didn't, and the wind must have blowed the cupboard door open, and sent these here old playthings all over the room.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading "Well, I thought I'd a shet up these here windows," said she, "but I s'pose I didn't, and the wind must have blowed the cupboard door open, and sent these here old playthings all over the room.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Just at this moment the Humming Top was suddenly interrupted by a violent, loud noise which checked his humming pretty quickly, and startled all the rest of the toys so much, that they rolled and rattled back into their shelter, the toy cupboard, as speedily as they could.

candlesticknounUS /ˈkændəlstɪk/

a holder with sockets for candles

From this reading "Vich of the painters is a coming to-morrow, Seusan, my child," said old Mrs. Jones, the charwoman, as she popped her head in at the door, and held up a tall dip in a tin candlestick to see if all was safe.

charwomannounUS /ˈtʃɑːrwʊmən/

a human female employed to do housework

From this reading "Vich of the painters is a coming to-morrow, Seusan, my child," said old Mrs. Jones, the charwoman, as she popped her head in at the door, and held up a tall dip in a tin candlestick to see if all was safe.

checkedadjectiveUS /tʃekt/

patterned with alternating squares of color

From this reading Just at this moment the Humming Top was suddenly interrupted by a violent, loud noise which checked his humming pretty quickly, and startled all the rest of the toys so much, that they rolled and rattled back into their shelter, the toy cupboard, as speedily as they could.

childnounUS /tʃaɪld/

a young person of either sex

From this reading "Vich of the painters is a coming to-morrow, Seusan, my child," said old Mrs. Jones, the charwoman, as she popped her head in at the door, and held up a tall dip in a tin candlestick to see if all was safe.

ComeverbUS /kʌm/

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

From this reading Come in, my dear, and just help me to put them in again, will ye?"

comingnounUS /ˈkʌmɪŋ/

the act of drawing spatially closer to something

From this reading "Vich of the painters is a coming to-morrow, Seusan, my child," said old Mrs. Jones, the charwoman, as she popped her head in at the door, and held up a tall dip in a tin candlestick to see if all was safe.

CONCLUSIONnounUS /kənˈkluːʒən/

a position or opinion or judgment reached after consideration

From this reading THE INTERRUPTION AND CONCLUSION.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

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

From this reading Just at this moment the Humming Top was suddenly interrupted by a violent, loud noise which checked his humming pretty quickly, and startled all the rest of the toys so much, that they rolled and rattled back into their shelter, the toy cupboard, as speedily as they could.

cupboardnounUS /ˈkʌbərd/

a small room (or recess) or cabinet used for storage space

From this reading Just at this moment the Humming Top was suddenly interrupted by a violent, loud noise which checked his humming pretty quickly, and startled all the rest of the toys so much, that they rolled and rattled back into their shelter, the toy cupboard, as speedily as they could.

dearadjectiveUS /dɪr/

dearly loved

From this reading Come in, my dear, and just help me to put them in again, will ye?"

didn't

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

From this reading "Well, I thought I'd a shet up these here windows," said she, "but I s'pose I didn't, and the wind must have blowed the cupboard door open, and sent these here old playthings all over the room.

dipverbUS /dɪp/

immerse briefly into a liquid so as to wet, coat, or saturate

From this reading "Vich of the painters is a coming to-morrow, Seusan, my child," said old Mrs. Jones, the charwoman, as she popped her head in at the door, and held up a tall dip in a tin candlestick to see if all was safe.

doornounUS /dɔːr/

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

From this reading "Vich of the painters is a coming to-morrow, Seusan, my child," said old Mrs. Jones, the charwoman, as she popped her head in at the door, and held up a tall dip in a tin candlestick to see if all was safe.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading "Well, I thought I'd a shet up these here windows," said she, "but I s'pose I didn't, and the wind must have blowed the cupboard door open, and sent these here old playthings all over the room.

headnounUS /hed/

the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains

From this reading "Vich of the painters is a coming to-morrow, Seusan, my child," said old Mrs. Jones, the charwoman, as she popped her head in at the door, and held up a tall dip in a tin candlestick to see if all was safe.

heldadjectiveUS /held/

occupied or in the control of; often used in combination

From this reading "Vich of the painters is a coming to-morrow, Seusan, my child," said old Mrs. Jones, the charwoman, as she popped her head in at the door, and held up a tall dip in a tin candlestick to see if all was safe.

helpverbUS /help/

give help or assistance; be of service

From this reading Come in, my dear, and just help me to put them in again, will ye?"

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading "Vich of the painters is a coming to-morrow, Seusan, my child," said old Mrs. Jones, the charwoman, as she popped her head in at the door, and held up a tall dip in a tin candlestick to see if all was safe.

hereadverbUS /hiːr/

in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is

From this reading "Well, I thought I'd a shet up these here windows," said she, "but I s'pose I didn't, and the wind must have blowed the cupboard door open, and sent these here old playthings all over the room.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Just at this moment the Humming Top was suddenly interrupted by a violent, loud noise which checked his humming pretty quickly, and startled all the rest of the toys so much, that they rolled and rattled back into their shelter, the toy cupboard, as speedily as they could.

HummingnounUS /ˈhʌmɪŋ/

a humming noise

From this reading Just at this moment the Humming Top was suddenly interrupted by a violent, loud noise which checked his humming pretty quickly, and startled all the rest of the toys so much, that they rolled and rattled back into their shelter, the toy cupboard, as speedily as they could.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading "Well, I thought I'd a shet up these here windows," said she, "but I s'pose I didn't, and the wind must have blowed the cupboard door open, and sent these here old playthings all over the room.

I'd

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

From this reading "Well, I thought I'd a shet up these here windows," said she, "but I s'pose I didn't, and the wind must have blowed the cupboard door open, and sent these here old playthings all over the room.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading "Vich of the painters is a coming to-morrow, Seusan, my child," said old Mrs. Jones, the charwoman, as she popped her head in at the door, and held up a tall dip in a tin candlestick to see if all was safe.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading "Vich of the painters is a coming to-morrow, Seusan, my child," said old Mrs. Jones, the charwoman, as she popped her head in at the door, and held up a tall dip in a tin candlestick to see if all was safe.

interruptedadjectiveUS /ˌɪntərˈʌptɪd/

discontinued temporarily

From this reading Just at this moment the Humming Top was suddenly interrupted by a violent, loud noise which checked his humming pretty quickly, and startled all the rest of the toys so much, that they rolled and rattled back into their shelter, the toy cupboard, as speedily as they could.

INTERRUPTIONnounUS /ˌɪntərˈʌpʃən/

an act of delaying or interrupting the continuity

From this reading THE INTERRUPTION AND CONCLUSION.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading Just at this moment the Humming Top was suddenly interrupted by a violent, loud noise which checked his humming pretty quickly, and startled all the rest of the toys so much, that they rolled and rattled back into their shelter, the toy cupboard, as speedily as they could.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading "Vich of the painters is a coming to-morrow, Seusan, my child," said old Mrs. Jones, the charwoman, as she popped her head in at the door, and held up a tall dip in a tin candlestick to see if all was safe.

JonesnounUS /dʒoʊnz/

United States labor leader (born in Ireland) who helped to found the Industrial Workers of the World (1830-1930)

From this reading "Vich of the painters is a coming to-morrow, Seusan, my child," said old Mrs. Jones, the charwoman, as she popped her head in at the door, and held up a tall dip in a tin candlestick to see if all was safe.

JustadverbUS /dʒʌst/

and nothing more

From this reading Just at this moment the Humming Top was suddenly interrupted by a violent, loud noise which checked his humming pretty quickly, and startled all the rest of the toys so much, that they rolled and rattled back into their shelter, the toy cupboard, as speedily as they could.

loudadjectiveUS /laʊd/

characterized by or producing sound of great volume or intensity

From this reading Just at this moment the Humming Top was suddenly interrupted by a violent, loud noise which checked his humming pretty quickly, and startled all the rest of the toys so much, that they rolled and rattled back into their shelter, the toy cupboard, as speedily as they could.

mepronounUS /miː/

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

From this reading Come in, my dear, and just help me to put them in again, will ye?"

momentnounUS /ˈmoʊmənt/

a particular point in time

From this reading Just at this moment the Humming Top was suddenly interrupted by a violent, loud noise which checked his humming pretty quickly, and startled all the rest of the toys so much, that they rolled and rattled back into their shelter, the toy cupboard, as speedily as they could.

MrsnounUS /ˈmɪsɪz/

a form of address for a married woman

From this reading "Vich of the painters is a coming to-morrow, Seusan, my child," said old Mrs. Jones, the charwoman, as she popped her head in at the door, and held up a tall dip in a tin candlestick to see if all was safe.

muchadverbUS /mʌtʃ/

to a great degree or extent

From this reading Just at this moment the Humming Top was suddenly interrupted by a violent, loud noise which checked his humming pretty quickly, and startled all the rest of the toys so much, that they rolled and rattled back into their shelter, the toy cupboard, as speedily as they could.

mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading "Well, I thought I'd a shet up these here windows," said she, "but I s'pose I didn't, and the wind must have blowed the cupboard door open, and sent these here old playthings all over the room.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading "Vich of the painters is a coming to-morrow, Seusan, my child," said old Mrs. Jones, the charwoman, as she popped her head in at the door, and held up a tall dip in a tin candlestick to see if all was safe.

noisenounUS /nɔɪz/

sound of any kind (especially unintelligible or dissonant sound)

From this reading Just at this moment the Humming Top was suddenly interrupted by a violent, loud noise which checked his humming pretty quickly, and startled all the rest of the toys so much, that they rolled and rattled back into their shelter, the toy cupboard, as speedily as they could.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Just at this moment the Humming Top was suddenly interrupted by a violent, loud noise which checked his humming pretty quickly, and startled all the rest of the toys so much, that they rolled and rattled back into their shelter, the toy cupboard, as speedily as they could.

oldadjectiveUS /oʊld/

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

From this reading "Vich of the painters is a coming to-morrow, Seusan, my child," said old Mrs. Jones, the charwoman, as she popped her head in at the door, and held up a tall dip in a tin candlestick to see if all was safe.

openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/

To move from a closed position.

From this reading "Well, I thought I'd a shet up these here windows," said she, "but I s'pose I didn't, and the wind must have blowed the cupboard door open, and sent these here old playthings all over the room.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading "Well, I thought I'd a shet up these here windows," said she, "but I s'pose I didn't, and the wind must have blowed the cupboard door open, and sent these here old playthings all over the room.

paintersnounUS /ˈpeɪntərz/

plural of “painter” — an artist who paints

From this reading "Vich of the painters is a coming to-morrow, Seusan, my child," said old Mrs. Jones, the charwoman, as she popped her head in at the door, and held up a tall dip in a tin candlestick to see if all was safe.

playthingsnounUS /ˈpleɪθɪŋz/

plural of “plaything” — an artifact designed to be played with

From this reading "Well, I thought I'd a shet up these here windows," said she, "but I s'pose I didn't, and the wind must have blowed the cupboard door open, and sent these here old playthings all over the room.

poppedverbUS /pɑːpt/

inflected form of “pop” — bulge outward

From this reading "Vich of the painters is a coming to-morrow, Seusan, my child," said old Mrs. Jones, the charwoman, as she popped her head in at the door, and held up a tall dip in a tin candlestick to see if all was safe.

prettyadjectiveUS /ˈprɪti/

pleasing by delicacy or grace; not imposing

From this reading Just at this moment the Humming Top was suddenly interrupted by a violent, loud noise which checked his humming pretty quickly, and startled all the rest of the toys so much, that they rolled and rattled back into their shelter, the toy cupboard, as speedily as they could.

putverbUS /pʊt/

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading Come in, my dear, and just help me to put them in again, will ye?"

quicklyadverbUS /ˈkwɪkli/

with speed

From this reading Just at this moment the Humming Top was suddenly interrupted by a violent, loud noise which checked his humming pretty quickly, and startled all the rest of the toys so much, that they rolled and rattled back into their shelter, the toy cupboard, as speedily as they could.

rattledadjectiveUS /ˈrætəld/

thrown into a state of agitated confusion; (“rattled” is an informal term)

From this reading Just at this moment the Humming Top was suddenly interrupted by a violent, loud noise which checked his humming pretty quickly, and startled all the rest of the toys so much, that they rolled and rattled back into their shelter, the toy cupboard, as speedily as they could.

restverbUS /rest/

not move; be in a resting position

From this reading Just at this moment the Humming Top was suddenly interrupted by a violent, loud noise which checked his humming pretty quickly, and startled all the rest of the toys so much, that they rolled and rattled back into their shelter, the toy cupboard, as speedily as they could.

rolledadjectiveUS /roʊld/

especially of petals or leaves in bud; having margins rolled inward

From this reading Just at this moment the Humming Top was suddenly interrupted by a violent, loud noise which checked his humming pretty quickly, and startled all the rest of the toys so much, that they rolled and rattled back into their shelter, the toy cupboard, as speedily as they could.

roomnounUS /ruːm/

an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling

From this reading "Well, I thought I'd a shet up these here windows," said she, "but I s'pose I didn't, and the wind must have blowed the cupboard door open, and sent these here old playthings all over the room.

s'pose

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

From this reading "Well, I thought I'd a shet up these here windows," said she, "but I s'pose I didn't, and the wind must have blowed the cupboard door open, and sent these here old playthings all over the room.

safeadjectiveUS /seɪf/

free from danger or the risk of harm

From this reading "Vich of the painters is a coming to-morrow, Seusan, my child," said old Mrs. Jones, the charwoman, as she popped her head in at the door, and held up a tall dip in a tin candlestick to see if all was safe.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading "Vich of the painters is a coming to-morrow, Seusan, my child," said old Mrs. Jones, the charwoman, as she popped her head in at the door, and held up a tall dip in a tin candlestick to see if all was safe.

seeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading "Vich of the painters is a coming to-morrow, Seusan, my child," said old Mrs. Jones, the charwoman, as she popped her head in at the door, and held up a tall dip in a tin candlestick to see if all was safe.

sentnounUS /sent/

100 senti equal 1 kroon in Estonia

From this reading "Well, I thought I'd a shet up these here windows," said she, "but I s'pose I didn't, and the wind must have blowed the cupboard door open, and sent these here old playthings all over the room.

Seusan

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

From this reading "Vich of the painters is a coming to-morrow, Seusan, my child," said old Mrs. Jones, the charwoman, as she popped her head in at the door, and held up a tall dip in a tin candlestick to see if all was safe.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading "Vich of the painters is a coming to-morrow, Seusan, my child," said old Mrs. Jones, the charwoman, as she popped her head in at the door, and held up a tall dip in a tin candlestick to see if all was safe.

shelternounUS /ˈʃeltər/

a structure that provides privacy and protection from danger

From this reading Just at this moment the Humming Top was suddenly interrupted by a violent, loud noise which checked his humming pretty quickly, and startled all the rest of the toys so much, that they rolled and rattled back into their shelter, the toy cupboard, as speedily as they could.

shet

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

From this reading "Well, I thought I'd a shet up these here windows," said she, "but I s'pose I didn't, and the wind must have blowed the cupboard door open, and sent these here old playthings all over the room.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading Just at this moment the Humming Top was suddenly interrupted by a violent, loud noise which checked his humming pretty quickly, and startled all the rest of the toys so much, that they rolled and rattled back into their shelter, the toy cupboard, as speedily as they could.

speedilyadverbUS /ˈspiːdəli/

with speed

From this reading Just at this moment the Humming Top was suddenly interrupted by a violent, loud noise which checked his humming pretty quickly, and startled all the rest of the toys so much, that they rolled and rattled back into their shelter, the toy cupboard, as speedily as they could.

startledadjectiveUS /ˈstɑːrtəld/

excited by sudden surprise or alarm and making a quick involuntary movement

From this reading Just at this moment the Humming Top was suddenly interrupted by a violent, loud noise which checked his humming pretty quickly, and startled all the rest of the toys so much, that they rolled and rattled back into their shelter, the toy cupboard, as speedily as they could.

suddenlyadverbUS /ˈsʌdənli/

happening unexpectedly

From this reading Just at this moment the Humming Top was suddenly interrupted by a violent, loud noise which checked his humming pretty quickly, and startled all the rest of the toys so much, that they rolled and rattled back into their shelter, the toy cupboard, as speedily as they could.

talladjectiveUS /tɔːl/

great in vertical dimension; high in stature

From this reading "Vich of the painters is a coming to-morrow, Seusan, my child," said old Mrs. Jones, the charwoman, as she popped her head in at the door, and held up a tall dip in a tin candlestick to see if all was safe.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Just at this moment the Humming Top was suddenly interrupted by a violent, loud noise which checked his humming pretty quickly, and startled all the rest of the toys so much, that they rolled and rattled back into their shelter, the toy cupboard, as speedily as they could.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE INTERRUPTION AND CONCLUSION.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading Just at this moment the Humming Top was suddenly interrupted by a violent, loud noise which checked his humming pretty quickly, and startled all the rest of the toys so much, that they rolled and rattled back into their shelter, the toy cupboard, as speedily as they could.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading Come in, my dear, and just help me to put them in again, will ye?"

thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

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

From this reading "Well, I thought I'd a shet up these here windows," said she, "but I s'pose I didn't, and the wind must have blowed the cupboard door open, and sent these here old playthings all over the room.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading Just at this moment the Humming Top was suddenly interrupted by a violent, loud noise which checked his humming pretty quickly, and startled all the rest of the toys so much, that they rolled and rattled back into their shelter, the toy cupboard, as speedily as they could.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading Just at this moment the Humming Top was suddenly interrupted by a violent, loud noise which checked his humming pretty quickly, and startled all the rest of the toys so much, that they rolled and rattled back into their shelter, the toy cupboard, as speedily as they could.

thoughtnounUS /θɔːt/

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

From this reading "Well, I thought I'd a shet up these here windows," said she, "but I s'pose I didn't, and the wind must have blowed the cupboard door open, and sent these here old playthings all over the room.

tinnounUS /tɪn/

a silvery malleable metallic element that resists corrosion; used in many alloys and to coat other metals to prevent corrosion; obtained chiefly from cassiterite where it occurs as tin oxide

From this reading "Vich of the painters is a coming to-morrow, Seusan, my child," said old Mrs. Jones, the charwoman, as she popped her head in at the door, and held up a tall dip in a tin candlestick to see if all was safe.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading "Vich of the painters is a coming to-morrow, Seusan, my child," said old Mrs. Jones, the charwoman, as she popped her head in at the door, and held up a tall dip in a tin candlestick to see if all was safe.

to-morrow

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

From this reading "Vich of the painters is a coming to-morrow, Seusan, my child," said old Mrs. Jones, the charwoman, as she popped her head in at the door, and held up a tall dip in a tin candlestick to see if all was safe.

TopnounUS /tɑːp/

the upper part of anything

From this reading Just at this moment the Humming Top was suddenly interrupted by a violent, loud noise which checked his humming pretty quickly, and startled all the rest of the toys so much, that they rolled and rattled back into their shelter, the toy cupboard, as speedily as they could.

toynounUS /tɔɪ/

an artifact designed to be played with

From this reading Just at this moment the Humming Top was suddenly interrupted by a violent, loud noise which checked his humming pretty quickly, and startled all the rest of the toys so much, that they rolled and rattled back into their shelter, the toy cupboard, as speedily as they could.

toysnounUS /tɔɪz/

plural of “toy” — an artifact designed to be played with

From this reading Just at this moment the Humming Top was suddenly interrupted by a violent, loud noise which checked his humming pretty quickly, and startled all the rest of the toys so much, that they rolled and rattled back into their shelter, the toy cupboard, as speedily as they could.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

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

From this reading "Vich of the painters is a coming to-morrow, Seusan, my child," said old Mrs. Jones, the charwoman, as she popped her head in at the door, and held up a tall dip in a tin candlestick to see if all was safe.

Vich

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

From this reading "Vich of the painters is a coming to-morrow, Seusan, my child," said old Mrs. Jones, the charwoman, as she popped her head in at the door, and held up a tall dip in a tin candlestick to see if all was safe.

violentadjectiveUS /ˈvaɪələnt/

acting with or marked by or resulting from great force or energy or emotional intensity

From this reading Just at this moment the Humming Top was suddenly interrupted by a violent, loud noise which checked his humming pretty quickly, and startled all the rest of the toys so much, that they rolled and rattled back into their shelter, the toy cupboard, as speedily as they could.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Just at this moment the Humming Top was suddenly interrupted by a violent, loud noise which checked his humming pretty quickly, and startled all the rest of the toys so much, that they rolled and rattled back into their shelter, the toy cupboard, as speedily as they could.

WelladverbUS /wel/

(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)

From this reading "Well, I thought I'd a shet up these here windows," said she, "but I s'pose I didn't, and the wind must have blowed the cupboard door open, and sent these here old playthings all over the room.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading Just at this moment the Humming Top was suddenly interrupted by a violent, loud noise which checked his humming pretty quickly, and startled all the rest of the toys so much, that they rolled and rattled back into their shelter, the toy cupboard, as speedily as they could.

willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading Come in, my dear, and just help me to put them in again, will ye?"

windnounUS /waɪnd/

air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure

From this reading "Well, I thought I'd a shet up these here windows," said she, "but I s'pose I didn't, and the wind must have blowed the cupboard door open, and sent these here old playthings all over the room.

windowsnounUS /ˈwɪndoʊz/

(trademark) an operating system with a graphical user interface

From this reading "Well, I thought I'd a shet up these here windows," said she, "but I s'pose I didn't, and the wind must have blowed the cupboard door open, and sent these here old playthings all over the room.

yepronounUS /jiː/

an old word for “you”, speaking to more than one person

From this reading Come in, my dear, and just help me to put them in again, will ye?"

Chapter 14 of Tales of the Toys, Told by Themselves by Frances Freeling Broderip holds 113 sentences, grouped into 23 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 14 of Tales of the Toys, Told by Themselves contain?

Chapter 14 holds 113 sentences of Tales of the Toys, Told by Themselves, unabridged, divided into 23 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 14 of Tales of the Toys, Told by Themselves by Frances Freeling Broderip exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 113 sentences, grouped into 23 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 14 of Tales of the Toys, Told by Themselves?

Work through the 23 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 23 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 14 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 14 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 of the Toys, Told by Themselves

Common questions about reading Tales of the Toys, Told by Themselves by Frances Freeling Broderip on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Tales of the Toys, Told by Themselves?

Yes. All 1508 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #33368 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Tales of the Toys, Told by Themselves is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #33368, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Tales of the Toys, Told by Themselves take to read?

About 125 minutes of reading across 302 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Tales of the Toys, Told by Themselves section by section

How to work through Tales of the Toys, Told by Themselves section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 14 chapters of Tales of the Toys, Told by Themselves 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 of the Toys, Told by Themselves

Words and structures a reader meets early in Tales of the Toys, Told by Themselves, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Themselves
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Tales of the Toys, Told by Themselves; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Frances
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Tales of the Toys, Told by Themselves; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Freeling
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Tales of the Toys, Told by Themselves; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Broderip
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Tales of the Toys, Told by Themselves; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.