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'That Very Mab'
'That Very Mab'

Chapter IX · Chapter 9

Chapter 9 of 'That Very Mab' is here in full — 232 sentences across 47 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for 'That Very Mab'
Context Illustration Reading 1/46 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
IN WHICH THE NIHILIST, THE DEMOCRAT, AND THE PROFESSOR OFFER A SUGGESTION TO THE BISHOP.
'Were it not better not to be!'
Tennyson: The Two Voices.
'Si tu veux', je te tuerais ici tout franc, en sorte que tu rien sentiras rien, et m'en croy, car j'en ay bien tué d'autres qui s'en sont bien trouvez' Pantagruel, ii. xiv.
'Look there!' said the Owl one day.
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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.

'That Very Mab'

Chapter IX · Chapter 9

Chapter 9 of 'That Very Mab' is here in full — 232 sentences across 47 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/46 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
IN WHICH THE NIHILIST, THE DEMOCRAT, AND THE PROFESSOR OFFER A SUGGESTION TO THE BISHOP.
Line 2
'Were it not better not to be!'
/wɜːr ɪt nɑːt ˈbetər nɑːt tuː biː/
Line 3
Tennyson: The Two Voices.
/ˈtenɪsən ðə tuː ˈvɔɪsəz/
Line 4
'Si tu veux', je te tuerais ici tout franc, en sorte que tu rien sentiras rien, et m'en croy, car j'en ay bien tué d'autres qui s'en sont bien trouvez' Pantagruel, ii. xiv.
Line 5
'Look there!' said the Owl one day.
/lʊk ðer sed ðə aʊl wʌn deɪ/

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.

bishop noun US /ˈbɪʃəp/

a senior member of the Christian clergy having spiritual and administrative authority; appointed in Christian churches to oversee priests or ministers; considered in some churches to be successors of the twelve Apostles of Christ

From this reading “IN WHICH THE NIHILIST, THE DEMOCRAT, AND THE PROFESSOR OFFER A SUGGESTION TO THE BISHOP.”

democrat noun US /ˈdeməkræt/

a member of the Democratic Party

From this reading “IN WHICH THE NIHILIST, THE DEMOCRAT, AND THE PROFESSOR OFFER A SUGGESTION TO THE BISHOP.”

franc noun US /fræŋk/

the basic monetary unit in many countries; equal to 100 centimes

From this reading “'Si tu veux', je te tuerais ici tout franc, en sorte que tu rien sentiras rien, et m'en croy, car j'en ay bien tué d'autres qui s'en sont bien trouvez' Pantagruel, ii. xiv.”

Owl noun US /aʊl/

nocturnal bird of prey with hawk-like beak and claws and large head with front-facing eyes

From this reading “'Look there!' said the Owl one day.”

professor noun US /prəˈfesər/

someone who is a member of the faculty at a college or university

From this reading “IN WHICH THE NIHILIST, THE DEMOCRAT, AND THE PROFESSOR OFFER A SUGGESTION TO THE BISHOP.”

suggestion noun US /səˈdʒestʃən/

an idea that is suggested

From this reading “IN WHICH THE NIHILIST, THE DEMOCRAT, AND THE PROFESSOR OFFER A SUGGESTION TO THE BISHOP.”

Tennyson noun US /ˈtenɪsən/

Englishman and Victorian poet (1809-1892)

From this reading “Tennyson: The Two Voices.”

tout noun US /taʊt/

someone who buys tickets to an event in order to resell them at a profit

From this reading “'Si tu veux', je te tuerais ici tout franc, en sorte que tu rien sentiras rien, et m'en croy, car j'en ay bien tué d'autres qui s'en sont bien trouvez' Pantagruel, ii. xiv.”

All words in this reading · 56

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 IN WHICH THE NIHILIST, THE DEMOCRAT, AND THE PROFESSOR OFFER A SUGGESTION TO THE BISHOP.

ANDconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading IN WHICH THE NIHILIST, THE DEMOCRAT, AND THE PROFESSOR OFFER A SUGGESTION TO THE BISHOP.

ay

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

From this reading 'Si tu veux', je te tuerais ici tout franc, en sorte que tu rien sentiras rien, et m'en croy, car j'en ay bien tué d'autres qui s'en sont bien trouvez' Pantagruel, ii. xiv.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading 'Were it not better not to be!'

betteradjectiveUS /ˈbetər/

(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another

From this reading 'Were it not better not to be!'

bien

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

From this reading 'Si tu veux', je te tuerais ici tout franc, en sorte que tu rien sentiras rien, et m'en croy, car j'en ay bien tué d'autres qui s'en sont bien trouvez' Pantagruel, ii. xiv.

BISHOPnounUS /ˈbɪʃəp/

a senior member of the Christian clergy having spiritual and administrative authority; appointed in Christian churches to oversee priests or ministers; considered in some churches to be successors of the twelve Apostles of Christ

From this reading IN WHICH THE NIHILIST, THE DEMOCRAT, AND THE PROFESSOR OFFER A SUGGESTION TO THE BISHOP.

carnounUS /kɑːr/

a motor vehicle with four wheels; usually propelled by an internal combustion engine

From this reading 'Si tu veux', je te tuerais ici tout franc, en sorte que tu rien sentiras rien, et m'en croy, car j'en ay bien tué d'autres qui s'en sont bien trouvez' Pantagruel, ii. xiv.

croy

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

From this reading 'Si tu veux', je te tuerais ici tout franc, en sorte que tu rien sentiras rien, et m'en croy, car j'en ay bien tué d'autres qui s'en sont bien trouvez' Pantagruel, ii. xiv.

d'autres

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

From this reading 'Si tu veux', je te tuerais ici tout franc, en sorte que tu rien sentiras rien, et m'en croy, car j'en ay bien tué d'autres qui s'en sont bien trouvez' Pantagruel, ii. xiv.

daynounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading 'Look there!' said the Owl one day.

DEMOCRATnounUS /ˈdeməkræt/

a member of the Democratic Party

From this reading IN WHICH THE NIHILIST, THE DEMOCRAT, AND THE PROFESSOR OFFER A SUGGESTION TO THE BISHOP.

ennounUS /en/

half the width of an em

From this reading 'Si tu veux', je te tuerais ici tout franc, en sorte que tu rien sentiras rien, et m'en croy, car j'en ay bien tué d'autres qui s'en sont bien trouvez' Pantagruel, ii. xiv.

et

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

From this reading 'Si tu veux', je te tuerais ici tout franc, en sorte que tu rien sentiras rien, et m'en croy, car j'en ay bien tué d'autres qui s'en sont bien trouvez' Pantagruel, ii. xiv.

francnounUS /fræŋk/

the basic monetary unit in many countries; equal to 100 centimes

From this reading 'Si tu veux', je te tuerais ici tout franc, en sorte que tu rien sentiras rien, et m'en croy, car j'en ay bien tué d'autres qui s'en sont bien trouvez' Pantagruel, ii. xiv.

ici

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

From this reading 'Si tu veux', je te tuerais ici tout franc, en sorte que tu rien sentiras rien, et m'en croy, car j'en ay bien tué d'autres qui s'en sont bien trouvez' Pantagruel, ii. xiv.

iinoun

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

From this reading 'Si tu veux', je te tuerais ici tout franc, en sorte que tu rien sentiras rien, et m'en croy, car j'en ay bien tué d'autres qui s'en sont bien trouvez' Pantagruel, ii. xiv.

INprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading IN WHICH THE NIHILIST, THE DEMOCRAT, AND THE PROFESSOR OFFER A SUGGESTION TO THE BISHOP.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading 'Were it not better not to be!'

j'en

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

From this reading 'Si tu veux', je te tuerais ici tout franc, en sorte que tu rien sentiras rien, et m'en croy, car j'en ay bien tué d'autres qui s'en sont bien trouvez' Pantagruel, ii. xiv.

je

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

From this reading 'Si tu veux', je te tuerais ici tout franc, en sorte que tu rien sentiras rien, et m'en croy, car j'en ay bien tué d'autres qui s'en sont bien trouvez' Pantagruel, ii. xiv.

LookverbUS /lʊk/

perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading 'Look there!' said the Owl one day.

m'en

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

From this reading 'Si tu veux', je te tuerais ici tout franc, en sorte que tu rien sentiras rien, et m'en croy, car j'en ay bien tué d'autres qui s'en sont bien trouvez' Pantagruel, ii. xiv.

NIHILISTnoun

someone who rejects all theories of morality or religious belief

From this reading IN WHICH THE NIHILIST, THE DEMOCRAT, AND THE PROFESSOR OFFER A SUGGESTION TO THE BISHOP.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading 'Were it not better not to be!'

OFFERverbUS /ˈɔːfər/

make available or accessible, provide or furnish

From this reading IN WHICH THE NIHILIST, THE DEMOCRAT, AND THE PROFESSOR OFFER A SUGGESTION TO THE BISHOP.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading 'Look there!' said the Owl one day.

OwlnounUS /aʊl/

nocturnal bird of prey with hawk-like beak and claws and large head with front-facing eyes

From this reading 'Look there!' said the Owl one day.

Pantagruel

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

From this reading 'Si tu veux', je te tuerais ici tout franc, en sorte que tu rien sentiras rien, et m'en croy, car j'en ay bien tué d'autres qui s'en sont bien trouvez' Pantagruel, ii. xiv.

PROFESSORnounUS /prəˈfesər/

someone who is a member of the faculty at a college or university

From this reading IN WHICH THE NIHILIST, THE DEMOCRAT, AND THE PROFESSOR OFFER A SUGGESTION TO THE BISHOP.

que

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

From this reading 'Si tu veux', je te tuerais ici tout franc, en sorte que tu rien sentiras rien, et m'en croy, car j'en ay bien tué d'autres qui s'en sont bien trouvez' Pantagruel, ii. xiv.

qui

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

From this reading 'Si tu veux', je te tuerais ici tout franc, en sorte que tu rien sentiras rien, et m'en croy, car j'en ay bien tué d'autres qui s'en sont bien trouvez' Pantagruel, ii. xiv.

rien

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

From this reading 'Si tu veux', je te tuerais ici tout franc, en sorte que tu rien sentiras rien, et m'en croy, car j'en ay bien tué d'autres qui s'en sont bien trouvez' Pantagruel, ii. xiv.

s'en

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

From this reading 'Si tu veux', je te tuerais ici tout franc, en sorte que tu rien sentiras rien, et m'en croy, car j'en ay bien tué d'autres qui s'en sont bien trouvez' Pantagruel, ii. xiv.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading 'Look there!' said the Owl one day.

sentiras

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

From this reading 'Si tu veux', je te tuerais ici tout franc, en sorte que tu rien sentiras rien, et m'en croy, car j'en ay bien tué d'autres qui s'en sont bien trouvez' Pantagruel, ii. xiv.

SinounUS /siː/

a tetravalent nonmetallic element; next to oxygen it is the most abundant element in the earth's crust; occurs in clay and feldspar and granite and quartz and sand; used as a semiconductor in transistors

From this reading 'Si tu veux', je te tuerais ici tout franc, en sorte que tu rien sentiras rien, et m'en croy, car j'en ay bien tué d'autres qui s'en sont bien trouvez' Pantagruel, ii. xiv.

sont

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

From this reading 'Si tu veux', je te tuerais ici tout franc, en sorte que tu rien sentiras rien, et m'en croy, car j'en ay bien tué d'autres qui s'en sont bien trouvez' Pantagruel, ii. xiv.

sorte

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

From this reading 'Si tu veux', je te tuerais ici tout franc, en sorte que tu rien sentiras rien, et m'en croy, car j'en ay bien tué d'autres qui s'en sont bien trouvez' Pantagruel, ii. xiv.

SUGGESTIONnounUS /səˈdʒestʃən/

an idea that is suggested

From this reading IN WHICH THE NIHILIST, THE DEMOCRAT, AND THE PROFESSOR OFFER A SUGGESTION TO THE BISHOP.

tenounUS /tiː/

a brittle silver-white metalloid element that is related to selenium and sulfur; it is used in alloys and as a semiconductor; occurs mainly as tellurides in ores of copper and nickel and silver and gold

From this reading 'Si tu veux', je te tuerais ici tout franc, en sorte que tu rien sentiras rien, et m'en croy, car j'en ay bien tué d'autres qui s'en sont bien trouvez' Pantagruel, ii. xiv.

TennysonnounUS /ˈtenɪsən/

Englishman and Victorian poet (1809-1892)

From this reading Tennyson: The Two Voices.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading IN WHICH THE NIHILIST, THE DEMOCRAT, AND THE PROFESSOR OFFER A SUGGESTION TO THE BISHOP.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading 'Look there!' said the Owl one day.

TOparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading IN WHICH THE NIHILIST, THE DEMOCRAT, AND THE PROFESSOR OFFER A SUGGESTION TO THE BISHOP.

toutnounUS /taʊt/

someone who buys tickets to an event in order to resell them at a profit

From this reading 'Si tu veux', je te tuerais ici tout franc, en sorte que tu rien sentiras rien, et m'en croy, car j'en ay bien tué d'autres qui s'en sont bien trouvez' Pantagruel, ii. xiv.

trouvez

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

From this reading 'Si tu veux', je te tuerais ici tout franc, en sorte que tu rien sentiras rien, et m'en croy, car j'en ay bien tué d'autres qui s'en sont bien trouvez' Pantagruel, ii. xiv.

tu

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

From this reading 'Si tu veux', je te tuerais ici tout franc, en sorte que tu rien sentiras rien, et m'en croy, car j'en ay bien tué d'autres qui s'en sont bien trouvez' Pantagruel, ii. xiv.

tuerais

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

From this reading 'Si tu veux', je te tuerais ici tout franc, en sorte que tu rien sentiras rien, et m'en croy, car j'en ay bien tué d'autres qui s'en sont bien trouvez' Pantagruel, ii. xiv.

tué

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

From this reading 'Si tu veux', je te tuerais ici tout franc, en sorte que tu rien sentiras rien, et m'en croy, car j'en ay bien tué d'autres qui s'en sont bien trouvez' Pantagruel, ii. xiv.

TwonounUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Tennyson: The Two Voices.

veux

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

From this reading 'Si tu veux', je te tuerais ici tout franc, en sorte que tu rien sentiras rien, et m'en croy, car j'en ay bien tué d'autres qui s'en sont bien trouvez' Pantagruel, ii. xiv.

VoicesnounUS /ˈvɔɪsəz/

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

From this reading Tennyson: The Two Voices.

Wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading 'Were it not better not to be!'

WHICHpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading IN WHICH THE NIHILIST, THE DEMOCRAT, AND THE PROFESSOR OFFER A SUGGESTION TO THE BISHOP.

xivnoun

the cardinal number that is the sum of thirteen and one

From this reading 'Si tu veux', je te tuerais ici tout franc, en sorte que tu rien sentiras rien, et m'en croy, car j'en ay bien tué d'autres qui s'en sont bien trouvez' Pantagruel, ii. xiv.

Chapter 9 of 'That Very Mab' by May Kendall holds 232 sentences, grouped into 47 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 9 of 'That Very Mab' contain?

Chapter 9 holds 232 sentences of 'That Very Mab', unabridged, divided into 47 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 9 of 'That Very Mab' by May Kendall exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 232 sentences, grouped into 47 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 9 of 'That Very Mab'?

Work through the 47 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 47 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 9 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 9 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 'That Very Mab'

Common questions about reading 'That Very Mab' by May Kendall on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of 'That Very Mab'?

Yes. All 1539 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #21337 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of 'That Very Mab' is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #21337, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does 'That Very Mab' take to read?

About 128 minutes of reading across 308 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read 'That Very Mab' section by section

How to work through 'That Very Mab' section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 12 chapters of 'That Very Mab' to begin.

  2. Read one section

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  3. Listen and tap

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Vocabulary met early in 'That Very Mab'

Words and structures a reader meets early in 'That Very Mab', each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Kendall
A word that appears in the opening chapter of 'That Very Mab'; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Andrew
A word that appears in the opening chapter of 'That Very Mab'; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Queen
A word that appears in the opening chapter of 'That Very Mab'; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Longmans
A word that appears in the opening chapter of 'That Very Mab'; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.