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The Absentee
The Absentee

Chapter XIV · Chapter 14

Chapter 14 of The Absentee is here in full — 296 sentences across 60 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/59 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Larry drove off at full gallop, and kept on at a good rate, till he got out of the great gate, and beyond the sight of the crowd; then, pulling up, he turned to Lord Colambre--'PLASE your honour, I did not know nor guess ye was my lord, when I let you have the horses; did not know who you was from Adam, I'll take my affidavit.'
'There's no occasion,' said Lord Colambre; 'I hope you don't repent letting me have the horses, now you do know who I am?'
'Oh! not at all, sure; I'm as glad as the best horse I ever crossed, that your honour is my lord--but I was only telling your honour, that you might not be looking upon me as a TIME-SERVER.'
'I do not look upon you as a TIME-SERVER, Larry; but keep on, that time may serve me.'
In two words, he explained his cause of haste; and no sooner explained than understood.
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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.

The Absentee

Chapter XIV · Chapter 14

Chapter 14 of The Absentee is here in full — 296 sentences across 60 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/59 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Larry drove off at full gallop, and kept on at a good rate, till he got out of the great gate, and beyond the sight of the crowd; then, pulling up, he turned to Lord Colambre--'PLASE your honour, I did not know nor guess ye was my lord, when I let you have the horses; did not know who you was from Adam, I'll take my affidavit.'
Line 2
'There's no occasion,' said Lord Colambre; 'I hope you don't repent letting me have the horses, now you do know who I am?'
Line 3
'Oh! not at all, sure; I'm as glad as the best horse I ever crossed, that your honour is my lord--but I was only telling your honour, that you might not be looking upon me as a TIME-SERVER.'
Line 4
'I do not look upon you as a TIME-SERVER, Larry; but keep on, that time may serve me.'
Line 5
In two words, he explained his cause of haste; and no sooner explained than understood.
/ɪn tuː wɜːrdz hiː ɪkˈspleɪnd hɪz kɑːz ʌv heɪst ənd noʊ ˈsuːnər ɪkˈspleɪnd ðæn ˌʌndərˈstʊd/

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.

Adam noun US /ˈædəm/

(Old Testament) in Judeo-Christian mythology; the first man and the husband of Eve and the progenitor of the human race

From this reading “Larry drove off at full gallop, and kept on at a good rate, till he got out of the great gate, and beyond the sight of the crowd; then, pulling up, he turned to Lord Colambre--'PLASE your honour, I did not know nor guess ye was my lord, when I let you have the horses; did not know who you was from Adam, I'll take my affidavit.'”

affidavit noun US /ˌæfəˈdeɪvət/

written declaration made under oath; a written statement sworn to be true before someone legally authorized to administer an oath

From this reading “Larry drove off at full gallop, and kept on at a good rate, till he got out of the great gate, and beyond the sight of the crowd; then, pulling up, he turned to Lord Colambre--'PLASE your honour, I did not know nor guess ye was my lord, when I let you have the horses; did not know who you was from Adam, I'll take my affidavit.'”

gallop verb US /ˈɡæləp/

ride at a galloping pace

From this reading “Larry drove off at full gallop, and kept on at a good rate, till he got out of the great gate, and beyond the sight of the crowd; then, pulling up, he turned to Lord Colambre--'PLASE your honour, I did not know nor guess ye was my lord, when I let you have the horses; did not know who you was from Adam, I'll take my affidavit.'”

haste noun US /heɪst/

overly eager speed (and possible carelessness)

From this reading “In two words, he explained his cause of haste; and no sooner explained than understood.”

letting noun US /ˈletɪŋ/

property that is leased or rented out or let

From this reading “'There's no occasion,' said Lord Colambre; 'I hope you don't repent letting me have the horses, now you do know who I am?'”

pulling noun US /ˈpʊlɪŋ/

the act of pulling; applying force to move something toward or with you

From this reading “Larry drove off at full gallop, and kept on at a good rate, till he got out of the great gate, and beyond the sight of the crowd; then, pulling up, he turned to Lord Colambre--'PLASE your honour, I did not know nor guess ye was my lord, when I let you have the horses; did not know who you was from Adam, I'll take my affidavit.'”

repent verb US /rɪˈpent/

turn away from sin or do penitence

From this reading “'There's no occasion,' said Lord Colambre; 'I hope you don't repent letting me have the horses, now you do know who I am?'”

serve verb US /sɜːrv/

serve a purpose, role, or function

From this reading “'I do not look upon you as a TIME-SERVER, Larry; but keep on, that time may serve me.'”

All words in this reading · 100

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 Larry drove off at full gallop, and kept on at a good rate, till he got out of the great gate, and beyond the sight of the crowd; then, pulling up, he turned to Lord Colambre--'PLASE your honour, I did not know nor guess ye was my lord, when I let you have the horses; did not know who you was from Adam, I'll take my affidavit.'

AdamnounUS /ˈædəm/

(Old Testament) in Judeo-Christian mythology; the first man and the husband of Eve and the progenitor of the human race

From this reading Larry drove off at full gallop, and kept on at a good rate, till he got out of the great gate, and beyond the sight of the crowd; then, pulling up, he turned to Lord Colambre--'PLASE your honour, I did not know nor guess ye was my lord, when I let you have the horses; did not know who you was from Adam, I'll take my affidavit.'

affidavitnounUS /ˌæfəˈdeɪvət/

written declaration made under oath; a written statement sworn to be true before someone legally authorized to administer an oath

From this reading Larry drove off at full gallop, and kept on at a good rate, till he got out of the great gate, and beyond the sight of the crowd; then, pulling up, he turned to Lord Colambre--'PLASE your honour, I did not know nor guess ye was my lord, when I let you have the horses; did not know who you was from Adam, I'll take my affidavit.'

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 'Oh! not at all, sure; I'm as glad as the best horse I ever crossed, that your honour is my lord--but I was only telling your honour, that you might not be looking upon me as a TIME-SERVER.'

amauxiliary verbUS /æm/

the form of “be” used with “I”

From this reading 'There's no occasion,' said Lord Colambre; 'I hope you don't repent letting me have the horses, now you do know who I am?'

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Larry drove off at full gallop, and kept on at a good rate, till he got out of the great gate, and beyond the sight of the crowd; then, pulling up, he turned to Lord Colambre--'PLASE your honour, I did not know nor guess ye was my lord, when I let you have the horses; did not know who you was from Adam, I'll take my affidavit.'

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading 'Oh! not at all, sure; I'm as glad as the best horse I ever crossed, that your honour is my lord--but I was only telling your honour, that you might not be looking upon me as a TIME-SERVER.'

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Larry drove off at full gallop, and kept on at a good rate, till he got out of the great gate, and beyond the sight of the crowd; then, pulling up, he turned to Lord Colambre--'PLASE your honour, I did not know nor guess ye was my lord, when I let you have the horses; did not know who you was from Adam, I'll take my affidavit.'

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading 'Oh! not at all, sure; I'm as glad as the best horse I ever crossed, that your honour is my lord--but I was only telling your honour, that you might not be looking upon me as a TIME-SERVER.'

bestnounUS /best/

the supreme effort one can make

From this reading 'Oh! not at all, sure; I'm as glad as the best horse I ever crossed, that your honour is my lord--but I was only telling your honour, that you might not be looking upon me as a TIME-SERVER.'

beyondprepositionUS /bɪˈɑːnd/

on the far side of; further than

From this reading Larry drove off at full gallop, and kept on at a good rate, till he got out of the great gate, and beyond the sight of the crowd; then, pulling up, he turned to Lord Colambre--'PLASE your honour, I did not know nor guess ye was my lord, when I let you have the horses; did not know who you was from Adam, I'll take my affidavit.'

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading 'Oh! not at all, sure; I'm as glad as the best horse I ever crossed, that your honour is my lord--but I was only telling your honour, that you might not be looking upon me as a TIME-SERVER.'

causenounUS /kɑːz/

events that provide the generative force that is the origin of something

From this reading In two words, he explained his cause of haste; and no sooner explained than understood.

Colambre

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

From this reading Larry drove off at full gallop, and kept on at a good rate, till he got out of the great gate, and beyond the sight of the crowd; then, pulling up, he turned to Lord Colambre--'PLASE your honour, I did not know nor guess ye was my lord, when I let you have the horses; did not know who you was from Adam, I'll take my affidavit.'

crossedadjectiveUS /krɔːst/

placed crosswise

From this reading 'Oh! not at all, sure; I'm as glad as the best horse I ever crossed, that your honour is my lord--but I was only telling your honour, that you might not be looking upon me as a TIME-SERVER.'

crowdverbUS /kraʊd/

cause to herd, drive, or crowd together

From this reading Larry drove off at full gallop, and kept on at a good rate, till he got out of the great gate, and beyond the sight of the crowd; then, pulling up, he turned to Lord Colambre--'PLASE your honour, I did not know nor guess ye was my lord, when I let you have the horses; did not know who you was from Adam, I'll take my affidavit.'

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

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

From this reading Larry drove off at full gallop, and kept on at a good rate, till he got out of the great gate, and beyond the sight of the crowd; then, pulling up, he turned to Lord Colambre--'PLASE your honour, I did not know nor guess ye was my lord, when I let you have the horses; did not know who you was from Adam, I'll take my affidavit.'

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading 'There's no occasion,' said Lord Colambre; 'I hope you don't repent letting me have the horses, now you do know who I am?'

don't

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

From this reading 'There's no occasion,' said Lord Colambre; 'I hope you don't repent letting me have the horses, now you do know who I am?'

drovenounUS /droʊv/

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

From this reading Larry drove off at full gallop, and kept on at a good rate, till he got out of the great gate, and beyond the sight of the crowd; then, pulling up, he turned to Lord Colambre--'PLASE your honour, I did not know nor guess ye was my lord, when I let you have the horses; did not know who you was from Adam, I'll take my affidavit.'

everadverbUS /ˈevər/

at any time

From this reading 'Oh! not at all, sure; I'm as glad as the best horse I ever crossed, that your honour is my lord--but I was only telling your honour, that you might not be looking upon me as a TIME-SERVER.'

explainedverbUS /ɪkˈspleɪnd/

past form of “explain” — make plain and comprehensible

From this reading In two words, he explained his cause of haste; and no sooner explained than understood.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Larry drove off at full gallop, and kept on at a good rate, till he got out of the great gate, and beyond the sight of the crowd; then, pulling up, he turned to Lord Colambre--'PLASE your honour, I did not know nor guess ye was my lord, when I let you have the horses; did not know who you was from Adam, I'll take my affidavit.'

fulladjectiveUS /fʊl/

containing as much or as many as is possible or normal

From this reading Larry drove off at full gallop, and kept on at a good rate, till he got out of the great gate, and beyond the sight of the crowd; then, pulling up, he turned to Lord Colambre--'PLASE your honour, I did not know nor guess ye was my lord, when I let you have the horses; did not know who you was from Adam, I'll take my affidavit.'

gallopverbUS /ˈɡæləp/

ride at a galloping pace

From this reading Larry drove off at full gallop, and kept on at a good rate, till he got out of the great gate, and beyond the sight of the crowd; then, pulling up, he turned to Lord Colambre--'PLASE your honour, I did not know nor guess ye was my lord, when I let you have the horses; did not know who you was from Adam, I'll take my affidavit.'

gatenounUS /ɡeɪt/

a movable barrier in a fence or wall

From this reading Larry drove off at full gallop, and kept on at a good rate, till he got out of the great gate, and beyond the sight of the crowd; then, pulling up, he turned to Lord Colambre--'PLASE your honour, I did not know nor guess ye was my lord, when I let you have the horses; did not know who you was from Adam, I'll take my affidavit.'

gladadjectiveUS /ɡlæd/

showing or causing joy and pleasure; especially made happy

From this reading 'Oh! not at all, sure; I'm as glad as the best horse I ever crossed, that your honour is my lord--but I was only telling your honour, that you might not be looking upon me as a TIME-SERVER.'

goodadjectiveUS /ɡʊd/

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

From this reading Larry drove off at full gallop, and kept on at a good rate, till he got out of the great gate, and beyond the sight of the crowd; then, pulling up, he turned to Lord Colambre--'PLASE your honour, I did not know nor guess ye was my lord, when I let you have the horses; did not know who you was from Adam, I'll take my affidavit.'

gotverbUS /ɡɑːt/

inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading Larry drove off at full gallop, and kept on at a good rate, till he got out of the great gate, and beyond the sight of the crowd; then, pulling up, he turned to Lord Colambre--'PLASE your honour, I did not know nor guess ye was my lord, when I let you have the horses; did not know who you was from Adam, I'll take my affidavit.'

greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

From this reading Larry drove off at full gallop, and kept on at a good rate, till he got out of the great gate, and beyond the sight of the crowd; then, pulling up, he turned to Lord Colambre--'PLASE your honour, I did not know nor guess ye was my lord, when I let you have the horses; did not know who you was from Adam, I'll take my affidavit.'

guessverbUS /ɡes/

expect, believe, or suppose

From this reading Larry drove off at full gallop, and kept on at a good rate, till he got out of the great gate, and beyond the sight of the crowd; then, pulling up, he turned to Lord Colambre--'PLASE your honour, I did not know nor guess ye was my lord, when I let you have the horses; did not know who you was from Adam, I'll take my affidavit.'

hastenounUS /heɪst/

overly eager speed (and possible carelessness)

From this reading In two words, he explained his cause of haste; and no sooner explained than understood.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading Larry drove off at full gallop, and kept on at a good rate, till he got out of the great gate, and beyond the sight of the crowd; then, pulling up, he turned to Lord Colambre--'PLASE your honour, I did not know nor guess ye was my lord, when I let you have the horses; did not know who you was from Adam, I'll take my affidavit.'

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading Larry drove off at full gallop, and kept on at a good rate, till he got out of the great gate, and beyond the sight of the crowd; then, pulling up, he turned to Lord Colambre--'PLASE your honour, I did not know nor guess ye was my lord, when I let you have the horses; did not know who you was from Adam, I'll take my affidavit.'

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading In two words, he explained his cause of haste; and no sooner explained than understood.

honournounUS /ˈɑːnər/

the state of being honored

From this reading Larry drove off at full gallop, and kept on at a good rate, till he got out of the great gate, and beyond the sight of the crowd; then, pulling up, he turned to Lord Colambre--'PLASE your honour, I did not know nor guess ye was my lord, when I let you have the horses; did not know who you was from Adam, I'll take my affidavit.'

hopenounUS /hoʊp/

a specific instance of feeling hopeful

From this reading 'There's no occasion,' said Lord Colambre; 'I hope you don't repent letting me have the horses, now you do know who I am?'

horsenounUS /hɔːrs/

solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times

From this reading 'Oh! not at all, sure; I'm as glad as the best horse I ever crossed, that your honour is my lord--but I was only telling your honour, that you might not be looking upon me as a TIME-SERVER.'

horsesnounUS /ˈhɔːrsəz/

plural of “horse” — solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times

From this reading Larry drove off at full gallop, and kept on at a good rate, till he got out of the great gate, and beyond the sight of the crowd; then, pulling up, he turned to Lord Colambre--'PLASE your honour, I did not know nor guess ye was my lord, when I let you have the horses; did not know who you was from Adam, I'll take my affidavit.'

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading Larry drove off at full gallop, and kept on at a good rate, till he got out of the great gate, and beyond the sight of the crowd; then, pulling up, he turned to Lord Colambre--'PLASE your honour, I did not know nor guess ye was my lord, when I let you have the horses; did not know who you was from Adam, I'll take my affidavit.'

I'll

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

From this reading Larry drove off at full gallop, and kept on at a good rate, till he got out of the great gate, and beyond the sight of the crowd; then, pulling up, he turned to Lord Colambre--'PLASE your honour, I did not know nor guess ye was my lord, when I let you have the horses; did not know who you was from Adam, I'll take my affidavit.'

I'm

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

From this reading 'Oh! not at all, sure; I'm as glad as the best horse I ever crossed, that your honour is my lord--but I was only telling your honour, that you might not be looking upon me as a TIME-SERVER.'

InprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading In two words, he explained his cause of haste; and no sooner explained than understood.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading 'Oh! not at all, sure; I'm as glad as the best horse I ever crossed, that your honour is my lord--but I was only telling your honour, that you might not be looking upon me as a TIME-SERVER.'

keepverbUS /kiːp/

cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”

From this reading 'I do not look upon you as a TIME-SERVER, Larry; but keep on, that time may serve me.'

keptadjectiveUS /kept/

(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded

From this reading Larry drove off at full gallop, and kept on at a good rate, till he got out of the great gate, and beyond the sight of the crowd; then, pulling up, he turned to Lord Colambre--'PLASE your honour, I did not know nor guess ye was my lord, when I let you have the horses; did not know who you was from Adam, I'll take my affidavit.'

knowverbUS /noʊ/

be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading Larry drove off at full gallop, and kept on at a good rate, till he got out of the great gate, and beyond the sight of the crowd; then, pulling up, he turned to Lord Colambre--'PLASE your honour, I did not know nor guess ye was my lord, when I let you have the horses; did not know who you was from Adam, I'll take my affidavit.'

Larry

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

From this reading Larry drove off at full gallop, and kept on at a good rate, till he got out of the great gate, and beyond the sight of the crowd; then, pulling up, he turned to Lord Colambre--'PLASE your honour, I did not know nor guess ye was my lord, when I let you have the horses; did not know who you was from Adam, I'll take my affidavit.'

letauxiliary verbUS /let/

used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker

From this reading Larry drove off at full gallop, and kept on at a good rate, till he got out of the great gate, and beyond the sight of the crowd; then, pulling up, he turned to Lord Colambre--'PLASE your honour, I did not know nor guess ye was my lord, when I let you have the horses; did not know who you was from Adam, I'll take my affidavit.'

lettingnounUS /ˈletɪŋ/

property that is leased or rented out or let

From this reading 'There's no occasion,' said Lord Colambre; 'I hope you don't repent letting me have the horses, now you do know who I am?'

lookverbUS /lʊk/

perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading 'I do not look upon you as a TIME-SERVER, Larry; but keep on, that time may serve me.'

lookingnounUS /ˈlʊkɪŋ/

the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually

From this reading 'Oh! not at all, sure; I'm as glad as the best horse I ever crossed, that your honour is my lord--but I was only telling your honour, that you might not be looking upon me as a TIME-SERVER.'

LordnounUS /lɔːrd/

terms referring to the Judeo-Christian God

From this reading Larry drove off at full gallop, and kept on at a good rate, till he got out of the great gate, and beyond the sight of the crowd; then, pulling up, he turned to Lord Colambre--'PLASE your honour, I did not know nor guess ye was my lord, when I let you have the horses; did not know who you was from Adam, I'll take my affidavit.'

maymodal verbUS /meɪ/

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading 'I do not look upon you as a TIME-SERVER, Larry; but keep on, that time may serve me.'

mepronounUS /miː/

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

From this reading 'There's no occasion,' said Lord Colambre; 'I hope you don't repent letting me have the horses, now you do know who I am?'

mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading 'Oh! not at all, sure; I'm as glad as the best horse I ever crossed, that your honour is my lord--but I was only telling your honour, that you might not be looking upon me as a TIME-SERVER.'

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading Larry drove off at full gallop, and kept on at a good rate, till he got out of the great gate, and beyond the sight of the crowd; then, pulling up, he turned to Lord Colambre--'PLASE your honour, I did not know nor guess ye was my lord, when I let you have the horses; did not know who you was from Adam, I'll take my affidavit.'

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading 'There's no occasion,' said Lord Colambre; 'I hope you don't repent letting me have the horses, now you do know who I am?'

norconjunctionUS /nɔːr/

and not; used after a negative to add a second negative

From this reading Larry drove off at full gallop, and kept on at a good rate, till he got out of the great gate, and beyond the sight of the crowd; then, pulling up, he turned to Lord Colambre--'PLASE your honour, I did not know nor guess ye was my lord, when I let you have the horses; did not know who you was from Adam, I'll take my affidavit.'

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Larry drove off at full gallop, and kept on at a good rate, till he got out of the great gate, and beyond the sight of the crowd; then, pulling up, he turned to Lord Colambre--'PLASE your honour, I did not know nor guess ye was my lord, when I let you have the horses; did not know who you was from Adam, I'll take my affidavit.'

nowadverbUS /naʊ/

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading 'There's no occasion,' said Lord Colambre; 'I hope you don't repent letting me have the horses, now you do know who I am?'

occasionnounUS /əˈkeɪʒən/

an event that occurs at a critical time

From this reading 'There's no occasion,' said Lord Colambre; 'I hope you don't repent letting me have the horses, now you do know who I am?'

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Larry drove off at full gallop, and kept on at a good rate, till he got out of the great gate, and beyond the sight of the crowd; then, pulling up, he turned to Lord Colambre--'PLASE your honour, I did not know nor guess ye was my lord, when I let you have the horses; did not know who you was from Adam, I'll take my affidavit.'

offadverbUS /ɔːf/

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading Larry drove off at full gallop, and kept on at a good rate, till he got out of the great gate, and beyond the sight of the crowd; then, pulling up, he turned to Lord Colambre--'PLASE your honour, I did not know nor guess ye was my lord, when I let you have the horses; did not know who you was from Adam, I'll take my affidavit.'

OhnounUS /oʊ/

a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region

From this reading 'Oh! not at all, sure; I'm as glad as the best horse I ever crossed, that your honour is my lord--but I was only telling your honour, that you might not be looking upon me as a TIME-SERVER.'

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Larry drove off at full gallop, and kept on at a good rate, till he got out of the great gate, and beyond the sight of the crowd; then, pulling up, he turned to Lord Colambre--'PLASE your honour, I did not know nor guess ye was my lord, when I let you have the horses; did not know who you was from Adam, I'll take my affidavit.'

onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading 'Oh! not at all, sure; I'm as glad as the best horse I ever crossed, that your honour is my lord--but I was only telling your honour, that you might not be looking upon me as a TIME-SERVER.'

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading Larry drove off at full gallop, and kept on at a good rate, till he got out of the great gate, and beyond the sight of the crowd; then, pulling up, he turned to Lord Colambre--'PLASE your honour, I did not know nor guess ye was my lord, when I let you have the horses; did not know who you was from Adam, I'll take my affidavit.'

PLASE

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

From this reading Larry drove off at full gallop, and kept on at a good rate, till he got out of the great gate, and beyond the sight of the crowd; then, pulling up, he turned to Lord Colambre--'PLASE your honour, I did not know nor guess ye was my lord, when I let you have the horses; did not know who you was from Adam, I'll take my affidavit.'

pullingnounUS /ˈpʊlɪŋ/

the act of pulling; applying force to move something toward or with you

From this reading Larry drove off at full gallop, and kept on at a good rate, till he got out of the great gate, and beyond the sight of the crowd; then, pulling up, he turned to Lord Colambre--'PLASE your honour, I did not know nor guess ye was my lord, when I let you have the horses; did not know who you was from Adam, I'll take my affidavit.'

ratenounUS /reɪt/

a magnitude or frequency relative to a time unit

From this reading Larry drove off at full gallop, and kept on at a good rate, till he got out of the great gate, and beyond the sight of the crowd; then, pulling up, he turned to Lord Colambre--'PLASE your honour, I did not know nor guess ye was my lord, when I let you have the horses; did not know who you was from Adam, I'll take my affidavit.'

repentverbUS /rɪˈpent/

turn away from sin or do penitence

From this reading 'There's no occasion,' said Lord Colambre; 'I hope you don't repent letting me have the horses, now you do know who I am?'

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading 'There's no occasion,' said Lord Colambre; 'I hope you don't repent letting me have the horses, now you do know who I am?'

serveverbUS /sɜːrv/

serve a purpose, role, or function

From this reading 'I do not look upon you as a TIME-SERVER, Larry; but keep on, that time may serve me.'

sightnounUS /saɪt/

an instance of visual perception

From this reading Larry drove off at full gallop, and kept on at a good rate, till he got out of the great gate, and beyond the sight of the crowd; then, pulling up, he turned to Lord Colambre--'PLASE your honour, I did not know nor guess ye was my lord, when I let you have the horses; did not know who you was from Adam, I'll take my affidavit.'

sooneradverbUS /ˈsuːnər/

comparatives of “soon” or “early”

From this reading In two words, he explained his cause of haste; and no sooner explained than understood.

sureadjectiveUS /ʃʊr/

having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured

From this reading 'Oh! not at all, sure; I'm as glad as the best horse I ever crossed, that your honour is my lord--but I was only telling your honour, that you might not be looking upon me as a TIME-SERVER.'

takeverbUS /teɪk/

carry out

From this reading Larry drove off at full gallop, and kept on at a good rate, till he got out of the great gate, and beyond the sight of the crowd; then, pulling up, he turned to Lord Colambre--'PLASE your honour, I did not know nor guess ye was my lord, when I let you have the horses; did not know who you was from Adam, I'll take my affidavit.'

tellingadjectiveUS /ˈtelɪŋ/

disclosing unintentionally something concealed

From this reading 'Oh! not at all, sure; I'm as glad as the best horse I ever crossed, that your honour is my lord--but I was only telling your honour, that you might not be looking upon me as a TIME-SERVER.'

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading In two words, he explained his cause of haste; and no sooner explained than understood.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading 'Oh! not at all, sure; I'm as glad as the best horse I ever crossed, that your honour is my lord--but I was only telling your honour, that you might not be looking upon me as a TIME-SERVER.'

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Larry drove off at full gallop, and kept on at a good rate, till he got out of the great gate, and beyond the sight of the crowd; then, pulling up, he turned to Lord Colambre--'PLASE your honour, I did not know nor guess ye was my lord, when I let you have the horses; did not know who you was from Adam, I'll take my affidavit.'

thenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading Larry drove off at full gallop, and kept on at a good rate, till he got out of the great gate, and beyond the sight of the crowd; then, pulling up, he turned to Lord Colambre--'PLASE your honour, I did not know nor guess ye was my lord, when I let you have the horses; did not know who you was from Adam, I'll take my affidavit.'

There's

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

From this reading 'There's no occasion,' said Lord Colambre; 'I hope you don't repent letting me have the horses, now you do know who I am?'

tillprepositionUS /tɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading Larry drove off at full gallop, and kept on at a good rate, till he got out of the great gate, and beyond the sight of the crowd; then, pulling up, he turned to Lord Colambre--'PLASE your honour, I did not know nor guess ye was my lord, when I let you have the horses; did not know who you was from Adam, I'll take my affidavit.'

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading 'I do not look upon you as a TIME-SERVER, Larry; but keep on, that time may serve me.'

TIME-SERVER

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

From this reading 'Oh! not at all, sure; I'm as glad as the best horse I ever crossed, that your honour is my lord--but I was only telling your honour, that you might not be looking upon me as a TIME-SERVER.'

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Larry drove off at full gallop, and kept on at a good rate, till he got out of the great gate, and beyond the sight of the crowd; then, pulling up, he turned to Lord Colambre--'PLASE your honour, I did not know nor guess ye was my lord, when I let you have the horses; did not know who you was from Adam, I'll take my affidavit.'

turnedadjectiveUS /tɜːrnd/

moved around an axis or center

From this reading Larry drove off at full gallop, and kept on at a good rate, till he got out of the great gate, and beyond the sight of the crowd; then, pulling up, he turned to Lord Colambre--'PLASE your honour, I did not know nor guess ye was my lord, when I let you have the horses; did not know who you was from Adam, I'll take my affidavit.'

twonounUS /tuː/

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

From this reading In two words, he explained his cause of haste; and no sooner explained than understood.

understoodadjectiveUS /ˌʌndərˈstʊd/

fully apprehended as to purport or meaning or explanation

From this reading In two words, he explained his cause of haste; and no sooner explained than understood.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

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

From this reading Larry drove off at full gallop, and kept on at a good rate, till he got out of the great gate, and beyond the sight of the crowd; then, pulling up, he turned to Lord Colambre--'PLASE your honour, I did not know nor guess ye was my lord, when I let you have the horses; did not know who you was from Adam, I'll take my affidavit.'

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading 'Oh! not at all, sure; I'm as glad as the best horse I ever crossed, that your honour is my lord--but I was only telling your honour, that you might not be looking upon me as a TIME-SERVER.'

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Larry drove off at full gallop, and kept on at a good rate, till he got out of the great gate, and beyond the sight of the crowd; then, pulling up, he turned to Lord Colambre--'PLASE your honour, I did not know nor guess ye was my lord, when I let you have the horses; did not know who you was from Adam, I'll take my affidavit.'

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading Larry drove off at full gallop, and kept on at a good rate, till he got out of the great gate, and beyond the sight of the crowd; then, pulling up, he turned to Lord Colambre--'PLASE your honour, I did not know nor guess ye was my lord, when I let you have the horses; did not know who you was from Adam, I'll take my affidavit.'

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading Larry drove off at full gallop, and kept on at a good rate, till he got out of the great gate, and beyond the sight of the crowd; then, pulling up, he turned to Lord Colambre--'PLASE your honour, I did not know nor guess ye was my lord, when I let you have the horses; did not know who you was from Adam, I'll take my affidavit.'

wordsnounUS /wɜːrdz/

the words that are spoken

From this reading In two words, he explained his cause of haste; and no sooner explained than understood.

yepronounUS /jiː/

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

From this reading Larry drove off at full gallop, and kept on at a good rate, till he got out of the great gate, and beyond the sight of the crowd; then, pulling up, he turned to Lord Colambre--'PLASE your honour, I did not know nor guess ye was my lord, when I let you have the horses; did not know who you was from Adam, I'll take my affidavit.'

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading Larry drove off at full gallop, and kept on at a good rate, till he got out of the great gate, and beyond the sight of the crowd; then, pulling up, he turned to Lord Colambre--'PLASE your honour, I did not know nor guess ye was my lord, when I let you have the horses; did not know who you was from Adam, I'll take my affidavit.'

yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading Larry drove off at full gallop, and kept on at a good rate, till he got out of the great gate, and beyond the sight of the crowd; then, pulling up, he turned to Lord Colambre--'PLASE your honour, I did not know nor guess ye was my lord, when I let you have the horses; did not know who you was from Adam, I'll take my affidavit.'

Chapter 14 of The Absentee by Maria Edgeworth holds 296 sentences, grouped into 60 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, 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 The Absentee contain?

Chapter 14 holds 296 sentences of The Absentee, unabridged, divided into 60 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 14 of The Absentee by Maria Edgeworth exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 296 sentences, grouped into 60 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 The Absentee?

Work through the 60 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 60 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 The Absentee

Common questions about reading The Absentee by Maria Edgeworth on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Absentee?

Yes. All 4013 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #1473 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Absentee is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #1473, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Absentee take to read?

About 334 minutes of reading across 803 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

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  1. Open a chapter

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  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 The Absentee

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Absentee, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

August
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Absentee; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Wrote
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Absentee; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Little
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Absentee; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Landlords
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Absentee; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.