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The Adventures of Harry Richmond — Complete
The Adventures of Harry Richmond — Complete

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of The Adventures of Harry Richmond — Complete is here in full — 149 sentences across 30 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Adventures of Harry Richmond — Complete
Context Illustration Reading 5/29 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
We were one Sunday for Shakespeare; another for Nelson or Pitt.
'Nelson, papa,' was my most frequent rejoinder, and he never dissented, but turned his steps toward Nelson's cathedral dome, and uncovered his head there, and said: 'Nelson, then, to-day'; and we went straight to his monument to perform the act of homage.
I chose Nelson in preference to the others because near bed-time in the evening my father told me stories of our hero of the day, and neither Pitt nor Shakespeare lost an eye, or an arm, or fought with a huge white bear on the ice to make himself interesting.
I named them occasionally out of compassion, and to please my father, who said that they ought to have a turn.
They were, he told me, in the habit of paying him a visit, whenever I had particularly neglected them, to learn the grounds for my disregard of their claims, and they urged him to intercede with me, and imparted many of their unpublished adventures, so that I should be tempted to give them a chance on the following Sunday.
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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 Adventures of Harry Richmond — Complete

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of The Adventures of Harry Richmond — Complete is here in full — 149 sentences across 30 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 5/29 · 5 reading units · Lines 21–25

Line 1
We were one Sunday for Shakespeare; another for Nelson or Pitt.
/wiː wɜːr wʌn ˈsʌndeɪ fɔːr ˈʃeɪkspiːr əˈnʌðər fɔːr ˈnelsən ɔːr pɪt/
Line 2
'Nelson, papa,' was my most frequent rejoinder, and he never dissented, but turned his steps toward Nelson's cathedral dome, and uncovered his head there, and said: 'Nelson, then, to-day'; and we went straight to his monument to perform the act of homage.
Line 3
I chose Nelson in preference to the others because near bed-time in the evening my father told me stories of our hero of the day, and neither Pitt nor Shakespeare lost an eye, or an arm, or fought with a huge white bear on the ice to make himself interesting.
Line 4
I named them occasionally out of compassion, and to please my father, who said that they ought to have a turn.
/aɪ neɪmd ðem əˈkeɪʒənəli aʊt ʌv kəmˈpæʃən ənd tuː pliːz maɪ ˈfɑːðər huː sed ðæt ðeɪ ɔːt tuː hæv ə tɜːrn/
Line 5
They were, he told me, in the habit of paying him a visit, whenever I had particularly neglected them, to learn the grounds for my disregard of their claims, and they urged him to intercede with me, and imparted many of their unpublished adventures, so that I should be tempted to give them a chance on the following Sunday.
/ðeɪ wɜːr hiː toʊld miː ɪn ðə ˈhæbət ʌv ˈpeɪɪŋ hɪm ə ˈvɪzɪt weˈnevər aɪ hæd ˌpɑːrˈtɪkjələrli nəˈɡlektəd ðem tuː lɜːrn ðə ɡraʊndz fɔːr maɪ ˌdɪsrɪˈɡɑːrd ʌv ðer kleɪmz ənd ðeɪ ɜːrdʒd hɪm tuː ˌɪntərˈsiːd wɪð miː ənd ˌɪmˈpɑːrtɪd ˈmeni ʌv ðer ənˈpʌblɪʃt ædˈventʃərz soʊ ðæt aɪ ʃʊd biː ˈtemptɪd tuː ɡɪv ðem ə tʃæns ɑːn ðə ˈfɑːloʊɪŋ ˈsʌndeɪ/

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.

disregard verb US /ˌdɪsrɪˈɡɑːrd/

refuse to acknowledge

From this reading “They were, he told me, in the habit of paying him a visit, whenever I had particularly neglected them, to learn the grounds for my disregard of their claims, and they urged him to intercede with me, and imparted many of their unpublished adventures, so that I should be tempted to give them a chance on the following Sunday.”

dissented verb US /dɪˈsentɪd/

past form of “dissent” — withhold assent

From this reading “'Nelson, papa,' was my most frequent rejoinder, and he never dissented, but turned his steps toward Nelson's cathedral dome, and uncovered his head there, and said: 'Nelson, then, to-day'; and we went straight to his monument to perform the act of homage.”

intercede verb US /ˌɪntərˈsiːd/

act between parties with a view to reconciling differences

From this reading “They were, he told me, in the habit of paying him a visit, whenever I had particularly neglected them, to learn the grounds for my disregard of their claims, and they urged him to intercede with me, and imparted many of their unpublished adventures, so that I should be tempted to give them a chance on the following Sunday.”

Nelson noun US /ˈnelsən/

English admiral who defeated the French fleets of Napoleon but was mortally wounded at Trafalgar (1758-1805)

From this reading “We were one Sunday for Shakespeare; another for Nelson or Pitt.”

Nelson's noun US /ˈnelsənz/

possessive form of “nelson” — English admiral who defeated the French fleets of Napoleon but was mortally wounded at Trafalgar (1758-1805)

From this reading “'Nelson, papa,' was my most frequent rejoinder, and he never dissented, but turned his steps toward Nelson's cathedral dome, and uncovered his head there, and said: 'Nelson, then, to-day'; and we went straight to his monument to perform the act of homage.”

Pitt noun US /pɪt/

a British playwright who created the fictional character Sweeney Todd (1799-1855)

From this reading “We were one Sunday for Shakespeare; another for Nelson or Pitt.”

rejoinder noun US /rɪˈdʒɔɪndər/

a quick reply to a question or remark (especially a witty or critical one)

From this reading “'Nelson, papa,' was my most frequent rejoinder, and he never dissented, but turned his steps toward Nelson's cathedral dome, and uncovered his head there, and said: 'Nelson, then, to-day'; and we went straight to his monument to perform the act of homage.”

unpublished adjective US /ənˈpʌblɪʃt/

not published

From this reading “They were, he told me, in the habit of paying him a visit, whenever I had particularly neglected them, to learn the grounds for my disregard of their claims, and they urged him to intercede with me, and imparted many of their unpublished adventures, so that I should be tempted to give them a chance on the following Sunday.”

All words in this reading · 114

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 I chose Nelson in preference to the others because near bed-time in the evening my father told me stories of our hero of the day, and neither Pitt nor Shakespeare lost an eye, or an arm, or fought with a huge white bear on the ice to make himself interesting.

actverbUS /ækt/

perform an action, or work out or perform (an action)

From this reading 'Nelson, papa,' was my most frequent rejoinder, and he never dissented, but turned his steps toward Nelson's cathedral dome, and uncovered his head there, and said: 'Nelson, then, to-day'; and we went straight to his monument to perform the act of homage.

adventuresnounUS /ædˈventʃərz/

plural of “adventure” — a wild and exciting undertaking (not necessarily lawful)

From this reading They were, he told me, in the habit of paying him a visit, whenever I had particularly neglected them, to learn the grounds for my disregard of their claims, and they urged him to intercede with me, and imparted many of their unpublished adventures, so that I should be tempted to give them a chance on the following Sunday.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading I chose Nelson in preference to the others because near bed-time in the evening my father told me stories of our hero of the day, and neither Pitt nor Shakespeare lost an eye, or an arm, or fought with a huge white bear on the ice to make himself interesting.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading 'Nelson, papa,' was my most frequent rejoinder, and he never dissented, but turned his steps toward Nelson's cathedral dome, and uncovered his head there, and said: 'Nelson, then, to-day'; and we went straight to his monument to perform the act of homage.

anotherdeterminerUS /əˈnʌðər/

one more of the same kind, or a different one

From this reading We were one Sunday for Shakespeare; another for Nelson or Pitt.

armnounUS /ɑːrm/

a human limb; technically the part of the superior limb between the shoulder and the elbow but commonly used to refer to the whole superior limb

From this reading I chose Nelson in preference to the others because near bed-time in the evening my father told me stories of our hero of the day, and neither Pitt nor Shakespeare lost an eye, or an arm, or fought with a huge white bear on the ice to make himself interesting.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading They were, he told me, in the habit of paying him a visit, whenever I had particularly neglected them, to learn the grounds for my disregard of their claims, and they urged him to intercede with me, and imparted many of their unpublished adventures, so that I should be tempted to give them a chance on the following Sunday.

bearverbUS /ber/

have

From this reading I chose Nelson in preference to the others because near bed-time in the evening my father told me stories of our hero of the day, and neither Pitt nor Shakespeare lost an eye, or an arm, or fought with a huge white bear on the ice to make himself interesting.

becauseconjunctionUS /bɪˈkɔːz/

for the reason that

From this reading I chose Nelson in preference to the others because near bed-time in the evening my father told me stories of our hero of the day, and neither Pitt nor Shakespeare lost an eye, or an arm, or fought with a huge white bear on the ice to make himself interesting.

bed-time

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

From this reading I chose Nelson in preference to the others because near bed-time in the evening my father told me stories of our hero of the day, and neither Pitt nor Shakespeare lost an eye, or an arm, or fought with a huge white bear on the ice to make himself interesting.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading 'Nelson, papa,' was my most frequent rejoinder, and he never dissented, but turned his steps toward Nelson's cathedral dome, and uncovered his head there, and said: 'Nelson, then, to-day'; and we went straight to his monument to perform the act of homage.

cathedralnounUS /kəˈθiːdrəl/

any large and important church

From this reading 'Nelson, papa,' was my most frequent rejoinder, and he never dissented, but turned his steps toward Nelson's cathedral dome, and uncovered his head there, and said: 'Nelson, then, to-day'; and we went straight to his monument to perform the act of homage.

chancenounUS /tʃæns/

a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances

From this reading They were, he told me, in the habit of paying him a visit, whenever I had particularly neglected them, to learn the grounds for my disregard of their claims, and they urged him to intercede with me, and imparted many of their unpublished adventures, so that I should be tempted to give them a chance on the following Sunday.

choseverbUS /tʃoʊz/

inflected form of “choose” — pick out, select, or choose from a number of alternatives

From this reading I chose Nelson in preference to the others because near bed-time in the evening my father told me stories of our hero of the day, and neither Pitt nor Shakespeare lost an eye, or an arm, or fought with a huge white bear on the ice to make himself interesting.

claimsnounUS /kleɪmz/

plural of “claim” — an assertion of a right (as to money or property)

From this reading They were, he told me, in the habit of paying him a visit, whenever I had particularly neglected them, to learn the grounds for my disregard of their claims, and they urged him to intercede with me, and imparted many of their unpublished adventures, so that I should be tempted to give them a chance on the following Sunday.

compassionnounUS /kəmˈpæʃən/

a deep awareness of and sympathy for another's suffering

From this reading I named them occasionally out of compassion, and to please my father, who said that they ought to have a turn.

daynounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading I chose Nelson in preference to the others because near bed-time in the evening my father told me stories of our hero of the day, and neither Pitt nor Shakespeare lost an eye, or an arm, or fought with a huge white bear on the ice to make himself interesting.

disregardverbUS /ˌdɪsrɪˈɡɑːrd/

refuse to acknowledge

From this reading They were, he told me, in the habit of paying him a visit, whenever I had particularly neglected them, to learn the grounds for my disregard of their claims, and they urged him to intercede with me, and imparted many of their unpublished adventures, so that I should be tempted to give them a chance on the following Sunday.

dissentedverbUS /dɪˈsentɪd/

past form of “dissent” — withhold assent

From this reading 'Nelson, papa,' was my most frequent rejoinder, and he never dissented, but turned his steps toward Nelson's cathedral dome, and uncovered his head there, and said: 'Nelson, then, to-day'; and we went straight to his monument to perform the act of homage.

domenounUS /doʊm/

a concave shape whose distinguishing characteristic is that the concavity faces downward

From this reading 'Nelson, papa,' was my most frequent rejoinder, and he never dissented, but turned his steps toward Nelson's cathedral dome, and uncovered his head there, and said: 'Nelson, then, to-day'; and we went straight to his monument to perform the act of homage.

eveningnounUS /ˈiːvnɪŋ/

the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)

From this reading I chose Nelson in preference to the others because near bed-time in the evening my father told me stories of our hero of the day, and neither Pitt nor Shakespeare lost an eye, or an arm, or fought with a huge white bear on the ice to make himself interesting.

eyenounUS /aɪ/

the organ of sight

From this reading I chose Nelson in preference to the others because near bed-time in the evening my father told me stories of our hero of the day, and neither Pitt nor Shakespeare lost an eye, or an arm, or fought with a huge white bear on the ice to make himself interesting.

fathernounUS /ˈfɑːðər/

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

From this reading I chose Nelson in preference to the others because near bed-time in the evening my father told me stories of our hero of the day, and neither Pitt nor Shakespeare lost an eye, or an arm, or fought with a huge white bear on the ice to make himself interesting.

followingadjectiveUS /ˈfɑːloʊɪŋ/

about to be mentioned or specified

From this reading They were, he told me, in the habit of paying him a visit, whenever I had particularly neglected them, to learn the grounds for my disregard of their claims, and they urged him to intercede with me, and imparted many of their unpublished adventures, so that I should be tempted to give them a chance on the following Sunday.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading We were one Sunday for Shakespeare; another for Nelson or Pitt.

foughtverbUS /fɔːt/

inflected form of “fight” — be engaged in a fight; carry on a fight

From this reading I chose Nelson in preference to the others because near bed-time in the evening my father told me stories of our hero of the day, and neither Pitt nor Shakespeare lost an eye, or an arm, or fought with a huge white bear on the ice to make himself interesting.

frequentverbUS /ˈfriːkwənt/

do one's shopping at; do business with; be a customer or client of

From this reading 'Nelson, papa,' was my most frequent rejoinder, and he never dissented, but turned his steps toward Nelson's cathedral dome, and uncovered his head there, and said: 'Nelson, then, to-day'; and we went straight to his monument to perform the act of homage.

giveverbUS /ɡɪv/

cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense

From this reading They were, he told me, in the habit of paying him a visit, whenever I had particularly neglected them, to learn the grounds for my disregard of their claims, and they urged him to intercede with me, and imparted many of their unpublished adventures, so that I should be tempted to give them a chance on the following Sunday.

groundsnounUS /ɡraʊndz/

your basis for belief or disbelief; knowledge on which to base belief

From this reading They were, he told me, in the habit of paying him a visit, whenever I had particularly neglected them, to learn the grounds for my disregard of their claims, and they urged him to intercede with me, and imparted many of their unpublished adventures, so that I should be tempted to give them a chance on the following Sunday.

habitnounUS /ˈhæbət/

an established custom

From this reading They were, he told me, in the habit of paying him a visit, whenever I had particularly neglected them, to learn the grounds for my disregard of their claims, and they urged him to intercede with me, and imparted many of their unpublished adventures, so that I should be tempted to give them a chance on the following Sunday.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading They were, he told me, in the habit of paying him a visit, whenever I had particularly neglected them, to learn the grounds for my disregard of their claims, and they urged him to intercede with me, and imparted many of their unpublished adventures, so that I should be tempted to give them a chance on the following Sunday.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading I named them occasionally out of compassion, and to please my father, who said that they ought to have a turn.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading 'Nelson, papa,' was my most frequent rejoinder, and he never dissented, but turned his steps toward Nelson's cathedral dome, and uncovered his head there, and said: 'Nelson, then, to-day'; and we went straight to his monument to perform the act of homage.

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 'Nelson, papa,' was my most frequent rejoinder, and he never dissented, but turned his steps toward Nelson's cathedral dome, and uncovered his head there, and said: 'Nelson, then, to-day'; and we went straight to his monument to perform the act of homage.

heronounUS /ˈhɪroʊ/

a man distinguished by exceptional courage and nobility and strength

From this reading I chose Nelson in preference to the others because near bed-time in the evening my father told me stories of our hero of the day, and neither Pitt nor Shakespeare lost an eye, or an arm, or fought with a huge white bear on the ice to make himself interesting.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading They were, he told me, in the habit of paying him a visit, whenever I had particularly neglected them, to learn the grounds for my disregard of their claims, and they urged him to intercede with me, and imparted many of their unpublished adventures, so that I should be tempted to give them a chance on the following Sunday.

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

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

From this reading I chose Nelson in preference to the others because near bed-time in the evening my father told me stories of our hero of the day, and neither Pitt nor Shakespeare lost an eye, or an arm, or fought with a huge white bear on the ice to make himself interesting.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading 'Nelson, papa,' was my most frequent rejoinder, and he never dissented, but turned his steps toward Nelson's cathedral dome, and uncovered his head there, and said: 'Nelson, then, to-day'; and we went straight to his monument to perform the act of homage.

homagenounUS /ˈɑːmədʒ/

respectful deference

From this reading 'Nelson, papa,' was my most frequent rejoinder, and he never dissented, but turned his steps toward Nelson's cathedral dome, and uncovered his head there, and said: 'Nelson, then, to-day'; and we went straight to his monument to perform the act of homage.

hugeadjectiveUS /hjuːdʒ/

unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope

From this reading I chose Nelson in preference to the others because near bed-time in the evening my father told me stories of our hero of the day, and neither Pitt nor Shakespeare lost an eye, or an arm, or fought with a huge white bear on the ice to make himself interesting.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading I chose Nelson in preference to the others because near bed-time in the evening my father told me stories of our hero of the day, and neither Pitt nor Shakespeare lost an eye, or an arm, or fought with a huge white bear on the ice to make himself interesting.

icenounUS /aɪs/

water frozen in the solid state

From this reading I chose Nelson in preference to the others because near bed-time in the evening my father told me stories of our hero of the day, and neither Pitt nor Shakespeare lost an eye, or an arm, or fought with a huge white bear on the ice to make himself interesting.

impartedverbUS /ˌɪmˈpɑːrtɪd/

past form of “impart” — transmit (knowledge or skills)

From this reading They were, he told me, in the habit of paying him a visit, whenever I had particularly neglected them, to learn the grounds for my disregard of their claims, and they urged him to intercede with me, and imparted many of their unpublished adventures, so that I should be tempted to give them a chance on the following Sunday.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading I chose Nelson in preference to the others because near bed-time in the evening my father told me stories of our hero of the day, and neither Pitt nor Shakespeare lost an eye, or an arm, or fought with a huge white bear on the ice to make himself interesting.

intercedeverbUS /ˌɪntərˈsiːd/

act between parties with a view to reconciling differences

From this reading They were, he told me, in the habit of paying him a visit, whenever I had particularly neglected them, to learn the grounds for my disregard of their claims, and they urged him to intercede with me, and imparted many of their unpublished adventures, so that I should be tempted to give them a chance on the following Sunday.

interestingadjectiveUS /ˈɪntrəstɪŋ/

arousing or holding the attention

From this reading I chose Nelson in preference to the others because near bed-time in the evening my father told me stories of our hero of the day, and neither Pitt nor Shakespeare lost an eye, or an arm, or fought with a huge white bear on the ice to make himself interesting.

learnverbUS /lɜːrn/

gain knowledge or skills

From this reading They were, he told me, in the habit of paying him a visit, whenever I had particularly neglected them, to learn the grounds for my disregard of their claims, and they urged him to intercede with me, and imparted many of their unpublished adventures, so that I should be tempted to give them a chance on the following Sunday.

lostadjectiveUS /lɔːst/

no longer in your possession or control; unable to be found or recovered

From this reading I chose Nelson in preference to the others because near bed-time in the evening my father told me stories of our hero of the day, and neither Pitt nor Shakespeare lost an eye, or an arm, or fought with a huge white bear on the ice to make himself interesting.

makeverbUS /meɪk/

engage in

From this reading I chose Nelson in preference to the others because near bed-time in the evening my father told me stories of our hero of the day, and neither Pitt nor Shakespeare lost an eye, or an arm, or fought with a huge white bear on the ice to make himself interesting.

manyadjectiveUS /ˈmeni/

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number

From this reading They were, he told me, in the habit of paying him a visit, whenever I had particularly neglected them, to learn the grounds for my disregard of their claims, and they urged him to intercede with me, and imparted many of their unpublished adventures, so that I should be tempted to give them a chance on the following Sunday.

mepronounUS /miː/

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

From this reading I chose Nelson in preference to the others because near bed-time in the evening my father told me stories of our hero of the day, and neither Pitt nor Shakespeare lost an eye, or an arm, or fought with a huge white bear on the ice to make himself interesting.

monumentnounUS /ˈmɑːnjuːmənt/

a structure erected to commemorate persons or events

From this reading 'Nelson, papa,' was my most frequent rejoinder, and he never dissented, but turned his steps toward Nelson's cathedral dome, and uncovered his head there, and said: 'Nelson, then, to-day'; and we went straight to his monument to perform the act of homage.

mostadverbUS /moʊst/

used to form the superlative

From this reading 'Nelson, papa,' was my most frequent rejoinder, and he never dissented, but turned his steps toward Nelson's cathedral dome, and uncovered his head there, and said: 'Nelson, then, to-day'; and we went straight to his monument to perform the act of homage.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading 'Nelson, papa,' was my most frequent rejoinder, and he never dissented, but turned his steps toward Nelson's cathedral dome, and uncovered his head there, and said: 'Nelson, then, to-day'; and we went straight to his monument to perform the act of homage.

namedverbUS /neɪmd/

past form of “name” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading I named them occasionally out of compassion, and to please my father, who said that they ought to have a turn.

nearadverbUS /nɪr/

near in time or place or relationship

From this reading I chose Nelson in preference to the others because near bed-time in the evening my father told me stories of our hero of the day, and neither Pitt nor Shakespeare lost an eye, or an arm, or fought with a huge white bear on the ice to make himself interesting.

neglectedadjectiveUS /nəˈɡlektəd/

disregarded

From this reading They were, he told me, in the habit of paying him a visit, whenever I had particularly neglected them, to learn the grounds for my disregard of their claims, and they urged him to intercede with me, and imparted many of their unpublished adventures, so that I should be tempted to give them a chance on the following Sunday.

neitherdeterminerUS /ˈniːðər/

not one and not the other of two

From this reading I chose Nelson in preference to the others because near bed-time in the evening my father told me stories of our hero of the day, and neither Pitt nor Shakespeare lost an eye, or an arm, or fought with a huge white bear on the ice to make himself interesting.

NelsonnounUS /ˈnelsən/

English admiral who defeated the French fleets of Napoleon but was mortally wounded at Trafalgar (1758-1805)

From this reading We were one Sunday for Shakespeare; another for Nelson or Pitt.

Nelson'snounUS /ˈnelsənz/

possessive form of “nelson” — English admiral who defeated the French fleets of Napoleon but was mortally wounded at Trafalgar (1758-1805)

From this reading 'Nelson, papa,' was my most frequent rejoinder, and he never dissented, but turned his steps toward Nelson's cathedral dome, and uncovered his head there, and said: 'Nelson, then, to-day'; and we went straight to his monument to perform the act of homage.

neveradverbUS /ˈnevər/

not ever; at no time in the past or future

From this reading 'Nelson, papa,' was my most frequent rejoinder, and he never dissented, but turned his steps toward Nelson's cathedral dome, and uncovered his head there, and said: 'Nelson, then, to-day'; and we went straight to his monument to perform the act of homage.

norconjunctionUS /nɔːr/

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

From this reading I chose Nelson in preference to the others because near bed-time in the evening my father told me stories of our hero of the day, and neither Pitt nor Shakespeare lost an eye, or an arm, or fought with a huge white bear on the ice to make himself interesting.

occasionallyadverbUS /əˈkeɪʒənəli/

sporadically and infrequently

From this reading I named them occasionally out of compassion, and to please my father, who said that they ought to have a turn.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading 'Nelson, papa,' was my most frequent rejoinder, and he never dissented, but turned his steps toward Nelson's cathedral dome, and uncovered his head there, and said: 'Nelson, then, to-day'; and we went straight to his monument to perform the act of homage.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading I chose Nelson in preference to the others because near bed-time in the evening my father told me stories of our hero of the day, and neither Pitt nor Shakespeare lost an eye, or an arm, or fought with a huge white bear on the ice to make himself interesting.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading We were one Sunday for Shakespeare; another for Nelson or Pitt.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading We were one Sunday for Shakespeare; another for Nelson or Pitt.

others

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

From this reading I chose Nelson in preference to the others because near bed-time in the evening my father told me stories of our hero of the day, and neither Pitt nor Shakespeare lost an eye, or an arm, or fought with a huge white bear on the ice to make himself interesting.

oughtmodal verbUS /ɔːt/

used with “to” to say what is right or advisable

From this reading I named them occasionally out of compassion, and to please my father, who said that they ought to have a turn.

ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading I chose Nelson in preference to the others because near bed-time in the evening my father told me stories of our hero of the day, and neither Pitt nor Shakespeare lost an eye, or an arm, or fought with a huge white bear on the ice to make himself interesting.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading I named them occasionally out of compassion, and to please my father, who said that they ought to have a turn.

papanounUS /ˈpɑːpʌ/

an informal term for a father; probably derived from baby talk

From this reading 'Nelson, papa,' was my most frequent rejoinder, and he never dissented, but turned his steps toward Nelson's cathedral dome, and uncovered his head there, and said: 'Nelson, then, to-day'; and we went straight to his monument to perform the act of homage.

particularlyadverbUS /ˌpɑːrˈtɪkjələrli/

to a distinctly greater extent or degree than is common

From this reading They were, he told me, in the habit of paying him a visit, whenever I had particularly neglected them, to learn the grounds for my disregard of their claims, and they urged him to intercede with me, and imparted many of their unpublished adventures, so that I should be tempted to give them a chance on the following Sunday.

payingadjectiveUS /ˈpeɪɪŋ/

yielding a fair profit

From this reading They were, he told me, in the habit of paying him a visit, whenever I had particularly neglected them, to learn the grounds for my disregard of their claims, and they urged him to intercede with me, and imparted many of their unpublished adventures, so that I should be tempted to give them a chance on the following Sunday.

performverbUS /pərˈfɔːrm/

carry out or perform an action

From this reading 'Nelson, papa,' was my most frequent rejoinder, and he never dissented, but turned his steps toward Nelson's cathedral dome, and uncovered his head there, and said: 'Nelson, then, to-day'; and we went straight to his monument to perform the act of homage.

PittnounUS /pɪt/

a British playwright who created the fictional character Sweeney Todd (1799-1855)

From this reading We were one Sunday for Shakespeare; another for Nelson or Pitt.

pleaseverbUS /pliːz/

give pleasure to or be pleasing to

From this reading I named them occasionally out of compassion, and to please my father, who said that they ought to have a turn.

preferencenounUS /ˈprefərəns/

a strong liking

From this reading I chose Nelson in preference to the others because near bed-time in the evening my father told me stories of our hero of the day, and neither Pitt nor Shakespeare lost an eye, or an arm, or fought with a huge white bear on the ice to make himself interesting.

rejoindernounUS /rɪˈdʒɔɪndər/

a quick reply to a question or remark (especially a witty or critical one)

From this reading 'Nelson, papa,' was my most frequent rejoinder, and he never dissented, but turned his steps toward Nelson's cathedral dome, and uncovered his head there, and said: 'Nelson, then, to-day'; and we went straight to his monument to perform the act of homage.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading 'Nelson, papa,' was my most frequent rejoinder, and he never dissented, but turned his steps toward Nelson's cathedral dome, and uncovered his head there, and said: 'Nelson, then, to-day'; and we went straight to his monument to perform the act of homage.

ShakespearenounUS /ˈʃeɪkspiːr/

English poet and dramatist considered one of the greatest English writers (1564-1616)

From this reading We were one Sunday for Shakespeare; another for Nelson or Pitt.

shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading They were, he told me, in the habit of paying him a visit, whenever I had particularly neglected them, to learn the grounds for my disregard of their claims, and they urged him to intercede with me, and imparted many of their unpublished adventures, so that I should be tempted to give them a chance on the following Sunday.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading They were, he told me, in the habit of paying him a visit, whenever I had particularly neglected them, to learn the grounds for my disregard of their claims, and they urged him to intercede with me, and imparted many of their unpublished adventures, so that I should be tempted to give them a chance on the following Sunday.

stepsnounUS /steps/

a flight of stairs or a flight of steps

From this reading 'Nelson, papa,' was my most frequent rejoinder, and he never dissented, but turned his steps toward Nelson's cathedral dome, and uncovered his head there, and said: 'Nelson, then, to-day'; and we went straight to his monument to perform the act of homage.

storiesnounUS /ˈstɔːriz/

plural of “story” — a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program

From this reading I chose Nelson in preference to the others because near bed-time in the evening my father told me stories of our hero of the day, and neither Pitt nor Shakespeare lost an eye, or an arm, or fought with a huge white bear on the ice to make himself interesting.

straightadjectiveUS /streɪt/

successive (without a break)

From this reading 'Nelson, papa,' was my most frequent rejoinder, and he never dissented, but turned his steps toward Nelson's cathedral dome, and uncovered his head there, and said: 'Nelson, then, to-day'; and we went straight to his monument to perform the act of homage.

SundaynounUS /ˈsʌndeɪ/

first day of the week; observed as a day of rest and worship by most Christians

From this reading We were one Sunday for Shakespeare; another for Nelson or Pitt.

temptedverbUS /ˈtemptɪd/

past form of “tempt” — dispose or incline or entice to

From this reading They were, he told me, in the habit of paying him a visit, whenever I had particularly neglected them, to learn the grounds for my disregard of their claims, and they urged him to intercede with me, and imparted many of their unpublished adventures, so that I should be tempted to give them a chance on the following Sunday.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading I named them occasionally out of compassion, and to please my father, who said that they ought to have a turn.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading 'Nelson, papa,' was my most frequent rejoinder, and he never dissented, but turned his steps toward Nelson's cathedral dome, and uncovered his head there, and said: 'Nelson, then, to-day'; and we went straight to his monument to perform the act of homage.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading They were, he told me, in the habit of paying him a visit, whenever I had particularly neglected them, to learn the grounds for my disregard of their claims, and they urged him to intercede with me, and imparted many of their unpublished adventures, so that I should be tempted to give them a chance on the following Sunday.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading I named them occasionally out of compassion, and to please my father, who said that they ought to have a turn.

thenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading 'Nelson, papa,' was my most frequent rejoinder, and he never dissented, but turned his steps toward Nelson's cathedral dome, and uncovered his head there, and said: 'Nelson, then, to-day'; and we went straight to his monument to perform the act of homage.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading 'Nelson, papa,' was my most frequent rejoinder, and he never dissented, but turned his steps toward Nelson's cathedral dome, and uncovered his head there, and said: 'Nelson, then, to-day'; and we went straight to his monument to perform the act of homage.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading I named them occasionally out of compassion, and to please my father, who said that they ought to have a turn.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading 'Nelson, papa,' was my most frequent rejoinder, and he never dissented, but turned his steps toward Nelson's cathedral dome, and uncovered his head there, and said: 'Nelson, then, to-day'; and we went straight to his monument to perform the act of homage.

to-day

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

From this reading 'Nelson, papa,' was my most frequent rejoinder, and he never dissented, but turned his steps toward Nelson's cathedral dome, and uncovered his head there, and said: 'Nelson, then, to-day'; and we went straight to his monument to perform the act of homage.

toldverbUS /toʊld/

inflected form of “tell” — express in words

From this reading I chose Nelson in preference to the others because near bed-time in the evening my father told me stories of our hero of the day, and neither Pitt nor Shakespeare lost an eye, or an arm, or fought with a huge white bear on the ice to make himself interesting.

towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/

in the direction of

From this reading 'Nelson, papa,' was my most frequent rejoinder, and he never dissented, but turned his steps toward Nelson's cathedral dome, and uncovered his head there, and said: 'Nelson, then, to-day'; and we went straight to his monument to perform the act of homage.

turnverbUS /tɜːrn/

change orientation or direction, also in the abstract sense

From this reading I named them occasionally out of compassion, and to please my father, who said that they ought to have a turn.

turnedadjectiveUS /tɜːrnd/

moved around an axis or center

From this reading 'Nelson, papa,' was my most frequent rejoinder, and he never dissented, but turned his steps toward Nelson's cathedral dome, and uncovered his head there, and said: 'Nelson, then, to-day'; and we went straight to his monument to perform the act of homage.

uncoveredadjectiveUS /ənˈkʌvərd/

not covered with clothing

From this reading 'Nelson, papa,' was my most frequent rejoinder, and he never dissented, but turned his steps toward Nelson's cathedral dome, and uncovered his head there, and said: 'Nelson, then, to-day'; and we went straight to his monument to perform the act of homage.

unpublishedadjectiveUS /ənˈpʌblɪʃt/

not published

From this reading They were, he told me, in the habit of paying him a visit, whenever I had particularly neglected them, to learn the grounds for my disregard of their claims, and they urged him to intercede with me, and imparted many of their unpublished adventures, so that I should be tempted to give them a chance on the following Sunday.

urgedverbUS /ɜːrdʒd/

past form of “urge” — force or impel in an indicated direction

From this reading They were, he told me, in the habit of paying him a visit, whenever I had particularly neglected them, to learn the grounds for my disregard of their claims, and they urged him to intercede with me, and imparted many of their unpublished adventures, so that I should be tempted to give them a chance on the following Sunday.

visitverbUS /ˈvɪzɪt/

go to see a place, as for entertainment

From this reading They were, he told me, in the habit of paying him a visit, whenever I had particularly neglected them, to learn the grounds for my disregard of their claims, and they urged him to intercede with me, and imparted many of their unpublished adventures, so that I should be tempted to give them a chance on the following Sunday.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading 'Nelson, papa,' was my most frequent rejoinder, and he never dissented, but turned his steps toward Nelson's cathedral dome, and uncovered his head there, and said: 'Nelson, then, to-day'; and we went straight to his monument to perform the act of homage.

WepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading We were one Sunday for Shakespeare; another for Nelson or Pitt.

wentverbUS /went/

inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading 'Nelson, papa,' was my most frequent rejoinder, and he never dissented, but turned his steps toward Nelson's cathedral dome, and uncovered his head there, and said: 'Nelson, then, to-day'; and we went straight to his monument to perform the act of homage.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading We were one Sunday for Shakespeare; another for Nelson or Pitt.

wheneverconjunctionUS /weˈnevər/

at any time that; every time that

From this reading They were, he told me, in the habit of paying him a visit, whenever I had particularly neglected them, to learn the grounds for my disregard of their claims, and they urged him to intercede with me, and imparted many of their unpublished adventures, so that I should be tempted to give them a chance on the following Sunday.

whitenounUS /waɪt/

a Caucasian

From this reading I chose Nelson in preference to the others because near bed-time in the evening my father told me stories of our hero of the day, and neither Pitt nor Shakespeare lost an eye, or an arm, or fought with a huge white bear on the ice to make himself interesting.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading I named them occasionally out of compassion, and to please my father, who said that they ought to have a turn.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading I chose Nelson in preference to the others because near bed-time in the evening my father told me stories of our hero of the day, and neither Pitt nor Shakespeare lost an eye, or an arm, or fought with a huge white bear on the ice to make himself interesting.

Chapter 1 of The Adventures of Harry Richmond — Complete by George Meredith holds 149 sentences, grouped into 30 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 1 of The Adventures of Harry Richmond — Complete contain?

Chapter 1 holds 149 sentences of The Adventures of Harry Richmond — Complete, unabridged, divided into 30 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of The Adventures of Harry Richmond — Complete by George Meredith exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 149 sentences, grouped into 30 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 1 of The Adventures of Harry Richmond — Complete?

Work through the 30 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 30 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 1 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 1 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 Adventures of Harry Richmond — Complete

Common questions about reading The Adventures of Harry Richmond — Complete by George Meredith on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Adventures of Harry Richmond — Complete?

Yes. All 12750 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #4452 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Adventures of Harry Richmond — Complete is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #4452, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Adventures of Harry Richmond — Complete take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 2550 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Adventures of Harry Richmond — Complete section by section

How to work through The Adventures of Harry Richmond — Complete section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

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    Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in The Adventures of Harry Richmond — Complete

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Adventures of Harry Richmond — Complete, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Night
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Adventures of Harry Richmond — Complete; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Stands
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Adventures of Harry Richmond — Complete; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Without
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Adventures of Harry Richmond — Complete; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Clear
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Adventures of Harry Richmond — Complete; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.