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The Bab Ballads, with Which Are Included Songs of a Savoyard
The Bab Ballads, with Which Are Included Songs of a Savoyard

Chapter II

Chapter 2 of The Bab Ballads, with Which Are Included Songs of a Savoyard is here in full — 409 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Bab Ballads, with Which Are Included Songs of a Savoyard
Context Illustration Reading 1/81 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Neat--dresses well; his temper has been classified As hasty; but he's very quickly pacified.
You'll find him working mildly at the Bar, After a touch at two or three professions, From easy affluence extremely far, A brief or two on Circuit--"soup" at Sessions; A pound or two from whist and backing horses, And, say, three hundred from his own resources.
Quiet in harness; free from serious vice, His faults are not particularly shady; You'll never find him "_shy_"--for, once or twice Already, he's been driven by a lady, Who parts with him--perhaps a poor excuse for him-- Because she hasn't any further use for him.
Oh! bride of mine--tall, dumpy, dark, or fair!
Oh! widow--wife, maybe, or blushing maiden, I've told _your_ fortune: solved the gravest care With which _your_ mind has hitherto been laden.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Bab Ballads, with Which Are Included Songs of a Savoyard

Chapter II

Chapter 2 of The Bab Ballads, with Which Are Included Songs of a Savoyard is here in full — 409 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/81 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Neat--dresses well; his temper has been classified As hasty; but he's very quickly pacified.
Line 2
You'll find him working mildly at the Bar, After a touch at two or three professions, From easy affluence extremely far, A brief or two on Circuit--"soup" at Sessions; A pound or two from whist and backing horses, And, say, three hundred from his own resources.
Line 3
Quiet in harness; free from serious vice, His faults are not particularly shady; You'll never find him "_shy_"--for, once or twice Already, he's been driven by a lady, Who parts with him--perhaps a poor excuse for him-- Because she hasn't any further use for him.
Line 4
Oh! bride of mine--tall, dumpy, dark, or fair!
Line 5
Oh! widow--wife, maybe, or blushing maiden, I've told _your_ fortune: solved the gravest care With which _your_ mind has hitherto been laden.

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.

affluence noun US /ˈæfluːəns/

abundant wealth

From this reading “You'll find him working mildly at the Bar, After a touch at two or three professions, From easy affluence extremely far, A brief or two on Circuit--"soup" at Sessions; A pound or two from whist and backing horses, And, say, three hundred from his own resources.”

backing noun US /ˈbækɪŋ/

the act of providing approval and support

From this reading “You'll find him working mildly at the Bar, After a touch at two or three professions, From easy affluence extremely far, A brief or two on Circuit--"soup" at Sessions; A pound or two from whist and backing horses, And, say, three hundred from his own resources.”

classified adjective US /ˈklæsəfaɪd/

arranged into classes

From this reading “Neat--dresses well; his temper has been classified As hasty; but he's very quickly pacified.”

dumpy adjective US /ˈdʌmpi/

resembling a garbage dump

From this reading “Oh! bride of mine--tall, dumpy, dark, or fair!”

gravest adjective US /ˈɡrævəst/

superlative of “grave” — dignified and somber in manner or character and committed to keeping promises

From this reading “Oh! widow--wife, maybe, or blushing maiden, I've told _your_ fortune: solved the gravest care With which _your_ mind has hitherto been laden.”

pacified verb US /ˈpæsəfaɪd/

inflected form of “pacify” — cause to be more favorably inclined; gain the good will of

From this reading “Neat--dresses well; his temper has been classified As hasty; but he's very quickly pacified.”

professions noun US /prəˈfeʃənz/

plural of “profession” — the body of people in a learned occupation

From this reading “You'll find him working mildly at the Bar, After a touch at two or three professions, From easy affluence extremely far, A brief or two on Circuit--"soup" at Sessions; A pound or two from whist and backing horses, And, say, three hundred from his own resources.”

Sessions noun US /ˈseʃənz/

United States composer who promoted 20th century music (1896-1985)

From this reading “You'll find him working mildly at the Bar, After a touch at two or three professions, From easy affluence extremely far, A brief or two on Circuit--"soup" at Sessions; A pound or two from whist and backing horses, And, say, three hundred from his own resources.”

Word partnerships in these lines

English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.

Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.

three hundred noun + noun

being one hundred more than two hundred

In this reading “You'll find him working mildly at the Bar, After a touch at two or three professions, From easy affluence extremely far, A brief or two on Circuit--"soup" at Sessions; A pound or two from whist and backing horses, And, say, three hundred from his own resources.”

own resources verb + noun counted as “own resource”

In this reading “You'll find him working mildly at the Bar, After a touch at two or three professions, From easy affluence extremely far, A brief or two on Circuit--"soup" at Sessions; A pound or two from whist and backing horses, And, say, three hundred from his own resources.”

free from verb + particle

In this reading “Quiet in harness; free from serious vice, His faults are not particularly shady; You'll never find him "_shy_"--for, once or twice Already, he's been driven by a lady, Who parts with him--perhaps a poor excuse for him-- Because she hasn't any further use for him.”

excuse for verb + particle

In this reading “Quiet in harness; free from serious vice, His faults are not particularly shady; You'll never find him "_shy_"--for, once or twice Already, he's been driven by a lady, Who parts with him--perhaps a poor excuse for him-- Because she hasn't any further use for him.”

at the Bar preposition + article + noun counted as “at … bar”

In this reading “You'll find him working mildly at the Bar, After a touch at two or three professions, From easy affluence extremely far, A brief or two on Circuit--"soup" at Sessions; A pound or two from whist and backing horses, And, say, three hundred from his own resources.”

All words in this reading · 105

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 You'll find him working mildly at the Bar, After a touch at two or three professions, From easy affluence extremely far, A brief or two on Circuit--"soup" at Sessions; A pound or two from whist and backing horses, And, say, three hundred from his own resources.

affluencenounUS /ˈæfluːəns/

abundant wealth

From this reading You'll find him working mildly at the Bar, After a touch at two or three professions, From easy affluence extremely far, A brief or two on Circuit--"soup" at Sessions; A pound or two from whist and backing horses, And, say, three hundred from his own resources.

AfterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading You'll find him working mildly at the Bar, After a touch at two or three professions, From easy affluence extremely far, A brief or two on Circuit--"soup" at Sessions; A pound or two from whist and backing horses, And, say, three hundred from his own resources.

AlreadyadverbUS /ɔːlˈredi/

prior to a specified or implied time

From this reading Quiet in harness; free from serious vice, His faults are not particularly shady; You'll never find him "_shy_"--for, once or twice Already, he's been driven by a lady, Who parts with him--perhaps a poor excuse for him-- Because she hasn't any further use for him.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading You'll find him working mildly at the Bar, After a touch at two or three professions, From easy affluence extremely far, A brief or two on Circuit--"soup" at Sessions; A pound or two from whist and backing horses, And, say, three hundred from his own resources.

anyadjectiveUS /ˈeni/

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading Quiet in harness; free from serious vice, His faults are not particularly shady; You'll never find him "_shy_"--for, once or twice Already, he's been driven by a lady, Who parts with him--perhaps a poor excuse for him-- Because she hasn't any further use for him.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading Quiet in harness; free from serious vice, His faults are not particularly shady; You'll never find him "_shy_"--for, once or twice Already, he's been driven by a lady, Who parts with him--perhaps a poor excuse for him-- Because she hasn't any further use for him.

AsconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Neat--dresses well; his temper has been classified As hasty; but he's very quickly pacified.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading You'll find him working mildly at the Bar, After a touch at two or three professions, From easy affluence extremely far, A brief or two on Circuit--"soup" at Sessions; A pound or two from whist and backing horses, And, say, three hundred from his own resources.

backingnounUS /ˈbækɪŋ/

the act of providing approval and support

From this reading You'll find him working mildly at the Bar, After a touch at two or three professions, From easy affluence extremely far, A brief or two on Circuit--"soup" at Sessions; A pound or two from whist and backing horses, And, say, three hundred from his own resources.

BarnounUS /bɑːr/

a room or establishment where alcoholic drinks are served over a counter

From this reading You'll find him working mildly at the Bar, After a touch at two or three professions, From easy affluence extremely far, A brief or two on Circuit--"soup" at Sessions; A pound or two from whist and backing horses, And, say, three hundred from his own resources.

BecauseconjunctionUS /bɪˈkɔːz/

for the reason that

From this reading Quiet in harness; free from serious vice, His faults are not particularly shady; You'll never find him "_shy_"--for, once or twice Already, he's been driven by a lady, Who parts with him--perhaps a poor excuse for him-- Because she hasn't any further use for him.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading Neat--dresses well; his temper has been classified As hasty; but he's very quickly pacified.

blushingadjectiveUS /ˈblʌʃɪŋ/

having a red face from embarrassment or shame or agitation or emotional upset

From this reading Oh! widow--wife, maybe, or blushing maiden, I've told _your_ fortune: solved the gravest care With which _your_ mind has hitherto been laden.

bridenounUS /braɪd/

a woman who has recently been married

From this reading Oh! bride of mine--tall, dumpy, dark, or fair!

briefadjectiveUS /briːf/

of short duration or distance

From this reading You'll find him working mildly at the Bar, After a touch at two or three professions, From easy affluence extremely far, A brief or two on Circuit--"soup" at Sessions; A pound or two from whist and backing horses, And, say, three hundred from his own resources.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Neat--dresses well; his temper has been classified As hasty; but he's very quickly pacified.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Quiet in harness; free from serious vice, His faults are not particularly shady; You'll never find him "_shy_"--for, once or twice Already, he's been driven by a lady, Who parts with him--perhaps a poor excuse for him-- Because she hasn't any further use for him.

carenounUS /ker/

the work of providing treatment for or attending to someone or something

From this reading Oh! widow--wife, maybe, or blushing maiden, I've told _your_ fortune: solved the gravest care With which _your_ mind has hitherto been laden.

CircuitnounUS /ˈsɜːrkət/

an electrical device that provides a path for electrical current to flow

From this reading You'll find him working mildly at the Bar, After a touch at two or three professions, From easy affluence extremely far, A brief or two on Circuit--"soup" at Sessions; A pound or two from whist and backing horses, And, say, three hundred from his own resources.

classifiedadjectiveUS /ˈklæsəfaɪd/

arranged into classes

From this reading Neat--dresses well; his temper has been classified As hasty; but he's very quickly pacified.

darknounUS /dɑːrk/

absence of light or illumination

From this reading Oh! bride of mine--tall, dumpy, dark, or fair!

dressesnounUS /ˈdresəz/

plural of “dress” — a one-piece garment for a woman; has skirt and bodice

From this reading Neat--dresses well; his temper has been classified As hasty; but he's very quickly pacified.

drivenadjectiveUS /ˈdrɪvən/

compelled forcibly by an outside agency

From this reading Quiet in harness; free from serious vice, His faults are not particularly shady; You'll never find him "_shy_"--for, once or twice Already, he's been driven by a lady, Who parts with him--perhaps a poor excuse for him-- Because she hasn't any further use for him.

dumpyadjectiveUS /ˈdʌmpi/

resembling a garbage dump

From this reading Oh! bride of mine--tall, dumpy, dark, or fair!

easyadjectiveUS /ˈiːzi/

posing no difficulty; requiring little effort

From this reading You'll find him working mildly at the Bar, After a touch at two or three professions, From easy affluence extremely far, A brief or two on Circuit--"soup" at Sessions; A pound or two from whist and backing horses, And, say, three hundred from his own resources.

excuseverbUS /ɪksˈkjuːs/

accept an excuse for

From this reading Quiet in harness; free from serious vice, His faults are not particularly shady; You'll never find him "_shy_"--for, once or twice Already, he's been driven by a lady, Who parts with him--perhaps a poor excuse for him-- Because she hasn't any further use for him.

extremelyadverbUS /ekˈstriːmli/

to a high degree or extent; favorably or with much respect

From this reading You'll find him working mildly at the Bar, After a touch at two or three professions, From easy affluence extremely far, A brief or two on Circuit--"soup" at Sessions; A pound or two from whist and backing horses, And, say, three hundred from his own resources.

fairadjectiveUS /fer/

free from favoritism or self-interest or bias or deception; conforming with established standards or rules

From this reading Oh! bride of mine--tall, dumpy, dark, or fair!

faradverbUS /fɑːr/

to a considerable degree; very much

From this reading You'll find him working mildly at the Bar, After a touch at two or three professions, From easy affluence extremely far, A brief or two on Circuit--"soup" at Sessions; A pound or two from whist and backing horses, And, say, three hundred from his own resources.

faultsnounUS /fɔːlts/

plural of “fault” — a wrong action attributable to bad judgment or ignorance or inattention

From this reading Quiet in harness; free from serious vice, His faults are not particularly shady; You'll never find him "_shy_"--for, once or twice Already, he's been driven by a lady, Who parts with him--perhaps a poor excuse for him-- Because she hasn't any further use for him.

findverbUS /faɪnd/

come upon, as if by accident; meet with

From this reading You'll find him working mildly at the Bar, After a touch at two or three professions, From easy affluence extremely far, A brief or two on Circuit--"soup" at Sessions; A pound or two from whist and backing horses, And, say, three hundred from his own resources.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Quiet in harness; free from serious vice, His faults are not particularly shady; You'll never find him "_shy_"--for, once or twice Already, he's been driven by a lady, Who parts with him--perhaps a poor excuse for him-- Because she hasn't any further use for him.

fortunenounUS /ˈfɔːrtʃən/

an unknown and unpredictable phenomenon that causes an event to result one way rather than another

From this reading Oh! widow--wife, maybe, or blushing maiden, I've told _your_ fortune: solved the gravest care With which _your_ mind has hitherto been laden.

freeverbUS /friː/

grant freedom to; free from confinement

From this reading Quiet in harness; free from serious vice, His faults are not particularly shady; You'll never find him "_shy_"--for, once or twice Already, he's been driven by a lady, Who parts with him--perhaps a poor excuse for him-- Because she hasn't any further use for him.

FromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading You'll find him working mildly at the Bar, After a touch at two or three professions, From easy affluence extremely far, A brief or two on Circuit--"soup" at Sessions; A pound or two from whist and backing horses, And, say, three hundred from his own resources.

furtheradverbUS /ˈfɜːrðər/

to or at a greater extent or degree or a more advanced stage (“further” is used more often than “farther” in this abstract sense)

From this reading Quiet in harness; free from serious vice, His faults are not particularly shady; You'll never find him "_shy_"--for, once or twice Already, he's been driven by a lady, Who parts with him--perhaps a poor excuse for him-- Because she hasn't any further use for him.

gravestadjectiveUS /ˈɡrævəst/

superlative of “grave” — dignified and somber in manner or character and committed to keeping promises

From this reading Oh! widow--wife, maybe, or blushing maiden, I've told _your_ fortune: solved the gravest care With which _your_ mind has hitherto been laden.

harnessverbUS /ˈhɑːrnəs/

put a harness

From this reading Quiet in harness; free from serious vice, His faults are not particularly shady; You'll never find him "_shy_"--for, once or twice Already, he's been driven by a lady, Who parts with him--perhaps a poor excuse for him-- Because she hasn't any further use for him.

hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

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

From this reading Neat--dresses well; his temper has been classified As hasty; but he's very quickly pacified.

hasn't

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

From this reading Quiet in harness; free from serious vice, His faults are not particularly shady; You'll never find him "_shy_"--for, once or twice Already, he's been driven by a lady, Who parts with him--perhaps a poor excuse for him-- Because she hasn't any further use for him.

hastyadjectiveUS /ˈheɪsti/

excessively quick

From this reading Neat--dresses well; his temper has been classified As hasty; but he's very quickly pacified.

he's

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

From this reading Neat--dresses well; his temper has been classified As hasty; but he's very quickly pacified.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading You'll find him working mildly at the Bar, After a touch at two or three professions, From easy affluence extremely far, A brief or two on Circuit--"soup" at Sessions; A pound or two from whist and backing horses, And, say, three hundred from his own resources.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Neat--dresses well; his temper has been classified As hasty; but he's very quickly pacified.

hithertoadverbUS /ˈhɪðɜːrˈtuː/

used in negative statement to describe a situation that has existed up to this point or up to the present time

From this reading Oh! widow--wife, maybe, or blushing maiden, I've told _your_ fortune: solved the gravest care With which _your_ mind has hitherto been laden.

horsesnounUS /ˈhɔːrsəz/

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

From this reading You'll find him working mildly at the Bar, After a touch at two or three professions, From easy affluence extremely far, A brief or two on Circuit--"soup" at Sessions; A pound or two from whist and backing horses, And, say, three hundred from his own resources.

hundrednounUS /ˈhʌndrəd/

ten 10s

From this reading You'll find him working mildly at the Bar, After a touch at two or three professions, From easy affluence extremely far, A brief or two on Circuit--"soup" at Sessions; A pound or two from whist and backing horses, And, say, three hundred from his own resources.

I've

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

From this reading Oh! widow--wife, maybe, or blushing maiden, I've told _your_ fortune: solved the gravest care With which _your_ mind has hitherto been laden.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Quiet in harness; free from serious vice, His faults are not particularly shady; You'll never find him "_shy_"--for, once or twice Already, he's been driven by a lady, Who parts with him--perhaps a poor excuse for him-- Because she hasn't any further use for him.

ladenadjectiveUS /ˈleɪdən/

filled with a great quantity

From this reading Oh! widow--wife, maybe, or blushing maiden, I've told _your_ fortune: solved the gravest care With which _your_ mind has hitherto been laden.

ladynounUS /ˈleɪdi/

a polite name for any woman

From this reading Quiet in harness; free from serious vice, His faults are not particularly shady; You'll never find him "_shy_"--for, once or twice Already, he's been driven by a lady, Who parts with him--perhaps a poor excuse for him-- Because she hasn't any further use for him.

maidennounUS /ˈmeɪdən/

an unmarried girl (especially a virgin)

From this reading Oh! widow--wife, maybe, or blushing maiden, I've told _your_ fortune: solved the gravest care With which _your_ mind has hitherto been laden.

maybeadverbUS /ˈmeɪbi/

by chance

From this reading Oh! widow--wife, maybe, or blushing maiden, I've told _your_ fortune: solved the gravest care With which _your_ mind has hitherto been laden.

mildlyadverbUS /ˈmaɪldli/

to a moderate degree

From this reading You'll find him working mildly at the Bar, After a touch at two or three professions, From easy affluence extremely far, A brief or two on Circuit--"soup" at Sessions; A pound or two from whist and backing horses, And, say, three hundred from his own resources.

mindnounUS /maɪnd/

The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.

From this reading Oh! widow--wife, maybe, or blushing maiden, I've told _your_ fortune: solved the gravest care With which _your_ mind has hitherto been laden.

minepronounUS /maɪn/

the one or ones belonging to the person speaking

From this reading Oh! bride of mine--tall, dumpy, dark, or fair!

NeatadjectiveUS /niːt/

clean or organized

From this reading Neat--dresses well; his temper has been classified As hasty; but he's very quickly pacified.

neveradverbUS /ˈnevər/

not ever; at no time in the past or future

From this reading Quiet in harness; free from serious vice, His faults are not particularly shady; You'll never find him "_shy_"--for, once or twice Already, he's been driven by a lady, Who parts with him--perhaps a poor excuse for him-- Because she hasn't any further use for him.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Quiet in harness; free from serious vice, His faults are not particularly shady; You'll never find him "_shy_"--for, once or twice Already, he's been driven by a lady, Who parts with him--perhaps a poor excuse for him-- Because she hasn't any further use for him.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Oh! bride of mine--tall, dumpy, dark, or fair!

OhnounUS /oʊ/

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

From this reading Oh! bride of mine--tall, dumpy, dark, or fair!

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading You'll find him working mildly at the Bar, After a touch at two or three professions, From easy affluence extremely far, A brief or two on Circuit--"soup" at Sessions; A pound or two from whist and backing horses, And, say, three hundred from his own resources.

onceadverbUS /wʌns/

on one occasion

From this reading Quiet in harness; free from serious vice, His faults are not particularly shady; You'll never find him "_shy_"--for, once or twice Already, he's been driven by a lady, Who parts with him--perhaps a poor excuse for him-- Because she hasn't any further use for him.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading You'll find him working mildly at the Bar, After a touch at two or three professions, From easy affluence extremely far, A brief or two on Circuit--"soup" at Sessions; A pound or two from whist and backing horses, And, say, three hundred from his own resources.

ownverbUS /oʊn/

have ownership or possession of

From this reading You'll find him working mildly at the Bar, After a touch at two or three professions, From easy affluence extremely far, A brief or two on Circuit--"soup" at Sessions; A pound or two from whist and backing horses, And, say, three hundred from his own resources.

pacifiedverbUS /ˈpæsəfaɪd/

inflected form of “pacify” — cause to be more favorably inclined; gain the good will of

From this reading Neat--dresses well; his temper has been classified As hasty; but he's very quickly pacified.

particularlyadverbUS /ˌpɑːrˈtɪkjələrli/

to a distinctly greater extent or degree than is common

From this reading Quiet in harness; free from serious vice, His faults are not particularly shady; You'll never find him "_shy_"--for, once or twice Already, he's been driven by a lady, Who parts with him--perhaps a poor excuse for him-- Because she hasn't any further use for him.

partsnounUS /pɑːrts/

the local environment

From this reading Quiet in harness; free from serious vice, His faults are not particularly shady; You'll never find him "_shy_"--for, once or twice Already, he's been driven by a lady, Who parts with him--perhaps a poor excuse for him-- Because she hasn't any further use for him.

perhapsadverbUS /pərˈhæps/

by chance

From this reading Quiet in harness; free from serious vice, His faults are not particularly shady; You'll never find him "_shy_"--for, once or twice Already, he's been driven by a lady, Who parts with him--perhaps a poor excuse for him-- Because she hasn't any further use for him.

pooradjectiveUS /puːr/

deserving or inciting pity

From this reading Quiet in harness; free from serious vice, His faults are not particularly shady; You'll never find him "_shy_"--for, once or twice Already, he's been driven by a lady, Who parts with him--perhaps a poor excuse for him-- Because she hasn't any further use for him.

poundverbUS /paʊnd/

hit hard with the hand, fist, or some heavy instrument

From this reading You'll find him working mildly at the Bar, After a touch at two or three professions, From easy affluence extremely far, A brief or two on Circuit--"soup" at Sessions; A pound or two from whist and backing horses, And, say, three hundred from his own resources.

professionsnounUS /prəˈfeʃənz/

plural of “profession” — the body of people in a learned occupation

From this reading You'll find him working mildly at the Bar, After a touch at two or three professions, From easy affluence extremely far, A brief or two on Circuit--"soup" at Sessions; A pound or two from whist and backing horses, And, say, three hundred from his own resources.

quicklyadverbUS /ˈkwɪkli/

with speed

From this reading Neat--dresses well; his temper has been classified As hasty; but he's very quickly pacified.

QuietadjectiveUS /ˈkwaɪət/

characterized by an absence or near absence of agitation or activity

From this reading Quiet in harness; free from serious vice, His faults are not particularly shady; You'll never find him "_shy_"--for, once or twice Already, he's been driven by a lady, Who parts with him--perhaps a poor excuse for him-- Because she hasn't any further use for him.

resourcesnounUS /ˈriːsɔːrsɪz/

plural of “resource” — available source of wealth; a new or reserve supply that can be drawn upon when needed

From this reading You'll find him working mildly at the Bar, After a touch at two or three professions, From easy affluence extremely far, A brief or two on Circuit--"soup" at Sessions; A pound or two from whist and backing horses, And, say, three hundred from his own resources.

sayverbUS /seɪ/

express in words

From this reading You'll find him working mildly at the Bar, After a touch at two or three professions, From easy affluence extremely far, A brief or two on Circuit--"soup" at Sessions; A pound or two from whist and backing horses, And, say, three hundred from his own resources.

seriousadjectiveUS /ˈsɪriəs/

concerned with work or important matters rather than play or trivialities

From this reading Quiet in harness; free from serious vice, His faults are not particularly shady; You'll never find him "_shy_"--for, once or twice Already, he's been driven by a lady, Who parts with him--perhaps a poor excuse for him-- Because she hasn't any further use for him.

SessionsnounUS /ˈseʃənz/

United States composer who promoted 20th century music (1896-1985)

From this reading You'll find him working mildly at the Bar, After a touch at two or three professions, From easy affluence extremely far, A brief or two on Circuit--"soup" at Sessions; A pound or two from whist and backing horses, And, say, three hundred from his own resources.

shadyadjectiveUS /ˈʃeɪdi/

quiet, dark, or concealed

From this reading Quiet in harness; free from serious vice, His faults are not particularly shady; You'll never find him "_shy_"--for, once or twice Already, he's been driven by a lady, Who parts with him--perhaps a poor excuse for him-- Because she hasn't any further use for him.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading Quiet in harness; free from serious vice, His faults are not particularly shady; You'll never find him "_shy_"--for, once or twice Already, he's been driven by a lady, Who parts with him--perhaps a poor excuse for him-- Because she hasn't any further use for him.

shyverbUS /ʃaɪ/

start suddenly, as from fright

From this reading Quiet in harness; free from serious vice, His faults are not particularly shady; You'll never find him "_shy_"--for, once or twice Already, he's been driven by a lady, Who parts with him--perhaps a poor excuse for him-- Because she hasn't any further use for him.

solvedadjectiveUS /sɑːlvd/

explained or answered

From this reading Oh! widow--wife, maybe, or blushing maiden, I've told _your_ fortune: solved the gravest care With which _your_ mind has hitherto been laden.

soupnounUS /suːp/

liquid food especially of meat or fish or vegetable stock often containing pieces of solid food

From this reading You'll find him working mildly at the Bar, After a touch at two or three professions, From easy affluence extremely far, A brief or two on Circuit--"soup" at Sessions; A pound or two from whist and backing horses, And, say, three hundred from his own resources.

talladjectiveUS /tɔːl/

great in vertical dimension; high in stature

From this reading Oh! bride of mine--tall, dumpy, dark, or fair!

tempernounUS /ˈtempər/

a sudden outburst of anger

From this reading Neat--dresses well; his temper has been classified As hasty; but he's very quickly pacified.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading You'll find him working mildly at the Bar, After a touch at two or three professions, From easy affluence extremely far, A brief or two on Circuit--"soup" at Sessions; A pound or two from whist and backing horses, And, say, three hundred from his own resources.

threenounUS /θriː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one

From this reading You'll find him working mildly at the Bar, After a touch at two or three professions, From easy affluence extremely far, A brief or two on Circuit--"soup" at Sessions; A pound or two from whist and backing horses, And, say, three hundred from his own resources.

toldverbUS /toʊld/

inflected form of “tell” — express in words

From this reading Oh! widow--wife, maybe, or blushing maiden, I've told _your_ fortune: solved the gravest care With which _your_ mind has hitherto been laden.

touchverbUS /tʌtʃ/

make physical contact with, come in contact with

From this reading You'll find him working mildly at the Bar, After a touch at two or three professions, From easy affluence extremely far, A brief or two on Circuit--"soup" at Sessions; A pound or two from whist and backing horses, And, say, three hundred from his own resources.

twiceadverbUS /twaɪs/

two times

From this reading Quiet in harness; free from serious vice, His faults are not particularly shady; You'll never find him "_shy_"--for, once or twice Already, he's been driven by a lady, Who parts with him--perhaps a poor excuse for him-- Because she hasn't any further use for him.

twonounUS /tuː/

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

From this reading You'll find him working mildly at the Bar, After a touch at two or three professions, From easy affluence extremely far, A brief or two on Circuit--"soup" at Sessions; A pound or two from whist and backing horses, And, say, three hundred from his own resources.

usenounUS /juːs/

the act of using

From this reading Quiet in harness; free from serious vice, His faults are not particularly shady; You'll never find him "_shy_"--for, once or twice Already, he's been driven by a lady, Who parts with him--perhaps a poor excuse for him-- Because she hasn't any further use for him.

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading Neat--dresses well; his temper has been classified As hasty; but he's very quickly pacified.

vicenounUS /vaɪs/

moral weakness

From this reading Quiet in harness; free from serious vice, His faults are not particularly shady; You'll never find him "_shy_"--for, once or twice Already, he's been driven by a lady, Who parts with him--perhaps a poor excuse for him-- Because she hasn't any further use for him.

welladverbUS /wel/

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

From this reading Neat--dresses well; his temper has been classified As hasty; but he's very quickly pacified.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading Oh! widow--wife, maybe, or blushing maiden, I've told _your_ fortune: solved the gravest care With which _your_ mind has hitherto been laden.

whistnoun

a card game for four players who form two partnerships; a pack of 52 cards is dealt and each side scores one point for each trick it takes in excess of six

From this reading You'll find him working mildly at the Bar, After a touch at two or three professions, From easy affluence extremely far, A brief or two on Circuit--"soup" at Sessions; A pound or two from whist and backing horses, And, say, three hundred from his own resources.

WhopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading Quiet in harness; free from serious vice, His faults are not particularly shady; You'll never find him "_shy_"--for, once or twice Already, he's been driven by a lady, Who parts with him--perhaps a poor excuse for him-- Because she hasn't any further use for him.

widownounUS /ˈwɪdoʊ/

a woman whose husband is dead especially one who has not remarried

From this reading Oh! widow--wife, maybe, or blushing maiden, I've told _your_ fortune: solved the gravest care With which _your_ mind has hitherto been laden.

wifenounUS /waɪf/

a married woman; a man's partner in marriage

From this reading Oh! widow--wife, maybe, or blushing maiden, I've told _your_ fortune: solved the gravest care With which _your_ mind has hitherto been laden.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Quiet in harness; free from serious vice, His faults are not particularly shady; You'll never find him "_shy_"--for, once or twice Already, he's been driven by a lady, Who parts with him--perhaps a poor excuse for him-- Because she hasn't any further use for him.

workingadjectiveUS /ˈwɜːrkɪŋ/

actively engaged in paid work

From this reading You'll find him working mildly at the Bar, After a touch at two or three professions, From easy affluence extremely far, A brief or two on Circuit--"soup" at Sessions; A pound or two from whist and backing horses, And, say, three hundred from his own resources.

You'll

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

From this reading You'll find him working mildly at the Bar, After a touch at two or three professions, From easy affluence extremely far, A brief or two on Circuit--"soup" at Sessions; A pound or two from whist and backing horses, And, say, three hundred from his own resources.

yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading Oh! widow--wife, maybe, or blushing maiden, I've told _your_ fortune: solved the gravest care With which _your_ mind has hitherto been laden.

Chapter 2 of The Bab Ballads, with Which Are Included Songs of a Savoyard by W. S. (William Schwenck) Gilbert holds 409 sentences, grouped into 82 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.

What does chapter 2 of The Bab Ballads, with Which Are Included Songs of a Savoyard contain?

Chapter 2 holds 409 sentences of The Bab Ballads, with Which Are Included Songs of a Savoyard, unabridged, divided into 82 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 2 of The Bab Ballads, with Which Are Included Songs of a Savoyard by W. S. (William Schwenck) Gilbert exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 409 sentences, grouped into 82 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.

How do I study chapter 2 of The Bab Ballads, with Which Are Included Songs of a Savoyard?

Work through the 82 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 82 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.

Can chapter 2 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 2 can be played aloud in United States English.

Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.

Questions about reading The Bab Ballads, with Which Are Included Songs of a Savoyard

Common questions about reading The Bab Ballads, with Which Are Included Songs of a Savoyard by W. S. (William Schwenck) Gilbert on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Bab Ballads, with Which Are Included Songs of a Savoyard?

Yes. All 2823 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #54452 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Bab Ballads, with Which Are Included Songs of a Savoyard is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #54452, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Bab Ballads, with Which Are Included Songs of a Savoyard take to read?

About 235 minutes of reading across 565 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Bab Ballads, with Which Are Included Songs of a Savoyard section by section

How to work through The Bab Ballads, with Which Are Included Songs of a Savoyard section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

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Vocabulary met early in The Bab Ballads, with Which Are Included Songs of a Savoyard

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Bab Ballads, with Which Are Included Songs of a Savoyard, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Typographical
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Bab Ballads, with Which Are Included Songs of a Savoyard; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Errors
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Silently
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Bab Ballads, with Which Are Included Songs of a Savoyard; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Corrected
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