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The Border Rifles: A Tale of the Texan War
The Border Rifles: A Tale of the Texan War

Chapter X

Chapter 10 of The Border Rifles: A Tale of the Texan War is here in full — 101 sentences across 21 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Border Rifles: A Tale of the Texan War
Context Illustration Reading 1/20 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE BATTLE.
In the meanwhile, as is stated a little while ago, Captain Watt had assembled all the members of the colony in front of the town.
The number of combatants amounted to sixty-two, including the females.
European ladies may think it singular that we count the females among the combatants: in truth, in the old world the days of Bradamante and Joan d'Arc have happily passed away for ever, and the fair sex, owing to the constant progress of civilization, is no longer reduced to the necessity of fighting side by side with men.
In North America, at the period of which we write, and even at the present day, on the prairies and the clearings, it is not so; when the war-yell of the Indians suddenly echoes on the ears of the pioneers, the women are constrained to give up the labour of their sex, to take a rifle in their delicate hands, and fight boldly in defence of the community.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Border Rifles: A Tale of the Texan War

Chapter X

Chapter 10 of The Border Rifles: A Tale of the Texan War is here in full — 101 sentences across 21 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/20 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE BATTLE.
/ðə ˈbætəl/
Line 2
In the meanwhile, as is stated a little while ago, Captain Watt had assembled all the members of the colony in front of the town.
/ɪn ðə ˈmiːnwaɪl æz ɪz ˈsteɪtɪd ə ˈlɪtəl waɪl əˈɡoʊ ˈkæptən wɑːt hæd əˈsembəld ɔːl ðə ˈmembərz ʌv ðə ˈkɑːləni ɪn frʌnt ʌv ðə taʊn/
Line 3
The number of combatants amounted to sixty-two, including the females.
Line 4
European ladies may think it singular that we count the females among the combatants: in truth, in the old world the days of Bradamante and Joan d'Arc have happily passed away for ever, and the fair sex, owing to the constant progress of civilization, is no longer reduced to the necessity of fighting side by side with men.
Line 5
In North America, at the period of which we write, and even at the present day, on the prairies and the clearings, it is not so; when the war-yell of the Indians suddenly echoes on the ears of the pioneers, the women are constrained to give up the labour of their sex, to take a rifle in their delicate hands, and fight boldly in defence of the community.

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.

amounted verb US /əˈmaʊntɪd/

past form of “amount” — be tantamount or equivalent to

From this reading “The number of combatants amounted to sixty-two, including the females.”

combatants noun US /kəmˈbætənts/

plural of “combatant” — someone who fights (or is fighting)

From this reading “The number of combatants amounted to sixty-two, including the females.”

constrained adjective US /kənˈstreɪnd/

lacking spontaneity; not natural

From this reading “In North America, at the period of which we write, and even at the present day, on the prairies and the clearings, it is not so; when the war-yell of the Indians suddenly echoes on the ears of the pioneers, the women are constrained to give up the labour of their sex, to take a rifle in their delicate hands, and fight boldly in defence of the community.”

echoes noun US /ˈekoʊz/

plural of “echo” — the repetition of a sound resulting from reflection of the sound waves

From this reading “In North America, at the period of which we write, and even at the present day, on the prairies and the clearings, it is not so; when the war-yell of the Indians suddenly echoes on the ears of the pioneers, the women are constrained to give up the labour of their sex, to take a rifle in their delicate hands, and fight boldly in defence of the community.”

females noun US /ˈfiːmeɪlz/

plural of “female” — an animal that produces gametes (ova) that can be fertilized by male gametes

From this reading “The number of combatants amounted to sixty-two, including the females.”

pioneers noun US /ˌpaɪəˈnɪrz/

plural of “pioneer” — someone who helps to open up a new line of research or technology or art

From this reading “In North America, at the period of which we write, and even at the present day, on the prairies and the clearings, it is not so; when the war-yell of the Indians suddenly echoes on the ears of the pioneers, the women are constrained to give up the labour of their sex, to take a rifle in their delicate hands, and fight boldly in defence of the community.”

prairies noun US /ˈpreɪriz/

plural of “prairie” — a treeless grassy plain

From this reading “In North America, at the period of which we write, and even at the present day, on the prairies and the clearings, it is not so; when the war-yell of the Indians suddenly echoes on the ears of the pioneers, the women are constrained to give up the labour of their sex, to take a rifle in their delicate hands, and fight boldly in defence of the community.”

Watt noun US /wɑːt/

a unit of power equal to 1 joule per second; the power dissipated by a current of 1 ampere flowing across a resistance of 1 ohm

From this reading “In the meanwhile, as is stated a little while ago, Captain Watt had assembled all the members of the colony in front of the town.”

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.

fair sex adjective + noun

women as a class

In this reading “European ladies may think it singular that we count the females among the combatants: in truth, in the old world the days of Bradamante and Joan d'Arc have happily passed away for ever, and the fair sex, owing to the constant progress of civilization, is no longer reduced to the necessity of fighting side by side with men.”

passed away verb + particle counted as “pass away”

pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life

In this reading “European ladies may think it singular that we count the females among the combatants: in truth, in the old world the days of Bradamante and Joan d'Arc have happily passed away for ever, and the fair sex, owing to the constant progress of civilization, is no longer reduced to the necessity of fighting side by side with men.”

in front preposition + noun

at or in the front

In this reading “In the meanwhile, as is stated a little while ago, Captain Watt had assembled all the members of the colony in front of the town.”

delicate hands adjective + noun

In this reading “In North America, at the period of which we write, and even at the present day, on the prairies and the clearings, it is not so; when the war-yell of the Indians suddenly echoes on the ears of the pioneers, the women are constrained to give up the labour of their sex, to take a rifle in their delicate hands, and fight boldly in defence of the community.”

on the prairies preposition + article + noun counted as “on … prairie”

In this reading “In North America, at the period of which we write, and even at the present day, on the prairies and the clearings, it is not so; when the war-yell of the Indians suddenly echoes on the ears of the pioneers, the women are constrained to give up the labour of their sex, to take a rifle in their delicate hands, and fight boldly in defence of the community.”

give up verb + adjective

lose (s.th.) or lose the right to (s.th.) by some error, offense, or crime

In this reading “In North America, at the period of which we write, and even at the present day, on the prairies and the clearings, it is not so; when the war-yell of the Indians suddenly echoes on the ears of the pioneers, the women are constrained to give up the labour of their sex, to take a rifle in their delicate hands, and fight boldly in defence of the community.”

present day verb + noun

In this reading “In North America, at the period of which we write, and even at the present day, on the prairies and the clearings, it is not so; when the war-yell of the Indians suddenly echoes on the ears of the pioneers, the women are constrained to give up the labour of their sex, to take a rifle in their delicate hands, and fight boldly in defence of the community.”

for ever preposition + adverb

In this reading “European ladies may think it singular that we count the females among the combatants: in truth, in the old world the days of Bradamante and Joan d'Arc have happily passed away for ever, and the fair sex, owing to the constant progress of civilization, is no longer reduced to the necessity of fighting side by side with men.”

All words in this reading · 103

Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.

Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading In the meanwhile, as is stated a little while ago, Captain Watt had assembled all the members of the colony in front of the town.

agoadverbUS /əˈɡoʊ/

in the past

From this reading In the meanwhile, as is stated a little while ago, Captain Watt had assembled all the members of the colony in front of the town.

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading In the meanwhile, as is stated a little while ago, Captain Watt had assembled all the members of the colony in front of the town.

AmericanounUS /əˈmerəkə/

North American republic containing 50 states - 48 conterminous states in North America plus Alaska in northwest North America and the Hawaiian Islands in the Pacific Ocean; achieved independence in 1776

From this reading In North America, at the period of which we write, and even at the present day, on the prairies and the clearings, it is not so; when the war-yell of the Indians suddenly echoes on the ears of the pioneers, the women are constrained to give up the labour of their sex, to take a rifle in their delicate hands, and fight boldly in defence of the community.

amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/

surrounded by; in the middle of a group

From this reading European ladies may think it singular that we count the females among the combatants: in truth, in the old world the days of Bradamante and Joan d'Arc have happily passed away for ever, and the fair sex, owing to the constant progress of civilization, is no longer reduced to the necessity of fighting side by side with men.

amountedverbUS /əˈmaʊntɪd/

past form of “amount” — be tantamount or equivalent to

From this reading The number of combatants amounted to sixty-two, including the females.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading European ladies may think it singular that we count the females among the combatants: in truth, in the old world the days of Bradamante and Joan d'Arc have happily passed away for ever, and the fair sex, owing to the constant progress of civilization, is no longer reduced to the necessity of fighting side by side with men.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading In North America, at the period of which we write, and even at the present day, on the prairies and the clearings, it is not so; when the war-yell of the Indians suddenly echoes on the ears of the pioneers, the women are constrained to give up the labour of their sex, to take a rifle in their delicate hands, and fight boldly in defence of the community.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading In the meanwhile, as is stated a little while ago, Captain Watt had assembled all the members of the colony in front of the town.

assembledverbUS /əˈsembəld/

past form of “assemble” — create by putting components or members together

From this reading In the meanwhile, as is stated a little while ago, Captain Watt had assembled all the members of the colony in front of the town.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading In North America, at the period of which we write, and even at the present day, on the prairies and the clearings, it is not so; when the war-yell of the Indians suddenly echoes on the ears of the pioneers, the women are constrained to give up the labour of their sex, to take a rifle in their delicate hands, and fight boldly in defence of the community.

awayadverbUS /əˈweɪ/

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

From this reading European ladies may think it singular that we count the females among the combatants: in truth, in the old world the days of Bradamante and Joan d'Arc have happily passed away for ever, and the fair sex, owing to the constant progress of civilization, is no longer reduced to the necessity of fighting side by side with men.

BATTLEnounUS /ˈbætəl/

a hostile meeting of opposing military forces in the course of a war

From this reading THE BATTLE.

boldlyadverbUS /ˈboʊldli/

with boldness, in a bold manner

From this reading In North America, at the period of which we write, and even at the present day, on the prairies and the clearings, it is not so; when the war-yell of the Indians suddenly echoes on the ears of the pioneers, the women are constrained to give up the labour of their sex, to take a rifle in their delicate hands, and fight boldly in defence of the community.

Bradamante

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

From this reading European ladies may think it singular that we count the females among the combatants: in truth, in the old world the days of Bradamante and Joan d'Arc have happily passed away for ever, and the fair sex, owing to the constant progress of civilization, is no longer reduced to the necessity of fighting side by side with men.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading European ladies may think it singular that we count the females among the combatants: in truth, in the old world the days of Bradamante and Joan d'Arc have happily passed away for ever, and the fair sex, owing to the constant progress of civilization, is no longer reduced to the necessity of fighting side by side with men.

CaptainnounUS /ˈkæptən/

an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant

From this reading In the meanwhile, as is stated a little while ago, Captain Watt had assembled all the members of the colony in front of the town.

civilizationnounUS /ˌsɪvəlɪˈzeɪʃən/

a society in an advanced state of social development (e.g., with complex legal and political and religious organizations)

From this reading European ladies may think it singular that we count the females among the combatants: in truth, in the old world the days of Bradamante and Joan d'Arc have happily passed away for ever, and the fair sex, owing to the constant progress of civilization, is no longer reduced to the necessity of fighting side by side with men.

clearings

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

From this reading In North America, at the period of which we write, and even at the present day, on the prairies and the clearings, it is not so; when the war-yell of the Indians suddenly echoes on the ears of the pioneers, the women are constrained to give up the labour of their sex, to take a rifle in their delicate hands, and fight boldly in defence of the community.

colonynounUS /ˈkɑːləni/

a body of people who settle far from home but maintain ties with their homeland; inhabitants remain nationals of their home state but are not literally under the home state's system of government

From this reading In the meanwhile, as is stated a little while ago, Captain Watt had assembled all the members of the colony in front of the town.

combatantsnounUS /kəmˈbætənts/

plural of “combatant” — someone who fights (or is fighting)

From this reading The number of combatants amounted to sixty-two, including the females.

communitynounUS /kəˈmjuːnəti/

a group of people living in a particular local area

From this reading In North America, at the period of which we write, and even at the present day, on the prairies and the clearings, it is not so; when the war-yell of the Indians suddenly echoes on the ears of the pioneers, the women are constrained to give up the labour of their sex, to take a rifle in their delicate hands, and fight boldly in defence of the community.

constantadjectiveUS /ˈkɑːnstənt/

unvarying in nature

From this reading European ladies may think it singular that we count the females among the combatants: in truth, in the old world the days of Bradamante and Joan d'Arc have happily passed away for ever, and the fair sex, owing to the constant progress of civilization, is no longer reduced to the necessity of fighting side by side with men.

constrainedadjectiveUS /kənˈstreɪnd/

lacking spontaneity; not natural

From this reading In North America, at the period of which we write, and even at the present day, on the prairies and the clearings, it is not so; when the war-yell of the Indians suddenly echoes on the ears of the pioneers, the women are constrained to give up the labour of their sex, to take a rifle in their delicate hands, and fight boldly in defence of the community.

countverbUS /kaʊnt/

determine the number or amount of

From this reading European ladies may think it singular that we count the females among the combatants: in truth, in the old world the days of Bradamante and Joan d'Arc have happily passed away for ever, and the fair sex, owing to the constant progress of civilization, is no longer reduced to the necessity of fighting side by side with men.

d'Arc

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

From this reading European ladies may think it singular that we count the females among the combatants: in truth, in the old world the days of Bradamante and Joan d'Arc have happily passed away for ever, and the fair sex, owing to the constant progress of civilization, is no longer reduced to the necessity of fighting side by side with men.

daynounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading In North America, at the period of which we write, and even at the present day, on the prairies and the clearings, it is not so; when the war-yell of the Indians suddenly echoes on the ears of the pioneers, the women are constrained to give up the labour of their sex, to take a rifle in their delicate hands, and fight boldly in defence of the community.

daysnounUS /deɪz/

the time during which someone's life continues

From this reading European ladies may think it singular that we count the females among the combatants: in truth, in the old world the days of Bradamante and Joan d'Arc have happily passed away for ever, and the fair sex, owing to the constant progress of civilization, is no longer reduced to the necessity of fighting side by side with men.

defencenounUS /dɪˈfens/

(psychiatry) an unconscious process that tries to reduce the anxiety associated with instinctive desires

From this reading In North America, at the period of which we write, and even at the present day, on the prairies and the clearings, it is not so; when the war-yell of the Indians suddenly echoes on the ears of the pioneers, the women are constrained to give up the labour of their sex, to take a rifle in their delicate hands, and fight boldly in defence of the community.

delicateadjectiveUS /ˈdeləkət/

exquisitely fine and subtle and pleasing; susceptible to injury

From this reading In North America, at the period of which we write, and even at the present day, on the prairies and the clearings, it is not so; when the war-yell of the Indians suddenly echoes on the ears of the pioneers, the women are constrained to give up the labour of their sex, to take a rifle in their delicate hands, and fight boldly in defence of the community.

earsnounUS /ɪrz/

plural of “ear” — the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium

From this reading In North America, at the period of which we write, and even at the present day, on the prairies and the clearings, it is not so; when the war-yell of the Indians suddenly echoes on the ears of the pioneers, the women are constrained to give up the labour of their sex, to take a rifle in their delicate hands, and fight boldly in defence of the community.

echoesnounUS /ˈekoʊz/

plural of “echo” — the repetition of a sound resulting from reflection of the sound waves

From this reading In North America, at the period of which we write, and even at the present day, on the prairies and the clearings, it is not so; when the war-yell of the Indians suddenly echoes on the ears of the pioneers, the women are constrained to give up the labour of their sex, to take a rifle in their delicate hands, and fight boldly in defence of the community.

EuropeannounUS /ˌjʊrəˈpiːən/

a native or inhabitant of Europe

From this reading European ladies may think it singular that we count the females among the combatants: in truth, in the old world the days of Bradamante and Joan d'Arc have happily passed away for ever, and the fair sex, owing to the constant progress of civilization, is no longer reduced to the necessity of fighting side by side with men.

evenadjectiveUS /ˈiːvɪn/

divisible by two

From this reading In North America, at the period of which we write, and even at the present day, on the prairies and the clearings, it is not so; when the war-yell of the Indians suddenly echoes on the ears of the pioneers, the women are constrained to give up the labour of their sex, to take a rifle in their delicate hands, and fight boldly in defence of the community.

everadverbUS /ˈevər/

at any time

From this reading European ladies may think it singular that we count the females among the combatants: in truth, in the old world the days of Bradamante and Joan d'Arc have happily passed away for ever, and the fair sex, owing to the constant progress of civilization, is no longer reduced to the necessity of fighting side by side with men.

fairadjectiveUS /fer/

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

From this reading European ladies may think it singular that we count the females among the combatants: in truth, in the old world the days of Bradamante and Joan d'Arc have happily passed away for ever, and the fair sex, owing to the constant progress of civilization, is no longer reduced to the necessity of fighting side by side with men.

femalesnounUS /ˈfiːmeɪlz/

plural of “female” — an animal that produces gametes (ova) that can be fertilized by male gametes

From this reading The number of combatants amounted to sixty-two, including the females.

fightverbUS /faɪt/

be engaged in a fight; carry on a fight

From this reading In North America, at the period of which we write, and even at the present day, on the prairies and the clearings, it is not so; when the war-yell of the Indians suddenly echoes on the ears of the pioneers, the women are constrained to give up the labour of their sex, to take a rifle in their delicate hands, and fight boldly in defence of the community.

fightingnounUS /ˈfaɪtɪŋ/

the act of fighting; any contest or struggle

From this reading European ladies may think it singular that we count the females among the combatants: in truth, in the old world the days of Bradamante and Joan d'Arc have happily passed away for ever, and the fair sex, owing to the constant progress of civilization, is no longer reduced to the necessity of fighting side by side with men.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading European ladies may think it singular that we count the females among the combatants: in truth, in the old world the days of Bradamante and Joan d'Arc have happily passed away for ever, and the fair sex, owing to the constant progress of civilization, is no longer reduced to the necessity of fighting side by side with men.

frontnounUS /frʌnt/

the side that is forward or prominent

From this reading In the meanwhile, as is stated a little while ago, Captain Watt had assembled all the members of the colony in front of the town.

giveverbUS /ɡɪv/

cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense

From this reading In North America, at the period of which we write, and even at the present day, on the prairies and the clearings, it is not so; when the war-yell of the Indians suddenly echoes on the ears of the pioneers, the women are constrained to give up the labour of their sex, to take a rifle in their delicate hands, and fight boldly in defence of the community.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading In the meanwhile, as is stated a little while ago, Captain Watt had assembled all the members of the colony in front of the town.

handsnounUS /hændz/

(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child

From this reading In North America, at the period of which we write, and even at the present day, on the prairies and the clearings, it is not so; when the war-yell of the Indians suddenly echoes on the ears of the pioneers, the women are constrained to give up the labour of their sex, to take a rifle in their delicate hands, and fight boldly in defence of the community.

happilyadverbUS /ˈhæpəli/

in a joyous manner

From this reading European ladies may think it singular that we count the females among the combatants: in truth, in the old world the days of Bradamante and Joan d'Arc have happily passed away for ever, and the fair sex, owing to the constant progress of civilization, is no longer reduced to the necessity of fighting side by side with men.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading European ladies may think it singular that we count the females among the combatants: in truth, in the old world the days of Bradamante and Joan d'Arc have happily passed away for ever, and the fair sex, owing to the constant progress of civilization, is no longer reduced to the necessity of fighting side by side with men.

InprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading In the meanwhile, as is stated a little while ago, Captain Watt had assembled all the members of the colony in front of the town.

includingverbUS /ˌɪnˈkluːdɪŋ/

-ing form of “include” — have as a part, be made up out of

From this reading The number of combatants amounted to sixty-two, including the females.

IndiansnounUS /ˈɪndiənz/

plural of “indian” — a native or inhabitant of India

From this reading In North America, at the period of which we write, and even at the present day, on the prairies and the clearings, it is not so; when the war-yell of the Indians suddenly echoes on the ears of the pioneers, the women are constrained to give up the labour of their sex, to take a rifle in their delicate hands, and fight boldly in defence of the community.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading In the meanwhile, as is stated a little while ago, Captain Watt had assembled all the members of the colony in front of the town.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading European ladies may think it singular that we count the females among the combatants: in truth, in the old world the days of Bradamante and Joan d'Arc have happily passed away for ever, and the fair sex, owing to the constant progress of civilization, is no longer reduced to the necessity of fighting side by side with men.

Joan

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

From this reading European ladies may think it singular that we count the females among the combatants: in truth, in the old world the days of Bradamante and Joan d'Arc have happily passed away for ever, and the fair sex, owing to the constant progress of civilization, is no longer reduced to the necessity of fighting side by side with men.

labournounUS /ˈleɪbər/

a social class comprising those who do manual labor or work for wages

From this reading In North America, at the period of which we write, and even at the present day, on the prairies and the clearings, it is not so; when the war-yell of the Indians suddenly echoes on the ears of the pioneers, the women are constrained to give up the labour of their sex, to take a rifle in their delicate hands, and fight boldly in defence of the community.

ladiesnounUS /ˈleɪdiz/

plural of “lady” — a polite name for any woman

From this reading European ladies may think it singular that we count the females among the combatants: in truth, in the old world the days of Bradamante and Joan d'Arc have happily passed away for ever, and the fair sex, owing to the constant progress of civilization, is no longer reduced to the necessity of fighting side by side with men.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading In the meanwhile, as is stated a little while ago, Captain Watt had assembled all the members of the colony in front of the town.

longeradverbUS /ˈlɔːŋɡər/

for more time

From this reading European ladies may think it singular that we count the females among the combatants: in truth, in the old world the days of Bradamante and Joan d'Arc have happily passed away for ever, and the fair sex, owing to the constant progress of civilization, is no longer reduced to the necessity of fighting side by side with men.

maymodal verbUS /meɪ/

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading European ladies may think it singular that we count the females among the combatants: in truth, in the old world the days of Bradamante and Joan d'Arc have happily passed away for ever, and the fair sex, owing to the constant progress of civilization, is no longer reduced to the necessity of fighting side by side with men.

meanwhileadverbUS /ˈmiːnwaɪl/

at the same time but in another place

From this reading In the meanwhile, as is stated a little while ago, Captain Watt had assembled all the members of the colony in front of the town.

membersnounUS /ˈmembərz/

plural of “member” — one of the persons who compose a social group (especially individuals who have joined and participate in a group organization)

From this reading In the meanwhile, as is stated a little while ago, Captain Watt had assembled all the members of the colony in front of the town.

mennounUS /men/

the force of workers available

From this reading European ladies may think it singular that we count the females among the combatants: in truth, in the old world the days of Bradamante and Joan d'Arc have happily passed away for ever, and the fair sex, owing to the constant progress of civilization, is no longer reduced to the necessity of fighting side by side with men.

necessitynounUS /nəˈsesəti/

the condition of being essential or indispensable

From this reading European ladies may think it singular that we count the females among the combatants: in truth, in the old world the days of Bradamante and Joan d'Arc have happily passed away for ever, and the fair sex, owing to the constant progress of civilization, is no longer reduced to the necessity of fighting side by side with men.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading European ladies may think it singular that we count the females among the combatants: in truth, in the old world the days of Bradamante and Joan d'Arc have happily passed away for ever, and the fair sex, owing to the constant progress of civilization, is no longer reduced to the necessity of fighting side by side with men.

NorthnounUS /nɔːrθ/

the region of the United States lying to the north of the Mason-Dixon line

From this reading In North America, at the period of which we write, and even at the present day, on the prairies and the clearings, it is not so; when the war-yell of the Indians suddenly echoes on the ears of the pioneers, the women are constrained to give up the labour of their sex, to take a rifle in their delicate hands, and fight boldly in defence of the community.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading In North America, at the period of which we write, and even at the present day, on the prairies and the clearings, it is not so; when the war-yell of the Indians suddenly echoes on the ears of the pioneers, the women are constrained to give up the labour of their sex, to take a rifle in their delicate hands, and fight boldly in defence of the community.

numbernounUS /ˈnʌmbər/

the property possessed by a sum or total or indefinite quantity of units or individuals

From this reading The number of combatants amounted to sixty-two, including the females.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading In the meanwhile, as is stated a little while ago, Captain Watt had assembled all the members of the colony in front of the town.

oldadjectiveUS /oʊld/

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

From this reading European ladies may think it singular that we count the females among the combatants: in truth, in the old world the days of Bradamante and Joan d'Arc have happily passed away for ever, and the fair sex, owing to the constant progress of civilization, is no longer reduced to the necessity of fighting side by side with men.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading In North America, at the period of which we write, and even at the present day, on the prairies and the clearings, it is not so; when the war-yell of the Indians suddenly echoes on the ears of the pioneers, the women are constrained to give up the labour of their sex, to take a rifle in their delicate hands, and fight boldly in defence of the community.

owingadjectiveUS /ˈoʊɪŋ/

owed as a debt

From this reading European ladies may think it singular that we count the females among the combatants: in truth, in the old world the days of Bradamante and Joan d'Arc have happily passed away for ever, and the fair sex, owing to the constant progress of civilization, is no longer reduced to the necessity of fighting side by side with men.

passedverbUS /pæst/

past form of “pass” — go across or through

From this reading European ladies may think it singular that we count the females among the combatants: in truth, in the old world the days of Bradamante and Joan d'Arc have happily passed away for ever, and the fair sex, owing to the constant progress of civilization, is no longer reduced to the necessity of fighting side by side with men.

periodnounUS /ˈpɪriəd/

an amount of time

From this reading In North America, at the period of which we write, and even at the present day, on the prairies and the clearings, it is not so; when the war-yell of the Indians suddenly echoes on the ears of the pioneers, the women are constrained to give up the labour of their sex, to take a rifle in their delicate hands, and fight boldly in defence of the community.

pioneersnounUS /ˌpaɪəˈnɪrz/

plural of “pioneer” — someone who helps to open up a new line of research or technology or art

From this reading In North America, at the period of which we write, and even at the present day, on the prairies and the clearings, it is not so; when the war-yell of the Indians suddenly echoes on the ears of the pioneers, the women are constrained to give up the labour of their sex, to take a rifle in their delicate hands, and fight boldly in defence of the community.

prairiesnounUS /ˈpreɪriz/

plural of “prairie” — a treeless grassy plain

From this reading In North America, at the period of which we write, and even at the present day, on the prairies and the clearings, it is not so; when the war-yell of the Indians suddenly echoes on the ears of the pioneers, the women are constrained to give up the labour of their sex, to take a rifle in their delicate hands, and fight boldly in defence of the community.

presentverbUS /ˈprezənt/

give an exhibition of to an interested audience

From this reading In North America, at the period of which we write, and even at the present day, on the prairies and the clearings, it is not so; when the war-yell of the Indians suddenly echoes on the ears of the pioneers, the women are constrained to give up the labour of their sex, to take a rifle in their delicate hands, and fight boldly in defence of the community.

progressnounUS /ˈprɑːɡres/

gradual improvement or growth or development

From this reading European ladies may think it singular that we count the females among the combatants: in truth, in the old world the days of Bradamante and Joan d'Arc have happily passed away for ever, and the fair sex, owing to the constant progress of civilization, is no longer reduced to the necessity of fighting side by side with men.

reducedadjectiveUS /rəˈduːst/

made less in size or amount or degree

From this reading European ladies may think it singular that we count the females among the combatants: in truth, in the old world the days of Bradamante and Joan d'Arc have happily passed away for ever, and the fair sex, owing to the constant progress of civilization, is no longer reduced to the necessity of fighting side by side with men.

rifleverbUS /ˈraɪfəl/

steal goods; take as spoils

From this reading In North America, at the period of which we write, and even at the present day, on the prairies and the clearings, it is not so; when the war-yell of the Indians suddenly echoes on the ears of the pioneers, the women are constrained to give up the labour of their sex, to take a rifle in their delicate hands, and fight boldly in defence of the community.

sexnounUS /seks/

activities associated with sexual intercourse

From this reading European ladies may think it singular that we count the females among the combatants: in truth, in the old world the days of Bradamante and Joan d'Arc have happily passed away for ever, and the fair sex, owing to the constant progress of civilization, is no longer reduced to the necessity of fighting side by side with men.

sidenounUS /saɪd/

a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location

From this reading European ladies may think it singular that we count the females among the combatants: in truth, in the old world the days of Bradamante and Joan d'Arc have happily passed away for ever, and the fair sex, owing to the constant progress of civilization, is no longer reduced to the necessity of fighting side by side with men.

singularadjectiveUS /ˈsɪŋɡjələr/

unusual or striking

From this reading European ladies may think it singular that we count the females among the combatants: in truth, in the old world the days of Bradamante and Joan d'Arc have happily passed away for ever, and the fair sex, owing to the constant progress of civilization, is no longer reduced to the necessity of fighting side by side with men.

sixty-twoadjective

being two more than sixty

From this reading The number of combatants amounted to sixty-two, including the females.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading In North America, at the period of which we write, and even at the present day, on the prairies and the clearings, it is not so; when the war-yell of the Indians suddenly echoes on the ears of the pioneers, the women are constrained to give up the labour of their sex, to take a rifle in their delicate hands, and fight boldly in defence of the community.

statedadjectiveUS /ˈsteɪtɪd/

declared as fact; explicitly stated

From this reading In the meanwhile, as is stated a little while ago, Captain Watt had assembled all the members of the colony in front of the town.

suddenlyadverbUS /ˈsʌdənli/

happening unexpectedly

From this reading In North America, at the period of which we write, and even at the present day, on the prairies and the clearings, it is not so; when the war-yell of the Indians suddenly echoes on the ears of the pioneers, the women are constrained to give up the labour of their sex, to take a rifle in their delicate hands, and fight boldly in defence of the community.

takeverbUS /teɪk/

carry out

From this reading In North America, at the period of which we write, and even at the present day, on the prairies and the clearings, it is not so; when the war-yell of the Indians suddenly echoes on the ears of the pioneers, the women are constrained to give up the labour of their sex, to take a rifle in their delicate hands, and fight boldly in defence of the community.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading European ladies may think it singular that we count the females among the combatants: in truth, in the old world the days of Bradamante and Joan d'Arc have happily passed away for ever, and the fair sex, owing to the constant progress of civilization, is no longer reduced to the necessity of fighting side by side with men.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE BATTLE.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading In North America, at the period of which we write, and even at the present day, on the prairies and the clearings, it is not so; when the war-yell of the Indians suddenly echoes on the ears of the pioneers, the women are constrained to give up the labour of their sex, to take a rifle in their delicate hands, and fight boldly in defence of the community.

thinkverbUS /θɪŋk/

judge or regard; look upon; judge

From this reading European ladies may think it singular that we count the females among the combatants: in truth, in the old world the days of Bradamante and Joan d'Arc have happily passed away for ever, and the fair sex, owing to the constant progress of civilization, is no longer reduced to the necessity of fighting side by side with men.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading The number of combatants amounted to sixty-two, including the females.

townnounUS /taʊn/

an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city

From this reading In the meanwhile, as is stated a little while ago, Captain Watt had assembled all the members of the colony in front of the town.

truthnounUS /truːθ/

a fact that has been verified

From this reading European ladies may think it singular that we count the females among the combatants: in truth, in the old world the days of Bradamante and Joan d'Arc have happily passed away for ever, and the fair sex, owing to the constant progress of civilization, is no longer reduced to the necessity of fighting side by side with men.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

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

From this reading In North America, at the period of which we write, and even at the present day, on the prairies and the clearings, it is not so; when the war-yell of the Indians suddenly echoes on the ears of the pioneers, the women are constrained to give up the labour of their sex, to take a rifle in their delicate hands, and fight boldly in defence of the community.

war-yell

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

From this reading In North America, at the period of which we write, and even at the present day, on the prairies and the clearings, it is not so; when the war-yell of the Indians suddenly echoes on the ears of the pioneers, the women are constrained to give up the labour of their sex, to take a rifle in their delicate hands, and fight boldly in defence of the community.

WattnounUS /wɑːt/

a unit of power equal to 1 joule per second; the power dissipated by a current of 1 ampere flowing across a resistance of 1 ohm

From this reading In the meanwhile, as is stated a little while ago, Captain Watt had assembled all the members of the colony in front of the town.

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading European ladies may think it singular that we count the females among the combatants: in truth, in the old world the days of Bradamante and Joan d'Arc have happily passed away for ever, and the fair sex, owing to the constant progress of civilization, is no longer reduced to the necessity of fighting side by side with men.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading In North America, at the period of which we write, and even at the present day, on the prairies and the clearings, it is not so; when the war-yell of the Indians suddenly echoes on the ears of the pioneers, the women are constrained to give up the labour of their sex, to take a rifle in their delicate hands, and fight boldly in defence of the community.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading In North America, at the period of which we write, and even at the present day, on the prairies and the clearings, it is not so; when the war-yell of the Indians suddenly echoes on the ears of the pioneers, the women are constrained to give up the labour of their sex, to take a rifle in their delicate hands, and fight boldly in defence of the community.

whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/

during the time that

From this reading In the meanwhile, as is stated a little while ago, Captain Watt had assembled all the members of the colony in front of the town.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading European ladies may think it singular that we count the females among the combatants: in truth, in the old world the days of Bradamante and Joan d'Arc have happily passed away for ever, and the fair sex, owing to the constant progress of civilization, is no longer reduced to the necessity of fighting side by side with men.

womennounUS /ˈwɪmən/

plural of “woman” — an adult female person (as opposed to a man)

From this reading In North America, at the period of which we write, and even at the present day, on the prairies and the clearings, it is not so; when the war-yell of the Indians suddenly echoes on the ears of the pioneers, the women are constrained to give up the labour of their sex, to take a rifle in their delicate hands, and fight boldly in defence of the community.

worldnounUS /wɜːrld/

everything that exists anywhere

From this reading European ladies may think it singular that we count the females among the combatants: in truth, in the old world the days of Bradamante and Joan d'Arc have happily passed away for ever, and the fair sex, owing to the constant progress of civilization, is no longer reduced to the necessity of fighting side by side with men.

writeverbUS /raɪt/

produce a literary work

From this reading In North America, at the period of which we write, and even at the present day, on the prairies and the clearings, it is not so; when the war-yell of the Indians suddenly echoes on the ears of the pioneers, the women are constrained to give up the labour of their sex, to take a rifle in their delicate hands, and fight boldly in defence of the community.

Chapter 10 of The Border Rifles: A Tale of the Texan War by Gustave Aimard holds 101 sentences, grouped into 21 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 10 of The Border Rifles: A Tale of the Texan War contain?

Chapter 10 holds 101 sentences of The Border Rifles: A Tale of the Texan War, unabridged, divided into 21 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 10 of The Border Rifles: A Tale of the Texan War by Gustave Aimard exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 101 sentences, grouped into 21 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 10 of The Border Rifles: A Tale of the Texan War?

Work through the 21 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 21 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.

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Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 10 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.

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Project Gutenberg eBook #40219, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

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About 316 minutes of reading across 760 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

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Vocabulary met early in The Border Rifles: A Tale of the Texan War

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Border Rifles: A Tale of the Texan War, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Border
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Border Rifles: A Tale of the Texan War; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Rifles
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Border Rifles: A Tale of the Texan War; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Texan
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Border Rifles: A Tale of the Texan War; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Author
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Border Rifles: A Tale of the Texan War; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.