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The Christmas Books of Mr. M.A. Titmarsh
The Christmas Books of Mr. M.A. Titmarsh

Chapter XXIV · Chapter 24

Chapter 24 of The Christmas Books of Mr. M.A. Titmarsh is here in full — 139 sentences across 28 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/27 · 5 lines
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As for Glumboso, that rogue was sent to the galleys, and never had an opportunity to steal any more.
XVIII.
HOW THEY ALL JOURNEYED BACK TO THE CAPITAL.
The Fairy Blackstick, by whose means this young King and Queen had certainly won their respective crowns back, would come not unfrequently, to pay them a little visit--as they were riding in their triumphal progress towards Giglio's capital--change her wand into a pony, and travel by their Majesties' side, giving them the very best advice.
I am not sure that King Giglio did not think the Fairy and her advice rather a bore, fancying it was his own valor and merits which had put him on his throne, and conquered Padella: and, in fine, I fear he rather gave himself airs towards his best friend and patroness.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Christmas Books of Mr. M.A. Titmarsh

Chapter XXIV · Chapter 24

Chapter 24 of The Christmas Books of Mr. M.A. Titmarsh is here in full — 139 sentences across 28 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/27 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
As for Glumboso, that rogue was sent to the galleys, and never had an opportunity to steal any more.
Line 2
XVIII.
Line 3
HOW THEY ALL JOURNEYED BACK TO THE CAPITAL.
Line 4
The Fairy Blackstick, by whose means this young King and Queen had certainly won their respective crowns back, would come not unfrequently, to pay them a little visit--as they were riding in their triumphal progress towards Giglio's capital--change her wand into a pony, and travel by their Majesties' side, giving them the very best advice.
Line 5
I am not sure that King Giglio did not think the Fairy and her advice rather a bore, fancying it was his own valor and merits which had put him on his throne, and conquered Padella: and, in fine, I fear he rather gave himself airs towards his best friend and patroness.

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.

crowns noun US /kraʊnz/

plural of “crown” — the Crown (or the reigning monarch) as the symbol of the power and authority of a monarchy

From this reading “The Fairy Blackstick, by whose means this young King and Queen had certainly won their respective crowns back, would come not unfrequently, to pay them a little visit--as they were riding in their triumphal progress towards Giglio's capital--change her wand into a pony, and travel by their Majesties' side, giving them the very best advice.”

galleys noun US /ˈɡæliz/

plural of “galley” — a large medieval vessel with a single deck propelled by sails and oars with guns at stern and prow; a complement of 1,000 men; used mainly in the Mediterranean for war and trading

From this reading “As for Glumboso, that rogue was sent to the galleys, and never had an opportunity to steal any more.”

journeyed verb US /ˈdʒɜːrnid/

past form of “journey” — undertake a journey or trip

From this reading “HOW THEY ALL JOURNEYED BACK TO THE CAPITAL.”

patroness noun US /ˈpeɪtrənəs/

a woman who is a patron or the wife of a patron

From this reading “I am not sure that King Giglio did not think the Fairy and her advice rather a bore, fancying it was his own valor and merits which had put him on his throne, and conquered Padella: and, in fine, I fear he rather gave himself airs towards his best friend and patroness.”

respective adjective US /rɪˈspektɪv/

considered individually

From this reading “The Fairy Blackstick, by whose means this young King and Queen had certainly won their respective crowns back, would come not unfrequently, to pay them a little visit--as they were riding in their triumphal progress towards Giglio's capital--change her wand into a pony, and travel by their Majesties' side, giving them the very best advice.”

triumphal adjective US /traɪˈʌmfəl/

relating to or celebrating a triumph

From this reading “The Fairy Blackstick, by whose means this young King and Queen had certainly won their respective crowns back, would come not unfrequently, to pay them a little visit--as they were riding in their triumphal progress towards Giglio's capital--change her wand into a pony, and travel by their Majesties' side, giving them the very best advice.”

valor noun US /ˈvælər/

the qualities of a hero or heroine; exceptional or heroic courage when facing danger (especially in battle)

From this reading “I am not sure that King Giglio did not think the Fairy and her advice rather a bore, fancying it was his own valor and merits which had put him on his throne, and conquered Padella: and, in fine, I fear he rather gave himself airs towards his best friend and patroness.”

wand noun US /wɑːnd/

a rod used by a magician or water diviner

From this reading “The Fairy Blackstick, by whose means this young King and Queen had certainly won their respective crowns back, would come not unfrequently, to pay them a little visit--as they were riding in their triumphal progress towards Giglio's capital--change her wand into a pony, and travel by their Majesties' side, giving them the very best advice.”

All words in this reading · 96

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 The Fairy Blackstick, by whose means this young King and Queen had certainly won their respective crowns back, would come not unfrequently, to pay them a little visit--as they were riding in their triumphal progress towards Giglio's capital--change her wand into a pony, and travel by their Majesties' side, giving them the very best advice.

advicenounUS /ædˈvaɪs/

a proposal for an appropriate course of action

From this reading The Fairy Blackstick, by whose means this young King and Queen had certainly won their respective crowns back, would come not unfrequently, to pay them a little visit--as they were riding in their triumphal progress towards Giglio's capital--change her wand into a pony, and travel by their Majesties' side, giving them the very best advice.

airsnounUS /erz/

affected manners intended to impress others

From this reading I am not sure that King Giglio did not think the Fairy and her advice rather a bore, fancying it was his own valor and merits which had put him on his throne, and conquered Padella: and, in fine, I fear he rather gave himself airs towards his best friend and patroness.

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 HOW THEY ALL JOURNEYED BACK TO THE CAPITAL.

amauxiliary verbUS /æm/

the form of “be” used with “I”

From this reading I am not sure that King Giglio did not think the Fairy and her advice rather a bore, fancying it was his own valor and merits which had put him on his throne, and conquered Padella: and, in fine, I fear he rather gave himself airs towards his best friend and patroness.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading As for Glumboso, that rogue was sent to the galleys, and never had an opportunity to steal any more.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading As for Glumboso, that rogue was sent to the galleys, and never had an opportunity to steal any more.

anyadjectiveUS /ˈeni/

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading As for Glumboso, that rogue was sent to the galleys, and never had an opportunity to steal any more.

AsconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading As for Glumboso, that rogue was sent to the galleys, and never had an opportunity to steal any more.

BACKadverbUS /bæk/

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading HOW THEY ALL JOURNEYED BACK TO THE CAPITAL.

bestnounUS /best/

the supreme effort one can make

From this reading The Fairy Blackstick, by whose means this young King and Queen had certainly won their respective crowns back, would come not unfrequently, to pay them a little visit--as they were riding in their triumphal progress towards Giglio's capital--change her wand into a pony, and travel by their Majesties' side, giving them the very best advice.

Blackstick

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

From this reading The Fairy Blackstick, by whose means this young King and Queen had certainly won their respective crowns back, would come not unfrequently, to pay them a little visit--as they were riding in their triumphal progress towards Giglio's capital--change her wand into a pony, and travel by their Majesties' side, giving them the very best advice.

boreverbUS /bɔːr/

cause to be bored

From this reading I am not sure that King Giglio did not think the Fairy and her advice rather a bore, fancying it was his own valor and merits which had put him on his throne, and conquered Padella: and, in fine, I fear he rather gave himself airs towards his best friend and patroness.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading The Fairy Blackstick, by whose means this young King and Queen had certainly won their respective crowns back, would come not unfrequently, to pay them a little visit--as they were riding in their triumphal progress towards Giglio's capital--change her wand into a pony, and travel by their Majesties' side, giving them the very best advice.

CAPITALnounUS /ˈkæpətəl/

assets available for use in the production of further assets

From this reading HOW THEY ALL JOURNEYED BACK TO THE CAPITAL.

certainlyadverbUS /ˈsɜːrtənli/

definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)

From this reading The Fairy Blackstick, by whose means this young King and Queen had certainly won their respective crowns back, would come not unfrequently, to pay them a little visit--as they were riding in their triumphal progress towards Giglio's capital--change her wand into a pony, and travel by their Majesties' side, giving them the very best advice.

changeverbUS /tʃeɪndʒ/

cause to change; make different; cause a transformation

From this reading The Fairy Blackstick, by whose means this young King and Queen had certainly won their respective crowns back, would come not unfrequently, to pay them a little visit--as they were riding in their triumphal progress towards Giglio's capital--change her wand into a pony, and travel by their Majesties' side, giving them the very best advice.

comeverbUS /kʌm/

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading The Fairy Blackstick, by whose means this young King and Queen had certainly won their respective crowns back, would come not unfrequently, to pay them a little visit--as they were riding in their triumphal progress towards Giglio's capital--change her wand into a pony, and travel by their Majesties' side, giving them the very best advice.

conqueredverbUS /ˈkɑːŋkərd/

past form of “conquer” — bring under control by force or authority

From this reading I am not sure that King Giglio did not think the Fairy and her advice rather a bore, fancying it was his own valor and merits which had put him on his throne, and conquered Padella: and, in fine, I fear he rather gave himself airs towards his best friend and patroness.

crownsnounUS /kraʊnz/

plural of “crown” — the Crown (or the reigning monarch) as the symbol of the power and authority of a monarchy

From this reading The Fairy Blackstick, by whose means this young King and Queen had certainly won their respective crowns back, would come not unfrequently, to pay them a little visit--as they were riding in their triumphal progress towards Giglio's capital--change her wand into a pony, and travel by their Majesties' side, giving them the very best advice.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

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

From this reading I am not sure that King Giglio did not think the Fairy and her advice rather a bore, fancying it was his own valor and merits which had put him on his throne, and conquered Padella: and, in fine, I fear he rather gave himself airs towards his best friend and patroness.

FairynounUS /ˈferi/

a small being, human in form, playful and having magical powers

From this reading The Fairy Blackstick, by whose means this young King and Queen had certainly won their respective crowns back, would come not unfrequently, to pay them a little visit--as they were riding in their triumphal progress towards Giglio's capital--change her wand into a pony, and travel by their Majesties' side, giving them the very best advice.

fancying

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

From this reading I am not sure that King Giglio did not think the Fairy and her advice rather a bore, fancying it was his own valor and merits which had put him on his throne, and conquered Padella: and, in fine, I fear he rather gave himself airs towards his best friend and patroness.

fearverbUS /fɪr/

be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event

From this reading I am not sure that King Giglio did not think the Fairy and her advice rather a bore, fancying it was his own valor and merits which had put him on his throne, and conquered Padella: and, in fine, I fear he rather gave himself airs towards his best friend and patroness.

fineadjectiveUS /faɪn/

being satisfactory or in satisfactory condition

From this reading I am not sure that King Giglio did not think the Fairy and her advice rather a bore, fancying it was his own valor and merits which had put him on his throne, and conquered Padella: and, in fine, I fear he rather gave himself airs towards his best friend and patroness.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading As for Glumboso, that rogue was sent to the galleys, and never had an opportunity to steal any more.

friendnounUS /frend/

a person you know well and regard with affection and trust

From this reading I am not sure that King Giglio did not think the Fairy and her advice rather a bore, fancying it was his own valor and merits which had put him on his throne, and conquered Padella: and, in fine, I fear he rather gave himself airs towards his best friend and patroness.

galleysnounUS /ˈɡæliz/

plural of “galley” — a large medieval vessel with a single deck propelled by sails and oars with guns at stern and prow; a complement of 1,000 men; used mainly in the Mediterranean for war and trading

From this reading As for Glumboso, that rogue was sent to the galleys, and never had an opportunity to steal any more.

gaveverbUS /ɡeɪv/

inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense

From this reading I am not sure that King Giglio did not think the Fairy and her advice rather a bore, fancying it was his own valor and merits which had put him on his throne, and conquered Padella: and, in fine, I fear he rather gave himself airs towards his best friend and patroness.

Giglio

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

From this reading I am not sure that King Giglio did not think the Fairy and her advice rather a bore, fancying it was his own valor and merits which had put him on his throne, and conquered Padella: and, in fine, I fear he rather gave himself airs towards his best friend and patroness.

Giglio's

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

From this reading The Fairy Blackstick, by whose means this young King and Queen had certainly won their respective crowns back, would come not unfrequently, to pay them a little visit--as they were riding in their triumphal progress towards Giglio's capital--change her wand into a pony, and travel by their Majesties' side, giving them the very best advice.

givingnounUS /ˈɡɪvɪŋ/

the act of giving

From this reading The Fairy Blackstick, by whose means this young King and Queen had certainly won their respective crowns back, would come not unfrequently, to pay them a little visit--as they were riding in their triumphal progress towards Giglio's capital--change her wand into a pony, and travel by their Majesties' side, giving them the very best advice.

Glumboso

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

From this reading As for Glumboso, that rogue was sent to the galleys, and never had an opportunity to steal any more.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading As for Glumboso, that rogue was sent to the galleys, and never had an opportunity to steal any more.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading I am not sure that King Giglio did not think the Fairy and her advice rather a bore, fancying it was his own valor and merits which had put him on his throne, and conquered Padella: and, in fine, I fear he rather gave himself airs towards his best friend and patroness.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading The Fairy Blackstick, by whose means this young King and Queen had certainly won their respective crowns back, would come not unfrequently, to pay them a little visit--as they were riding in their triumphal progress towards Giglio's capital--change her wand into a pony, and travel by their Majesties' side, giving them the very best advice.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading I am not sure that King Giglio did not think the Fairy and her advice rather a bore, fancying it was his own valor and merits which had put him on his throne, and conquered Padella: and, in fine, I fear he rather gave himself airs towards his best friend and patroness.

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

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

From this reading I am not sure that King Giglio did not think the Fairy and her advice rather a bore, fancying it was his own valor and merits which had put him on his throne, and conquered Padella: and, in fine, I fear he rather gave himself airs towards his best friend and patroness.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading I am not sure that King Giglio did not think the Fairy and her advice rather a bore, fancying it was his own valor and merits which had put him on his throne, and conquered Padella: and, in fine, I fear he rather gave himself airs towards his best friend and patroness.

HOW

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

From this reading HOW THEY ALL JOURNEYED BACK TO THE CAPITAL.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading I am not sure that King Giglio did not think the Fairy and her advice rather a bore, fancying it was his own valor and merits which had put him on his throne, and conquered Padella: and, in fine, I fear he rather gave himself airs towards his best friend and patroness.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading The Fairy Blackstick, by whose means this young King and Queen had certainly won their respective crowns back, would come not unfrequently, to pay them a little visit--as they were riding in their triumphal progress towards Giglio's capital--change her wand into a pony, and travel by their Majesties' side, giving them the very best advice.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading The Fairy Blackstick, by whose means this young King and Queen had certainly won their respective crowns back, would come not unfrequently, to pay them a little visit--as they were riding in their triumphal progress towards Giglio's capital--change her wand into a pony, and travel by their Majesties' side, giving them the very best advice.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading I am not sure that King Giglio did not think the Fairy and her advice rather a bore, fancying it was his own valor and merits which had put him on his throne, and conquered Padella: and, in fine, I fear he rather gave himself airs towards his best friend and patroness.

JOURNEYEDverbUS /ˈdʒɜːrnid/

past form of “journey” — undertake a journey or trip

From this reading HOW THEY ALL JOURNEYED BACK TO THE CAPITAL.

KingnounUS /kɪŋ/

a male sovereign; ruler of a kingdom

From this reading The Fairy Blackstick, by whose means this young King and Queen had certainly won their respective crowns back, would come not unfrequently, to pay them a little visit--as they were riding in their triumphal progress towards Giglio's capital--change her wand into a pony, and travel by their Majesties' side, giving them the very best advice.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

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

From this reading The Fairy Blackstick, by whose means this young King and Queen had certainly won their respective crowns back, would come not unfrequently, to pay them a little visit--as they were riding in their triumphal progress towards Giglio's capital--change her wand into a pony, and travel by their Majesties' side, giving them the very best advice.

Majesties

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

From this reading The Fairy Blackstick, by whose means this young King and Queen had certainly won their respective crowns back, would come not unfrequently, to pay them a little visit--as they were riding in their triumphal progress towards Giglio's capital--change her wand into a pony, and travel by their Majesties' side, giving them the very best advice.

meansnounUS /miːnz/

thing or person that acts to produce a particular effect or achieve an end

From this reading The Fairy Blackstick, by whose means this young King and Queen had certainly won their respective crowns back, would come not unfrequently, to pay them a little visit--as they were riding in their triumphal progress towards Giglio's capital--change her wand into a pony, and travel by their Majesties' side, giving them the very best advice.

meritsnounUS /ˈmerəts/

plural of “merit” — any admirable quality or attribute

From this reading I am not sure that King Giglio did not think the Fairy and her advice rather a bore, fancying it was his own valor and merits which had put him on his throne, and conquered Padella: and, in fine, I fear he rather gave himself airs towards his best friend and patroness.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading As for Glumboso, that rogue was sent to the galleys, and never had an opportunity to steal any more.

neveradverbUS /ˈnevər/

not ever; at no time in the past or future

From this reading As for Glumboso, that rogue was sent to the galleys, and never had an opportunity to steal any more.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading The Fairy Blackstick, by whose means this young King and Queen had certainly won their respective crowns back, would come not unfrequently, to pay them a little visit--as they were riding in their triumphal progress towards Giglio's capital--change her wand into a pony, and travel by their Majesties' side, giving them the very best advice.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading I am not sure that King Giglio did not think the Fairy and her advice rather a bore, fancying it was his own valor and merits which had put him on his throne, and conquered Padella: and, in fine, I fear he rather gave himself airs towards his best friend and patroness.

opportunitynounUS /ˌɑːpərˈtuːnəti/

a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances

From this reading As for Glumboso, that rogue was sent to the galleys, and never had an opportunity to steal any more.

ownverbUS /oʊn/

have ownership or possession of

From this reading I am not sure that King Giglio did not think the Fairy and her advice rather a bore, fancying it was his own valor and merits which had put him on his throne, and conquered Padella: and, in fine, I fear he rather gave himself airs towards his best friend and patroness.

Padella

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

From this reading I am not sure that King Giglio did not think the Fairy and her advice rather a bore, fancying it was his own valor and merits which had put him on his throne, and conquered Padella: and, in fine, I fear he rather gave himself airs towards his best friend and patroness.

patronessnounUS /ˈpeɪtrənəs/

a woman who is a patron or the wife of a patron

From this reading I am not sure that King Giglio did not think the Fairy and her advice rather a bore, fancying it was his own valor and merits which had put him on his throne, and conquered Padella: and, in fine, I fear he rather gave himself airs towards his best friend and patroness.

payverbUS /peɪ/

give money, usually in exchange for goods or services

From this reading The Fairy Blackstick, by whose means this young King and Queen had certainly won their respective crowns back, would come not unfrequently, to pay them a little visit--as they were riding in their triumphal progress towards Giglio's capital--change her wand into a pony, and travel by their Majesties' side, giving them the very best advice.

ponynounUS /ˈpoʊniː/

a range horse of the western United States

From this reading The Fairy Blackstick, by whose means this young King and Queen had certainly won their respective crowns back, would come not unfrequently, to pay them a little visit--as they were riding in their triumphal progress towards Giglio's capital--change her wand into a pony, and travel by their Majesties' side, giving them the very best advice.

progressnounUS /ˈprɑːɡres/

gradual improvement or growth or development

From this reading The Fairy Blackstick, by whose means this young King and Queen had certainly won their respective crowns back, would come not unfrequently, to pay them a little visit--as they were riding in their triumphal progress towards Giglio's capital--change her wand into a pony, and travel by their Majesties' side, giving them the very best advice.

putverbUS /pʊt/

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading I am not sure that King Giglio did not think the Fairy and her advice rather a bore, fancying it was his own valor and merits which had put him on his throne, and conquered Padella: and, in fine, I fear he rather gave himself airs towards his best friend and patroness.

QueennounUS /kwiːn/

the only fertile female in a colony of social insects such as bees and ants and termites; its function is to lay eggs

From this reading The Fairy Blackstick, by whose means this young King and Queen had certainly won their respective crowns back, would come not unfrequently, to pay them a little visit--as they were riding in their triumphal progress towards Giglio's capital--change her wand into a pony, and travel by their Majesties' side, giving them the very best advice.

ratheradverbUS /ˈræðər/

on the contrary

From this reading I am not sure that King Giglio did not think the Fairy and her advice rather a bore, fancying it was his own valor and merits which had put him on his throne, and conquered Padella: and, in fine, I fear he rather gave himself airs towards his best friend and patroness.

respectiveadjectiveUS /rɪˈspektɪv/

considered individually

From this reading The Fairy Blackstick, by whose means this young King and Queen had certainly won their respective crowns back, would come not unfrequently, to pay them a little visit--as they were riding in their triumphal progress towards Giglio's capital--change her wand into a pony, and travel by their Majesties' side, giving them the very best advice.

ridingnounUS /ˈraɪdɪŋ/

the sport of sitting on the back of a horse while controlling its movements

From this reading The Fairy Blackstick, by whose means this young King and Queen had certainly won their respective crowns back, would come not unfrequently, to pay them a little visit--as they were riding in their triumphal progress towards Giglio's capital--change her wand into a pony, and travel by their Majesties' side, giving them the very best advice.

roguenounUS /roʊɡ/

a deceitful and unreliable scoundrel

From this reading As for Glumboso, that rogue was sent to the galleys, and never had an opportunity to steal any more.

sentnounUS /sent/

100 senti equal 1 kroon in Estonia

From this reading As for Glumboso, that rogue was sent to the galleys, and never had an opportunity to steal any more.

sidenounUS /saɪd/

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

From this reading The Fairy Blackstick, by whose means this young King and Queen had certainly won their respective crowns back, would come not unfrequently, to pay them a little visit--as they were riding in their triumphal progress towards Giglio's capital--change her wand into a pony, and travel by their Majesties' side, giving them the very best advice.

stealverbUS /stiːl/

take without the owner's consent

From this reading As for Glumboso, that rogue was sent to the galleys, and never had an opportunity to steal any more.

sureadjectiveUS /ʃʊr/

having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured

From this reading I am not sure that King Giglio did not think the Fairy and her advice rather a bore, fancying it was his own valor and merits which had put him on his throne, and conquered Padella: and, in fine, I fear he rather gave himself airs towards his best friend and patroness.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading As for Glumboso, that rogue was sent to the galleys, and never had an opportunity to steal any more.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading As for Glumboso, that rogue was sent to the galleys, and never had an opportunity to steal any more.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading The Fairy Blackstick, by whose means this young King and Queen had certainly won their respective crowns back, would come not unfrequently, to pay them a little visit--as they were riding in their triumphal progress towards Giglio's capital--change her wand into a pony, and travel by their Majesties' side, giving them the very best advice.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading The Fairy Blackstick, by whose means this young King and Queen had certainly won their respective crowns back, would come not unfrequently, to pay them a little visit--as they were riding in their triumphal progress towards Giglio's capital--change her wand into a pony, and travel by their Majesties' side, giving them the very best advice.

THEYpronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading HOW THEY ALL JOURNEYED BACK TO THE CAPITAL.

thinkverbUS /θɪŋk/

judge or regard; look upon; judge

From this reading I am not sure that King Giglio did not think the Fairy and her advice rather a bore, fancying it was his own valor and merits which had put him on his throne, and conquered Padella: and, in fine, I fear he rather gave himself airs towards his best friend and patroness.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading The Fairy Blackstick, by whose means this young King and Queen had certainly won their respective crowns back, would come not unfrequently, to pay them a little visit--as they were riding in their triumphal progress towards Giglio's capital--change her wand into a pony, and travel by their Majesties' side, giving them the very best advice.

thronenounUS /θroʊn/

the chair of state for a monarch, bishop, etc.

From this reading I am not sure that King Giglio did not think the Fairy and her advice rather a bore, fancying it was his own valor and merits which had put him on his throne, and conquered Padella: and, in fine, I fear he rather gave himself airs towards his best friend and patroness.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading As for Glumboso, that rogue was sent to the galleys, and never had an opportunity to steal any more.

towardsprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrdz/

in the direction of

From this reading The Fairy Blackstick, by whose means this young King and Queen had certainly won their respective crowns back, would come not unfrequently, to pay them a little visit--as they were riding in their triumphal progress towards Giglio's capital--change her wand into a pony, and travel by their Majesties' side, giving them the very best advice.

travelverbUS /ˈtrævəl/

change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading The Fairy Blackstick, by whose means this young King and Queen had certainly won their respective crowns back, would come not unfrequently, to pay them a little visit--as they were riding in their triumphal progress towards Giglio's capital--change her wand into a pony, and travel by their Majesties' side, giving them the very best advice.

triumphaladjectiveUS /traɪˈʌmfəl/

relating to or celebrating a triumph

From this reading The Fairy Blackstick, by whose means this young King and Queen had certainly won their respective crowns back, would come not unfrequently, to pay them a little visit--as they were riding in their triumphal progress towards Giglio's capital--change her wand into a pony, and travel by their Majesties' side, giving them the very best advice.

unfrequently

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

From this reading The Fairy Blackstick, by whose means this young King and Queen had certainly won their respective crowns back, would come not unfrequently, to pay them a little visit--as they were riding in their triumphal progress towards Giglio's capital--change her wand into a pony, and travel by their Majesties' side, giving them the very best advice.

valornounUS /ˈvælər/

the qualities of a hero or heroine; exceptional or heroic courage when facing danger (especially in battle)

From this reading I am not sure that King Giglio did not think the Fairy and her advice rather a bore, fancying it was his own valor and merits which had put him on his throne, and conquered Padella: and, in fine, I fear he rather gave himself airs towards his best friend and patroness.

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading The Fairy Blackstick, by whose means this young King and Queen had certainly won their respective crowns back, would come not unfrequently, to pay them a little visit--as they were riding in their triumphal progress towards Giglio's capital--change her wand into a pony, and travel by their Majesties' side, giving them the very best advice.

visitverbUS /ˈvɪzɪt/

go to see a place, as for entertainment

From this reading The Fairy Blackstick, by whose means this young King and Queen had certainly won their respective crowns back, would come not unfrequently, to pay them a little visit--as they were riding in their triumphal progress towards Giglio's capital--change her wand into a pony, and travel by their Majesties' side, giving them the very best advice.

wandnounUS /wɑːnd/

a rod used by a magician or water diviner

From this reading The Fairy Blackstick, by whose means this young King and Queen had certainly won their respective crowns back, would come not unfrequently, to pay them a little visit--as they were riding in their triumphal progress towards Giglio's capital--change her wand into a pony, and travel by their Majesties' side, giving them the very best advice.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading As for Glumboso, that rogue was sent to the galleys, and never had an opportunity to steal any more.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading The Fairy Blackstick, by whose means this young King and Queen had certainly won their respective crowns back, would come not unfrequently, to pay them a little visit--as they were riding in their triumphal progress towards Giglio's capital--change her wand into a pony, and travel by their Majesties' side, giving them the very best advice.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading I am not sure that King Giglio did not think the Fairy and her advice rather a bore, fancying it was his own valor and merits which had put him on his throne, and conquered Padella: and, in fine, I fear he rather gave himself airs towards his best friend and patroness.

whosedeterminerUS /huːz/

belonging to which person

From this reading The Fairy Blackstick, by whose means this young King and Queen had certainly won their respective crowns back, would come not unfrequently, to pay them a little visit--as they were riding in their triumphal progress towards Giglio's capital--change her wand into a pony, and travel by their Majesties' side, giving them the very best advice.

wonnounUS /wʌn/

the basic unit of money in South Korea

From this reading The Fairy Blackstick, by whose means this young King and Queen had certainly won their respective crowns back, would come not unfrequently, to pay them a little visit--as they were riding in their triumphal progress towards Giglio's capital--change her wand into a pony, and travel by their Majesties' side, giving them the very best advice.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading The Fairy Blackstick, by whose means this young King and Queen had certainly won their respective crowns back, would come not unfrequently, to pay them a little visit--as they were riding in their triumphal progress towards Giglio's capital--change her wand into a pony, and travel by their Majesties' side, giving them the very best advice.

XVIIInoun

the cardinal number that is the sum of seventeen and one

From this reading XVIII.

youngadjectiveUS /jʌŋ/

(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth

From this reading The Fairy Blackstick, by whose means this young King and Queen had certainly won their respective crowns back, would come not unfrequently, to pay them a little visit--as they were riding in their triumphal progress towards Giglio's capital--change her wand into a pony, and travel by their Majesties' side, giving them the very best advice.

Chapter 24 of The Christmas Books of Mr. M.A. Titmarsh by William Makepeace Thackeray holds 139 sentences, grouped into 28 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.

What does chapter 24 of The Christmas Books of Mr. M.A. Titmarsh contain?

Chapter 24 holds 139 sentences of The Christmas Books of Mr. M.A. Titmarsh, unabridged, divided into 28 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 24 of The Christmas Books of Mr. M.A. Titmarsh by William Makepeace Thackeray exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 139 sentences, grouped into 28 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 24 of The Christmas Books of Mr. M.A. Titmarsh?

Work through the 28 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 28 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 24 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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Common questions about reading The Christmas Books of Mr. M.A. Titmarsh by William Makepeace Thackeray on this page, its source edition and its audio.

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Project Gutenberg eBook #2731, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

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About 313 minutes of reading across 753 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

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How to work through The Christmas Books of Mr. M.A. Titmarsh section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

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Vocabulary met early in The Christmas Books of Mr. M.A. Titmarsh

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Christmas Books of Mr. M.A. Titmarsh, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Street
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Christmas Books of Mr. M.A. Titmarsh; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Birch
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Christmas Books of Mr. M.A. Titmarsh; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Young
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Christmas Books of Mr. M.A. Titmarsh; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Friends
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Christmas Books of Mr. M.A. Titmarsh; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.