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The Complete Poetic and Dramatic Works of Robert Browning
The Complete Poetic and Dramatic Works of Robert Browning

Chapter VIII

Chapter 8 of The Complete Poetic and Dramatic Works of Robert Browning is here in full — 855 sentences across 171 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Complete Poetic and Dramatic Works of Robert Browning
Context Illustration Reading 1/171 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
To business now.
THE ENGLISHMAN IN ITALY PIANO DI SORRENTO Fortù, Fortù, my beloved one, Sit here by my side, On my knees put up both little feet!
I was sure, if I tried, I could make you laugh spite of Scirocco.
Now, open your eyes, Let me keep you amused till he vanish In black from the skies, With telling my memories over As you tell your beads; All the Plain saw me gather, I garland --The flowers or the weeds.
Time for rain! for your long hot dry Autumn Had net-worked with brown The white skin of each grape on the bunches, Marked like a quail's crown, Those creatures you make such account of, Whose heads,--speckled white Over brown like a great spider's back, As I told you last night,-- Your mother bites off for her supper.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Complete Poetic and Dramatic Works of Robert Browning

Chapter VIII

Chapter 8 of The Complete Poetic and Dramatic Works of Robert Browning is here in full — 855 sentences across 171 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/171 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
To business now.
/tuː ˈbɪznəs naʊ/
Line 2
THE ENGLISHMAN IN ITALY PIANO DI SORRENTO Fortù, Fortù, my beloved one, Sit here by my side, On my knees put up both little feet!
Line 3
I was sure, if I tried, I could make you laugh spite of Scirocco.
Line 4
Now, open your eyes, Let me keep you amused till he vanish In black from the skies, With telling my memories over As you tell your beads; All the Plain saw me gather, I garland --The flowers or the weeds.
/naʊ ˈoʊ.pən jɔːr aɪz let miː kiːp juː əˈmjuːzd tɪl hiː ˈvænɪʃ ɪn blæk frʌm ðə skaɪz wɪð ˈtelɪŋ maɪ ˈmɛm.ə.riz ˈoʊvər æz juː tel jɔːr biːdz ɔːl ðə pleɪn sɔː miː ˈɡæðər aɪ ˈɡɑːrlənd ðə ˈflaʊərz ɔːr ðə wiːdz/
Line 5
Time for rain! for your long hot dry Autumn Had net-worked with brown The white skin of each grape on the bunches, Marked like a quail's crown, Those creatures you make such account of, Whose heads,--speckled white Over brown like a great spider's back, As I told you last night,-- Your mother bites off for her supper.

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.

beads noun US /biːdz/

several beads threaded together on a string

From this reading “Now, open your eyes, Let me keep you amused till he vanish In black from the skies, With telling my memories over As you tell your beads; All the Plain saw me gather, I garland --The flowers or the weeds.”

bites noun US /baɪts/

plural of “bite” — a wound resulting from biting by an animal or a person

From this reading “Time for rain! for your long hot dry Autumn Had net-worked with brown The white skin of each grape on the bunches, Marked like a quail's crown, Those creatures you make such account of, Whose heads,--speckled white Over brown like a great spider's back, As I told you last night,-- Your mother bites off for her supper.”

bunches noun US /ˈbʌntʃəz/

plural of “bunch” — a grouping of a number of similar things

From this reading “Time for rain! for your long hot dry Autumn Had net-worked with brown The white skin of each grape on the bunches, Marked like a quail's crown, Those creatures you make such account of, Whose heads,--speckled white Over brown like a great spider's back, As I told you last night,-- Your mother bites off for her supper.”

garland verb US /ˈɡɑːrlənd/

adorn with bands of flowers or leaves

From this reading “Now, open your eyes, Let me keep you amused till he vanish In black from the skies, With telling my memories over As you tell your beads; All the Plain saw me gather, I garland --The flowers or the weeds.”

grape noun US /ɡreɪp/

any of various juicy fruit of the genus Vitis with green or purple skins; grow in clusters

From this reading “Time for rain! for your long hot dry Autumn Had net-worked with brown The white skin of each grape on the bunches, Marked like a quail's crown, Those creatures you make such account of, Whose heads,--speckled white Over brown like a great spider's back, As I told you last night,-- Your mother bites off for her supper.”

speckled adjective US /ˈspekəld/

having a pattern of dots

From this reading “Time for rain! for your long hot dry Autumn Had net-worked with brown The white skin of each grape on the bunches, Marked like a quail's crown, Those creatures you make such account of, Whose heads,--speckled white Over brown like a great spider's back, As I told you last night,-- Your mother bites off for her supper.”

vanish verb US /ˈvænɪʃ/

get lost, as without warning or explanation

From this reading “Now, open your eyes, Let me keep you amused till he vanish In black from the skies, With telling my memories over As you tell your beads; All the Plain saw me gather, I garland --The flowers or the weeds.”

weeds noun US /wiːdz/

a black garment (dress) worn by a widow as a sign of mourning

From this reading “Now, open your eyes, Let me keep you amused till he vanish In black from the skies, With telling my memories over As you tell your beads; All the Plain saw me gather, I garland --The flowers or the weeds.”

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.

last night adjective + noun

In this reading “Time for rain! for your long hot dry Autumn Had net-worked with brown The white skin of each grape on the bunches, Marked like a quail's crown, Those creatures you make such account of, Whose heads,--speckled white Over brown like a great spider's back, As I told you last night,-- Your mother bites off for her supper.”

white skin noun + noun

In this reading “Time for rain! for your long hot dry Autumn Had net-worked with brown The white skin of each grape on the bunches, Marked like a quail's crown, Those creatures you make such account of, Whose heads,--speckled white Over brown like a great spider's back, As I told you last night,-- Your mother bites off for her supper.”

bites off verb + particle counted as “bite off”

bite off with a quick bite

In this reading “Time for rain! for your long hot dry Autumn Had net-worked with brown The white skin of each grape on the bunches, Marked like a quail's crown, Those creatures you make such account of, Whose heads,--speckled white Over brown like a great spider's back, As I told you last night,-- Your mother bites off for her supper.”

Sit here verb + particle

In this reading “THE ENGLISHMAN IN ITALY PIANO DI SORRENTO Fortù, Fortù, my beloved one, Sit here by my side, On my knees put up both little feet!”

put up verb + adjective

place so as to be noticed

In this reading “THE ENGLISHMAN IN ITALY PIANO DI SORRENTO Fortù, Fortù, my beloved one, Sit here by my side, On my knees put up both little feet!”

from the skies preposition + article + noun counted as “from … sky”

In this reading “Now, open your eyes, Let me keep you amused till he vanish In black from the skies, With telling my memories over As you tell your beads; All the Plain saw me gather, I garland --The flowers or the weeds.”

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 Time for rain! for your long hot dry Autumn Had net-worked with brown The white skin of each grape on the bunches, Marked like a quail's crown, Those creatures you make such account of, Whose heads,--speckled white Over brown like a great spider's back, As I told you last night,-- Your mother bites off for her supper.

accountnounUS /əˈkaʊnt/

a record or narrative description of past events

From this reading Time for rain! for your long hot dry Autumn Had net-worked with brown The white skin of each grape on the bunches, Marked like a quail's crown, Those creatures you make such account of, Whose heads,--speckled white Over brown like a great spider's back, As I told you last night,-- Your mother bites off for her supper.

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 Now, open your eyes, Let me keep you amused till he vanish In black from the skies, With telling my memories over As you tell your beads; All the Plain saw me gather, I garland --The flowers or the weeds.

amusedadjectiveUS /əˈmjuːzd/

pleasantly occupied

From this reading Now, open your eyes, Let me keep you amused till he vanish In black from the skies, With telling my memories over As you tell your beads; All the Plain saw me gather, I garland --The flowers or the weeds.

AsconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Now, open your eyes, Let me keep you amused till he vanish In black from the skies, With telling my memories over As you tell your beads; All the Plain saw me gather, I garland --The flowers or the weeds.

AutumnnounUS /ˈɔːtəm/

the season when the leaves fall from the trees

From this reading Time for rain! for your long hot dry Autumn Had net-worked with brown The white skin of each grape on the bunches, Marked like a quail's crown, Those creatures you make such account of, Whose heads,--speckled white Over brown like a great spider's back, As I told you last night,-- Your mother bites off for her supper.

backadverbUS /bæk/

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading Time for rain! for your long hot dry Autumn Had net-worked with brown The white skin of each grape on the bunches, Marked like a quail's crown, Those creatures you make such account of, Whose heads,--speckled white Over brown like a great spider's back, As I told you last night,-- Your mother bites off for her supper.

beadsnounUS /biːdz/

several beads threaded together on a string

From this reading Now, open your eyes, Let me keep you amused till he vanish In black from the skies, With telling my memories over As you tell your beads; All the Plain saw me gather, I garland --The flowers or the weeds.

belovedadjectiveUS /bɪˈlʌvd/

dearly loved

From this reading THE ENGLISHMAN IN ITALY PIANO DI SORRENTO Fortù, Fortù, my beloved one, Sit here by my side, On my knees put up both little feet!

bitesnounUS /baɪts/

plural of “bite” — a wound resulting from biting by an animal or a person

From this reading Time for rain! for your long hot dry Autumn Had net-worked with brown The white skin of each grape on the bunches, Marked like a quail's crown, Those creatures you make such account of, Whose heads,--speckled white Over brown like a great spider's back, As I told you last night,-- Your mother bites off for her supper.

blackadjectiveUS /blæk/

being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light

From this reading Now, open your eyes, Let me keep you amused till he vanish In black from the skies, With telling my memories over As you tell your beads; All the Plain saw me gather, I garland --The flowers or the weeds.

bothdeterminerUS /boʊθ/

the two together, not just one

From this reading THE ENGLISHMAN IN ITALY PIANO DI SORRENTO Fortù, Fortù, my beloved one, Sit here by my side, On my knees put up both little feet!

brownnounUS /braʊn/

an orange of low brightness and saturation

From this reading Time for rain! for your long hot dry Autumn Had net-worked with brown The white skin of each grape on the bunches, Marked like a quail's crown, Those creatures you make such account of, Whose heads,--speckled white Over brown like a great spider's back, As I told you last night,-- Your mother bites off for her supper.

bunchesnounUS /ˈbʌntʃəz/

plural of “bunch” — a grouping of a number of similar things

From this reading Time for rain! for your long hot dry Autumn Had net-worked with brown The white skin of each grape on the bunches, Marked like a quail's crown, Those creatures you make such account of, Whose heads,--speckled white Over brown like a great spider's back, As I told you last night,-- Your mother bites off for her supper.

businessnounUS /ˈbɪznəs/

a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it

From this reading To business now.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading THE ENGLISHMAN IN ITALY PIANO DI SORRENTO Fortù, Fortù, my beloved one, Sit here by my side, On my knees put up both little feet!

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading I was sure, if I tried, I could make you laugh spite of Scirocco.

creaturesnounUS /ˈkriːtʃərz/

plural of “creature” — a living organism characterized by voluntary movement

From this reading Time for rain! for your long hot dry Autumn Had net-worked with brown The white skin of each grape on the bunches, Marked like a quail's crown, Those creatures you make such account of, Whose heads,--speckled white Over brown like a great spider's back, As I told you last night,-- Your mother bites off for her supper.

crownnounUS /kraʊn/

the Crown (or the reigning monarch) as the symbol of the power and authority of a monarchy

From this reading Time for rain! for your long hot dry Autumn Had net-worked with brown The white skin of each grape on the bunches, Marked like a quail's crown, Those creatures you make such account of, Whose heads,--speckled white Over brown like a great spider's back, As I told you last night,-- Your mother bites off for her supper.

DI

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

From this reading THE ENGLISHMAN IN ITALY PIANO DI SORRENTO Fortù, Fortù, my beloved one, Sit here by my side, On my knees put up both little feet!

dryadjectiveUS /draɪ/

free from liquid or moisture; lacking natural or normal moisture or depleted of water; or no longer wet

From this reading Time for rain! for your long hot dry Autumn Had net-worked with brown The white skin of each grape on the bunches, Marked like a quail's crown, Those creatures you make such account of, Whose heads,--speckled white Over brown like a great spider's back, As I told you last night,-- Your mother bites off for her supper.

eachdeterminerUS /iːtʃ/

every one of two or more people or things, taken separately

From this reading Time for rain! for your long hot dry Autumn Had net-worked with brown The white skin of each grape on the bunches, Marked like a quail's crown, Those creatures you make such account of, Whose heads,--speckled white Over brown like a great spider's back, As I told you last night,-- Your mother bites off for her supper.

ENGLISHMANnounUS /ˈɪŋɡlɪʃmən/

a man who is a native or inhabitant of England

From this reading THE ENGLISHMAN IN ITALY PIANO DI SORRENTO Fortù, Fortù, my beloved one, Sit here by my side, On my knees put up both little feet!

eyesnounUS /aɪz/

opinion or judgment

From this reading Now, open your eyes, Let me keep you amused till he vanish In black from the skies, With telling my memories over As you tell your beads; All the Plain saw me gather, I garland --The flowers or the weeds.

feetnounUS /fiːt/

plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint

From this reading THE ENGLISHMAN IN ITALY PIANO DI SORRENTO Fortù, Fortù, my beloved one, Sit here by my side, On my knees put up both little feet!

flowersnounUS /ˈflaʊərz/

plural of “flower” — a plant cultivated for its blooms or blossoms

From this reading Now, open your eyes, Let me keep you amused till he vanish In black from the skies, With telling my memories over As you tell your beads; All the Plain saw me gather, I garland --The flowers or the weeds.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Time for rain! for your long hot dry Autumn Had net-worked with brown The white skin of each grape on the bunches, Marked like a quail's crown, Those creatures you make such account of, Whose heads,--speckled white Over brown like a great spider's back, As I told you last night,-- Your mother bites off for her supper.

Fortù

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

From this reading THE ENGLISHMAN IN ITALY PIANO DI SORRENTO Fortù, Fortù, my beloved one, Sit here by my side, On my knees put up both little feet!

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Now, open your eyes, Let me keep you amused till he vanish In black from the skies, With telling my memories over As you tell your beads; All the Plain saw me gather, I garland --The flowers or the weeds.

garlandverbUS /ˈɡɑːrlənd/

adorn with bands of flowers or leaves

From this reading Now, open your eyes, Let me keep you amused till he vanish In black from the skies, With telling my memories over As you tell your beads; All the Plain saw me gather, I garland --The flowers or the weeds.

gatherverbUS /ˈɡæðər/

assemble or get together

From this reading Now, open your eyes, Let me keep you amused till he vanish In black from the skies, With telling my memories over As you tell your beads; All the Plain saw me gather, I garland --The flowers or the weeds.

grapenounUS /ɡreɪp/

any of various juicy fruit of the genus Vitis with green or purple skins; grow in clusters

From this reading Time for rain! for your long hot dry Autumn Had net-worked with brown The white skin of each grape on the bunches, Marked like a quail's crown, Those creatures you make such account of, Whose heads,--speckled white Over brown like a great spider's back, As I told you last night,-- Your mother bites off for her supper.

greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

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

From this reading Time for rain! for your long hot dry Autumn Had net-worked with brown The white skin of each grape on the bunches, Marked like a quail's crown, Those creatures you make such account of, Whose heads,--speckled white Over brown like a great spider's back, As I told you last night,-- Your mother bites off for her supper.

Hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Time for rain! for your long hot dry Autumn Had net-worked with brown The white skin of each grape on the bunches, Marked like a quail's crown, Those creatures you make such account of, Whose heads,--speckled white Over brown like a great spider's back, As I told you last night,-- Your mother bites off for her supper.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading Now, open your eyes, Let me keep you amused till he vanish In black from the skies, With telling my memories over As you tell your beads; All the Plain saw me gather, I garland --The flowers or the weeds.

headsnounUS /hedz/

plural of “head” — the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains

From this reading Time for rain! for your long hot dry Autumn Had net-worked with brown The white skin of each grape on the bunches, Marked like a quail's crown, Those creatures you make such account of, Whose heads,--speckled white Over brown like a great spider's back, As I told you last night,-- Your mother bites off for her supper.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading Time for rain! for your long hot dry Autumn Had net-worked with brown The white skin of each grape on the bunches, Marked like a quail's crown, Those creatures you make such account of, Whose heads,--speckled white Over brown like a great spider's back, As I told you last night,-- Your mother bites off for her supper.

hereadverbUS /hiːr/

in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is

From this reading THE ENGLISHMAN IN ITALY PIANO DI SORRENTO Fortù, Fortù, my beloved one, Sit here by my side, On my knees put up both little feet!

hotadjectiveUS /hɑːt/

used of physical heat; having a high or higher than desirable temperature or giving off heat or feeling or causing a sensation of heat or burning

From this reading Time for rain! for your long hot dry Autumn Had net-worked with brown The white skin of each grape on the bunches, Marked like a quail's crown, Those creatures you make such account of, Whose heads,--speckled white Over brown like a great spider's back, As I told you last night,-- Your mother bites off for her supper.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading I was sure, if I tried, I could make you laugh spite of Scirocco.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading I was sure, if I tried, I could make you laugh spite of Scirocco.

INprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading THE ENGLISHMAN IN ITALY PIANO DI SORRENTO Fortù, Fortù, my beloved one, Sit here by my side, On my knees put up both little feet!

ITALYnounUS /ˈɪtəli/

a republic in southern Europe on the Italian Peninsula; was the core of the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire between the 4th century BC and the 5th century AD

From this reading THE ENGLISHMAN IN ITALY PIANO DI SORRENTO Fortù, Fortù, my beloved one, Sit here by my side, On my knees put up both little feet!

keepverbUS /kiːp/

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

From this reading Now, open your eyes, Let me keep you amused till he vanish In black from the skies, With telling my memories over As you tell your beads; All the Plain saw me gather, I garland --The flowers or the weeds.

kneesnounUS /niːz/

plural of “knee” — hinge joint in the human leg connecting the tibia and fibula with the femur and protected in front by the patella

From this reading THE ENGLISHMAN IN ITALY PIANO DI SORRENTO Fortù, Fortù, my beloved one, Sit here by my side, On my knees put up both little feet!

lastadjectiveUS /læst/

immediately past

From this reading Time for rain! for your long hot dry Autumn Had net-worked with brown The white skin of each grape on the bunches, Marked like a quail's crown, Those creatures you make such account of, Whose heads,--speckled white Over brown like a great spider's back, As I told you last night,-- Your mother bites off for her supper.

laughnounUS /læf/

the sound of laughing

From this reading I was sure, if I tried, I could make you laugh spite of Scirocco.

Letauxiliary verbUS /let/

used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker

From this reading Now, open your eyes, Let me keep you amused till he vanish In black from the skies, With telling my memories over As you tell your beads; All the Plain saw me gather, I garland --The flowers or the weeds.

likeverbUS /laɪk/

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading Time for rain! for your long hot dry Autumn Had net-worked with brown The white skin of each grape on the bunches, Marked like a quail's crown, Those creatures you make such account of, Whose heads,--speckled white Over brown like a great spider's back, As I told you last night,-- Your mother bites off for her supper.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

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

From this reading THE ENGLISHMAN IN ITALY PIANO DI SORRENTO Fortù, Fortù, my beloved one, Sit here by my side, On my knees put up both little feet!

longadjectiveUS /lɔːŋ/

primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified

From this reading Time for rain! for your long hot dry Autumn Had net-worked with brown The white skin of each grape on the bunches, Marked like a quail's crown, Those creatures you make such account of, Whose heads,--speckled white Over brown like a great spider's back, As I told you last night,-- Your mother bites off for her supper.

makeverbUS /meɪk/

engage in

From this reading I was sure, if I tried, I could make you laugh spite of Scirocco.

MarkedadjectiveUS /mɑːrkt/

strongly marked; easily noticeable

From this reading Time for rain! for your long hot dry Autumn Had net-worked with brown The white skin of each grape on the bunches, Marked like a quail's crown, Those creatures you make such account of, Whose heads,--speckled white Over brown like a great spider's back, As I told you last night,-- Your mother bites off for her supper.

mepronounUS /miː/

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

From this reading Now, open your eyes, Let me keep you amused till he vanish In black from the skies, With telling my memories over As you tell your beads; All the Plain saw me gather, I garland --The flowers or the weeds.

memoriesnounUS /ˈmɛm.ə.riz/

Recollections of past events.

From this reading Now, open your eyes, Let me keep you amused till he vanish In black from the skies, With telling my memories over As you tell your beads; All the Plain saw me gather, I garland --The flowers or the weeds.

mothernounUS /ˈmʌðər/

a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)

From this reading Time for rain! for your long hot dry Autumn Had net-worked with brown The white skin of each grape on the bunches, Marked like a quail's crown, Those creatures you make such account of, Whose heads,--speckled white Over brown like a great spider's back, As I told you last night,-- Your mother bites off for her supper.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading THE ENGLISHMAN IN ITALY PIANO DI SORRENTO Fortù, Fortù, my beloved one, Sit here by my side, On my knees put up both little feet!

net-worked

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

From this reading Time for rain! for your long hot dry Autumn Had net-worked with brown The white skin of each grape on the bunches, Marked like a quail's crown, Those creatures you make such account of, Whose heads,--speckled white Over brown like a great spider's back, As I told you last night,-- Your mother bites off for her supper.

nightnounUS /naɪt/

the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside

From this reading Time for rain! for your long hot dry Autumn Had net-worked with brown The white skin of each grape on the bunches, Marked like a quail's crown, Those creatures you make such account of, Whose heads,--speckled white Over brown like a great spider's back, As I told you last night,-- Your mother bites off for her supper.

nowadverbUS /naʊ/

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

From this reading To business now.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading I was sure, if I tried, I could make you laugh spite of Scirocco.

offadverbUS /ɔːf/

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

From this reading Time for rain! for your long hot dry Autumn Had net-worked with brown The white skin of each grape on the bunches, Marked like a quail's crown, Those creatures you make such account of, Whose heads,--speckled white Over brown like a great spider's back, As I told you last night,-- Your mother bites off for her supper.

OnprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading THE ENGLISHMAN IN ITALY PIANO DI SORRENTO Fortù, Fortù, my beloved one, Sit here by my side, On my knees put up both little feet!

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading THE ENGLISHMAN IN ITALY PIANO DI SORRENTO Fortù, Fortù, my beloved one, Sit here by my side, On my knees put up both little feet!

openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/

To move from a closed position.

From this reading Now, open your eyes, Let me keep you amused till he vanish In black from the skies, With telling my memories over As you tell your beads; All the Plain saw me gather, I garland --The flowers or the weeds.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading Now, open your eyes, Let me keep you amused till he vanish In black from the skies, With telling my memories over As you tell your beads; All the Plain saw me gather, I garland --The flowers or the weeds.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading Now, open your eyes, Let me keep you amused till he vanish In black from the skies, With telling my memories over As you tell your beads; All the Plain saw me gather, I garland --The flowers or the weeds.

PIANOnounUS /piˈænoʊ/

a keyboard instrument that is played by depressing keys that cause hammers to strike tuned strings and produce sounds

From this reading THE ENGLISHMAN IN ITALY PIANO DI SORRENTO Fortù, Fortù, my beloved one, Sit here by my side, On my knees put up both little feet!

PlainadjectiveUS /pleɪn/

clearly revealed to the mind or the senses or judgment

From this reading Now, open your eyes, Let me keep you amused till he vanish In black from the skies, With telling my memories over As you tell your beads; All the Plain saw me gather, I garland --The flowers or the weeds.

putverbUS /pʊt/

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading THE ENGLISHMAN IN ITALY PIANO DI SORRENTO Fortù, Fortù, my beloved one, Sit here by my side, On my knees put up both little feet!

quail's

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

From this reading Time for rain! for your long hot dry Autumn Had net-worked with brown The white skin of each grape on the bunches, Marked like a quail's crown, Those creatures you make such account of, Whose heads,--speckled white Over brown like a great spider's back, As I told you last night,-- Your mother bites off for her supper.

rainnounUS /reɪn/

water falling in drops from vapor condensed in the atmosphere

From this reading Time for rain! for your long hot dry Autumn Had net-worked with brown The white skin of each grape on the bunches, Marked like a quail's crown, Those creatures you make such account of, Whose heads,--speckled white Over brown like a great spider's back, As I told you last night,-- Your mother bites off for her supper.

sawverbUS /sɔː/

cut with a saw

From this reading Now, open your eyes, Let me keep you amused till he vanish In black from the skies, With telling my memories over As you tell your beads; All the Plain saw me gather, I garland --The flowers or the weeds.

Scirocco

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

From this reading I was sure, if I tried, I could make you laugh spite of Scirocco.

sidenounUS /saɪd/

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

From this reading THE ENGLISHMAN IN ITALY PIANO DI SORRENTO Fortù, Fortù, my beloved one, Sit here by my side, On my knees put up both little feet!

SitverbUS /sɪt/

be seated

From this reading THE ENGLISHMAN IN ITALY PIANO DI SORRENTO Fortù, Fortù, my beloved one, Sit here by my side, On my knees put up both little feet!

skiesnounUS /skaɪz/

plural of “sky” — the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth

From this reading Now, open your eyes, Let me keep you amused till he vanish In black from the skies, With telling my memories over As you tell your beads; All the Plain saw me gather, I garland --The flowers or the weeds.

skinnounUS /skɪn/

a natural protective body covering and site of the sense of touch

From this reading Time for rain! for your long hot dry Autumn Had net-worked with brown The white skin of each grape on the bunches, Marked like a quail's crown, Those creatures you make such account of, Whose heads,--speckled white Over brown like a great spider's back, As I told you last night,-- Your mother bites off for her supper.

SORRENTO

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

From this reading THE ENGLISHMAN IN ITALY PIANO DI SORRENTO Fortù, Fortù, my beloved one, Sit here by my side, On my knees put up both little feet!

speckledadjectiveUS /ˈspekəld/

having a pattern of dots

From this reading Time for rain! for your long hot dry Autumn Had net-worked with brown The white skin of each grape on the bunches, Marked like a quail's crown, Those creatures you make such account of, Whose heads,--speckled white Over brown like a great spider's back, As I told you last night,-- Your mother bites off for her supper.

spider's

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

From this reading Time for rain! for your long hot dry Autumn Had net-worked with brown The white skin of each grape on the bunches, Marked like a quail's crown, Those creatures you make such account of, Whose heads,--speckled white Over brown like a great spider's back, As I told you last night,-- Your mother bites off for her supper.

spitenounUS /spaɪt/

feeling a need to see others suffer

From this reading I was sure, if I tried, I could make you laugh spite of Scirocco.

suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading Time for rain! for your long hot dry Autumn Had net-worked with brown The white skin of each grape on the bunches, Marked like a quail's crown, Those creatures you make such account of, Whose heads,--speckled white Over brown like a great spider's back, As I told you last night,-- Your mother bites off for her supper.

suppernounUS /ˈsʌpər/

a light evening meal; served in early evening if dinner is at midday or served late in the evening at bedtime

From this reading Time for rain! for your long hot dry Autumn Had net-worked with brown The white skin of each grape on the bunches, Marked like a quail's crown, Those creatures you make such account of, Whose heads,--speckled white Over brown like a great spider's back, As I told you last night,-- Your mother bites off for her supper.

sureadjectiveUS /ʃʊr/

having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured

From this reading I was sure, if I tried, I could make you laugh spite of Scirocco.

tellverbUS /tel/

express in words

From this reading Now, open your eyes, Let me keep you amused till he vanish In black from the skies, With telling my memories over As you tell your beads; All the Plain saw me gather, I garland --The flowers or the weeds.

tellingadjectiveUS /ˈtelɪŋ/

disclosing unintentionally something concealed

From this reading Now, open your eyes, Let me keep you amused till he vanish In black from the skies, With telling my memories over As you tell your beads; All the Plain saw me gather, I garland --The flowers or the weeds.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE ENGLISHMAN IN ITALY PIANO DI SORRENTO Fortù, Fortù, my beloved one, Sit here by my side, On my knees put up both little feet!

ThosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading Time for rain! for your long hot dry Autumn Had net-worked with brown The white skin of each grape on the bunches, Marked like a quail's crown, Those creatures you make such account of, Whose heads,--speckled white Over brown like a great spider's back, As I told you last night,-- Your mother bites off for her supper.

tillprepositionUS /tɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading Now, open your eyes, Let me keep you amused till he vanish In black from the skies, With telling my memories over As you tell your beads; All the Plain saw me gather, I garland --The flowers or the weeds.

TimenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading Time for rain! for your long hot dry Autumn Had net-worked with brown The white skin of each grape on the bunches, Marked like a quail's crown, Those creatures you make such account of, Whose heads,--speckled white Over brown like a great spider's back, As I told you last night,-- Your mother bites off for her supper.

ToparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading To business now.

toldverbUS /toʊld/

inflected form of “tell” — express in words

From this reading Time for rain! for your long hot dry Autumn Had net-worked with brown The white skin of each grape on the bunches, Marked like a quail's crown, Those creatures you make such account of, Whose heads,--speckled white Over brown like a great spider's back, As I told you last night,-- Your mother bites off for her supper.

triedadjectiveUS /traɪd/

tested and proved useful or correct

From this reading I was sure, if I tried, I could make you laugh spite of Scirocco.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

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

From this reading THE ENGLISHMAN IN ITALY PIANO DI SORRENTO Fortù, Fortù, my beloved one, Sit here by my side, On my knees put up both little feet!

vanishverbUS /ˈvænɪʃ/

get lost, as without warning or explanation

From this reading Now, open your eyes, Let me keep you amused till he vanish In black from the skies, With telling my memories over As you tell your beads; All the Plain saw me gather, I garland --The flowers or the weeds.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading I was sure, if I tried, I could make you laugh spite of Scirocco.

weedsnounUS /wiːdz/

a black garment (dress) worn by a widow as a sign of mourning

From this reading Now, open your eyes, Let me keep you amused till he vanish In black from the skies, With telling my memories over As you tell your beads; All the Plain saw me gather, I garland --The flowers or the weeds.

whitenounUS /waɪt/

a Caucasian

From this reading Time for rain! for your long hot dry Autumn Had net-worked with brown The white skin of each grape on the bunches, Marked like a quail's crown, Those creatures you make such account of, Whose heads,--speckled white Over brown like a great spider's back, As I told you last night,-- Your mother bites off for her supper.

WhosedeterminerUS /huːz/

belonging to which person

From this reading Time for rain! for your long hot dry Autumn Had net-worked with brown The white skin of each grape on the bunches, Marked like a quail's crown, Those creatures you make such account of, Whose heads,--speckled white Over brown like a great spider's back, As I told you last night,-- Your mother bites off for her supper.

WithprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Now, open your eyes, Let me keep you amused till he vanish In black from the skies, With telling my memories over As you tell your beads; All the Plain saw me gather, I garland --The flowers or the weeds.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading I was sure, if I tried, I could make you laugh spite of Scirocco.

yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading Now, open your eyes, Let me keep you amused till he vanish In black from the skies, With telling my memories over As you tell your beads; All the Plain saw me gather, I garland --The flowers or the weeds.

Chapter 8 of The Complete Poetic and Dramatic Works of Robert Browning by Robert Browning holds 855 sentences, grouped into 171 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 8 of The Complete Poetic and Dramatic Works of Robert Browning contain?

Chapter 8 holds 855 sentences of The Complete Poetic and Dramatic Works of Robert Browning, unabridged, divided into 171 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 8 of The Complete Poetic and Dramatic Works of Robert Browning by Robert Browning exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 855 sentences, grouped into 171 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 8 of The Complete Poetic and Dramatic Works of Robert Browning?

Work through the 171 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 171 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.

Can chapter 8 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 8 can be played aloud in United States English.

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

Questions about reading The Complete Poetic and Dramatic Works of Robert Browning

Common questions about reading The Complete Poetic and Dramatic Works of Robert Browning by Robert Browning on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Complete Poetic and Dramatic Works of Robert Browning?

Yes. All 33314 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #50954 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Complete Poetic and Dramatic Works of Robert Browning is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #50954, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Complete Poetic and Dramatic Works of Robert Browning take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 6663 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Complete Poetic and Dramatic Works of Robert Browning section by section

How to work through The Complete Poetic and Dramatic Works of Robert Browning section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

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

Vocabulary met early in The Complete Poetic and Dramatic Works of Robert Browning

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Complete Poetic and Dramatic Works of Robert Browning, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Scene
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Complete Poetic and Dramatic Works of Robert Browning; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Council
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Complete Poetic and Dramatic Works of Robert Browning; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Chamber
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Complete Poetic and Dramatic Works of Robert Browning; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Rivoli
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Complete Poetic and Dramatic Works of Robert Browning; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.