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The Elect Lady
The Elect Lady

Chapter XIV · Chapter 14

Chapter 14 of The Elect Lady is here in full — 43 sentences across 9 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/8 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
SANDY AND GEORGE.
Sandy had found it expedient to go to America, and had now been there a twelvemonth; he had devised a machine of the value of which not even his patron could be convinced--that is, he could not see the prospect of its making money fast enough to constitute it a _good thing_.
Sandy regarded it as a discovery, a revelation for the uplifting of a certain down-trodden portion of the community; and therefore, having saved a little money, had resolved to make it known in the States, where insight into probabilities is fresher.
And now Andrew had a letter from him in which he mentioned that he had come across Mr. Crawford, already of high repute in Wall Street; that he had been kind to him, and having learned his object in visiting the country, and the approximate risk in bringing out his invention, had taken the thing into consideration.
But the next mail brought another letter to the effect that, having learned the nature of the business done by Mr. Crawford, he found himself unable to distinguish between it and gambling, or worse; it seemed to him a vortex whose very emptiness drew money into it.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Elect Lady

Chapter XIV · Chapter 14

Chapter 14 of The Elect Lady is here in full — 43 sentences across 9 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/8 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
SANDY AND GEORGE.
/ˈsændi ənd dʒɔːrdʒ/
Line 2
Sandy had found it expedient to go to America, and had now been there a twelvemonth; he had devised a machine of the value of which not even his patron could be convinced--that is, he could not see the prospect of its making money fast enough to constitute it a _good thing_.
Line 3
Sandy regarded it as a discovery, a revelation for the uplifting of a certain down-trodden portion of the community; and therefore, having saved a little money, had resolved to make it known in the States, where insight into probabilities is fresher.
Line 4
And now Andrew had a letter from him in which he mentioned that he had come across Mr. Crawford, already of high repute in Wall Street; that he had been kind to him, and having learned his object in visiting the country, and the approximate risk in bringing out his invention, had taken the thing into consideration.
/ənd naʊ ˈændruː hæd ə ˈletər frʌm hɪm ɪn wɪtʃ hiː ˈmenʃənd ðæt hiː hæd kʌm əˈkrɔːs ˈmɪstər ˈkrɔːfərd ɔːlˈredi ʌv haɪ riˈpjuːt ɪn wɔːl striːt ðæt hiː hæd bɪn kaɪnd tuː hɪm ənd ˈhævɪŋ lɜːrnd hɪz ˈɑːbdʒekt ɪn ˈvɪzɪtɪŋ ðə ˈkʌntri ənd ðə əˈprɑːksəmət rɪsk ɪn ˈbrɪŋɪŋ aʊt hɪz ˌɪnˈvenʃən hæd ˈteɪkən ðə θɪŋ ˈɪntuː kənˌsɪdərˈeɪʃən/
Line 5
But the next mail brought another letter to the effect that, having learned the nature of the business done by Mr. Crawford, he found himself unable to distinguish between it and gambling, or worse; it seemed to him a vortex whose very emptiness drew money into it.
/bʌt ðə nekst meɪl brɔːt əˈnʌðər ˈletər tuː ðə ɪˈfekt ðæt ˈhævɪŋ lɜːrnd ðə ˈneɪtʃər ʌv ðə ˈbɪznəs dʌn baɪ ˈmɪstər ˈkrɔːfərd hiː faʊnd hɪmˈself əˈneɪbəl tuː dɪˈstɪŋɡwɪʃ bɪˈtwiːn ɪt ənd ˈɡæmbəlɪŋ ɔːr wɜːrs ɪt siːmd tuː hɪm ə ˈvɔːrteks huːz ˈveri ˈemptinəs druː ˈmʌni ˈɪntuː ɪt/

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.

approximate verb US /əˈprɑːksəmət/

be close or similar

From this reading “And now Andrew had a letter from him in which he mentioned that he had come across Mr. Crawford, already of high repute in Wall Street; that he had been kind to him, and having learned his object in visiting the country, and the approximate risk in bringing out his invention, had taken the thing into consideration.”

constitute verb US /ˈkɑːnstətuːt/

form or compose

From this reading “Sandy had found it expedient to go to America, and had now been there a twelvemonth; he had devised a machine of the value of which not even his patron could be convinced--that is, he could not see the prospect of its making money fast enough to constitute it a _good thing_.”

emptiness noun US /ˈemptinəs/

the state of containing nothing

From this reading “But the next mail brought another letter to the effect that, having learned the nature of the business done by Mr. Crawford, he found himself unable to distinguish between it and gambling, or worse; it seemed to him a vortex whose very emptiness drew money into it.”

fresher noun US /ˈfreʃər/

a first-year undergraduate

From this reading “Sandy regarded it as a discovery, a revelation for the uplifting of a certain down-trodden portion of the community; and therefore, having saved a little money, had resolved to make it known in the States, where insight into probabilities is fresher.”

probabilities noun US /ˌprɑːbəˈbɪlətiːz/

plural of “probability” — a measure of how likely it is that some event will occur; a number expressing the ratio of favorable cases to the whole number of cases possible

From this reading “Sandy regarded it as a discovery, a revelation for the uplifting of a certain down-trodden portion of the community; and therefore, having saved a little money, had resolved to make it known in the States, where insight into probabilities is fresher.”

repute noun US /riˈpjuːt/

the state of being held in high esteem and honor

From this reading “And now Andrew had a letter from him in which he mentioned that he had come across Mr. Crawford, already of high repute in Wall Street; that he had been kind to him, and having learned his object in visiting the country, and the approximate risk in bringing out his invention, had taken the thing into consideration.”

uplifting noun US /ˈʌplɪftɪŋ/

the rise of something

From this reading “Sandy regarded it as a discovery, a revelation for the uplifting of a certain down-trodden portion of the community; and therefore, having saved a little money, had resolved to make it known in the States, where insight into probabilities is fresher.”

vortex noun US /ˈvɔːrteks/

the shape of something rotating rapidly

From this reading “But the next mail brought another letter to the effect that, having learned the nature of the business done by Mr. Crawford, he found himself unable to distinguish between it and gambling, or worse; it seemed to him a vortex whose very emptiness drew money into it.”

All words in this reading · 114

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

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

adeterminerUS /ə/

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

From this reading Sandy had found it expedient to go to America, and had now been there a twelvemonth; he had devised a machine of the value of which not even his patron could be convinced--that is, he could not see the prospect of its making money fast enough to constitute it a _good thing_.

acrossprepositionUS /əˈkrɔːs/

from one side of something to the other

From this reading And now Andrew had a letter from him in which he mentioned that he had come across Mr. Crawford, already of high repute in Wall Street; that he had been kind to him, and having learned his object in visiting the country, and the approximate risk in bringing out his invention, had taken the thing into consideration.

alreadyadverbUS /ɔːlˈredi/

prior to a specified or implied time

From this reading And now Andrew had a letter from him in which he mentioned that he had come across Mr. Crawford, already of high repute in Wall Street; that he had been kind to him, and having learned his object in visiting the country, and the approximate risk in bringing out his invention, had taken the thing into consideration.

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 Sandy had found it expedient to go to America, and had now been there a twelvemonth; he had devised a machine of the value of which not even his patron could be convinced--that is, he could not see the prospect of its making money fast enough to constitute it a _good thing_.

ANDconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading SANDY AND GEORGE.

AndrewnounUS /ˈændruː/

(New Testament) disciple of Jesus; brother of Peter; patron saint of Scotland

From this reading And now Andrew had a letter from him in which he mentioned that he had come across Mr. Crawford, already of high repute in Wall Street; that he had been kind to him, and having learned his object in visiting the country, and the approximate risk in bringing out his invention, had taken the thing into consideration.

anotherdeterminerUS /əˈnʌðər/

one more of the same kind, or a different one

From this reading But the next mail brought another letter to the effect that, having learned the nature of the business done by Mr. Crawford, he found himself unable to distinguish between it and gambling, or worse; it seemed to him a vortex whose very emptiness drew money into it.

approximateverbUS /əˈprɑːksəmət/

be close or similar

From this reading And now Andrew had a letter from him in which he mentioned that he had come across Mr. Crawford, already of high repute in Wall Street; that he had been kind to him, and having learned his object in visiting the country, and the approximate risk in bringing out his invention, had taken the thing into consideration.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Sandy regarded it as a discovery, a revelation for the uplifting of a certain down-trodden portion of the community; and therefore, having saved a little money, had resolved to make it known in the States, where insight into probabilities is fresher.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading Sandy had found it expedient to go to America, and had now been there a twelvemonth; he had devised a machine of the value of which not even his patron could be convinced--that is, he could not see the prospect of its making money fast enough to constitute it a _good thing_.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading Sandy had found it expedient to go to America, and had now been there a twelvemonth; he had devised a machine of the value of which not even his patron could be convinced--that is, he could not see the prospect of its making money fast enough to constitute it a _good thing_.

betweenprepositionUS /bɪˈtwiːn/

in the space, time, or range separating two things

From this reading But the next mail brought another letter to the effect that, having learned the nature of the business done by Mr. Crawford, he found himself unable to distinguish between it and gambling, or worse; it seemed to him a vortex whose very emptiness drew money into it.

bringingnounUS /ˈbrɪŋɪŋ/

the act of delivering or distributing something (as goods or mail)

From this reading And now Andrew had a letter from him in which he mentioned that he had come across Mr. Crawford, already of high repute in Wall Street; that he had been kind to him, and having learned his object in visiting the country, and the approximate risk in bringing out his invention, had taken the thing into consideration.

broughtverbUS /brɔːt/

inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere

From this reading But the next mail brought another letter to the effect that, having learned the nature of the business done by Mr. Crawford, he found himself unable to distinguish between it and gambling, or worse; it seemed to him a vortex whose very emptiness drew money into it.

businessnounUS /ˈbɪznəs/

a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it

From this reading But the next mail brought another letter to the effect that, having learned the nature of the business done by Mr. Crawford, he found himself unable to distinguish between it and gambling, or worse; it seemed to him a vortex whose very emptiness drew money into it.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But the next mail brought another letter to the effect that, having learned the nature of the business done by Mr. Crawford, he found himself unable to distinguish between it and gambling, or worse; it seemed to him a vortex whose very emptiness drew money into it.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading But the next mail brought another letter to the effect that, having learned the nature of the business done by Mr. Crawford, he found himself unable to distinguish between it and gambling, or worse; it seemed to him a vortex whose very emptiness drew money into it.

certainadjectiveUS /ˈsɜːrtən/

definite but not specified or identified

From this reading Sandy regarded it as a discovery, a revelation for the uplifting of a certain down-trodden portion of the community; and therefore, having saved a little money, had resolved to make it known in the States, where insight into probabilities is fresher.

comeverbUS /kʌm/

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

From this reading And now Andrew had a letter from him in which he mentioned that he had come across Mr. Crawford, already of high repute in Wall Street; that he had been kind to him, and having learned his object in visiting the country, and the approximate risk in bringing out his invention, had taken the thing into consideration.

communitynounUS /kəˈmjuːnəti/

a group of people living in a particular local area

From this reading Sandy regarded it as a discovery, a revelation for the uplifting of a certain down-trodden portion of the community; and therefore, having saved a little money, had resolved to make it known in the States, where insight into probabilities is fresher.

considerationnounUS /kənˌsɪdərˈeɪʃən/

the process of giving careful thought to something

From this reading And now Andrew had a letter from him in which he mentioned that he had come across Mr. Crawford, already of high repute in Wall Street; that he had been kind to him, and having learned his object in visiting the country, and the approximate risk in bringing out his invention, had taken the thing into consideration.

constituteverbUS /ˈkɑːnstətuːt/

form or compose

From this reading Sandy had found it expedient to go to America, and had now been there a twelvemonth; he had devised a machine of the value of which not even his patron could be convinced--that is, he could not see the prospect of its making money fast enough to constitute it a _good thing_.

convincedadjectiveUS /kənˈvɪnst/

persuaded of; very sure

From this reading Sandy had found it expedient to go to America, and had now been there a twelvemonth; he had devised a machine of the value of which not even his patron could be convinced--that is, he could not see the prospect of its making money fast enough to constitute it a _good thing_.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

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

From this reading Sandy had found it expedient to go to America, and had now been there a twelvemonth; he had devised a machine of the value of which not even his patron could be convinced--that is, he could not see the prospect of its making money fast enough to constitute it a _good thing_.

countrynounUS /ˈkʌntri/

a politically organized body of people under a single government

From this reading And now Andrew had a letter from him in which he mentioned that he had come across Mr. Crawford, already of high repute in Wall Street; that he had been kind to him, and having learned his object in visiting the country, and the approximate risk in bringing out his invention, had taken the thing into consideration.

CrawfordnounUS /ˈkrɔːfərd/

United States neoclassical sculptor (1814-1857)

From this reading And now Andrew had a letter from him in which he mentioned that he had come across Mr. Crawford, already of high repute in Wall Street; that he had been kind to him, and having learned his object in visiting the country, and the approximate risk in bringing out his invention, had taken the thing into consideration.

devisedverbUS /dɪˈvaɪzd/

past form of “devise” — come up with (an idea, plan, explanation, theory, or principle) after a mental effort

From this reading Sandy had found it expedient to go to America, and had now been there a twelvemonth; he had devised a machine of the value of which not even his patron could be convinced--that is, he could not see the prospect of its making money fast enough to constitute it a _good thing_.

discoverynounUS /dɪˈskʌvəri/

the act of discovering something

From this reading Sandy regarded it as a discovery, a revelation for the uplifting of a certain down-trodden portion of the community; and therefore, having saved a little money, had resolved to make it known in the States, where insight into probabilities is fresher.

distinguishverbUS /dɪˈstɪŋɡwɪʃ/

mark as different

From this reading But the next mail brought another letter to the effect that, having learned the nature of the business done by Mr. Crawford, he found himself unable to distinguish between it and gambling, or worse; it seemed to him a vortex whose very emptiness drew money into it.

doneadjectiveUS /dʌn/

having finished or arrived at completion

From this reading But the next mail brought another letter to the effect that, having learned the nature of the business done by Mr. Crawford, he found himself unable to distinguish between it and gambling, or worse; it seemed to him a vortex whose very emptiness drew money into it.

down-trodden

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

From this reading Sandy regarded it as a discovery, a revelation for the uplifting of a certain down-trodden portion of the community; and therefore, having saved a little money, had resolved to make it known in the States, where insight into probabilities is fresher.

drewnounUS /druː/

United States actor (born in Ireland); father of Georgiana Emma Barrymore (1827-1862)

From this reading But the next mail brought another letter to the effect that, having learned the nature of the business done by Mr. Crawford, he found himself unable to distinguish between it and gambling, or worse; it seemed to him a vortex whose very emptiness drew money into it.

effectnounUS /ɪˈfekt/

a phenomenon that follows and is caused by some previous phenomenon

From this reading But the next mail brought another letter to the effect that, having learned the nature of the business done by Mr. Crawford, he found himself unable to distinguish between it and gambling, or worse; it seemed to him a vortex whose very emptiness drew money into it.

emptinessnounUS /ˈemptinəs/

the state of containing nothing

From this reading But the next mail brought another letter to the effect that, having learned the nature of the business done by Mr. Crawford, he found himself unable to distinguish between it and gambling, or worse; it seemed to him a vortex whose very emptiness drew money into it.

enoughnounUS /ɪˈnʌf/

an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose

From this reading Sandy had found it expedient to go to America, and had now been there a twelvemonth; he had devised a machine of the value of which not even his patron could be convinced--that is, he could not see the prospect of its making money fast enough to constitute it a _good thing_.

evenadjectiveUS /ˈiːvɪn/

divisible by two

From this reading Sandy had found it expedient to go to America, and had now been there a twelvemonth; he had devised a machine of the value of which not even his patron could be convinced--that is, he could not see the prospect of its making money fast enough to constitute it a _good thing_.

expedientadjectiveUS /ɪkˈspiːdiənt/

serving to promote your interest

From this reading Sandy had found it expedient to go to America, and had now been there a twelvemonth; he had devised a machine of the value of which not even his patron could be convinced--that is, he could not see the prospect of its making money fast enough to constitute it a _good thing_.

fastadverbUS /fæst/

quickly or rapidly (often used as a combining form)

From this reading Sandy had found it expedient to go to America, and had now been there a twelvemonth; he had devised a machine of the value of which not even his patron could be convinced--that is, he could not see the prospect of its making money fast enough to constitute it a _good thing_.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Sandy regarded it as a discovery, a revelation for the uplifting of a certain down-trodden portion of the community; and therefore, having saved a little money, had resolved to make it known in the States, where insight into probabilities is fresher.

foundverbUS /faʊnd/

set up or found

From this reading Sandy had found it expedient to go to America, and had now been there a twelvemonth; he had devised a machine of the value of which not even his patron could be convinced--that is, he could not see the prospect of its making money fast enough to constitute it a _good thing_.

freshernounUS /ˈfreʃər/

a first-year undergraduate

From this reading Sandy regarded it as a discovery, a revelation for the uplifting of a certain down-trodden portion of the community; and therefore, having saved a little money, had resolved to make it known in the States, where insight into probabilities is fresher.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading And now Andrew had a letter from him in which he mentioned that he had come across Mr. Crawford, already of high repute in Wall Street; that he had been kind to him, and having learned his object in visiting the country, and the approximate risk in bringing out his invention, had taken the thing into consideration.

gamblingnounUS /ˈɡæmbəlɪŋ/

the act of playing for stakes in the hope of winning (including the payment of a price for a chance to win a prize)

From this reading But the next mail brought another letter to the effect that, having learned the nature of the business done by Mr. Crawford, he found himself unable to distinguish between it and gambling, or worse; it seemed to him a vortex whose very emptiness drew money into it.

GEORGEnounUS /dʒɔːrdʒ/

Christian martyr; patron saint of England; hero of the legend of Saint George and the Dragon in which he slew a dragon and saved a princess (?-303)

From this reading SANDY AND GEORGE.

goverbUS /ɡoʊ/

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

From this reading Sandy had found it expedient to go to America, and had now been there a twelvemonth; he had devised a machine of the value of which not even his patron could be convinced--that is, he could not see the prospect of its making money fast enough to constitute it a _good thing_.

goodadjectiveUS /ɡʊd/

having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified

From this reading Sandy had found it expedient to go to America, and had now been there a twelvemonth; he had devised a machine of the value of which not even his patron could be convinced--that is, he could not see the prospect of its making money fast enough to constitute it a _good thing_.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Sandy had found it expedient to go to America, and had now been there a twelvemonth; he had devised a machine of the value of which not even his patron could be convinced--that is, he could not see the prospect of its making money fast enough to constitute it a _good thing_.

havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/

the -ing form of “have”

From this reading Sandy regarded it as a discovery, a revelation for the uplifting of a certain down-trodden portion of the community; and therefore, having saved a little money, had resolved to make it known in the States, where insight into probabilities is fresher.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading Sandy had found it expedient to go to America, and had now been there a twelvemonth; he had devised a machine of the value of which not even his patron could be convinced--that is, he could not see the prospect of its making money fast enough to constitute it a _good thing_.

highadjectiveUS /haɪ/

greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount

From this reading And now Andrew had a letter from him in which he mentioned that he had come across Mr. Crawford, already of high repute in Wall Street; that he had been kind to him, and having learned his object in visiting the country, and the approximate risk in bringing out his invention, had taken the thing into consideration.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading And now Andrew had a letter from him in which he mentioned that he had come across Mr. Crawford, already of high repute in Wall Street; that he had been kind to him, and having learned his object in visiting the country, and the approximate risk in bringing out his invention, had taken the thing into consideration.

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

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

From this reading But the next mail brought another letter to the effect that, having learned the nature of the business done by Mr. Crawford, he found himself unable to distinguish between it and gambling, or worse; it seemed to him a vortex whose very emptiness drew money into it.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Sandy had found it expedient to go to America, and had now been there a twelvemonth; he had devised a machine of the value of which not even his patron could be convinced--that is, he could not see the prospect of its making money fast enough to constitute it a _good thing_.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Sandy regarded it as a discovery, a revelation for the uplifting of a certain down-trodden portion of the community; and therefore, having saved a little money, had resolved to make it known in the States, where insight into probabilities is fresher.

insightnounUS /ˈɪnsaɪt/

clear or deep perception of a situation

From this reading Sandy regarded it as a discovery, a revelation for the uplifting of a certain down-trodden portion of the community; and therefore, having saved a little money, had resolved to make it known in the States, where insight into probabilities is fresher.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading Sandy regarded it as a discovery, a revelation for the uplifting of a certain down-trodden portion of the community; and therefore, having saved a little money, had resolved to make it known in the States, where insight into probabilities is fresher.

inventionnounUS /ˌɪnˈvenʃən/

the creation of something in the mind

From this reading And now Andrew had a letter from him in which he mentioned that he had come across Mr. Crawford, already of high repute in Wall Street; that he had been kind to him, and having learned his object in visiting the country, and the approximate risk in bringing out his invention, had taken the thing into consideration.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading Sandy had found it expedient to go to America, and had now been there a twelvemonth; he had devised a machine of the value of which not even his patron could be convinced--that is, he could not see the prospect of its making money fast enough to constitute it a _good thing_.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Sandy had found it expedient to go to America, and had now been there a twelvemonth; he had devised a machine of the value of which not even his patron could be convinced--that is, he could not see the prospect of its making money fast enough to constitute it a _good thing_.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading Sandy had found it expedient to go to America, and had now been there a twelvemonth; he had devised a machine of the value of which not even his patron could be convinced--that is, he could not see the prospect of its making money fast enough to constitute it a _good thing_.

kindadjectiveUS /kaɪnd/

having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior

From this reading And now Andrew had a letter from him in which he mentioned that he had come across Mr. Crawford, already of high repute in Wall Street; that he had been kind to him, and having learned his object in visiting the country, and the approximate risk in bringing out his invention, had taken the thing into consideration.

knownadjectiveUS /noʊn/

apprehended with certainty

From this reading Sandy regarded it as a discovery, a revelation for the uplifting of a certain down-trodden portion of the community; and therefore, having saved a little money, had resolved to make it known in the States, where insight into probabilities is fresher.

learnedadjectiveUS /lɜːrnd/

having or showing profound knowledge

From this reading And now Andrew had a letter from him in which he mentioned that he had come across Mr. Crawford, already of high repute in Wall Street; that he had been kind to him, and having learned his object in visiting the country, and the approximate risk in bringing out his invention, had taken the thing into consideration.

letternounUS /ˈletər/

a written message addressed to a person or organization

From this reading And now Andrew had a letter from him in which he mentioned that he had come across Mr. Crawford, already of high repute in Wall Street; that he had been kind to him, and having learned his object in visiting the country, and the approximate risk in bringing out his invention, had taken the thing into consideration.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

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

From this reading Sandy regarded it as a discovery, a revelation for the uplifting of a certain down-trodden portion of the community; and therefore, having saved a little money, had resolved to make it known in the States, where insight into probabilities is fresher.

machinenounUS /məˈʃiːn/

any mechanical or electrical device that transmits or modifies energy to perform or assist in the performance of human tasks

From this reading Sandy had found it expedient to go to America, and had now been there a twelvemonth; he had devised a machine of the value of which not even his patron could be convinced--that is, he could not see the prospect of its making money fast enough to constitute it a _good thing_.

mailnounUS /meɪl/

the bags of letters and packages that are transported by the postal service

From this reading But the next mail brought another letter to the effect that, having learned the nature of the business done by Mr. Crawford, he found himself unable to distinguish between it and gambling, or worse; it seemed to him a vortex whose very emptiness drew money into it.

makeverbUS /meɪk/

engage in

From this reading Sandy regarded it as a discovery, a revelation for the uplifting of a certain down-trodden portion of the community; and therefore, having saved a little money, had resolved to make it known in the States, where insight into probabilities is fresher.

makingnounUS /ˈmeɪkɪŋ/

the act that results in something coming to be

From this reading Sandy had found it expedient to go to America, and had now been there a twelvemonth; he had devised a machine of the value of which not even his patron could be convinced--that is, he could not see the prospect of its making money fast enough to constitute it a _good thing_.

mentionedverbUS /ˈmenʃənd/

past form of “mention” — make reference to

From this reading And now Andrew had a letter from him in which he mentioned that he had come across Mr. Crawford, already of high repute in Wall Street; that he had been kind to him, and having learned his object in visiting the country, and the approximate risk in bringing out his invention, had taken the thing into consideration.

moneynounUS /ˈmʌni/

the most common medium of exchange; functions as legal tender

From this reading Sandy had found it expedient to go to America, and had now been there a twelvemonth; he had devised a machine of the value of which not even his patron could be convinced--that is, he could not see the prospect of its making money fast enough to constitute it a _good thing_.

MrnounUS /ˈmɪstər/

a form of address for a man

From this reading And now Andrew had a letter from him in which he mentioned that he had come across Mr. Crawford, already of high repute in Wall Street; that he had been kind to him, and having learned his object in visiting the country, and the approximate risk in bringing out his invention, had taken the thing into consideration.

naturenounUS /ˈneɪtʃər/

the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized

From this reading But the next mail brought another letter to the effect that, having learned the nature of the business done by Mr. Crawford, he found himself unable to distinguish between it and gambling, or worse; it seemed to him a vortex whose very emptiness drew money into it.

nextadjectiveUS /nekst/

immediately following in time or order

From this reading But the next mail brought another letter to the effect that, having learned the nature of the business done by Mr. Crawford, he found himself unable to distinguish between it and gambling, or worse; it seemed to him a vortex whose very emptiness drew money into it.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Sandy had found it expedient to go to America, and had now been there a twelvemonth; he had devised a machine of the value of which not even his patron could be convinced--that is, he could not see the prospect of its making money fast enough to constitute it a _good thing_.

nowadverbUS /naʊ/

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

From this reading Sandy had found it expedient to go to America, and had now been there a twelvemonth; he had devised a machine of the value of which not even his patron could be convinced--that is, he could not see the prospect of its making money fast enough to constitute it a _good thing_.

objectnounUS /ˈɑːbdʒekt/

a tangible and visible entity; an entity that can cast a shadow

From this reading And now Andrew had a letter from him in which he mentioned that he had come across Mr. Crawford, already of high repute in Wall Street; that he had been kind to him, and having learned his object in visiting the country, and the approximate risk in bringing out his invention, had taken the thing into consideration.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Sandy had found it expedient to go to America, and had now been there a twelvemonth; he had devised a machine of the value of which not even his patron could be convinced--that is, he could not see the prospect of its making money fast enough to constitute it a _good thing_.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading But the next mail brought another letter to the effect that, having learned the nature of the business done by Mr. Crawford, he found himself unable to distinguish between it and gambling, or worse; it seemed to him a vortex whose very emptiness drew money into it.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading And now Andrew had a letter from him in which he mentioned that he had come across Mr. Crawford, already of high repute in Wall Street; that he had been kind to him, and having learned his object in visiting the country, and the approximate risk in bringing out his invention, had taken the thing into consideration.

patronnounUS /ˈpeɪtrən/

a regular customer

From this reading Sandy had found it expedient to go to America, and had now been there a twelvemonth; he had devised a machine of the value of which not even his patron could be convinced--that is, he could not see the prospect of its making money fast enough to constitute it a _good thing_.

portionnounUS /ˈpɔːrʃən/

something determined in relation to something that includes it

From this reading Sandy regarded it as a discovery, a revelation for the uplifting of a certain down-trodden portion of the community; and therefore, having saved a little money, had resolved to make it known in the States, where insight into probabilities is fresher.

probabilitiesnounUS /ˌprɑːbəˈbɪlətiːz/

plural of “probability” — a measure of how likely it is that some event will occur; a number expressing the ratio of favorable cases to the whole number of cases possible

From this reading Sandy regarded it as a discovery, a revelation for the uplifting of a certain down-trodden portion of the community; and therefore, having saved a little money, had resolved to make it known in the States, where insight into probabilities is fresher.

prospectnounUS /ˈprɑːspekt/

the possibility of future success

From this reading Sandy had found it expedient to go to America, and had now been there a twelvemonth; he had devised a machine of the value of which not even his patron could be convinced--that is, he could not see the prospect of its making money fast enough to constitute it a _good thing_.

regardedverbUS /rɪˈɡɑːrdɪd/

past form of “regard” — deem to be

From this reading Sandy regarded it as a discovery, a revelation for the uplifting of a certain down-trodden portion of the community; and therefore, having saved a little money, had resolved to make it known in the States, where insight into probabilities is fresher.

reputenounUS /riˈpjuːt/

the state of being held in high esteem and honor

From this reading And now Andrew had a letter from him in which he mentioned that he had come across Mr. Crawford, already of high repute in Wall Street; that he had been kind to him, and having learned his object in visiting the country, and the approximate risk in bringing out his invention, had taken the thing into consideration.

resolvedadjectiveUS /riˈzɑːlvd/

determined

From this reading Sandy regarded it as a discovery, a revelation for the uplifting of a certain down-trodden portion of the community; and therefore, having saved a little money, had resolved to make it known in the States, where insight into probabilities is fresher.

revelationnounUS /ˌrevəˈleɪʃən/

the speech act of making something evident

From this reading Sandy regarded it as a discovery, a revelation for the uplifting of a certain down-trodden portion of the community; and therefore, having saved a little money, had resolved to make it known in the States, where insight into probabilities is fresher.

risknounUS /rɪsk/

a source of danger; a possibility of incurring loss or misfortune

From this reading And now Andrew had a letter from him in which he mentioned that he had come across Mr. Crawford, already of high repute in Wall Street; that he had been kind to him, and having learned his object in visiting the country, and the approximate risk in bringing out his invention, had taken the thing into consideration.

SANDYadjectiveUS /ˈsændi/

of hair color; pale yellowish to yellowish brown

From this reading SANDY AND GEORGE.

savedadjectiveUS /seɪvd/

rescued; especially from the power and consequences of sin

From this reading Sandy regarded it as a discovery, a revelation for the uplifting of a certain down-trodden portion of the community; and therefore, having saved a little money, had resolved to make it known in the States, where insight into probabilities is fresher.

seeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading Sandy had found it expedient to go to America, and had now been there a twelvemonth; he had devised a machine of the value of which not even his patron could be convinced--that is, he could not see the prospect of its making money fast enough to constitute it a _good thing_.

seemedverbUS /siːmd/

past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading But the next mail brought another letter to the effect that, having learned the nature of the business done by Mr. Crawford, he found himself unable to distinguish between it and gambling, or worse; it seemed to him a vortex whose very emptiness drew money into it.

StatesnounUS /steɪts/

plural of “state” — the territory occupied by one of the constituent administrative districts of a nation

From this reading Sandy regarded it as a discovery, a revelation for the uplifting of a certain down-trodden portion of the community; and therefore, having saved a little money, had resolved to make it known in the States, where insight into probabilities is fresher.

StreetnounUS /striːt/

a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings

From this reading And now Andrew had a letter from him in which he mentioned that he had come across Mr. Crawford, already of high repute in Wall Street; that he had been kind to him, and having learned his object in visiting the country, and the approximate risk in bringing out his invention, had taken the thing into consideration.

takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/

understood in a certain way; made sense of

From this reading And now Andrew had a letter from him in which he mentioned that he had come across Mr. Crawford, already of high repute in Wall Street; that he had been kind to him, and having learned his object in visiting the country, and the approximate risk in bringing out his invention, had taken the thing into consideration.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Sandy had found it expedient to go to America, and had now been there a twelvemonth; he had devised a machine of the value of which not even his patron could be convinced--that is, he could not see the prospect of its making money fast enough to constitute it a _good thing_.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Sandy had found it expedient to go to America, and had now been there a twelvemonth; he had devised a machine of the value of which not even his patron could be convinced--that is, he could not see the prospect of its making money fast enough to constitute it a _good thing_.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading Sandy had found it expedient to go to America, and had now been there a twelvemonth; he had devised a machine of the value of which not even his patron could be convinced--that is, he could not see the prospect of its making money fast enough to constitute it a _good thing_.

thereforeadverbUS /ˈðerfɔːr/

for that reason; as a result

From this reading Sandy regarded it as a discovery, a revelation for the uplifting of a certain down-trodden portion of the community; and therefore, having saved a little money, had resolved to make it known in the States, where insight into probabilities is fresher.

thingnounUS /θɪŋ/

a special situation

From this reading Sandy had found it expedient to go to America, and had now been there a twelvemonth; he had devised a machine of the value of which not even his patron could be convinced--that is, he could not see the prospect of its making money fast enough to constitute it a _good thing_.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Sandy had found it expedient to go to America, and had now been there a twelvemonth; he had devised a machine of the value of which not even his patron could be convinced--that is, he could not see the prospect of its making money fast enough to constitute it a _good thing_.

twelvemonthnoun

a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days

From this reading Sandy had found it expedient to go to America, and had now been there a twelvemonth; he had devised a machine of the value of which not even his patron could be convinced--that is, he could not see the prospect of its making money fast enough to constitute it a _good thing_.

unableadjectiveUS /əˈneɪbəl/

(usually followed by “to”) not having the necessary means or skill or know-how

From this reading But the next mail brought another letter to the effect that, having learned the nature of the business done by Mr. Crawford, he found himself unable to distinguish between it and gambling, or worse; it seemed to him a vortex whose very emptiness drew money into it.

upliftingnounUS /ˈʌplɪftɪŋ/

the rise of something

From this reading Sandy regarded it as a discovery, a revelation for the uplifting of a certain down-trodden portion of the community; and therefore, having saved a little money, had resolved to make it known in the States, where insight into probabilities is fresher.

valuenounUS /ˈvæljuː/

a numerical quantity measured or assigned or computed

From this reading Sandy had found it expedient to go to America, and had now been there a twelvemonth; he had devised a machine of the value of which not even his patron could be convinced--that is, he could not see the prospect of its making money fast enough to constitute it a _good thing_.

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading But the next mail brought another letter to the effect that, having learned the nature of the business done by Mr. Crawford, he found himself unable to distinguish between it and gambling, or worse; it seemed to him a vortex whose very emptiness drew money into it.

visitingnounUS /ˈvɪzɪtɪŋ/

the activity of making visits

From this reading And now Andrew had a letter from him in which he mentioned that he had come across Mr. Crawford, already of high repute in Wall Street; that he had been kind to him, and having learned his object in visiting the country, and the approximate risk in bringing out his invention, had taken the thing into consideration.

vortexnounUS /ˈvɔːrteks/

the shape of something rotating rapidly

From this reading But the next mail brought another letter to the effect that, having learned the nature of the business done by Mr. Crawford, he found himself unable to distinguish between it and gambling, or worse; it seemed to him a vortex whose very emptiness drew money into it.

WallnounUS /wɔːl/

an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure

From this reading And now Andrew had a letter from him in which he mentioned that he had come across Mr. Crawford, already of high repute in Wall Street; that he had been kind to him, and having learned his object in visiting the country, and the approximate risk in bringing out his invention, had taken the thing into consideration.

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading Sandy regarded it as a discovery, a revelation for the uplifting of a certain down-trodden portion of the community; and therefore, having saved a little money, had resolved to make it known in the States, where insight into probabilities is fresher.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading Sandy had found it expedient to go to America, and had now been there a twelvemonth; he had devised a machine of the value of which not even his patron could be convinced--that is, he could not see the prospect of its making money fast enough to constitute it a _good thing_.

whosedeterminerUS /huːz/

belonging to which person

From this reading But the next mail brought another letter to the effect that, having learned the nature of the business done by Mr. Crawford, he found himself unable to distinguish between it and gambling, or worse; it seemed to him a vortex whose very emptiness drew money into it.

worseadjectiveUS /wɜːrs/

(comparative of “bad”) inferior to another in quality or condition or desirability

From this reading But the next mail brought another letter to the effect that, having learned the nature of the business done by Mr. Crawford, he found himself unable to distinguish between it and gambling, or worse; it seemed to him a vortex whose very emptiness drew money into it.

Chapter 14 of The Elect Lady by George MacDonald holds 43 sentences, grouped into 9 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 14 of The Elect Lady contain?

Chapter 14 holds 43 sentences of The Elect Lady, unabridged, divided into 9 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 14 of The Elect Lady by George MacDonald exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 43 sentences, grouped into 9 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 14 of The Elect Lady?

Work through the 9 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 9 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 14 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 14 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 Elect Lady

Common questions about reading The Elect Lady by George MacDonald on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Elect Lady?

Yes. All 3543 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #8944 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Elect Lady is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #8944, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Elect Lady take to read?

About 295 minutes of reading across 709 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

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How to work through The Elect Lady section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

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  2. Read one section

    Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.

  3. Listen and tap

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

Vocabulary met early in The Elect Lady

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Elect Lady, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Landlord's
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Elect Lady; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Daughter
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Elect Lady; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Tenant's
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Elect Lady; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Kitchen
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Elect Lady; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.