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The Garies and Their Friends
The Garies and Their Friends

Chapter VII · Chapter 7

Chapter 7 of The Garies and Their Friends is here in full — 133 sentences across 27 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/26 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Mrs. Thomas has her Troubles.
Mrs. Thomas was affected, as silly women sometimes are, with an intense desire to be at the head of the _ton_.
For this object she gave grand dinners and large evening parties, to which were invited all who, being two or three removes from the class whose members occupy the cobbler's bench or the huckster's stall, felt themselves at liberty to look down upon the rest of the world from the pinnacle on which they imagined themselves placed.
At these social gatherings the conversation never turned upon pedigree, and if any of the guests chanced by accident to allude to their ancestors, they spoke of them as members of the family, who, at an early period of their lives, were engaged in mercantile pursuits.
At such dinners Mrs. Thomas would sit for hours, mumbling dishes that disagreed with her; smiling at conversations carried on in villanous French, of which language she did not understand a word; and admiring the manners of addle-headed young men (who got tipsy at her evening parties), because they had been to Europe, and were therefore considered quite men of the world.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Garies and Their Friends

Chapter VII · Chapter 7

Chapter 7 of The Garies and Their Friends is here in full — 133 sentences across 27 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/26 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Mrs. Thomas has her Troubles.
/ˈmɪsɪz ˈtɑːməs hæz hɜːr ˈtrʌbəlz/
Line 2
Mrs. Thomas was affected, as silly women sometimes are, with an intense desire to be at the head of the _ton_.
/ˈmɪsɪz ˈtɑːməs wɑːz əˈfektɪd æz ˈsɪli ˈwɪmən səmˈtaɪmz ɑːr wɪð æn ˌɪnˈtens dɪˈzaɪər tuː biː æt ðə hed ʌv ðə tʌn/
Line 3
For this object she gave grand dinners and large evening parties, to which were invited all who, being two or three removes from the class whose members occupy the cobbler's bench or the huckster's stall, felt themselves at liberty to look down upon the rest of the world from the pinnacle on which they imagined themselves placed.
Line 4
At these social gatherings the conversation never turned upon pedigree, and if any of the guests chanced by accident to allude to their ancestors, they spoke of them as members of the family, who, at an early period of their lives, were engaged in mercantile pursuits.
/æt ðiːz ˈsoʊʃəl ˈɡæðərɪŋz ðə ˌkɑːnvərˈseɪʃən ˈnevər tɜːrnd əˈpɑːn ˈpedəɡri ənd ɪf ˈeni ʌv ðə ɡests tʃænst baɪ ˈæksədənt tuː əˈluːd tuː ðer ˈænsestərz ðeɪ spoʊk ʌv ðem æz ˈmembərz ʌv ðə ˈfæməli huː æt æn ˈɜːrli ˈpɪriəd ʌv ðer lɪvz wɜːr enˈɡeɪdʒd ɪn ˈmɜːrkəntaɪl pərˈsuːts/
Line 5
At such dinners Mrs. Thomas would sit for hours, mumbling dishes that disagreed with her; smiling at conversations carried on in villanous French, of which language she did not understand a word; and admiring the manners of addle-headed young men (who got tipsy at her evening parties), because they had been to Europe, and were therefore considered quite men of the world.

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.

cobbler's noun US /ˈkɑːblərz/

possessive form of “cobbler” — a person who makes or repairs shoes

From this reading “For this object she gave grand dinners and large evening parties, to which were invited all who, being two or three removes from the class whose members occupy the cobbler's bench or the huckster's stall, felt themselves at liberty to look down upon the rest of the world from the pinnacle on which they imagined themselves placed.”

disagreed verb US /dɪsəˈɡriːd/

past form of “disagree” — be of different opinions

From this reading “At such dinners Mrs. Thomas would sit for hours, mumbling dishes that disagreed with her; smiling at conversations carried on in villanous French, of which language she did not understand a word; and admiring the manners of addle-headed young men (who got tipsy at her evening parties), because they had been to Europe, and were therefore considered quite men of the world.”

gatherings noun US /ˈɡæðərɪŋz/

plural of “gathering” — a group of persons together in one place

From this reading “At these social gatherings the conversation never turned upon pedigree, and if any of the guests chanced by accident to allude to their ancestors, they spoke of them as members of the family, who, at an early period of their lives, were engaged in mercantile pursuits.”

mercantile adjective US /ˈmɜːrkəntaɪl/

of or relating to the economic system of mercantilism

From this reading “At these social gatherings the conversation never turned upon pedigree, and if any of the guests chanced by accident to allude to their ancestors, they spoke of them as members of the family, who, at an early period of their lives, were engaged in mercantile pursuits.”

mumbling noun US /ˈmʌmbəlɪŋ/

indistinct enunciation

From this reading “At such dinners Mrs. Thomas would sit for hours, mumbling dishes that disagreed with her; smiling at conversations carried on in villanous French, of which language she did not understand a word; and admiring the manners of addle-headed young men (who got tipsy at her evening parties), because they had been to Europe, and were therefore considered quite men of the world.”

pedigree noun US /ˈpedəɡri/

the descendants of one individual

From this reading “At these social gatherings the conversation never turned upon pedigree, and if any of the guests chanced by accident to allude to their ancestors, they spoke of them as members of the family, who, at an early period of their lives, were engaged in mercantile pursuits.”

pinnacle noun US /ˈpɪnəkəl/

(architecture) a slender upright spire at the top of a buttress of tower

From this reading “For this object she gave grand dinners and large evening parties, to which were invited all who, being two or three removes from the class whose members occupy the cobbler's bench or the huckster's stall, felt themselves at liberty to look down upon the rest of the world from the pinnacle on which they imagined themselves placed.”

removes noun US /riˈmuːvz/

plural of “remove” — degree of figurative distance or separation

From this reading “For this object she gave grand dinners and large evening parties, to which were invited all who, being two or three removes from the class whose members occupy the cobbler's bench or the huckster's stall, felt themselves at liberty to look down upon the rest of the world from the pinnacle on which they imagined themselves placed.”

All words in this reading · 125

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 At such dinners Mrs. Thomas would sit for hours, mumbling dishes that disagreed with her; smiling at conversations carried on in villanous French, of which language she did not understand a word; and admiring the manners of addle-headed young men (who got tipsy at her evening parties), because they had been to Europe, and were therefore considered quite men of the world.

accidentnounUS /ˈæksədənt/

an unfortunate mishap; especially one causing damage or injury

From this reading At these social gatherings the conversation never turned upon pedigree, and if any of the guests chanced by accident to allude to their ancestors, they spoke of them as members of the family, who, at an early period of their lives, were engaged in mercantile pursuits.

addle-headed

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

From this reading At such dinners Mrs. Thomas would sit for hours, mumbling dishes that disagreed with her; smiling at conversations carried on in villanous French, of which language she did not understand a word; and admiring the manners of addle-headed young men (who got tipsy at her evening parties), because they had been to Europe, and were therefore considered quite men of the world.

admiringverbUS /ædˈmaɪrɪŋ/

-ing form of “admire” — feel admiration for

From this reading At such dinners Mrs. Thomas would sit for hours, mumbling dishes that disagreed with her; smiling at conversations carried on in villanous French, of which language she did not understand a word; and admiring the manners of addle-headed young men (who got tipsy at her evening parties), because they had been to Europe, and were therefore considered quite men of the world.

affectedadjectiveUS /əˈfektɪd/

acted upon; influenced

From this reading Mrs. Thomas was affected, as silly women sometimes are, with an intense desire to be at the head of the _ton_.

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 For this object she gave grand dinners and large evening parties, to which were invited all who, being two or three removes from the class whose members occupy the cobbler's bench or the huckster's stall, felt themselves at liberty to look down upon the rest of the world from the pinnacle on which they imagined themselves placed.

alludeverbUS /əˈluːd/

make a more or less disguised reference to

From this reading At these social gatherings the conversation never turned upon pedigree, and if any of the guests chanced by accident to allude to their ancestors, they spoke of them as members of the family, who, at an early period of their lives, were engaged in mercantile pursuits.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading Mrs. Thomas was affected, as silly women sometimes are, with an intense desire to be at the head of the _ton_.

ancestorsnounUS /ˈænsestərz/

plural of “ancestor” — someone from whom you are descended (but usually more remote than a grandparent)

From this reading At these social gatherings the conversation never turned upon pedigree, and if any of the guests chanced by accident to allude to their ancestors, they spoke of them as members of the family, who, at an early period of their lives, were engaged in mercantile pursuits.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading For this object she gave grand dinners and large evening parties, to which were invited all who, being two or three removes from the class whose members occupy the cobbler's bench or the huckster's stall, felt themselves at liberty to look down upon the rest of the world from the pinnacle on which they imagined themselves placed.

anyadjectiveUS /ˈeni/

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading At these social gatherings the conversation never turned upon pedigree, and if any of the guests chanced by accident to allude to their ancestors, they spoke of them as members of the family, who, at an early period of their lives, were engaged in mercantile pursuits.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading Mrs. Thomas was affected, as silly women sometimes are, with an intense desire to be at the head of the _ton_.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Mrs. Thomas was affected, as silly women sometimes are, with an intense desire to be at the head of the _ton_.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Mrs. Thomas was affected, as silly women sometimes are, with an intense desire to be at the head of the _ton_.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading Mrs. Thomas was affected, as silly women sometimes are, with an intense desire to be at the head of the _ton_.

becauseconjunctionUS /bɪˈkɔːz/

for the reason that

From this reading At such dinners Mrs. Thomas would sit for hours, mumbling dishes that disagreed with her; smiling at conversations carried on in villanous French, of which language she did not understand a word; and admiring the manners of addle-headed young men (who got tipsy at her evening parties), because they had been to Europe, and were therefore considered quite men of the world.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading At such dinners Mrs. Thomas would sit for hours, mumbling dishes that disagreed with her; smiling at conversations carried on in villanous French, of which language she did not understand a word; and admiring the manners of addle-headed young men (who got tipsy at her evening parties), because they had been to Europe, and were therefore considered quite men of the world.

beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading For this object she gave grand dinners and large evening parties, to which were invited all who, being two or three removes from the class whose members occupy the cobbler's bench or the huckster's stall, felt themselves at liberty to look down upon the rest of the world from the pinnacle on which they imagined themselves placed.

benchnounUS /bentʃ/

a long seat for more than one person

From this reading For this object she gave grand dinners and large evening parties, to which were invited all who, being two or three removes from the class whose members occupy the cobbler's bench or the huckster's stall, felt themselves at liberty to look down upon the rest of the world from the pinnacle on which they imagined themselves placed.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading At these social gatherings the conversation never turned upon pedigree, and if any of the guests chanced by accident to allude to their ancestors, they spoke of them as members of the family, who, at an early period of their lives, were engaged in mercantile pursuits.

carriedverbUS /ˈkærid/

inflected form of “carry” — move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body

From this reading At such dinners Mrs. Thomas would sit for hours, mumbling dishes that disagreed with her; smiling at conversations carried on in villanous French, of which language she did not understand a word; and admiring the manners of addle-headed young men (who got tipsy at her evening parties), because they had been to Europe, and were therefore considered quite men of the world.

chancedverbUS /tʃænst/

past form of “chance” — be the case by chance

From this reading At these social gatherings the conversation never turned upon pedigree, and if any of the guests chanced by accident to allude to their ancestors, they spoke of them as members of the family, who, at an early period of their lives, were engaged in mercantile pursuits.

classnounUS /klæs/

a collection of things sharing a common attribute

From this reading For this object she gave grand dinners and large evening parties, to which were invited all who, being two or three removes from the class whose members occupy the cobbler's bench or the huckster's stall, felt themselves at liberty to look down upon the rest of the world from the pinnacle on which they imagined themselves placed.

cobbler'snounUS /ˈkɑːblərz/

possessive form of “cobbler” — a person who makes or repairs shoes

From this reading For this object she gave grand dinners and large evening parties, to which were invited all who, being two or three removes from the class whose members occupy the cobbler's bench or the huckster's stall, felt themselves at liberty to look down upon the rest of the world from the pinnacle on which they imagined themselves placed.

consideredadjectiveUS /kənˈsɪdərd/

carefully weighed

From this reading At such dinners Mrs. Thomas would sit for hours, mumbling dishes that disagreed with her; smiling at conversations carried on in villanous French, of which language she did not understand a word; and admiring the manners of addle-headed young men (who got tipsy at her evening parties), because they had been to Europe, and were therefore considered quite men of the world.

conversationnounUS /ˌkɑːnvərˈseɪʃən/

the use of speech for informal exchange of views or ideas or information etc.

From this reading At these social gatherings the conversation never turned upon pedigree, and if any of the guests chanced by accident to allude to their ancestors, they spoke of them as members of the family, who, at an early period of their lives, were engaged in mercantile pursuits.

conversationsnounUS /ˌkɑːnvərˈseɪʃənz/

plural of “conversation” — the use of speech for informal exchange of views or ideas or information etc.

From this reading At such dinners Mrs. Thomas would sit for hours, mumbling dishes that disagreed with her; smiling at conversations carried on in villanous French, of which language she did not understand a word; and admiring the manners of addle-headed young men (who got tipsy at her evening parties), because they had been to Europe, and were therefore considered quite men of the world.

desirenounUS /dɪˈzaɪər/

the feeling that accompanies an unsatisfied state

From this reading Mrs. Thomas was affected, as silly women sometimes are, with an intense desire to be at the head of the _ton_.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

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

From this reading At such dinners Mrs. Thomas would sit for hours, mumbling dishes that disagreed with her; smiling at conversations carried on in villanous French, of which language she did not understand a word; and admiring the manners of addle-headed young men (who got tipsy at her evening parties), because they had been to Europe, and were therefore considered quite men of the world.

dinnersnounUS /ˈdɪnərz/

plural of “dinner” — the main meal of the day served in the evening or at midday

From this reading For this object she gave grand dinners and large evening parties, to which were invited all who, being two or three removes from the class whose members occupy the cobbler's bench or the huckster's stall, felt themselves at liberty to look down upon the rest of the world from the pinnacle on which they imagined themselves placed.

disagreedverbUS /dɪsəˈɡriːd/

past form of “disagree” — be of different opinions

From this reading At such dinners Mrs. Thomas would sit for hours, mumbling dishes that disagreed with her; smiling at conversations carried on in villanous French, of which language she did not understand a word; and admiring the manners of addle-headed young men (who got tipsy at her evening parties), because they had been to Europe, and were therefore considered quite men of the world.

dishesnounUS /ˈdɪʃəz/

plural of “dish” — a piece of dishware normally used as a container for holding or serving food

From this reading At such dinners Mrs. Thomas would sit for hours, mumbling dishes that disagreed with her; smiling at conversations carried on in villanous French, of which language she did not understand a word; and admiring the manners of addle-headed young men (who got tipsy at her evening parties), because they had been to Europe, and were therefore considered quite men of the world.

downadjectiveUS /daʊn/

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading For this object she gave grand dinners and large evening parties, to which were invited all who, being two or three removes from the class whose members occupy the cobbler's bench or the huckster's stall, felt themselves at liberty to look down upon the rest of the world from the pinnacle on which they imagined themselves placed.

earlyadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrli/

at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time

From this reading At these social gatherings the conversation never turned upon pedigree, and if any of the guests chanced by accident to allude to their ancestors, they spoke of them as members of the family, who, at an early period of their lives, were engaged in mercantile pursuits.

engagedadjectiveUS /enˈɡeɪdʒd/

having ones attention or mind or energy engaged

From this reading At these social gatherings the conversation never turned upon pedigree, and if any of the guests chanced by accident to allude to their ancestors, they spoke of them as members of the family, who, at an early period of their lives, were engaged in mercantile pursuits.

EuropenounUS /ˈjʊrəp/

the 2nd smallest continent (actually a vast peninsula of Eurasia); the British use “Europe” to refer to all of the continent except the British Isles

From this reading At such dinners Mrs. Thomas would sit for hours, mumbling dishes that disagreed with her; smiling at conversations carried on in villanous French, of which language she did not understand a word; and admiring the manners of addle-headed young men (who got tipsy at her evening parties), because they had been to Europe, and were therefore considered quite men of the world.

eveningnounUS /ˈiːvnɪŋ/

the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)

From this reading For this object she gave grand dinners and large evening parties, to which were invited all who, being two or three removes from the class whose members occupy the cobbler's bench or the huckster's stall, felt themselves at liberty to look down upon the rest of the world from the pinnacle on which they imagined themselves placed.

familynounUS /ˈfæməli/

a social unit living together

From this reading At these social gatherings the conversation never turned upon pedigree, and if any of the guests chanced by accident to allude to their ancestors, they spoke of them as members of the family, who, at an early period of their lives, were engaged in mercantile pursuits.

feltverbUS /felt/

mat together and make felt-like

From this reading For this object she gave grand dinners and large evening parties, to which were invited all who, being two or three removes from the class whose members occupy the cobbler's bench or the huckster's stall, felt themselves at liberty to look down upon the rest of the world from the pinnacle on which they imagined themselves placed.

ForprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading For this object she gave grand dinners and large evening parties, to which were invited all who, being two or three removes from the class whose members occupy the cobbler's bench or the huckster's stall, felt themselves at liberty to look down upon the rest of the world from the pinnacle on which they imagined themselves placed.

FrenchnounUS /frentʃ/

the Romance language spoken in France and in countries colonized by France

From this reading At such dinners Mrs. Thomas would sit for hours, mumbling dishes that disagreed with her; smiling at conversations carried on in villanous French, of which language she did not understand a word; and admiring the manners of addle-headed young men (who got tipsy at her evening parties), because they had been to Europe, and were therefore considered quite men of the world.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading For this object she gave grand dinners and large evening parties, to which were invited all who, being two or three removes from the class whose members occupy the cobbler's bench or the huckster's stall, felt themselves at liberty to look down upon the rest of the world from the pinnacle on which they imagined themselves placed.

gatheringsnounUS /ˈɡæðərɪŋz/

plural of “gathering” — a group of persons together in one place

From this reading At these social gatherings the conversation never turned upon pedigree, and if any of the guests chanced by accident to allude to their ancestors, they spoke of them as members of the family, who, at an early period of their lives, were engaged in mercantile pursuits.

gaveverbUS /ɡeɪv/

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

From this reading For this object she gave grand dinners and large evening parties, to which were invited all who, being two or three removes from the class whose members occupy the cobbler's bench or the huckster's stall, felt themselves at liberty to look down upon the rest of the world from the pinnacle on which they imagined themselves placed.

gotverbUS /ɡɑːt/

inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading At such dinners Mrs. Thomas would sit for hours, mumbling dishes that disagreed with her; smiling at conversations carried on in villanous French, of which language she did not understand a word; and admiring the manners of addle-headed young men (who got tipsy at her evening parties), because they had been to Europe, and were therefore considered quite men of the world.

grandadjectiveUS /ɡrænd/

of behavior that is impressive and ambitious in scale or scope

From this reading For this object she gave grand dinners and large evening parties, to which were invited all who, being two or three removes from the class whose members occupy the cobbler's bench or the huckster's stall, felt themselves at liberty to look down upon the rest of the world from the pinnacle on which they imagined themselves placed.

guestsnounUS /ɡests/

plural of “guest” — a visitor to whom hospitality is extended

From this reading At these social gatherings the conversation never turned upon pedigree, and if any of the guests chanced by accident to allude to their ancestors, they spoke of them as members of the family, who, at an early period of their lives, were engaged in mercantile pursuits.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading At such dinners Mrs. Thomas would sit for hours, mumbling dishes that disagreed with her; smiling at conversations carried on in villanous French, of which language she did not understand a word; and admiring the manners of addle-headed young men (who got tipsy at her evening parties), because they had been to Europe, and were therefore considered quite men of the world.

hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

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

From this reading Mrs. Thomas has her Troubles.

headnounUS /hed/

the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains

From this reading Mrs. Thomas was affected, as silly women sometimes are, with an intense desire to be at the head of the _ton_.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading Mrs. Thomas has her Troubles.

hoursnounUS /ˈaʊərz/

a period of time assigned for work

From this reading At such dinners Mrs. Thomas would sit for hours, mumbling dishes that disagreed with her; smiling at conversations carried on in villanous French, of which language she did not understand a word; and admiring the manners of addle-headed young men (who got tipsy at her evening parties), because they had been to Europe, and were therefore considered quite men of the world.

huckster's

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

From this reading For this object she gave grand dinners and large evening parties, to which were invited all who, being two or three removes from the class whose members occupy the cobbler's bench or the huckster's stall, felt themselves at liberty to look down upon the rest of the world from the pinnacle on which they imagined themselves placed.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading At these social gatherings the conversation never turned upon pedigree, and if any of the guests chanced by accident to allude to their ancestors, they spoke of them as members of the family, who, at an early period of their lives, were engaged in mercantile pursuits.

imaginedverbUS /ˌɪˈmædʒənd/

past form of “imagine” — form a mental image of something that is not present or that is not the case

From this reading For this object she gave grand dinners and large evening parties, to which were invited all who, being two or three removes from the class whose members occupy the cobbler's bench or the huckster's stall, felt themselves at liberty to look down upon the rest of the world from the pinnacle on which they imagined themselves placed.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading At these social gatherings the conversation never turned upon pedigree, and if any of the guests chanced by accident to allude to their ancestors, they spoke of them as members of the family, who, at an early period of their lives, were engaged in mercantile pursuits.

intenseadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈtens/

possessing or displaying a distinctive feature to a heightened degree

From this reading Mrs. Thomas was affected, as silly women sometimes are, with an intense desire to be at the head of the _ton_.

invitedverbUS /ˌɪnˈvaɪtəd/

past form of “invite” — increase the likelihood of

From this reading For this object she gave grand dinners and large evening parties, to which were invited all who, being two or three removes from the class whose members occupy the cobbler's bench or the huckster's stall, felt themselves at liberty to look down upon the rest of the world from the pinnacle on which they imagined themselves placed.

languagenounUS /ˈlæŋɡwədʒ/

a systematic means of communicating by the use of sounds or conventional symbols

From this reading At such dinners Mrs. Thomas would sit for hours, mumbling dishes that disagreed with her; smiling at conversations carried on in villanous French, of which language she did not understand a word; and admiring the manners of addle-headed young men (who got tipsy at her evening parties), because they had been to Europe, and were therefore considered quite men of the world.

largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/

above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading For this object she gave grand dinners and large evening parties, to which were invited all who, being two or three removes from the class whose members occupy the cobbler's bench or the huckster's stall, felt themselves at liberty to look down upon the rest of the world from the pinnacle on which they imagined themselves placed.

libertynounUS /ˈlɪb.ər.ti/

The state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions on one's way of life.

From this reading For this object she gave grand dinners and large evening parties, to which were invited all who, being two or three removes from the class whose members occupy the cobbler's bench or the huckster's stall, felt themselves at liberty to look down upon the rest of the world from the pinnacle on which they imagined themselves placed.

livesnounUS /lɪvz/

plural of “life” — a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading At these social gatherings the conversation never turned upon pedigree, and if any of the guests chanced by accident to allude to their ancestors, they spoke of them as members of the family, who, at an early period of their lives, were engaged in mercantile pursuits.

lookverbUS /lʊk/

perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading For this object she gave grand dinners and large evening parties, to which were invited all who, being two or three removes from the class whose members occupy the cobbler's bench or the huckster's stall, felt themselves at liberty to look down upon the rest of the world from the pinnacle on which they imagined themselves placed.

mannersnounUS /ˈmænərz/

social deportment

From this reading At such dinners Mrs. Thomas would sit for hours, mumbling dishes that disagreed with her; smiling at conversations carried on in villanous French, of which language she did not understand a word; and admiring the manners of addle-headed young men (who got tipsy at her evening parties), because they had been to Europe, and were therefore considered quite men of the world.

membersnounUS /ˈmembərz/

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

From this reading For this object she gave grand dinners and large evening parties, to which were invited all who, being two or three removes from the class whose members occupy the cobbler's bench or the huckster's stall, felt themselves at liberty to look down upon the rest of the world from the pinnacle on which they imagined themselves placed.

mennounUS /men/

the force of workers available

From this reading At such dinners Mrs. Thomas would sit for hours, mumbling dishes that disagreed with her; smiling at conversations carried on in villanous French, of which language she did not understand a word; and admiring the manners of addle-headed young men (who got tipsy at her evening parties), because they had been to Europe, and were therefore considered quite men of the world.

mercantileadjectiveUS /ˈmɜːrkəntaɪl/

of or relating to the economic system of mercantilism

From this reading At these social gatherings the conversation never turned upon pedigree, and if any of the guests chanced by accident to allude to their ancestors, they spoke of them as members of the family, who, at an early period of their lives, were engaged in mercantile pursuits.

MrsnounUS /ˈmɪsɪz/

a form of address for a married woman

From this reading Mrs. Thomas has her Troubles.

mumblingnounUS /ˈmʌmbəlɪŋ/

indistinct enunciation

From this reading At such dinners Mrs. Thomas would sit for hours, mumbling dishes that disagreed with her; smiling at conversations carried on in villanous French, of which language she did not understand a word; and admiring the manners of addle-headed young men (who got tipsy at her evening parties), because they had been to Europe, and were therefore considered quite men of the world.

neveradverbUS /ˈnevər/

not ever; at no time in the past or future

From this reading At these social gatherings the conversation never turned upon pedigree, and if any of the guests chanced by accident to allude to their ancestors, they spoke of them as members of the family, who, at an early period of their lives, were engaged in mercantile pursuits.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading At such dinners Mrs. Thomas would sit for hours, mumbling dishes that disagreed with her; smiling at conversations carried on in villanous French, of which language she did not understand a word; and admiring the manners of addle-headed young men (who got tipsy at her evening parties), because they had been to Europe, and were therefore considered quite men of the world.

objectnounUS /ˈɑːbdʒekt/

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

From this reading For this object she gave grand dinners and large evening parties, to which were invited all who, being two or three removes from the class whose members occupy the cobbler's bench or the huckster's stall, felt themselves at liberty to look down upon the rest of the world from the pinnacle on which they imagined themselves placed.

occupyverbUS /ˈɑːkjəpaɪ/

keep busy with

From this reading For this object she gave grand dinners and large evening parties, to which were invited all who, being two or three removes from the class whose members occupy the cobbler's bench or the huckster's stall, felt themselves at liberty to look down upon the rest of the world from the pinnacle on which they imagined themselves placed.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Mrs. Thomas was affected, as silly women sometimes are, with an intense desire to be at the head of the _ton_.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading For this object she gave grand dinners and large evening parties, to which were invited all who, being two or three removes from the class whose members occupy the cobbler's bench or the huckster's stall, felt themselves at liberty to look down upon the rest of the world from the pinnacle on which they imagined themselves placed.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading For this object she gave grand dinners and large evening parties, to which were invited all who, being two or three removes from the class whose members occupy the cobbler's bench or the huckster's stall, felt themselves at liberty to look down upon the rest of the world from the pinnacle on which they imagined themselves placed.

partiesnounUS /ˈpɑːrtiz/

plural of “party” — an organization to gain political power

From this reading For this object she gave grand dinners and large evening parties, to which were invited all who, being two or three removes from the class whose members occupy the cobbler's bench or the huckster's stall, felt themselves at liberty to look down upon the rest of the world from the pinnacle on which they imagined themselves placed.

pedigreenounUS /ˈpedəɡri/

the descendants of one individual

From this reading At these social gatherings the conversation never turned upon pedigree, and if any of the guests chanced by accident to allude to their ancestors, they spoke of them as members of the family, who, at an early period of their lives, were engaged in mercantile pursuits.

periodnounUS /ˈpɪriəd/

an amount of time

From this reading At these social gatherings the conversation never turned upon pedigree, and if any of the guests chanced by accident to allude to their ancestors, they spoke of them as members of the family, who, at an early period of their lives, were engaged in mercantile pursuits.

pinnaclenounUS /ˈpɪnəkəl/

(architecture) a slender upright spire at the top of a buttress of tower

From this reading For this object she gave grand dinners and large evening parties, to which were invited all who, being two or three removes from the class whose members occupy the cobbler's bench or the huckster's stall, felt themselves at liberty to look down upon the rest of the world from the pinnacle on which they imagined themselves placed.

placedadjectiveUS /pleɪst/

situated in a particular spot or position

From this reading For this object she gave grand dinners and large evening parties, to which were invited all who, being two or three removes from the class whose members occupy the cobbler's bench or the huckster's stall, felt themselves at liberty to look down upon the rest of the world from the pinnacle on which they imagined themselves placed.

pursuitsnounUS /pərˈsuːts/

plural of “pursuit” — the act of pursuing in an effort to overtake or capture

From this reading At these social gatherings the conversation never turned upon pedigree, and if any of the guests chanced by accident to allude to their ancestors, they spoke of them as members of the family, who, at an early period of their lives, were engaged in mercantile pursuits.

quiteadverbUS /kwaɪt/

to a degree (not used with a negative)

From this reading At such dinners Mrs. Thomas would sit for hours, mumbling dishes that disagreed with her; smiling at conversations carried on in villanous French, of which language she did not understand a word; and admiring the manners of addle-headed young men (who got tipsy at her evening parties), because they had been to Europe, and were therefore considered quite men of the world.

removesnounUS /riˈmuːvz/

plural of “remove” — degree of figurative distance or separation

From this reading For this object she gave grand dinners and large evening parties, to which were invited all who, being two or three removes from the class whose members occupy the cobbler's bench or the huckster's stall, felt themselves at liberty to look down upon the rest of the world from the pinnacle on which they imagined themselves placed.

restverbUS /rest/

not move; be in a resting position

From this reading For this object she gave grand dinners and large evening parties, to which were invited all who, being two or three removes from the class whose members occupy the cobbler's bench or the huckster's stall, felt themselves at liberty to look down upon the rest of the world from the pinnacle on which they imagined themselves placed.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading For this object she gave grand dinners and large evening parties, to which were invited all who, being two or three removes from the class whose members occupy the cobbler's bench or the huckster's stall, felt themselves at liberty to look down upon the rest of the world from the pinnacle on which they imagined themselves placed.

sillyadjectiveUS /ˈsɪli/

ludicrous, foolish

From this reading Mrs. Thomas was affected, as silly women sometimes are, with an intense desire to be at the head of the _ton_.

sitverbUS /sɪt/

be seated

From this reading At such dinners Mrs. Thomas would sit for hours, mumbling dishes that disagreed with her; smiling at conversations carried on in villanous French, of which language she did not understand a word; and admiring the manners of addle-headed young men (who got tipsy at her evening parties), because they had been to Europe, and were therefore considered quite men of the world.

smilingnounUS /ˈsmaɪlɪŋ/

a facial expression characterized by turning up the corners of the mouth; usually shows pleasure or amusement

From this reading At such dinners Mrs. Thomas would sit for hours, mumbling dishes that disagreed with her; smiling at conversations carried on in villanous French, of which language she did not understand a word; and admiring the manners of addle-headed young men (who got tipsy at her evening parties), because they had been to Europe, and were therefore considered quite men of the world.

socialadjectiveUS /ˈsoʊʃəl/

relating to human society and its members

From this reading At these social gatherings the conversation never turned upon pedigree, and if any of the guests chanced by accident to allude to their ancestors, they spoke of them as members of the family, who, at an early period of their lives, were engaged in mercantile pursuits.

sometimesadverbUS /səmˈtaɪmz/

on certain occasions or in certain cases but not always

From this reading Mrs. Thomas was affected, as silly women sometimes are, with an intense desire to be at the head of the _ton_.

spokenounUS /spoʊk/

support consisting of a radial member of a wheel joining the hub to the rim

From this reading At these social gatherings the conversation never turned upon pedigree, and if any of the guests chanced by accident to allude to their ancestors, they spoke of them as members of the family, who, at an early period of their lives, were engaged in mercantile pursuits.

stallnounUS /stɔːl/

a compartment in a stable where a single animal is confined and fed

From this reading For this object she gave grand dinners and large evening parties, to which were invited all who, being two or three removes from the class whose members occupy the cobbler's bench or the huckster's stall, felt themselves at liberty to look down upon the rest of the world from the pinnacle on which they imagined themselves placed.

suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading At such dinners Mrs. Thomas would sit for hours, mumbling dishes that disagreed with her; smiling at conversations carried on in villanous French, of which language she did not understand a word; and admiring the manners of addle-headed young men (who got tipsy at her evening parties), because they had been to Europe, and were therefore considered quite men of the world.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading At such dinners Mrs. Thomas would sit for hours, mumbling dishes that disagreed with her; smiling at conversations carried on in villanous French, of which language she did not understand a word; and admiring the manners of addle-headed young men (who got tipsy at her evening parties), because they had been to Europe, and were therefore considered quite men of the world.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Mrs. Thomas was affected, as silly women sometimes are, with an intense desire to be at the head of the _ton_.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading At these social gatherings the conversation never turned upon pedigree, and if any of the guests chanced by accident to allude to their ancestors, they spoke of them as members of the family, who, at an early period of their lives, were engaged in mercantile pursuits.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading At these social gatherings the conversation never turned upon pedigree, and if any of the guests chanced by accident to allude to their ancestors, they spoke of them as members of the family, who, at an early period of their lives, were engaged in mercantile pursuits.

themselvespronounUS /ðemˈselvz/

used when the people doing the action are also its object

From this reading For this object she gave grand dinners and large evening parties, to which were invited all who, being two or three removes from the class whose members occupy the cobbler's bench or the huckster's stall, felt themselves at liberty to look down upon the rest of the world from the pinnacle on which they imagined themselves placed.

thereforeadverbUS /ˈðerfɔːr/

for that reason; as a result

From this reading At such dinners Mrs. Thomas would sit for hours, mumbling dishes that disagreed with her; smiling at conversations carried on in villanous French, of which language she did not understand a word; and admiring the manners of addle-headed young men (who got tipsy at her evening parties), because they had been to Europe, and were therefore considered quite men of the world.

thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading At these social gatherings the conversation never turned upon pedigree, and if any of the guests chanced by accident to allude to their ancestors, they spoke of them as members of the family, who, at an early period of their lives, were engaged in mercantile pursuits.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading For this object she gave grand dinners and large evening parties, to which were invited all who, being two or three removes from the class whose members occupy the cobbler's bench or the huckster's stall, felt themselves at liberty to look down upon the rest of the world from the pinnacle on which they imagined themselves placed.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading For this object she gave grand dinners and large evening parties, to which were invited all who, being two or three removes from the class whose members occupy the cobbler's bench or the huckster's stall, felt themselves at liberty to look down upon the rest of the world from the pinnacle on which they imagined themselves placed.

ThomasnounUS /ˈtɑːməs/

United States clockmaker who introduced mass production (1785-1859)

From this reading Mrs. Thomas has her Troubles.

threenounUS /θriː/

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

From this reading For this object she gave grand dinners and large evening parties, to which were invited all who, being two or three removes from the class whose members occupy the cobbler's bench or the huckster's stall, felt themselves at liberty to look down upon the rest of the world from the pinnacle on which they imagined themselves placed.

tipsyadjectiveUS /ˈtɪpsi/

slightly intoxicated

From this reading At such dinners Mrs. Thomas would sit for hours, mumbling dishes that disagreed with her; smiling at conversations carried on in villanous French, of which language she did not understand a word; and admiring the manners of addle-headed young men (who got tipsy at her evening parties), because they had been to Europe, and were therefore considered quite men of the world.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Mrs. Thomas was affected, as silly women sometimes are, with an intense desire to be at the head of the _ton_.

tonnounUS /tʌn/

a United States unit of weight equivalent to 2000 pounds

From this reading Mrs. Thomas was affected, as silly women sometimes are, with an intense desire to be at the head of the _ton_.

TroublesnounUS /ˈtrʌbəlz/

plural of “trouble” — a source of difficulty

From this reading Mrs. Thomas has her Troubles.

turnedadjectiveUS /tɜːrnd/

moved around an axis or center

From this reading At these social gatherings the conversation never turned upon pedigree, and if any of the guests chanced by accident to allude to their ancestors, they spoke of them as members of the family, who, at an early period of their lives, were engaged in mercantile pursuits.

twonounUS /tuː/

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

From this reading For this object she gave grand dinners and large evening parties, to which were invited all who, being two or three removes from the class whose members occupy the cobbler's bench or the huckster's stall, felt themselves at liberty to look down upon the rest of the world from the pinnacle on which they imagined themselves placed.

understandverbUS /ˌʌndərˈstænd/

know and comprehend the nature or meaning of

From this reading At such dinners Mrs. Thomas would sit for hours, mumbling dishes that disagreed with her; smiling at conversations carried on in villanous French, of which language she did not understand a word; and admiring the manners of addle-headed young men (who got tipsy at her evening parties), because they had been to Europe, and were therefore considered quite men of the world.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading For this object she gave grand dinners and large evening parties, to which were invited all who, being two or three removes from the class whose members occupy the cobbler's bench or the huckster's stall, felt themselves at liberty to look down upon the rest of the world from the pinnacle on which they imagined themselves placed.

villanous

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

From this reading At such dinners Mrs. Thomas would sit for hours, mumbling dishes that disagreed with her; smiling at conversations carried on in villanous French, of which language she did not understand a word; and admiring the manners of addle-headed young men (who got tipsy at her evening parties), because they had been to Europe, and were therefore considered quite men of the world.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Mrs. Thomas was affected, as silly women sometimes are, with an intense desire to be at the head of the _ton_.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading For this object she gave grand dinners and large evening parties, to which were invited all who, being two or three removes from the class whose members occupy the cobbler's bench or the huckster's stall, felt themselves at liberty to look down upon the rest of the world from the pinnacle on which they imagined themselves placed.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading For this object she gave grand dinners and large evening parties, to which were invited all who, being two or three removes from the class whose members occupy the cobbler's bench or the huckster's stall, felt themselves at liberty to look down upon the rest of the world from the pinnacle on which they imagined themselves placed.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading For this object she gave grand dinners and large evening parties, to which were invited all who, being two or three removes from the class whose members occupy the cobbler's bench or the huckster's stall, felt themselves at liberty to look down upon the rest of the world from the pinnacle on which they imagined themselves placed.

whosedeterminerUS /huːz/

belonging to which person

From this reading For this object she gave grand dinners and large evening parties, to which were invited all who, being two or three removes from the class whose members occupy the cobbler's bench or the huckster's stall, felt themselves at liberty to look down upon the rest of the world from the pinnacle on which they imagined themselves placed.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Mrs. Thomas was affected, as silly women sometimes are, with an intense desire to be at the head of the _ton_.

womennounUS /ˈwɪmən/

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

From this reading Mrs. Thomas was affected, as silly women sometimes are, with an intense desire to be at the head of the _ton_.

wordnounUS /wɜːrd/

a unit of language that native speakers can identify

From this reading At such dinners Mrs. Thomas would sit for hours, mumbling dishes that disagreed with her; smiling at conversations carried on in villanous French, of which language she did not understand a word; and admiring the manners of addle-headed young men (who got tipsy at her evening parties), because they had been to Europe, and were therefore considered quite men of the world.

worldnounUS /wɜːrld/

everything that exists anywhere

From this reading For this object she gave grand dinners and large evening parties, to which were invited all who, being two or three removes from the class whose members occupy the cobbler's bench or the huckster's stall, felt themselves at liberty to look down upon the rest of the world from the pinnacle on which they imagined themselves placed.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading At such dinners Mrs. Thomas would sit for hours, mumbling dishes that disagreed with her; smiling at conversations carried on in villanous French, of which language she did not understand a word; and admiring the manners of addle-headed young men (who got tipsy at her evening parties), because they had been to Europe, and were therefore considered quite men of the world.

youngadjectiveUS /jʌŋ/

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

From this reading At such dinners Mrs. Thomas would sit for hours, mumbling dishes that disagreed with her; smiling at conversations carried on in villanous French, of which language she did not understand a word; and admiring the manners of addle-headed young men (who got tipsy at her evening parties), because they had been to Europe, and were therefore considered quite men of the world.

Chapter 7 of The Garies and Their Friends by Frank J. Webb holds 133 sentences, grouped into 27 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 7 of The Garies and Their Friends contain?

Chapter 7 holds 133 sentences of The Garies and Their Friends, unabridged, divided into 27 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 7 of The Garies and Their Friends by Frank J. Webb exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 133 sentences, grouped into 27 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 7 of The Garies and Their Friends?

Work through the 27 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 27 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 7 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 7 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 Garies and Their Friends

Common questions about reading The Garies and Their Friends by Frank J. Webb on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Garies and Their Friends?

Yes. All 5728 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #11214 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Garies and Their Friends is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #11214, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Garies and Their Friends take to read?

About 477 minutes of reading across 1146 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Garies and Their Friends section by section

How to work through The Garies and Their Friends section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 36 chapters of The Garies and Their Friends to begin.

  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 Garies and Their Friends

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Garies and Their Friends, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Reader
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Garies and Their Friends; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Introduced
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Garies and Their Friends; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Family
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Garies and Their Friends; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Peculiar
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Garies and Their Friends; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.