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The Guardian Angel
The Guardian Angel

Chapter XXXIII · Chapter 33

Chapter 33 of The Guardian Angel is here in full — 198 sentences across 40 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/39 · 5 lines
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The spring of 1861 had now arrived,--that eventful spring which was to lift the curtain and show the first scene of the first act in the mighty drama which fixed the eyes of mankind during four bloody years.
The little schemes of little people were going on in all our cities and villages without thought of the fearful convulsion which was soon coming to shatter the hopes and cloud the prospects of millions.
Our little Oxbow Village, which held itself by no means the least of human centres, was the scene of its own commotions, as intense and exciting to those concerned as if the destiny of the nation had been involved in them.
Mr. Clement Lindsay appeared suddenly in that important locality, and repaired to his accustomed quarters at the house of Deacon Rumrill.
That worthy person received him with a certain gravity of manner, caused by his recollections of the involuntary transgression into which Mr. Lindsay had led him by his present of Ivanhoe.”--He was, on the whole, glad to see him, for his finances were not yet wholly recovered from the injury inflicted on them by the devouring element.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Guardian Angel

Chapter XXXIII · Chapter 33

Chapter 33 of The Guardian Angel is here in full — 198 sentences across 40 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/39 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
The spring of 1861 had now arrived,--that eventful spring which was to lift the curtain and show the first scene of the first act in the mighty drama which fixed the eyes of mankind during four bloody years.
Line 2
The little schemes of little people were going on in all our cities and villages without thought of the fearful convulsion which was soon coming to shatter the hopes and cloud the prospects of millions.
/ðə ˈlɪtəl skiːmz ʌv ˈlɪtəl ˈpiːpəl wɜːr ˈɡoʊɪŋ ɑːn ɪn ɔːl ˈaʊər ˈsɪtiz ənd ˈvɪlədʒəz wɪˈθaʊt θɔːt ʌv ðə ˈfɪrfəl kənˈvʌlʃən wɪtʃ wɑːz suːn ˈkʌmɪŋ tuː ˈʃætər ðə hoʊps ənd klaʊd ðə ˈprɑːspekts ʌv ˈmɪljənz/
Line 3
Our little Oxbow Village, which held itself by no means the least of human centres, was the scene of its own commotions, as intense and exciting to those concerned as if the destiny of the nation had been involved in them.
Line 4
Mr. Clement Lindsay appeared suddenly in that important locality, and repaired to his accustomed quarters at the house of Deacon Rumrill.
Line 5
That worthy person received him with a certain gravity of manner, caused by his recollections of the involuntary transgression into which Mr. Lindsay had led him by his present ofIvanhoe.”--He was, on the whole, glad to see him, for his finances were not yet wholly recovered from the injury inflicted on them by the devouring element.

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.

centres noun US /ˈsentərz/

plural of “centre” — a low-lying region in central France

From this reading “Our little Oxbow Village, which held itself by no means the least of human centres, was the scene of its own commotions, as intense and exciting to those concerned as if the destiny of the nation had been involved in them.”

convulsion noun US /kənˈvʌlʃən/

a sudden uncontrollable attack

From this reading “The little schemes of little people were going on in all our cities and villages without thought of the fearful convulsion which was soon coming to shatter the hopes and cloud the prospects of millions.”

eventful adjective US /ɪˈventfəl/

full of events or incidents

From this reading “The spring of 1861 had now arrived,--that eventful spring which was to lift the curtain and show the first scene of the first act in the mighty drama which fixed the eyes of mankind during four bloody years.”

finances noun US /fɪˈnænsɪz/

assets in the form of money

From this reading “That worthy person received him with a certain gravity of manner, caused by his recollections of the involuntary transgression into which Mr. Lindsay had led him by his present of “Ivanhoe.”--He was, on the whole, glad to see him, for his finances were not yet wholly recovered from the injury inflicted on them by the devouring element.”

Lindsay noun US /ˈlɪndzi/

United States playwright who collaborated with Russel Crouse on several musicals (1889-1931)

From this reading “Mr. Clement Lindsay appeared suddenly in that important locality, and repaired to his accustomed quarters at the house of Deacon Rumrill.”

Oxbow noun US /ˈɑːksboʊ/

the land inside an oxbow bend in a river

From this reading “Our little Oxbow Village, which held itself by no means the least of human centres, was the scene of its own commotions, as intense and exciting to those concerned as if the destiny of the nation had been involved in them.”

shatter verb US /ˈʃætər/

break into many pieces

From this reading “The little schemes of little people were going on in all our cities and villages without thought of the fearful convulsion which was soon coming to shatter the hopes and cloud the prospects of millions.”

transgression noun US /trænzˈɡreʃən/

the act of transgressing; the violation of a law or a duty or moral principle

From this reading “That worthy person received him with a certain gravity of manner, caused by his recollections of the involuntary transgression into which Mr. Lindsay had led him by his present of “Ivanhoe.”--He was, on the whole, glad to see him, for his finances were not yet wholly recovered from the injury inflicted on them by the devouring element.”

All words in this reading · 121

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.

1861

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

From this reading The spring of 1861 had now arrived,--that eventful spring which was to lift the curtain and show the first scene of the first act in the mighty drama which fixed the eyes of mankind during four bloody years.

adeterminerUS /ə/

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

From this reading That worthy person received him with a certain gravity of manner, caused by his recollections of the involuntary transgression into which Mr. Lindsay had led him by his present of “Ivanhoe.”--He was, on the whole, glad to see him, for his finances were not yet wholly recovered from the injury inflicted on them by the devouring element.

accustomedadjectiveUS /əˈkʌstəmd/

commonly used or practiced; usual

From this reading Mr. Clement Lindsay appeared suddenly in that important locality, and repaired to his accustomed quarters at the house of Deacon Rumrill.

actverbUS /ækt/

perform an action, or work out or perform (an action)

From this reading The spring of 1861 had now arrived,--that eventful spring which was to lift the curtain and show the first scene of the first act in the mighty drama which fixed the eyes of mankind during four bloody years.

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 The little schemes of little people were going on in all our cities and villages without thought of the fearful convulsion which was soon coming to shatter the hopes and cloud the prospects of millions.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading The spring of 1861 had now arrived,--that eventful spring which was to lift the curtain and show the first scene of the first act in the mighty drama which fixed the eyes of mankind during four bloody years.

appearedverbUS /əˈpɪrd/

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

From this reading Mr. Clement Lindsay appeared suddenly in that important locality, and repaired to his accustomed quarters at the house of Deacon Rumrill.

arrivedverbUS /ərˈaɪvd/

past form of “arrive” — reach a destination; arrive by movement or progress

From this reading The spring of 1861 had now arrived,--that eventful spring which was to lift the curtain and show the first scene of the first act in the mighty drama which fixed the eyes of mankind during four bloody years.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Our little Oxbow Village, which held itself by no means the least of human centres, was the scene of its own commotions, as intense and exciting to those concerned as if the destiny of the nation had been involved in them.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Mr. Clement Lindsay appeared suddenly in that important locality, and repaired to his accustomed quarters at the house of Deacon Rumrill.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading Our little Oxbow Village, which held itself by no means the least of human centres, was the scene of its own commotions, as intense and exciting to those concerned as if the destiny of the nation had been involved in them.

bloodyadjectiveUS /ˈblʌdi/

having or covered with or accompanied by blood

From this reading The spring of 1861 had now arrived,--that eventful spring which was to lift the curtain and show the first scene of the first act in the mighty drama which fixed the eyes of mankind during four bloody years.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Our little Oxbow Village, which held itself by no means the least of human centres, was the scene of its own commotions, as intense and exciting to those concerned as if the destiny of the nation had been involved in them.

causedverbUS /kɑːzd/

past form of “cause” — give rise to; cause to happen or occur, not always intentionally

From this reading That worthy person received him with a certain gravity of manner, caused by his recollections of the involuntary transgression into which Mr. Lindsay had led him by his present of “Ivanhoe.”--He was, on the whole, glad to see him, for his finances were not yet wholly recovered from the injury inflicted on them by the devouring element.

centresnounUS /ˈsentərz/

plural of “centre” — a low-lying region in central France

From this reading Our little Oxbow Village, which held itself by no means the least of human centres, was the scene of its own commotions, as intense and exciting to those concerned as if the destiny of the nation had been involved in them.

certainadjectiveUS /ˈsɜːrtən/

definite but not specified or identified

From this reading That worthy person received him with a certain gravity of manner, caused by his recollections of the involuntary transgression into which Mr. Lindsay had led him by his present of “Ivanhoe.”--He was, on the whole, glad to see him, for his finances were not yet wholly recovered from the injury inflicted on them by the devouring element.

citiesnounUS /ˈsɪtiz/

plural of “city” — a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts

From this reading The little schemes of little people were going on in all our cities and villages without thought of the fearful convulsion which was soon coming to shatter the hopes and cloud the prospects of millions.

ClementadjectiveUS /ˈklemənt/

(of weather or climate) physically mild

From this reading Mr. Clement Lindsay appeared suddenly in that important locality, and repaired to his accustomed quarters at the house of Deacon Rumrill.

cloudverbUS /klaʊd/

make overcast or cloudy

From this reading The little schemes of little people were going on in all our cities and villages without thought of the fearful convulsion which was soon coming to shatter the hopes and cloud the prospects of millions.

comingnounUS /ˈkʌmɪŋ/

the act of drawing spatially closer to something

From this reading The little schemes of little people were going on in all our cities and villages without thought of the fearful convulsion which was soon coming to shatter the hopes and cloud the prospects of millions.

commotions

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

From this reading Our little Oxbow Village, which held itself by no means the least of human centres, was the scene of its own commotions, as intense and exciting to those concerned as if the destiny of the nation had been involved in them.

concernedadjectiveUS /kənˈsɜːrnd/

feeling or showing worry or solicitude

From this reading Our little Oxbow Village, which held itself by no means the least of human centres, was the scene of its own commotions, as intense and exciting to those concerned as if the destiny of the nation had been involved in them.

convulsionnounUS /kənˈvʌlʃən/

a sudden uncontrollable attack

From this reading The little schemes of little people were going on in all our cities and villages without thought of the fearful convulsion which was soon coming to shatter the hopes and cloud the prospects of millions.

curtainnounUS /ˈkɜːrtən/

hanging cloth used as a blind (especially for a window)

From this reading The spring of 1861 had now arrived,--that eventful spring which was to lift the curtain and show the first scene of the first act in the mighty drama which fixed the eyes of mankind during four bloody years.

DeaconnounUS /ˈdiːkən/

a Protestant layman who assists the minister

From this reading Mr. Clement Lindsay appeared suddenly in that important locality, and repaired to his accustomed quarters at the house of Deacon Rumrill.

destinynounUS /ˈdestəni/

an event (or a course of events) that will inevitably happen in the future

From this reading Our little Oxbow Village, which held itself by no means the least of human centres, was the scene of its own commotions, as intense and exciting to those concerned as if the destiny of the nation had been involved in them.

devouringadjectiveUS /dɪˈvaʊərɪŋ/

(often followed by “for”) ardently or excessively desirous

From this reading That worthy person received him with a certain gravity of manner, caused by his recollections of the involuntary transgression into which Mr. Lindsay had led him by his present of “Ivanhoe.”--He was, on the whole, glad to see him, for his finances were not yet wholly recovered from the injury inflicted on them by the devouring element.

dramanounUS /ˈdrɑːmə/

a dramatic work intended for performance by actors on a stage

From this reading The spring of 1861 had now arrived,--that eventful spring which was to lift the curtain and show the first scene of the first act in the mighty drama which fixed the eyes of mankind during four bloody years.

duringprepositionUS /ˈdʊrɪŋ/

all through a period, or at some point within it

From this reading The spring of 1861 had now arrived,--that eventful spring which was to lift the curtain and show the first scene of the first act in the mighty drama which fixed the eyes of mankind during four bloody years.

elementnounUS /ˈeləmənt/

an abstract part of something

From this reading That worthy person received him with a certain gravity of manner, caused by his recollections of the involuntary transgression into which Mr. Lindsay had led him by his present of “Ivanhoe.”--He was, on the whole, glad to see him, for his finances were not yet wholly recovered from the injury inflicted on them by the devouring element.

eventfuladjectiveUS /ɪˈventfəl/

full of events or incidents

From this reading The spring of 1861 had now arrived,--that eventful spring which was to lift the curtain and show the first scene of the first act in the mighty drama which fixed the eyes of mankind during four bloody years.

excitingadjectiveUS /ɪkˈsaɪtɪŋ/

creating or arousing excitement

From this reading Our little Oxbow Village, which held itself by no means the least of human centres, was the scene of its own commotions, as intense and exciting to those concerned as if the destiny of the nation had been involved in them.

eyesnounUS /aɪz/

opinion or judgment

From this reading The spring of 1861 had now arrived,--that eventful spring which was to lift the curtain and show the first scene of the first act in the mighty drama which fixed the eyes of mankind during four bloody years.

fearfuladjectiveUS /ˈfɪrfəl/

experiencing or showing fear

From this reading The little schemes of little people were going on in all our cities and villages without thought of the fearful convulsion which was soon coming to shatter the hopes and cloud the prospects of millions.

financesnounUS /fɪˈnænsɪz/

assets in the form of money

From this reading That worthy person received him with a certain gravity of manner, caused by his recollections of the involuntary transgression into which Mr. Lindsay had led him by his present of “Ivanhoe.”--He was, on the whole, glad to see him, for his finances were not yet wholly recovered from the injury inflicted on them by the devouring element.

firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading The spring of 1861 had now arrived,--that eventful spring which was to lift the curtain and show the first scene of the first act in the mighty drama which fixed the eyes of mankind during four bloody years.

fixedadjectiveUS /fɪkst/

(of a number) having a fixed and unchanging value

From this reading The spring of 1861 had now arrived,--that eventful spring which was to lift the curtain and show the first scene of the first act in the mighty drama which fixed the eyes of mankind during four bloody years.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading That worthy person received him with a certain gravity of manner, caused by his recollections of the involuntary transgression into which Mr. Lindsay had led him by his present of “Ivanhoe.”--He was, on the whole, glad to see him, for his finances were not yet wholly recovered from the injury inflicted on them by the devouring element.

fournounUS /fɔːr/

the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one

From this reading The spring of 1861 had now arrived,--that eventful spring which was to lift the curtain and show the first scene of the first act in the mighty drama which fixed the eyes of mankind during four bloody years.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading That worthy person received him with a certain gravity of manner, caused by his recollections of the involuntary transgression into which Mr. Lindsay had led him by his present of “Ivanhoe.”--He was, on the whole, glad to see him, for his finances were not yet wholly recovered from the injury inflicted on them by the devouring element.

gladadjectiveUS /ɡlæd/

showing or causing joy and pleasure; especially made happy

From this reading That worthy person received him with a certain gravity of manner, caused by his recollections of the involuntary transgression into which Mr. Lindsay had led him by his present of “Ivanhoe.”--He was, on the whole, glad to see him, for his finances were not yet wholly recovered from the injury inflicted on them by the devouring element.

goingnounUS /ˈɡoʊɪŋ/

the act of departing

From this reading The little schemes of little people were going on in all our cities and villages without thought of the fearful convulsion which was soon coming to shatter the hopes and cloud the prospects of millions.

gravitynounUS /ˈɡrævəti/

(physics) the force of attraction between all masses in the universe; especially the attraction of the earth's mass for bodies near its surface

From this reading That worthy person received him with a certain gravity of manner, caused by his recollections of the involuntary transgression into which Mr. Lindsay had led him by his present of “Ivanhoe.”--He was, on the whole, glad to see him, for his finances were not yet wholly recovered from the injury inflicted on them by the devouring element.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading The spring of 1861 had now arrived,--that eventful spring which was to lift the curtain and show the first scene of the first act in the mighty drama which fixed the eyes of mankind during four bloody years.

HepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading That worthy person received him with a certain gravity of manner, caused by his recollections of the involuntary transgression into which Mr. Lindsay had led him by his present of “Ivanhoe.”--He was, on the whole, glad to see him, for his finances were not yet wholly recovered from the injury inflicted on them by the devouring element.

heldadjectiveUS /held/

occupied or in the control of; often used in combination

From this reading Our little Oxbow Village, which held itself by no means the least of human centres, was the scene of its own commotions, as intense and exciting to those concerned as if the destiny of the nation had been involved in them.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading That worthy person received him with a certain gravity of manner, caused by his recollections of the involuntary transgression into which Mr. Lindsay had led him by his present of “Ivanhoe.”--He was, on the whole, glad to see him, for his finances were not yet wholly recovered from the injury inflicted on them by the devouring element.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Mr. Clement Lindsay appeared suddenly in that important locality, and repaired to his accustomed quarters at the house of Deacon Rumrill.

hopesnounUS /hoʊps/

plural of “hope” — a specific instance of feeling hopeful

From this reading The little schemes of little people were going on in all our cities and villages without thought of the fearful convulsion which was soon coming to shatter the hopes and cloud the prospects of millions.

housenounUS /haʊs/

a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading Mr. Clement Lindsay appeared suddenly in that important locality, and repaired to his accustomed quarters at the house of Deacon Rumrill.

humanadjectiveUS /ˈhjuːmən/

characteristic of humanity

From this reading Our little Oxbow Village, which held itself by no means the least of human centres, was the scene of its own commotions, as intense and exciting to those concerned as if the destiny of the nation had been involved in them.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading Our little Oxbow Village, which held itself by no means the least of human centres, was the scene of its own commotions, as intense and exciting to those concerned as if the destiny of the nation had been involved in them.

importantadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈpɔːrtənt/

of great significance or value

From this reading Mr. Clement Lindsay appeared suddenly in that important locality, and repaired to his accustomed quarters at the house of Deacon Rumrill.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading The spring of 1861 had now arrived,--that eventful spring which was to lift the curtain and show the first scene of the first act in the mighty drama which fixed the eyes of mankind during four bloody years.

inflictedverbUS /ˌɪnˈflɪktɪd/

past form of “inflict” — impose something unpleasant

From this reading That worthy person received him with a certain gravity of manner, caused by his recollections of the involuntary transgression into which Mr. Lindsay had led him by his present of “Ivanhoe.”--He was, on the whole, glad to see him, for his finances were not yet wholly recovered from the injury inflicted on them by the devouring element.

injurynounUS /ˈɪndʒəri/

any physical damage to the body caused by violence or accident or fracture etc.

From this reading That worthy person received him with a certain gravity of manner, caused by his recollections of the involuntary transgression into which Mr. Lindsay had led him by his present of “Ivanhoe.”--He was, on the whole, glad to see him, for his finances were not yet wholly recovered from the injury inflicted on them by the devouring element.

intenseadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈtens/

possessing or displaying a distinctive feature to a heightened degree

From this reading Our little Oxbow Village, which held itself by no means the least of human centres, was the scene of its own commotions, as intense and exciting to those concerned as if the destiny of the nation had been involved in them.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading That worthy person received him with a certain gravity of manner, caused by his recollections of the involuntary transgression into which Mr. Lindsay had led him by his present of “Ivanhoe.”--He was, on the whole, glad to see him, for his finances were not yet wholly recovered from the injury inflicted on them by the devouring element.

involuntaryadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈvɑːlənteri/

not subject to the control of the will

From this reading That worthy person received him with a certain gravity of manner, caused by his recollections of the involuntary transgression into which Mr. Lindsay had led him by his present of “Ivanhoe.”--He was, on the whole, glad to see him, for his finances were not yet wholly recovered from the injury inflicted on them by the devouring element.

involvedadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈvɑːlvd/

connected by participation or association or use

From this reading Our little Oxbow Village, which held itself by no means the least of human centres, was the scene of its own commotions, as intense and exciting to those concerned as if the destiny of the nation had been involved in them.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading Our little Oxbow Village, which held itself by no means the least of human centres, was the scene of its own commotions, as intense and exciting to those concerned as if the destiny of the nation had been involved in them.

itselfpronounUS /ˌɪtˈself/

used when the thing doing the action is also its object

From this reading Our little Oxbow Village, which held itself by no means the least of human centres, was the scene of its own commotions, as intense and exciting to those concerned as if the destiny of the nation had been involved in them.

Ivanhoe

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

From this reading That worthy person received him with a certain gravity of manner, caused by his recollections of the involuntary transgression into which Mr. Lindsay had led him by his present of “Ivanhoe.”--He was, on the whole, glad to see him, for his finances were not yet wholly recovered from the injury inflicted on them by the devouring element.

leastadjectiveUS /liːst/

the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree

From this reading Our little Oxbow Village, which held itself by no means the least of human centres, was the scene of its own commotions, as intense and exciting to those concerned as if the destiny of the nation had been involved in them.

lednounUS /led/

diode such that light emitted at a p-n junction is proportional to the bias current; color depends on the material used

From this reading That worthy person received him with a certain gravity of manner, caused by his recollections of the involuntary transgression into which Mr. Lindsay had led him by his present of “Ivanhoe.”--He was, on the whole, glad to see him, for his finances were not yet wholly recovered from the injury inflicted on them by the devouring element.

liftverbUS /lɪft/

raise from a lower to a higher position

From this reading The spring of 1861 had now arrived,--that eventful spring which was to lift the curtain and show the first scene of the first act in the mighty drama which fixed the eyes of mankind during four bloody years.

LindsaynounUS /ˈlɪndzi/

United States playwright who collaborated with Russel Crouse on several musicals (1889-1931)

From this reading Mr. Clement Lindsay appeared suddenly in that important locality, and repaired to his accustomed quarters at the house of Deacon Rumrill.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

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

From this reading The little schemes of little people were going on in all our cities and villages without thought of the fearful convulsion which was soon coming to shatter the hopes and cloud the prospects of millions.

localitynounUS /loʊˈkæləti/

a surrounding or nearby region

From this reading Mr. Clement Lindsay appeared suddenly in that important locality, and repaired to his accustomed quarters at the house of Deacon Rumrill.

mankindnounUS /ˈmænˈkaɪnd/

all of the living human inhabitants of the earth

From this reading The spring of 1861 had now arrived,--that eventful spring which was to lift the curtain and show the first scene of the first act in the mighty drama which fixed the eyes of mankind during four bloody years.

mannernounUS /ˈmænər/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading That worthy person received him with a certain gravity of manner, caused by his recollections of the involuntary transgression into which Mr. Lindsay had led him by his present of “Ivanhoe.”--He was, on the whole, glad to see him, for his finances were not yet wholly recovered from the injury inflicted on them by the devouring element.

meansnounUS /miːnz/

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

From this reading Our little Oxbow Village, which held itself by no means the least of human centres, was the scene of its own commotions, as intense and exciting to those concerned as if the destiny of the nation had been involved in them.

mightyadjectiveUS /ˈmaɪti/

having or showing great strength or force or intensity

From this reading The spring of 1861 had now arrived,--that eventful spring which was to lift the curtain and show the first scene of the first act in the mighty drama which fixed the eyes of mankind during four bloody years.

millionsnounUS /ˈmɪljənz/

plural of “million” — the number that is represented as a one followed by 6 zeros

From this reading The little schemes of little people were going on in all our cities and villages without thought of the fearful convulsion which was soon coming to shatter the hopes and cloud the prospects of millions.

MrnounUS /ˈmɪstər/

a form of address for a man

From this reading Mr. Clement Lindsay appeared suddenly in that important locality, and repaired to his accustomed quarters at the house of Deacon Rumrill.

nationnounUS /ˈneɪʃən/

a politically organized body of people under a single government

From this reading Our little Oxbow Village, which held itself by no means the least of human centres, was the scene of its own commotions, as intense and exciting to those concerned as if the destiny of the nation had been involved in them.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading Our little Oxbow Village, which held itself by no means the least of human centres, was the scene of its own commotions, as intense and exciting to those concerned as if the destiny of the nation had been involved in them.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading That worthy person received him with a certain gravity of manner, caused by his recollections of the involuntary transgression into which Mr. Lindsay had led him by his present of “Ivanhoe.”--He was, on the whole, glad to see him, for his finances were not yet wholly recovered from the injury inflicted on them by the devouring element.

nowadverbUS /naʊ/

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

From this reading The spring of 1861 had now arrived,--that eventful spring which was to lift the curtain and show the first scene of the first act in the mighty drama which fixed the eyes of mankind during four bloody years.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The spring of 1861 had now arrived,--that eventful spring which was to lift the curtain and show the first scene of the first act in the mighty drama which fixed the eyes of mankind during four bloody years.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading The little schemes of little people were going on in all our cities and villages without thought of the fearful convulsion which was soon coming to shatter the hopes and cloud the prospects of millions.

ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading The little schemes of little people were going on in all our cities and villages without thought of the fearful convulsion which was soon coming to shatter the hopes and cloud the prospects of millions.

ownverbUS /oʊn/

have ownership or possession of

From this reading Our little Oxbow Village, which held itself by no means the least of human centres, was the scene of its own commotions, as intense and exciting to those concerned as if the destiny of the nation had been involved in them.

OxbownounUS /ˈɑːksboʊ/

the land inside an oxbow bend in a river

From this reading Our little Oxbow Village, which held itself by no means the least of human centres, was the scene of its own commotions, as intense and exciting to those concerned as if the destiny of the nation had been involved in them.

peoplenounUS /ˈpiːpəl/

(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively

From this reading The little schemes of little people were going on in all our cities and villages without thought of the fearful convulsion which was soon coming to shatter the hopes and cloud the prospects of millions.

personnounUS /ˈpɜːrsən/

a human being

From this reading That worthy person received him with a certain gravity of manner, caused by his recollections of the involuntary transgression into which Mr. Lindsay had led him by his present of “Ivanhoe.”--He was, on the whole, glad to see him, for his finances were not yet wholly recovered from the injury inflicted on them by the devouring element.

presentverbUS /ˈprezənt/

give an exhibition of to an interested audience

From this reading That worthy person received him with a certain gravity of manner, caused by his recollections of the involuntary transgression into which Mr. Lindsay had led him by his present of “Ivanhoe.”--He was, on the whole, glad to see him, for his finances were not yet wholly recovered from the injury inflicted on them by the devouring element.

prospectsnounUS /ˈprɑːspekts/

plural of “prospect” — the possibility of future success

From this reading The little schemes of little people were going on in all our cities and villages without thought of the fearful convulsion which was soon coming to shatter the hopes and cloud the prospects of millions.

quartersnounUS /ˈkwɔːrtərz/

housing available for people to live in

From this reading Mr. Clement Lindsay appeared suddenly in that important locality, and repaired to his accustomed quarters at the house of Deacon Rumrill.

receivedadjectiveUS /rəˈsiːvd/

conforming to the established language usage of educated native speakers

From this reading That worthy person received him with a certain gravity of manner, caused by his recollections of the involuntary transgression into which Mr. Lindsay had led him by his present of “Ivanhoe.”--He was, on the whole, glad to see him, for his finances were not yet wholly recovered from the injury inflicted on them by the devouring element.

recollectionsnounUS /ˌrekəˈlekʃənz/

plural of “recollection” — the ability to recall past occurrences

From this reading That worthy person received him with a certain gravity of manner, caused by his recollections of the involuntary transgression into which Mr. Lindsay had led him by his present of “Ivanhoe.”--He was, on the whole, glad to see him, for his finances were not yet wholly recovered from the injury inflicted on them by the devouring element.

recoveredadjectiveUS /rəˈkʌvərd/

freed from illness or injury

From this reading That worthy person received him with a certain gravity of manner, caused by his recollections of the involuntary transgression into which Mr. Lindsay had led him by his present of “Ivanhoe.”--He was, on the whole, glad to see him, for his finances were not yet wholly recovered from the injury inflicted on them by the devouring element.

repairedverbUS /rɪˈperd/

past form of “repair” — restore by replacing a part or putting together what is torn or broken

From this reading Mr. Clement Lindsay appeared suddenly in that important locality, and repaired to his accustomed quarters at the house of Deacon Rumrill.

Rumrill

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

From this reading Mr. Clement Lindsay appeared suddenly in that important locality, and repaired to his accustomed quarters at the house of Deacon Rumrill.

scenenounUS /siːn/

the place where some action occurs

From this reading The spring of 1861 had now arrived,--that eventful spring which was to lift the curtain and show the first scene of the first act in the mighty drama which fixed the eyes of mankind during four bloody years.

schemesnounUS /skiːmz/

plural of “scheme” — an elaborate and systematic plan of action

From this reading The little schemes of little people were going on in all our cities and villages without thought of the fearful convulsion which was soon coming to shatter the hopes and cloud the prospects of millions.

seeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading That worthy person received him with a certain gravity of manner, caused by his recollections of the involuntary transgression into which Mr. Lindsay had led him by his present of “Ivanhoe.”--He was, on the whole, glad to see him, for his finances were not yet wholly recovered from the injury inflicted on them by the devouring element.

shatterverbUS /ˈʃætər/

break into many pieces

From this reading The little schemes of little people were going on in all our cities and villages without thought of the fearful convulsion which was soon coming to shatter the hopes and cloud the prospects of millions.

showverbUS /ʃoʊ/

give an exhibition of to an interested audience

From this reading The spring of 1861 had now arrived,--that eventful spring which was to lift the curtain and show the first scene of the first act in the mighty drama which fixed the eyes of mankind during four bloody years.

soonadverbUS /suːn/

in the near future

From this reading The little schemes of little people were going on in all our cities and villages without thought of the fearful convulsion which was soon coming to shatter the hopes and cloud the prospects of millions.

springnounUS /sprɪŋ/

the season of growth

From this reading The spring of 1861 had now arrived,--that eventful spring which was to lift the curtain and show the first scene of the first act in the mighty drama which fixed the eyes of mankind during four bloody years.

suddenlyadverbUS /ˈsʌdənli/

happening unexpectedly

From this reading Mr. Clement Lindsay appeared suddenly in that important locality, and repaired to his accustomed quarters at the house of Deacon Rumrill.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading The spring of 1861 had now arrived,--that eventful spring which was to lift the curtain and show the first scene of the first act in the mighty drama which fixed the eyes of mankind during four bloody years.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading The spring of 1861 had now arrived,--that eventful spring which was to lift the curtain and show the first scene of the first act in the mighty drama which fixed the eyes of mankind during four bloody years.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading Our little Oxbow Village, which held itself by no means the least of human centres, was the scene of its own commotions, as intense and exciting to those concerned as if the destiny of the nation had been involved in them.

thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/

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

From this reading Our little Oxbow Village, which held itself by no means the least of human centres, was the scene of its own commotions, as intense and exciting to those concerned as if the destiny of the nation had been involved in them.

thoughtnounUS /θɔːt/

the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

From this reading The little schemes of little people were going on in all our cities and villages without thought of the fearful convulsion which was soon coming to shatter the hopes and cloud the prospects of millions.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading The spring of 1861 had now arrived,--that eventful spring which was to lift the curtain and show the first scene of the first act in the mighty drama which fixed the eyes of mankind during four bloody years.

transgressionnounUS /trænzˈɡreʃən/

the act of transgressing; the violation of a law or a duty or moral principle

From this reading That worthy person received him with a certain gravity of manner, caused by his recollections of the involuntary transgression into which Mr. Lindsay had led him by his present of “Ivanhoe.”--He was, on the whole, glad to see him, for his finances were not yet wholly recovered from the injury inflicted on them by the devouring element.

VillagenounUS /ˈvɪlədʒ/

a community of people smaller than a town

From this reading Our little Oxbow Village, which held itself by no means the least of human centres, was the scene of its own commotions, as intense and exciting to those concerned as if the destiny of the nation had been involved in them.

villagesnounUS /ˈvɪlədʒəz/

plural of “village” — a community of people smaller than a town

From this reading The little schemes of little people were going on in all our cities and villages without thought of the fearful convulsion which was soon coming to shatter the hopes and cloud the prospects of millions.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading The spring of 1861 had now arrived,--that eventful spring which was to lift the curtain and show the first scene of the first act in the mighty drama which fixed the eyes of mankind during four bloody years.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading The little schemes of little people were going on in all our cities and villages without thought of the fearful convulsion which was soon coming to shatter the hopes and cloud the prospects of millions.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading The spring of 1861 had now arrived,--that eventful spring which was to lift the curtain and show the first scene of the first act in the mighty drama which fixed the eyes of mankind during four bloody years.

wholeadjectiveUS /hoʊl/

including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete

From this reading That worthy person received him with a certain gravity of manner, caused by his recollections of the involuntary transgression into which Mr. Lindsay had led him by his present of “Ivanhoe.”--He was, on the whole, glad to see him, for his finances were not yet wholly recovered from the injury inflicted on them by the devouring element.

whollyadverbUS /ˈhoʊli/

to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally for “wholly”)

From this reading That worthy person received him with a certain gravity of manner, caused by his recollections of the involuntary transgression into which Mr. Lindsay had led him by his present of “Ivanhoe.”--He was, on the whole, glad to see him, for his finances were not yet wholly recovered from the injury inflicted on them by the devouring element.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading That worthy person received him with a certain gravity of manner, caused by his recollections of the involuntary transgression into which Mr. Lindsay had led him by his present of “Ivanhoe.”--He was, on the whole, glad to see him, for his finances were not yet wholly recovered from the injury inflicted on them by the devouring element.

withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading The little schemes of little people were going on in all our cities and villages without thought of the fearful convulsion which was soon coming to shatter the hopes and cloud the prospects of millions.

worthyadjectiveUS /ˈwɜːr.ði/

Having or showing the qualities or abilities that merit recognition in character or magic.

From this reading That worthy person received him with a certain gravity of manner, caused by his recollections of the involuntary transgression into which Mr. Lindsay had led him by his present of “Ivanhoe.”--He was, on the whole, glad to see him, for his finances were not yet wholly recovered from the injury inflicted on them by the devouring element.

yearsnounUS /jɪrz/

a late time of life

From this reading The spring of 1861 had now arrived,--that eventful spring which was to lift the curtain and show the first scene of the first act in the mighty drama which fixed the eyes of mankind during four bloody years.

yetconjunctionUS /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading That worthy person received him with a certain gravity of manner, caused by his recollections of the involuntary transgression into which Mr. Lindsay had led him by his present of “Ivanhoe.”--He was, on the whole, glad to see him, for his finances were not yet wholly recovered from the injury inflicted on them by the devouring element.

Chapter 33 of The Guardian Angel by Oliver Wendell Holmes holds 198 sentences, grouped into 40 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.

What does chapter 33 of The Guardian Angel contain?

Chapter 33 holds 198 sentences of The Guardian Angel, unabridged, divided into 40 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 33 of The Guardian Angel by Oliver Wendell Holmes exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 198 sentences, grouped into 40 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 33 of The Guardian Angel?

Work through the 40 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 40 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 33 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 33 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 Guardian Angel

Common questions about reading The Guardian Angel by Oliver Wendell Holmes on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Guardian Angel?

Yes. All 5334 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #2697 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Guardian Angel is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #2697, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Guardian Angel take to read?

About 444 minutes of reading across 1067 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

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How to work through The Guardian Angel 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 Guardian Angel

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

Saturday
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Guardian Angel; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
State
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Guardian Angel; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Banner
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Guardian Angel; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Delphian
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Guardian Angel; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.