Complete classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
The Headsman
The Headsman

Chapter XVIII · Chapter 18

Chapter 18 of The Headsman is here in full — 235 sentences across 47 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Headsman
Context Illustration Reading 1/47 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Go, wiser thou! and in thy scale of sense Weigh thy opinion against Providence; Call imperfection what thou fanciest such; Say, here he gives too little, there too much; Destroy all creatures for thy sport or gust, And say, if man's unhappy, God's unjust.
Pope.
It is unnecessary to repeat the list of characters that acted the different parts in the train of the village nuptials.
All were there at the close of the ceremonies, as they had appeared earlier in the day, and as the last of the legal forms of the marriage was actually to take place in presence of the bailiff, preparatory to the more solemn rites of the church, the throng yielded to its curiosity, breaking through the line of those who were stationed to restrain its inroads, and pressing about the foot of the estrade in the stronger interest which reality is known to possess over fiction.
During the day, a thousand new inquiries had been made concerning the bride, whose beauty and mien were altogether so superior to what might have been expected in one who could consent to act the part she did on so public an occasion, and whose modest bearing was in such singular contradiction to her present situation.
0:00 / 0:00
Speed 0.75x
AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Headsman

Chapter XVIII · Chapter 18

Chapter 18 of The Headsman is here in full — 235 sentences across 47 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/47 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Go, wiser thou! and in thy scale of sense Weigh thy opinion against Providence; Call imperfection what thou fanciest such; Say, here he gives too little, there too much; Destroy all creatures for thy sport or gust, And say, if man's unhappy, God's unjust.
/ɡoʊ ˈwaɪzər ðaʊ ənd ɪn ðaɪ skeɪl ʌv sens weɪ ðaɪ əˈpɪnjən əˈɡenst ˈprɑː.və.dəns kɔːl ˌɪmpərˈfekʃən wʌt ðaʊ ˈfænsiəst sʌtʃ seɪ hiːr hiː ɡɪvz tuː ˈlɪtəl ðer tuː mʌtʃ dɪˈstrɔɪ ɔːl ˈkriːtʃərz fɔːr ðaɪ spɔːrt ɔːr ɡʌst ənd seɪ ɪf mænz ənˈhæpi ɡɑːdz ənˈdʒʌst/
Line 2
Pope.
/poʊp/
Line 3
It is unnecessary to repeat the list of characters that acted the different parts in the train of the village nuptials.
/ɪt ɪz ənˈnesəseri tuː rɪˈpiːt ðə lɪst ʌv ˈkærəktərz ðæt ˈæktɪd ðə ˈdɪfərənt pɑːrts ɪn ðə treɪn ʌv ðə ˈvɪlədʒ ˈnʌptʃəlz/
Line 4
All were there at the close of the ceremonies, as they had appeared earlier in the day, and as the last of the legal forms of the marriage was actually to take place in presence of the bailiff, preparatory to the more solemn rites of the church, the throng yielded to its curiosity, breaking through the line of those who were stationed to restrain its inroads, and pressing about the foot of the estrade in the stronger interest which reality is known to possess over fiction.
Line 5
During the day, a thousand new inquiries had been made concerning the bride, whose beauty and mien were altogether so superior to what might have been expected in one who could consent to act the part she did on so public an occasion, and whose modest bearing was in such singular contradiction to her present situation.
/ˈdʊrɪŋ ðə deɪ ə ˈθaʊzənd nuː ˌɪnˈkwaɪəriz hæd bɪn meɪd kənˈsɜːrnɪŋ ðə braɪd huːz ˈbjuːti ənd miːn wɜːr ˌɔːltəˈɡeðər soʊ suːˈpɪriər tuː wʌt maɪt hæv bɪn ɪkˈspektəd ɪn wʌn huː kʊd kənˈsent tuː ækt ðə pɑːrt ʃiː dɪd ɑːn soʊ ˈpʌblɪk æn əˈkeɪʒən ənd huːz ˈmɑːdəst ˈberɪŋ wɑːz ɪn sʌtʃ ˈsɪŋɡjələr ˌkɑːntrəˈdɪkʃən tuː hɜːr ˈprezənt ˌsɪtʃuːˈeɪʃən/

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.

contradiction noun US /ˌkɑːntrəˈdɪkʃən/

opposition between two conflicting forces or ideas

From this reading “During the day, a thousand new inquiries had been made concerning the bride, whose beauty and mien were altogether so superior to what might have been expected in one who could consent to act the part she did on so public an occasion, and whose modest bearing was in such singular contradiction to her present situation.”

fanciest adjective US /ˈfænsiəst/

superlative of “fancy” — not plain; decorative or ornamented

From this reading “Go, wiser thou! and in thy scale of sense Weigh thy opinion against Providence; Call imperfection what thou fanciest such; Say, here he gives too little, there too much; Destroy all creatures for thy sport or gust, And say, if man's unhappy, God's unjust.”

gust noun US /ɡʌst/

a strong current of air

From this reading “Go, wiser thou! and in thy scale of sense Weigh thy opinion against Providence; Call imperfection what thou fanciest such; Say, here he gives too little, there too much; Destroy all creatures for thy sport or gust, And say, if man's unhappy, God's unjust.”

imperfection noun US /ˌɪmpərˈfekʃən/

the state or an instance of being imperfect

From this reading “Go, wiser thou! and in thy scale of sense Weigh thy opinion against Providence; Call imperfection what thou fanciest such; Say, here he gives too little, there too much; Destroy all creatures for thy sport or gust, And say, if man's unhappy, God's unjust.”

inroads noun US /ˈɪnroʊdz/

plural of “inroad” — an encroachment or intrusion

From this reading “All were there at the close of the ceremonies, as they had appeared earlier in the day, and as the last of the legal forms of the marriage was actually to take place in presence of the bailiff, preparatory to the more solemn rites of the church, the throng yielded to its curiosity, breaking through the line of those who were stationed to restrain its inroads, and pressing about the foot of the estrade in the stronger interest which reality is known to possess over fiction.”

nuptials noun US /ˈnʌptʃəlz/

the social event at which the ceremony of marriage is performed

From this reading “It is unnecessary to repeat the list of characters that acted the different parts in the train of the village nuptials.”

preparatory adjective US /prɪˈperətɔːri/

preceding and preparing for something

From this reading “All were there at the close of the ceremonies, as they had appeared earlier in the day, and as the last of the legal forms of the marriage was actually to take place in presence of the bailiff, preparatory to the more solemn rites of the church, the throng yielded to its curiosity, breaking through the line of those who were stationed to restrain its inroads, and pressing about the foot of the estrade in the stronger interest which reality is known to possess over fiction.”

rites noun US /raɪts/

plural of “rite” — an established ceremony prescribed by a religion

From this reading “All were there at the close of the ceremonies, as they had appeared earlier in the day, and as the last of the legal forms of the marriage was actually to take place in presence of the bailiff, preparatory to the more solemn rites of the church, the throng yielded to its curiosity, breaking through the line of those who were stationed to restrain its inroads, and pressing about the foot of the estrade in the stronger interest which reality is known to possess over fiction.”

All words in this reading · 139

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 During the day, a thousand new inquiries had been made concerning the bride, whose beauty and mien were altogether so superior to what might have been expected in one who could consent to act the part she did on so public an occasion, and whose modest bearing was in such singular contradiction to her present situation.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading All were there at the close of the ceremonies, as they had appeared earlier in the day, and as the last of the legal forms of the marriage was actually to take place in presence of the bailiff, preparatory to the more solemn rites of the church, the throng yielded to its curiosity, breaking through the line of those who were stationed to restrain its inroads, and pressing about the foot of the estrade in the stronger interest which reality is known to possess over fiction.

actverbUS /ækt/

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

From this reading During the day, a thousand new inquiries had been made concerning the bride, whose beauty and mien were altogether so superior to what might have been expected in one who could consent to act the part she did on so public an occasion, and whose modest bearing was in such singular contradiction to her present situation.

actedverbUS /ˈæktɪd/

past form of “act” — perform an action, or work out or perform (an action)

From this reading It is unnecessary to repeat the list of characters that acted the different parts in the train of the village nuptials.

actuallyadverbUS /ˈæktʃuːəli/

in actual fact

From this reading All were there at the close of the ceremonies, as they had appeared earlier in the day, and as the last of the legal forms of the marriage was actually to take place in presence of the bailiff, preparatory to the more solemn rites of the church, the throng yielded to its curiosity, breaking through the line of those who were stationed to restrain its inroads, and pressing about the foot of the estrade in the stronger interest which reality is known to possess over fiction.

againstprepositionUS /əˈɡenst/

touching and pressing; in opposition to

From this reading Go, wiser thou! and in thy scale of sense Weigh thy opinion against Providence; Call imperfection what thou fanciest such; Say, here he gives too little, there too much; Destroy all creatures for thy sport or gust, And say, if man's unhappy, God's unjust.

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 Go, wiser thou! and in thy scale of sense Weigh thy opinion against Providence; Call imperfection what thou fanciest such; Say, here he gives too little, there too much; Destroy all creatures for thy sport or gust, And say, if man's unhappy, God's unjust.

altogetheradverbUS /ˌɔːltəˈɡeðər/

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

From this reading During the day, a thousand new inquiries had been made concerning the bride, whose beauty and mien were altogether so superior to what might have been expected in one who could consent to act the part she did on so public an occasion, and whose modest bearing was in such singular contradiction to her present situation.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading During the day, a thousand new inquiries had been made concerning the bride, whose beauty and mien were altogether so superior to what might have been expected in one who could consent to act the part she did on so public an occasion, and whose modest bearing was in such singular contradiction to her present situation.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Go, wiser thou! and in thy scale of sense Weigh thy opinion against Providence; Call imperfection what thou fanciest such; Say, here he gives too little, there too much; Destroy all creatures for thy sport or gust, And say, if man's unhappy, God's unjust.

appearedverbUS /əˈpɪrd/

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

From this reading All were there at the close of the ceremonies, as they had appeared earlier in the day, and as the last of the legal forms of the marriage was actually to take place in presence of the bailiff, preparatory to the more solemn rites of the church, the throng yielded to its curiosity, breaking through the line of those who were stationed to restrain its inroads, and pressing about the foot of the estrade in the stronger interest which reality is known to possess over fiction.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading All were there at the close of the ceremonies, as they had appeared earlier in the day, and as the last of the legal forms of the marriage was actually to take place in presence of the bailiff, preparatory to the more solemn rites of the church, the throng yielded to its curiosity, breaking through the line of those who were stationed to restrain its inroads, and pressing about the foot of the estrade in the stronger interest which reality is known to possess over fiction.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading All were there at the close of the ceremonies, as they had appeared earlier in the day, and as the last of the legal forms of the marriage was actually to take place in presence of the bailiff, preparatory to the more solemn rites of the church, the throng yielded to its curiosity, breaking through the line of those who were stationed to restrain its inroads, and pressing about the foot of the estrade in the stronger interest which reality is known to possess over fiction.

bailiffnounUS /ˈbeɪləf/

an officer of the court who is employed to execute writs and processes and make arrests etc.

From this reading All were there at the close of the ceremonies, as they had appeared earlier in the day, and as the last of the legal forms of the marriage was actually to take place in presence of the bailiff, preparatory to the more solemn rites of the church, the throng yielded to its curiosity, breaking through the line of those who were stationed to restrain its inroads, and pressing about the foot of the estrade in the stronger interest which reality is known to possess over fiction.

bearingnounUS /ˈberɪŋ/

relevant relation or interconnection

From this reading During the day, a thousand new inquiries had been made concerning the bride, whose beauty and mien were altogether so superior to what might have been expected in one who could consent to act the part she did on so public an occasion, and whose modest bearing was in such singular contradiction to her present situation.

beautynounUS /ˈbjuːti/

the qualities that give pleasure to the senses

From this reading During the day, a thousand new inquiries had been made concerning the bride, whose beauty and mien were altogether so superior to what might have been expected in one who could consent to act the part she did on so public an occasion, and whose modest bearing was in such singular contradiction to her present situation.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading During the day, a thousand new inquiries had been made concerning the bride, whose beauty and mien were altogether so superior to what might have been expected in one who could consent to act the part she did on so public an occasion, and whose modest bearing was in such singular contradiction to her present situation.

breakingnounUS /ˈbreɪkɪŋ/

the act of breaking something

From this reading All were there at the close of the ceremonies, as they had appeared earlier in the day, and as the last of the legal forms of the marriage was actually to take place in presence of the bailiff, preparatory to the more solemn rites of the church, the throng yielded to its curiosity, breaking through the line of those who were stationed to restrain its inroads, and pressing about the foot of the estrade in the stronger interest which reality is known to possess over fiction.

bridenounUS /braɪd/

a woman who has recently been married

From this reading During the day, a thousand new inquiries had been made concerning the bride, whose beauty and mien were altogether so superior to what might have been expected in one who could consent to act the part she did on so public an occasion, and whose modest bearing was in such singular contradiction to her present situation.

CallverbUS /kɔːl/

assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading Go, wiser thou! and in thy scale of sense Weigh thy opinion against Providence; Call imperfection what thou fanciest such; Say, here he gives too little, there too much; Destroy all creatures for thy sport or gust, And say, if man's unhappy, God's unjust.

ceremoniesnounUS /ˈserəmoʊniz/

plural of “ceremony” — a formal event performed on a special occasion

From this reading All were there at the close of the ceremonies, as they had appeared earlier in the day, and as the last of the legal forms of the marriage was actually to take place in presence of the bailiff, preparatory to the more solemn rites of the church, the throng yielded to its curiosity, breaking through the line of those who were stationed to restrain its inroads, and pressing about the foot of the estrade in the stronger interest which reality is known to possess over fiction.

charactersnounUS /ˈkærəktərz/

plural of “character” — an imaginary person represented in a work of fiction (play or film or story)

From this reading It is unnecessary to repeat the list of characters that acted the different parts in the train of the village nuptials.

churchnounUS /tʃɜːrtʃ/

one of the groups of Christians who have their own beliefs and forms of worship

From this reading All were there at the close of the ceremonies, as they had appeared earlier in the day, and as the last of the legal forms of the marriage was actually to take place in presence of the bailiff, preparatory to the more solemn rites of the church, the throng yielded to its curiosity, breaking through the line of those who were stationed to restrain its inroads, and pressing about the foot of the estrade in the stronger interest which reality is known to possess over fiction.

closeadjectiveUS /kloʊs/

at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other

From this reading All were there at the close of the ceremonies, as they had appeared earlier in the day, and as the last of the legal forms of the marriage was actually to take place in presence of the bailiff, preparatory to the more solemn rites of the church, the throng yielded to its curiosity, breaking through the line of those who were stationed to restrain its inroads, and pressing about the foot of the estrade in the stronger interest which reality is known to possess over fiction.

concerningverbUS /kənˈsɜːrnɪŋ/

-ing form of “concern” — be relevant to

From this reading During the day, a thousand new inquiries had been made concerning the bride, whose beauty and mien were altogether so superior to what might have been expected in one who could consent to act the part she did on so public an occasion, and whose modest bearing was in such singular contradiction to her present situation.

consentnounUS /kənˈsent/

permission to do something

From this reading During the day, a thousand new inquiries had been made concerning the bride, whose beauty and mien were altogether so superior to what might have been expected in one who could consent to act the part she did on so public an occasion, and whose modest bearing was in such singular contradiction to her present situation.

contradictionnounUS /ˌkɑːntrəˈdɪkʃən/

opposition between two conflicting forces or ideas

From this reading During the day, a thousand new inquiries had been made concerning the bride, whose beauty and mien were altogether so superior to what might have been expected in one who could consent to act the part she did on so public an occasion, and whose modest bearing was in such singular contradiction to her present situation.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

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

From this reading During the day, a thousand new inquiries had been made concerning the bride, whose beauty and mien were altogether so superior to what might have been expected in one who could consent to act the part she did on so public an occasion, and whose modest bearing was in such singular contradiction to her present situation.

creaturesnounUS /ˈkriːtʃərz/

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

From this reading Go, wiser thou! and in thy scale of sense Weigh thy opinion against Providence; Call imperfection what thou fanciest such; Say, here he gives too little, there too much; Destroy all creatures for thy sport or gust, And say, if man's unhappy, God's unjust.

curiositynounUS /ˌkjʊriˈɑːsəti/

a state in which you want to learn more about something

From this reading All were there at the close of the ceremonies, as they had appeared earlier in the day, and as the last of the legal forms of the marriage was actually to take place in presence of the bailiff, preparatory to the more solemn rites of the church, the throng yielded to its curiosity, breaking through the line of those who were stationed to restrain its inroads, and pressing about the foot of the estrade in the stronger interest which reality is known to possess over fiction.

daynounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading All were there at the close of the ceremonies, as they had appeared earlier in the day, and as the last of the legal forms of the marriage was actually to take place in presence of the bailiff, preparatory to the more solemn rites of the church, the throng yielded to its curiosity, breaking through the line of those who were stationed to restrain its inroads, and pressing about the foot of the estrade in the stronger interest which reality is known to possess over fiction.

DestroyverbUS /dɪˈstrɔɪ/

do away with, cause the destruction or undoing of

From this reading Go, wiser thou! and in thy scale of sense Weigh thy opinion against Providence; Call imperfection what thou fanciest such; Say, here he gives too little, there too much; Destroy all creatures for thy sport or gust, And say, if man's unhappy, God's unjust.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

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

From this reading During the day, a thousand new inquiries had been made concerning the bride, whose beauty and mien were altogether so superior to what might have been expected in one who could consent to act the part she did on so public an occasion, and whose modest bearing was in such singular contradiction to her present situation.

differentadjectiveUS /ˈdɪfərənt/

unlike in nature or quality or form or degree

From this reading It is unnecessary to repeat the list of characters that acted the different parts in the train of the village nuptials.

DuringprepositionUS /ˈdʊrɪŋ/

all through a period, or at some point within it

From this reading During the day, a thousand new inquiries had been made concerning the bride, whose beauty and mien were altogether so superior to what might have been expected in one who could consent to act the part she did on so public an occasion, and whose modest bearing was in such singular contradiction to her present situation.

earlieradverbUS /ˈɜːrliər/

earlier in time; previously

From this reading All were there at the close of the ceremonies, as they had appeared earlier in the day, and as the last of the legal forms of the marriage was actually to take place in presence of the bailiff, preparatory to the more solemn rites of the church, the throng yielded to its curiosity, breaking through the line of those who were stationed to restrain its inroads, and pressing about the foot of the estrade in the stronger interest which reality is known to possess over fiction.

estrade

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

From this reading All were there at the close of the ceremonies, as they had appeared earlier in the day, and as the last of the legal forms of the marriage was actually to take place in presence of the bailiff, preparatory to the more solemn rites of the church, the throng yielded to its curiosity, breaking through the line of those who were stationed to restrain its inroads, and pressing about the foot of the estrade in the stronger interest which reality is known to possess over fiction.

expectedadjectiveUS /ɪkˈspektəd/

considered likely or probable to happen or arrive

From this reading During the day, a thousand new inquiries had been made concerning the bride, whose beauty and mien were altogether so superior to what might have been expected in one who could consent to act the part she did on so public an occasion, and whose modest bearing was in such singular contradiction to her present situation.

fanciestadjectiveUS /ˈfænsiəst/

superlative of “fancy” — not plain; decorative or ornamented

From this reading Go, wiser thou! and in thy scale of sense Weigh thy opinion against Providence; Call imperfection what thou fanciest such; Say, here he gives too little, there too much; Destroy all creatures for thy sport or gust, And say, if man's unhappy, God's unjust.

fictionnounUS /ˈfɪkʃən/

a literary work based on the imagination and not necessarily on fact

From this reading All were there at the close of the ceremonies, as they had appeared earlier in the day, and as the last of the legal forms of the marriage was actually to take place in presence of the bailiff, preparatory to the more solemn rites of the church, the throng yielded to its curiosity, breaking through the line of those who were stationed to restrain its inroads, and pressing about the foot of the estrade in the stronger interest which reality is known to possess over fiction.

footnounUS /fʊt/

the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint

From this reading All were there at the close of the ceremonies, as they had appeared earlier in the day, and as the last of the legal forms of the marriage was actually to take place in presence of the bailiff, preparatory to the more solemn rites of the church, the throng yielded to its curiosity, breaking through the line of those who were stationed to restrain its inroads, and pressing about the foot of the estrade in the stronger interest which reality is known to possess over fiction.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Go, wiser thou! and in thy scale of sense Weigh thy opinion against Providence; Call imperfection what thou fanciest such; Say, here he gives too little, there too much; Destroy all creatures for thy sport or gust, And say, if man's unhappy, God's unjust.

formsnounUS /fɔːrmz/

plural of “form” — the phonological or orthographic sound or appearance of a word that can be used to describe or identify something

From this reading All were there at the close of the ceremonies, as they had appeared earlier in the day, and as the last of the legal forms of the marriage was actually to take place in presence of the bailiff, preparatory to the more solemn rites of the church, the throng yielded to its curiosity, breaking through the line of those who were stationed to restrain its inroads, and pressing about the foot of the estrade in the stronger interest which reality is known to possess over fiction.

givesnounUS /ɡɪvz/

plural of “give” — the elasticity of something that can be stretched and returns to its original length

From this reading Go, wiser thou! and in thy scale of sense Weigh thy opinion against Providence; Call imperfection what thou fanciest such; Say, here he gives too little, there too much; Destroy all creatures for thy sport or gust, And say, if man's unhappy, God's unjust.

GoverbUS /ɡoʊ/

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

From this reading Go, wiser thou! and in thy scale of sense Weigh thy opinion against Providence; Call imperfection what thou fanciest such; Say, here he gives too little, there too much; Destroy all creatures for thy sport or gust, And say, if man's unhappy, God's unjust.

God'snounUS /ɡɑːdz/

possessive form of “god” — the supernatural being conceived as the perfect and omnipotent and omniscient originator and ruler of the universe; the object of worship in monotheistic religions

From this reading Go, wiser thou! and in thy scale of sense Weigh thy opinion against Providence; Call imperfection what thou fanciest such; Say, here he gives too little, there too much; Destroy all creatures for thy sport or gust, And say, if man's unhappy, God's unjust.

gustnounUS /ɡʌst/

a strong current of air

From this reading Go, wiser thou! and in thy scale of sense Weigh thy opinion against Providence; Call imperfection what thou fanciest such; Say, here he gives too little, there too much; Destroy all creatures for thy sport or gust, And say, if man's unhappy, God's unjust.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading All were there at the close of the ceremonies, as they had appeared earlier in the day, and as the last of the legal forms of the marriage was actually to take place in presence of the bailiff, preparatory to the more solemn rites of the church, the throng yielded to its curiosity, breaking through the line of those who were stationed to restrain its inroads, and pressing about the foot of the estrade in the stronger interest which reality is known to possess over fiction.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading During the day, a thousand new inquiries had been made concerning the bride, whose beauty and mien were altogether so superior to what might have been expected in one who could consent to act the part she did on so public an occasion, and whose modest bearing was in such singular contradiction to her present situation.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading Go, wiser thou! and in thy scale of sense Weigh thy opinion against Providence; Call imperfection what thou fanciest such; Say, here he gives too little, there too much; Destroy all creatures for thy sport or gust, And say, if man's unhappy, God's unjust.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading During the day, a thousand new inquiries had been made concerning the bride, whose beauty and mien were altogether so superior to what might have been expected in one who could consent to act the part she did on so public an occasion, and whose modest bearing was in such singular contradiction to her present situation.

hereadverbUS /hiːr/

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

From this reading Go, wiser thou! and in thy scale of sense Weigh thy opinion against Providence; Call imperfection what thou fanciest such; Say, here he gives too little, there too much; Destroy all creatures for thy sport or gust, And say, if man's unhappy, God's unjust.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading Go, wiser thou! and in thy scale of sense Weigh thy opinion against Providence; Call imperfection what thou fanciest such; Say, here he gives too little, there too much; Destroy all creatures for thy sport or gust, And say, if man's unhappy, God's unjust.

imperfectionnounUS /ˌɪmpərˈfekʃən/

the state or an instance of being imperfect

From this reading Go, wiser thou! and in thy scale of sense Weigh thy opinion against Providence; Call imperfection what thou fanciest such; Say, here he gives too little, there too much; Destroy all creatures for thy sport or gust, And say, if man's unhappy, God's unjust.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Go, wiser thou! and in thy scale of sense Weigh thy opinion against Providence; Call imperfection what thou fanciest such; Say, here he gives too little, there too much; Destroy all creatures for thy sport or gust, And say, if man's unhappy, God's unjust.

inquiriesnounUS /ˌɪnˈkwaɪəriz/

plural of “inquiry” — a search for knowledge

From this reading During the day, a thousand new inquiries had been made concerning the bride, whose beauty and mien were altogether so superior to what might have been expected in one who could consent to act the part she did on so public an occasion, and whose modest bearing was in such singular contradiction to her present situation.

inroadsnounUS /ˈɪnroʊdz/

plural of “inroad” — an encroachment or intrusion

From this reading All were there at the close of the ceremonies, as they had appeared earlier in the day, and as the last of the legal forms of the marriage was actually to take place in presence of the bailiff, preparatory to the more solemn rites of the church, the throng yielded to its curiosity, breaking through the line of those who were stationed to restrain its inroads, and pressing about the foot of the estrade in the stronger interest which reality is known to possess over fiction.

interestnounUS /ˈɪntrəst/

a sense of concern with and curiosity about someone or something

From this reading All were there at the close of the ceremonies, as they had appeared earlier in the day, and as the last of the legal forms of the marriage was actually to take place in presence of the bailiff, preparatory to the more solemn rites of the church, the throng yielded to its curiosity, breaking through the line of those who were stationed to restrain its inroads, and pressing about the foot of the estrade in the stronger interest which reality is known to possess over fiction.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading It is unnecessary to repeat the list of characters that acted the different parts in the train of the village nuptials.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It is unnecessary to repeat the list of characters that acted the different parts in the train of the village nuptials.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading All were there at the close of the ceremonies, as they had appeared earlier in the day, and as the last of the legal forms of the marriage was actually to take place in presence of the bailiff, preparatory to the more solemn rites of the church, the throng yielded to its curiosity, breaking through the line of those who were stationed to restrain its inroads, and pressing about the foot of the estrade in the stronger interest which reality is known to possess over fiction.

knownadjectiveUS /noʊn/

apprehended with certainty

From this reading All were there at the close of the ceremonies, as they had appeared earlier in the day, and as the last of the legal forms of the marriage was actually to take place in presence of the bailiff, preparatory to the more solemn rites of the church, the throng yielded to its curiosity, breaking through the line of those who were stationed to restrain its inroads, and pressing about the foot of the estrade in the stronger interest which reality is known to possess over fiction.

lastadjectiveUS /læst/

immediately past

From this reading All were there at the close of the ceremonies, as they had appeared earlier in the day, and as the last of the legal forms of the marriage was actually to take place in presence of the bailiff, preparatory to the more solemn rites of the church, the throng yielded to its curiosity, breaking through the line of those who were stationed to restrain its inroads, and pressing about the foot of the estrade in the stronger interest which reality is known to possess over fiction.

legaladjectiveUS /ˈliːɡəl/

established by or founded upon law or official or accepted rules

From this reading All were there at the close of the ceremonies, as they had appeared earlier in the day, and as the last of the legal forms of the marriage was actually to take place in presence of the bailiff, preparatory to the more solemn rites of the church, the throng yielded to its curiosity, breaking through the line of those who were stationed to restrain its inroads, and pressing about the foot of the estrade in the stronger interest which reality is known to possess over fiction.

linenounUS /laɪn/

a formation of people or things one beside another

From this reading All were there at the close of the ceremonies, as they had appeared earlier in the day, and as the last of the legal forms of the marriage was actually to take place in presence of the bailiff, preparatory to the more solemn rites of the church, the throng yielded to its curiosity, breaking through the line of those who were stationed to restrain its inroads, and pressing about the foot of the estrade in the stronger interest which reality is known to possess over fiction.

listverbUS /lɪst/

give or make a list of; name individually; give the names of

From this reading It is unnecessary to repeat the list of characters that acted the different parts in the train of the village nuptials.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

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

From this reading Go, wiser thou! and in thy scale of sense Weigh thy opinion against Providence; Call imperfection what thou fanciest such; Say, here he gives too little, there too much; Destroy all creatures for thy sport or gust, And say, if man's unhappy, God's unjust.

madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading During the day, a thousand new inquiries had been made concerning the bride, whose beauty and mien were altogether so superior to what might have been expected in one who could consent to act the part she did on so public an occasion, and whose modest bearing was in such singular contradiction to her present situation.

man'snounUS /mænz/

possessive form of “man” — an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading Go, wiser thou! and in thy scale of sense Weigh thy opinion against Providence; Call imperfection what thou fanciest such; Say, here he gives too little, there too much; Destroy all creatures for thy sport or gust, And say, if man's unhappy, God's unjust.

marriagenounUS /ˈmerɪdʒ/

the state of being a married couple voluntarily joined for life (or until divorce)

From this reading All were there at the close of the ceremonies, as they had appeared earlier in the day, and as the last of the legal forms of the marriage was actually to take place in presence of the bailiff, preparatory to the more solemn rites of the church, the throng yielded to its curiosity, breaking through the line of those who were stationed to restrain its inroads, and pressing about the foot of the estrade in the stronger interest which reality is known to possess over fiction.

miennounUS /miːn/

dignified manner or conduct

From this reading During the day, a thousand new inquiries had been made concerning the bride, whose beauty and mien were altogether so superior to what might have been expected in one who could consent to act the part she did on so public an occasion, and whose modest bearing was in such singular contradiction to her present situation.

mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading During the day, a thousand new inquiries had been made concerning the bride, whose beauty and mien were altogether so superior to what might have been expected in one who could consent to act the part she did on so public an occasion, and whose modest bearing was in such singular contradiction to her present situation.

modestadjectiveUS /ˈmɑːdəst/

marked by simplicity; having a humble opinion of yourself

From this reading During the day, a thousand new inquiries had been made concerning the bride, whose beauty and mien were altogether so superior to what might have been expected in one who could consent to act the part she did on so public an occasion, and whose modest bearing was in such singular contradiction to her present situation.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

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

From this reading All were there at the close of the ceremonies, as they had appeared earlier in the day, and as the last of the legal forms of the marriage was actually to take place in presence of the bailiff, preparatory to the more solemn rites of the church, the throng yielded to its curiosity, breaking through the line of those who were stationed to restrain its inroads, and pressing about the foot of the estrade in the stronger interest which reality is known to possess over fiction.

muchadverbUS /mʌtʃ/

to a great degree or extent

From this reading Go, wiser thou! and in thy scale of sense Weigh thy opinion against Providence; Call imperfection what thou fanciest such; Say, here he gives too little, there too much; Destroy all creatures for thy sport or gust, And say, if man's unhappy, God's unjust.

newadjectiveUS /nuː/

not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered

From this reading During the day, a thousand new inquiries had been made concerning the bride, whose beauty and mien were altogether so superior to what might have been expected in one who could consent to act the part she did on so public an occasion, and whose modest bearing was in such singular contradiction to her present situation.

nuptialsnounUS /ˈnʌptʃəlz/

the social event at which the ceremony of marriage is performed

From this reading It is unnecessary to repeat the list of characters that acted the different parts in the train of the village nuptials.

occasionnounUS /əˈkeɪʒən/

an event that occurs at a critical time

From this reading During the day, a thousand new inquiries had been made concerning the bride, whose beauty and mien were altogether so superior to what might have been expected in one who could consent to act the part she did on so public an occasion, and whose modest bearing was in such singular contradiction to her present situation.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Go, wiser thou! and in thy scale of sense Weigh thy opinion against Providence; Call imperfection what thou fanciest such; Say, here he gives too little, there too much; Destroy all creatures for thy sport or gust, And say, if man's unhappy, God's unjust.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading During the day, a thousand new inquiries had been made concerning the bride, whose beauty and mien were altogether so superior to what might have been expected in one who could consent to act the part she did on so public an occasion, and whose modest bearing was in such singular contradiction to her present situation.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading During the day, a thousand new inquiries had been made concerning the bride, whose beauty and mien were altogether so superior to what might have been expected in one who could consent to act the part she did on so public an occasion, and whose modest bearing was in such singular contradiction to her present situation.

opinionnounUS /əˈpɪnjən/

a personal belief or judgment that is not founded on proof or certainty

From this reading Go, wiser thou! and in thy scale of sense Weigh thy opinion against Providence; Call imperfection what thou fanciest such; Say, here he gives too little, there too much; Destroy all creatures for thy sport or gust, And say, if man's unhappy, God's unjust.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading Go, wiser thou! and in thy scale of sense Weigh thy opinion against Providence; Call imperfection what thou fanciest such; Say, here he gives too little, there too much; Destroy all creatures for thy sport or gust, And say, if man's unhappy, God's unjust.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading All were there at the close of the ceremonies, as they had appeared earlier in the day, and as the last of the legal forms of the marriage was actually to take place in presence of the bailiff, preparatory to the more solemn rites of the church, the throng yielded to its curiosity, breaking through the line of those who were stationed to restrain its inroads, and pressing about the foot of the estrade in the stronger interest which reality is known to possess over fiction.

partnounUS /pɑːrt/

something determined in relation to something that includes it

From this reading During the day, a thousand new inquiries had been made concerning the bride, whose beauty and mien were altogether so superior to what might have been expected in one who could consent to act the part she did on so public an occasion, and whose modest bearing was in such singular contradiction to her present situation.

partsnounUS /pɑːrts/

the local environment

From this reading It is unnecessary to repeat the list of characters that acted the different parts in the train of the village nuptials.

placenounUS /pleɪs/

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading All were there at the close of the ceremonies, as they had appeared earlier in the day, and as the last of the legal forms of the marriage was actually to take place in presence of the bailiff, preparatory to the more solemn rites of the church, the throng yielded to its curiosity, breaking through the line of those who were stationed to restrain its inroads, and pressing about the foot of the estrade in the stronger interest which reality is known to possess over fiction.

PopenounUS /poʊp/

the head of the Roman Catholic Church

From this reading Pope.

possessverbUS /pəˈzes/

have as an attribute, knowledge, or skill

From this reading All were there at the close of the ceremonies, as they had appeared earlier in the day, and as the last of the legal forms of the marriage was actually to take place in presence of the bailiff, preparatory to the more solemn rites of the church, the throng yielded to its curiosity, breaking through the line of those who were stationed to restrain its inroads, and pressing about the foot of the estrade in the stronger interest which reality is known to possess over fiction.

preparatoryadjectiveUS /prɪˈperətɔːri/

preceding and preparing for something

From this reading All were there at the close of the ceremonies, as they had appeared earlier in the day, and as the last of the legal forms of the marriage was actually to take place in presence of the bailiff, preparatory to the more solemn rites of the church, the throng yielded to its curiosity, breaking through the line of those who were stationed to restrain its inroads, and pressing about the foot of the estrade in the stronger interest which reality is known to possess over fiction.

presencenounUS /ˈprezəns/

the state of being present; current existence

From this reading All were there at the close of the ceremonies, as they had appeared earlier in the day, and as the last of the legal forms of the marriage was actually to take place in presence of the bailiff, preparatory to the more solemn rites of the church, the throng yielded to its curiosity, breaking through the line of those who were stationed to restrain its inroads, and pressing about the foot of the estrade in the stronger interest which reality is known to possess over fiction.

presentverbUS /ˈprezənt/

give an exhibition of to an interested audience

From this reading During the day, a thousand new inquiries had been made concerning the bride, whose beauty and mien were altogether so superior to what might have been expected in one who could consent to act the part she did on so public an occasion, and whose modest bearing was in such singular contradiction to her present situation.

pressingnounUS /ˈpresɪŋ/

the act of pressing; the exertion of pressure

From this reading All were there at the close of the ceremonies, as they had appeared earlier in the day, and as the last of the legal forms of the marriage was actually to take place in presence of the bailiff, preparatory to the more solemn rites of the church, the throng yielded to its curiosity, breaking through the line of those who were stationed to restrain its inroads, and pressing about the foot of the estrade in the stronger interest which reality is known to possess over fiction.

ProvidencenounUS /ˈprɑː.və.dəns/

The protective care of God or nature as a spiritual power. (Sự quan phòng, thiên ý phù hộ.)

From this reading Go, wiser thou! and in thy scale of sense Weigh thy opinion against Providence; Call imperfection what thou fanciest such; Say, here he gives too little, there too much; Destroy all creatures for thy sport or gust, And say, if man's unhappy, God's unjust.

publicnounUS /ˈpʌblɪk/

people in general considered as a whole

From this reading During the day, a thousand new inquiries had been made concerning the bride, whose beauty and mien were altogether so superior to what might have been expected in one who could consent to act the part she did on so public an occasion, and whose modest bearing was in such singular contradiction to her present situation.

realitynounUS /ˌriːˈælətiː/

all of your experiences that determine how things appear to you

From this reading All were there at the close of the ceremonies, as they had appeared earlier in the day, and as the last of the legal forms of the marriage was actually to take place in presence of the bailiff, preparatory to the more solemn rites of the church, the throng yielded to its curiosity, breaking through the line of those who were stationed to restrain its inroads, and pressing about the foot of the estrade in the stronger interest which reality is known to possess over fiction.

repeatverbUS /rɪˈpiːt/

to say, state, or perform again

From this reading It is unnecessary to repeat the list of characters that acted the different parts in the train of the village nuptials.

restrainverbUS /riˈstreɪn/

to close within bounds, or otherwise limit or deprive of free movement

From this reading All were there at the close of the ceremonies, as they had appeared earlier in the day, and as the last of the legal forms of the marriage was actually to take place in presence of the bailiff, preparatory to the more solemn rites of the church, the throng yielded to its curiosity, breaking through the line of those who were stationed to restrain its inroads, and pressing about the foot of the estrade in the stronger interest which reality is known to possess over fiction.

ritesnounUS /raɪts/

plural of “rite” — an established ceremony prescribed by a religion

From this reading All were there at the close of the ceremonies, as they had appeared earlier in the day, and as the last of the legal forms of the marriage was actually to take place in presence of the bailiff, preparatory to the more solemn rites of the church, the throng yielded to its curiosity, breaking through the line of those who were stationed to restrain its inroads, and pressing about the foot of the estrade in the stronger interest which reality is known to possess over fiction.

SayverbUS /seɪ/

express in words

From this reading Go, wiser thou! and in thy scale of sense Weigh thy opinion against Providence; Call imperfection what thou fanciest such; Say, here he gives too little, there too much; Destroy all creatures for thy sport or gust, And say, if man's unhappy, God's unjust.

scalenounUS /skeɪl/

an ordered reference standard

From this reading Go, wiser thou! and in thy scale of sense Weigh thy opinion against Providence; Call imperfection what thou fanciest such; Say, here he gives too little, there too much; Destroy all creatures for thy sport or gust, And say, if man's unhappy, God's unjust.

sensenounUS /sens/

a general conscious awareness

From this reading Go, wiser thou! and in thy scale of sense Weigh thy opinion against Providence; Call imperfection what thou fanciest such; Say, here he gives too little, there too much; Destroy all creatures for thy sport or gust, And say, if man's unhappy, God's unjust.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading During the day, a thousand new inquiries had been made concerning the bride, whose beauty and mien were altogether so superior to what might have been expected in one who could consent to act the part she did on so public an occasion, and whose modest bearing was in such singular contradiction to her present situation.

singularadjectiveUS /ˈsɪŋɡjələr/

unusual or striking

From this reading During the day, a thousand new inquiries had been made concerning the bride, whose beauty and mien were altogether so superior to what might have been expected in one who could consent to act the part she did on so public an occasion, and whose modest bearing was in such singular contradiction to her present situation.

situationnounUS /ˌsɪtʃuːˈeɪʃən/

the general state of things; the combination of circumstances at a given time

From this reading During the day, a thousand new inquiries had been made concerning the bride, whose beauty and mien were altogether so superior to what might have been expected in one who could consent to act the part she did on so public an occasion, and whose modest bearing was in such singular contradiction to her present situation.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading During the day, a thousand new inquiries had been made concerning the bride, whose beauty and mien were altogether so superior to what might have been expected in one who could consent to act the part she did on so public an occasion, and whose modest bearing was in such singular contradiction to her present situation.

solemnadjectiveUS /ˈsɑːləm/

dignified and somber in manner or character and committed to keeping promises

From this reading All were there at the close of the ceremonies, as they had appeared earlier in the day, and as the last of the legal forms of the marriage was actually to take place in presence of the bailiff, preparatory to the more solemn rites of the church, the throng yielded to its curiosity, breaking through the line of those who were stationed to restrain its inroads, and pressing about the foot of the estrade in the stronger interest which reality is known to possess over fiction.

sportnounUS /spɔːrt/

an active diversion requiring physical exertion and competition

From this reading Go, wiser thou! and in thy scale of sense Weigh thy opinion against Providence; Call imperfection what thou fanciest such; Say, here he gives too little, there too much; Destroy all creatures for thy sport or gust, And say, if man's unhappy, God's unjust.

stationedverbUS /ˈsteɪʃənd/

past form of “station” — assign to a station

From this reading All were there at the close of the ceremonies, as they had appeared earlier in the day, and as the last of the legal forms of the marriage was actually to take place in presence of the bailiff, preparatory to the more solemn rites of the church, the throng yielded to its curiosity, breaking through the line of those who were stationed to restrain its inroads, and pressing about the foot of the estrade in the stronger interest which reality is known to possess over fiction.

strongeradjectiveUS /ˈstrɔːŋər/

comparative of “strong” — having strength or power greater than average or expected

From this reading All were there at the close of the ceremonies, as they had appeared earlier in the day, and as the last of the legal forms of the marriage was actually to take place in presence of the bailiff, preparatory to the more solemn rites of the church, the throng yielded to its curiosity, breaking through the line of those who were stationed to restrain its inroads, and pressing about the foot of the estrade in the stronger interest which reality is known to possess over fiction.

suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading Go, wiser thou! and in thy scale of sense Weigh thy opinion against Providence; Call imperfection what thou fanciest such; Say, here he gives too little, there too much; Destroy all creatures for thy sport or gust, And say, if man's unhappy, God's unjust.

superioradjectiveUS /suːˈpɪriər/

of high or superior quality or performance

From this reading During the day, a thousand new inquiries had been made concerning the bride, whose beauty and mien were altogether so superior to what might have been expected in one who could consent to act the part she did on so public an occasion, and whose modest bearing was in such singular contradiction to her present situation.

takeverbUS /teɪk/

carry out

From this reading All were there at the close of the ceremonies, as they had appeared earlier in the day, and as the last of the legal forms of the marriage was actually to take place in presence of the bailiff, preparatory to the more solemn rites of the church, the throng yielded to its curiosity, breaking through the line of those who were stationed to restrain its inroads, and pressing about the foot of the estrade in the stronger interest which reality is known to possess over fiction.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading It is unnecessary to repeat the list of characters that acted the different parts in the train of the village nuptials.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading It is unnecessary to repeat the list of characters that acted the different parts in the train of the village nuptials.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading Go, wiser thou! and in thy scale of sense Weigh thy opinion against Providence; Call imperfection what thou fanciest such; Say, here he gives too little, there too much; Destroy all creatures for thy sport or gust, And say, if man's unhappy, God's unjust.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading All were there at the close of the ceremonies, as they had appeared earlier in the day, and as the last of the legal forms of the marriage was actually to take place in presence of the bailiff, preparatory to the more solemn rites of the church, the throng yielded to its curiosity, breaking through the line of those who were stationed to restrain its inroads, and pressing about the foot of the estrade in the stronger interest which reality is known to possess over fiction.

thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/

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

From this reading All were there at the close of the ceremonies, as they had appeared earlier in the day, and as the last of the legal forms of the marriage was actually to take place in presence of the bailiff, preparatory to the more solemn rites of the church, the throng yielded to its curiosity, breaking through the line of those who were stationed to restrain its inroads, and pressing about the foot of the estrade in the stronger interest which reality is known to possess over fiction.

thoupronounUS /ðaʊ/

an old word for “you”, as the subject, speaking to one person

From this reading Go, wiser thou! and in thy scale of sense Weigh thy opinion against Providence; Call imperfection what thou fanciest such; Say, here he gives too little, there too much; Destroy all creatures for thy sport or gust, And say, if man's unhappy, God's unjust.

thousandnounUS /ˈθaʊzənd/

the cardinal number that is the product of 10 and 100

From this reading During the day, a thousand new inquiries had been made concerning the bride, whose beauty and mien were altogether so superior to what might have been expected in one who could consent to act the part she did on so public an occasion, and whose modest bearing was in such singular contradiction to her present situation.

throngnounUS /θrɔːŋ/

a large gathering of people

From this reading All were there at the close of the ceremonies, as they had appeared earlier in the day, and as the last of the legal forms of the marriage was actually to take place in presence of the bailiff, preparatory to the more solemn rites of the church, the throng yielded to its curiosity, breaking through the line of those who were stationed to restrain its inroads, and pressing about the foot of the estrade in the stronger interest which reality is known to possess over fiction.

throughprepositionUS /θruː/

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading All were there at the close of the ceremonies, as they had appeared earlier in the day, and as the last of the legal forms of the marriage was actually to take place in presence of the bailiff, preparatory to the more solemn rites of the church, the throng yielded to its curiosity, breaking through the line of those who were stationed to restrain its inroads, and pressing about the foot of the estrade in the stronger interest which reality is known to possess over fiction.

thydeterminerUS /ðaɪ/

an old word for “your”, speaking to one person

From this reading Go, wiser thou! and in thy scale of sense Weigh thy opinion against Providence; Call imperfection what thou fanciest such; Say, here he gives too little, there too much; Destroy all creatures for thy sport or gust, And say, if man's unhappy, God's unjust.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading It is unnecessary to repeat the list of characters that acted the different parts in the train of the village nuptials.

tooadverbUS /tuː/

to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits

From this reading Go, wiser thou! and in thy scale of sense Weigh thy opinion against Providence; Call imperfection what thou fanciest such; Say, here he gives too little, there too much; Destroy all creatures for thy sport or gust, And say, if man's unhappy, God's unjust.

trainverbUS /treɪn/

create by training and teaching

From this reading It is unnecessary to repeat the list of characters that acted the different parts in the train of the village nuptials.

unhappyadjectiveUS /ənˈhæpi/

experiencing or marked by or causing sadness or sorrow or discontent

From this reading Go, wiser thou! and in thy scale of sense Weigh thy opinion against Providence; Call imperfection what thou fanciest such; Say, here he gives too little, there too much; Destroy all creatures for thy sport or gust, And say, if man's unhappy, God's unjust.

unjustadjectiveUS /ənˈdʒʌst/

not fair; marked by injustice or partiality or deception

From this reading Go, wiser thou! and in thy scale of sense Weigh thy opinion against Providence; Call imperfection what thou fanciest such; Say, here he gives too little, there too much; Destroy all creatures for thy sport or gust, And say, if man's unhappy, God's unjust.

unnecessaryadjectiveUS /ənˈnesəseri/

not necessary

From this reading It is unnecessary to repeat the list of characters that acted the different parts in the train of the village nuptials.

villagenounUS /ˈvɪlədʒ/

a community of people smaller than a town

From this reading It is unnecessary to repeat the list of characters that acted the different parts in the train of the village nuptials.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading All were there at the close of the ceremonies, as they had appeared earlier in the day, and as the last of the legal forms of the marriage was actually to take place in presence of the bailiff, preparatory to the more solemn rites of the church, the throng yielded to its curiosity, breaking through the line of those who were stationed to restrain its inroads, and pressing about the foot of the estrade in the stronger interest which reality is known to possess over fiction.

WeighverbUS /weɪ/

have a certain weight

From this reading Go, wiser thou! and in thy scale of sense Weigh thy opinion against Providence; Call imperfection what thou fanciest such; Say, here he gives too little, there too much; Destroy all creatures for thy sport or gust, And say, if man's unhappy, God's unjust.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading All were there at the close of the ceremonies, as they had appeared earlier in the day, and as the last of the legal forms of the marriage was actually to take place in presence of the bailiff, preparatory to the more solemn rites of the church, the throng yielded to its curiosity, breaking through the line of those who were stationed to restrain its inroads, and pressing about the foot of the estrade in the stronger interest which reality is known to possess over fiction.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading Go, wiser thou! and in thy scale of sense Weigh thy opinion against Providence; Call imperfection what thou fanciest such; Say, here he gives too little, there too much; Destroy all creatures for thy sport or gust, And say, if man's unhappy, God's unjust.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading All were there at the close of the ceremonies, as they had appeared earlier in the day, and as the last of the legal forms of the marriage was actually to take place in presence of the bailiff, preparatory to the more solemn rites of the church, the throng yielded to its curiosity, breaking through the line of those who were stationed to restrain its inroads, and pressing about the foot of the estrade in the stronger interest which reality is known to possess over fiction.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading All were there at the close of the ceremonies, as they had appeared earlier in the day, and as the last of the legal forms of the marriage was actually to take place in presence of the bailiff, preparatory to the more solemn rites of the church, the throng yielded to its curiosity, breaking through the line of those who were stationed to restrain its inroads, and pressing about the foot of the estrade in the stronger interest which reality is known to possess over fiction.

whosedeterminerUS /huːz/

belonging to which person

From this reading During the day, a thousand new inquiries had been made concerning the bride, whose beauty and mien were altogether so superior to what might have been expected in one who could consent to act the part she did on so public an occasion, and whose modest bearing was in such singular contradiction to her present situation.

wiseradjectiveUS /ˈwaɪzər/

comparative of “wise” — having or prompted by wisdom or discernment

From this reading Go, wiser thou! and in thy scale of sense Weigh thy opinion against Providence; Call imperfection what thou fanciest such; Say, here he gives too little, there too much; Destroy all creatures for thy sport or gust, And say, if man's unhappy, God's unjust.

yieldedverbUS /ˈjiːldɪd/

past form of “yield” — be the cause or source of

From this reading All were there at the close of the ceremonies, as they had appeared earlier in the day, and as the last of the legal forms of the marriage was actually to take place in presence of the bailiff, preparatory to the more solemn rites of the church, the throng yielded to its curiosity, breaking through the line of those who were stationed to restrain its inroads, and pressing about the foot of the estrade in the stronger interest which reality is known to possess over fiction.

Chapter 18 of The Headsman by James Fenimore Cooper holds 235 sentences, grouped into 47 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 18 of The Headsman contain?

Chapter 18 holds 235 sentences of The Headsman, unabridged, divided into 47 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 18 of The Headsman by James Fenimore Cooper exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 235 sentences, grouped into 47 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 18 of The Headsman?

Work through the 47 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 47 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 18 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 18 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 Headsman

Common questions about reading The Headsman by James Fenimore Cooper on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Headsman?

Yes. All 5255 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #10938 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Headsman is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #10938, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Headsman take to read?

About 437 minutes of reading across 1051 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Headsman section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 31 chapters of The Headsman 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 Headsman

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

Glimmered
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Headsman; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Gentle
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Headsman; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Breeze
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Headsman; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Ruffling
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Headsman; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.