Chapter 23 of The heiress of McGregor is here in full — 251 sentences across 51 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XXIII
Chapter 23 of The heiress of McGregor is here in full — 251 sentences across 51 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
"IT WON'T DO." "I AM afraid it won't do, Marie! I wouldn't discourage you if I could help it, but indeed I don't think it would do to risk it. You see the strain was more severe than we thought at the time, and I fear that after all our care, we let you get up too soon. I am afraid, my dear, that it will never be a very strong back again."
Chapter 23 of The heiress of McGregor is here in full — 251 sentences across 51 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/50 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
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.
filled with fear or apprehension
From this reading “"I AM afraid it won't do, Marie!”
the work of providing treatment for or attending to someone or something
From this reading “You see the strain was more severe than we thought at the time, and I fear that after all our care, we let you get up too soon.”
try to prevent; show opposition to
From this reading “I wouldn't discourage you if I could help it, but indeed I don't think it would do to risk it.”
be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event
From this reading “You see the strain was more severe than we thought at the time, and I fear that after all our care, we let you get up too soon.”
a source of danger; a possibility of incurring loss or misfortune
From this reading “I wouldn't discourage you if I could help it, but indeed I don't think it would do to risk it.”
intensely or extremely bad or unpleasant in degree or quality
From this reading “You see the strain was more severe than we thought at the time, and I fear that after all our care, we let you get up too soon.”
(physics) deformation of a physical body under the action of applied forces
From this reading “You see the strain was more severe than we thought at the time, and I fear that after all our care, we let you get up too soon.”
having strength or power greater than average or expected
From this reading “I am afraid, my dear, that it will never be a very strong back again."”
English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.
Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.
rise to one's feet
In this reading “You see the strain was more severe than we thought at the time, and I fear that after all our care, we let you get up too soon.”
simultaneously
In this reading “You see the strain was more severe than we thought at the time, and I fear that after all our care, we let you get up too soon.”
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.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading I am afraid, my dear, that it will never be a very strong back again."
filled with fear or apprehension
From this reading "I AM afraid it won't do, Marie!
later than; following
From this reading You see the strain was more severe than we thought at the time, and I fear that after all our care, we let you get up too soon.
anew
From this reading I am afraid, my dear, that it will never be a very strong back again."
(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 You see the strain was more severe than we thought at the time, and I fear that after all our care, we let you get up too soon.
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading "I AM afraid it won't do, Marie!
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading You see the strain was more severe than we thought at the time, and I fear that after all our care, we let you get up too soon.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading You see the strain was more severe than we thought at the time, and I fear that after all our care, we let you get up too soon.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading I am afraid, my dear, that it will never be a very strong back again."
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading I am afraid, my dear, that it will never be a very strong back again."
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading I wouldn't discourage you if I could help it, but indeed I don't think it would do to risk it.
the work of providing treatment for or attending to someone or something
From this reading You see the strain was more severe than we thought at the time, and I fear that after all our care, we let you get up too soon.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading I wouldn't discourage you if I could help it, but indeed I don't think it would do to risk it.
dearly loved
From this reading I am afraid, my dear, that it will never be a very strong back again."
try to prevent; show opposition to
From this reading I wouldn't discourage you if I could help it, but indeed I don't think it would do to risk it.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading "IT WON'T DO."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I wouldn't discourage you if I could help it, but indeed I don't think it would do to risk it.
be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event
From this reading You see the strain was more severe than we thought at the time, and I fear that after all our care, we let you get up too soon.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading You see the strain was more severe than we thought at the time, and I fear that after all our care, we let you get up too soon.
give help or assistance; be of service
From this reading I wouldn't discourage you if I could help it, but indeed I don't think it would do to risk it.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "I AM afraid it won't do, Marie!
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading I wouldn't discourage you if I could help it, but indeed I don't think it would do to risk it.
in truth (often tends to intensify)
From this reading I wouldn't discourage you if I could help it, but indeed I don't think it would do to risk it.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "IT WON'T DO."
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading You see the strain was more severe than we thought at the time, and I fear that after all our care, we let you get up too soon.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I AM afraid it won't do, Marie!
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading You see the strain was more severe than we thought at the time, and I fear that after all our care, we let you get up too soon.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading I am afraid, my dear, that it will never be a very strong back again."
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading I am afraid, my dear, that it will never be a very strong back again."
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading You see the strain was more severe than we thought at the time, and I fear that after all our care, we let you get up too soon.
a source of danger; a possibility of incurring loss or misfortune
From this reading I wouldn't discourage you if I could help it, but indeed I don't think it would do to risk it.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading You see the strain was more severe than we thought at the time, and I fear that after all our care, we let you get up too soon.
intensely or extremely bad or unpleasant in degree or quality
From this reading You see the strain was more severe than we thought at the time, and I fear that after all our care, we let you get up too soon.
in the near future
From this reading You see the strain was more severe than we thought at the time, and I fear that after all our care, we let you get up too soon.
(physics) deformation of a physical body under the action of applied forces
From this reading You see the strain was more severe than we thought at the time, and I fear that after all our care, we let you get up too soon.
having strength or power greater than average or expected
From this reading I am afraid, my dear, that it will never be a very strong back again."
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading You see the strain was more severe than we thought at the time, and I fear that after all our care, we let you get up too soon.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading You see the strain was more severe than we thought at the time, and I fear that after all our care, we let you get up too soon.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading You see the strain was more severe than we thought at the time, and I fear that after all our care, we let you get up too soon.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading I wouldn't discourage you if I could help it, but indeed I don't think it would do to risk it.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading You see the strain was more severe than we thought at the time, and I fear that after all our care, we let you get up too soon.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading You see the strain was more severe than we thought at the time, and I fear that after all our care, we let you get up too soon.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading I wouldn't discourage you if I could help it, but indeed I don't think it would do to risk it.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading You see the strain was more severe than we thought at the time, and I fear that after all our care, we let you get up too soon.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading You see the strain was more severe than we thought at the time, and I fear that after all our care, we let you get up too soon.
precisely as stated
From this reading I am afraid, my dear, that it will never be a very strong back again."
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading You see the strain was more severe than we thought at the time, and I fear that after all our care, we let you get up too soon.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading You see the strain was more severe than we thought at the time, and I fear that after all our care, we let you get up too soon.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading I am afraid, my dear, that it will never be a very strong back again."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "IT WON'T DO."
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading I wouldn't discourage you if I could help it, but indeed I don't think it would do to risk it.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I wouldn't discourage you if I could help it, but indeed I don't think it would do to risk it.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading I wouldn't discourage you if I could help it, but indeed I don't think it would do to risk it.
Chapter 23 of The heiress of McGregor by Lucy Ellen Guernsey holds 251 sentences, grouped into 51 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.
Chapter 23 holds 251 sentences of The heiress of McGregor, unabridged, divided into 51 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 23 of The heiress of McGregor by Lucy Ellen Guernsey exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 251 sentences, grouped into 51 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.
Work through the 51 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 51 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.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 23 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.
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Words and structures a reader meets early in The heiress of McGregor, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
