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The History of Pendennis
The History of Pendennis

Chapter XVI · Chapter 16

Chapter 16 of The History of Pendennis is here in full — 375 sentences across 75 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/75 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Babylon Our reader must now please to quit the woods and sea-shore of the west, and the gossip of Clavering, and the humdrum life of poor little Fairoaks, and transport himself with Arthur Pendennis, on the Alacrity coach, to London, whither he goes once for all to face the world and to make his fortune.
As the coach whirls through the night away from the friendly gates of home, many a plan does the young man cast in his mind of future life and conduct, prudence, and peradventure success and fame.
He knows he is a better man than many who have hitherto been ahead of him in the race: his first failure has caused him remorse, and brought with it reflection; it has not taken away his courage, or, let us add, his good opinion of himself.
A hundred eager fancies and busy hopes keep him awake.
How much older his mishaps and a year’s thought and self-communion have made him, than when, twelve months since, he passed on this road on his way to and from Oxbridge!
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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 History of Pendennis

Chapter XVI · Chapter 16

Chapter 16 of The History of Pendennis is here in full — 375 sentences across 75 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/75 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Babylon Our reader must now please to quit the woods and sea-shore of the west, and the gossip of Clavering, and the humdrum life of poor little Fairoaks, and transport himself with Arthur Pendennis, on theAlacritycoach, to London, whither he goes once for all to face the world and to make his fortune.
Line 2
As the coach whirls through the night away from the friendly gates of home, many a plan does the young man cast in his mind of future life and conduct, prudence, and peradventure success and fame.
Line 3
He knows he is a better man than many who have hitherto been ahead of him in the race: his first failure has caused him remorse, and brought with it reflection; it has not taken away his courage, or, let us add, his good opinion of himself.
/hiː noʊz hiː ɪz ə ˈbetər mæn ðæn ˈmeni huː hæv ˈhɪðɜːrˈtuː bɪn əˈhed ʌv hɪm ɪn ðə reɪs hɪz fɜːrst ˈfeɪljər hæz kɑːzd hɪm rɪˈmɔːrs ənd brɔːt wɪð ɪt rɪˈflekʃən ɪt hæz nɑːt ˈteɪkən əˈweɪ hɪz ˈkɜːrədʒ ɔːr let ʌs æd hɪz ɡʊd əˈpɪnjən ʌv hɪmˈself/
Line 4
A hundred eager fancies and busy hopes keep him awake.
/ə ˈhʌndrəd ˈiːɡər ˈfænsiz ənd ˈbɪzi hoʊps kiːp hɪm əˈweɪk/
Line 5
How much older his mishaps and a year’s thought and self-communion have made him, than when, twelve months since, he passed on this road on his way to and from Oxbridge!

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.

Alacrity noun US /əˈlækrəti/

liveliness and eagerness

From this reading “Babylon Our reader must now please to quit the woods and sea-shore of the west, and the gossip of Clavering, and the humdrum life of poor little Fairoaks, and transport himself with Arthur Pendennis, on the ‘Alacrity’ coach, to London, whither he goes once for all to face the world and to make his fortune.”

Babylon noun US /ˈbæbəlɑːn/

the chief city of ancient Mesopotamia and capital of the ancient kingdom of Babylonia

From this reading “Babylon Our reader must now please to quit the woods and sea-shore of the west, and the gossip of Clavering, and the humdrum life of poor little Fairoaks, and transport himself with Arthur Pendennis, on the ‘Alacrity’ coach, to London, whither he goes once for all to face the world and to make his fortune.”

fancies noun US /ˈfænsiz/

plural of “fancy” — something many people believe that is false

From this reading “A hundred eager fancies and busy hopes keep him awake.”

humdrum adjective US /ˈhʌmdrʌm/

not challenging; dull and lacking excitement

From this reading “Babylon Our reader must now please to quit the woods and sea-shore of the west, and the gossip of Clavering, and the humdrum life of poor little Fairoaks, and transport himself with Arthur Pendennis, on the ‘Alacrity’ coach, to London, whither he goes once for all to face the world and to make his fortune.”

mishaps noun US /ˈmɪshæps/

plural of “mishap” — an unpredictable outcome that is unfortunate

From this reading “How much older his mishaps and a year’s thought and self-communion have made him, than when, twelve months since, he passed on this road on his way to and from Oxbridge!”

Oxbridge noun US /ˈɑːksbrɪdʒ/

general term for an ancient and prestigious and privileged university (especially Oxford University or Cambridge University)

From this reading “How much older his mishaps and a year’s thought and self-communion have made him, than when, twelve months since, he passed on this road on his way to and from Oxbridge!”

transport noun US /trænˈspɔːrt/

something that serves as a means of transportation

From this reading “Babylon Our reader must now please to quit the woods and sea-shore of the west, and the gossip of Clavering, and the humdrum life of poor little Fairoaks, and transport himself with Arthur Pendennis, on the ‘Alacrity’ coach, to London, whither he goes once for all to face the world and to make his fortune.”

year's noun US /jɪrz/

possessive form of “year” — a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days

All words in this reading · 117

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 As the coach whirls through the night away from the friendly gates of home, many a plan does the young man cast in his mind of future life and conduct, prudence, and peradventure success and fame.

addverbUS /æd/

make an addition (to); join or combine or unite with others; increase the quality, quantity, size or scope of

From this reading He knows he is a better man than many who have hitherto been ahead of him in the race: his first failure has caused him remorse, and brought with it reflection; it has not taken away his courage, or, let us add, his good opinion of himself.

aheadadverbUS /əˈhed/

at or in the front

From this reading He knows he is a better man than many who have hitherto been ahead of him in the race: his first failure has caused him remorse, and brought with it reflection; it has not taken away his courage, or, let us add, his good opinion of himself.

AlacritynounUS /əˈlækrəti/

liveliness and eagerness

From this reading Babylon Our reader must now please to quit the woods and sea-shore of the west, and the gossip of Clavering, and the humdrum life of poor little Fairoaks, and transport himself with Arthur Pendennis, on the ‘Alacrity’ coach, to London, whither he goes once for all to face the world and to make his fortune.

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 Babylon Our reader must now please to quit the woods and sea-shore of the west, and the gossip of Clavering, and the humdrum life of poor little Fairoaks, and transport himself with Arthur Pendennis, on the ‘Alacrity’ coach, to London, whither he goes once for all to face the world and to make his fortune.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Babylon Our reader must now please to quit the woods and sea-shore of the west, and the gossip of Clavering, and the humdrum life of poor little Fairoaks, and transport himself with Arthur Pendennis, on the ‘Alacrity’ coach, to London, whither he goes once for all to face the world and to make his fortune.

ArthurnounUS /ˈɑːrθər/

elected vice president and became 21st President of the United States when Garfield was assassinated (1830-1886)

From this reading Babylon Our reader must now please to quit the woods and sea-shore of the west, and the gossip of Clavering, and the humdrum life of poor little Fairoaks, and transport himself with Arthur Pendennis, on the ‘Alacrity’ coach, to London, whither he goes once for all to face the world and to make his fortune.

AsconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading As the coach whirls through the night away from the friendly gates of home, many a plan does the young man cast in his mind of future life and conduct, prudence, and peradventure success and fame.

awakeadjectiveUS /əˈweɪk/

not in a state of sleep; completely conscious

From this reading A hundred eager fancies and busy hopes keep him awake.

awayadverbUS /əˈweɪ/

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading As the coach whirls through the night away from the friendly gates of home, many a plan does the young man cast in his mind of future life and conduct, prudence, and peradventure success and fame.

BabylonnounUS /ˈbæbəlɑːn/

the chief city of ancient Mesopotamia and capital of the ancient kingdom of Babylonia

From this reading Babylon Our reader must now please to quit the woods and sea-shore of the west, and the gossip of Clavering, and the humdrum life of poor little Fairoaks, and transport himself with Arthur Pendennis, on the ‘Alacrity’ coach, to London, whither he goes once for all to face the world and to make his fortune.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading He knows he is a better man than many who have hitherto been ahead of him in the race: his first failure has caused him remorse, and brought with it reflection; it has not taken away his courage, or, let us add, his good opinion of himself.

betteradjectiveUS /ˈbetər/

(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another

From this reading He knows he is a better man than many who have hitherto been ahead of him in the race: his first failure has caused him remorse, and brought with it reflection; it has not taken away his courage, or, let us add, his good opinion of himself.

broughtverbUS /brɔːt/

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

From this reading He knows he is a better man than many who have hitherto been ahead of him in the race: his first failure has caused him remorse, and brought with it reflection; it has not taken away his courage, or, let us add, his good opinion of himself.

busyadjectiveUS /ˈbɪzi/

actively or fully engaged or occupied

From this reading A hundred eager fancies and busy hopes keep him awake.

castverbUS /kæst/

put or send forth

From this reading As the coach whirls through the night away from the friendly gates of home, many a plan does the young man cast in his mind of future life and conduct, prudence, and peradventure success and fame.

causedverbUS /kɑːzd/

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

From this reading He knows he is a better man than many who have hitherto been ahead of him in the race: his first failure has caused him remorse, and brought with it reflection; it has not taken away his courage, or, let us add, his good opinion of himself.

Clavering

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

From this reading Babylon Our reader must now please to quit the woods and sea-shore of the west, and the gossip of Clavering, and the humdrum life of poor little Fairoaks, and transport himself with Arthur Pendennis, on the ‘Alacrity’ coach, to London, whither he goes once for all to face the world and to make his fortune.

coachverbUS /koʊtʃ/

teach and supervise (someone); act as a trainer or coach (to), as in sports

From this reading Babylon Our reader must now please to quit the woods and sea-shore of the west, and the gossip of Clavering, and the humdrum life of poor little Fairoaks, and transport himself with Arthur Pendennis, on the ‘Alacrity’ coach, to London, whither he goes once for all to face the world and to make his fortune.

conductverbUS /ˈkɑːndəkt/

direct the course of; manage or control

From this reading As the coach whirls through the night away from the friendly gates of home, many a plan does the young man cast in his mind of future life and conduct, prudence, and peradventure success and fame.

couragenounUS /ˈkɜːrədʒ/

a quality of spirit that enables you to face danger or pain without showing fear

From this reading He knows he is a better man than many who have hitherto been ahead of him in the race: his first failure has caused him remorse, and brought with it reflection; it has not taken away his courage, or, let us add, his good opinion of himself.

doesauxiliary verbUS /dʌz/

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

From this reading As the coach whirls through the night away from the friendly gates of home, many a plan does the young man cast in his mind of future life and conduct, prudence, and peradventure success and fame.

eageradjectiveUS /ˈiːɡər/

having or showing keen interest or intense desire or impatient expectancy

From this reading A hundred eager fancies and busy hopes keep him awake.

facenounUS /feɪs/

the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear

From this reading Babylon Our reader must now please to quit the woods and sea-shore of the west, and the gossip of Clavering, and the humdrum life of poor little Fairoaks, and transport himself with Arthur Pendennis, on the ‘Alacrity’ coach, to London, whither he goes once for all to face the world and to make his fortune.

failurenounUS /ˈfeɪljər/

an act that fails

From this reading He knows he is a better man than many who have hitherto been ahead of him in the race: his first failure has caused him remorse, and brought with it reflection; it has not taken away his courage, or, let us add, his good opinion of himself.

Fairoaks

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

From this reading Babylon Our reader must now please to quit the woods and sea-shore of the west, and the gossip of Clavering, and the humdrum life of poor little Fairoaks, and transport himself with Arthur Pendennis, on the ‘Alacrity’ coach, to London, whither he goes once for all to face the world and to make his fortune.

famenounUS /feɪm/

the state or quality of being widely honored and acclaimed

From this reading As the coach whirls through the night away from the friendly gates of home, many a plan does the young man cast in his mind of future life and conduct, prudence, and peradventure success and fame.

fanciesnounUS /ˈfænsiz/

plural of “fancy” — something many people believe that is false

From this reading A hundred eager fancies and busy hopes keep him awake.

firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading He knows he is a better man than many who have hitherto been ahead of him in the race: his first failure has caused him remorse, and brought with it reflection; it has not taken away his courage, or, let us add, his good opinion of himself.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Babylon Our reader must now please to quit the woods and sea-shore of the west, and the gossip of Clavering, and the humdrum life of poor little Fairoaks, and transport himself with Arthur Pendennis, on the ‘Alacrity’ coach, to London, whither he goes once for all to face the world and to make his fortune.

fortunenounUS /ˈfɔːrtʃən/

an unknown and unpredictable phenomenon that causes an event to result one way rather than another

From this reading Babylon Our reader must now please to quit the woods and sea-shore of the west, and the gossip of Clavering, and the humdrum life of poor little Fairoaks, and transport himself with Arthur Pendennis, on the ‘Alacrity’ coach, to London, whither he goes once for all to face the world and to make his fortune.

friendlyadjectiveUS /ˈfrendli/

characteristic of or befitting a friend

From this reading As the coach whirls through the night away from the friendly gates of home, many a plan does the young man cast in his mind of future life and conduct, prudence, and peradventure success and fame.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading As the coach whirls through the night away from the friendly gates of home, many a plan does the young man cast in his mind of future life and conduct, prudence, and peradventure success and fame.

futureadjectiveUS /ˈfjuːtʃər/

yet to be or coming

From this reading As the coach whirls through the night away from the friendly gates of home, many a plan does the young man cast in his mind of future life and conduct, prudence, and peradventure success and fame.

gatesnounUS /ɡeɪts/

United States computer entrepreneur whose software company made him the youngest multi-billionaire in the history of the United States (born in 1955)

From this reading As the coach whirls through the night away from the friendly gates of home, many a plan does the young man cast in his mind of future life and conduct, prudence, and peradventure success and fame.

goesnounUS /ɡoʊz/

plural of “go” — a time period for working (after which you will be relieved by someone else)

From this reading Babylon Our reader must now please to quit the woods and sea-shore of the west, and the gossip of Clavering, and the humdrum life of poor little Fairoaks, and transport himself with Arthur Pendennis, on the ‘Alacrity’ coach, to London, whither he goes once for all to face the world and to make his fortune.

goodadjectiveUS /ɡʊd/

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

From this reading He knows he is a better man than many who have hitherto been ahead of him in the race: his first failure has caused him remorse, and brought with it reflection; it has not taken away his courage, or, let us add, his good opinion of himself.

gossipnounUS /ˈɡɑːsəp/

light informal conversation for social occasions

From this reading Babylon Our reader must now please to quit the woods and sea-shore of the west, and the gossip of Clavering, and the humdrum life of poor little Fairoaks, and transport himself with Arthur Pendennis, on the ‘Alacrity’ coach, to London, whither he goes once for all to face the world and to make his fortune.

hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

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

From this reading He knows he is a better man than many who have hitherto been ahead of him in the race: his first failure has caused him remorse, and brought with it reflection; it has not taken away his courage, or, let us add, his good opinion of himself.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading He knows he is a better man than many who have hitherto been ahead of him in the race: his first failure has caused him remorse, and brought with it reflection; it has not taken away his courage, or, let us add, his good opinion of himself.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading Babylon Our reader must now please to quit the woods and sea-shore of the west, and the gossip of Clavering, and the humdrum life of poor little Fairoaks, and transport himself with Arthur Pendennis, on the ‘Alacrity’ coach, to London, whither he goes once for all to face the world and to make his fortune.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading He knows he is a better man than many who have hitherto been ahead of him in the race: his first failure has caused him remorse, and brought with it reflection; it has not taken away his courage, or, let us add, his good opinion of himself.

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

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

From this reading Babylon Our reader must now please to quit the woods and sea-shore of the west, and the gossip of Clavering, and the humdrum life of poor little Fairoaks, and transport himself with Arthur Pendennis, on the ‘Alacrity’ coach, to London, whither he goes once for all to face the world and to make his fortune.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Babylon Our reader must now please to quit the woods and sea-shore of the west, and the gossip of Clavering, and the humdrum life of poor little Fairoaks, and transport himself with Arthur Pendennis, on the ‘Alacrity’ coach, to London, whither he goes once for all to face the world and to make his fortune.

hithertoadverbUS /ˈhɪðɜːrˈtuː/

used in negative statement to describe a situation that has existed up to this point or up to the present time

From this reading He knows he is a better man than many who have hitherto been ahead of him in the race: his first failure has caused him remorse, and brought with it reflection; it has not taken away his courage, or, let us add, his good opinion of himself.

homenounUS /hoʊm/

where you live at a particular time

From this reading As the coach whirls through the night away from the friendly gates of home, many a plan does the young man cast in his mind of future life and conduct, prudence, and peradventure success and fame.

hopesnounUS /hoʊps/

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

From this reading A hundred eager fancies and busy hopes keep him awake.

How

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

From this reading How much older his mishaps and a year’s thought and self-communion have made him, than when, twelve months since, he passed on this road on his way to and from Oxbridge!

humdrumadjectiveUS /ˈhʌmdrʌm/

not challenging; dull and lacking excitement

From this reading Babylon Our reader must now please to quit the woods and sea-shore of the west, and the gossip of Clavering, and the humdrum life of poor little Fairoaks, and transport himself with Arthur Pendennis, on the ‘Alacrity’ coach, to London, whither he goes once for all to face the world and to make his fortune.

hundrednounUS /ˈhʌndrəd/

ten 10s

From this reading A hundred eager fancies and busy hopes keep him awake.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading As the coach whirls through the night away from the friendly gates of home, many a plan does the young man cast in his mind of future life and conduct, prudence, and peradventure success and fame.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading He knows he is a better man than many who have hitherto been ahead of him in the race: his first failure has caused him remorse, and brought with it reflection; it has not taken away his courage, or, let us add, his good opinion of himself.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading He knows he is a better man than many who have hitherto been ahead of him in the race: his first failure has caused him remorse, and brought with it reflection; it has not taken away his courage, or, let us add, his good opinion of himself.

keepverbUS /kiːp/

cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”

From this reading A hundred eager fancies and busy hopes keep him awake.

knowsnounUS /noʊz/

plural of “know” — the fact of being aware of information that is known to few people

From this reading He knows he is a better man than many who have hitherto been ahead of him in the race: his first failure has caused him remorse, and brought with it reflection; it has not taken away his courage, or, let us add, his good opinion of himself.

letauxiliary verbUS /let/

used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker

From this reading He knows he is a better man than many who have hitherto been ahead of him in the race: his first failure has caused him remorse, and brought with it reflection; it has not taken away his courage, or, let us add, his good opinion of himself.

lifenounUS /laɪf/

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading Babylon Our reader must now please to quit the woods and sea-shore of the west, and the gossip of Clavering, and the humdrum life of poor little Fairoaks, and transport himself with Arthur Pendennis, on the ‘Alacrity’ coach, to London, whither he goes once for all to face the world and to make his fortune.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

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

From this reading Babylon Our reader must now please to quit the woods and sea-shore of the west, and the gossip of Clavering, and the humdrum life of poor little Fairoaks, and transport himself with Arthur Pendennis, on the ‘Alacrity’ coach, to London, whither he goes once for all to face the world and to make his fortune.

LondonnounUS /ˈlʌndən/

the capital and largest city of England; located on the Thames in southeastern England; financial and industrial and cultural center

From this reading Babylon Our reader must now please to quit the woods and sea-shore of the west, and the gossip of Clavering, and the humdrum life of poor little Fairoaks, and transport himself with Arthur Pendennis, on the ‘Alacrity’ coach, to London, whither he goes once for all to face the world and to make his fortune.

madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading How much older his mishaps and a year’s thought and self-communion have made him, than when, twelve months since, he passed on this road on his way to and from Oxbridge!

makeverbUS /meɪk/

engage in

From this reading Babylon Our reader must now please to quit the woods and sea-shore of the west, and the gossip of Clavering, and the humdrum life of poor little Fairoaks, and transport himself with Arthur Pendennis, on the ‘Alacrity’ coach, to London, whither he goes once for all to face the world and to make his fortune.

mannounUS /mæn/

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading As the coach whirls through the night away from the friendly gates of home, many a plan does the young man cast in his mind of future life and conduct, prudence, and peradventure success and fame.

manyadjectiveUS /ˈmeni/

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number

From this reading As the coach whirls through the night away from the friendly gates of home, many a plan does the young man cast in his mind of future life and conduct, prudence, and peradventure success and fame.

mindnounUS /maɪnd/

The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.

From this reading As the coach whirls through the night away from the friendly gates of home, many a plan does the young man cast in his mind of future life and conduct, prudence, and peradventure success and fame.

mishapsnounUS /ˈmɪshæps/

plural of “mishap” — an unpredictable outcome that is unfortunate

From this reading How much older his mishaps and a year’s thought and self-communion have made him, than when, twelve months since, he passed on this road on his way to and from Oxbridge!

monthsnounUS /mʌnθs/

plural of “month” — one of the twelve divisions of the calendar year

From this reading How much older his mishaps and a year’s thought and self-communion have made him, than when, twelve months since, he passed on this road on his way to and from Oxbridge!

muchadverbUS /mʌtʃ/

to a great degree or extent

From this reading How much older his mishaps and a year’s thought and self-communion have made him, than when, twelve months since, he passed on this road on his way to and from Oxbridge!

mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading Babylon Our reader must now please to quit the woods and sea-shore of the west, and the gossip of Clavering, and the humdrum life of poor little Fairoaks, and transport himself with Arthur Pendennis, on the ‘Alacrity’ coach, to London, whither he goes once for all to face the world and to make his fortune.

nightnounUS /naɪt/

the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside

From this reading As the coach whirls through the night away from the friendly gates of home, many a plan does the young man cast in his mind of future life and conduct, prudence, and peradventure success and fame.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading He knows he is a better man than many who have hitherto been ahead of him in the race: his first failure has caused him remorse, and brought with it reflection; it has not taken away his courage, or, let us add, his good opinion of himself.

nowadverbUS /naʊ/

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

From this reading Babylon Our reader must now please to quit the woods and sea-shore of the west, and the gossip of Clavering, and the humdrum life of poor little Fairoaks, and transport himself with Arthur Pendennis, on the ‘Alacrity’ coach, to London, whither he goes once for all to face the world and to make his fortune.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Babylon Our reader must now please to quit the woods and sea-shore of the west, and the gossip of Clavering, and the humdrum life of poor little Fairoaks, and transport himself with Arthur Pendennis, on the ‘Alacrity’ coach, to London, whither he goes once for all to face the world and to make his fortune.

olderadjectiveUS /ˈoʊldər/

advanced in years; (“aged” is pronounced as two syllables)

From this reading How much older his mishaps and a year’s thought and self-communion have made him, than when, twelve months since, he passed on this road on his way to and from Oxbridge!

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Babylon Our reader must now please to quit the woods and sea-shore of the west, and the gossip of Clavering, and the humdrum life of poor little Fairoaks, and transport himself with Arthur Pendennis, on the ‘Alacrity’ coach, to London, whither he goes once for all to face the world and to make his fortune.

onceadverbUS /wʌns/

on one occasion

From this reading Babylon Our reader must now please to quit the woods and sea-shore of the west, and the gossip of Clavering, and the humdrum life of poor little Fairoaks, and transport himself with Arthur Pendennis, on the ‘Alacrity’ coach, to London, whither he goes once for all to face the world and to make his fortune.

opinionnounUS /əˈpɪnjən/

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

From this reading He knows he is a better man than many who have hitherto been ahead of him in the race: his first failure has caused him remorse, and brought with it reflection; it has not taken away his courage, or, let us add, his good opinion of himself.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading He knows he is a better man than many who have hitherto been ahead of him in the race: his first failure has caused him remorse, and brought with it reflection; it has not taken away his courage, or, let us add, his good opinion of himself.

OurdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading Babylon Our reader must now please to quit the woods and sea-shore of the west, and the gossip of Clavering, and the humdrum life of poor little Fairoaks, and transport himself with Arthur Pendennis, on the ‘Alacrity’ coach, to London, whither he goes once for all to face the world and to make his fortune.

OxbridgenounUS /ˈɑːksbrɪdʒ/

general term for an ancient and prestigious and privileged university (especially Oxford University or Cambridge University)

From this reading How much older his mishaps and a year’s thought and self-communion have made him, than when, twelve months since, he passed on this road on his way to and from Oxbridge!

passedverbUS /pæst/

past form of “pass” — go across or through

From this reading How much older his mishaps and a year’s thought and self-communion have made him, than when, twelve months since, he passed on this road on his way to and from Oxbridge!

Pendennis

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

From this reading Babylon Our reader must now please to quit the woods and sea-shore of the west, and the gossip of Clavering, and the humdrum life of poor little Fairoaks, and transport himself with Arthur Pendennis, on the ‘Alacrity’ coach, to London, whither he goes once for all to face the world and to make his fortune.

peradventurenoun

doubt or uncertainty as to whether something is the case

From this reading As the coach whirls through the night away from the friendly gates of home, many a plan does the young man cast in his mind of future life and conduct, prudence, and peradventure success and fame.

planverbUS /plæn/

have the will and intention to carry out some action

From this reading As the coach whirls through the night away from the friendly gates of home, many a plan does the young man cast in his mind of future life and conduct, prudence, and peradventure success and fame.

pleaseverbUS /pliːz/

give pleasure to or be pleasing to

From this reading Babylon Our reader must now please to quit the woods and sea-shore of the west, and the gossip of Clavering, and the humdrum life of poor little Fairoaks, and transport himself with Arthur Pendennis, on the ‘Alacrity’ coach, to London, whither he goes once for all to face the world and to make his fortune.

pooradjectiveUS /puːr/

deserving or inciting pity

From this reading Babylon Our reader must now please to quit the woods and sea-shore of the west, and the gossip of Clavering, and the humdrum life of poor little Fairoaks, and transport himself with Arthur Pendennis, on the ‘Alacrity’ coach, to London, whither he goes once for all to face the world and to make his fortune.

prudencenounUS /ˈpruːdəns/

discretion in practical affairs

From this reading As the coach whirls through the night away from the friendly gates of home, many a plan does the young man cast in his mind of future life and conduct, prudence, and peradventure success and fame.

quitverbUS /kwɪt/

put an end to a state or an activity

From this reading Babylon Our reader must now please to quit the woods and sea-shore of the west, and the gossip of Clavering, and the humdrum life of poor little Fairoaks, and transport himself with Arthur Pendennis, on the ‘Alacrity’ coach, to London, whither he goes once for all to face the world and to make his fortune.

racenounUS /reɪs/

any competition

From this reading He knows he is a better man than many who have hitherto been ahead of him in the race: his first failure has caused him remorse, and brought with it reflection; it has not taken away his courage, or, let us add, his good opinion of himself.

readernounUS /ˈriːdər/

a person who enjoys reading

From this reading Babylon Our reader must now please to quit the woods and sea-shore of the west, and the gossip of Clavering, and the humdrum life of poor little Fairoaks, and transport himself with Arthur Pendennis, on the ‘Alacrity’ coach, to London, whither he goes once for all to face the world and to make his fortune.

reflectionnounUS /rɪˈflekʃən/

a calm, lengthy, intent consideration

From this reading He knows he is a better man than many who have hitherto been ahead of him in the race: his first failure has caused him remorse, and brought with it reflection; it has not taken away his courage, or, let us add, his good opinion of himself.

remorsenounUS /rɪˈmɔːrs/

a feeling of deep regret (usually for some misdeed)

From this reading He knows he is a better man than many who have hitherto been ahead of him in the race: his first failure has caused him remorse, and brought with it reflection; it has not taken away his courage, or, let us add, his good opinion of himself.

roadnounUS /roʊd/

an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation

From this reading How much older his mishaps and a year’s thought and self-communion have made him, than when, twelve months since, he passed on this road on his way to and from Oxbridge!

sea-shore

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

From this reading Babylon Our reader must now please to quit the woods and sea-shore of the west, and the gossip of Clavering, and the humdrum life of poor little Fairoaks, and transport himself with Arthur Pendennis, on the ‘Alacrity’ coach, to London, whither he goes once for all to face the world and to make his fortune.

self-communion

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

From this reading How much older his mishaps and a year’s thought and self-communion have made him, than when, twelve months since, he passed on this road on his way to and from Oxbridge!

sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/

from a time in the past until now

From this reading How much older his mishaps and a year’s thought and self-communion have made him, than when, twelve months since, he passed on this road on his way to and from Oxbridge!

successnounUS /səkˈses/

an event that accomplishes its intended purpose

From this reading As the coach whirls through the night away from the friendly gates of home, many a plan does the young man cast in his mind of future life and conduct, prudence, and peradventure success and fame.

takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/

understood in a certain way; made sense of

From this reading He knows he is a better man than many who have hitherto been ahead of him in the race: his first failure has caused him remorse, and brought with it reflection; it has not taken away his courage, or, let us add, his good opinion of himself.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading He knows he is a better man than many who have hitherto been ahead of him in the race: his first failure has caused him remorse, and brought with it reflection; it has not taken away his courage, or, let us add, his good opinion of himself.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Babylon Our reader must now please to quit the woods and sea-shore of the west, and the gossip of Clavering, and the humdrum life of poor little Fairoaks, and transport himself with Arthur Pendennis, on the ‘Alacrity’ coach, to London, whither he goes once for all to face the world and to make his fortune.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading How much older his mishaps and a year’s thought and self-communion have made him, than when, twelve months since, he passed on this road on his way to and from Oxbridge!

thoughtnounUS /θɔːt/

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

From this reading How much older his mishaps and a year’s thought and self-communion have made him, than when, twelve months since, he passed on this road on his way to and from Oxbridge!

throughprepositionUS /θruː/

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading As the coach whirls through the night away from the friendly gates of home, many a plan does the young man cast in his mind of future life and conduct, prudence, and peradventure success and fame.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Babylon Our reader must now please to quit the woods and sea-shore of the west, and the gossip of Clavering, and the humdrum life of poor little Fairoaks, and transport himself with Arthur Pendennis, on the ‘Alacrity’ coach, to London, whither he goes once for all to face the world and to make his fortune.

transportnounUS /trænˈspɔːrt/

something that serves as a means of transportation

From this reading Babylon Our reader must now please to quit the woods and sea-shore of the west, and the gossip of Clavering, and the humdrum life of poor little Fairoaks, and transport himself with Arthur Pendennis, on the ‘Alacrity’ coach, to London, whither he goes once for all to face the world and to make his fortune.

twelvenounUS /twelv/

the cardinal number that is the sum of eleven and one

From this reading How much older his mishaps and a year’s thought and self-communion have made him, than when, twelve months since, he passed on this road on his way to and from Oxbridge!

uspronounUS /ʌs/

the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading He knows he is a better man than many who have hitherto been ahead of him in the race: his first failure has caused him remorse, and brought with it reflection; it has not taken away his courage, or, let us add, his good opinion of himself.

waynounUS /weɪ/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading How much older his mishaps and a year’s thought and self-communion have made him, than when, twelve months since, he passed on this road on his way to and from Oxbridge!

westnounUS /west/

the countries of (originally) Europe and (now including) North America and South America

From this reading Babylon Our reader must now please to quit the woods and sea-shore of the west, and the gossip of Clavering, and the humdrum life of poor little Fairoaks, and transport himself with Arthur Pendennis, on the ‘Alacrity’ coach, to London, whither he goes once for all to face the world and to make his fortune.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading How much older his mishaps and a year’s thought and self-communion have made him, than when, twelve months since, he passed on this road on his way to and from Oxbridge!

whirls

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

From this reading As the coach whirls through the night away from the friendly gates of home, many a plan does the young man cast in his mind of future life and conduct, prudence, and peradventure success and fame.

whitheradverbUS /ˈwɪðər/

an old word meaning “to where”

From this reading Babylon Our reader must now please to quit the woods and sea-shore of the west, and the gossip of Clavering, and the humdrum life of poor little Fairoaks, and transport himself with Arthur Pendennis, on the ‘Alacrity’ coach, to London, whither he goes once for all to face the world and to make his fortune.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading He knows he is a better man than many who have hitherto been ahead of him in the race: his first failure has caused him remorse, and brought with it reflection; it has not taken away his courage, or, let us add, his good opinion of himself.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Babylon Our reader must now please to quit the woods and sea-shore of the west, and the gossip of Clavering, and the humdrum life of poor little Fairoaks, and transport himself with Arthur Pendennis, on the ‘Alacrity’ coach, to London, whither he goes once for all to face the world and to make his fortune.

woodsnounUS /wʊdz/

the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area

From this reading Babylon Our reader must now please to quit the woods and sea-shore of the west, and the gossip of Clavering, and the humdrum life of poor little Fairoaks, and transport himself with Arthur Pendennis, on the ‘Alacrity’ coach, to London, whither he goes once for all to face the world and to make his fortune.

worldnounUS /wɜːrld/

everything that exists anywhere

From this reading Babylon Our reader must now please to quit the woods and sea-shore of the west, and the gossip of Clavering, and the humdrum life of poor little Fairoaks, and transport himself with Arthur Pendennis, on the ‘Alacrity’ coach, to London, whither he goes once for all to face the world and to make his fortune.

year'snounUS /jɪrz/

possessive form of “year” — a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days

From this reading How much older his mishaps and a year’s thought and self-communion have made him, than when, twelve months since, he passed on this road on his way to and from Oxbridge!

youngadjectiveUS /jʌŋ/

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

From this reading As the coach whirls through the night away from the friendly gates of home, many a plan does the young man cast in his mind of future life and conduct, prudence, and peradventure success and fame.

Chapter 16 of The History of Pendennis by William Makepeace Thackeray holds 375 sentences, grouped into 75 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 16 of The History of Pendennis contain?

Chapter 16 holds 375 sentences of The History of Pendennis, unabridged, divided into 75 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 16 of The History of Pendennis by William Makepeace Thackeray exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 375 sentences, grouped into 75 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 16 of The History of Pendennis?

Work through the 75 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 75 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 16 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 16 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 History of Pendennis

Common questions about reading The History of Pendennis by William Makepeace Thackeray on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The History of Pendennis?

Yes. All 14011 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #7265 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The History of Pendennis is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #7265, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The History of Pendennis take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 2803 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The History of Pendennis section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 40 chapters of The History of Pendennis 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 History of Pendennis

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

Shows
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The History of Pendennis; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
First
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The History of Pendennis; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Interrupt
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The History of Pendennis; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Breakfast
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The History of Pendennis; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.