Chapter 1 of The Laird of Norlaw is here in full — 60 sentences across 12 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter I
Chapter 1 of The Laird of Norlaw is here in full — 60 sentences across 12 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
LAIRD OF NORLAW. A SCOTTISH STORY. “MARGARET MAITLAND,” “LILLIESLEAF,” “ORPHANS,” “THE DAYS OF MY LIFE,” ETC., ETC. FRANKLIN SQUARE. THE LAIRD OF NORLAW.
Chapter 1 of The Laird of Norlaw is here in full — 60 sentences across 12 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/12 · 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.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading ““MARGARET MAITLAND,” “LILLIESLEAF,” “ORPHANS,” “THE DAYS OF MY LIFE,” ETC., ETC.”
United States historian noted for studies of Black American history (born in 1915)
From this reading “FRANKLIN SQUARE.”
a landowner
From this reading “LAIRD OF NORLAW.”
English historian noted for his works on the history of English law (1850-1906)
From this reading ““MARGARET MAITLAND,” “LILLIESLEAF,” “ORPHANS,” “THE DAYS OF MY LIFE,” ETC., ETC.”
plural of “orphan” — a child who has lost both parents
From this reading ““MARGARET MAITLAND,” “LILLIESLEAF,” “ORPHANS,” “THE DAYS OF MY LIFE,” ETC., ETC.”
the dialect of English used in Scotland
From this reading “A SCOTTISH STORY.”
make square
From this reading “FRANKLIN SQUARE.”
a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading “A SCOTTISH STORY.”
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.
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 A SCOTTISH STORY.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading “MARGARET MAITLAND,” “LILLIESLEAF,” “ORPHANS,” “THE DAYS OF MY LIFE,” ETC., ETC.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “MARGARET MAITLAND,” “LILLIESLEAF,” “ORPHANS,” “THE DAYS OF MY LIFE,” ETC., ETC.
United States historian noted for studies of Black American history (born in 1915)
From this reading FRANKLIN SQUARE.
a landowner
From this reading LAIRD OF NORLAW.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading “MARGARET MAITLAND,” “LILLIESLEAF,” “ORPHANS,” “THE DAYS OF MY LIFE,” ETC., ETC.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “MARGARET MAITLAND,” “LILLIESLEAF,” “ORPHANS,” “THE DAYS OF MY LIFE,” ETC., ETC.
English historian noted for his works on the history of English law (1850-1906)
From this reading “MARGARET MAITLAND,” “LILLIESLEAF,” “ORPHANS,” “THE DAYS OF MY LIFE,” ETC., ETC.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “MARGARET MAITLAND,” “LILLIESLEAF,” “ORPHANS,” “THE DAYS OF MY LIFE,” ETC., ETC.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading “MARGARET MAITLAND,” “LILLIESLEAF,” “ORPHANS,” “THE DAYS OF MY LIFE,” ETC., ETC.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading LAIRD OF NORLAW.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading LAIRD OF NORLAW.
plural of “orphan” — a child who has lost both parents
From this reading “MARGARET MAITLAND,” “LILLIESLEAF,” “ORPHANS,” “THE DAYS OF MY LIFE,” ETC., ETC.
the dialect of English used in Scotland
From this reading A SCOTTISH STORY.
make square
From this reading FRANKLIN SQUARE.
a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading A SCOTTISH STORY.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “MARGARET MAITLAND,” “LILLIESLEAF,” “ORPHANS,” “THE DAYS OF MY LIFE,” ETC., ETC.
Chapter 1 of The Laird of Norlaw by Mrs. (Margaret) Oliphant holds 60 sentences, grouped into 12 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 1 holds 60 sentences of The Laird of Norlaw, unabridged, divided into 12 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 1 of The Laird of Norlaw by Mrs. (Margaret) Oliphant exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 60 sentences, grouped into 12 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 12 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 12 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 1 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.
Common questions about reading The Laird of Norlaw by Mrs. (Margaret) Oliphant on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 5834 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #54053 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #54053, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 486 minutes of reading across 1167 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Laird of Norlaw section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 40 chapters of The Laird of Norlaw to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in The Laird of Norlaw, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
