Chapter 1 of The Limit is here in full — 187 sentences across 38 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter I
Chapter 1 of The Limit is here in full — 187 sentences across 38 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Originally published 1911 by Grant Richards Ltd. Reissued 1950 by arrangement with the Richards Press Ltd. "Romer, are you listening?" "Valentia, do I ever do anything else?" "I've almost decided and absolutely made up my mind that it will look ever so much better if you don't go with me to Harry's dinner after all." "Really?"
Chapter 1 of The Limit is here in full — 187 sentences across 38 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/37 · 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.
completely and without qualification; used informally as intensifiers
From this reading “"I've almost decided and absolutely made up my mind that it will look ever so much better if you don't go with me to Harry's dinner after all."”
the thing arranged or agreed to
From this reading “Originally published 1911 by Grant Richards Ltd. Reissued 1950 by arrangement with the Richards Press Ltd.”
let have
From this reading “Originally published 1911 by Grant Richards Ltd. Reissued 1950 by arrangement with the Richards Press Ltd.”
in an original manner
From this reading “Originally published 1911 by Grant Richards Ltd. Reissued 1950 by arrangement with the Richards Press Ltd.”
exert pressure or force to or upon
From this reading “Originally published 1911 by Grant Richards Ltd. Reissued 1950 by arrangement with the Richards Press Ltd.”
prepared and printed for distribution and sale
From this reading “Originally published 1911 by Grant Richards Ltd. Reissued 1950 by arrangement with the Richards Press Ltd.”
past form of “reissue” — print anew
From this reading “Originally published 1911 by Grant Richards Ltd. Reissued 1950 by arrangement with the Richards Press Ltd.”
English literary critic who collaborated with C. K. Ogden and contributed to the development of Basic English (1893-1979)
From this reading “Originally published 1911 by Grant Richards Ltd. Reissued 1950 by arrangement with the Richards Press Ltd.”
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.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Originally published 1911 by Grant Richards Ltd. Reissued 1950 by arrangement with the Richards Press Ltd.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Originally published 1911 by Grant Richards Ltd. Reissued 1950 by arrangement with the Richards Press Ltd.
completely and without qualification; used informally as intensifiers
From this reading "I've almost decided and absolutely made up my mind that it will look ever so much better if you don't go with me to Harry's dinner after all."
later than; following
From this reading "I've almost decided and absolutely made up my mind that it will look ever so much better if you don't go with me to Harry's dinner after all."
(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 "I've almost decided and absolutely made up my mind that it will look ever so much better if you don't go with me to Harry's dinner after all."
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading "I've almost decided and absolutely made up my mind that it will look ever so much better if you don't go with me to Harry's dinner after all."
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "I've almost decided and absolutely made up my mind that it will look ever so much better if you don't go with me to Harry's dinner after all."
any thing at all
From this reading "Valentia, do I ever do anything else?"
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "Romer, are you listening?"
the thing arranged or agreed to
From this reading Originally published 1911 by Grant Richards Ltd. Reissued 1950 by arrangement with the Richards Press Ltd.
(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 "I've almost decided and absolutely made up my mind that it will look ever so much better if you don't go with me to Harry's dinner after all."
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Originally published 1911 by Grant Richards Ltd. Reissued 1950 by arrangement with the Richards Press Ltd.
recognizable; marked
From this reading "I've almost decided and absolutely made up my mind that it will look ever so much better if you don't go with me to Harry's dinner after all."
the main meal of the day served in the evening or at midday
From this reading "I've almost decided and absolutely made up my mind that it will look ever so much better if you don't go with me to Harry's dinner after all."
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading "Valentia, do I ever do anything else?"
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I've almost decided and absolutely made up my mind that it will look ever so much better if you don't go with me to Harry's dinner after all."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Valentia, do I ever do anything else?"
at any time
From this reading "Valentia, do I ever do anything else?"
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading "I've almost decided and absolutely made up my mind that it will look ever so much better if you don't go with me to Harry's dinner after all."
let have
From this reading Originally published 1911 by Grant Richards Ltd. Reissued 1950 by arrangement with the Richards Press Ltd.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I've almost decided and absolutely made up my mind that it will look ever so much better if you don't go with me to Harry's dinner after all."
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "Valentia, do I ever do anything else?"
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I've almost decided and absolutely made up my mind that it will look ever so much better if you don't go with me to Harry's dinner after all."
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading "I've almost decided and absolutely made up my mind that it will look ever so much better if you don't go with me to Harry's dinner after all."
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "I've almost decided and absolutely made up my mind that it will look ever so much better if you don't go with me to Harry's dinner after all."
the act of hearing attentively
From this reading "Romer, are you listening?"
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading "I've almost decided and absolutely made up my mind that it will look ever so much better if you don't go with me to Harry's dinner after all."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Originally published 1911 by Grant Richards Ltd. Reissued 1950 by arrangement with the Richards Press Ltd.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading "I've almost decided and absolutely made up my mind that it will look ever so much better if you don't go with me to Harry's dinner after all."
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "I've almost decided and absolutely made up my mind that it will look ever so much better if you don't go with me to Harry's dinner after all."
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading "I've almost decided and absolutely made up my mind that it will look ever so much better if you don't go with me to Harry's dinner after all."
to a great degree or extent
From this reading "I've almost decided and absolutely made up my mind that it will look ever so much better if you don't go with me to Harry's dinner after all."
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading "I've almost decided and absolutely made up my mind that it will look ever so much better if you don't go with me to Harry's dinner after all."
in an original manner
From this reading Originally published 1911 by Grant Richards Ltd. Reissued 1950 by arrangement with the Richards Press Ltd.
exert pressure or force to or upon
From this reading Originally published 1911 by Grant Richards Ltd. Reissued 1950 by arrangement with the Richards Press Ltd.
prepared and printed for distribution and sale
From this reading Originally published 1911 by Grant Richards Ltd. Reissued 1950 by arrangement with the Richards Press Ltd.
in accordance with truth or fact or reality
From this reading "Really?"
past form of “reissue” — print anew
From this reading Originally published 1911 by Grant Richards Ltd. Reissued 1950 by arrangement with the Richards Press Ltd.
English literary critic who collaborated with C. K. Ogden and contributed to the development of Basic English (1893-1979)
From this reading Originally published 1911 by Grant Richards Ltd. Reissued 1950 by arrangement with the Richards Press Ltd.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Romer, are you listening?"
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading "I've almost decided and absolutely made up my mind that it will look ever so much better if you don't go with me to Harry's dinner after all."
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "I've almost decided and absolutely made up my mind that it will look ever so much better if you don't go with me to Harry's dinner after all."
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Originally published 1911 by Grant Richards Ltd. Reissued 1950 by arrangement with the Richards Press Ltd.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "I've almost decided and absolutely made up my mind that it will look ever so much better if you don't go with me to Harry's dinner after all."
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading "I've almost decided and absolutely made up my mind that it will look ever so much better if you don't go with me to Harry's dinner after all."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Valentia, do I ever do anything else?"
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading "I've almost decided and absolutely made up my mind that it will look ever so much better if you don't go with me to Harry's dinner after all."
in the company of; together with
From this reading Originally published 1911 by Grant Richards Ltd. Reissued 1950 by arrangement with the Richards Press Ltd.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Romer, are you listening?"
Chapter 1 of The Limit by Ada Leverson holds 187 sentences, grouped into 38 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 187 sentences of The Limit, unabridged, divided into 38 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 1 of The Limit by Ada Leverson exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 187 sentences, grouped into 38 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 38 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 38 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 Limit by Ada Leverson on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 4507 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #28465 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #28465, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 375 minutes of reading across 902 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Limit section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 36 chapters of The Limit 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 Limit, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
