Chapter 22 of The Personal History of David Copperfield is here in full — 670 sentences across 134 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XXII
Chapter 22 of The Personal History of David Copperfield is here in full — 670 sentences across 134 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
ANOTHER RETROSPECT. I must pause yet once again. O, my child-wife, there is a figure in the moving crowd before my memory, quiet and still, saying in its innocent love and childish beauty, Stop to think of me--turn to look upon the little blossom, as it flutters to the ground! I do. All else grows dim, and fades away.
Chapter 22 of The Personal History of David Copperfield is here in full — 670 sentences across 134 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/134 · 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.
produce or yield flowers
From this reading “O, my child-wife, there is a figure in the moving crowd before my memory, quiet and still, saying in its innocent love and childish beauty, Stop to think of me--turn to look upon the little blossom, as it flutters to the ground!”
indicating a lack of maturity
From this reading “O, my child-wife, there is a figure in the moving crowd before my memory, quiet and still, saying in its innocent love and childish beauty, Stop to think of me--turn to look upon the little blossom, as it flutters to the ground!”
lacking in light; not bright or harsh
From this reading “All else grows dim, and fades away.”
plural of “fade” — a golf shot that curves to the right for a right-handed golfer
From this reading “All else grows dim, and fades away.”
plural of “flutter” — the act of moving back and forth
From this reading “O, my child-wife, there is a figure in the moving crowd before my memory, quiet and still, saying in its innocent love and childish beauty, Stop to think of me--turn to look upon the little blossom, as it flutters to the ground!”
third-person singular of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading “All else grows dim, and fades away.”
free from evil or guilt
From this reading “O, my child-wife, there is a figure in the moving crowd before my memory, quiet and still, saying in its innocent love and childish beauty, Stop to think of me--turn to look upon the little blossom, as it flutters to the ground!”
contemplation of things past
From this reading “ANOTHER RETROSPECT.”
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.
become weaker
In this reading “All else grows dim, and fades away.”
In this reading “All else grows dim, and fades away.”
look on as or consider
In this reading “O, my child-wife, there is a figure in the moving crowd before my memory, quiet and still, saying in its innocent love and childish beauty, Stop to think of me--turn to look upon the little blossom, as it flutters to the ground!”
keep in mind for attention or consideration
In this reading “O, my child-wife, there is a figure in the moving crowd before my memory, quiet and still, saying in its innocent love and childish beauty, Stop to think of me--turn to look upon the little blossom, as it flutters to the ground!”
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 O, my child-wife, there is a figure in the moving crowd before my memory, quiet and still, saying in its innocent love and childish beauty, Stop to think of me--turn to look upon the little blossom, as it flutters to the ground!
anew
From this reading I must pause yet once 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 All else grows dim, and fades away.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading O, my child-wife, there is a figure in the moving crowd before my memory, quiet and still, saying in its innocent love and childish beauty, Stop to think of me--turn to look upon the little blossom, as it flutters to the ground!
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading ANOTHER RETROSPECT.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading O, my child-wife, there is a figure in the moving crowd before my memory, quiet and still, saying in its innocent love and childish beauty, Stop to think of me--turn to look upon the little blossom, as it flutters to the ground!
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading All else grows dim, and fades away.
the qualities that give pleasure to the senses
From this reading O, my child-wife, there is a figure in the moving crowd before my memory, quiet and still, saying in its innocent love and childish beauty, Stop to think of me--turn to look upon the little blossom, as it flutters to the ground!
earlier than; in front of
From this reading O, my child-wife, there is a figure in the moving crowd before my memory, quiet and still, saying in its innocent love and childish beauty, Stop to think of me--turn to look upon the little blossom, as it flutters to the ground!
produce or yield flowers
From this reading O, my child-wife, there is a figure in the moving crowd before my memory, quiet and still, saying in its innocent love and childish beauty, Stop to think of me--turn to look upon the little blossom, as it flutters to the ground!
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading O, my child-wife, there is a figure in the moving crowd before my memory, quiet and still, saying in its innocent love and childish beauty, Stop to think of me--turn to look upon the little blossom, as it flutters to the ground!
indicating a lack of maturity
From this reading O, my child-wife, there is a figure in the moving crowd before my memory, quiet and still, saying in its innocent love and childish beauty, Stop to think of me--turn to look upon the little blossom, as it flutters to the ground!
cause to herd, drive, or crowd together
From this reading O, my child-wife, there is a figure in the moving crowd before my memory, quiet and still, saying in its innocent love and childish beauty, Stop to think of me--turn to look upon the little blossom, as it flutters to the ground!
lacking in light; not bright or harsh
From this reading All else grows dim, and fades away.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading I do.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All else grows dim, and fades away.
plural of “fade” — a golf shot that curves to the right for a right-handed golfer
From this reading All else grows dim, and fades away.
a diagram or picture illustrating textual material
From this reading O, my child-wife, there is a figure in the moving crowd before my memory, quiet and still, saying in its innocent love and childish beauty, Stop to think of me--turn to look upon the little blossom, as it flutters to the ground!
plural of “flutter” — the act of moving back and forth
From this reading O, my child-wife, there is a figure in the moving crowd before my memory, quiet and still, saying in its innocent love and childish beauty, Stop to think of me--turn to look upon the little blossom, as it flutters to the ground!
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading O, my child-wife, there is a figure in the moving crowd before my memory, quiet and still, saying in its innocent love and childish beauty, Stop to think of me--turn to look upon the little blossom, as it flutters to the ground!
third-person singular of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading All else grows dim, and fades away.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I must pause yet once again.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading O, my child-wife, there is a figure in the moving crowd before my memory, quiet and still, saying in its innocent love and childish beauty, Stop to think of me--turn to look upon the little blossom, as it flutters to the ground!
free from evil or guilt
From this reading O, my child-wife, there is a figure in the moving crowd before my memory, quiet and still, saying in its innocent love and childish beauty, Stop to think of me--turn to look upon the little blossom, as it flutters to the ground!
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading O, my child-wife, there is a figure in the moving crowd before my memory, quiet and still, saying in its innocent love and childish beauty, Stop to think of me--turn to look upon the little blossom, as it flutters to the ground!
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading O, my child-wife, there is a figure in the moving crowd before my memory, quiet and still, saying in its innocent love and childish beauty, Stop to think of me--turn to look upon the little blossom, as it flutters to the ground!
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading O, my child-wife, there is a figure in the moving crowd before my memory, quiet and still, saying in its innocent love and childish beauty, Stop to think of me--turn to look upon the little blossom, as it flutters to the ground!
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading O, my child-wife, there is a figure in the moving crowd before my memory, quiet and still, saying in its innocent love and childish beauty, Stop to think of me--turn to look upon the little blossom, as it flutters to the ground!
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading O, my child-wife, there is a figure in the moving crowd before my memory, quiet and still, saying in its innocent love and childish beauty, Stop to think of me--turn to look upon the little blossom, as it flutters to the ground!
a strong positive emotion of regard and affection
From this reading O, my child-wife, there is a figure in the moving crowd before my memory, quiet and still, saying in its innocent love and childish beauty, Stop to think of me--turn to look upon the little blossom, as it flutters to the ground!
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading O, my child-wife, there is a figure in the moving crowd before my memory, quiet and still, saying in its innocent love and childish beauty, Stop to think of me--turn to look upon the little blossom, as it flutters to the ground!
The faculty by which the mind stores and remembers information and knowledge.
From this reading O, my child-wife, there is a figure in the moving crowd before my memory, quiet and still, saying in its innocent love and childish beauty, Stop to think of me--turn to look upon the little blossom, as it flutters to the ground!
in motion
From this reading O, my child-wife, there is a figure in the moving crowd before my memory, quiet and still, saying in its innocent love and childish beauty, Stop to think of me--turn to look upon the little blossom, as it flutters to the ground!
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading I must pause yet once again.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading O, my child-wife, there is a figure in the moving crowd before my memory, quiet and still, saying in its innocent love and childish beauty, Stop to think of me--turn to look upon the little blossom, as it flutters to the ground!
a nonmetallic bivalent element that is normally a colorless odorless tasteless nonflammable diatomic gas; constitutes 21 percent of the atmosphere by volume; the most abundant element in the earth's crust
From this reading O, my child-wife, there is a figure in the moving crowd before my memory, quiet and still, saying in its innocent love and childish beauty, Stop to think of me--turn to look upon the little blossom, as it flutters to the ground!
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading O, my child-wife, there is a figure in the moving crowd before my memory, quiet and still, saying in its innocent love and childish beauty, Stop to think of me--turn to look upon the little blossom, as it flutters to the ground!
on one occasion
From this reading I must pause yet once again.
a time interval during which there is a temporary cessation of something
From this reading I must pause yet once again.
characterized by an absence or near absence of agitation or activity
From this reading O, my child-wife, there is a figure in the moving crowd before my memory, quiet and still, saying in its innocent love and childish beauty, Stop to think of me--turn to look upon the little blossom, as it flutters to the ground!
contemplation of things past
From this reading ANOTHER RETROSPECT.
a word or phrase that particular people use in particular situations
From this reading O, my child-wife, there is a figure in the moving crowd before my memory, quiet and still, saying in its innocent love and childish beauty, Stop to think of me--turn to look upon the little blossom, as it flutters to the ground!
not in physical motion
From this reading O, my child-wife, there is a figure in the moving crowd before my memory, quiet and still, saying in its innocent love and childish beauty, Stop to think of me--turn to look upon the little blossom, as it flutters to the ground!
come to a halt, stop moving
From this reading O, my child-wife, there is a figure in the moving crowd before my memory, quiet and still, saying in its innocent love and childish beauty, Stop to think of me--turn to look upon the little blossom, as it flutters to the ground!
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading O, my child-wife, there is a figure in the moving crowd before my memory, quiet and still, saying in its innocent love and childish beauty, Stop to think of me--turn to look upon the little blossom, as it flutters to the ground!
in or at that place or location
From this reading O, my child-wife, there is a figure in the moving crowd before my memory, quiet and still, saying in its innocent love and childish beauty, Stop to think of me--turn to look upon the little blossom, as it flutters to the ground!
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading O, my child-wife, there is a figure in the moving crowd before my memory, quiet and still, saying in its innocent love and childish beauty, Stop to think of me--turn to look upon the little blossom, as it flutters to the ground!
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading O, my child-wife, there is a figure in the moving crowd before my memory, quiet and still, saying in its innocent love and childish beauty, Stop to think of me--turn to look upon the little blossom, as it flutters to the ground!
change orientation or direction, also in the abstract sense
From this reading O, my child-wife, there is a figure in the moving crowd before my memory, quiet and still, saying in its innocent love and childish beauty, Stop to think of me--turn to look upon the little blossom, as it flutters to the ground!
a formal word for “on”
From this reading O, my child-wife, there is a figure in the moving crowd before my memory, quiet and still, saying in its innocent love and childish beauty, Stop to think of me--turn to look upon the little blossom, as it flutters to the ground!
but in spite of that
From this reading I must pause yet once again.
Chapter 22 of The Personal History of David Copperfield by Charles Dickens holds 670 sentences, grouped into 134 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 22 holds 670 sentences of The Personal History of David Copperfield, unabridged, divided into 134 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 22 of The Personal History of David Copperfield by Charles Dickens exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 670 sentences, grouped into 134 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 134 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 134 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 22 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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Yes. All 18363 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #43111 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #43111, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 600 minutes of reading across 3673 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
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Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in The Personal History of David Copperfield, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
