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The pot of basil
The pot of basil

Chapter XXVIII · A Posthumous Existence

Chapter XXVIII of The pot of basil, “A Posthumous Existence,” is here in full — 95 sentences across 19 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/19 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
“And she forgot the stars, the moon, and sun, And she forgot the blue above the trees, And she forgot the dells where waters run, And she forgot the chilly autumn breeze; She had no knowledge when the day was done, And the new moon she saw not: but in peace Hung over her sweet basil ever more, And moistened it with tears unto the core.”
In that strange long sleep of swoons and haunted wakings there was a dream she had.
Something had always troubled her--a sense of something left undone, on the fulfilment of which a rapturous tryst depended.
It was associated with a promise, which yet was a promise conditional on something to be performed.
At first, in her half-lucid intervals, she had been content to lie quite still and resigned, secure in the thought that no more than the third day was needed to see her broken heart made whole in the transport of a swift re-union; but the day came and passed, and she was still lying unreleased in the quiet room.
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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 pot of basil

Chapter XXVIII · A Posthumous Existence

Chapter XXVIII of The pot of basil, “A Posthumous Existence,” is here in full — 95 sentences across 19 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/19 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
“And she forgot the stars, the moon, and sun, And she forgot the blue above the trees, And she forgot the dells where waters run, And she forgot the chilly autumn breeze; She had no knowledge when the day was done, And the new moon she saw not: but in peace Hung over her sweet basil ever more, And moistened it with tears unto the core.”
Line 2
In that strange long sleep of swoons and haunted wakings there was a dream she had.
Line 3
Something had always troubled her--a sense of something left undone, on the fulfilment of which a rapturous tryst depended.
Line 4
It was associated with a promise, which yet was a promise conditional on something to be performed.
/ɪt wɑːz əˈsoʊsieɪtɪd wɪð ə ˈprɑːməs wɪtʃ jet wɑːz ə ˈprɑːməs kənˈdɪʃənəl ɑːn ˈsʌmθɪŋ tuː biː pərˈfɔːrmd/
Line 5
At first, in her half-lucid intervals, she had been content to lie quite still and resigned, secure in the thought that no more than the third day was needed to see her broken heart made whole in the transport of a swift re-union; but the day came and passed, and she was still lying unreleased in the quiet room.

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.

chilly adjective US /ˈtʃɪli/

not characterized by emotion

From this reading ““And she forgot the stars, the moon, and sun, And she forgot the blue above the trees, And she forgot the dells where waters run, And she forgot the chilly autumn breeze; She had no knowledge when the day was done, And the new moon she saw not: but in peace Hung over her sweet basil ever more, And moistened it with tears unto the core.””

conditional adjective US /kənˈdɪʃənəl/

qualified by reservations

From this reading “It was associated with a promise, which yet was a promise conditional on something to be performed.”

core noun US /kɔːr/

a small group of indispensable persons or things

From this reading ““And she forgot the stars, the moon, and sun, And she forgot the blue above the trees, And she forgot the dells where waters run, And she forgot the chilly autumn breeze; She had no knowledge when the day was done, And the new moon she saw not: but in peace Hung over her sweet basil ever more, And moistened it with tears unto the core.””

moistened verb US /ˈmɔɪsənd/

past form of “moisten” — make moist

From this reading ““And she forgot the stars, the moon, and sun, And she forgot the blue above the trees, And she forgot the dells where waters run, And she forgot the chilly autumn breeze; She had no knowledge when the day was done, And the new moon she saw not: but in peace Hung over her sweet basil ever more, And moistened it with tears unto the core.””

rapturous adjective US /ˈræptʃərəs/

feeling great rapture or delight

From this reading “Something had always troubled her--a sense of something left undone, on the fulfilment of which a rapturous tryst depended.”

tryst noun US /trɪst/

a date; usually with a member of the opposite sex

From this reading “Something had always troubled her--a sense of something left undone, on the fulfilment of which a rapturous tryst depended.”

undone adjective US /ənˈdʌn/

not done

From this reading “Something had always troubled her--a sense of something left undone, on the fulfilment of which a rapturous tryst depended.”

unreleased adjective US /ənrɪˈliːst/

not (or not yet) made available for distribution or publication

From this reading “At first, in her half-lucid intervals, she had been content to lie quite still and resigned, secure in the thought that no more than the third day was needed to see her broken heart made whole in the transport of a swift re-union; but the day came and passed, and she was still lying unreleased in the quiet room.”

Word partnerships in these lines

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.

third day noun + noun

In this reading “At first, in her half-lucid intervals, she had been content to lie quite still and resigned, secure in the thought that no more than the third day was needed to see her broken heart made whole in the transport of a swift re-union; but the day came and passed, and she was still lying unreleased in the quiet room.”

associated with verb + particle counted as “associate with”

In this reading “It was associated with a promise, which yet was a promise conditional on something to be performed.”

Hung over verb + particle counted as “hang over”

In this reading ““And she forgot the stars, the moon, and sun, And she forgot the blue above the trees, And she forgot the dells where waters run, And she forgot the chilly autumn breeze; She had no knowledge when the day was done, And the new moon she saw not: but in peace Hung over her sweet basil ever more, And moistened it with tears unto the core.””

new moon adjective + noun

the time at which the Moon appears as a narrow waxing crescent

In this reading ““And she forgot the stars, the moon, and sun, And she forgot the blue above the trees, And she forgot the dells where waters run, And she forgot the chilly autumn breeze; She had no knowledge when the day was done, And the new moon she saw not: but in peace Hung over her sweet basil ever more, And moistened it with tears unto the core.””

broken heart adjective + noun

devastating sorrow and despair

In this reading “At first, in her half-lucid intervals, she had been content to lie quite still and resigned, secure in the thought that no more than the third day was needed to see her broken heart made whole in the transport of a swift re-union; but the day came and passed, and she was still lying unreleased in the quiet room.”

with tears preposition + noun

In this reading ““And she forgot the stars, the moon, and sun, And she forgot the blue above the trees, And she forgot the dells where waters run, And she forgot the chilly autumn breeze; She had no knowledge when the day was done, And the new moon she saw not: but in peace Hung over her sweet basil ever more, And moistened it with tears unto the core.””

quite still adverb + adjective

In this reading “At first, in her half-lucid intervals, she had been content to lie quite still and resigned, secure in the thought that no more than the third day was needed to see her broken heart made whole in the transport of a swift re-union; but the day came and passed, and she was still lying unreleased in the quiet room.”

in peace preposition + noun

In this reading ““And she forgot the stars, the moon, and sun, And she forgot the blue above the trees, And she forgot the dells where waters run, And she forgot the chilly autumn breeze; She had no knowledge when the day was done, And the new moon she saw not: but in peace Hung over her sweet basil ever more, And moistened it with tears unto the core.””

All words in this reading · 102

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 In that strange long sleep of swoons and haunted wakings there was a dream she had.

aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/

higher than, or over, something

From this reading “And she forgot the stars, the moon, and sun, And she forgot the blue above the trees, And she forgot the dells where waters run, And she forgot the chilly autumn breeze; She had no knowledge when the day was done, And the new moon she saw not: but in peace Hung over her sweet basil ever more, And moistened it with tears unto the core.”

alwaysadverbUS /ˈɔːlweɪz/

at all times; all the time and on every occasion

From this reading Something had always troubled her--a sense of something left undone, on the fulfilment of which a rapturous tryst depended.

AndconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading “And she forgot the stars, the moon, and sun, And she forgot the blue above the trees, And she forgot the dells where waters run, And she forgot the chilly autumn breeze; She had no knowledge when the day was done, And the new moon she saw not: but in peace Hung over her sweet basil ever more, And moistened it with tears unto the core.”

associatedverbUS /əˈsoʊsieɪtɪd/

past form of “associate” — make a logical or causal connection

From this reading It was associated with a promise, which yet was a promise conditional on something to be performed.

AtprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading At first, in her half-lucid intervals, she had been content to lie quite still and resigned, secure in the thought that no more than the third day was needed to see her broken heart made whole in the transport of a swift re-union; but the day came and passed, and she was still lying unreleased in the quiet room.

autumnnounUS /ˈɔːtəm/

the season when the leaves fall from the trees

From this reading “And she forgot the stars, the moon, and sun, And she forgot the blue above the trees, And she forgot the dells where waters run, And she forgot the chilly autumn breeze; She had no knowledge when the day was done, And the new moon she saw not: but in peace Hung over her sweet basil ever more, And moistened it with tears unto the core.”

basilnounUS /ˈbæzəl/

any of several Old World tropical aromatic annual or perennial herbs of the genus Ocimum

From this reading “And she forgot the stars, the moon, and sun, And she forgot the blue above the trees, And she forgot the dells where waters run, And she forgot the chilly autumn breeze; She had no knowledge when the day was done, And the new moon she saw not: but in peace Hung over her sweet basil ever more, And moistened it with tears unto the core.”

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading It was associated with a promise, which yet was a promise conditional on something to be performed.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading At first, in her half-lucid intervals, she had been content to lie quite still and resigned, secure in the thought that no more than the third day was needed to see her broken heart made whole in the transport of a swift re-union; but the day came and passed, and she was still lying unreleased in the quiet room.

blueadjectiveUS /bluː/

of the color intermediate between green and violet; having a color similar to that of a clear unclouded sky

From this reading “And she forgot the stars, the moon, and sun, And she forgot the blue above the trees, And she forgot the dells where waters run, And she forgot the chilly autumn breeze; She had no knowledge when the day was done, And the new moon she saw not: but in peace Hung over her sweet basil ever more, And moistened it with tears unto the core.”

breezenounUS /briːz/

a slight wind (usually refreshing)

From this reading “And she forgot the stars, the moon, and sun, And she forgot the blue above the trees, And she forgot the dells where waters run, And she forgot the chilly autumn breeze; She had no knowledge when the day was done, And the new moon she saw not: but in peace Hung over her sweet basil ever more, And moistened it with tears unto the core.”

brokenadjectiveUS /ˈbroʊkən/

physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split

From this reading At first, in her half-lucid intervals, she had been content to lie quite still and resigned, secure in the thought that no more than the third day was needed to see her broken heart made whole in the transport of a swift re-union; but the day came and passed, and she was still lying unreleased in the quiet room.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading “And she forgot the stars, the moon, and sun, And she forgot the blue above the trees, And she forgot the dells where waters run, And she forgot the chilly autumn breeze; She had no knowledge when the day was done, And the new moon she saw not: but in peace Hung over her sweet basil ever more, And moistened it with tears unto the core.”

cameverbUS /keɪm/

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading At first, in her half-lucid intervals, she had been content to lie quite still and resigned, secure in the thought that no more than the third day was needed to see her broken heart made whole in the transport of a swift re-union; but the day came and passed, and she was still lying unreleased in the quiet room.

chillyadjectiveUS /ˈtʃɪli/

not characterized by emotion

From this reading “And she forgot the stars, the moon, and sun, And she forgot the blue above the trees, And she forgot the dells where waters run, And she forgot the chilly autumn breeze; She had no knowledge when the day was done, And the new moon she saw not: but in peace Hung over her sweet basil ever more, And moistened it with tears unto the core.”

conditionaladjectiveUS /kənˈdɪʃənəl/

qualified by reservations

From this reading It was associated with a promise, which yet was a promise conditional on something to be performed.

contentnounUS /ˈkɑːntent/

(usually plural) everything that is included in a collection and that is held or included in something

From this reading At first, in her half-lucid intervals, she had been content to lie quite still and resigned, secure in the thought that no more than the third day was needed to see her broken heart made whole in the transport of a swift re-union; but the day came and passed, and she was still lying unreleased in the quiet room.

corenounUS /kɔːr/

a small group of indispensable persons or things

From this reading “And she forgot the stars, the moon, and sun, And she forgot the blue above the trees, And she forgot the dells where waters run, And she forgot the chilly autumn breeze; She had no knowledge when the day was done, And the new moon she saw not: but in peace Hung over her sweet basil ever more, And moistened it with tears unto the core.”

daynounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading “And she forgot the stars, the moon, and sun, And she forgot the blue above the trees, And she forgot the dells where waters run, And she forgot the chilly autumn breeze; She had no knowledge when the day was done, And the new moon she saw not: but in peace Hung over her sweet basil ever more, And moistened it with tears unto the core.”

dells

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

From this reading “And she forgot the stars, the moon, and sun, And she forgot the blue above the trees, And she forgot the dells where waters run, And she forgot the chilly autumn breeze; She had no knowledge when the day was done, And the new moon she saw not: but in peace Hung over her sweet basil ever more, And moistened it with tears unto the core.”

dependedverbUS /dɪˈpendəd/

past form of “depend” — be contingent upon (something that is elided)

From this reading Something had always troubled her--a sense of something left undone, on the fulfilment of which a rapturous tryst depended.

doneadjectiveUS /dʌn/

having finished or arrived at completion

From this reading “And she forgot the stars, the moon, and sun, And she forgot the blue above the trees, And she forgot the dells where waters run, And she forgot the chilly autumn breeze; She had no knowledge when the day was done, And the new moon she saw not: but in peace Hung over her sweet basil ever more, And moistened it with tears unto the core.”

dreamnounUS /driːm/

A series of thoughts, images, or emotions during sleep.

From this reading In that strange long sleep of swoons and haunted wakings there was a dream she had.

everadverbUS /ˈevər/

at any time

From this reading “And she forgot the stars, the moon, and sun, And she forgot the blue above the trees, And she forgot the dells where waters run, And she forgot the chilly autumn breeze; She had no knowledge when the day was done, And the new moon she saw not: but in peace Hung over her sweet basil ever more, And moistened it with tears unto the core.”

firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading At first, in her half-lucid intervals, she had been content to lie quite still and resigned, secure in the thought that no more than the third day was needed to see her broken heart made whole in the transport of a swift re-union; but the day came and passed, and she was still lying unreleased in the quiet room.

forgotverbUS /fərˈɡɑːt/

inflected form of “forget” — dismiss from the mind; stop remembering

From this reading “And she forgot the stars, the moon, and sun, And she forgot the blue above the trees, And she forgot the dells where waters run, And she forgot the chilly autumn breeze; She had no knowledge when the day was done, And the new moon she saw not: but in peace Hung over her sweet basil ever more, And moistened it with tears unto the core.”

fulfilmentnoun

a feeling of satisfaction at having achieved your desires

From this reading Something had always troubled her--a sense of something left undone, on the fulfilment of which a rapturous tryst depended.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading “And she forgot the stars, the moon, and sun, And she forgot the blue above the trees, And she forgot the dells where waters run, And she forgot the chilly autumn breeze; She had no knowledge when the day was done, And the new moon she saw not: but in peace Hung over her sweet basil ever more, And moistened it with tears unto the core.”

half-lucid

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

From this reading At first, in her half-lucid intervals, she had been content to lie quite still and resigned, secure in the thought that no more than the third day was needed to see her broken heart made whole in the transport of a swift re-union; but the day came and passed, and she was still lying unreleased in the quiet room.

hauntedadjectiveUS /ˈhɔːntɪd/

having or showing excessive or compulsive concern with something

From this reading In that strange long sleep of swoons and haunted wakings there was a dream she had.

heartnounUS /hɑːrt/

the locus of feelings and intuitions

From this reading At first, in her half-lucid intervals, she had been content to lie quite still and resigned, secure in the thought that no more than the third day was needed to see her broken heart made whole in the transport of a swift re-union; but the day came and passed, and she was still lying unreleased in the quiet room.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading “And she forgot the stars, the moon, and sun, And she forgot the blue above the trees, And she forgot the dells where waters run, And she forgot the chilly autumn breeze; She had no knowledge when the day was done, And the new moon she saw not: but in peace Hung over her sweet basil ever more, And moistened it with tears unto the core.”

HungverbUS /hʌŋ/

inflected form of “hang” — be suspended or hanging

From this reading “And she forgot the stars, the moon, and sun, And she forgot the blue above the trees, And she forgot the dells where waters run, And she forgot the chilly autumn breeze; She had no knowledge when the day was done, And the new moon she saw not: but in peace Hung over her sweet basil ever more, And moistened it with tears unto the core.”

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading “And she forgot the stars, the moon, and sun, And she forgot the blue above the trees, And she forgot the dells where waters run, And she forgot the chilly autumn breeze; She had no knowledge when the day was done, And the new moon she saw not: but in peace Hung over her sweet basil ever more, And moistened it with tears unto the core.”

intervalsnounUS /ˈɪntərvəlz/

plural of “interval” — a definite length of time marked off by two instants

From this reading At first, in her half-lucid intervals, she had been content to lie quite still and resigned, secure in the thought that no more than the third day was needed to see her broken heart made whole in the transport of a swift re-union; but the day came and passed, and she was still lying unreleased in the quiet room.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading “And she forgot the stars, the moon, and sun, And she forgot the blue above the trees, And she forgot the dells where waters run, And she forgot the chilly autumn breeze; She had no knowledge when the day was done, And the new moon she saw not: but in peace Hung over her sweet basil ever more, And moistened it with tears unto the core.”

knowledgenounUS /ˈnɑːlədʒ/

the psychological result of perception and learning and reasoning

From this reading “And she forgot the stars, the moon, and sun, And she forgot the blue above the trees, And she forgot the dells where waters run, And she forgot the chilly autumn breeze; She had no knowledge when the day was done, And the new moon she saw not: but in peace Hung over her sweet basil ever more, And moistened it with tears unto the core.”

leftnounUS /left/

location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east

From this reading Something had always troubled her--a sense of something left undone, on the fulfilment of which a rapturous tryst depended.

lieverbUS /laɪ/

be located or situated somewhere; occupy a certain position

From this reading At first, in her half-lucid intervals, she had been content to lie quite still and resigned, secure in the thought that no more than the third day was needed to see her broken heart made whole in the transport of a swift re-union; but the day came and passed, and she was still lying unreleased in the quiet room.

longadjectiveUS /lɔːŋ/

primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified

From this reading In that strange long sleep of swoons and haunted wakings there was a dream she had.

lyingnounUS /ˈlaɪɪŋ/

the deliberate act of deviating from the truth

From this reading At first, in her half-lucid intervals, she had been content to lie quite still and resigned, secure in the thought that no more than the third day was needed to see her broken heart made whole in the transport of a swift re-union; but the day came and passed, and she was still lying unreleased in the quiet room.

madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading At first, in her half-lucid intervals, she had been content to lie quite still and resigned, secure in the thought that no more than the third day was needed to see her broken heart made whole in the transport of a swift re-union; but the day came and passed, and she was still lying unreleased in the quiet room.

moistenedverbUS /ˈmɔɪsənd/

past form of “moisten” — make moist

From this reading “And she forgot the stars, the moon, and sun, And she forgot the blue above the trees, And she forgot the dells where waters run, And she forgot the chilly autumn breeze; She had no knowledge when the day was done, And the new moon she saw not: but in peace Hung over her sweet basil ever more, And moistened it with tears unto the core.”

moonnounUS /muːn/

the natural satellite of the Earth

From this reading “And she forgot the stars, the moon, and sun, And she forgot the blue above the trees, And she forgot the dells where waters run, And she forgot the chilly autumn breeze; She had no knowledge when the day was done, And the new moon she saw not: but in peace Hung over her sweet basil ever more, And moistened it with tears unto the core.”

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading “And she forgot the stars, the moon, and sun, And she forgot the blue above the trees, And she forgot the dells where waters run, And she forgot the chilly autumn breeze; She had no knowledge when the day was done, And the new moon she saw not: but in peace Hung over her sweet basil ever more, And moistened it with tears unto the core.”

neededadjectiveUS /ˈniːdəd/

necessary for relief or supply

From this reading At first, in her half-lucid intervals, she had been content to lie quite still and resigned, secure in the thought that no more than the third day was needed to see her broken heart made whole in the transport of a swift re-union; but the day came and passed, and she was still lying unreleased in the quiet room.

newadjectiveUS /nuː/

not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered

From this reading “And she forgot the stars, the moon, and sun, And she forgot the blue above the trees, And she forgot the dells where waters run, And she forgot the chilly autumn breeze; She had no knowledge when the day was done, And the new moon she saw not: but in peace Hung over her sweet basil ever more, And moistened it with tears unto the core.”

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading “And she forgot the stars, the moon, and sun, And she forgot the blue above the trees, And she forgot the dells where waters run, And she forgot the chilly autumn breeze; She had no knowledge when the day was done, And the new moon she saw not: but in peace Hung over her sweet basil ever more, And moistened it with tears unto the core.”

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading “And she forgot the stars, the moon, and sun, And she forgot the blue above the trees, And she forgot the dells where waters run, And she forgot the chilly autumn breeze; She had no knowledge when the day was done, And the new moon she saw not: but in peace Hung over her sweet basil ever more, And moistened it with tears unto the core.”

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading In that strange long sleep of swoons and haunted wakings there was a dream she had.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Something had always troubled her--a sense of something left undone, on the fulfilment of which a rapturous tryst depended.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading “And she forgot the stars, the moon, and sun, And she forgot the blue above the trees, And she forgot the dells where waters run, And she forgot the chilly autumn breeze; She had no knowledge when the day was done, And the new moon she saw not: but in peace Hung over her sweet basil ever more, And moistened it with tears unto the core.”

passedverbUS /pæst/

past form of “pass” — go across or through

From this reading At first, in her half-lucid intervals, she had been content to lie quite still and resigned, secure in the thought that no more than the third day was needed to see her broken heart made whole in the transport of a swift re-union; but the day came and passed, and she was still lying unreleased in the quiet room.

peacenounUS /piːs/

the state prevailing during the absence of war

From this reading “And she forgot the stars, the moon, and sun, And she forgot the blue above the trees, And she forgot the dells where waters run, And she forgot the chilly autumn breeze; She had no knowledge when the day was done, And the new moon she saw not: but in peace Hung over her sweet basil ever more, And moistened it with tears unto the core.”

performedverbUS /pərˈfɔːrmd/

past form of “perform” — carry out or perform an action

From this reading It was associated with a promise, which yet was a promise conditional on something to be performed.

promiseverbUS /ˈprɑːməs/

make a promise or commitment

From this reading It was associated with a promise, which yet was a promise conditional on something to be performed.

quietadjectiveUS /ˈkwaɪət/

characterized by an absence or near absence of agitation or activity

From this reading At first, in her half-lucid intervals, she had been content to lie quite still and resigned, secure in the thought that no more than the third day was needed to see her broken heart made whole in the transport of a swift re-union; but the day came and passed, and she was still lying unreleased in the quiet room.

quiteadverbUS /kwaɪt/

to a degree (not used with a negative)

From this reading At first, in her half-lucid intervals, she had been content to lie quite still and resigned, secure in the thought that no more than the third day was needed to see her broken heart made whole in the transport of a swift re-union; but the day came and passed, and she was still lying unreleased in the quiet room.

rapturousadjectiveUS /ˈræptʃərəs/

feeling great rapture or delight

From this reading Something had always troubled her--a sense of something left undone, on the fulfilment of which a rapturous tryst depended.

re-union

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

From this reading At first, in her half-lucid intervals, she had been content to lie quite still and resigned, secure in the thought that no more than the third day was needed to see her broken heart made whole in the transport of a swift re-union; but the day came and passed, and she was still lying unreleased in the quiet room.

resignedverbUS /rɪˈzaɪnd/

past form of “resign” — leave (a job, post, or position) voluntarily

From this reading At first, in her half-lucid intervals, she had been content to lie quite still and resigned, secure in the thought that no more than the third day was needed to see her broken heart made whole in the transport of a swift re-union; but the day came and passed, and she was still lying unreleased in the quiet room.

roomnounUS /ruːm/

an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling

From this reading At first, in her half-lucid intervals, she had been content to lie quite still and resigned, secure in the thought that no more than the third day was needed to see her broken heart made whole in the transport of a swift re-union; but the day came and passed, and she was still lying unreleased in the quiet room.

runverbUS /rʌn/

move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time

From this reading “And she forgot the stars, the moon, and sun, And she forgot the blue above the trees, And she forgot the dells where waters run, And she forgot the chilly autumn breeze; She had no knowledge when the day was done, And the new moon she saw not: but in peace Hung over her sweet basil ever more, And moistened it with tears unto the core.”

sawverbUS /sɔː/

cut with a saw

From this reading “And she forgot the stars, the moon, and sun, And she forgot the blue above the trees, And she forgot the dells where waters run, And she forgot the chilly autumn breeze; She had no knowledge when the day was done, And the new moon she saw not: but in peace Hung over her sweet basil ever more, And moistened it with tears unto the core.”

secureverbUS /sɪˈkjʊr/

get by special effort

From this reading At first, in her half-lucid intervals, she had been content to lie quite still and resigned, secure in the thought that no more than the third day was needed to see her broken heart made whole in the transport of a swift re-union; but the day came and passed, and she was still lying unreleased in the quiet room.

seeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading At first, in her half-lucid intervals, she had been content to lie quite still and resigned, secure in the thought that no more than the third day was needed to see her broken heart made whole in the transport of a swift re-union; but the day came and passed, and she was still lying unreleased in the quiet room.

sensenounUS /sens/

a general conscious awareness

From this reading Something had always troubled her--a sense of something left undone, on the fulfilment of which a rapturous tryst depended.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading “And she forgot the stars, the moon, and sun, And she forgot the blue above the trees, And she forgot the dells where waters run, And she forgot the chilly autumn breeze; She had no knowledge when the day was done, And the new moon she saw not: but in peace Hung over her sweet basil ever more, And moistened it with tears unto the core.”

sleepnounUS /sliːp/

a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended

From this reading In that strange long sleep of swoons and haunted wakings there was a dream she had.

SomethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/

a thing, without saying which

From this reading Something had always troubled her--a sense of something left undone, on the fulfilment of which a rapturous tryst depended.

starsnounUS /stɑːrz/

plural of “star” — (astronomy) a celestial body of hot gases that radiates energy derived from thermonuclear reactions in the interior

From this reading “And she forgot the stars, the moon, and sun, And she forgot the blue above the trees, And she forgot the dells where waters run, And she forgot the chilly autumn breeze; She had no knowledge when the day was done, And the new moon she saw not: but in peace Hung over her sweet basil ever more, And moistened it with tears unto the core.”

stilladjectiveUS /stɪl/

not in physical motion

From this reading At first, in her half-lucid intervals, she had been content to lie quite still and resigned, secure in the thought that no more than the third day was needed to see her broken heart made whole in the transport of a swift re-union; but the day came and passed, and she was still lying unreleased in the quiet room.

strangeadjectiveUS /streɪndʒ/

being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird

From this reading In that strange long sleep of swoons and haunted wakings there was a dream she had.

sunnounUS /sʌn/

the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system

From this reading “And she forgot the stars, the moon, and sun, And she forgot the blue above the trees, And she forgot the dells where waters run, And she forgot the chilly autumn breeze; She had no knowledge when the day was done, And the new moon she saw not: but in peace Hung over her sweet basil ever more, And moistened it with tears unto the core.”

sweetadjectiveUS /swiːt/

having or denoting the characteristic taste of sugar

From this reading “And she forgot the stars, the moon, and sun, And she forgot the blue above the trees, And she forgot the dells where waters run, And she forgot the chilly autumn breeze; She had no knowledge when the day was done, And the new moon she saw not: but in peace Hung over her sweet basil ever more, And moistened it with tears unto the core.”

swiftadjectiveUS /swɪft/

moving very fast

From this reading At first, in her half-lucid intervals, she had been content to lie quite still and resigned, secure in the thought that no more than the third day was needed to see her broken heart made whole in the transport of a swift re-union; but the day came and passed, and she was still lying unreleased in the quiet room.

swoons

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

From this reading In that strange long sleep of swoons and haunted wakings there was a dream she had.

tearsnounUS /terz/

the process of shedding tears (usually accompanied by sobs or other inarticulate sounds)

From this reading “And she forgot the stars, the moon, and sun, And she forgot the blue above the trees, And she forgot the dells where waters run, And she forgot the chilly autumn breeze; She had no knowledge when the day was done, And the new moon she saw not: but in peace Hung over her sweet basil ever more, And moistened it with tears unto the core.”

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading At first, in her half-lucid intervals, she had been content to lie quite still and resigned, secure in the thought that no more than the third day was needed to see her broken heart made whole in the transport of a swift re-union; but the day came and passed, and she was still lying unreleased in the quiet room.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading In that strange long sleep of swoons and haunted wakings there was a dream she had.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading “And she forgot the stars, the moon, and sun, And she forgot the blue above the trees, And she forgot the dells where waters run, And she forgot the chilly autumn breeze; She had no knowledge when the day was done, And the new moon she saw not: but in peace Hung over her sweet basil ever more, And moistened it with tears unto the core.”

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading In that strange long sleep of swoons and haunted wakings there was a dream she had.

thirdnounUS /θɜːrd/

one of three equal parts of a divisible whole

From this reading At first, in her half-lucid intervals, she had been content to lie quite still and resigned, secure in the thought that no more than the third day was needed to see her broken heart made whole in the transport of a swift re-union; but the day came and passed, and she was still lying unreleased in the quiet room.

thoughtnounUS /θɔːt/

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

From this reading At first, in her half-lucid intervals, she had been content to lie quite still and resigned, secure in the thought that no more than the third day was needed to see her broken heart made whole in the transport of a swift re-union; but the day came and passed, and she was still lying unreleased in the quiet room.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading It was associated with a promise, which yet was a promise conditional on something to be performed.

transportnounUS /trænˈspɔːrt/

something that serves as a means of transportation

From this reading At first, in her half-lucid intervals, she had been content to lie quite still and resigned, secure in the thought that no more than the third day was needed to see her broken heart made whole in the transport of a swift re-union; but the day came and passed, and she was still lying unreleased in the quiet room.

treesnounUS /triːz/

plural of “tree” — a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms

From this reading “And she forgot the stars, the moon, and sun, And she forgot the blue above the trees, And she forgot the dells where waters run, And she forgot the chilly autumn breeze; She had no knowledge when the day was done, And the new moon she saw not: but in peace Hung over her sweet basil ever more, And moistened it with tears unto the core.”

troubledadjectiveUS /ˈtrʌbəld/

characterized by or indicative of distress or affliction or danger or need

From this reading Something had always troubled her--a sense of something left undone, on the fulfilment of which a rapturous tryst depended.

trystnounUS /trɪst/

a date; usually with a member of the opposite sex

From this reading Something had always troubled her--a sense of something left undone, on the fulfilment of which a rapturous tryst depended.

undoneadjectiveUS /ənˈdʌn/

not done

From this reading Something had always troubled her--a sense of something left undone, on the fulfilment of which a rapturous tryst depended.

unreleasedadjectiveUS /ənrɪˈliːst/

not (or not yet) made available for distribution or publication

From this reading At first, in her half-lucid intervals, she had been content to lie quite still and resigned, secure in the thought that no more than the third day was needed to see her broken heart made whole in the transport of a swift re-union; but the day came and passed, and she was still lying unreleased in the quiet room.

untoprepositionUS /ˈʌntuː/

an old word for “to”

From this reading “And she forgot the stars, the moon, and sun, And she forgot the blue above the trees, And she forgot the dells where waters run, And she forgot the chilly autumn breeze; She had no knowledge when the day was done, And the new moon she saw not: but in peace Hung over her sweet basil ever more, And moistened it with tears unto the core.”

wakings

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

From this reading In that strange long sleep of swoons and haunted wakings there was a dream she had.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading “And she forgot the stars, the moon, and sun, And she forgot the blue above the trees, And she forgot the dells where waters run, And she forgot the chilly autumn breeze; She had no knowledge when the day was done, And the new moon she saw not: but in peace Hung over her sweet basil ever more, And moistened it with tears unto the core.”

watersnounUS /ˈwɔːtərz/

United States actress and singer (1896-1977)

From this reading “And she forgot the stars, the moon, and sun, And she forgot the blue above the trees, And she forgot the dells where waters run, And she forgot the chilly autumn breeze; She had no knowledge when the day was done, And the new moon she saw not: but in peace Hung over her sweet basil ever more, And moistened it with tears unto the core.”

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading “And she forgot the stars, the moon, and sun, And she forgot the blue above the trees, And she forgot the dells where waters run, And she forgot the chilly autumn breeze; She had no knowledge when the day was done, And the new moon she saw not: but in peace Hung over her sweet basil ever more, And moistened it with tears unto the core.”

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading “And she forgot the stars, the moon, and sun, And she forgot the blue above the trees, And she forgot the dells where waters run, And she forgot the chilly autumn breeze; She had no knowledge when the day was done, And the new moon she saw not: but in peace Hung over her sweet basil ever more, And moistened it with tears unto the core.”

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading Something had always troubled her--a sense of something left undone, on the fulfilment of which a rapturous tryst depended.

wholeadjectiveUS /hoʊl/

including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete

From this reading At first, in her half-lucid intervals, she had been content to lie quite still and resigned, secure in the thought that no more than the third day was needed to see her broken heart made whole in the transport of a swift re-union; but the day came and passed, and she was still lying unreleased in the quiet room.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading “And she forgot the stars, the moon, and sun, And she forgot the blue above the trees, And she forgot the dells where waters run, And she forgot the chilly autumn breeze; She had no knowledge when the day was done, And the new moon she saw not: but in peace Hung over her sweet basil ever more, And moistened it with tears unto the core.”

yetconjunctionUS /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading It was associated with a promise, which yet was a promise conditional on something to be performed.

Chapter 28 of The pot of basil by Bernard Capes holds 95 sentences, grouped into 19 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 28 of The pot of basil contain?

Chapter 28 holds 95 sentences of The pot of basil, unabridged, divided into 19 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 28 of The pot of basil by Bernard Capes exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 95 sentences, grouped into 19 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 28 of The pot of basil?

Work through the 19 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 19 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 28 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 28 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 pot of basil

Common questions about reading The pot of basil by Bernard Capes on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The pot of basil?

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

How long does The pot of basil take to read?

About 5 minutes of reading across 0 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

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Vocabulary met early in The pot of basil

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

Chapter 1
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Chapter 2
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Chapter 3
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