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The Red Rover: A Tale
The Red Rover: A Tale

Chapter II · Chapter 2

Chapter 2 of The Red Rover: A Tale is here in full — 171 sentences across 35 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/34 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Sir Toby.
Excellent!
I smell a device.”
_Twelfth Night._ The strangers were three in number; for strangers the good-man Homespun, who knew not only the names but most of the private history of every man and woman within ten miles of his own residence immediately proclaimed them to be, in a whisper to his companion; and strangers, too, of a mysterious and threatening aspect.
In order that others may have an opportunity of judging of the probability of the latter conjecture, it becomes necessary that a more minute account should be given of the respective appearances of these individuals, who, unhappily for their reputations, had the misfortune to be unknown to the gossipping tailor of Newport.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Red Rover: A Tale

Chapter II · Chapter 2

Chapter 2 of The Red Rover: A Tale is here in full — 171 sentences across 35 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/34 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Sir Toby.
/sɜːr ˈtoʊbi/
Line 2
Excellent!
/ˈeksələnt/
Line 3
I smell a device.”
/aɪ smel ə dɪˈvaɪs/
Line 4
_Twelfth Night._ The strangers were three in number; for strangers the good-man Homespun, who knew not only the names but most of the private history of every man and woman within ten miles of his own residence immediately proclaimed them to be, in a whisper to his companion; and strangers, too, of a mysterious and threatening aspect.
Line 5
In order that others may have an opportunity of judging of the probability of the latter conjecture, it becomes necessary that a more minute account should be given of the respective appearances of these individuals, who, unhappily for their reputations, had the misfortune to be unknown to the gossipping tailor of Newport.

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.

conjecture noun US /kənˈdʒektʃər/

a hypothesis that has been formed by speculating or conjecturing (usually with little hard evidence)

From this reading “In order that others may have an opportunity of judging of the probability of the latter conjecture, it becomes necessary that a more minute account should be given of the respective appearances of these individuals, who, unhappily for their reputations, had the misfortune to be unknown to the gossipping tailor of Newport.”

device noun US /dɪˈvaɪs/

an instrumentality invented for a particular purpose

From this reading “I smell a device.””

Homespun adjective US /ˈhoʊmspʌn/

of textiles; having a rough surface

From this reading “_Twelfth Night._ The strangers were three in number; for strangers the good-man Homespun, who knew not only the names but most of the private history of every man and woman within ten miles of his own residence immediately proclaimed them to be, in a whisper to his companion; and strangers, too, of a mysterious and threatening aspect.”

Newport noun US /ˈnuːpɔːrt/

a port city in southeastern Wales

From this reading “In order that others may have an opportunity of judging of the probability of the latter conjecture, it becomes necessary that a more minute account should be given of the respective appearances of these individuals, who, unhappily for their reputations, had the misfortune to be unknown to the gossipping tailor of Newport.”

reputations noun US /ˌrepjəˈteɪʃənz/

plural of “reputation” — the state of being held in high esteem and honor

From this reading “In order that others may have an opportunity of judging of the probability of the latter conjecture, it becomes necessary that a more minute account should be given of the respective appearances of these individuals, who, unhappily for their reputations, had the misfortune to be unknown to the gossipping tailor of Newport.”

respective adjective US /rɪˈspektɪv/

considered individually

From this reading “In order that others may have an opportunity of judging of the probability of the latter conjecture, it becomes necessary that a more minute account should be given of the respective appearances of these individuals, who, unhappily for their reputations, had the misfortune to be unknown to the gossipping tailor of Newport.”

Twelfth adjective US /twelfθ/

coming next after the eleventh and just before the thirteenth in position

unhappily adverb US /ənˈhæpəli/

in an unpleasant way

From this reading “In order that others may have an opportunity of judging of the probability of the latter conjecture, it becomes necessary that a more minute account should be given of the respective appearances of these individuals, who, unhappily for their reputations, had the misfortune to be unknown to the gossipping tailor of Newport.”

All words in this reading · 81

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 I smell a device.”

accountnounUS /əˈkaʊnt/

a record or narrative description of past events

From this reading In order that others may have an opportunity of judging of the probability of the latter conjecture, it becomes necessary that a more minute account should be given of the respective appearances of these individuals, who, unhappily for their reputations, had the misfortune to be unknown to the gossipping tailor of Newport.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading In order that others may have an opportunity of judging of the probability of the latter conjecture, it becomes necessary that a more minute account should be given of the respective appearances of these individuals, who, unhappily for their reputations, had the misfortune to be unknown to the gossipping tailor of Newport.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading _Twelfth Night._ The strangers were three in number; for strangers the good-man Homespun, who knew not only the names but most of the private history of every man and woman within ten miles of his own residence immediately proclaimed them to be, in a whisper to his companion; and strangers, too, of a mysterious and threatening aspect.

appearancesnounUS /əˈpɪrənsəz/

plural of “appearance” — outward or visible aspect of a person or thing

From this reading In order that others may have an opportunity of judging of the probability of the latter conjecture, it becomes necessary that a more minute account should be given of the respective appearances of these individuals, who, unhappily for their reputations, had the misfortune to be unknown to the gossipping tailor of Newport.

aspectnounUS /ˈæspekt/

a distinct feature or element in a problem

From this reading _Twelfth Night._ The strangers were three in number; for strangers the good-man Homespun, who knew not only the names but most of the private history of every man and woman within ten miles of his own residence immediately proclaimed them to be, in a whisper to his companion; and strangers, too, of a mysterious and threatening aspect.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading _Twelfth Night._ The strangers were three in number; for strangers the good-man Homespun, who knew not only the names but most of the private history of every man and woman within ten miles of his own residence immediately proclaimed them to be, in a whisper to his companion; and strangers, too, of a mysterious and threatening aspect.

becomesverbUS /bɪˈkʌmz/

third-person singular of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition

From this reading In order that others may have an opportunity of judging of the probability of the latter conjecture, it becomes necessary that a more minute account should be given of the respective appearances of these individuals, who, unhappily for their reputations, had the misfortune to be unknown to the gossipping tailor of Newport.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading _Twelfth Night._ The strangers were three in number; for strangers the good-man Homespun, who knew not only the names but most of the private history of every man and woman within ten miles of his own residence immediately proclaimed them to be, in a whisper to his companion; and strangers, too, of a mysterious and threatening aspect.

companionnounUS /kəmˈpænjən/

a friend who is frequently in the company of another

From this reading _Twelfth Night._ The strangers were three in number; for strangers the good-man Homespun, who knew not only the names but most of the private history of every man and woman within ten miles of his own residence immediately proclaimed them to be, in a whisper to his companion; and strangers, too, of a mysterious and threatening aspect.

conjecturenounUS /kənˈdʒektʃər/

a hypothesis that has been formed by speculating or conjecturing (usually with little hard evidence)

From this reading In order that others may have an opportunity of judging of the probability of the latter conjecture, it becomes necessary that a more minute account should be given of the respective appearances of these individuals, who, unhappily for their reputations, had the misfortune to be unknown to the gossipping tailor of Newport.

devicenounUS /dɪˈvaɪs/

an instrumentality invented for a particular purpose

From this reading I smell a device.”

everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading _Twelfth Night._ The strangers were three in number; for strangers the good-man Homespun, who knew not only the names but most of the private history of every man and woman within ten miles of his own residence immediately proclaimed them to be, in a whisper to his companion; and strangers, too, of a mysterious and threatening aspect.

ExcellentadjectiveUS /ˈeksələnt/

very good; of the highest quality

From this reading “Excellent!

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading _Twelfth Night._ The strangers were three in number; for strangers the good-man Homespun, who knew not only the names but most of the private history of every man and woman within ten miles of his own residence immediately proclaimed them to be, in a whisper to his companion; and strangers, too, of a mysterious and threatening aspect.

givenadjectiveUS /ˈɡɪvən/

acknowledged as a supposition

From this reading In order that others may have an opportunity of judging of the probability of the latter conjecture, it becomes necessary that a more minute account should be given of the respective appearances of these individuals, who, unhappily for their reputations, had the misfortune to be unknown to the gossipping tailor of Newport.

good-man

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

From this reading _Twelfth Night._ The strangers were three in number; for strangers the good-man Homespun, who knew not only the names but most of the private history of every man and woman within ten miles of his own residence immediately proclaimed them to be, in a whisper to his companion; and strangers, too, of a mysterious and threatening aspect.

gossipping

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

From this reading In order that others may have an opportunity of judging of the probability of the latter conjecture, it becomes necessary that a more minute account should be given of the respective appearances of these individuals, who, unhappily for their reputations, had the misfortune to be unknown to the gossipping tailor of Newport.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading In order that others may have an opportunity of judging of the probability of the latter conjecture, it becomes necessary that a more minute account should be given of the respective appearances of these individuals, who, unhappily for their reputations, had the misfortune to be unknown to the gossipping tailor of Newport.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading In order that others may have an opportunity of judging of the probability of the latter conjecture, it becomes necessary that a more minute account should be given of the respective appearances of these individuals, who, unhappily for their reputations, had the misfortune to be unknown to the gossipping tailor of Newport.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading _Twelfth Night._ The strangers were three in number; for strangers the good-man Homespun, who knew not only the names but most of the private history of every man and woman within ten miles of his own residence immediately proclaimed them to be, in a whisper to his companion; and strangers, too, of a mysterious and threatening aspect.

historynounUS /ˈhɪstəri/

the aggregate of past events

From this reading _Twelfth Night._ The strangers were three in number; for strangers the good-man Homespun, who knew not only the names but most of the private history of every man and woman within ten miles of his own residence immediately proclaimed them to be, in a whisper to his companion; and strangers, too, of a mysterious and threatening aspect.

HomespunadjectiveUS /ˈhoʊmspʌn/

of textiles; having a rough surface

From this reading _Twelfth Night._ The strangers were three in number; for strangers the good-man Homespun, who knew not only the names but most of the private history of every man and woman within ten miles of his own residence immediately proclaimed them to be, in a whisper to his companion; and strangers, too, of a mysterious and threatening aspect.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading I smell a device.”

immediatelyadverbUS /ˌɪˈmiːdiːətli/

without delay or hesitation; with no time intervening

From this reading _Twelfth Night._ The strangers were three in number; for strangers the good-man Homespun, who knew not only the names but most of the private history of every man and woman within ten miles of his own residence immediately proclaimed them to be, in a whisper to his companion; and strangers, too, of a mysterious and threatening aspect.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading _Twelfth Night._ The strangers were three in number; for strangers the good-man Homespun, who knew not only the names but most of the private history of every man and woman within ten miles of his own residence immediately proclaimed them to be, in a whisper to his companion; and strangers, too, of a mysterious and threatening aspect.

individualsnounUS /ˌɪndəˈvɪdʒəwəlz/

plural of “individual” — a human being

From this reading In order that others may have an opportunity of judging of the probability of the latter conjecture, it becomes necessary that a more minute account should be given of the respective appearances of these individuals, who, unhappily for their reputations, had the misfortune to be unknown to the gossipping tailor of Newport.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading In order that others may have an opportunity of judging of the probability of the latter conjecture, it becomes necessary that a more minute account should be given of the respective appearances of these individuals, who, unhappily for their reputations, had the misfortune to be unknown to the gossipping tailor of Newport.

judgingnounUS /ˈdʒʌdʒɪŋ/

the cognitive process of reaching a decision or drawing conclusions

From this reading In order that others may have an opportunity of judging of the probability of the latter conjecture, it becomes necessary that a more minute account should be given of the respective appearances of these individuals, who, unhappily for their reputations, had the misfortune to be unknown to the gossipping tailor of Newport.

knewverbUS /nuː/

inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading _Twelfth Night._ The strangers were three in number; for strangers the good-man Homespun, who knew not only the names but most of the private history of every man and woman within ten miles of his own residence immediately proclaimed them to be, in a whisper to his companion; and strangers, too, of a mysterious and threatening aspect.

latteradjectiveUS /ˈlætər/

referring to the second of two things or persons mentioned (or the last one or ones of several)

From this reading In order that others may have an opportunity of judging of the probability of the latter conjecture, it becomes necessary that a more minute account should be given of the respective appearances of these individuals, who, unhappily for their reputations, had the misfortune to be unknown to the gossipping tailor of Newport.

mannounUS /mæn/

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

From this reading _Twelfth Night._ The strangers were three in number; for strangers the good-man Homespun, who knew not only the names but most of the private history of every man and woman within ten miles of his own residence immediately proclaimed them to be, in a whisper to his companion; and strangers, too, of a mysterious and threatening aspect.

maymodal verbUS /meɪ/

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading In order that others may have an opportunity of judging of the probability of the latter conjecture, it becomes necessary that a more minute account should be given of the respective appearances of these individuals, who, unhappily for their reputations, had the misfortune to be unknown to the gossipping tailor of Newport.

milesnounUS /maɪlz/

plural of “mile” — a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters

From this reading _Twelfth Night._ The strangers were three in number; for strangers the good-man Homespun, who knew not only the names but most of the private history of every man and woman within ten miles of his own residence immediately proclaimed them to be, in a whisper to his companion; and strangers, too, of a mysterious and threatening aspect.

minutenounUS /ˈmɪnət/

a unit of time equal to 60 seconds or 1/60th of an hour

From this reading In order that others may have an opportunity of judging of the probability of the latter conjecture, it becomes necessary that a more minute account should be given of the respective appearances of these individuals, who, unhappily for their reputations, had the misfortune to be unknown to the gossipping tailor of Newport.

misfortunenounUS /mɪˈsfɔːrtʃən/

unnecessary and unforeseen trouble resulting from an unfortunate event

From this reading In order that others may have an opportunity of judging of the probability of the latter conjecture, it becomes necessary that a more minute account should be given of the respective appearances of these individuals, who, unhappily for their reputations, had the misfortune to be unknown to the gossipping tailor of Newport.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

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

From this reading In order that others may have an opportunity of judging of the probability of the latter conjecture, it becomes necessary that a more minute account should be given of the respective appearances of these individuals, who, unhappily for their reputations, had the misfortune to be unknown to the gossipping tailor of Newport.

mostadverbUS /moʊst/

used to form the superlative

From this reading _Twelfth Night._ The strangers were three in number; for strangers the good-man Homespun, who knew not only the names but most of the private history of every man and woman within ten miles of his own residence immediately proclaimed them to be, in a whisper to his companion; and strangers, too, of a mysterious and threatening aspect.

mysteriousadjectiveUS /mɪˈstɪriəs/

of an obscure nature

From this reading _Twelfth Night._ The strangers were three in number; for strangers the good-man Homespun, who knew not only the names but most of the private history of every man and woman within ten miles of his own residence immediately proclaimed them to be, in a whisper to his companion; and strangers, too, of a mysterious and threatening aspect.

namesnounUS /neɪmz/

verbal abuse; a crude substitute for argument

From this reading _Twelfth Night._ The strangers were three in number; for strangers the good-man Homespun, who knew not only the names but most of the private history of every man and woman within ten miles of his own residence immediately proclaimed them to be, in a whisper to his companion; and strangers, too, of a mysterious and threatening aspect.

necessaryadjectiveUS /ˈnesəseri/

absolutely essential

From this reading In order that others may have an opportunity of judging of the probability of the latter conjecture, it becomes necessary that a more minute account should be given of the respective appearances of these individuals, who, unhappily for their reputations, had the misfortune to be unknown to the gossipping tailor of Newport.

NewportnounUS /ˈnuːpɔːrt/

a port city in southeastern Wales

From this reading In order that others may have an opportunity of judging of the probability of the latter conjecture, it becomes necessary that a more minute account should be given of the respective appearances of these individuals, who, unhappily for their reputations, had the misfortune to be unknown to the gossipping tailor of Newport.

NightnounUS /naɪt/

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

From this reading _Twelfth Night._ The strangers were three in number; for strangers the good-man Homespun, who knew not only the names but most of the private history of every man and woman within ten miles of his own residence immediately proclaimed them to be, in a whisper to his companion; and strangers, too, of a mysterious and threatening aspect.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading _Twelfth Night._ The strangers were three in number; for strangers the good-man Homespun, who knew not only the names but most of the private history of every man and woman within ten miles of his own residence immediately proclaimed them to be, in a whisper to his companion; and strangers, too, of a mysterious and threatening aspect.

numbernounUS /ˈnʌmbər/

the property possessed by a sum or total or indefinite quantity of units or individuals

From this reading _Twelfth Night._ The strangers were three in number; for strangers the good-man Homespun, who knew not only the names but most of the private history of every man and woman within ten miles of his own residence immediately proclaimed them to be, in a whisper to his companion; and strangers, too, of a mysterious and threatening aspect.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading _Twelfth Night._ The strangers were three in number; for strangers the good-man Homespun, who knew not only the names but most of the private history of every man and woman within ten miles of his own residence immediately proclaimed them to be, in a whisper to his companion; and strangers, too, of a mysterious and threatening aspect.

onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading _Twelfth Night._ The strangers were three in number; for strangers the good-man Homespun, who knew not only the names but most of the private history of every man and woman within ten miles of his own residence immediately proclaimed them to be, in a whisper to his companion; and strangers, too, of a mysterious and threatening aspect.

opportunitynounUS /ˌɑːpərˈtuːnəti/

a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances

From this reading In order that others may have an opportunity of judging of the probability of the latter conjecture, it becomes necessary that a more minute account should be given of the respective appearances of these individuals, who, unhappily for their reputations, had the misfortune to be unknown to the gossipping tailor of Newport.

ordernounUS /ˈɔːrdər/

(often plural) a command given by a superior (e.g., a military or law enforcement officer) that must be obeyed

From this reading In order that others may have an opportunity of judging of the probability of the latter conjecture, it becomes necessary that a more minute account should be given of the respective appearances of these individuals, who, unhappily for their reputations, had the misfortune to be unknown to the gossipping tailor of Newport.

others

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

From this reading In order that others may have an opportunity of judging of the probability of the latter conjecture, it becomes necessary that a more minute account should be given of the respective appearances of these individuals, who, unhappily for their reputations, had the misfortune to be unknown to the gossipping tailor of Newport.

ownverbUS /oʊn/

have ownership or possession of

From this reading _Twelfth Night._ The strangers were three in number; for strangers the good-man Homespun, who knew not only the names but most of the private history of every man and woman within ten miles of his own residence immediately proclaimed them to be, in a whisper to his companion; and strangers, too, of a mysterious and threatening aspect.

privateadjectiveUS /ˈpraɪvət/

confined to particular persons or groups or providing privacy

From this reading _Twelfth Night._ The strangers were three in number; for strangers the good-man Homespun, who knew not only the names but most of the private history of every man and woman within ten miles of his own residence immediately proclaimed them to be, in a whisper to his companion; and strangers, too, of a mysterious and threatening aspect.

probabilitynounUS /ˌprɑːbəˈbɪlətiː/

a measure of how likely it is that some event will occur; a number expressing the ratio of favorable cases to the whole number of cases possible

From this reading In order that others may have an opportunity of judging of the probability of the latter conjecture, it becomes necessary that a more minute account should be given of the respective appearances of these individuals, who, unhappily for their reputations, had the misfortune to be unknown to the gossipping tailor of Newport.

proclaimedadjectiveUS /proʊˈkleɪmd/

declared publicly; made widely known

From this reading _Twelfth Night._ The strangers were three in number; for strangers the good-man Homespun, who knew not only the names but most of the private history of every man and woman within ten miles of his own residence immediately proclaimed them to be, in a whisper to his companion; and strangers, too, of a mysterious and threatening aspect.

reputationsnounUS /ˌrepjəˈteɪʃənz/

plural of “reputation” — the state of being held in high esteem and honor

From this reading In order that others may have an opportunity of judging of the probability of the latter conjecture, it becomes necessary that a more minute account should be given of the respective appearances of these individuals, who, unhappily for their reputations, had the misfortune to be unknown to the gossipping tailor of Newport.

residencenounUS /ˈrezɪdəns/

any address at which you dwell more than temporarily

From this reading _Twelfth Night._ The strangers were three in number; for strangers the good-man Homespun, who knew not only the names but most of the private history of every man and woman within ten miles of his own residence immediately proclaimed them to be, in a whisper to his companion; and strangers, too, of a mysterious and threatening aspect.

respectiveadjectiveUS /rɪˈspektɪv/

considered individually

From this reading In order that others may have an opportunity of judging of the probability of the latter conjecture, it becomes necessary that a more minute account should be given of the respective appearances of these individuals, who, unhappily for their reputations, had the misfortune to be unknown to the gossipping tailor of Newport.

shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading In order that others may have an opportunity of judging of the probability of the latter conjecture, it becomes necessary that a more minute account should be given of the respective appearances of these individuals, who, unhappily for their reputations, had the misfortune to be unknown to the gossipping tailor of Newport.

SirnounUS /sɜːr/

term of address for a man

From this reading Sir Toby.

smellnounUS /smel/

the sensation that results when olfactory receptors in the nose are stimulated by particular chemicals in gaseous form

From this reading I smell a device.”

strangersnounUS /ˈstreɪndʒərz/

plural of “stranger” — anyone who does not belong in the environment in which they are found

From this reading _Twelfth Night._ The strangers were three in number; for strangers the good-man Homespun, who knew not only the names but most of the private history of every man and woman within ten miles of his own residence immediately proclaimed them to be, in a whisper to his companion; and strangers, too, of a mysterious and threatening aspect.

tailorverbUS /ˈteɪlər/

adjust to a specific need or market

From this reading In order that others may have an opportunity of judging of the probability of the latter conjecture, it becomes necessary that a more minute account should be given of the respective appearances of these individuals, who, unhappily for their reputations, had the misfortune to be unknown to the gossipping tailor of Newport.

tennounUS /ten/

the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system

From this reading _Twelfth Night._ The strangers were three in number; for strangers the good-man Homespun, who knew not only the names but most of the private history of every man and woman within ten miles of his own residence immediately proclaimed them to be, in a whisper to his companion; and strangers, too, of a mysterious and threatening aspect.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading In order that others may have an opportunity of judging of the probability of the latter conjecture, it becomes necessary that a more minute account should be given of the respective appearances of these individuals, who, unhappily for their reputations, had the misfortune to be unknown to the gossipping tailor of Newport.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading _Twelfth Night._ The strangers were three in number; for strangers the good-man Homespun, who knew not only the names but most of the private history of every man and woman within ten miles of his own residence immediately proclaimed them to be, in a whisper to his companion; and strangers, too, of a mysterious and threatening aspect.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading In order that others may have an opportunity of judging of the probability of the latter conjecture, it becomes necessary that a more minute account should be given of the respective appearances of these individuals, who, unhappily for their reputations, had the misfortune to be unknown to the gossipping tailor of Newport.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading _Twelfth Night._ The strangers were three in number; for strangers the good-man Homespun, who knew not only the names but most of the private history of every man and woman within ten miles of his own residence immediately proclaimed them to be, in a whisper to his companion; and strangers, too, of a mysterious and threatening aspect.

thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading In order that others may have an opportunity of judging of the probability of the latter conjecture, it becomes necessary that a more minute account should be given of the respective appearances of these individuals, who, unhappily for their reputations, had the misfortune to be unknown to the gossipping tailor of Newport.

threateningadjectiveUS /ˈθretənɪŋ/

threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments

From this reading _Twelfth Night._ The strangers were three in number; for strangers the good-man Homespun, who knew not only the names but most of the private history of every man and woman within ten miles of his own residence immediately proclaimed them to be, in a whisper to his companion; and strangers, too, of a mysterious and threatening aspect.

threenounUS /θriː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one

From this reading _Twelfth Night._ The strangers were three in number; for strangers the good-man Homespun, who knew not only the names but most of the private history of every man and woman within ten miles of his own residence immediately proclaimed them to be, in a whisper to his companion; and strangers, too, of a mysterious and threatening aspect.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading _Twelfth Night._ The strangers were three in number; for strangers the good-man Homespun, who knew not only the names but most of the private history of every man and woman within ten miles of his own residence immediately proclaimed them to be, in a whisper to his companion; and strangers, too, of a mysterious and threatening aspect.

TobynounUS /ˈtoʊbi/

a drinking mug in the shape of a stout man wearing a three-cornered hat

From this reading Sir Toby.

tooadverbUS /tuː/

to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits

From this reading _Twelfth Night._ The strangers were three in number; for strangers the good-man Homespun, who knew not only the names but most of the private history of every man and woman within ten miles of his own residence immediately proclaimed them to be, in a whisper to his companion; and strangers, too, of a mysterious and threatening aspect.

TwelfthadjectiveUS /twelfθ/

coming next after the eleventh and just before the thirteenth in position

From this reading _Twelfth Night._ The strangers were three in number; for strangers the good-man Homespun, who knew not only the names but most of the private history of every man and woman within ten miles of his own residence immediately proclaimed them to be, in a whisper to his companion; and strangers, too, of a mysterious and threatening aspect.

unhappilyadverbUS /ənˈhæpəli/

in an unpleasant way

From this reading In order that others may have an opportunity of judging of the probability of the latter conjecture, it becomes necessary that a more minute account should be given of the respective appearances of these individuals, who, unhappily for their reputations, had the misfortune to be unknown to the gossipping tailor of Newport.

unknownadjectiveUS /ənˈnoʊn/

not known

From this reading In order that others may have an opportunity of judging of the probability of the latter conjecture, it becomes necessary that a more minute account should be given of the respective appearances of these individuals, who, unhappily for their reputations, had the misfortune to be unknown to the gossipping tailor of Newport.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading _Twelfth Night._ The strangers were three in number; for strangers the good-man Homespun, who knew not only the names but most of the private history of every man and woman within ten miles of his own residence immediately proclaimed them to be, in a whisper to his companion; and strangers, too, of a mysterious and threatening aspect.

whispernounUS /ˈwɪspər/

speaking softly without vibration of the vocal cords

From this reading _Twelfth Night._ The strangers were three in number; for strangers the good-man Homespun, who knew not only the names but most of the private history of every man and woman within ten miles of his own residence immediately proclaimed them to be, in a whisper to his companion; and strangers, too, of a mysterious and threatening aspect.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading _Twelfth Night._ The strangers were three in number; for strangers the good-man Homespun, who knew not only the names but most of the private history of every man and woman within ten miles of his own residence immediately proclaimed them to be, in a whisper to his companion; and strangers, too, of a mysterious and threatening aspect.

withinprepositionUS /wɪˈðɪn/

inside; before a period of time has passed

From this reading _Twelfth Night._ The strangers were three in number; for strangers the good-man Homespun, who knew not only the names but most of the private history of every man and woman within ten miles of his own residence immediately proclaimed them to be, in a whisper to his companion; and strangers, too, of a mysterious and threatening aspect.

womannounUS /ˈwʊmən/

an adult female person (as opposed to a man)

From this reading _Twelfth Night._ The strangers were three in number; for strangers the good-man Homespun, who knew not only the names but most of the private history of every man and woman within ten miles of his own residence immediately proclaimed them to be, in a whisper to his companion; and strangers, too, of a mysterious and threatening aspect.

Chapter 2 of The Red Rover: A Tale by James Fenimore Cooper holds 171 sentences, grouped into 35 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 2 of The Red Rover: A Tale contain?

Chapter 2 holds 171 sentences of The Red Rover: A Tale, unabridged, divided into 35 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 2 of The Red Rover: A Tale by James Fenimore Cooper exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 171 sentences, grouped into 35 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 2 of The Red Rover: A Tale?

Work through the 35 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 35 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 2 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 2 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 Red Rover: A Tale

Common questions about reading The Red Rover: A Tale by James Fenimore Cooper on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Red Rover: A Tale?

Yes. All 6450 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #11409 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Red Rover: A Tale is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #11409, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Red Rover: A Tale take to read?

About 537 minutes of reading across 1290 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Red Rover: A Tale section by section

How to work through The Red Rover: A Tale section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 32 chapters of The Red Rover: A Tale 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 Red Rover: A Tale

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Red Rover: A Tale, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Novices
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Red Rover: A Tale; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Familiar
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Red Rover: A Tale; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Bustle
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Red Rover: A Tale; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Activity
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Red Rover: A Tale; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.