Chapter 1 of The Romance of War is here in full — 388 sentences across 78 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
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Chapter I
Chapter 1 of The Romance of War is here in full — 388 sentences across 78 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
JAMES GRANT, ESQ. _Late 62nd Regiment._ "In the garb of old Gaul, with the fire of old Rome, From the heath-covered mountains of Scotia we come; Our loud-sounding pipe breathes the true martial strain, And our hearts still the old Scottish valour retain." _Lt.-Gen. Erskine._ IN THREE VOLUMES. VOL. I.
Chapter 1 of The Romance of War is here in full — 388 sentences across 78 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/77 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.
third-person singular of “breathe” — draw air into, and expel out of, the lungs
From this reading “_Late 62nd Regiment._ "In the garb of old Gaul, with the fire of old Rome, From the heath-covered mountains of Scotia we come; Our loud-sounding pipe breathes the true martial strain, And our hearts still the old Scottish valour retain."”
clothing of a distinctive style or for a particular occasion
From this reading “_Late 62nd Regiment._ "In the garb of old Gaul, with the fire of old Rome, From the heath-covered mountains of Scotia we come; Our loud-sounding pipe breathes the true martial strain, And our hearts still the old Scottish valour retain."”
a person of French descent
From this reading “_Late 62nd Regiment._ "In the garb of old Gaul, with the fire of old Rome, From the heath-covered mountains of Scotia we come; Our loud-sounding pipe breathes the true martial strain, And our hearts still the old Scottish valour retain."”
informal term for information
From this reading “_Lt.-Gen. Erskine._ IN THREE VOLUMES.”
(of persons) befitting a warrior
From this reading “_Late 62nd Regiment._ "In the garb of old Gaul, with the fire of old Rome, From the heath-covered mountains of Scotia we come; Our loud-sounding pipe breathes the true martial strain, And our hearts still the old Scottish valour retain."”
hold back within
From this reading “_Late 62nd Regiment._ "In the garb of old Gaul, with the fire of old Rome, From the heath-covered mountains of Scotia we come; Our loud-sounding pipe breathes the true martial strain, And our hearts still the old Scottish valour retain."”
the dialect of English used in Scotland
From this reading “_Late 62nd Regiment._ "In the garb of old Gaul, with the fire of old Rome, From the heath-covered mountains of Scotia we come; Our loud-sounding pipe breathes the true martial strain, And our hearts still the old Scottish valour retain."”
plural of “volume” — the amount of 3-dimensional space occupied by an object
From this reading “_Lt.-Gen. Erskine._ IN THREE VOLUMES.”
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.
In this reading “_Lt.-Gen. Erskine._ IN THREE VOLUMES.”
Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.
Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _Late 62nd Regiment._ "In the garb of old Gaul, with the fire of old Rome, From the heath-covered mountains of Scotia we come; Our loud-sounding pipe breathes the true martial strain, And our hearts still the old Scottish valour retain."
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading _Late 62nd Regiment._ "In the garb of old Gaul, with the fire of old Rome, From the heath-covered mountains of Scotia we come; Our loud-sounding pipe breathes the true martial strain, And our hearts still the old Scottish valour retain."
third-person singular of “breathe” — draw air into, and expel out of, the lungs
From this reading _Late 62nd Regiment._ "In the garb of old Gaul, with the fire of old Rome, From the heath-covered mountains of Scotia we come; Our loud-sounding pipe breathes the true martial strain, And our hearts still the old Scottish valour retain."
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading _Late 62nd Regiment._ "In the garb of old Gaul, with the fire of old Rome, From the heath-covered mountains of Scotia we come; Our loud-sounding pipe breathes the true martial strain, And our hearts still the old Scottish valour retain."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _Lt.-Gen. Erskine._ IN THREE VOLUMES.
a title of respect for a member of the English gentry ranking just below a knight; placed after the name
From this reading JAMES GRANT, ESQ.
start firing a weapon
From this reading _Late 62nd Regiment._ "In the garb of old Gaul, with the fire of old Rome, From the heath-covered mountains of Scotia we come; Our loud-sounding pipe breathes the true martial strain, And our hearts still the old Scottish valour retain."
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading _Late 62nd Regiment._ "In the garb of old Gaul, with the fire of old Rome, From the heath-covered mountains of Scotia we come; Our loud-sounding pipe breathes the true martial strain, And our hearts still the old Scottish valour retain."
clothing of a distinctive style or for a particular occasion
From this reading _Late 62nd Regiment._ "In the garb of old Gaul, with the fire of old Rome, From the heath-covered mountains of Scotia we come; Our loud-sounding pipe breathes the true martial strain, And our hearts still the old Scottish valour retain."
a person of French descent
From this reading _Late 62nd Regiment._ "In the garb of old Gaul, with the fire of old Rome, From the heath-covered mountains of Scotia we come; Our loud-sounding pipe breathes the true martial strain, And our hearts still the old Scottish valour retain."
informal term for information
From this reading _Lt.-Gen. Erskine._ IN THREE VOLUMES.
let have
From this reading JAMES GRANT, ESQ.
a form of whist in which players avoid winning tricks containing hearts or the queen of spades
From this reading _Late 62nd Regiment._ "In the garb of old Gaul, with the fire of old Rome, From the heath-covered mountains of Scotia we come; Our loud-sounding pipe breathes the true martial strain, And our hearts still the old Scottish valour retain."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _Late 62nd Regiment._ "In the garb of old Gaul, with the fire of old Rome, From the heath-covered mountains of Scotia we come; Our loud-sounding pipe breathes the true martial strain, And our hearts still the old Scottish valour retain."
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading _Late 62nd Regiment._ "In the garb of old Gaul, with the fire of old Rome, From the heath-covered mountains of Scotia we come; Our loud-sounding pipe breathes the true martial strain, And our hearts still the old Scottish valour retain."
a Stuart king of Scotland who married a daughter of Henry VII; when England and France went to war in 1513 he invaded England and died in defeat at Flodden (1473-1513)
From this reading JAMES GRANT, ESQ.
being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time
From this reading _Late 62nd Regiment._ "In the garb of old Gaul, with the fire of old Rome, From the heath-covered mountains of Scotia we come; Our loud-sounding pipe breathes the true martial strain, And our hearts still the old Scottish valour retain."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _Late 62nd Regiment._ "In the garb of old Gaul, with the fire of old Rome, From the heath-covered mountains of Scotia we come; Our loud-sounding pipe breathes the true martial strain, And our hearts still the old Scottish valour retain."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _Lt.-Gen. Erskine._ IN THREE VOLUMES.
(of persons) befitting a warrior
From this reading _Late 62nd Regiment._ "In the garb of old Gaul, with the fire of old Rome, From the heath-covered mountains of Scotia we come; Our loud-sounding pipe breathes the true martial strain, And our hearts still the old Scottish valour retain."
plural of “mountain” — a land mass that projects well above its surroundings; higher than a hill
From this reading _Late 62nd Regiment._ "In the garb of old Gaul, with the fire of old Rome, From the heath-covered mountains of Scotia we come; Our loud-sounding pipe breathes the true martial strain, And our hearts still the old Scottish valour retain."
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading _Late 62nd Regiment._ "In the garb of old Gaul, with the fire of old Rome, From the heath-covered mountains of Scotia we come; Our loud-sounding pipe breathes the true martial strain, And our hearts still the old Scottish valour retain."
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading _Late 62nd Regiment._ "In the garb of old Gaul, with the fire of old Rome, From the heath-covered mountains of Scotia we come; Our loud-sounding pipe breathes the true martial strain, And our hearts still the old Scottish valour retain."
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading _Late 62nd Regiment._ "In the garb of old Gaul, with the fire of old Rome, From the heath-covered mountains of Scotia we come; Our loud-sounding pipe breathes the true martial strain, And our hearts still the old Scottish valour retain."
a tube with a small bowl at one end; used for smoking tobacco
From this reading _Late 62nd Regiment._ "In the garb of old Gaul, with the fire of old Rome, From the heath-covered mountains of Scotia we come; Our loud-sounding pipe breathes the true martial strain, And our hearts still the old Scottish valour retain."
subject to rigid discipline, order, and systematization
From this reading _Late 62nd Regiment._ "In the garb of old Gaul, with the fire of old Rome, From the heath-covered mountains of Scotia we come; Our loud-sounding pipe breathes the true martial strain, And our hearts still the old Scottish valour retain."
hold back within
From this reading _Late 62nd Regiment._ "In the garb of old Gaul, with the fire of old Rome, From the heath-covered mountains of Scotia we come; Our loud-sounding pipe breathes the true martial strain, And our hearts still the old Scottish valour retain."
capital and largest city of Italy; on the Tiber; seat of the Roman Catholic Church; formerly the capital of the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire
From this reading _Late 62nd Regiment._ "In the garb of old Gaul, with the fire of old Rome, From the heath-covered mountains of Scotia we come; Our loud-sounding pipe breathes the true martial strain, And our hearts still the old Scottish valour retain."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _Late 62nd Regiment._ "In the garb of old Gaul, with the fire of old Rome, From the heath-covered mountains of Scotia we come; Our loud-sounding pipe breathes the true martial strain, And our hearts still the old Scottish valour retain."
the dialect of English used in Scotland
From this reading _Late 62nd Regiment._ "In the garb of old Gaul, with the fire of old Rome, From the heath-covered mountains of Scotia we come; Our loud-sounding pipe breathes the true martial strain, And our hearts still the old Scottish valour retain."
not in physical motion
From this reading _Late 62nd Regiment._ "In the garb of old Gaul, with the fire of old Rome, From the heath-covered mountains of Scotia we come; Our loud-sounding pipe breathes the true martial strain, And our hearts still the old Scottish valour retain."
(physics) deformation of a physical body under the action of applied forces
From this reading _Late 62nd Regiment._ "In the garb of old Gaul, with the fire of old Rome, From the heath-covered mountains of Scotia we come; Our loud-sounding pipe breathes the true martial strain, And our hearts still the old Scottish valour retain."
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading _Late 62nd Regiment._ "In the garb of old Gaul, with the fire of old Rome, From the heath-covered mountains of Scotia we come; Our loud-sounding pipe breathes the true martial strain, And our hearts still the old Scottish valour retain."
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading _Lt.-Gen. Erskine._ IN THREE VOLUMES.
consistent with fact or reality; not false
From this reading _Late 62nd Regiment._ "In the garb of old Gaul, with the fire of old Rome, From the heath-covered mountains of Scotia we come; Our loud-sounding pipe breathes the true martial strain, And our hearts still the old Scottish valour retain."
the qualities of a hero or heroine; exceptional or heroic courage when facing danger (especially in battle)
From this reading _Late 62nd Regiment._ "In the garb of old Gaul, with the fire of old Rome, From the heath-covered mountains of Scotia we come; Our loud-sounding pipe breathes the true martial strain, And our hearts still the old Scottish valour retain."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading VOL.
plural of “volume” — the amount of 3-dimensional space occupied by an object
From this reading _Lt.-Gen. Erskine._ IN THREE VOLUMES.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading _Late 62nd Regiment._ "In the garb of old Gaul, with the fire of old Rome, From the heath-covered mountains of Scotia we come; Our loud-sounding pipe breathes the true martial strain, And our hearts still the old Scottish valour retain."
in the company of; together with
From this reading _Late 62nd Regiment._ "In the garb of old Gaul, with the fire of old Rome, From the heath-covered mountains of Scotia we come; Our loud-sounding pipe breathes the true martial strain, And our hearts still the old Scottish valour retain."
Chapter 1 of The Romance of War by James Grant holds 388 sentences, grouped into 78 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.
Chapter 1 holds 388 sentences of The Romance of War, unabridged, divided into 78 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 1 of The Romance of War by James Grant exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 388 sentences, grouped into 78 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.
Work through the 78 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 78 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 1 can be played aloud in United States English.
Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.
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Project Gutenberg eBook #54918, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 230 minutes of reading across 555 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Romance of War section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
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Words and structures a reader meets early in The Romance of War, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
