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The story of Burnt Njal
The story of Burnt Njal

Chapter LX · Chapter 60

Chapter 60 of The story of Burnt Njal is here in full — 16 sentences across 4 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The story of Burnt Njal
Context Illustration Reading 1/3 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
OF ASGRIM AND WOLF UGGIS' SON.
Asgrim Ellidagrim's son had a suit to follow up at the Thing against Wolf Uggis' son.
It was a matter of inheritance, Asgrim took it up in such a way as was seldom his wont; for there was a bar to his suit, and the bar was this, that he had summoned five neighbours to bear witness, when he ought to have summoned nine.
And now they have this as their bar.
Then Gunnar spoke and said, "I will challenge thee to single combat on the island, Wolf Uggis' son, if men are not to get their rights by law; and Njal and my friend Helgi would like that I should take some share in defending thy cause, Asgrim, if they were not here themselves."
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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 story of Burnt Njal

Chapter LX · Chapter 60

Chapter 60 of The story of Burnt Njal is here in full — 16 sentences across 4 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/3 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
OF ASGRIM AND WOLF UGGIS' SON.
Line 2
Asgrim Ellidagrim's son had a suit to follow up at the Thing against Wolf Uggis' son.
Line 3
It was a matter of inheritance, Asgrim took it up in such a way as was seldom his wont; for there was a bar to his suit, and the bar was this, that he had summoned five neighbours to bear witness, when he ought to have summoned nine.
Line 4
And now they have this as their bar.
/ənd naʊ ðeɪ hæv ðɪs æz ðer bɑːr/
Line 5
Then Gunnar spoke and said, "I will challenge thee to single combat on the island, Wolf Uggis' son, if men are not to get their rights by law; and Njal and my friend Helgi would like that I should take some share in defending thy cause, Asgrim, if they were not here themselves."

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.

challenge verb US /ˈtʃæləndʒ/

take exception to

From this reading “Then Gunnar spoke and said, "I will challenge thee to single combat on the island, Wolf Uggis' son, if men are not to get their rights by law; and Njal and my friend Helgi would like that I should take some share in defending thy cause, Asgrim, if they were not here themselves."”

combat noun US /ˈkɑːmbæt/

an engagement fought between two military forces

From this reading “Then Gunnar spoke and said, "I will challenge thee to single combat on the island, Wolf Uggis' son, if men are not to get their rights by law; and Njal and my friend Helgi would like that I should take some share in defending thy cause, Asgrim, if they were not here themselves."”

defending adjective US /dɪˈfendɪŋ/

attempting to or designed to prevent an opponent from winning or scoring

From this reading “Then Gunnar spoke and said, "I will challenge thee to single combat on the island, Wolf Uggis' son, if men are not to get their rights by law; and Njal and my friend Helgi would like that I should take some share in defending thy cause, Asgrim, if they were not here themselves."”

inheritance noun US /ˌɪnˈherətəns/

hereditary succession to a title or an office or property

From this reading “It was a matter of inheritance, Asgrim took it up in such a way as was seldom his wont; for there was a bar to his suit, and the bar was this, that he had summoned five neighbours to bear witness, when he ought to have summoned nine.”

neighbours noun US /ˈneɪbərz/

plural of “neighbour” — a person who lives (or is located) near another

From this reading “It was a matter of inheritance, Asgrim took it up in such a way as was seldom his wont; for there was a bar to his suit, and the bar was this, that he had summoned five neighbours to bear witness, when he ought to have summoned nine.”

summoned verb US /ˈsʌmənd/

past form of “summon” — call in an official matter, such as to attend court

From this reading “It was a matter of inheritance, Asgrim took it up in such a way as was seldom his wont; for there was a bar to his suit, and the bar was this, that he had summoned five neighbours to bear witness, when he ought to have summoned nine.”

wolf noun US /wʊlf/

any of various predatory carnivorous canine mammals of North America and Eurasia that usually hunt in packs

From this reading “OF ASGRIM AND WOLF UGGIS' SON.”

wont noun US /woʊnt/

an established custom

From this reading “It was a matter of inheritance, Asgrim took it up in such a way as was seldom his wont; for there was a bar to his suit, and the bar was this, that he had summoned five neighbours to bear witness, when he ought to have summoned nine.”

All words in this reading · 83

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 Asgrim Ellidagrim's son had a suit to follow up at the Thing against Wolf Uggis' son.

againstprepositionUS /əˈɡenst/

touching and pressing; in opposition to

From this reading Asgrim Ellidagrim's son had a suit to follow up at the Thing against Wolf Uggis' son.

ANDconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading OF ASGRIM AND WOLF UGGIS' SON.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading Then Gunnar spoke and said, "I will challenge thee to single combat on the island, Wolf Uggis' son, if men are not to get their rights by law; and Njal and my friend Helgi would like that I should take some share in defending thy cause, Asgrim, if they were not here themselves."

asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading It was a matter of inheritance, Asgrim took it up in such a way as was seldom his wont; for there was a bar to his suit, and the bar was this, that he had summoned five neighbours to bear witness, when he ought to have summoned nine.

ASGRIM

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

From this reading OF ASGRIM AND WOLF UGGIS' SON.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Asgrim Ellidagrim's son had a suit to follow up at the Thing against Wolf Uggis' son.

barnounUS /bɑːr/

a room or establishment where alcoholic drinks are served over a counter

From this reading It was a matter of inheritance, Asgrim took it up in such a way as was seldom his wont; for there was a bar to his suit, and the bar was this, that he had summoned five neighbours to bear witness, when he ought to have summoned nine.

bearverbUS /ber/

have

From this reading It was a matter of inheritance, Asgrim took it up in such a way as was seldom his wont; for there was a bar to his suit, and the bar was this, that he had summoned five neighbours to bear witness, when he ought to have summoned nine.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Then Gunnar spoke and said, "I will challenge thee to single combat on the island, Wolf Uggis' son, if men are not to get their rights by law; and Njal and my friend Helgi would like that I should take some share in defending thy cause, Asgrim, if they were not here themselves."

causenounUS /kɑːz/

events that provide the generative force that is the origin of something

From this reading Then Gunnar spoke and said, "I will challenge thee to single combat on the island, Wolf Uggis' son, if men are not to get their rights by law; and Njal and my friend Helgi would like that I should take some share in defending thy cause, Asgrim, if they were not here themselves."

challengeverbUS /ˈtʃæləndʒ/

take exception to

From this reading Then Gunnar spoke and said, "I will challenge thee to single combat on the island, Wolf Uggis' son, if men are not to get their rights by law; and Njal and my friend Helgi would like that I should take some share in defending thy cause, Asgrim, if they were not here themselves."

combatnounUS /ˈkɑːmbæt/

an engagement fought between two military forces

From this reading Then Gunnar spoke and said, "I will challenge thee to single combat on the island, Wolf Uggis' son, if men are not to get their rights by law; and Njal and my friend Helgi would like that I should take some share in defending thy cause, Asgrim, if they were not here themselves."

defendingadjectiveUS /dɪˈfendɪŋ/

attempting to or designed to prevent an opponent from winning or scoring

From this reading Then Gunnar spoke and said, "I will challenge thee to single combat on the island, Wolf Uggis' son, if men are not to get their rights by law; and Njal and my friend Helgi would like that I should take some share in defending thy cause, Asgrim, if they were not here themselves."

Ellidagrim's

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

From this reading Asgrim Ellidagrim's son had a suit to follow up at the Thing against Wolf Uggis' son.

fivenounUS /faɪv/

the cardinal number that is the sum of four and one

From this reading It was a matter of inheritance, Asgrim took it up in such a way as was seldom his wont; for there was a bar to his suit, and the bar was this, that he had summoned five neighbours to bear witness, when he ought to have summoned nine.

followverbUS /ˈfɑːloʊ/

to travel behind, go after, come after

From this reading Asgrim Ellidagrim's son had a suit to follow up at the Thing against Wolf Uggis' son.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading It was a matter of inheritance, Asgrim took it up in such a way as was seldom his wont; for there was a bar to his suit, and the bar was this, that he had summoned five neighbours to bear witness, when he ought to have summoned nine.

friendnounUS /frend/

a person you know well and regard with affection and trust

From this reading Then Gunnar spoke and said, "I will challenge thee to single combat on the island, Wolf Uggis' son, if men are not to get their rights by law; and Njal and my friend Helgi would like that I should take some share in defending thy cause, Asgrim, if they were not here themselves."

getverbUS /ɡet/

come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading Then Gunnar spoke and said, "I will challenge thee to single combat on the island, Wolf Uggis' son, if men are not to get their rights by law; and Njal and my friend Helgi would like that I should take some share in defending thy cause, Asgrim, if they were not here themselves."

Gunnar

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

From this reading Then Gunnar spoke and said, "I will challenge thee to single combat on the island, Wolf Uggis' son, if men are not to get their rights by law; and Njal and my friend Helgi would like that I should take some share in defending thy cause, Asgrim, if they were not here themselves."

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Asgrim Ellidagrim's son had a suit to follow up at the Thing against Wolf Uggis' son.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading It was a matter of inheritance, Asgrim took it up in such a way as was seldom his wont; for there was a bar to his suit, and the bar was this, that he had summoned five neighbours to bear witness, when he ought to have summoned nine.

hepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading It was a matter of inheritance, Asgrim took it up in such a way as was seldom his wont; for there was a bar to his suit, and the bar was this, that he had summoned five neighbours to bear witness, when he ought to have summoned nine.

Helgi

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

From this reading Then Gunnar spoke and said, "I will challenge thee to single combat on the island, Wolf Uggis' son, if men are not to get their rights by law; and Njal and my friend Helgi would like that I should take some share in defending thy cause, Asgrim, if they were not here themselves."

hereadverbUS /hiːr/

in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is

From this reading Then Gunnar spoke and said, "I will challenge thee to single combat on the island, Wolf Uggis' son, if men are not to get their rights by law; and Njal and my friend Helgi would like that I should take some share in defending thy cause, Asgrim, if they were not here themselves."

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading It was a matter of inheritance, Asgrim took it up in such a way as was seldom his wont; for there was a bar to his suit, and the bar was this, that he had summoned five neighbours to bear witness, when he ought to have summoned nine.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading Then Gunnar spoke and said, "I will challenge thee to single combat on the island, Wolf Uggis' son, if men are not to get their rights by law; and Njal and my friend Helgi would like that I should take some share in defending thy cause, Asgrim, if they were not here themselves."

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading Then Gunnar spoke and said, "I will challenge thee to single combat on the island, Wolf Uggis' son, if men are not to get their rights by law; and Njal and my friend Helgi would like that I should take some share in defending thy cause, Asgrim, if they were not here themselves."

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading It was a matter of inheritance, Asgrim took it up in such a way as was seldom his wont; for there was a bar to his suit, and the bar was this, that he had summoned five neighbours to bear witness, when he ought to have summoned nine.

inheritancenounUS /ˌɪnˈherətəns/

hereditary succession to a title or an office or property

From this reading It was a matter of inheritance, Asgrim took it up in such a way as was seldom his wont; for there was a bar to his suit, and the bar was this, that he had summoned five neighbours to bear witness, when he ought to have summoned nine.

islandnounUS /ˈaɪlənd/

a land mass (smaller than a continent) that is surrounded by water

From this reading Then Gunnar spoke and said, "I will challenge thee to single combat on the island, Wolf Uggis' son, if men are not to get their rights by law; and Njal and my friend Helgi would like that I should take some share in defending thy cause, Asgrim, if they were not here themselves."

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was a matter of inheritance, Asgrim took it up in such a way as was seldom his wont; for there was a bar to his suit, and the bar was this, that he had summoned five neighbours to bear witness, when he ought to have summoned nine.

lawnounUS /lɔː/

the collection of rules imposed by authority

From this reading Then Gunnar spoke and said, "I will challenge thee to single combat on the island, Wolf Uggis' son, if men are not to get their rights by law; and Njal and my friend Helgi would like that I should take some share in defending thy cause, Asgrim, if they were not here themselves."

likeverbUS /laɪk/

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading Then Gunnar spoke and said, "I will challenge thee to single combat on the island, Wolf Uggis' son, if men are not to get their rights by law; and Njal and my friend Helgi would like that I should take some share in defending thy cause, Asgrim, if they were not here themselves."

matternounUS /ˈmætər/

a vaguely specified concern

From this reading It was a matter of inheritance, Asgrim took it up in such a way as was seldom his wont; for there was a bar to his suit, and the bar was this, that he had summoned five neighbours to bear witness, when he ought to have summoned nine.

mennounUS /men/

the force of workers available

From this reading Then Gunnar spoke and said, "I will challenge thee to single combat on the island, Wolf Uggis' son, if men are not to get their rights by law; and Njal and my friend Helgi would like that I should take some share in defending thy cause, Asgrim, if they were not here themselves."

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading Then Gunnar spoke and said, "I will challenge thee to single combat on the island, Wolf Uggis' son, if men are not to get their rights by law; and Njal and my friend Helgi would like that I should take some share in defending thy cause, Asgrim, if they were not here themselves."

neighboursnounUS /ˈneɪbərz/

plural of “neighbour” — a person who lives (or is located) near another

From this reading It was a matter of inheritance, Asgrim took it up in such a way as was seldom his wont; for there was a bar to his suit, and the bar was this, that he had summoned five neighbours to bear witness, when he ought to have summoned nine.

ninenounUS /naɪn/

the cardinal number that is the sum of eight and one

From this reading It was a matter of inheritance, Asgrim took it up in such a way as was seldom his wont; for there was a bar to his suit, and the bar was this, that he had summoned five neighbours to bear witness, when he ought to have summoned nine.

Njal

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

From this reading Then Gunnar spoke and said, "I will challenge thee to single combat on the island, Wolf Uggis' son, if men are not to get their rights by law; and Njal and my friend Helgi would like that I should take some share in defending thy cause, Asgrim, if they were not here themselves."

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Then Gunnar spoke and said, "I will challenge thee to single combat on the island, Wolf Uggis' son, if men are not to get their rights by law; and Njal and my friend Helgi would like that I should take some share in defending thy cause, Asgrim, if they were not here themselves."

nowadverbUS /naʊ/

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading And now they have this as their bar.

OFprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading OF ASGRIM AND WOLF UGGIS' SON.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Then Gunnar spoke and said, "I will challenge thee to single combat on the island, Wolf Uggis' son, if men are not to get their rights by law; and Njal and my friend Helgi would like that I should take some share in defending thy cause, Asgrim, if they were not here themselves."

oughtmodal verbUS /ɔːt/

used with “to” to say what is right or advisable

From this reading It was a matter of inheritance, Asgrim took it up in such a way as was seldom his wont; for there was a bar to his suit, and the bar was this, that he had summoned five neighbours to bear witness, when he ought to have summoned nine.

rightsnounUS /raɪts/

plural of “right” — an abstract idea of that which is due to a person or governmental body by law or tradition or nature

From this reading Then Gunnar spoke and said, "I will challenge thee to single combat on the island, Wolf Uggis' son, if men are not to get their rights by law; and Njal and my friend Helgi would like that I should take some share in defending thy cause, Asgrim, if they were not here themselves."

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading Then Gunnar spoke and said, "I will challenge thee to single combat on the island, Wolf Uggis' son, if men are not to get their rights by law; and Njal and my friend Helgi would like that I should take some share in defending thy cause, Asgrim, if they were not here themselves."

seldomadverbUS /ˈseldəm/

not often

From this reading It was a matter of inheritance, Asgrim took it up in such a way as was seldom his wont; for there was a bar to his suit, and the bar was this, that he had summoned five neighbours to bear witness, when he ought to have summoned nine.

shareverbUS /ʃer/

have in common

From this reading Then Gunnar spoke and said, "I will challenge thee to single combat on the island, Wolf Uggis' son, if men are not to get their rights by law; and Njal and my friend Helgi would like that I should take some share in defending thy cause, Asgrim, if they were not here themselves."

shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading Then Gunnar spoke and said, "I will challenge thee to single combat on the island, Wolf Uggis' son, if men are not to get their rights by law; and Njal and my friend Helgi would like that I should take some share in defending thy cause, Asgrim, if they were not here themselves."

singleadjectiveUS /ˈsɪŋɡəl/

being or characteristic of a single thing or person

From this reading Then Gunnar spoke and said, "I will challenge thee to single combat on the island, Wolf Uggis' son, if men are not to get their rights by law; and Njal and my friend Helgi would like that I should take some share in defending thy cause, Asgrim, if they were not here themselves."

someadjectiveUS /sʌm/

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading Then Gunnar spoke and said, "I will challenge thee to single combat on the island, Wolf Uggis' son, if men are not to get their rights by law; and Njal and my friend Helgi would like that I should take some share in defending thy cause, Asgrim, if they were not here themselves."

SONnounUS /sʌn/

a male human offspring

From this reading OF ASGRIM AND WOLF UGGIS' SON.

spokenounUS /spoʊk/

support consisting of a radial member of a wheel joining the hub to the rim

From this reading Then Gunnar spoke and said, "I will challenge thee to single combat on the island, Wolf Uggis' son, if men are not to get their rights by law; and Njal and my friend Helgi would like that I should take some share in defending thy cause, Asgrim, if they were not here themselves."

suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading It was a matter of inheritance, Asgrim took it up in such a way as was seldom his wont; for there was a bar to his suit, and the bar was this, that he had summoned five neighbours to bear witness, when he ought to have summoned nine.

suitverbUS /suːt/

be agreeable or acceptable to

From this reading Asgrim Ellidagrim's son had a suit to follow up at the Thing against Wolf Uggis' son.

summonedverbUS /ˈsʌmənd/

past form of “summon” — call in an official matter, such as to attend court

From this reading It was a matter of inheritance, Asgrim took it up in such a way as was seldom his wont; for there was a bar to his suit, and the bar was this, that he had summoned five neighbours to bear witness, when he ought to have summoned nine.

takeverbUS /teɪk/

carry out

From this reading Then Gunnar spoke and said, "I will challenge thee to single combat on the island, Wolf Uggis' son, if men are not to get their rights by law; and Njal and my friend Helgi would like that I should take some share in defending thy cause, Asgrim, if they were not here themselves."

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading It was a matter of inheritance, Asgrim took it up in such a way as was seldom his wont; for there was a bar to his suit, and the bar was this, that he had summoned five neighbours to bear witness, when he ought to have summoned nine.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Asgrim Ellidagrim's son had a suit to follow up at the Thing against Wolf Uggis' son.

theepronounUS /ðiː/

an old word for “you”, as the object, speaking to one person

From this reading Then Gunnar spoke and said, "I will challenge thee to single combat on the island, Wolf Uggis' son, if men are not to get their rights by law; and Njal and my friend Helgi would like that I should take some share in defending thy cause, Asgrim, if they were not here themselves."

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading And now they have this as their bar.

themselvespronounUS /ðemˈselvz/

used when the people doing the action are also its object

From this reading Then Gunnar spoke and said, "I will challenge thee to single combat on the island, Wolf Uggis' son, if men are not to get their rights by law; and Njal and my friend Helgi would like that I should take some share in defending thy cause, Asgrim, if they were not here themselves."

ThenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading Then Gunnar spoke and said, "I will challenge thee to single combat on the island, Wolf Uggis' son, if men are not to get their rights by law; and Njal and my friend Helgi would like that I should take some share in defending thy cause, Asgrim, if they were not here themselves."

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading It was a matter of inheritance, Asgrim took it up in such a way as was seldom his wont; for there was a bar to his suit, and the bar was this, that he had summoned five neighbours to bear witness, when he ought to have summoned nine.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading And now they have this as their bar.

ThingnounUS /θɪŋ/

a special situation

From this reading Asgrim Ellidagrim's son had a suit to follow up at the Thing against Wolf Uggis' son.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading It was a matter of inheritance, Asgrim took it up in such a way as was seldom his wont; for there was a bar to his suit, and the bar was this, that he had summoned five neighbours to bear witness, when he ought to have summoned nine.

thydeterminerUS /ðaɪ/

an old word for “your”, speaking to one person

From this reading Then Gunnar spoke and said, "I will challenge thee to single combat on the island, Wolf Uggis' son, if men are not to get their rights by law; and Njal and my friend Helgi would like that I should take some share in defending thy cause, Asgrim, if they were not here themselves."

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Asgrim Ellidagrim's son had a suit to follow up at the Thing against Wolf Uggis' son.

tookverbUS /tʊk/

inflected form of “take” — carry out

From this reading It was a matter of inheritance, Asgrim took it up in such a way as was seldom his wont; for there was a bar to his suit, and the bar was this, that he had summoned five neighbours to bear witness, when he ought to have summoned nine.

UGGIS

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

From this reading OF ASGRIM AND WOLF UGGIS' SON.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading Asgrim Ellidagrim's son had a suit to follow up at the Thing against Wolf Uggis' son.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading It was a matter of inheritance, Asgrim took it up in such a way as was seldom his wont; for there was a bar to his suit, and the bar was this, that he had summoned five neighbours to bear witness, when he ought to have summoned nine.

waynounUS /weɪ/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading It was a matter of inheritance, Asgrim took it up in such a way as was seldom his wont; for there was a bar to his suit, and the bar was this, that he had summoned five neighbours to bear witness, when he ought to have summoned nine.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading Then Gunnar spoke and said, "I will challenge thee to single combat on the island, Wolf Uggis' son, if men are not to get their rights by law; and Njal and my friend Helgi would like that I should take some share in defending thy cause, Asgrim, if they were not here themselves."

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading It was a matter of inheritance, Asgrim took it up in such a way as was seldom his wont; for there was a bar to his suit, and the bar was this, that he had summoned five neighbours to bear witness, when he ought to have summoned nine.

willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading Then Gunnar spoke and said, "I will challenge thee to single combat on the island, Wolf Uggis' son, if men are not to get their rights by law; and Njal and my friend Helgi would like that I should take some share in defending thy cause, Asgrim, if they were not here themselves."

witnessnounUS /ˈwɪtnəs/

someone who sees an event and reports what happened

From this reading It was a matter of inheritance, Asgrim took it up in such a way as was seldom his wont; for there was a bar to his suit, and the bar was this, that he had summoned five neighbours to bear witness, when he ought to have summoned nine.

WOLFnounUS /wʊlf/

any of various predatory carnivorous canine mammals of North America and Eurasia that usually hunt in packs

From this reading OF ASGRIM AND WOLF UGGIS' SON.

wontnounUS /woʊnt/

an established custom

From this reading It was a matter of inheritance, Asgrim took it up in such a way as was seldom his wont; for there was a bar to his suit, and the bar was this, that he had summoned five neighbours to bear witness, when he ought to have summoned nine.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading Then Gunnar spoke and said, "I will challenge thee to single combat on the island, Wolf Uggis' son, if men are not to get their rights by law; and Njal and my friend Helgi would like that I should take some share in defending thy cause, Asgrim, if they were not here themselves."

Chapter 60 of The story of Burnt Njal by George Webbe, Sir [Translator] Dasent holds 16 sentences, grouped into 4 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 60 of The story of Burnt Njal contain?

Chapter 60 holds 16 sentences of The story of Burnt Njal, unabridged, divided into 4 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 60 of The story of Burnt Njal by George Webbe, Sir [Translator] Dasent exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 16 sentences, grouped into 4 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 60 of The story of Burnt Njal?

Work through the 4 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 4 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 60 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 60 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 story of Burnt Njal

Common questions about reading The story of Burnt Njal by George Webbe, Sir [Translator] Dasent on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The story of Burnt Njal?

Yes. All 0 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #? are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The story of Burnt Njal is used?

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

How long does The story of Burnt Njal take to read?

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

How to read The story of Burnt Njal section by section

How to work through The story of Burnt Njal section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

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  2. Read one section

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  3. Listen and tap

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Vocabulary met early in The story of Burnt Njal

Words and structures a reader meets early in The story of Burnt Njal, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Chapter 1
One of the 0 chapters of The story of Burnt Njal, divided into 5-sentence reading sections.
Chapter 2
One of the 0 chapters of The story of Burnt Njal, divided into 5-sentence reading sections.
Chapter 3
One of the 0 chapters of The story of Burnt Njal, divided into 5-sentence reading sections.