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The Taming of the Shrew
The Taming of the Shrew

Chapter III · Chapter 3

Chapter 3 of The Taming of the Shrew is here in full — 182 sentences across 37 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/36 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Gru .
I pray you Sir let him go while the humor lasts.
A my word, and she knew him as wel as I do, she would thinke scolding would doe little good vpon him.
Shee may perhaps call him halfe a score Knaues, or so: Why that's nothing; and he begin once, hee'l raile in his rope trickes.
Ile tell you what sir, and she stand him but a litle, he wil throw a figure in her face, and so disfigure hir with it, that shee shal haue no more eies to see withall then a Cat: you know him not sir Hor.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Taming of the Shrew

Chapter III · Chapter 3

Chapter 3 of The Taming of the Shrew is here in full — 182 sentences across 37 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/36 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Gru .
Line 2
I pray you Sir let him go while the humor lasts.
/aɪ preɪ juː sɜːr let hɪm ɡoʊ waɪl ðə ˈhjuːmər læsts/
Line 3
A my word, and she knew him as wel as I do, she would thinke scolding would doe little good vpon him.
Line 4
Shee may perhaps call him halfe a score Knaues, or so: Why that's nothing; and he begin once, hee'l raile in his rope trickes.
Line 5
Ile tell you what sir, and she stand him but a litle, he wil throw a figure in her face, and so disfigure hir with it, that shee shal haue no more eies to see withall then a Cat: you know him not sir Hor.

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.

Cat noun US /kæt/

feline mammal usually having thick soft fur and no ability to roar: domestic cats; wildcats

From this reading “Ile tell you what sir, and she stand him but a litle, he wil throw a figure in her face, and so disfigure hir with it, that shee shal haue no more eies to see withall then a Cat: you know him not sir Hor.”

disfigure verb US /dɪˈsfɪɡjər/

mar or spoil the appearance of

From this reading “Ile tell you what sir, and she stand him but a litle, he wil throw a figure in her face, and so disfigure hir with it, that shee shal haue no more eies to see withall then a Cat: you know him not sir Hor.”

doe noun US /doʊ/

the federal department responsible for maintaining a national energy policy of the United States; created in 1977

From this reading “A my word, and she knew him as wel as I do, she would thinke scolding would doe little good vpon him.”

humor noun US /ˈhjuːmər/

a message whose ingenuity or verbal skill or incongruity has the power to evoke laughter

From this reading “I pray you Sir let him go while the humor lasts.”

lasts noun US /læsts/

plural of “last” — the temporal end; the concluding time

From this reading “I pray you Sir let him go while the humor lasts.”

rope noun US /roʊp/

a strong line

From this reading “Shee may perhaps call him halfe a score Knaues, or so: Why that's nothing; and he begin once, hee'l raile in his rope trickes.”

scolding noun US /ˈskoʊldɪŋ/

rebuking a person harshly

From this reading “A my word, and she knew him as wel as I do, she would thinke scolding would doe little good vpon him.”

score noun US /skɔːr/

a number or letter indicating quality (especially of a student's performance)

From this reading “Shee may perhaps call him halfe a score Knaues, or so: Why that's nothing; and he begin once, hee'l raile in his rope trickes.”

All words in this reading · 78

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 A my word, and she knew him as wel as I do, she would thinke scolding would doe little good vpon him.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading A my word, and she knew him as wel as I do, she would thinke scolding would doe little good vpon him.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading A my word, and she knew him as wel as I do, she would thinke scolding would doe little good vpon him.

beginverbUS /bɪˈɡɪn/

take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

From this reading Shee may perhaps call him halfe a score Knaues, or so: Why that's nothing; and he begin once, hee'l raile in his rope trickes.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Ile tell you what sir, and she stand him but a litle, he wil throw a figure in her face, and so disfigure hir with it, that shee shal haue no more eies to see withall then a Cat: you know him not sir Hor.

callverbUS /kɔːl/

assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading Shee may perhaps call him halfe a score Knaues, or so: Why that's nothing; and he begin once, hee'l raile in his rope trickes.

CatnounUS /kæt/

feline mammal usually having thick soft fur and no ability to roar: domestic cats; wildcats

From this reading Ile tell you what sir, and she stand him but a litle, he wil throw a figure in her face, and so disfigure hir with it, that shee shal haue no more eies to see withall then a Cat: you know him not sir Hor.

disfigureverbUS /dɪˈsfɪɡjər/

mar or spoil the appearance of

From this reading Ile tell you what sir, and she stand him but a litle, he wil throw a figure in her face, and so disfigure hir with it, that shee shal haue no more eies to see withall then a Cat: you know him not sir Hor.

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading A my word, and she knew him as wel as I do, she would thinke scolding would doe little good vpon him.

doenounUS /doʊ/

the federal department responsible for maintaining a national energy policy of the United States; created in 1977

From this reading A my word, and she knew him as wel as I do, she would thinke scolding would doe little good vpon him.

eies

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

From this reading Ile tell you what sir, and she stand him but a litle, he wil throw a figure in her face, and so disfigure hir with it, that shee shal haue no more eies to see withall then a Cat: you know him not sir Hor.

facenounUS /feɪs/

the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear

From this reading Ile tell you what sir, and she stand him but a litle, he wil throw a figure in her face, and so disfigure hir with it, that shee shal haue no more eies to see withall then a Cat: you know him not sir Hor.

figurenounUS /ˈfɪɡjər/

a diagram or picture illustrating textual material

From this reading Ile tell you what sir, and she stand him but a litle, he wil throw a figure in her face, and so disfigure hir with it, that shee shal haue no more eies to see withall then a Cat: you know him not sir Hor.

goverbUS /ɡoʊ/

change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading I pray you Sir let him go while the humor lasts.

goodadjectiveUS /ɡʊd/

having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified

From this reading A my word, and she knew him as wel as I do, she would thinke scolding would doe little good vpon him.

Gru

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

From this reading Gru .

halfe

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

From this reading Shee may perhaps call him halfe a score Knaues, or so: Why that's nothing; and he begin once, hee'l raile in his rope trickes.

haue

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

From this reading Ile tell you what sir, and she stand him but a litle, he wil throw a figure in her face, and so disfigure hir with it, that shee shal haue no more eies to see withall then a Cat: you know him not sir Hor.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading Shee may perhaps call him halfe a score Knaues, or so: Why that's nothing; and he begin once, hee'l raile in his rope trickes.

hee'l

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

From this reading Shee may perhaps call him halfe a score Knaues, or so: Why that's nothing; and he begin once, hee'l raile in his rope trickes.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading Ile tell you what sir, and she stand him but a litle, he wil throw a figure in her face, and so disfigure hir with it, that shee shal haue no more eies to see withall then a Cat: you know him not sir Hor.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading I pray you Sir let him go while the humor lasts.

hir

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

From this reading Ile tell you what sir, and she stand him but a litle, he wil throw a figure in her face, and so disfigure hir with it, that shee shal haue no more eies to see withall then a Cat: you know him not sir Hor.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Shee may perhaps call him halfe a score Knaues, or so: Why that's nothing; and he begin once, hee'l raile in his rope trickes.

Hor

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

From this reading Ile tell you what sir, and she stand him but a litle, he wil throw a figure in her face, and so disfigure hir with it, that shee shal haue no more eies to see withall then a Cat: you know him not sir Hor.

humornounUS /ˈhjuːmər/

a message whose ingenuity or verbal skill or incongruity has the power to evoke laughter

From this reading I pray you Sir let him go while the humor lasts.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading I pray you Sir let him go while the humor lasts.

Ile

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

From this reading Ile tell you what sir, and she stand him but a litle, he wil throw a figure in her face, and so disfigure hir with it, that shee shal haue no more eies to see withall then a Cat: you know him not sir Hor.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Shee may perhaps call him halfe a score Knaues, or so: Why that's nothing; and he begin once, hee'l raile in his rope trickes.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Ile tell you what sir, and she stand him but a litle, he wil throw a figure in her face, and so disfigure hir with it, that shee shal haue no more eies to see withall then a Cat: you know him not sir Hor.

Knaues

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

From this reading Shee may perhaps call him halfe a score Knaues, or so: Why that's nothing; and he begin once, hee'l raile in his rope trickes.

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 A my word, and she knew him as wel as I do, she would thinke scolding would doe little good vpon him.

knowverbUS /noʊ/

be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading Ile tell you what sir, and she stand him but a litle, he wil throw a figure in her face, and so disfigure hir with it, that shee shal haue no more eies to see withall then a Cat: you know him not sir Hor.

lastsnounUS /læsts/

plural of “last” — the temporal end; the concluding time

From this reading I pray you Sir let him go while the humor lasts.

letauxiliary verbUS /let/

used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker

From this reading I pray you Sir let him go while the humor lasts.

litle

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

From this reading Ile tell you what sir, and she stand him but a litle, he wil throw a figure in her face, and so disfigure hir with it, that shee shal haue no more eies to see withall then a Cat: you know him not sir Hor.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading A my word, and she knew him as wel as I do, she would thinke scolding would doe little good vpon him.

maymodal verbUS /meɪ/

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading Shee may perhaps call him halfe a score Knaues, or so: Why that's nothing; and he begin once, hee'l raile in his rope trickes.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

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

From this reading Ile tell you what sir, and she stand him but a litle, he wil throw a figure in her face, and so disfigure hir with it, that shee shal haue no more eies to see withall then a Cat: you know him not sir Hor.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading A my word, and she knew him as wel as I do, she would thinke scolding would doe little good vpon him.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading Ile tell you what sir, and she stand him but a litle, he wil throw a figure in her face, and so disfigure hir with it, that shee shal haue no more eies to see withall then a Cat: you know him not sir Hor.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Ile tell you what sir, and she stand him but a litle, he wil throw a figure in her face, and so disfigure hir with it, that shee shal haue no more eies to see withall then a Cat: you know him not sir Hor.

nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading Shee may perhaps call him halfe a score Knaues, or so: Why that's nothing; and he begin once, hee'l raile in his rope trickes.

onceadverbUS /wʌns/

on one occasion

From this reading Shee may perhaps call him halfe a score Knaues, or so: Why that's nothing; and he begin once, hee'l raile in his rope trickes.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading Shee may perhaps call him halfe a score Knaues, or so: Why that's nothing; and he begin once, hee'l raile in his rope trickes.

perhapsadverbUS /pərˈhæps/

by chance

From this reading Shee may perhaps call him halfe a score Knaues, or so: Why that's nothing; and he begin once, hee'l raile in his rope trickes.

prayverbUS /preɪ/

address a deity, a prophet, a saint or an object of worship; say a prayer

From this reading I pray you Sir let him go while the humor lasts.

raile

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

From this reading Shee may perhaps call him halfe a score Knaues, or so: Why that's nothing; and he begin once, hee'l raile in his rope trickes.

ropenounUS /roʊp/

a strong line

From this reading Shee may perhaps call him halfe a score Knaues, or so: Why that's nothing; and he begin once, hee'l raile in his rope trickes.

scoldingnounUS /ˈskoʊldɪŋ/

rebuking a person harshly

From this reading A my word, and she knew him as wel as I do, she would thinke scolding would doe little good vpon him.

scorenounUS /skɔːr/

a number or letter indicating quality (especially of a student's performance)

From this reading Shee may perhaps call him halfe a score Knaues, or so: Why that's nothing; and he begin once, hee'l raile in his rope trickes.

seeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading Ile tell you what sir, and she stand him but a litle, he wil throw a figure in her face, and so disfigure hir with it, that shee shal haue no more eies to see withall then a Cat: you know him not sir Hor.

shal

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

From this reading Ile tell you what sir, and she stand him but a litle, he wil throw a figure in her face, and so disfigure hir with it, that shee shal haue no more eies to see withall then a Cat: you know him not sir Hor.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading A my word, and she knew him as wel as I do, she would thinke scolding would doe little good vpon him.

Shee

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

From this reading Shee may perhaps call him halfe a score Knaues, or so: Why that's nothing; and he begin once, hee'l raile in his rope trickes.

SirnounUS /sɜːr/

term of address for a man

From this reading I pray you Sir let him go while the humor lasts.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading Shee may perhaps call him halfe a score Knaues, or so: Why that's nothing; and he begin once, hee'l raile in his rope trickes.

standverbUS /stænd/

be standing; be upright

From this reading Ile tell you what sir, and she stand him but a litle, he wil throw a figure in her face, and so disfigure hir with it, that shee shal haue no more eies to see withall then a Cat: you know him not sir Hor.

tellverbUS /tel/

express in words

From this reading Ile tell you what sir, and she stand him but a litle, he wil throw a figure in her face, and so disfigure hir with it, that shee shal haue no more eies to see withall then a Cat: you know him not sir Hor.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Ile tell you what sir, and she stand him but a litle, he wil throw a figure in her face, and so disfigure hir with it, that shee shal haue no more eies to see withall then a Cat: you know him not sir Hor.

that's

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

From this reading Shee may perhaps call him halfe a score Knaues, or so: Why that's nothing; and he begin once, hee'l raile in his rope trickes.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading I pray you Sir let him go while the humor lasts.

thenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading Ile tell you what sir, and she stand him but a litle, he wil throw a figure in her face, and so disfigure hir with it, that shee shal haue no more eies to see withall then a Cat: you know him not sir Hor.

thinke

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

From this reading A my word, and she knew him as wel as I do, she would thinke scolding would doe little good vpon him.

throwverbUS /θroʊ/

propel through the air

From this reading Ile tell you what sir, and she stand him but a litle, he wil throw a figure in her face, and so disfigure hir with it, that shee shal haue no more eies to see withall then a Cat: you know him not sir Hor.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Ile tell you what sir, and she stand him but a litle, he wil throw a figure in her face, and so disfigure hir with it, that shee shal haue no more eies to see withall then a Cat: you know him not sir Hor.

trickes

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

From this reading Shee may perhaps call him halfe a score Knaues, or so: Why that's nothing; and he begin once, hee'l raile in his rope trickes.

vpon

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

From this reading A my word, and she knew him as wel as I do, she would thinke scolding would doe little good vpon him.

wel

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

From this reading A my word, and she knew him as wel as I do, she would thinke scolding would doe little good vpon him.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading Ile tell you what sir, and she stand him but a litle, he wil throw a figure in her face, and so disfigure hir with it, that shee shal haue no more eies to see withall then a Cat: you know him not sir Hor.

whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/

during the time that

From this reading I pray you Sir let him go while the humor lasts.

WhynounUS /waɪ/

the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”

From this reading Shee may perhaps call him halfe a score Knaues, or so: Why that's nothing; and he begin once, hee'l raile in his rope trickes.

wil

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

From this reading Ile tell you what sir, and she stand him but a litle, he wil throw a figure in her face, and so disfigure hir with it, that shee shal haue no more eies to see withall then a Cat: you know him not sir Hor.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Ile tell you what sir, and she stand him but a litle, he wil throw a figure in her face, and so disfigure hir with it, that shee shal haue no more eies to see withall then a Cat: you know him not sir Hor.

withall

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

From this reading Ile tell you what sir, and she stand him but a litle, he wil throw a figure in her face, and so disfigure hir with it, that shee shal haue no more eies to see withall then a Cat: you know him not sir Hor.

wordnounUS /wɜːrd/

a unit of language that native speakers can identify

From this reading A my word, and she knew him as wel as I do, she would thinke scolding would doe little good vpon him.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading A my word, and she knew him as wel as I do, she would thinke scolding would doe little good vpon him.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading I pray you Sir let him go while the humor lasts.

Chapter 3 of The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare holds 182 sentences, grouped into 37 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, 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 3 of The Taming of the Shrew contain?

Chapter 3 holds 182 sentences of The Taming of the Shrew, unabridged, divided into 37 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 3 of The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 182 sentences, grouped into 37 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 3 of The Taming of the Shrew?

Work through the 37 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 37 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 3 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 3 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 Taming of the Shrew

Common questions about reading The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Taming of the Shrew?

Yes. All 1437 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #1107 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Taming of the Shrew is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #1107, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Taming of the Shrew take to read?

About 119 minutes of reading across 288 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Taming of the Shrew section by section

How to work through The Taming of the Shrew section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 8 chapters of The Taming of the Shrew 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 Taming of the Shrew

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Taming of the Shrew, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Addition
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Taming of the Shrew; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Notes
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Taming of the Shrew; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Below
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Taming of the Shrew; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Think
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Taming of the Shrew; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.