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The Trumpet-Major
The Trumpet-Major

Chapter XX · Chapter 20

Chapter 20 of The Trumpet-Major is here in full — 177 sentences across 36 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Trumpet-Major
Context Illustration Reading 1/35 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
It was a hieroglyphic profile of Napoleon.
The hat represented a maimed French eagle; the face was ingeniously made up of human carcases, knotted and writhing together in such directions as to form a physiognomy; a band, or stock, shaped to resemble the English Channel, encircled his throat, and seemed to choke him; his epaulette was a hand tearing a cobweb that represented the treaty of peace with England; and his ear was a woman crouching over a dying child.
{225} 'It is dreadful!' said Anne.
'I don't like to see it.'
She had recovered from her emotion, and walked along beside him with a grave, subdued face.
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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 Trumpet-Major

Chapter XX · Chapter 20

Chapter 20 of The Trumpet-Major is here in full — 177 sentences across 36 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/35 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
It was a hieroglyphic profile of Napoleon.
/ɪt wɑːz ə ˌhaɪroʊˈɡlɪfɪk ˈproʊfaɪl ʌv nəˈpoʊliən/
Line 2
The hat represented a maimed French eagle; the face was ingeniously made up of human carcases, knotted and writhing together in such directions as to form a physiognomy; a band, or stock, shaped to resemble the English Channel, encircled his throat, and seemed to choke him; his epaulette was a hand tearing a cobweb that represented the treaty of peace with England; and his ear was a woman crouching over a dying child.
Line 3
{225} 'It is dreadful!' said Anne.
Line 4
'I don't like to see it.'
Line 5
She had recovered from her emotion, and walked along beside him with a grave, subdued face.
/ʃiː hæd rəˈkʌvərd frʌm hɜːr ɪˈmoʊʃən ənd wɔːkt əˈlɔːŋ bɪˈsaɪd hɪm wɪð ə ɡreɪv səbˈduːd feɪs/

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.

choke verb US /tʃoʊk/

breathe with great difficulty, as when experiencing a strong emotion

From this reading “The hat represented a maimed French eagle; the face was ingeniously made up of human carcases, knotted and writhing together in such directions as to form a physiognomy; a band, or stock, shaped to resemble the English Channel, encircled his throat, and seemed to choke him; his epaulette was a hand tearing a cobweb that represented the treaty of peace with England; and his ear was a woman crouching over a dying child.”

cobweb noun US /ˈkɑːbweb/

a fabric so delicate and transparent as to resemble a web of a spider

From this reading “The hat represented a maimed French eagle; the face was ingeniously made up of human carcases, knotted and writhing together in such directions as to form a physiognomy; a band, or stock, shaped to resemble the English Channel, encircled his throat, and seemed to choke him; his epaulette was a hand tearing a cobweb that represented the treaty of peace with England; and his ear was a woman crouching over a dying child.”

encircled adjective US /ɪnˈsɜːrkəld/

confined on all sides

From this reading “The hat represented a maimed French eagle; the face was ingeniously made up of human carcases, knotted and writhing together in such directions as to form a physiognomy; a band, or stock, shaped to resemble the English Channel, encircled his throat, and seemed to choke him; his epaulette was a hand tearing a cobweb that represented the treaty of peace with England; and his ear was a woman crouching over a dying child.”

hieroglyphic noun US /ˌhaɪroʊˈɡlɪfɪk/

writing that resembles hieroglyphics (usually by being illegible)

From this reading “It was a hieroglyphic profile of Napoleon.”

ingeniously adverb US /ˌɪnˈdʒiːnjəsli/

in an ingenious manner

From this reading “The hat represented a maimed French eagle; the face was ingeniously made up of human carcases, knotted and writhing together in such directions as to form a physiognomy; a band, or stock, shaped to resemble the English Channel, encircled his throat, and seemed to choke him; his epaulette was a hand tearing a cobweb that represented the treaty of peace with England; and his ear was a woman crouching over a dying child.”

knotted adjective US /ˈnɑːtɪd/

tied with a knot

From this reading “The hat represented a maimed French eagle; the face was ingeniously made up of human carcases, knotted and writhing together in such directions as to form a physiognomy; a band, or stock, shaped to resemble the English Channel, encircled his throat, and seemed to choke him; his epaulette was a hand tearing a cobweb that represented the treaty of peace with England; and his ear was a woman crouching over a dying child.”

maimed noun US /meɪmd/

people who are wounded

From this reading “The hat represented a maimed French eagle; the face was ingeniously made up of human carcases, knotted and writhing together in such directions as to form a physiognomy; a band, or stock, shaped to resemble the English Channel, encircled his throat, and seemed to choke him; his epaulette was a hand tearing a cobweb that represented the treaty of peace with England; and his ear was a woman crouching over a dying child.”

writhing adjective US /ˈraɪðɪŋ/

moving in a twisting or snake-like or wormlike fashion

From this reading “The hat represented a maimed French eagle; the face was ingeniously made up of human carcases, knotted and writhing together in such directions as to form a physiognomy; a band, or stock, shaped to resemble the English Channel, encircled his throat, and seemed to choke him; his epaulette was a hand tearing a cobweb that represented the treaty of peace with England; and his ear was a woman crouching over a dying child.”

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.

225

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

From this reading {225} 'It is dreadful!' said Anne.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading It was a hieroglyphic profile of Napoleon.

alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/

following the length of something from one end toward the other

From this reading She had recovered from her emotion, and walked along beside him with a grave, subdued face.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading The hat represented a maimed French eagle; the face was ingeniously made up of human carcases, knotted and writhing together in such directions as to form a physiognomy; a band, or stock, shaped to resemble the English Channel, encircled his throat, and seemed to choke him; his epaulette was a hand tearing a cobweb that represented the treaty of peace with England; and his ear was a woman crouching over a dying child.

AnnenounUS /æn/

Queen of England and Scotland and Ireland; daughter if James II and the last of the Stuart monarchs; in 1707 she was the last English ruler to exercise the royal veto over parliament (1665-1714)

From this reading {225} 'It is dreadful!' said Anne.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading The hat represented a maimed French eagle; the face was ingeniously made up of human carcases, knotted and writhing together in such directions as to form a physiognomy; a band, or stock, shaped to resemble the English Channel, encircled his throat, and seemed to choke him; his epaulette was a hand tearing a cobweb that represented the treaty of peace with England; and his ear was a woman crouching over a dying child.

bandnounUS /bænd/

an unofficial association of people or groups

From this reading The hat represented a maimed French eagle; the face was ingeniously made up of human carcases, knotted and writhing together in such directions as to form a physiognomy; a band, or stock, shaped to resemble the English Channel, encircled his throat, and seemed to choke him; his epaulette was a hand tearing a cobweb that represented the treaty of peace with England; and his ear was a woman crouching over a dying child.

besideprepositionUS /bɪˈsaɪd/

next to; at the side of

From this reading She had recovered from her emotion, and walked along beside him with a grave, subdued face.

carcases

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

From this reading The hat represented a maimed French eagle; the face was ingeniously made up of human carcases, knotted and writhing together in such directions as to form a physiognomy; a band, or stock, shaped to resemble the English Channel, encircled his throat, and seemed to choke him; his epaulette was a hand tearing a cobweb that represented the treaty of peace with England; and his ear was a woman crouching over a dying child.

ChannelnounUS /ˈtʃænəl/

a path over which electrical signals can pass

From this reading The hat represented a maimed French eagle; the face was ingeniously made up of human carcases, knotted and writhing together in such directions as to form a physiognomy; a band, or stock, shaped to resemble the English Channel, encircled his throat, and seemed to choke him; his epaulette was a hand tearing a cobweb that represented the treaty of peace with England; and his ear was a woman crouching over a dying child.

childnounUS /tʃaɪld/

a young person of either sex

From this reading The hat represented a maimed French eagle; the face was ingeniously made up of human carcases, knotted and writhing together in such directions as to form a physiognomy; a band, or stock, shaped to resemble the English Channel, encircled his throat, and seemed to choke him; his epaulette was a hand tearing a cobweb that represented the treaty of peace with England; and his ear was a woman crouching over a dying child.

chokeverbUS /tʃoʊk/

breathe with great difficulty, as when experiencing a strong emotion

From this reading The hat represented a maimed French eagle; the face was ingeniously made up of human carcases, knotted and writhing together in such directions as to form a physiognomy; a band, or stock, shaped to resemble the English Channel, encircled his throat, and seemed to choke him; his epaulette was a hand tearing a cobweb that represented the treaty of peace with England; and his ear was a woman crouching over a dying child.

cobwebnounUS /ˈkɑːbweb/

a fabric so delicate and transparent as to resemble a web of a spider

From this reading The hat represented a maimed French eagle; the face was ingeniously made up of human carcases, knotted and writhing together in such directions as to form a physiognomy; a band, or stock, shaped to resemble the English Channel, encircled his throat, and seemed to choke him; his epaulette was a hand tearing a cobweb that represented the treaty of peace with England; and his ear was a woman crouching over a dying child.

crouchingverbUS /ˈkraʊtʃɪŋ/

-ing form of “crouch” — bend one's back forward from the waist on down

From this reading The hat represented a maimed French eagle; the face was ingeniously made up of human carcases, knotted and writhing together in such directions as to form a physiognomy; a band, or stock, shaped to resemble the English Channel, encircled his throat, and seemed to choke him; his epaulette was a hand tearing a cobweb that represented the treaty of peace with England; and his ear was a woman crouching over a dying child.

directionsnounUS /dərˈekʃənz/

plural of “direction” — a line leading to a place or point

From this reading The hat represented a maimed French eagle; the face was ingeniously made up of human carcases, knotted and writhing together in such directions as to form a physiognomy; a band, or stock, shaped to resemble the English Channel, encircled his throat, and seemed to choke him; his epaulette was a hand tearing a cobweb that represented the treaty of peace with England; and his ear was a woman crouching over a dying child.

don't

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

From this reading 'I don't like to see it.'

dreadfuladjectiveUS /ˈdredfəl/

causing fear or dread or terror

From this reading {225} 'It is dreadful!' said Anne.

dyingadjectiveUS /ˈdaɪɪŋ/

in or associated with the process of passing from life or ceasing to be

From this reading The hat represented a maimed French eagle; the face was ingeniously made up of human carcases, knotted and writhing together in such directions as to form a physiognomy; a band, or stock, shaped to resemble the English Channel, encircled his throat, and seemed to choke him; his epaulette was a hand tearing a cobweb that represented the treaty of peace with England; and his ear was a woman crouching over a dying child.

eaglenounUS /ˈiːɡəl/

any of various large keen-sighted diurnal birds of prey noted for their broad wings and strong soaring flight

From this reading The hat represented a maimed French eagle; the face was ingeniously made up of human carcases, knotted and writhing together in such directions as to form a physiognomy; a band, or stock, shaped to resemble the English Channel, encircled his throat, and seemed to choke him; his epaulette was a hand tearing a cobweb that represented the treaty of peace with England; and his ear was a woman crouching over a dying child.

earnounUS /iːr/

the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium

From this reading The hat represented a maimed French eagle; the face was ingeniously made up of human carcases, knotted and writhing together in such directions as to form a physiognomy; a band, or stock, shaped to resemble the English Channel, encircled his throat, and seemed to choke him; his epaulette was a hand tearing a cobweb that represented the treaty of peace with England; and his ear was a woman crouching over a dying child.

emotionnounUS /ɪˈmoʊʃən/

any strong feeling

From this reading She had recovered from her emotion, and walked along beside him with a grave, subdued face.

encircledadjectiveUS /ɪnˈsɜːrkəld/

confined on all sides

From this reading The hat represented a maimed French eagle; the face was ingeniously made up of human carcases, knotted and writhing together in such directions as to form a physiognomy; a band, or stock, shaped to resemble the English Channel, encircled his throat, and seemed to choke him; his epaulette was a hand tearing a cobweb that represented the treaty of peace with England; and his ear was a woman crouching over a dying child.

EnglandnounUS /ˈɪŋɡlənd/

a division of the United Kingdom

From this reading The hat represented a maimed French eagle; the face was ingeniously made up of human carcases, knotted and writhing together in such directions as to form a physiognomy; a band, or stock, shaped to resemble the English Channel, encircled his throat, and seemed to choke him; his epaulette was a hand tearing a cobweb that represented the treaty of peace with England; and his ear was a woman crouching over a dying child.

EnglishnounUS /ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ/

an Indo-European language belonging to the West Germanic branch; the official language of Britain and the United States and most of the commonwealth countries

From this reading The hat represented a maimed French eagle; the face was ingeniously made up of human carcases, knotted and writhing together in such directions as to form a physiognomy; a band, or stock, shaped to resemble the English Channel, encircled his throat, and seemed to choke him; his epaulette was a hand tearing a cobweb that represented the treaty of peace with England; and his ear was a woman crouching over a dying child.

epaulettenoun

adornment consisting of an ornamental cloth pad worn on the shoulder

From this reading The hat represented a maimed French eagle; the face was ingeniously made up of human carcases, knotted and writhing together in such directions as to form a physiognomy; a band, or stock, shaped to resemble the English Channel, encircled his throat, and seemed to choke him; his epaulette was a hand tearing a cobweb that represented the treaty of peace with England; and his ear was a woman crouching over a dying child.

facenounUS /feɪs/

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

From this reading The hat represented a maimed French eagle; the face was ingeniously made up of human carcases, knotted and writhing together in such directions as to form a physiognomy; a band, or stock, shaped to resemble the English Channel, encircled his throat, and seemed to choke him; his epaulette was a hand tearing a cobweb that represented the treaty of peace with England; and his ear was a woman crouching over a dying child.

formnounUS /fɔːrm/

the phonological or orthographic sound or appearance of a word that can be used to describe or identify something

From this reading The hat represented a maimed French eagle; the face was ingeniously made up of human carcases, knotted and writhing together in such directions as to form a physiognomy; a band, or stock, shaped to resemble the English Channel, encircled his throat, and seemed to choke him; his epaulette was a hand tearing a cobweb that represented the treaty of peace with England; and his ear was a woman crouching over a dying child.

FrenchnounUS /frentʃ/

the Romance language spoken in France and in countries colonized by France

From this reading The hat represented a maimed French eagle; the face was ingeniously made up of human carcases, knotted and writhing together in such directions as to form a physiognomy; a band, or stock, shaped to resemble the English Channel, encircled his throat, and seemed to choke him; his epaulette was a hand tearing a cobweb that represented the treaty of peace with England; and his ear was a woman crouching over a dying child.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading She had recovered from her emotion, and walked along beside him with a grave, subdued face.

gravenounUS /ɡreɪv/

death of a person

From this reading She had recovered from her emotion, and walked along beside him with a grave, subdued face.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading She had recovered from her emotion, and walked along beside him with a grave, subdued face.

handnounUS /hænd/

the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb

From this reading The hat represented a maimed French eagle; the face was ingeniously made up of human carcases, knotted and writhing together in such directions as to form a physiognomy; a band, or stock, shaped to resemble the English Channel, encircled his throat, and seemed to choke him; his epaulette was a hand tearing a cobweb that represented the treaty of peace with England; and his ear was a woman crouching over a dying child.

hatnounUS /hæt/

headdress that protects the head from bad weather; has shaped crown and usually a brim

From this reading The hat represented a maimed French eagle; the face was ingeniously made up of human carcases, knotted and writhing together in such directions as to form a physiognomy; a band, or stock, shaped to resemble the English Channel, encircled his throat, and seemed to choke him; his epaulette was a hand tearing a cobweb that represented the treaty of peace with England; and his ear was a woman crouching over a dying child.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading She had recovered from her emotion, and walked along beside him with a grave, subdued face.

hieroglyphicnounUS /ˌhaɪroʊˈɡlɪfɪk/

writing that resembles hieroglyphics (usually by being illegible)

From this reading It was a hieroglyphic profile of Napoleon.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading The hat represented a maimed French eagle; the face was ingeniously made up of human carcases, knotted and writhing together in such directions as to form a physiognomy; a band, or stock, shaped to resemble the English Channel, encircled his throat, and seemed to choke him; his epaulette was a hand tearing a cobweb that represented the treaty of peace with England; and his ear was a woman crouching over a dying child.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading The hat represented a maimed French eagle; the face was ingeniously made up of human carcases, knotted and writhing together in such directions as to form a physiognomy; a band, or stock, shaped to resemble the English Channel, encircled his throat, and seemed to choke him; his epaulette was a hand tearing a cobweb that represented the treaty of peace with England; and his ear was a woman crouching over a dying child.

humanadjectiveUS /ˈhjuːmən/

characteristic of humanity

From this reading The hat represented a maimed French eagle; the face was ingeniously made up of human carcases, knotted and writhing together in such directions as to form a physiognomy; a band, or stock, shaped to resemble the English Channel, encircled his throat, and seemed to choke him; his epaulette was a hand tearing a cobweb that represented the treaty of peace with England; and his ear was a woman crouching over a dying child.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading 'I don't like to see it.'

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading The hat represented a maimed French eagle; the face was ingeniously made up of human carcases, knotted and writhing together in such directions as to form a physiognomy; a band, or stock, shaped to resemble the English Channel, encircled his throat, and seemed to choke him; his epaulette was a hand tearing a cobweb that represented the treaty of peace with England; and his ear was a woman crouching over a dying child.

ingeniouslyadverbUS /ˌɪnˈdʒiːnjəsli/

in an ingenious manner

From this reading The hat represented a maimed French eagle; the face was ingeniously made up of human carcases, knotted and writhing together in such directions as to form a physiognomy; a band, or stock, shaped to resemble the English Channel, encircled his throat, and seemed to choke him; his epaulette was a hand tearing a cobweb that represented the treaty of peace with England; and his ear was a woman crouching over a dying child.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading {225} 'It is dreadful!' said Anne.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was a hieroglyphic profile of Napoleon.

knottedadjectiveUS /ˈnɑːtɪd/

tied with a knot

From this reading The hat represented a maimed French eagle; the face was ingeniously made up of human carcases, knotted and writhing together in such directions as to form a physiognomy; a band, or stock, shaped to resemble the English Channel, encircled his throat, and seemed to choke him; his epaulette was a hand tearing a cobweb that represented the treaty of peace with England; and his ear was a woman crouching over a dying child.

likeverbUS /laɪk/

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading 'I don't like to see it.'

madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading The hat represented a maimed French eagle; the face was ingeniously made up of human carcases, knotted and writhing together in such directions as to form a physiognomy; a band, or stock, shaped to resemble the English Channel, encircled his throat, and seemed to choke him; his epaulette was a hand tearing a cobweb that represented the treaty of peace with England; and his ear was a woman crouching over a dying child.

maimednounUS /meɪmd/

people who are wounded

From this reading The hat represented a maimed French eagle; the face was ingeniously made up of human carcases, knotted and writhing together in such directions as to form a physiognomy; a band, or stock, shaped to resemble the English Channel, encircled his throat, and seemed to choke him; his epaulette was a hand tearing a cobweb that represented the treaty of peace with England; and his ear was a woman crouching over a dying child.

NapoleonnounUS /nəˈpoʊliən/

French general who became emperor of the French (1769-1821)

From this reading It was a hieroglyphic profile of Napoleon.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading It was a hieroglyphic profile of Napoleon.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading The hat represented a maimed French eagle; the face was ingeniously made up of human carcases, knotted and writhing together in such directions as to form a physiognomy; a band, or stock, shaped to resemble the English Channel, encircled his throat, and seemed to choke him; his epaulette was a hand tearing a cobweb that represented the treaty of peace with England; and his ear was a woman crouching over a dying child.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading The hat represented a maimed French eagle; the face was ingeniously made up of human carcases, knotted and writhing together in such directions as to form a physiognomy; a band, or stock, shaped to resemble the English Channel, encircled his throat, and seemed to choke him; his epaulette was a hand tearing a cobweb that represented the treaty of peace with England; and his ear was a woman crouching over a dying child.

peacenounUS /piːs/

the state prevailing during the absence of war

From this reading The hat represented a maimed French eagle; the face was ingeniously made up of human carcases, knotted and writhing together in such directions as to form a physiognomy; a band, or stock, shaped to resemble the English Channel, encircled his throat, and seemed to choke him; his epaulette was a hand tearing a cobweb that represented the treaty of peace with England; and his ear was a woman crouching over a dying child.

physiognomynoun

the human face (“kisser” and “smiler” and “mug” are informal terms for “face” and “phiz” is British)

From this reading The hat represented a maimed French eagle; the face was ingeniously made up of human carcases, knotted and writhing together in such directions as to form a physiognomy; a band, or stock, shaped to resemble the English Channel, encircled his throat, and seemed to choke him; his epaulette was a hand tearing a cobweb that represented the treaty of peace with England; and his ear was a woman crouching over a dying child.

profilenounUS /ˈproʊfaɪl/

an analysis (often in graphical form) representing the extent to which something exhibits various characteristics

From this reading It was a hieroglyphic profile of Napoleon.

recoveredadjectiveUS /rəˈkʌvərd/

freed from illness or injury

From this reading She had recovered from her emotion, and walked along beside him with a grave, subdued face.

representedadjectiveUS /ˌreprɪˈzentɪd/

represented accurately or precisely

From this reading The hat represented a maimed French eagle; the face was ingeniously made up of human carcases, knotted and writhing together in such directions as to form a physiognomy; a band, or stock, shaped to resemble the English Channel, encircled his throat, and seemed to choke him; his epaulette was a hand tearing a cobweb that represented the treaty of peace with England; and his ear was a woman crouching over a dying child.

resembleverbUS /rɪˈzembəl/

appear like; be similar or bear a likeness to

From this reading The hat represented a maimed French eagle; the face was ingeniously made up of human carcases, knotted and writhing together in such directions as to form a physiognomy; a band, or stock, shaped to resemble the English Channel, encircled his throat, and seemed to choke him; his epaulette was a hand tearing a cobweb that represented the treaty of peace with England; and his ear was a woman crouching over a dying child.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading {225} 'It is dreadful!' said Anne.

seeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading 'I don't like to see it.'

seemedverbUS /siːmd/

past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading The hat represented a maimed French eagle; the face was ingeniously made up of human carcases, knotted and writhing together in such directions as to form a physiognomy; a band, or stock, shaped to resemble the English Channel, encircled his throat, and seemed to choke him; his epaulette was a hand tearing a cobweb that represented the treaty of peace with England; and his ear was a woman crouching over a dying child.

shapedadjectiveUS /ʃeɪpt/

shaped to fit by or as if by altering the contours of a pliable mass (as by work or effort)

From this reading The hat represented a maimed French eagle; the face was ingeniously made up of human carcases, knotted and writhing together in such directions as to form a physiognomy; a band, or stock, shaped to resemble the English Channel, encircled his throat, and seemed to choke him; his epaulette was a hand tearing a cobweb that represented the treaty of peace with England; and his ear was a woman crouching over a dying child.

ShepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading She had recovered from her emotion, and walked along beside him with a grave, subdued face.

stocknounUS /stɑːk/

the capital raised by a corporation through the issue of shares entitling holders to an ownership interest

From this reading The hat represented a maimed French eagle; the face was ingeniously made up of human carcases, knotted and writhing together in such directions as to form a physiognomy; a band, or stock, shaped to resemble the English Channel, encircled his throat, and seemed to choke him; his epaulette was a hand tearing a cobweb that represented the treaty of peace with England; and his ear was a woman crouching over a dying child.

subduedadjectiveUS /səbˈduːd/

in a softened tone

From this reading She had recovered from her emotion, and walked along beside him with a grave, subdued face.

suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading The hat represented a maimed French eagle; the face was ingeniously made up of human carcases, knotted and writhing together in such directions as to form a physiognomy; a band, or stock, shaped to resemble the English Channel, encircled his throat, and seemed to choke him; his epaulette was a hand tearing a cobweb that represented the treaty of peace with England; and his ear was a woman crouching over a dying child.

tearingnounUS /ˈterɪŋ/

shedding tears

From this reading The hat represented a maimed French eagle; the face was ingeniously made up of human carcases, knotted and writhing together in such directions as to form a physiognomy; a band, or stock, shaped to resemble the English Channel, encircled his throat, and seemed to choke him; his epaulette was a hand tearing a cobweb that represented the treaty of peace with England; and his ear was a woman crouching over a dying child.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading The hat represented a maimed French eagle; the face was ingeniously made up of human carcases, knotted and writhing together in such directions as to form a physiognomy; a band, or stock, shaped to resemble the English Channel, encircled his throat, and seemed to choke him; his epaulette was a hand tearing a cobweb that represented the treaty of peace with England; and his ear was a woman crouching over a dying child.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading The hat represented a maimed French eagle; the face was ingeniously made up of human carcases, knotted and writhing together in such directions as to form a physiognomy; a band, or stock, shaped to resemble the English Channel, encircled his throat, and seemed to choke him; his epaulette was a hand tearing a cobweb that represented the treaty of peace with England; and his ear was a woman crouching over a dying child.

throatnounUS /θroʊt/

The passage at the back of the mouth.

From this reading The hat represented a maimed French eagle; the face was ingeniously made up of human carcases, knotted and writhing together in such directions as to form a physiognomy; a band, or stock, shaped to resemble the English Channel, encircled his throat, and seemed to choke him; his epaulette was a hand tearing a cobweb that represented the treaty of peace with England; and his ear was a woman crouching over a dying child.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading The hat represented a maimed French eagle; the face was ingeniously made up of human carcases, knotted and writhing together in such directions as to form a physiognomy; a band, or stock, shaped to resemble the English Channel, encircled his throat, and seemed to choke him; his epaulette was a hand tearing a cobweb that represented the treaty of peace with England; and his ear was a woman crouching over a dying child.

togetheradverbUS /təˈɡeðər/

in contact with each other or in proximity

From this reading The hat represented a maimed French eagle; the face was ingeniously made up of human carcases, knotted and writhing together in such directions as to form a physiognomy; a band, or stock, shaped to resemble the English Channel, encircled his throat, and seemed to choke him; his epaulette was a hand tearing a cobweb that represented the treaty of peace with England; and his ear was a woman crouching over a dying child.

treatynounUS /ˈtriːti/

a written agreement between two states or sovereigns

From this reading The hat represented a maimed French eagle; the face was ingeniously made up of human carcases, knotted and writhing together in such directions as to form a physiognomy; a band, or stock, shaped to resemble the English Channel, encircled his throat, and seemed to choke him; his epaulette was a hand tearing a cobweb that represented the treaty of peace with England; and his ear was a woman crouching over a dying child.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

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

From this reading The hat represented a maimed French eagle; the face was ingeniously made up of human carcases, knotted and writhing together in such directions as to form a physiognomy; a band, or stock, shaped to resemble the English Channel, encircled his throat, and seemed to choke him; his epaulette was a hand tearing a cobweb that represented the treaty of peace with England; and his ear was a woman crouching over a dying child.

walkedverbUS /wɔːkt/

past form of “walk” — use one's feet to advance; advance by steps

From this reading She had recovered from her emotion, and walked along beside him with a grave, subdued face.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading It was a hieroglyphic profile of Napoleon.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading The hat represented a maimed French eagle; the face was ingeniously made up of human carcases, knotted and writhing together in such directions as to form a physiognomy; a band, or stock, shaped to resemble the English Channel, encircled his throat, and seemed to choke him; his epaulette was a hand tearing a cobweb that represented the treaty of peace with England; and his ear was a woman crouching over a dying child.

womannounUS /ˈwʊmən/

an adult female person (as opposed to a man)

From this reading The hat represented a maimed French eagle; the face was ingeniously made up of human carcases, knotted and writhing together in such directions as to form a physiognomy; a band, or stock, shaped to resemble the English Channel, encircled his throat, and seemed to choke him; his epaulette was a hand tearing a cobweb that represented the treaty of peace with England; and his ear was a woman crouching over a dying child.

writhingadjectiveUS /ˈraɪðɪŋ/

moving in a twisting or snake-like or wormlike fashion

From this reading The hat represented a maimed French eagle; the face was ingeniously made up of human carcases, knotted and writhing together in such directions as to form a physiognomy; a band, or stock, shaped to resemble the English Channel, encircled his throat, and seemed to choke him; his epaulette was a hand tearing a cobweb that represented the treaty of peace with England; and his ear was a woman crouching over a dying child.

Chapter 20 of The Trumpet-Major by Thomas Hardy holds 177 sentences, grouped into 36 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 20 of The Trumpet-Major contain?

Chapter 20 holds 177 sentences of The Trumpet-Major, unabridged, divided into 36 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 20 of The Trumpet-Major by Thomas Hardy exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 177 sentences, grouped into 36 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 20 of The Trumpet-Major?

Work through the 36 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 36 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 20 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 20 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 Trumpet-Major

Common questions about reading The Trumpet-Major by Thomas Hardy on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Trumpet-Major?

Yes. All 6158 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #2864 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Trumpet-Major is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #2864, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Trumpet-Major take to read?

About 513 minutes of reading across 1232 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Trumpet-Major section by section

How to work through The Trumpet-Major section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 34 chapters of The Trumpet-Major 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 Trumpet-Major

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Trumpet-Major, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Present
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Trumpet-Major; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Founded
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Trumpet-Major; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Largely
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Trumpet-Major; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Testimony--oral
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Trumpet-Major; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.