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Thorpe Regis
Thorpe Regis

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of Thorpe Regis is here in full — 420 sentences across 84 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/84 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Thorpe Regis, by Frances Peard.
________________________________________________________________________ THORPE REGIS, BY FRANCES PEARD.
CHAPTER ONE.
Nowadays the word "change," when applied to a place, seems so naturally to carry in itself the ideas of growth, enlargement, and progress, that we find a certain difficulty in adopting the word in its retrograde sense, or of recognising other steps than those which we are in the habit of looking upon as advancement.
And yet, if it be true that, under the pressure of an ever-increasing population, hamlets have become towns and fishing-villages seaports, it is no less certain that the great march leaves behind it, or pushes out of its way, many stragglers too sick, too feeble, or too weary for its ranks.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Thorpe Regis

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of Thorpe Regis is here in full — 420 sentences across 84 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/84 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Thorpe Regis, by Frances Peard.
Line 2
________________________________________________________________________ THORPE REGIS, BY FRANCES PEARD.
Line 3
CHAPTER ONE.
/ˈtʃæptər wʌn/
Line 4
Nowadays the word "change," when applied to a place, seems so naturally to carry in itself the ideas of growth, enlargement, and progress, that we find a certain difficulty in adopting the word in its retrograde sense, or of recognising other steps than those which we are in the habit of looking upon as advancement.
/ˈnaʊədeɪz ðə wɜːrd tʃeɪndʒ wen əˈplaɪd tuː ə pleɪs siːmz soʊ ˈnætʃərəli tuː ˈkæri ɪn ˌɪtˈself ðə aɪˈdiːəz ʌv ɡroʊθ ɪnˈlɑːrdʒmənt ənd ˈprɑːɡres ðæt wiː faɪnd ə ˈsɜːrtən ˈdɪfəkəlti ɪn əˈdɑːptɪŋ ðə wɜːrd ɪn ɪts ˈretrəɡreɪd sens ɔːr ʌv ˈrekəɡnaɪzɪŋ ˈʌðər steps ðæn ðoʊz wɪtʃ wiː ɑːr ɪn ðə ˈhæbət ʌv ˈlʊkɪŋ əˈpɑːn æz ədˈvænsmənt/
Line 5
And yet, if it be true that, under the pressure of an ever-increasing population, hamlets have become towns and fishing-villages seaports, it is no less certain that the great march leaves behind it, or pushes out of its way, many stragglers too sick, too feeble, or too weary for its ranks.

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.

adopting verb US /əˈdɑːptɪŋ/

-ing form of “adopt” — choose and follow; as of theories, ideas, policies, strategies or plans

From this reading “Nowadays the word "change," when applied to a place, seems so naturally to carry in itself the ideas of growth, enlargement, and progress, that we find a certain difficulty in adopting the word in its retrograde sense, or of recognising other steps than those which we are in the habit of looking upon as advancement.”

enlargement noun US /ɪnˈlɑːrdʒmənt/

the act of increasing (something) in size or volume or quantity or scope

From this reading “Nowadays the word "change," when applied to a place, seems so naturally to carry in itself the ideas of growth, enlargement, and progress, that we find a certain difficulty in adopting the word in its retrograde sense, or of recognising other steps than those which we are in the habit of looking upon as advancement.”

hamlets noun US /ˈhæmləts/

plural of “hamlet” — a community of people smaller than a village

From this reading “And yet, if it be true that, under the pressure of an ever-increasing population, hamlets have become towns and fishing-villages seaports, it is no less certain that the great march leaves behind it, or pushes out of its way, many stragglers too sick, too feeble, or too weary for its ranks.”

pushes noun US /ˈpʊʃəz/

plural of “push” — the act of applying force in order to move something away

From this reading “And yet, if it be true that, under the pressure of an ever-increasing population, hamlets have become towns and fishing-villages seaports, it is no less certain that the great march leaves behind it, or pushes out of its way, many stragglers too sick, too feeble, or too weary for its ranks.”

recognising verb US /ˈrekəɡnaɪzɪŋ/

-ing form of “recognise” — show approval or appreciation of

From this reading “Nowadays the word "change," when applied to a place, seems so naturally to carry in itself the ideas of growth, enlargement, and progress, that we find a certain difficulty in adopting the word in its retrograde sense, or of recognising other steps than those which we are in the habit of looking upon as advancement.”

retrograde verb US /ˈretrəɡreɪd/

move backward in an orbit, of celestial bodies

From this reading “Nowadays the word "change," when applied to a place, seems so naturally to carry in itself the ideas of growth, enlargement, and progress, that we find a certain difficulty in adopting the word in its retrograde sense, or of recognising other steps than those which we are in the habit of looking upon as advancement.”

seaports noun US /ˈsiːpɔːrts/

plural of “seaport” — a sheltered port where ships can take on or discharge cargo

From this reading “And yet, if it be true that, under the pressure of an ever-increasing population, hamlets have become towns and fishing-villages seaports, it is no less certain that the great march leaves behind it, or pushes out of its way, many stragglers too sick, too feeble, or too weary for its ranks.”

stragglers noun US /ˈstræɡlərz/

plural of “straggler” — someone who strays or falls behind

From this reading “And yet, if it be true that, under the pressure of an ever-increasing population, hamlets have become towns and fishing-villages seaports, it is no less certain that the great march leaves behind it, or pushes out of its way, many stragglers too sick, too feeble, or too weary for its ranks.”

Word partnerships in these lines

English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.

Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.

under the pressure preposition + article + noun counted as “under … pressure”

In this reading “And yet, if it be true that, under the pressure of an ever-increasing population, hamlets have become towns and fishing-villages seaports, it is no less certain that the great march leaves behind it, or pushes out of its way, many stragglers too sick, too feeble, or too weary for its ranks.”

too feeble adverb + adjective

In this reading “And yet, if it be true that, under the pressure of an ever-increasing population, hamlets have become towns and fishing-villages seaports, it is no less certain that the great march leaves behind it, or pushes out of its way, many stragglers too sick, too feeble, or too weary for its ranks.”

in the habit preposition + article + noun counted as “in … habit”

In this reading “Nowadays the word "change," when applied to a place, seems so naturally to carry in itself the ideas of growth, enlargement, and progress, that we find a certain difficulty in adopting the word in its retrograde sense, or of recognising other steps than those which we are in the habit of looking upon as advancement.”

pushes out verb + adjective counted as “push out”

push to thrust outward

In this reading “And yet, if it be true that, under the pressure of an ever-increasing population, hamlets have become towns and fishing-villages seaports, it is no less certain that the great march leaves behind it, or pushes out of its way, many stragglers too sick, too feeble, or too weary for its ranks.”

All words in this reading · 84

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 Nowadays the word "change," when applied to a place, seems so naturally to carry in itself the ideas of growth, enlargement, and progress, that we find a certain difficulty in adopting the word in its retrograde sense, or of recognising other steps than those which we are in the habit of looking upon as advancement.

adoptingverbUS /əˈdɑːptɪŋ/

-ing form of “adopt” — choose and follow; as of theories, ideas, policies, strategies or plans

From this reading Nowadays the word "change," when applied to a place, seems so naturally to carry in itself the ideas of growth, enlargement, and progress, that we find a certain difficulty in adopting the word in its retrograde sense, or of recognising other steps than those which we are in the habit of looking upon as advancement.

advancementnounUS /ədˈvænsmənt/

encouragement of the progress or growth or acceptance of something

From this reading Nowadays the word "change," when applied to a place, seems so naturally to carry in itself the ideas of growth, enlargement, and progress, that we find a certain difficulty in adopting the word in its retrograde sense, or of recognising other steps than those which we are in the habit of looking upon as advancement.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading And yet, if it be true that, under the pressure of an ever-increasing population, hamlets have become towns and fishing-villages seaports, it is no less certain that the great march leaves behind it, or pushes out of its way, many stragglers too sick, too feeble, or too weary for its ranks.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Nowadays the word "change," when applied to a place, seems so naturally to carry in itself the ideas of growth, enlargement, and progress, that we find a certain difficulty in adopting the word in its retrograde sense, or of recognising other steps than those which we are in the habit of looking upon as advancement.

appliedadjectiveUS /əˈplaɪd/

concerned with concrete problems or data rather than with fundamental principles

From this reading Nowadays the word "change," when applied to a place, seems so naturally to carry in itself the ideas of growth, enlargement, and progress, that we find a certain difficulty in adopting the word in its retrograde sense, or of recognising other steps than those which we are in the habit of looking upon as advancement.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading Nowadays the word "change," when applied to a place, seems so naturally to carry in itself the ideas of growth, enlargement, and progress, that we find a certain difficulty in adopting the word in its retrograde sense, or of recognising other steps than those which we are in the habit of looking upon as advancement.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Nowadays the word "change," when applied to a place, seems so naturally to carry in itself the ideas of growth, enlargement, and progress, that we find a certain difficulty in adopting the word in its retrograde sense, or of recognising other steps than those which we are in the habit of looking upon as advancement.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading And yet, if it be true that, under the pressure of an ever-increasing population, hamlets have become towns and fishing-villages seaports, it is no less certain that the great march leaves behind it, or pushes out of its way, many stragglers too sick, too feeble, or too weary for its ranks.

becomeverbUS /bɪˈkʌm/

enter or assume a certain state or condition

From this reading And yet, if it be true that, under the pressure of an ever-increasing population, hamlets have become towns and fishing-villages seaports, it is no less certain that the great march leaves behind it, or pushes out of its way, many stragglers too sick, too feeble, or too weary for its ranks.

behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/

at or toward the back of something

From this reading And yet, if it be true that, under the pressure of an ever-increasing population, hamlets have become towns and fishing-villages seaports, it is no less certain that the great march leaves behind it, or pushes out of its way, many stragglers too sick, too feeble, or too weary for its ranks.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Thorpe Regis, by Frances Peard.

carryverbUS /ˈkæri/

move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body

From this reading Nowadays the word "change," when applied to a place, seems so naturally to carry in itself the ideas of growth, enlargement, and progress, that we find a certain difficulty in adopting the word in its retrograde sense, or of recognising other steps than those which we are in the habit of looking upon as advancement.

certainadjectiveUS /ˈsɜːrtən/

definite but not specified or identified

From this reading Nowadays the word "change," when applied to a place, seems so naturally to carry in itself the ideas of growth, enlargement, and progress, that we find a certain difficulty in adopting the word in its retrograde sense, or of recognising other steps than those which we are in the habit of looking upon as advancement.

changeverbUS /tʃeɪndʒ/

cause to change; make different; cause a transformation

From this reading Nowadays the word "change," when applied to a place, seems so naturally to carry in itself the ideas of growth, enlargement, and progress, that we find a certain difficulty in adopting the word in its retrograde sense, or of recognising other steps than those which we are in the habit of looking upon as advancement.

CHAPTERnounUS /ˈtʃæptər/

a subdivision of a written work; usually numbered and titled

From this reading CHAPTER ONE.

difficultynounUS /ˈdɪfəkəlti/

an effort that is inconvenient

From this reading Nowadays the word "change," when applied to a place, seems so naturally to carry in itself the ideas of growth, enlargement, and progress, that we find a certain difficulty in adopting the word in its retrograde sense, or of recognising other steps than those which we are in the habit of looking upon as advancement.

enlargementnounUS /ɪnˈlɑːrdʒmənt/

the act of increasing (something) in size or volume or quantity or scope

From this reading Nowadays the word "change," when applied to a place, seems so naturally to carry in itself the ideas of growth, enlargement, and progress, that we find a certain difficulty in adopting the word in its retrograde sense, or of recognising other steps than those which we are in the habit of looking upon as advancement.

ever-increasing

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

From this reading And yet, if it be true that, under the pressure of an ever-increasing population, hamlets have become towns and fishing-villages seaports, it is no less certain that the great march leaves behind it, or pushes out of its way, many stragglers too sick, too feeble, or too weary for its ranks.

feebleadjectiveUS /ˈfiːbəl/

pathetically lacking in force or effectiveness

From this reading And yet, if it be true that, under the pressure of an ever-increasing population, hamlets have become towns and fishing-villages seaports, it is no less certain that the great march leaves behind it, or pushes out of its way, many stragglers too sick, too feeble, or too weary for its ranks.

findverbUS /faɪnd/

come upon, as if by accident; meet with

From this reading Nowadays the word "change," when applied to a place, seems so naturally to carry in itself the ideas of growth, enlargement, and progress, that we find a certain difficulty in adopting the word in its retrograde sense, or of recognising other steps than those which we are in the habit of looking upon as advancement.

fishing-villages

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

From this reading And yet, if it be true that, under the pressure of an ever-increasing population, hamlets have become towns and fishing-villages seaports, it is no less certain that the great march leaves behind it, or pushes out of its way, many stragglers too sick, too feeble, or too weary for its ranks.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading And yet, if it be true that, under the pressure of an ever-increasing population, hamlets have become towns and fishing-villages seaports, it is no less certain that the great march leaves behind it, or pushes out of its way, many stragglers too sick, too feeble, or too weary for its ranks.

FrancesnounUS /ˈfrænsɪs/

plural of “france” — a republic in western Europe; the largest country wholly in Europe

From this reading Thorpe Regis, by Frances Peard.

greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

From this reading And yet, if it be true that, under the pressure of an ever-increasing population, hamlets have become towns and fishing-villages seaports, it is no less certain that the great march leaves behind it, or pushes out of its way, many stragglers too sick, too feeble, or too weary for its ranks.

growthnounUS /ɡroʊθ/

(biology) the process of an individual organism growing organically; a purely biological unfolding of events involved in an organism changing gradually from a simple to a more complex level

From this reading Nowadays the word "change," when applied to a place, seems so naturally to carry in itself the ideas of growth, enlargement, and progress, that we find a certain difficulty in adopting the word in its retrograde sense, or of recognising other steps than those which we are in the habit of looking upon as advancement.

habitnounUS /ˈhæbət/

an established custom

From this reading Nowadays the word "change," when applied to a place, seems so naturally to carry in itself the ideas of growth, enlargement, and progress, that we find a certain difficulty in adopting the word in its retrograde sense, or of recognising other steps than those which we are in the habit of looking upon as advancement.

hamletsnounUS /ˈhæmləts/

plural of “hamlet” — a community of people smaller than a village

From this reading And yet, if it be true that, under the pressure of an ever-increasing population, hamlets have become towns and fishing-villages seaports, it is no less certain that the great march leaves behind it, or pushes out of its way, many stragglers too sick, too feeble, or too weary for its ranks.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading And yet, if it be true that, under the pressure of an ever-increasing population, hamlets have become towns and fishing-villages seaports, it is no less certain that the great march leaves behind it, or pushes out of its way, many stragglers too sick, too feeble, or too weary for its ranks.

ideasnounUS /aɪˈdiːəz/

plural of “idea” — the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

From this reading Nowadays the word "change," when applied to a place, seems so naturally to carry in itself the ideas of growth, enlargement, and progress, that we find a certain difficulty in adopting the word in its retrograde sense, or of recognising other steps than those which we are in the habit of looking upon as advancement.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading And yet, if it be true that, under the pressure of an ever-increasing population, hamlets have become towns and fishing-villages seaports, it is no less certain that the great march leaves behind it, or pushes out of its way, many stragglers too sick, too feeble, or too weary for its ranks.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Nowadays the word "change," when applied to a place, seems so naturally to carry in itself the ideas of growth, enlargement, and progress, that we find a certain difficulty in adopting the word in its retrograde sense, or of recognising other steps than those which we are in the habit of looking upon as advancement.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading And yet, if it be true that, under the pressure of an ever-increasing population, hamlets have become towns and fishing-villages seaports, it is no less certain that the great march leaves behind it, or pushes out of its way, many stragglers too sick, too feeble, or too weary for its ranks.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading And yet, if it be true that, under the pressure of an ever-increasing population, hamlets have become towns and fishing-villages seaports, it is no less certain that the great march leaves behind it, or pushes out of its way, many stragglers too sick, too feeble, or too weary for its ranks.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading Nowadays the word "change," when applied to a place, seems so naturally to carry in itself the ideas of growth, enlargement, and progress, that we find a certain difficulty in adopting the word in its retrograde sense, or of recognising other steps than those which we are in the habit of looking upon as advancement.

itselfpronounUS /ˌɪtˈself/

used when the thing doing the action is also its object

From this reading Nowadays the word "change," when applied to a place, seems so naturally to carry in itself the ideas of growth, enlargement, and progress, that we find a certain difficulty in adopting the word in its retrograde sense, or of recognising other steps than those which we are in the habit of looking upon as advancement.

leavesnounUS /liːvz/

plural of “leaf” — the main organ of photosynthesis and transpiration in higher plants

From this reading And yet, if it be true that, under the pressure of an ever-increasing population, hamlets have become towns and fishing-villages seaports, it is no less certain that the great march leaves behind it, or pushes out of its way, many stragglers too sick, too feeble, or too weary for its ranks.

lessadverbUS /les/

used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs

From this reading And yet, if it be true that, under the pressure of an ever-increasing population, hamlets have become towns and fishing-villages seaports, it is no less certain that the great march leaves behind it, or pushes out of its way, many stragglers too sick, too feeble, or too weary for its ranks.

lookingnounUS /ˈlʊkɪŋ/

the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually

From this reading Nowadays the word "change," when applied to a place, seems so naturally to carry in itself the ideas of growth, enlargement, and progress, that we find a certain difficulty in adopting the word in its retrograde sense, or of recognising other steps than those which we are in the habit of looking upon as advancement.

manyadjectiveUS /ˈmeni/

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number

From this reading And yet, if it be true that, under the pressure of an ever-increasing population, hamlets have become towns and fishing-villages seaports, it is no less certain that the great march leaves behind it, or pushes out of its way, many stragglers too sick, too feeble, or too weary for its ranks.

marchverbUS /mɑːrtʃ/

march in a procession

From this reading And yet, if it be true that, under the pressure of an ever-increasing population, hamlets have become towns and fishing-villages seaports, it is no less certain that the great march leaves behind it, or pushes out of its way, many stragglers too sick, too feeble, or too weary for its ranks.

naturallyadverbUS /ˈnætʃərəli/

as might be expected

From this reading Nowadays the word "change," when applied to a place, seems so naturally to carry in itself the ideas of growth, enlargement, and progress, that we find a certain difficulty in adopting the word in its retrograde sense, or of recognising other steps than those which we are in the habit of looking upon as advancement.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading And yet, if it be true that, under the pressure of an ever-increasing population, hamlets have become towns and fishing-villages seaports, it is no less certain that the great march leaves behind it, or pushes out of its way, many stragglers too sick, too feeble, or too weary for its ranks.

NowadaysnounUS /ˈnaʊədeɪz/

the period of time that is happening now; any continuous stretch of time including the moment of speech

From this reading Nowadays the word "change," when applied to a place, seems so naturally to carry in itself the ideas of growth, enlargement, and progress, that we find a certain difficulty in adopting the word in its retrograde sense, or of recognising other steps than those which we are in the habit of looking upon as advancement.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Nowadays the word "change," when applied to a place, seems so naturally to carry in itself the ideas of growth, enlargement, and progress, that we find a certain difficulty in adopting the word in its retrograde sense, or of recognising other steps than those which we are in the habit of looking upon as advancement.

ONEpronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading CHAPTER ONE.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading Nowadays the word "change," when applied to a place, seems so naturally to carry in itself the ideas of growth, enlargement, and progress, that we find a certain difficulty in adopting the word in its retrograde sense, or of recognising other steps than those which we are in the habit of looking upon as advancement.

otheradjectiveUS /ˈʌðər/

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading Nowadays the word "change," when applied to a place, seems so naturally to carry in itself the ideas of growth, enlargement, and progress, that we find a certain difficulty in adopting the word in its retrograde sense, or of recognising other steps than those which we are in the habit of looking upon as advancement.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading And yet, if it be true that, under the pressure of an ever-increasing population, hamlets have become towns and fishing-villages seaports, it is no less certain that the great march leaves behind it, or pushes out of its way, many stragglers too sick, too feeble, or too weary for its ranks.

Peard

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

From this reading Thorpe Regis, by Frances Peard.

placenounUS /pleɪs/

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading Nowadays the word "change," when applied to a place, seems so naturally to carry in itself the ideas of growth, enlargement, and progress, that we find a certain difficulty in adopting the word in its retrograde sense, or of recognising other steps than those which we are in the habit of looking upon as advancement.

populationnounUS /ˌpɑːpjəˈleɪʃən/

the people who inhabit a territory or state

From this reading And yet, if it be true that, under the pressure of an ever-increasing population, hamlets have become towns and fishing-villages seaports, it is no less certain that the great march leaves behind it, or pushes out of its way, many stragglers too sick, too feeble, or too weary for its ranks.

pressurenounUS /ˈpreʃər/

the force applied to a unit area of surface; measured in pascals (SI unit) or in dynes (cgs unit)

From this reading And yet, if it be true that, under the pressure of an ever-increasing population, hamlets have become towns and fishing-villages seaports, it is no less certain that the great march leaves behind it, or pushes out of its way, many stragglers too sick, too feeble, or too weary for its ranks.

progressnounUS /ˈprɑːɡres/

gradual improvement or growth or development

From this reading Nowadays the word "change," when applied to a place, seems so naturally to carry in itself the ideas of growth, enlargement, and progress, that we find a certain difficulty in adopting the word in its retrograde sense, or of recognising other steps than those which we are in the habit of looking upon as advancement.

pushesnounUS /ˈpʊʃəz/

plural of “push” — the act of applying force in order to move something away

From this reading And yet, if it be true that, under the pressure of an ever-increasing population, hamlets have become towns and fishing-villages seaports, it is no less certain that the great march leaves behind it, or pushes out of its way, many stragglers too sick, too feeble, or too weary for its ranks.

ranksnounUS /ræŋks/

plural of “rank” — a row or line of people (especially soldiers or police) standing abreast of one another

From this reading And yet, if it be true that, under the pressure of an ever-increasing population, hamlets have become towns and fishing-villages seaports, it is no less certain that the great march leaves behind it, or pushes out of its way, many stragglers too sick, too feeble, or too weary for its ranks.

recognisingverbUS /ˈrekəɡnaɪzɪŋ/

-ing form of “recognise” — show approval or appreciation of

From this reading Nowadays the word "change," when applied to a place, seems so naturally to carry in itself the ideas of growth, enlargement, and progress, that we find a certain difficulty in adopting the word in its retrograde sense, or of recognising other steps than those which we are in the habit of looking upon as advancement.

Regis

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

From this reading Thorpe Regis, by Frances Peard.

retrogradeverbUS /ˈretrəɡreɪd/

move backward in an orbit, of celestial bodies

From this reading Nowadays the word "change," when applied to a place, seems so naturally to carry in itself the ideas of growth, enlargement, and progress, that we find a certain difficulty in adopting the word in its retrograde sense, or of recognising other steps than those which we are in the habit of looking upon as advancement.

seaportsnounUS /ˈsiːpɔːrts/

plural of “seaport” — a sheltered port where ships can take on or discharge cargo

From this reading And yet, if it be true that, under the pressure of an ever-increasing population, hamlets have become towns and fishing-villages seaports, it is no less certain that the great march leaves behind it, or pushes out of its way, many stragglers too sick, too feeble, or too weary for its ranks.

seemsverbUS /siːmz/

third-person singular of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading Nowadays the word "change," when applied to a place, seems so naturally to carry in itself the ideas of growth, enlargement, and progress, that we find a certain difficulty in adopting the word in its retrograde sense, or of recognising other steps than those which we are in the habit of looking upon as advancement.

sensenounUS /sens/

a general conscious awareness

From this reading Nowadays the word "change," when applied to a place, seems so naturally to carry in itself the ideas of growth, enlargement, and progress, that we find a certain difficulty in adopting the word in its retrograde sense, or of recognising other steps than those which we are in the habit of looking upon as advancement.

sickadjectiveUS /sɪk/

affected by an impairment of normal physical or mental function

From this reading And yet, if it be true that, under the pressure of an ever-increasing population, hamlets have become towns and fishing-villages seaports, it is no less certain that the great march leaves behind it, or pushes out of its way, many stragglers too sick, too feeble, or too weary for its ranks.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading Nowadays the word "change," when applied to a place, seems so naturally to carry in itself the ideas of growth, enlargement, and progress, that we find a certain difficulty in adopting the word in its retrograde sense, or of recognising other steps than those which we are in the habit of looking upon as advancement.

stepsnounUS /steps/

a flight of stairs or a flight of steps

From this reading Nowadays the word "change," when applied to a place, seems so naturally to carry in itself the ideas of growth, enlargement, and progress, that we find a certain difficulty in adopting the word in its retrograde sense, or of recognising other steps than those which we are in the habit of looking upon as advancement.

stragglersnounUS /ˈstræɡlərz/

plural of “straggler” — someone who strays or falls behind

From this reading And yet, if it be true that, under the pressure of an ever-increasing population, hamlets have become towns and fishing-villages seaports, it is no less certain that the great march leaves behind it, or pushes out of its way, many stragglers too sick, too feeble, or too weary for its ranks.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading Nowadays the word "change," when applied to a place, seems so naturally to carry in itself the ideas of growth, enlargement, and progress, that we find a certain difficulty in adopting the word in its retrograde sense, or of recognising other steps than those which we are in the habit of looking upon as advancement.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Nowadays the word "change," when applied to a place, seems so naturally to carry in itself the ideas of growth, enlargement, and progress, that we find a certain difficulty in adopting the word in its retrograde sense, or of recognising other steps than those which we are in the habit of looking upon as advancement.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Nowadays the word "change," when applied to a place, seems so naturally to carry in itself the ideas of growth, enlargement, and progress, that we find a certain difficulty in adopting the word in its retrograde sense, or of recognising other steps than those which we are in the habit of looking upon as advancement.

ThorpenounUS /θɔːrp/

outstanding United States athlete (1888-1953)

From this reading Thorpe Regis, by Frances Peard.

thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading Nowadays the word "change," when applied to a place, seems so naturally to carry in itself the ideas of growth, enlargement, and progress, that we find a certain difficulty in adopting the word in its retrograde sense, or of recognising other steps than those which we are in the habit of looking upon as advancement.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Nowadays the word "change," when applied to a place, seems so naturally to carry in itself the ideas of growth, enlargement, and progress, that we find a certain difficulty in adopting the word in its retrograde sense, or of recognising other steps than those which we are in the habit of looking upon as advancement.

tooadverbUS /tuː/

to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits

From this reading And yet, if it be true that, under the pressure of an ever-increasing population, hamlets have become towns and fishing-villages seaports, it is no less certain that the great march leaves behind it, or pushes out of its way, many stragglers too sick, too feeble, or too weary for its ranks.

townsnounUS /taʊnz/

plural of “town” — an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city

From this reading And yet, if it be true that, under the pressure of an ever-increasing population, hamlets have become towns and fishing-villages seaports, it is no less certain that the great march leaves behind it, or pushes out of its way, many stragglers too sick, too feeble, or too weary for its ranks.

trueadjectiveUS /truː/

consistent with fact or reality; not false

From this reading And yet, if it be true that, under the pressure of an ever-increasing population, hamlets have become towns and fishing-villages seaports, it is no less certain that the great march leaves behind it, or pushes out of its way, many stragglers too sick, too feeble, or too weary for its ranks.

underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading And yet, if it be true that, under the pressure of an ever-increasing population, hamlets have become towns and fishing-villages seaports, it is no less certain that the great march leaves behind it, or pushes out of its way, many stragglers too sick, too feeble, or too weary for its ranks.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading Nowadays the word "change," when applied to a place, seems so naturally to carry in itself the ideas of growth, enlargement, and progress, that we find a certain difficulty in adopting the word in its retrograde sense, or of recognising other steps than those which we are in the habit of looking upon as advancement.

waynounUS /weɪ/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading And yet, if it be true that, under the pressure of an ever-increasing population, hamlets have become towns and fishing-villages seaports, it is no less certain that the great march leaves behind it, or pushes out of its way, many stragglers too sick, too feeble, or too weary for its ranks.

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading Nowadays the word "change," when applied to a place, seems so naturally to carry in itself the ideas of growth, enlargement, and progress, that we find a certain difficulty in adopting the word in its retrograde sense, or of recognising other steps than those which we are in the habit of looking upon as advancement.

wearyverbUS /ˈwɪri/

exhaust or get tired through overuse or great strain or stress

From this reading And yet, if it be true that, under the pressure of an ever-increasing population, hamlets have become towns and fishing-villages seaports, it is no less certain that the great march leaves behind it, or pushes out of its way, many stragglers too sick, too feeble, or too weary for its ranks.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading Nowadays the word "change," when applied to a place, seems so naturally to carry in itself the ideas of growth, enlargement, and progress, that we find a certain difficulty in adopting the word in its retrograde sense, or of recognising other steps than those which we are in the habit of looking upon as advancement.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading Nowadays the word "change," when applied to a place, seems so naturally to carry in itself the ideas of growth, enlargement, and progress, that we find a certain difficulty in adopting the word in its retrograde sense, or of recognising other steps than those which we are in the habit of looking upon as advancement.

wordnounUS /wɜːrd/

a unit of language that native speakers can identify

From this reading Nowadays the word "change," when applied to a place, seems so naturally to carry in itself the ideas of growth, enlargement, and progress, that we find a certain difficulty in adopting the word in its retrograde sense, or of recognising other steps than those which we are in the habit of looking upon as advancement.

yetconjunctionUS /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading And yet, if it be true that, under the pressure of an ever-increasing population, hamlets have become towns and fishing-villages seaports, it is no less certain that the great march leaves behind it, or pushes out of its way, many stragglers too sick, too feeble, or too weary for its ranks.

Chapter 1 of Thorpe Regis by Frances Mary Peard holds 420 sentences, grouped into 84 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 1 of Thorpe Regis contain?

Chapter 1 holds 420 sentences of Thorpe Regis, unabridged, divided into 84 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of Thorpe Regis by Frances Mary Peard exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 420 sentences, grouped into 84 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 1 of Thorpe Regis?

Work through the 84 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 84 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 1 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 1 can be played aloud in United States English.

Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.

Questions about reading Thorpe Regis

Common questions about reading Thorpe Regis by Frances Mary Peard on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Thorpe Regis?

Yes. All 4503 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #43155 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Thorpe Regis is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #43155, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Thorpe Regis take to read?

About 375 minutes of reading across 901 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Thorpe Regis section by section

How to work through Thorpe Regis section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 11 chapters of Thorpe Regis 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 Thorpe Regis

Words and structures a reader meets early in Thorpe Regis, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Thorpe
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Thorpe Regis; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Regis
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Thorpe Regis; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Frances
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Thorpe Regis; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Peard
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Thorpe Regis; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.