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Under False Pretences: A Novel
Under False Pretences: A Novel

Chapter XXIV · Chapter 24

Chapter 24 of Under False Pretences: A Novel is here in full — 251 sentences across 51 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Adeline Sergeant • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for Under False Pretences: A Novel
Context Illustration Reading 1/50 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
ACCUSER AND ACCUSED.
There had been solemn council in the house of Netherglen.
Mrs. Luttrell and Mr. Colquhoun had held long interviews; letters and papers of all sorts had been produced and compared; the dressing-room door was closed against all comers, and even Angela was excluded.
Hugo was once summoned, and came away from the conference with the air of a desperate man at once baffled and fierce.
He lurked about the dark corners of the house, as if he were afraid to appear in the light of the day; but he took no one into his confidence.
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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.

Under False Pretences: A Novel

Chapter XXIV · Chapter 24

Chapter 24 of Under False Pretences: A Novel is here in full — 251 sentences across 51 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/50 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
ACCUSER AND ACCUSED.
/əˈkjuːzər ənd əˈkjuːzd/
Line 2
There had been solemn council in the house of Netherglen.
Line 3
Mrs. Luttrell and Mr. Colquhoun had held long interviews; letters and papers of all sorts had been produced and compared; the dressing-room door was closed against all comers, and even Angela was excluded.
Line 4
Hugo was once summoned, and came away from the conference with the air of a desperate man at once baffled and fierce.
/ˈhjuːɡoʊ wɑːz wʌns ˈsʌmənd ənd keɪm əˈweɪ frʌm ðə ˈkɑːnfərəns wɪð ðə er ʌv ə ˈdesprɪt mæn æt wʌns ˈbæfəld ənd fɪrs/
Line 5
He lurked about the dark corners of the house, as if he were afraid to appear in the light of the day; but he took no one into his confidence.
/hiː lɜːrkt əˈbaʊt ðə dɑːrk ˈkɔːrnərz ʌv ðə haʊs æz ɪf hiː wɜːr əˈfreɪd tuː əˈpɪr ɪn ðə laɪt ʌv ðə deɪ bʌt hiː tʊk noʊ wʌn ˈɪntuː hɪz ˈkɑːnfədəns/

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.

accuser noun US /əˈkjuːzər/

someone who imputes guilt or blame

From this reading “ACCUSER AND ACCUSED.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
baffled noun US /ˈbæfəld/

people who are frustrated and perplexed

From this reading “Hugo was once summoned, and came away from the conference with the air of a desperate man at once baffled and fierce.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
comers noun US /ˈkʌmərz/

plural of “comer” — someone with a promising future

From this reading “Mrs. Luttrell and Mr. Colquhoun had held long interviews; letters and papers of all sorts had been produced and compared; the dressing-room door was closed against all comers, and even Angela was excluded.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
conference noun US /ˈkɑːnfərəns/

a prearranged meeting for consultation or exchange of information or discussion (especially one with a formal agenda)

From this reading “Hugo was once summoned, and came away from the conference with the air of a desperate man at once baffled and fierce.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
excluded verb US /ɪkˈskluːdəd/

past form of “exclude” — prevent from being included or considered or accepted

From this reading “Mrs. Luttrell and Mr. Colquhoun had held long interviews; letters and papers of all sorts had been produced and compared; the dressing-room door was closed against all comers, and even Angela was excluded.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Hugo noun US /ˈhjuːɡoʊ/

French poet and novelist and dramatist; leader of the romantic movement in France (1802-1885)

From this reading “Hugo was once summoned, and came away from the conference with the air of a desperate man at once baffled and fierce.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
interviews noun US /ˈɪntərvjuːz/

plural of “interview” — the questioning of a person (or a conversation in which information is elicited); often conducted by journalists

From this reading “Mrs. Luttrell and Mr. Colquhoun had held long interviews; letters and papers of all sorts had been produced and compared; the dressing-room door was closed against all comers, and even Angela was excluded.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
lurked verb US /lɜːrkt/

past form of “lurk” — lie in wait, lie in ambush, behave in a sneaky and secretive manner

From this reading “He lurked about the dark corners of the house, as if he were afraid to appear in the light of the day; but he took no one into his confidence.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

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.

dark corners noun + noun counted as “dark corner”

In this reading “He lurked about the dark corners of the house, as if he were afraid to appear in the light of the day; but he took no one into his confidence.”

2,851 times in 225,867 chapters
all comers adjective + noun counted as “all comer”

In this reading “Mrs. Luttrell and Mr. Colquhoun had held long interviews; letters and papers of all sorts had been produced and compared; the dressing-room door was closed against all comers, and even Angela was excluded.”

1,043 times in 225,867 chapters
at once preposition + adverb

without delay or hesitation; with no time intervening

In this reading “Hugo was once summoned, and came away from the conference with the air of a desperate man at once baffled and fierce.”

257,448 times in 225,867 chapters
lurked about verb + particle counted as “lurk about”

In this reading “He lurked about the dark corners of the house, as if he were afraid to appear in the light of the day; but he took no one into his confidence.”

663 times in 225,867 chapters
all sorts adjective + noun counted as “all sort”

In this reading “Mrs. Luttrell and Mr. Colquhoun had held long interviews; letters and papers of all sorts had been produced and compared; the dressing-room door was closed against all comers, and even Angela was excluded.”

25,248 times in 225,867 chapters
with the air preposition + article + noun counted as “with … air”

In this reading “Hugo was once summoned, and came away from the conference with the air of a desperate man at once baffled and fierce.”

21,576 times in 225,867 chapters
appear in verb + particle

In this reading “He lurked about the dark corners of the house, as if he were afraid to appear in the light of the day; but he took no one into his confidence.”

29,555 times in 225,867 chapters
in the house preposition + article + noun counted as “in … house”

In this reading “There had been solemn council in the house of Netherglen.”

49,440 times in 225,867 chapters

All words in this reading · 70

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 Hugo was once summoned, and came away from the conference with the air of a desperate man at once baffled and fierce.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading He lurked about the dark corners of the house, as if he were afraid to appear in the light of the day; but he took no one into his confidence.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ACCUSEDnounUS /əˈkjuːzd/

a defendant in a criminal proceeding

From this reading ACCUSER AND ACCUSED.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ACCUSERnounUS /əˈkjuːzər/

someone who imputes guilt or blame

From this reading ACCUSER AND ACCUSED.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
afraidadjectiveUS /əˈfreɪd/

filled with fear or apprehension

From this reading He lurked about the dark corners of the house, as if he were afraid to appear in the light of the day; but he took no one into his confidence.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
againstprepositionUS /əˈɡenst/

touching and pressing; in opposition to

From this reading Mrs. Luttrell and Mr. Colquhoun had held long interviews; letters and papers of all sorts had been produced and compared; the dressing-room door was closed against all comers, and even Angela was excluded.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
airnounUS /er/

a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of

From this reading Hugo was once summoned, and came away from the conference with the air of a desperate man at once baffled and fierce.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading Mrs. Luttrell and Mr. Colquhoun had held long interviews; letters and papers of all sorts had been produced and compared; the dressing-room door was closed against all comers, and even Angela was excluded.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ANDconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading ACCUSER AND ACCUSED.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
Angela

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

From this reading Mrs. Luttrell and Mr. Colquhoun had held long interviews; letters and papers of all sorts had been produced and compared; the dressing-room door was closed against all comers, and even Angela was excluded.

Pending verification
appearverbUS /əˈpɪr/

give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading He lurked about the dark corners of the house, as if he were afraid to appear in the light of the day; but he took no one into his confidence.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading He lurked about the dark corners of the house, as if he were afraid to appear in the light of the day; but he took no one into his confidence.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Hugo was once summoned, and came away from the conference with the air of a desperate man at once baffled and fierce.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
awayadverbUS /əˈweɪ/

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading Hugo was once summoned, and came away from the conference with the air of a desperate man at once baffled and fierce.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
bafflednounUS /ˈbæfəld/

people who are frustrated and perplexed

From this reading Hugo was once summoned, and came away from the conference with the air of a desperate man at once baffled and fierce.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading There had been solemn council in the house of Netherglen.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading He lurked about the dark corners of the house, as if he were afraid to appear in the light of the day; but he took no one into his confidence.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
cameverbUS /keɪm/

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading Hugo was once summoned, and came away from the conference with the air of a desperate man at once baffled and fierce.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
closedadjectiveUS /kloʊzd/

not open or affording passage or access

From this reading Mrs. Luttrell and Mr. Colquhoun had held long interviews; letters and papers of all sorts had been produced and compared; the dressing-room door was closed against all comers, and even Angela was excluded.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Colquhoun

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

From this reading Mrs. Luttrell and Mr. Colquhoun had held long interviews; letters and papers of all sorts had been produced and compared; the dressing-room door was closed against all comers, and even Angela was excluded.

Pending verification
comersnounUS /ˈkʌmərz/

plural of “comer” — someone with a promising future

From this reading Mrs. Luttrell and Mr. Colquhoun had held long interviews; letters and papers of all sorts had been produced and compared; the dressing-room door was closed against all comers, and even Angela was excluded.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
comparedverbUS /kəmˈperd/

past form of “compare” — examine and note the similarities or differences of

From this reading Mrs. Luttrell and Mr. Colquhoun had held long interviews; letters and papers of all sorts had been produced and compared; the dressing-room door was closed against all comers, and even Angela was excluded.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
conferencenounUS /ˈkɑːnfərəns/

a prearranged meeting for consultation or exchange of information or discussion (especially one with a formal agenda)

From this reading Hugo was once summoned, and came away from the conference with the air of a desperate man at once baffled and fierce.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
confidencenounUS /ˈkɑːnfədəns/

freedom from doubt; belief in yourself and your abilities

From this reading He lurked about the dark corners of the house, as if he were afraid to appear in the light of the day; but he took no one into his confidence.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
cornersnounUS /ˈkɔːrnərz/

plural of “corner” — a place off to the side of an area

From this reading He lurked about the dark corners of the house, as if he were afraid to appear in the light of the day; but he took no one into his confidence.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
councilnounUS /ˈkaʊnsəl/

a body serving in an administrative capacity

From this reading There had been solemn council in the house of Netherglen.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
darknounUS /dɑːrk/

absence of light or illumination

From this reading He lurked about the dark corners of the house, as if he were afraid to appear in the light of the day; but he took no one into his confidence.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
daynounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading He lurked about the dark corners of the house, as if he were afraid to appear in the light of the day; but he took no one into his confidence.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
desperateadjectiveUS /ˈdesprɪt/

arising from or marked by despair or loss of hope

From this reading Hugo was once summoned, and came away from the conference with the air of a desperate man at once baffled and fierce.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
doornounUS /dɔːr/

a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle

From this reading Mrs. Luttrell and Mr. Colquhoun had held long interviews; letters and papers of all sorts had been produced and compared; the dressing-room door was closed against all comers, and even Angela was excluded.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
dressing-room

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

From this reading Mrs. Luttrell and Mr. Colquhoun had held long interviews; letters and papers of all sorts had been produced and compared; the dressing-room door was closed against all comers, and even Angela was excluded.

Pending verification
evenadjectiveUS /ˈiːvɪn/

divisible by two

From this reading Mrs. Luttrell and Mr. Colquhoun had held long interviews; letters and papers of all sorts had been produced and compared; the dressing-room door was closed against all comers, and even Angela was excluded.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
excludedverbUS /ɪkˈskluːdəd/

past form of “exclude” — prevent from being included or considered or accepted

From this reading Mrs. Luttrell and Mr. Colquhoun had held long interviews; letters and papers of all sorts had been produced and compared; the dressing-room door was closed against all comers, and even Angela was excluded.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
fierceadjectiveUS /fɪrs/

marked by extreme and violent energy

From this reading Hugo was once summoned, and came away from the conference with the air of a desperate man at once baffled and fierce.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Hugo was once summoned, and came away from the conference with the air of a desperate man at once baffled and fierce.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading There had been solemn council in the house of Netherglen.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
HepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading He lurked about the dark corners of the house, as if he were afraid to appear in the light of the day; but he took no one into his confidence.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
heldadjectiveUS /held/

occupied or in the control of; often used in combination

From this reading Mrs. Luttrell and Mr. Colquhoun had held long interviews; letters and papers of all sorts had been produced and compared; the dressing-room door was closed against all comers, and even Angela was excluded.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading He lurked about the dark corners of the house, as if he were afraid to appear in the light of the day; but he took no one into his confidence.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
housenounUS /haʊs/

a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading There had been solemn council in the house of Netherglen.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
HugonounUS /ˈhjuːɡoʊ/

French poet and novelist and dramatist; leader of the romantic movement in France (1802-1885)

From this reading Hugo was once summoned, and came away from the conference with the air of a desperate man at once baffled and fierce.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading He lurked about the dark corners of the house, as if he were afraid to appear in the light of the day; but he took no one into his confidence.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading There had been solemn council in the house of Netherglen.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
interviewsnounUS /ˈɪntərvjuːz/

plural of “interview” — the questioning of a person (or a conversation in which information is elicited); often conducted by journalists

From this reading Mrs. Luttrell and Mr. Colquhoun had held long interviews; letters and papers of all sorts had been produced and compared; the dressing-room door was closed against all comers, and even Angela was excluded.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading He lurked about the dark corners of the house, as if he were afraid to appear in the light of the day; but he took no one into his confidence.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
lettersnounUS /ˈletərz/

the literary culture

From this reading Mrs. Luttrell and Mr. Colquhoun had held long interviews; letters and papers of all sorts had been produced and compared; the dressing-room door was closed against all comers, and even Angela was excluded.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
lightadjectiveUS /laɪt/

of comparatively little physical weight or density

From this reading He lurked about the dark corners of the house, as if he were afraid to appear in the light of the day; but he took no one into his confidence.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
longadjectiveUS /lɔːŋ/

primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified

From this reading Mrs. Luttrell and Mr. Colquhoun had held long interviews; letters and papers of all sorts had been produced and compared; the dressing-room door was closed against all comers, and even Angela was excluded.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
lurkedverbUS /lɜːrkt/

past form of “lurk” — lie in wait, lie in ambush, behave in a sneaky and secretive manner

From this reading He lurked about the dark corners of the house, as if he were afraid to appear in the light of the day; but he took no one into his confidence.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Luttrell

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

From this reading Mrs. Luttrell and Mr. Colquhoun had held long interviews; letters and papers of all sorts had been produced and compared; the dressing-room door was closed against all comers, and even Angela was excluded.

Pending verification
mannounUS /mæn/

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading Hugo was once summoned, and came away from the conference with the air of a desperate man at once baffled and fierce.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
MrnounUS /ˈmɪstər/

a form of address for a man

From this reading Mrs. Luttrell and Mr. Colquhoun had held long interviews; letters and papers of all sorts had been produced and compared; the dressing-room door was closed against all comers, and even Angela was excluded.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
MrsnounUS /ˈmɪsɪz/

a form of address for a married woman

From this reading Mrs. Luttrell and Mr. Colquhoun had held long interviews; letters and papers of all sorts had been produced and compared; the dressing-room door was closed against all comers, and even Angela was excluded.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Netherglen

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

From this reading There had been solemn council in the house of Netherglen.

Pending verification
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading He lurked about the dark corners of the house, as if he were afraid to appear in the light of the day; but he took no one into his confidence.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading There had been solemn council in the house of Netherglen.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
onceadverbUS /wʌns/

on one occasion

From this reading Hugo was once summoned, and came away from the conference with the air of a desperate man at once baffled and fierce.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading He lurked about the dark corners of the house, as if he were afraid to appear in the light of the day; but he took no one into his confidence.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
papersnounUS /ˈpeɪpərz/

writing that provides information (especially information of an official nature)

From this reading Mrs. Luttrell and Mr. Colquhoun had held long interviews; letters and papers of all sorts had been produced and compared; the dressing-room door was closed against all comers, and even Angela was excluded.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
producedverbUS /prəˈduːst/

past form of “produce” — bring forth or yield

From this reading Mrs. Luttrell and Mr. Colquhoun had held long interviews; letters and papers of all sorts had been produced and compared; the dressing-room door was closed against all comers, and even Angela was excluded.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
solemnadjectiveUS /ˈsɑːləm/

dignified and somber in manner or character and committed to keeping promises

From this reading There had been solemn council in the house of Netherglen.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sortsnounUS /sɔːrts/

plural of “sort” — a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality

From this reading Mrs. Luttrell and Mr. Colquhoun had held long interviews; letters and papers of all sorts had been produced and compared; the dressing-room door was closed against all comers, and even Angela was excluded.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
summonedverbUS /ˈsʌmənd/

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

From this reading Hugo was once summoned, and came away from the conference with the air of a desperate man at once baffled and fierce.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading There had been solemn council in the house of Netherglen.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ThereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading There had been solemn council in the house of Netherglen.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading He lurked about the dark corners of the house, as if he were afraid to appear in the light of the day; but he took no one into his confidence.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
tookverbUS /tʊk/

inflected form of “take” — carry out

From this reading He lurked about the dark corners of the house, as if he were afraid to appear in the light of the day; but he took no one into his confidence.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Mrs. Luttrell and Mr. Colquhoun had held long interviews; letters and papers of all sorts had been produced and compared; the dressing-room door was closed against all comers, and even Angela was excluded.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading He lurked about the dark corners of the house, as if he were afraid to appear in the light of the day; but he took no one into his confidence.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Hugo was once summoned, and came away from the conference with the air of a desperate man at once baffled and fierce.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary

Chapter 24 of Under False Pretences: A Novel by Adeline Sergeant holds 251 sentences, grouped into 51 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 24 of Under False Pretences: A Novel contain?

Chapter 24 holds 251 sentences of Under False Pretences: A Novel, unabridged, divided into 51 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 24 of Under False Pretences: A Novel by Adeline Sergeant exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 251 sentences, grouped into 51 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 24 of Under False Pretences: A Novel?

Work through the 51 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 51 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 24 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 24 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 Under False Pretences: A Novel

Common questions about reading Under False Pretences: A Novel by Adeline Sergeant on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Under False Pretences: A Novel?

Yes. All 12438 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #31375 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Under False Pretences: A Novel is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #31375, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Under False Pretences: A Novel take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 2488 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Under False Pretences: A Novel section by section

How to work through Under False Pretences: A Novel section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 40 chapters of Under False Pretences: A Novel 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 Under False Pretences: A Novel

Words and structures a reader meets early in Under False Pretences: A Novel, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Images
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Under False Pretences: A Novel; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Original
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Under False Pretences: A Novel; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Pages
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Under False Pretences: A Novel; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Available
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Under False Pretences: A Novel; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.