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Victorian Songs
Victorian Songs

Chapter III

Chapter 3 of Victorian Songs is here in full — 399 sentences across 80 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Victorian Songs
Context Illustration Reading 1/79 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
But let her wear her Precious Toy, And I 'll rejoice to see her joy: Her bauble 's only one degree Less frail, less fugitive than we, For time, ere long, will snap the skein, And scatter all her Pearls again.
[Decoration] [Decoration] SAMUEL LOVER.
1797-1868.
_THE ANGEL'S WHISPER._[C] A baby was sleeping, Its mother was weeping, For the husband was far on the wild raging Sea; And the tempest was swelling Round the fisherman's dwelling; And she cried, "Dermot darling, oh come back to me!"
Her beads while she numbered, The baby still slumbered, And smiled in her face as she bended her knee; "O blest be that warning, My child thy sleep adorning, For I know that the angels are whispering with thee!
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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.

Victorian Songs

Chapter III

Chapter 3 of Victorian Songs is here in full — 399 sentences across 80 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/79 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
But let her wear her Precious Toy, And I 'll rejoice to see her joy: Her bauble 's only one degree Less frail, less fugitive than we, For time, ere long, will snap the skein, And scatter all her Pearls again.
Line 2
[Decoration] [Decoration] SAMUEL LOVER.
/ˌdekərˈeɪʃən ˌdekərˈeɪʃən ˈsæmjuːl ˈlʌvər/
Line 3
1797-1868.
Line 4
_THE ANGEL'S WHISPER._[C] A baby was sleeping, Its mother was weeping, For the husband was far on the wild raging Sea; And the tempest was swelling Round the fisherman's dwelling; And she cried, "Dermot darling, oh come back to me!"
Line 5
Her beads while she numbered, The baby still slumbered, And smiled in her face as she bended her knee; "O blest be that warning, My child thy sleep adorning, For I know that the angels are whispering with thee!

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.

adorning verb US /əˈdɔːrnɪŋ/

-ing form of “adorn” — make more attractive by adding ornament, colour, etc.

From this reading “Her beads while she numbered, The baby still slumbered, And smiled in her face as she bended her knee; "O blest be that warning, My child thy sleep adorning, For I know that the angels are whispering with thee!”

angel's noun US /ˈeɪndʒəlz/

possessive form of “angel” — spiritual being attendant upon God

From this reading “_THE ANGEL'S WHISPER._[C] A baby was sleeping, Its mother was weeping, For the husband was far on the wild raging Sea; And the tempest was swelling Round the fisherman's dwelling; And she cried, "Dermot darling, oh come back to me!"”

bauble noun US /ˈbɔːbəl/

a mock scepter carried by a court jester

From this reading “But let her wear her Precious Toy, And I 'll rejoice to see her joy: Her bauble 's only one degree Less frail, less fugitive than we, For time, ere long, will snap the skein, And scatter all her Pearls again.”

bended adjective US /ˈbendɪd/

used of the back and knees; stooped

From this reading “Her beads while she numbered, The baby still slumbered, And smiled in her face as she bended her knee; "O blest be that warning, My child thy sleep adorning, For I know that the angels are whispering with thee!”

Decoration noun US /ˌdekərˈeɪʃən/

something used to beautify

From this reading “[Decoration] [Decoration] SAMUEL LOVER.”

fisherman's noun US /ˈfɪʃərmənz/

possessive form of “fisherman” — someone whose occupation is catching fish

From this reading “_THE ANGEL'S WHISPER._[C] A baby was sleeping, Its mother was weeping, For the husband was far on the wild raging Sea; And the tempest was swelling Round the fisherman's dwelling; And she cried, "Dermot darling, oh come back to me!"”

scatter verb US /ˈskætər/

to cause to separate and go in different directions

From this reading “But let her wear her Precious Toy, And I 'll rejoice to see her joy: Her bauble 's only one degree Less frail, less fugitive than we, For time, ere long, will snap the skein, And scatter all her Pearls again.”

skein noun US /skeɪn/

coils of worsted yarn

From this reading “But let her wear her Precious Toy, And I 'll rejoice to see her joy: Her bauble 's only one degree Less frail, less fugitive than we, For time, ere long, will snap the skein, And scatter all her Pearls again.”

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.

raging Sea adjective + noun

In this reading “_THE ANGEL'S WHISPER._[C] A baby was sleeping, Its mother was weeping, For the husband was far on the wild raging Sea; And the tempest was swelling Round the fisherman's dwelling; And she cried, "Dermot darling, oh come back to me!"”

come back verb + particle

be restored

In this reading “_THE ANGEL'S WHISPER._[C] A baby was sleeping, Its mother was weeping, For the husband was far on the wild raging Sea; And the tempest was swelling Round the fisherman's dwelling; And she cried, "Dermot darling, oh come back to me!"”

All words in this reading · 96

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.

1797

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

From this reading 1797-1868.

1868

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

From this reading 1797-1868.

AdeterminerUS /ə/

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

From this reading _THE ANGEL'S WHISPER._[C] A baby was sleeping, Its mother was weeping, For the husband was far on the wild raging Sea; And the tempest was swelling Round the fisherman's dwelling; And she cried, "Dermot darling, oh come back to me!"

adorningverbUS /əˈdɔːrnɪŋ/

-ing form of “adorn” — make more attractive by adding ornament, colour, etc.

From this reading Her beads while she numbered, The baby still slumbered, And smiled in her face as she bended her knee; "O blest be that warning, My child thy sleep adorning, For I know that the angels are whispering with thee!

againadverbUS /əˈɡen/

anew

From this reading But let her wear her Precious Toy, And I 'll rejoice to see her joy: Her bauble 's only one degree Less frail, less fugitive than we, For time, ere long, will snap the skein, And scatter all her Pearls again.

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 But let her wear her Precious Toy, And I 'll rejoice to see her joy: Her bauble 's only one degree Less frail, less fugitive than we, For time, ere long, will snap the skein, And scatter all her Pearls again.

AndconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading But let her wear her Precious Toy, And I 'll rejoice to see her joy: Her bauble 's only one degree Less frail, less fugitive than we, For time, ere long, will snap the skein, And scatter all her Pearls again.

ANGEL'SnounUS /ˈeɪndʒəlz/

possessive form of “angel” — spiritual being attendant upon God

From this reading _THE ANGEL'S WHISPER._[C] A baby was sleeping, Its mother was weeping, For the husband was far on the wild raging Sea; And the tempest was swelling Round the fisherman's dwelling; And she cried, "Dermot darling, oh come back to me!"

angelsnounUS /ˈeɪndʒəlz/

plural of “angel” — spiritual being attendant upon God

From this reading Her beads while she numbered, The baby still slumbered, And smiled in her face as she bended her knee; "O blest be that warning, My child thy sleep adorning, For I know that the angels are whispering with thee!

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading Her beads while she numbered, The baby still slumbered, And smiled in her face as she bended her knee; "O blest be that warning, My child thy sleep adorning, For I know that the angels are whispering with thee!

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Her beads while she numbered, The baby still slumbered, And smiled in her face as she bended her knee; "O blest be that warning, My child thy sleep adorning, For I know that the angels are whispering with thee!

babynounUS /ˈbeɪbi/

a very young child (birth to 1 year) who has not yet begun to walk or talk

From this reading _THE ANGEL'S WHISPER._[C] A baby was sleeping, Its mother was weeping, For the husband was far on the wild raging Sea; And the tempest was swelling Round the fisherman's dwelling; And she cried, "Dermot darling, oh come back to me!"

backadverbUS /bæk/

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading _THE ANGEL'S WHISPER._[C] A baby was sleeping, Its mother was weeping, For the husband was far on the wild raging Sea; And the tempest was swelling Round the fisherman's dwelling; And she cried, "Dermot darling, oh come back to me!"

baublenounUS /ˈbɔːbəl/

a mock scepter carried by a court jester

From this reading But let her wear her Precious Toy, And I 'll rejoice to see her joy: Her bauble 's only one degree Less frail, less fugitive than we, For time, ere long, will snap the skein, And scatter all her Pearls again.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading Her beads while she numbered, The baby still slumbered, And smiled in her face as she bended her knee; "O blest be that warning, My child thy sleep adorning, For I know that the angels are whispering with thee!

beadsnounUS /biːdz/

several beads threaded together on a string

From this reading Her beads while she numbered, The baby still slumbered, And smiled in her face as she bended her knee; "O blest be that warning, My child thy sleep adorning, For I know that the angels are whispering with thee!

bendedadjectiveUS /ˈbendɪd/

used of the back and knees; stooped

From this reading Her beads while she numbered, The baby still slumbered, And smiled in her face as she bended her knee; "O blest be that warning, My child thy sleep adorning, For I know that the angels are whispering with thee!

blestadjectiveUS /blest/

highly favored or fortunate (as e.g. by divine grace)

From this reading Her beads while she numbered, The baby still slumbered, And smiled in her face as she bended her knee; "O blest be that warning, My child thy sleep adorning, For I know that the angels are whispering with thee!

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But let her wear her Precious Toy, And I 'll rejoice to see her joy: Her bauble 's only one degree Less frail, less fugitive than we, For time, ere long, will snap the skein, And scatter all her Pearls again.

CnounUS /siː/

a degree on the centigrade scale of temperature

From this reading _THE ANGEL'S WHISPER._[C] A baby was sleeping, Its mother was weeping, For the husband was far on the wild raging Sea; And the tempest was swelling Round the fisherman's dwelling; And she cried, "Dermot darling, oh come back to me!"

childnounUS /tʃaɪld/

a young person of either sex

From this reading Her beads while she numbered, The baby still slumbered, And smiled in her face as she bended her knee; "O blest be that warning, My child thy sleep adorning, For I know that the angels are whispering with thee!

comeverbUS /kʌm/

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading _THE ANGEL'S WHISPER._[C] A baby was sleeping, Its mother was weeping, For the husband was far on the wild raging Sea; And the tempest was swelling Round the fisherman's dwelling; And she cried, "Dermot darling, oh come back to me!"

criedverbUS /kraɪd/

inflected form of “cry” — utter a sudden loud cry

From this reading _THE ANGEL'S WHISPER._[C] A baby was sleeping, Its mother was weeping, For the husband was far on the wild raging Sea; And the tempest was swelling Round the fisherman's dwelling; And she cried, "Dermot darling, oh come back to me!"

darlingnounUS /ˈdɑːrlɪŋ/

a special loved one

From this reading _THE ANGEL'S WHISPER._[C] A baby was sleeping, Its mother was weeping, For the husband was far on the wild raging Sea; And the tempest was swelling Round the fisherman's dwelling; And she cried, "Dermot darling, oh come back to me!"

DecorationnounUS /ˌdekərˈeɪʃən/

something used to beautify

From this reading [Decoration] [Decoration] SAMUEL LOVER.

degreenounUS /dɪˈɡriː/

a position on a scale of intensity or amount or quality

From this reading But let her wear her Precious Toy, And I 'll rejoice to see her joy: Her bauble 's only one degree Less frail, less fugitive than we, For time, ere long, will snap the skein, And scatter all her Pearls again.

Dermot

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

From this reading _THE ANGEL'S WHISPER._[C] A baby was sleeping, Its mother was weeping, For the husband was far on the wild raging Sea; And the tempest was swelling Round the fisherman's dwelling; And she cried, "Dermot darling, oh come back to me!"

dwellingnounUS /ˈdwelɪŋ/

housing that someone is living in

From this reading _THE ANGEL'S WHISPER._[C] A baby was sleeping, Its mother was weeping, For the husband was far on the wild raging Sea; And the tempest was swelling Round the fisherman's dwelling; And she cried, "Dermot darling, oh come back to me!"

ereconjunctionUS /er/

an old word for “before”

From this reading But let her wear her Precious Toy, And I 'll rejoice to see her joy: Her bauble 's only one degree Less frail, less fugitive than we, For time, ere long, will snap the skein, And scatter all her Pearls again.

facenounUS /feɪs/

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

From this reading Her beads while she numbered, The baby still slumbered, And smiled in her face as she bended her knee; "O blest be that warning, My child thy sleep adorning, For I know that the angels are whispering with thee!

faradverbUS /fɑːr/

to a considerable degree; very much

From this reading _THE ANGEL'S WHISPER._[C] A baby was sleeping, Its mother was weeping, For the husband was far on the wild raging Sea; And the tempest was swelling Round the fisherman's dwelling; And she cried, "Dermot darling, oh come back to me!"

fisherman'snounUS /ˈfɪʃərmənz/

possessive form of “fisherman” — someone whose occupation is catching fish

From this reading _THE ANGEL'S WHISPER._[C] A baby was sleeping, Its mother was weeping, For the husband was far on the wild raging Sea; And the tempest was swelling Round the fisherman's dwelling; And she cried, "Dermot darling, oh come back to me!"

ForprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading But let her wear her Precious Toy, And I 'll rejoice to see her joy: Her bauble 's only one degree Less frail, less fugitive than we, For time, ere long, will snap the skein, And scatter all her Pearls again.

frailadjectiveUS /freɪl/

physically weak

From this reading But let her wear her Precious Toy, And I 'll rejoice to see her joy: Her bauble 's only one degree Less frail, less fugitive than we, For time, ere long, will snap the skein, And scatter all her Pearls again.

fugitivenounUS /ˈfjuːdʒətɪv/

someone who flees from an uncongenial situation

From this reading But let her wear her Precious Toy, And I 'll rejoice to see her joy: Her bauble 's only one degree Less frail, less fugitive than we, For time, ere long, will snap the skein, And scatter all her Pearls again.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading But let her wear her Precious Toy, And I 'll rejoice to see her joy: Her bauble 's only one degree Less frail, less fugitive than we, For time, ere long, will snap the skein, And scatter all her Pearls again.

husbandnounUS /ˈhʌzbənd/

a married man; a woman's partner in marriage

From this reading _THE ANGEL'S WHISPER._[C] A baby was sleeping, Its mother was weeping, For the husband was far on the wild raging Sea; And the tempest was swelling Round the fisherman's dwelling; And she cried, "Dermot darling, oh come back to me!"

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading But let her wear her Precious Toy, And I 'll rejoice to see her joy: Her bauble 's only one degree Less frail, less fugitive than we, For time, ere long, will snap the skein, And scatter all her Pearls again.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Her beads while she numbered, The baby still slumbered, And smiled in her face as she bended her knee; "O blest be that warning, My child thy sleep adorning, For I know that the angels are whispering with thee!

ItsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading _THE ANGEL'S WHISPER._[C] A baby was sleeping, Its mother was weeping, For the husband was far on the wild raging Sea; And the tempest was swelling Round the fisherman's dwelling; And she cried, "Dermot darling, oh come back to me!"

joynounUS /dʒɔɪ/

the emotion of great happiness

From this reading But let her wear her Precious Toy, And I 'll rejoice to see her joy: Her bauble 's only one degree Less frail, less fugitive than we, For time, ere long, will snap the skein, And scatter all her Pearls again.

kneenounUS /niː/

hinge joint in the human leg connecting the tibia and fibula with the femur and protected in front by the patella

From this reading Her beads while she numbered, The baby still slumbered, And smiled in her face as she bended her knee; "O blest be that warning, My child thy sleep adorning, For I know that the angels are whispering with thee!

knowverbUS /noʊ/

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

From this reading Her beads while she numbered, The baby still slumbered, And smiled in her face as she bended her knee; "O blest be that warning, My child thy sleep adorning, For I know that the angels are whispering with thee!

LessadverbUS /les/

used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs

From this reading But let her wear her Precious Toy, And I 'll rejoice to see her joy: Her bauble 's only one degree Less frail, less fugitive than we, For time, ere long, will snap the skein, And scatter all her Pearls again.

letauxiliary verbUS /let/

used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker

From this reading But let her wear her Precious Toy, And I 'll rejoice to see her joy: Her bauble 's only one degree Less frail, less fugitive than we, For time, ere long, will snap the skein, And scatter all her Pearls again.

ll

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

From this reading But let her wear her Precious Toy, And I 'll rejoice to see her joy: Her bauble 's only one degree Less frail, less fugitive than we, For time, ere long, will snap the skein, And scatter all her Pearls again.

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 But let her wear her Precious Toy, And I 'll rejoice to see her joy: Her bauble 's only one degree Less frail, less fugitive than we, For time, ere long, will snap the skein, And scatter all her Pearls again.

LOVERnounUS /ˈlʌvər/

a person who loves someone or is loved by someone

From this reading [Decoration] [Decoration] SAMUEL LOVER.

mepronounUS /miː/

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading _THE ANGEL'S WHISPER._[C] A baby was sleeping, Its mother was weeping, For the husband was far on the wild raging Sea; And the tempest was swelling Round the fisherman's dwelling; And she cried, "Dermot darling, oh come back to me!"

mothernounUS /ˈmʌðər/

a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)

From this reading _THE ANGEL'S WHISPER._[C] A baby was sleeping, Its mother was weeping, For the husband was far on the wild raging Sea; And the tempest was swelling Round the fisherman's dwelling; And she cried, "Dermot darling, oh come back to me!"

MydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading Her beads while she numbered, The baby still slumbered, And smiled in her face as she bended her knee; "O blest be that warning, My child thy sleep adorning, For I know that the angels are whispering with thee!

numberedverbUS /ˈnʌmbərd/

past form of “number” — add up in number or quantity

From this reading Her beads while she numbered, The baby still slumbered, And smiled in her face as she bended her knee; "O blest be that warning, My child thy sleep adorning, For I know that the angels are whispering with thee!

OnounUS /oʊ/

a nonmetallic bivalent element that is normally a colorless odorless tasteless nonflammable diatomic gas; constitutes 21 percent of the atmosphere by volume; the most abundant element in the earth's crust

From this reading Her beads while she numbered, The baby still slumbered, And smiled in her face as she bended her knee; "O blest be that warning, My child thy sleep adorning, For I know that the angels are whispering with thee!

ohnounUS /oʊ/

a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region

From this reading _THE ANGEL'S WHISPER._[C] A baby was sleeping, Its mother was weeping, For the husband was far on the wild raging Sea; And the tempest was swelling Round the fisherman's dwelling; And she cried, "Dermot darling, oh come back to me!"

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading _THE ANGEL'S WHISPER._[C] A baby was sleeping, Its mother was weeping, For the husband was far on the wild raging Sea; And the tempest was swelling Round the fisherman's dwelling; And she cried, "Dermot darling, oh come back to me!"

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading But let her wear her Precious Toy, And I 'll rejoice to see her joy: Her bauble 's only one degree Less frail, less fugitive than we, For time, ere long, will snap the skein, And scatter all her Pearls again.

onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading But let her wear her Precious Toy, And I 'll rejoice to see her joy: Her bauble 's only one degree Less frail, less fugitive than we, For time, ere long, will snap the skein, And scatter all her Pearls again.

PearlsnounUS /pɜːrlz/

plural of “pearl” — a smooth lustrous round structure inside the shell of a clam or oyster; much valued as a jewel

From this reading But let her wear her Precious Toy, And I 'll rejoice to see her joy: Her bauble 's only one degree Less frail, less fugitive than we, For time, ere long, will snap the skein, And scatter all her Pearls again.

PreciousadjectiveUS /ˈpreʃəs/

characterized by feeling or showing fond affection for

From this reading But let her wear her Precious Toy, And I 'll rejoice to see her joy: Her bauble 's only one degree Less frail, less fugitive than we, For time, ere long, will snap the skein, And scatter all her Pearls again.

ragingadjectiveUS /ˈreɪdʒɪŋ/

characterized by violent and forceful activity or movement; very intense

From this reading _THE ANGEL'S WHISPER._[C] A baby was sleeping, Its mother was weeping, For the husband was far on the wild raging Sea; And the tempest was swelling Round the fisherman's dwelling; And she cried, "Dermot darling, oh come back to me!"

rejoiceverbUS /rɪˈdʒɔɪs/

feel happiness or joy

From this reading But let her wear her Precious Toy, And I 'll rejoice to see her joy: Her bauble 's only one degree Less frail, less fugitive than we, For time, ere long, will snap the skein, And scatter all her Pearls again.

RoundnounUS /raʊnd/

a charge of ammunition for a single shot

From this reading _THE ANGEL'S WHISPER._[C] A baby was sleeping, Its mother was weeping, For the husband was far on the wild raging Sea; And the tempest was swelling Round the fisherman's dwelling; And she cried, "Dermot darling, oh come back to me!"

snounUS /es/

1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites

From this reading But let her wear her Precious Toy, And I 'll rejoice to see her joy: Her bauble 's only one degree Less frail, less fugitive than we, For time, ere long, will snap the skein, And scatter all her Pearls again.

SAMUELnounUS /ˈsæmjuːl/

(Old Testament) Hebrew prophet and judge who anointed Saul as king

From this reading [Decoration] [Decoration] SAMUEL LOVER.

scatterverbUS /ˈskætər/

to cause to separate and go in different directions

From this reading But let her wear her Precious Toy, And I 'll rejoice to see her joy: Her bauble 's only one degree Less frail, less fugitive than we, For time, ere long, will snap the skein, And scatter all her Pearls again.

SeanounUS /siː/

a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land

From this reading _THE ANGEL'S WHISPER._[C] A baby was sleeping, Its mother was weeping, For the husband was far on the wild raging Sea; And the tempest was swelling Round the fisherman's dwelling; And she cried, "Dermot darling, oh come back to me!"

seeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading But let her wear her Precious Toy, And I 'll rejoice to see her joy: Her bauble 's only one degree Less frail, less fugitive than we, For time, ere long, will snap the skein, And scatter all her Pearls again.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading _THE ANGEL'S WHISPER._[C] A baby was sleeping, Its mother was weeping, For the husband was far on the wild raging Sea; And the tempest was swelling Round the fisherman's dwelling; And she cried, "Dermot darling, oh come back to me!"

skeinnounUS /skeɪn/

coils of worsted yarn

From this reading But let her wear her Precious Toy, And I 'll rejoice to see her joy: Her bauble 's only one degree Less frail, less fugitive than we, For time, ere long, will snap the skein, And scatter all her Pearls again.

sleepnounUS /sliːp/

a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended

From this reading Her beads while she numbered, The baby still slumbered, And smiled in her face as she bended her knee; "O blest be that warning, My child thy sleep adorning, For I know that the angels are whispering with thee!

sleepingnounUS /ˈsliːpɪŋ/

the state of being asleep

From this reading _THE ANGEL'S WHISPER._[C] A baby was sleeping, Its mother was weeping, For the husband was far on the wild raging Sea; And the tempest was swelling Round the fisherman's dwelling; And she cried, "Dermot darling, oh come back to me!"

slumbered

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

From this reading Her beads while she numbered, The baby still slumbered, And smiled in her face as she bended her knee; "O blest be that warning, My child thy sleep adorning, For I know that the angels are whispering with thee!

smiledverbUS /smaɪld/

past form of “smile” — change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure

From this reading Her beads while she numbered, The baby still slumbered, And smiled in her face as she bended her knee; "O blest be that warning, My child thy sleep adorning, For I know that the angels are whispering with thee!

snapverbUS /snæp/

utter in an angry, sharp, or abrupt tone

From this reading But let her wear her Precious Toy, And I 'll rejoice to see her joy: Her bauble 's only one degree Less frail, less fugitive than we, For time, ere long, will snap the skein, And scatter all her Pearls again.

stilladjectiveUS /stɪl/

not in physical motion

From this reading Her beads while she numbered, The baby still slumbered, And smiled in her face as she bended her knee; "O blest be that warning, My child thy sleep adorning, For I know that the angels are whispering with thee!

swellingnounUS /ˈswelɪŋ/

an abnormal protuberance or localized enlargement

From this reading _THE ANGEL'S WHISPER._[C] A baby was sleeping, Its mother was weeping, For the husband was far on the wild raging Sea; And the tempest was swelling Round the fisherman's dwelling; And she cried, "Dermot darling, oh come back to me!"

tempestnounUS /ˈtempəst/

a violent commotion or disturbance

From this reading _THE ANGEL'S WHISPER._[C] A baby was sleeping, Its mother was weeping, For the husband was far on the wild raging Sea; And the tempest was swelling Round the fisherman's dwelling; And she cried, "Dermot darling, oh come back to me!"

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading But let her wear her Precious Toy, And I 'll rejoice to see her joy: Her bauble 's only one degree Less frail, less fugitive than we, For time, ere long, will snap the skein, And scatter all her Pearls again.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Her beads while she numbered, The baby still slumbered, And smiled in her face as she bended her knee; "O blest be that warning, My child thy sleep adorning, For I know that the angels are whispering with thee!

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading But let her wear her Precious Toy, And I 'll rejoice to see her joy: Her bauble 's only one degree Less frail, less fugitive than we, For time, ere long, will snap the skein, And scatter all her Pearls again.

theepronounUS /ðiː/

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

From this reading Her beads while she numbered, The baby still slumbered, And smiled in her face as she bended her knee; "O blest be that warning, My child thy sleep adorning, For I know that the angels are whispering with thee!

thydeterminerUS /ðaɪ/

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

From this reading Her beads while she numbered, The baby still slumbered, And smiled in her face as she bended her knee; "O blest be that warning, My child thy sleep adorning, For I know that the angels are whispering with thee!

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading But let her wear her Precious Toy, And I 'll rejoice to see her joy: Her bauble 's only one degree Less frail, less fugitive than we, For time, ere long, will snap the skein, And scatter all her Pearls again.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading But let her wear her Precious Toy, And I 'll rejoice to see her joy: Her bauble 's only one degree Less frail, less fugitive than we, For time, ere long, will snap the skein, And scatter all her Pearls again.

ToynounUS /tɔɪ/

an artifact designed to be played with

From this reading But let her wear her Precious Toy, And I 'll rejoice to see her joy: Her bauble 's only one degree Less frail, less fugitive than we, For time, ere long, will snap the skein, And scatter all her Pearls again.

warningnounUS /ˈwɔːrnɪŋ/

a message informing of danger

From this reading Her beads while she numbered, The baby still slumbered, And smiled in her face as she bended her knee; "O blest be that warning, My child thy sleep adorning, For I know that the angels are whispering with thee!

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading _THE ANGEL'S WHISPER._[C] A baby was sleeping, Its mother was weeping, For the husband was far on the wild raging Sea; And the tempest was swelling Round the fisherman's dwelling; And she cried, "Dermot darling, oh come back to me!"

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading But let her wear her Precious Toy, And I 'll rejoice to see her joy: Her bauble 's only one degree Less frail, less fugitive than we, For time, ere long, will snap the skein, And scatter all her Pearls again.

wearverbUS /wer/

be dressed in

From this reading But let her wear her Precious Toy, And I 'll rejoice to see her joy: Her bauble 's only one degree Less frail, less fugitive than we, For time, ere long, will snap the skein, And scatter all her Pearls again.

weepingadjectiveUS /ˈwiːpɪŋ/

showing sorrow

From this reading _THE ANGEL'S WHISPER._[C] A baby was sleeping, Its mother was weeping, For the husband was far on the wild raging Sea; And the tempest was swelling Round the fisherman's dwelling; And she cried, "Dermot darling, oh come back to me!"

whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/

during the time that

From this reading Her beads while she numbered, The baby still slumbered, And smiled in her face as she bended her knee; "O blest be that warning, My child thy sleep adorning, For I know that the angels are whispering with thee!

WHISPERnounUS /ˈwɪspər/

speaking softly without vibration of the vocal cords

From this reading _THE ANGEL'S WHISPER._[C] A baby was sleeping, Its mother was weeping, For the husband was far on the wild raging Sea; And the tempest was swelling Round the fisherman's dwelling; And she cried, "Dermot darling, oh come back to me!"

whisperingnounUS /ˈwɪspərɪŋ/

a light noise, like the noise of silk clothing or leaves blowing in the wind

From this reading Her beads while she numbered, The baby still slumbered, And smiled in her face as she bended her knee; "O blest be that warning, My child thy sleep adorning, For I know that the angels are whispering with thee!

wildadjectiveUS /waɪld/

marked by extreme lack of restraint or control

From this reading _THE ANGEL'S WHISPER._[C] A baby was sleeping, Its mother was weeping, For the husband was far on the wild raging Sea; And the tempest was swelling Round the fisherman's dwelling; And she cried, "Dermot darling, oh come back to me!"

willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading But let her wear her Precious Toy, And I 'll rejoice to see her joy: Her bauble 's only one degree Less frail, less fugitive than we, For time, ere long, will snap the skein, And scatter all her Pearls again.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Her beads while she numbered, The baby still slumbered, And smiled in her face as she bended her knee; "O blest be that warning, My child thy sleep adorning, For I know that the angels are whispering with thee!

Chapter 3 of Victorian Songs by Edmund H. (Edmund Henry) [Editor] Garrett holds 399 sentences, grouped into 80 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 3 of Victorian Songs contain?

Chapter 3 holds 399 sentences of Victorian Songs, unabridged, divided into 80 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 3 of Victorian Songs by Edmund H. (Edmund Henry) [Editor] Garrett exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 399 sentences, grouped into 80 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.

How do I study chapter 3 of Victorian Songs?

Work through the 80 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 80 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.

Can chapter 3 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 3 can be played aloud in United States English.

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

Questions about reading Victorian Songs

Common questions about reading Victorian Songs by Edmund H. (Edmund Henry) [Editor] Garrett on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Victorian Songs?

Yes. All 1207 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #26715 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Victorian Songs is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #26715, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Victorian Songs take to read?

About 100 minutes of reading across 242 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Victorian Songs section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 3 chapters of Victorian Songs 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 Victorian Songs

Words and structures a reader meets early in Victorian Songs, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Latin-
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Victorian Songs; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Version
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Victorian Songs; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Names
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Victorian Songs; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Words
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Victorian Songs; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.