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Vixen, Volume I.
Vixen, Volume I.

Chapter X

Chapter 10 of Vixen, Volume I. is here in full — 125 sentences across 25 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Vixen, Volume I.
Context Illustration Reading 1/25 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Captain Winstanley.
Two years later, and Vixen was sitting with the same faithful Argus nestling beside her, by the fireside of a spacious Brighton drawing-room, a large, lofty, commonplace room, with tall windows facing seawards.
Miss McCroke was there too, standing at one of the windows taking up a dropped stitch in her knitting, while Mrs. Tempest walked slowly up and down the expanse of Brussels carpet, stopping now and then at a window to look idly out at the red sunset beyond the low-lying roofs and spars of Shoreham.
Those two years had changed Violet Tempest from a slender girl to a nobly-formed woman; a woman whom a sculptor would have worshipped as his dream of perfection, whom a painter would have reverenced for her glow and splendour of colouring; but about whose beauty the common run of mankind, and more especially womankind, had not quite made up their minds.
The pretty little women with eighteen-inch waists opined that Miss Tempest was too big.
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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.

Vixen, Volume I.

Chapter X

Chapter 10 of Vixen, Volume I. is here in full — 125 sentences across 25 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/25 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Captain Winstanley.
Line 2
Two years later, and Vixen was sitting with the same faithful Argus nestling beside her, by the fireside of a spacious Brighton drawing-room, a large, lofty, commonplace room, with tall windows facing seawards.
Line 3
Miss McCroke was there too, standing at one of the windows taking up a dropped stitch in her knitting, while Mrs. Tempest walked slowly up and down the expanse of Brussels carpet, stopping now and then at a window to look idly out at the red sunset beyond the low-lying roofs and spars of Shoreham.
Line 4
Those two years had changed Violet Tempest from a slender girl to a nobly-formed woman; a woman whom a sculptor would have worshipped as his dream of perfection, whom a painter would have reverenced for her glow and splendour of colouring; but about whose beauty the common run of mankind, and more especially womankind, had not quite made up their minds.
Line 5
The pretty little women with eighteen-inch waists opined that Miss Tempest was too big.

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.

Argus noun US /ˈɑːrɡəs/

(Greek mythology) a giant with 100 eyes; was guardian of the heifer Io and was slain by Hermes

From this reading “Two years later, and Vixen was sitting with the same faithful Argus nestling beside her, by the fireside of a spacious Brighton drawing-room, a large, lofty, commonplace room, with tall windows facing seawards.”

Brighton noun US /ˈbraɪtən/

a city in East Sussex in southern England that is a popular resort; site of the University of Sussex

From this reading “Two years later, and Vixen was sitting with the same faithful Argus nestling beside her, by the fireside of a spacious Brighton drawing-room, a large, lofty, commonplace room, with tall windows facing seawards.”

Brussels noun US /ˈbrʌsəlz/

the capital and largest city of Belgium; seat of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization

From this reading “Miss McCroke was there too, standing at one of the windows taking up a dropped stitch in her knitting, while Mrs. Tempest walked slowly up and down the expanse of Brussels carpet, stopping now and then at a window to look idly out at the red sunset beyond the low-lying roofs and spars of Shoreham.”

nestling noun US /ˈnestlɪŋ/

young bird not yet fledged

From this reading “Two years later, and Vixen was sitting with the same faithful Argus nestling beside her, by the fireside of a spacious Brighton drawing-room, a large, lofty, commonplace room, with tall windows facing seawards.”

opined verb US /oʊˈpaɪnd/

past form of “opine” — express one's opinion openly and without fear or hesitation

From this reading “The pretty little women with eighteen-inch waists opined that Miss Tempest was too big.”

stitch noun US /stɪtʃ/

a link or loop or knot made by an implement in knitting, crocheting, embroidery, or sewing

From this reading “Miss McCroke was there too, standing at one of the windows taking up a dropped stitch in her knitting, while Mrs. Tempest walked slowly up and down the expanse of Brussels carpet, stopping now and then at a window to look idly out at the red sunset beyond the low-lying roofs and spars of Shoreham.”

Vixen noun US /ˈvɪksɪn/

a malicious woman with a fierce temper

From this reading “Two years later, and Vixen was sitting with the same faithful Argus nestling beside her, by the fireside of a spacious Brighton drawing-room, a large, lofty, commonplace room, with tall windows facing seawards.”

waists noun US /weɪsts/

plural of “waist” — the narrowing of the body between the ribs and hips

From this reading “The pretty little women with eighteen-inch waists opined that Miss Tempest was too big.”

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.

by the fireside preposition + article + noun counted as “by … fireside”

In this reading “Two years later, and Vixen was sitting with the same faithful Argus nestling beside her, by the fireside of a spacious Brighton drawing-room, a large, lofty, commonplace room, with tall windows facing seawards.”

Two years noun + noun

In this reading “Two years later, and Vixen was sitting with the same faithful Argus nestling beside her, by the fireside of a spacious Brighton drawing-room, a large, lofty, commonplace room, with tall windows facing seawards.”

red sunset noun + noun

In this reading “Miss McCroke was there too, standing at one of the windows taking up a dropped stitch in her knitting, while Mrs. Tempest walked slowly up and down the expanse of Brussels carpet, stopping now and then at a window to look idly out at the red sunset beyond the low-lying roofs and spars of Shoreham.”

tall windows adjective + noun

In this reading “Two years later, and Vixen was sitting with the same faithful Argus nestling beside her, by the fireside of a spacious Brighton drawing-room, a large, lofty, commonplace room, with tall windows facing seawards.”

slender girl adjective + noun

In this reading “Those two years had changed Violet Tempest from a slender girl to a nobly-formed woman; a woman whom a sculptor would have worshipped as his dream of perfection, whom a painter would have reverenced for her glow and splendour of colouring; but about whose beauty the common run of mankind, and more especially womankind, had not quite made up their minds.”

too big adverb + adjective

In this reading “The pretty little women with eighteen-inch waists opined that Miss Tempest was too big.”

of mankind preposition + noun

In this reading “Those two years had changed Violet Tempest from a slender girl to a nobly-formed woman; a woman whom a sculptor would have worshipped as his dream of perfection, whom a painter would have reverenced for her glow and splendour of colouring; but about whose beauty the common run of mankind, and more especially womankind, had not quite made up their minds.”

at a window preposition + article + noun counted as “at … window”

In this reading “Miss McCroke was there too, standing at one of the windows taking up a dropped stitch in her knitting, while Mrs. Tempest walked slowly up and down the expanse of Brussels carpet, stopping now and then at a window to look idly out at the red sunset beyond the low-lying roofs and spars of Shoreham.”

All words in this reading · 116

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 Two years later, and Vixen was sitting with the same faithful Argus nestling beside her, by the fireside of a spacious Brighton drawing-room, a large, lofty, commonplace room, with tall windows facing seawards.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading Those two years had changed Violet Tempest from a slender girl to a nobly-formed woman; a woman whom a sculptor would have worshipped as his dream of perfection, whom a painter would have reverenced for her glow and splendour of colouring; but about whose beauty the common run of mankind, and more especially womankind, had not quite made up their minds.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Two years later, and Vixen was sitting with the same faithful Argus nestling beside her, by the fireside of a spacious Brighton drawing-room, a large, lofty, commonplace room, with tall windows facing seawards.

ArgusnounUS /ˈɑːrɡəs/

(Greek mythology) a giant with 100 eyes; was guardian of the heifer Io and was slain by Hermes

From this reading Two years later, and Vixen was sitting with the same faithful Argus nestling beside her, by the fireside of a spacious Brighton drawing-room, a large, lofty, commonplace room, with tall windows facing seawards.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Those two years had changed Violet Tempest from a slender girl to a nobly-formed woman; a woman whom a sculptor would have worshipped as his dream of perfection, whom a painter would have reverenced for her glow and splendour of colouring; but about whose beauty the common run of mankind, and more especially womankind, had not quite made up their minds.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Miss McCroke was there too, standing at one of the windows taking up a dropped stitch in her knitting, while Mrs. Tempest walked slowly up and down the expanse of Brussels carpet, stopping now and then at a window to look idly out at the red sunset beyond the low-lying roofs and spars of Shoreham.

beautynounUS /ˈbjuːti/

the qualities that give pleasure to the senses

From this reading Those two years had changed Violet Tempest from a slender girl to a nobly-formed woman; a woman whom a sculptor would have worshipped as his dream of perfection, whom a painter would have reverenced for her glow and splendour of colouring; but about whose beauty the common run of mankind, and more especially womankind, had not quite made up their minds.

besideprepositionUS /bɪˈsaɪd/

next to; at the side of

From this reading Two years later, and Vixen was sitting with the same faithful Argus nestling beside her, by the fireside of a spacious Brighton drawing-room, a large, lofty, commonplace room, with tall windows facing seawards.

beyondprepositionUS /bɪˈɑːnd/

on the far side of; further than

From this reading Miss McCroke was there too, standing at one of the windows taking up a dropped stitch in her knitting, while Mrs. Tempest walked slowly up and down the expanse of Brussels carpet, stopping now and then at a window to look idly out at the red sunset beyond the low-lying roofs and spars of Shoreham.

bigadjectiveUS /bɪɡ/

above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading The pretty little women with eighteen-inch waists opined that Miss Tempest was too big.

BrightonnounUS /ˈbraɪtən/

a city in East Sussex in southern England that is a popular resort; site of the University of Sussex

From this reading Two years later, and Vixen was sitting with the same faithful Argus nestling beside her, by the fireside of a spacious Brighton drawing-room, a large, lofty, commonplace room, with tall windows facing seawards.

BrusselsnounUS /ˈbrʌsəlz/

the capital and largest city of Belgium; seat of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization

From this reading Miss McCroke was there too, standing at one of the windows taking up a dropped stitch in her knitting, while Mrs. Tempest walked slowly up and down the expanse of Brussels carpet, stopping now and then at a window to look idly out at the red sunset beyond the low-lying roofs and spars of Shoreham.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Those two years had changed Violet Tempest from a slender girl to a nobly-formed woman; a woman whom a sculptor would have worshipped as his dream of perfection, whom a painter would have reverenced for her glow and splendour of colouring; but about whose beauty the common run of mankind, and more especially womankind, had not quite made up their minds.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Two years later, and Vixen was sitting with the same faithful Argus nestling beside her, by the fireside of a spacious Brighton drawing-room, a large, lofty, commonplace room, with tall windows facing seawards.

CaptainnounUS /ˈkæptən/

an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant

From this reading Captain Winstanley.

carpetnounUS /ˈkɑːrpət/

floor covering consisting of a piece of thick heavy fabric (usually with nap or pile)

From this reading Miss McCroke was there too, standing at one of the windows taking up a dropped stitch in her knitting, while Mrs. Tempest walked slowly up and down the expanse of Brussels carpet, stopping now and then at a window to look idly out at the red sunset beyond the low-lying roofs and spars of Shoreham.

changedadjectiveUS /tʃeɪndʒd/

made or become different in nature or form

From this reading Those two years had changed Violet Tempest from a slender girl to a nobly-formed woman; a woman whom a sculptor would have worshipped as his dream of perfection, whom a painter would have reverenced for her glow and splendour of colouring; but about whose beauty the common run of mankind, and more especially womankind, had not quite made up their minds.

colouringnounUS /ˈkʌlərrɪŋ/

a digestible substance used to give color to food

From this reading Those two years had changed Violet Tempest from a slender girl to a nobly-formed woman; a woman whom a sculptor would have worshipped as his dream of perfection, whom a painter would have reverenced for her glow and splendour of colouring; but about whose beauty the common run of mankind, and more especially womankind, had not quite made up their minds.

commonadjectiveUS /ˈkɑːmən/

belonging to or participated in by a community as a whole; public

From this reading Those two years had changed Violet Tempest from a slender girl to a nobly-formed woman; a woman whom a sculptor would have worshipped as his dream of perfection, whom a painter would have reverenced for her glow and splendour of colouring; but about whose beauty the common run of mankind, and more especially womankind, had not quite made up their minds.

commonplaceadjectiveUS /ˈkɑːmənpleɪs/

completely ordinary and unremarkable

From this reading Two years later, and Vixen was sitting with the same faithful Argus nestling beside her, by the fireside of a spacious Brighton drawing-room, a large, lofty, commonplace room, with tall windows facing seawards.

downadjectiveUS /daʊn/

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading Miss McCroke was there too, standing at one of the windows taking up a dropped stitch in her knitting, while Mrs. Tempest walked slowly up and down the expanse of Brussels carpet, stopping now and then at a window to look idly out at the red sunset beyond the low-lying roofs and spars of Shoreham.

drawing-room

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

From this reading Two years later, and Vixen was sitting with the same faithful Argus nestling beside her, by the fireside of a spacious Brighton drawing-room, a large, lofty, commonplace room, with tall windows facing seawards.

dreamnounUS /driːm/

A series of thoughts, images, or emotions during sleep.

From this reading Those two years had changed Violet Tempest from a slender girl to a nobly-formed woman; a woman whom a sculptor would have worshipped as his dream of perfection, whom a painter would have reverenced for her glow and splendour of colouring; but about whose beauty the common run of mankind, and more especially womankind, had not quite made up their minds.

droppedverbUS /drɑːpt/

inflected form of “drop” — let fall to the ground

From this reading Miss McCroke was there too, standing at one of the windows taking up a dropped stitch in her knitting, while Mrs. Tempest walked slowly up and down the expanse of Brussels carpet, stopping now and then at a window to look idly out at the red sunset beyond the low-lying roofs and spars of Shoreham.

eighteen-inch

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

From this reading The pretty little women with eighteen-inch waists opined that Miss Tempest was too big.

especiallyadverbUS /əˈspeʃli/

to a distinctly greater extent or degree than is common

From this reading Those two years had changed Violet Tempest from a slender girl to a nobly-formed woman; a woman whom a sculptor would have worshipped as his dream of perfection, whom a painter would have reverenced for her glow and splendour of colouring; but about whose beauty the common run of mankind, and more especially womankind, had not quite made up their minds.

expansenounUS /ɪkˈspæns/

a wide scope

From this reading Miss McCroke was there too, standing at one of the windows taking up a dropped stitch in her knitting, while Mrs. Tempest walked slowly up and down the expanse of Brussels carpet, stopping now and then at a window to look idly out at the red sunset beyond the low-lying roofs and spars of Shoreham.

facingnounUS /ˈfeɪsɪŋ/

a lining applied to the edge of a garment for ornamentation or strengthening

From this reading Two years later, and Vixen was sitting with the same faithful Argus nestling beside her, by the fireside of a spacious Brighton drawing-room, a large, lofty, commonplace room, with tall windows facing seawards.

faithfuladjectiveUS /ˈfeɪθfəl/

steadfast in affection or allegiance

From this reading Two years later, and Vixen was sitting with the same faithful Argus nestling beside her, by the fireside of a spacious Brighton drawing-room, a large, lofty, commonplace room, with tall windows facing seawards.

firesidenounUS /ˈfaɪərsaɪd/

an area near a fireplace (usually paved and extending out into a room)

From this reading Two years later, and Vixen was sitting with the same faithful Argus nestling beside her, by the fireside of a spacious Brighton drawing-room, a large, lofty, commonplace room, with tall windows facing seawards.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Those two years had changed Violet Tempest from a slender girl to a nobly-formed woman; a woman whom a sculptor would have worshipped as his dream of perfection, whom a painter would have reverenced for her glow and splendour of colouring; but about whose beauty the common run of mankind, and more especially womankind, had not quite made up their minds.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Those two years had changed Violet Tempest from a slender girl to a nobly-formed woman; a woman whom a sculptor would have worshipped as his dream of perfection, whom a painter would have reverenced for her glow and splendour of colouring; but about whose beauty the common run of mankind, and more especially womankind, had not quite made up their minds.

girlnounUS /ɡɜːrl/

a young female

From this reading Those two years had changed Violet Tempest from a slender girl to a nobly-formed woman; a woman whom a sculptor would have worshipped as his dream of perfection, whom a painter would have reverenced for her glow and splendour of colouring; but about whose beauty the common run of mankind, and more especially womankind, had not quite made up their minds.

glownounUS /ɡloʊ/

an alert and refreshed state

From this reading Those two years had changed Violet Tempest from a slender girl to a nobly-formed woman; a woman whom a sculptor would have worshipped as his dream of perfection, whom a painter would have reverenced for her glow and splendour of colouring; but about whose beauty the common run of mankind, and more especially womankind, had not quite made up their minds.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Those two years had changed Violet Tempest from a slender girl to a nobly-formed woman; a woman whom a sculptor would have worshipped as his dream of perfection, whom a painter would have reverenced for her glow and splendour of colouring; but about whose beauty the common run of mankind, and more especially womankind, had not quite made up their minds.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading Those two years had changed Violet Tempest from a slender girl to a nobly-formed woman; a woman whom a sculptor would have worshipped as his dream of perfection, whom a painter would have reverenced for her glow and splendour of colouring; but about whose beauty the common run of mankind, and more especially womankind, had not quite made up their minds.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading Two years later, and Vixen was sitting with the same faithful Argus nestling beside her, by the fireside of a spacious Brighton drawing-room, a large, lofty, commonplace room, with tall windows facing seawards.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Those two years had changed Violet Tempest from a slender girl to a nobly-formed woman; a woman whom a sculptor would have worshipped as his dream of perfection, whom a painter would have reverenced for her glow and splendour of colouring; but about whose beauty the common run of mankind, and more especially womankind, had not quite made up their minds.

idlyadverbUS /ˈaɪdli/

in an idle manner

From this reading Miss McCroke was there too, standing at one of the windows taking up a dropped stitch in her knitting, while Mrs. Tempest walked slowly up and down the expanse of Brussels carpet, stopping now and then at a window to look idly out at the red sunset beyond the low-lying roofs and spars of Shoreham.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Miss McCroke was there too, standing at one of the windows taking up a dropped stitch in her knitting, while Mrs. Tempest walked slowly up and down the expanse of Brussels carpet, stopping now and then at a window to look idly out at the red sunset beyond the low-lying roofs and spars of Shoreham.

knittingnounUS /ˈnɪtɪŋ/

needlework created by interlacing yarn in a series of connected loops using straight eyeless needles or by machine

From this reading Miss McCroke was there too, standing at one of the windows taking up a dropped stitch in her knitting, while Mrs. Tempest walked slowly up and down the expanse of Brussels carpet, stopping now and then at a window to look idly out at the red sunset beyond the low-lying roofs and spars of Shoreham.

largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/

above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading Two years later, and Vixen was sitting with the same faithful Argus nestling beside her, by the fireside of a spacious Brighton drawing-room, a large, lofty, commonplace room, with tall windows facing seawards.

lateradverbUS /ˈleɪtər/

happening at a time subsequent to a reference time

From this reading Two years later, and Vixen was sitting with the same faithful Argus nestling beside her, by the fireside of a spacious Brighton drawing-room, a large, lofty, commonplace room, with tall windows facing seawards.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

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

From this reading The pretty little women with eighteen-inch waists opined that Miss Tempest was too big.

loftyadjectiveUS /ˈlɔːfti/

of high moral or intellectual value; elevated in nature or style

From this reading Two years later, and Vixen was sitting with the same faithful Argus nestling beside her, by the fireside of a spacious Brighton drawing-room, a large, lofty, commonplace room, with tall windows facing seawards.

lookverbUS /lʊk/

perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading Miss McCroke was there too, standing at one of the windows taking up a dropped stitch in her knitting, while Mrs. Tempest walked slowly up and down the expanse of Brussels carpet, stopping now and then at a window to look idly out at the red sunset beyond the low-lying roofs and spars of Shoreham.

low-lyingadjective

having a small elevation above the ground or horizon or sea level

From this reading Miss McCroke was there too, standing at one of the windows taking up a dropped stitch in her knitting, while Mrs. Tempest walked slowly up and down the expanse of Brussels carpet, stopping now and then at a window to look idly out at the red sunset beyond the low-lying roofs and spars of Shoreham.

madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading Those two years had changed Violet Tempest from a slender girl to a nobly-formed woman; a woman whom a sculptor would have worshipped as his dream of perfection, whom a painter would have reverenced for her glow and splendour of colouring; but about whose beauty the common run of mankind, and more especially womankind, had not quite made up their minds.

mankindnounUS /ˈmænˈkaɪnd/

all of the living human inhabitants of the earth

From this reading Those two years had changed Violet Tempest from a slender girl to a nobly-formed woman; a woman whom a sculptor would have worshipped as his dream of perfection, whom a painter would have reverenced for her glow and splendour of colouring; but about whose beauty the common run of mankind, and more especially womankind, had not quite made up their minds.

McCroke

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

From this reading Miss McCroke was there too, standing at one of the windows taking up a dropped stitch in her knitting, while Mrs. Tempest walked slowly up and down the expanse of Brussels carpet, stopping now and then at a window to look idly out at the red sunset beyond the low-lying roofs and spars of Shoreham.

mindsnounUS /maɪndz/

plural of “mind” — that which is responsible for one's thoughts, feelings, and conscious brain functions; the seat of the faculty of reason

From this reading Those two years had changed Violet Tempest from a slender girl to a nobly-formed woman; a woman whom a sculptor would have worshipped as his dream of perfection, whom a painter would have reverenced for her glow and splendour of colouring; but about whose beauty the common run of mankind, and more especially womankind, had not quite made up their minds.

MissverbUS /mɪs/

fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind

From this reading Miss McCroke was there too, standing at one of the windows taking up a dropped stitch in her knitting, while Mrs. Tempest walked slowly up and down the expanse of Brussels carpet, stopping now and then at a window to look idly out at the red sunset beyond the low-lying roofs and spars of Shoreham.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

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

From this reading Those two years had changed Violet Tempest from a slender girl to a nobly-formed woman; a woman whom a sculptor would have worshipped as his dream of perfection, whom a painter would have reverenced for her glow and splendour of colouring; but about whose beauty the common run of mankind, and more especially womankind, had not quite made up their minds.

MrsnounUS /ˈmɪsɪz/

a form of address for a married woman

From this reading Miss McCroke was there too, standing at one of the windows taking up a dropped stitch in her knitting, while Mrs. Tempest walked slowly up and down the expanse of Brussels carpet, stopping now and then at a window to look idly out at the red sunset beyond the low-lying roofs and spars of Shoreham.

nestlingnounUS /ˈnestlɪŋ/

young bird not yet fledged

From this reading Two years later, and Vixen was sitting with the same faithful Argus nestling beside her, by the fireside of a spacious Brighton drawing-room, a large, lofty, commonplace room, with tall windows facing seawards.

nobly-formed

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

From this reading Those two years had changed Violet Tempest from a slender girl to a nobly-formed woman; a woman whom a sculptor would have worshipped as his dream of perfection, whom a painter would have reverenced for her glow and splendour of colouring; but about whose beauty the common run of mankind, and more especially womankind, had not quite made up their minds.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Those two years had changed Violet Tempest from a slender girl to a nobly-formed woman; a woman whom a sculptor would have worshipped as his dream of perfection, whom a painter would have reverenced for her glow and splendour of colouring; but about whose beauty the common run of mankind, and more especially womankind, had not quite made up their minds.

nowadverbUS /naʊ/

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading Miss McCroke was there too, standing at one of the windows taking up a dropped stitch in her knitting, while Mrs. Tempest walked slowly up and down the expanse of Brussels carpet, stopping now and then at a window to look idly out at the red sunset beyond the low-lying roofs and spars of Shoreham.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Two years later, and Vixen was sitting with the same faithful Argus nestling beside her, by the fireside of a spacious Brighton drawing-room, a large, lofty, commonplace room, with tall windows facing seawards.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Miss McCroke was there too, standing at one of the windows taking up a dropped stitch in her knitting, while Mrs. Tempest walked slowly up and down the expanse of Brussels carpet, stopping now and then at a window to look idly out at the red sunset beyond the low-lying roofs and spars of Shoreham.

opinedverbUS /oʊˈpaɪnd/

past form of “opine” — express one's opinion openly and without fear or hesitation

From this reading The pretty little women with eighteen-inch waists opined that Miss Tempest was too big.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading Miss McCroke was there too, standing at one of the windows taking up a dropped stitch in her knitting, while Mrs. Tempest walked slowly up and down the expanse of Brussels carpet, stopping now and then at a window to look idly out at the red sunset beyond the low-lying roofs and spars of Shoreham.

painternounUS /ˈpeɪntər/

an artist who paints

From this reading Those two years had changed Violet Tempest from a slender girl to a nobly-formed woman; a woman whom a sculptor would have worshipped as his dream of perfection, whom a painter would have reverenced for her glow and splendour of colouring; but about whose beauty the common run of mankind, and more especially womankind, had not quite made up their minds.

perfectionnounUS /pərˈfekʃən/

the state of being without a flaw or defect

From this reading Those two years had changed Violet Tempest from a slender girl to a nobly-formed woman; a woman whom a sculptor would have worshipped as his dream of perfection, whom a painter would have reverenced for her glow and splendour of colouring; but about whose beauty the common run of mankind, and more especially womankind, had not quite made up their minds.

prettyadjectiveUS /ˈprɪti/

pleasing by delicacy or grace; not imposing

From this reading The pretty little women with eighteen-inch waists opined that Miss Tempest was too big.

quiteadverbUS /kwaɪt/

to a degree (not used with a negative)

From this reading Those two years had changed Violet Tempest from a slender girl to a nobly-formed woman; a woman whom a sculptor would have worshipped as his dream of perfection, whom a painter would have reverenced for her glow and splendour of colouring; but about whose beauty the common run of mankind, and more especially womankind, had not quite made up their minds.

rednounUS /red/

red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood

From this reading Miss McCroke was there too, standing at one of the windows taking up a dropped stitch in her knitting, while Mrs. Tempest walked slowly up and down the expanse of Brussels carpet, stopping now and then at a window to look idly out at the red sunset beyond the low-lying roofs and spars of Shoreham.

reverenced

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

From this reading Those two years had changed Violet Tempest from a slender girl to a nobly-formed woman; a woman whom a sculptor would have worshipped as his dream of perfection, whom a painter would have reverenced for her glow and splendour of colouring; but about whose beauty the common run of mankind, and more especially womankind, had not quite made up their minds.

roofsnounUS /ruːfs/

plural of “roof” — a protective covering that covers or forms the top of a building

From this reading Miss McCroke was there too, standing at one of the windows taking up a dropped stitch in her knitting, while Mrs. Tempest walked slowly up and down the expanse of Brussels carpet, stopping now and then at a window to look idly out at the red sunset beyond the low-lying roofs and spars of Shoreham.

roomnounUS /ruːm/

an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling

From this reading Two years later, and Vixen was sitting with the same faithful Argus nestling beside her, by the fireside of a spacious Brighton drawing-room, a large, lofty, commonplace room, with tall windows facing seawards.

runverbUS /rʌn/

move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time

From this reading Those two years had changed Violet Tempest from a slender girl to a nobly-formed woman; a woman whom a sculptor would have worshipped as his dream of perfection, whom a painter would have reverenced for her glow and splendour of colouring; but about whose beauty the common run of mankind, and more especially womankind, had not quite made up their minds.

sameadjectiveUS /seɪm/

Identical; not different.

From this reading Two years later, and Vixen was sitting with the same faithful Argus nestling beside her, by the fireside of a spacious Brighton drawing-room, a large, lofty, commonplace room, with tall windows facing seawards.

sculptornounUS /ˈskʌlptər/

an artist who creates sculptures

From this reading Those two years had changed Violet Tempest from a slender girl to a nobly-formed woman; a woman whom a sculptor would have worshipped as his dream of perfection, whom a painter would have reverenced for her glow and splendour of colouring; but about whose beauty the common run of mankind, and more especially womankind, had not quite made up their minds.

seawardsadverb

in the direction of the sea

From this reading Two years later, and Vixen was sitting with the same faithful Argus nestling beside her, by the fireside of a spacious Brighton drawing-room, a large, lofty, commonplace room, with tall windows facing seawards.

Shoreham

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

From this reading Miss McCroke was there too, standing at one of the windows taking up a dropped stitch in her knitting, while Mrs. Tempest walked slowly up and down the expanse of Brussels carpet, stopping now and then at a window to look idly out at the red sunset beyond the low-lying roofs and spars of Shoreham.

sittingnounUS /ˈsɪtɪŋ/

(photography) the act of assuming a certain position (as for a photograph or portrait)

From this reading Two years later, and Vixen was sitting with the same faithful Argus nestling beside her, by the fireside of a spacious Brighton drawing-room, a large, lofty, commonplace room, with tall windows facing seawards.

slenderadjectiveUS /ˈslendər/

being of delicate or slender build

From this reading Those two years had changed Violet Tempest from a slender girl to a nobly-formed woman; a woman whom a sculptor would have worshipped as his dream of perfection, whom a painter would have reverenced for her glow and splendour of colouring; but about whose beauty the common run of mankind, and more especially womankind, had not quite made up their minds.

slowlyadverbUS /ˈsloʊli/

without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)

From this reading Miss McCroke was there too, standing at one of the windows taking up a dropped stitch in her knitting, while Mrs. Tempest walked slowly up and down the expanse of Brussels carpet, stopping now and then at a window to look idly out at the red sunset beyond the low-lying roofs and spars of Shoreham.

spaciousadjectiveUS /ˈspeɪʃəs/

very large in expanse or scope

From this reading Two years later, and Vixen was sitting with the same faithful Argus nestling beside her, by the fireside of a spacious Brighton drawing-room, a large, lofty, commonplace room, with tall windows facing seawards.

spars

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

From this reading Miss McCroke was there too, standing at one of the windows taking up a dropped stitch in her knitting, while Mrs. Tempest walked slowly up and down the expanse of Brussels carpet, stopping now and then at a window to look idly out at the red sunset beyond the low-lying roofs and spars of Shoreham.

splendournoun

a quality that outshines the usual

From this reading Those two years had changed Violet Tempest from a slender girl to a nobly-formed woman; a woman whom a sculptor would have worshipped as his dream of perfection, whom a painter would have reverenced for her glow and splendour of colouring; but about whose beauty the common run of mankind, and more especially womankind, had not quite made up their minds.

standingadjectiveUS /ˈstændɪŋ/

having a supporting base

From this reading Miss McCroke was there too, standing at one of the windows taking up a dropped stitch in her knitting, while Mrs. Tempest walked slowly up and down the expanse of Brussels carpet, stopping now and then at a window to look idly out at the red sunset beyond the low-lying roofs and spars of Shoreham.

stitchnounUS /stɪtʃ/

a link or loop or knot made by an implement in knitting, crocheting, embroidery, or sewing

From this reading Miss McCroke was there too, standing at one of the windows taking up a dropped stitch in her knitting, while Mrs. Tempest walked slowly up and down the expanse of Brussels carpet, stopping now and then at a window to look idly out at the red sunset beyond the low-lying roofs and spars of Shoreham.

stoppingnounUS /ˈstɑːpɪŋ/

fastener consisting of a narrow strip of welded metal used to join steel members

From this reading Miss McCroke was there too, standing at one of the windows taking up a dropped stitch in her knitting, while Mrs. Tempest walked slowly up and down the expanse of Brussels carpet, stopping now and then at a window to look idly out at the red sunset beyond the low-lying roofs and spars of Shoreham.

sunsetnounUS /ˈsʌnset/

the time in the evening at which the sun begins to fall below the horizon

From this reading Miss McCroke was there too, standing at one of the windows taking up a dropped stitch in her knitting, while Mrs. Tempest walked slowly up and down the expanse of Brussels carpet, stopping now and then at a window to look idly out at the red sunset beyond the low-lying roofs and spars of Shoreham.

takingnounUS /ˈteɪkɪŋ/

the act of someone who picks up or takes something

From this reading Miss McCroke was there too, standing at one of the windows taking up a dropped stitch in her knitting, while Mrs. Tempest walked slowly up and down the expanse of Brussels carpet, stopping now and then at a window to look idly out at the red sunset beyond the low-lying roofs and spars of Shoreham.

talladjectiveUS /tɔːl/

great in vertical dimension; high in stature

From this reading Two years later, and Vixen was sitting with the same faithful Argus nestling beside her, by the fireside of a spacious Brighton drawing-room, a large, lofty, commonplace room, with tall windows facing seawards.

TempestnounUS /ˈtempəst/

a violent commotion or disturbance

From this reading Miss McCroke was there too, standing at one of the windows taking up a dropped stitch in her knitting, while Mrs. Tempest walked slowly up and down the expanse of Brussels carpet, stopping now and then at a window to look idly out at the red sunset beyond the low-lying roofs and spars of Shoreham.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading The pretty little women with eighteen-inch waists opined that Miss Tempest was too big.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Two years later, and Vixen was sitting with the same faithful Argus nestling beside her, by the fireside of a spacious Brighton drawing-room, a large, lofty, commonplace room, with tall windows facing seawards.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading Those two years had changed Violet Tempest from a slender girl to a nobly-formed woman; a woman whom a sculptor would have worshipped as his dream of perfection, whom a painter would have reverenced for her glow and splendour of colouring; but about whose beauty the common run of mankind, and more especially womankind, had not quite made up their minds.

thenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading Miss McCroke was there too, standing at one of the windows taking up a dropped stitch in her knitting, while Mrs. Tempest walked slowly up and down the expanse of Brussels carpet, stopping now and then at a window to look idly out at the red sunset beyond the low-lying roofs and spars of Shoreham.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading Miss McCroke was there too, standing at one of the windows taking up a dropped stitch in her knitting, while Mrs. Tempest walked slowly up and down the expanse of Brussels carpet, stopping now and then at a window to look idly out at the red sunset beyond the low-lying roofs and spars of Shoreham.

ThosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/

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

From this reading Those two years had changed Violet Tempest from a slender girl to a nobly-formed woman; a woman whom a sculptor would have worshipped as his dream of perfection, whom a painter would have reverenced for her glow and splendour of colouring; but about whose beauty the common run of mankind, and more especially womankind, had not quite made up their minds.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Miss McCroke was there too, standing at one of the windows taking up a dropped stitch in her knitting, while Mrs. Tempest walked slowly up and down the expanse of Brussels carpet, stopping now and then at a window to look idly out at the red sunset beyond the low-lying roofs and spars of Shoreham.

tooadverbUS /tuː/

to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits

From this reading Miss McCroke was there too, standing at one of the windows taking up a dropped stitch in her knitting, while Mrs. Tempest walked slowly up and down the expanse of Brussels carpet, stopping now and then at a window to look idly out at the red sunset beyond the low-lying roofs and spars of Shoreham.

TwonounUS /tuː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading Two years later, and Vixen was sitting with the same faithful Argus nestling beside her, by the fireside of a spacious Brighton drawing-room, a large, lofty, commonplace room, with tall windows facing seawards.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

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

From this reading Miss McCroke was there too, standing at one of the windows taking up a dropped stitch in her knitting, while Mrs. Tempest walked slowly up and down the expanse of Brussels carpet, stopping now and then at a window to look idly out at the red sunset beyond the low-lying roofs and spars of Shoreham.

VioletnounUS /ˈvaɪəlɪt/

any of numerous low-growing violas with small flowers

From this reading Those two years had changed Violet Tempest from a slender girl to a nobly-formed woman; a woman whom a sculptor would have worshipped as his dream of perfection, whom a painter would have reverenced for her glow and splendour of colouring; but about whose beauty the common run of mankind, and more especially womankind, had not quite made up their minds.

VixennounUS /ˈvɪksɪn/

a malicious woman with a fierce temper

From this reading Two years later, and Vixen was sitting with the same faithful Argus nestling beside her, by the fireside of a spacious Brighton drawing-room, a large, lofty, commonplace room, with tall windows facing seawards.

waistsnounUS /weɪsts/

plural of “waist” — the narrowing of the body between the ribs and hips

From this reading The pretty little women with eighteen-inch waists opined that Miss Tempest was too big.

walkedverbUS /wɔːkt/

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

From this reading Miss McCroke was there too, standing at one of the windows taking up a dropped stitch in her knitting, while Mrs. Tempest walked slowly up and down the expanse of Brussels carpet, stopping now and then at a window to look idly out at the red sunset beyond the low-lying roofs and spars of Shoreham.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Two years later, and Vixen was sitting with the same faithful Argus nestling beside her, by the fireside of a spacious Brighton drawing-room, a large, lofty, commonplace room, with tall windows facing seawards.

whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/

during the time that

From this reading Miss McCroke was there too, standing at one of the windows taking up a dropped stitch in her knitting, while Mrs. Tempest walked slowly up and down the expanse of Brussels carpet, stopping now and then at a window to look idly out at the red sunset beyond the low-lying roofs and spars of Shoreham.

whompronounUS /huːm/

the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Those two years had changed Violet Tempest from a slender girl to a nobly-formed woman; a woman whom a sculptor would have worshipped as his dream of perfection, whom a painter would have reverenced for her glow and splendour of colouring; but about whose beauty the common run of mankind, and more especially womankind, had not quite made up their minds.

whosedeterminerUS /huːz/

belonging to which person

From this reading Those two years had changed Violet Tempest from a slender girl to a nobly-formed woman; a woman whom a sculptor would have worshipped as his dream of perfection, whom a painter would have reverenced for her glow and splendour of colouring; but about whose beauty the common run of mankind, and more especially womankind, had not quite made up their minds.

windownounUS /ˈwɪndoʊ/

a framework of wood or metal that contains a glass windowpane and is built into a wall or roof to admit light or air

From this reading Miss McCroke was there too, standing at one of the windows taking up a dropped stitch in her knitting, while Mrs. Tempest walked slowly up and down the expanse of Brussels carpet, stopping now and then at a window to look idly out at the red sunset beyond the low-lying roofs and spars of Shoreham.

windowsnounUS /ˈwɪndoʊz/

(trademark) an operating system with a graphical user interface

From this reading Two years later, and Vixen was sitting with the same faithful Argus nestling beside her, by the fireside of a spacious Brighton drawing-room, a large, lofty, commonplace room, with tall windows facing seawards.

Winstanley

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

From this reading Captain Winstanley.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Two years later, and Vixen was sitting with the same faithful Argus nestling beside her, by the fireside of a spacious Brighton drawing-room, a large, lofty, commonplace room, with tall windows facing seawards.

womannounUS /ˈwʊmən/

an adult female person (as opposed to a man)

From this reading Those two years had changed Violet Tempest from a slender girl to a nobly-formed woman; a woman whom a sculptor would have worshipped as his dream of perfection, whom a painter would have reverenced for her glow and splendour of colouring; but about whose beauty the common run of mankind, and more especially womankind, had not quite made up their minds.

womankindnoun

women as distinguished from men

From this reading Those two years had changed Violet Tempest from a slender girl to a nobly-formed woman; a woman whom a sculptor would have worshipped as his dream of perfection, whom a painter would have reverenced for her glow and splendour of colouring; but about whose beauty the common run of mankind, and more especially womankind, had not quite made up their minds.

womennounUS /ˈwɪmən/

plural of “woman” — an adult female person (as opposed to a man)

From this reading The pretty little women with eighteen-inch waists opined that Miss Tempest was too big.

worshippedadjectiveUS /ˈwɜːrʃəpt/

regarded with deep or rapturous love (especially as if for a god)

From this reading Those two years had changed Violet Tempest from a slender girl to a nobly-formed woman; a woman whom a sculptor would have worshipped as his dream of perfection, whom a painter would have reverenced for her glow and splendour of colouring; but about whose beauty the common run of mankind, and more especially womankind, had not quite made up their minds.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading Those two years had changed Violet Tempest from a slender girl to a nobly-formed woman; a woman whom a sculptor would have worshipped as his dream of perfection, whom a painter would have reverenced for her glow and splendour of colouring; but about whose beauty the common run of mankind, and more especially womankind, had not quite made up their minds.

yearsnounUS /jɪrz/

a late time of life

From this reading Two years later, and Vixen was sitting with the same faithful Argus nestling beside her, by the fireside of a spacious Brighton drawing-room, a large, lofty, commonplace room, with tall windows facing seawards.

Chapter 10 of Vixen, Volume I. by M. E. (Mary Elizabeth) Braddon holds 125 sentences, grouped into 25 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 10 of Vixen, Volume I. contain?

Chapter 10 holds 125 sentences of Vixen, Volume I., unabridged, divided into 25 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 10 of Vixen, Volume I. by M. E. (Mary Elizabeth) Braddon exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 125 sentences, grouped into 25 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 10 of Vixen, Volume I.?

Work through the 25 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 25 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 10 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 10 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 Vixen, Volume I.

Common questions about reading Vixen, Volume I. by M. E. (Mary Elizabeth) Braddon on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Vixen, Volume I.?

Yes. All 3565 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #26236 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Vixen, Volume I. is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #26236, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Vixen, Volume I. take to read?

About 297 minutes of reading across 713 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Vixen, Volume I. section by section

How to work through Vixen, Volume I. section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 17 chapters of Vixen, Volume I. 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 Vixen, Volume I.

Words and structures a reader meets early in Vixen, Volume I., each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Pretty
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Vixen, Volume I.; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Horsebreaker
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Vixen, Volume I.; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Newly
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Vixen, Volume I.; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Risen
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Vixen, Volume I.; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.