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Far from the Madding Crowd
Far from the Madding Crowd

Chapter XVIII · Scene on the Verge of the Hay-Mead

Scene on the Verge of the Hay-Mead, section 1: “Ah, Miss Everdene!” said the sergeant, touching his diminutive cap. “Little did I think it was you I was speaking to the other night. And yet, if I had reflected, the ‘Queen of th
Context Illustration Reading 1/45 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
“Ah, Miss Everdene!” said the sergeant, touching his diminutive cap.
“Little did I think it was you I was speaking to the other night.
And yet, if I had reflected, the ‘Queen of the Corn-market’ (truth is truth at any hour of the day or night, and I heard you so named in Casterbridge yesterday), the ‘Queen of the Corn-market,’ I say, could be no other woman.
I step across now to beg your forgiveness a thousand times for having been led by my feelings to express myself too strongly for a stranger.
To be sure I am no stranger to the place—I am Sergeant Troy, as I told you, and I have assisted your uncle in these fields no end of times when I was a lad.
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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.

Far from the Madding Crowd

Chapter XVIII · Scene on the Verge of the Hay-Mead

Reading 1/45 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
“Ah, Miss Everdene!” said the sergeant, touching his diminutive cap.
Line 2
“Little did I think it was you I was speaking to the other night.
Line 3
And yet, if I had reflected, the ‘Queen of the Corn-market’ (truth is truth at any hour of the day or night, and I heard you so named in Casterbridge yesterday), the ‘Queen of the Corn-market,’ I say, could be no other woman.
Line 4
I step across now to beg your forgiveness a thousand times for having been led by my feelings to express myself too strongly for a stranger.
Line 5
To be sure I am no stranger to the place—I am Sergeant Troy, as I told you, and I have assisted your uncle in these fields no end of times when I was a lad.

Learner Dictionary

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.

Across preposition US /əˈkrɔːs/

from one side of something to the other

From this reading “I step across now to beg your forgiveness a thousand times for having been led by my feelings to express myself too strongly for a stranger.”

Been auxiliary verb US /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading “I step across now to beg your forgiveness a thousand times for having been led by my feelings to express myself too strongly for a stranger.”

Could modal verb US /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading “And yet, if I had reflected, the ‘Queen of the Corn-market’ (truth is truth at any hour of the day or night, and I heard you so named in Casterbridge yesterday), the ‘Queen of the Corn-market,’ I say, could be no other woman.”

Express verb US /ɪkˈspres/

to show or communicate a feeling or idea

From this reading “I step across now to beg your forgiveness a thousand times for having been led by my feelings to express myself too strongly for a stranger.”

Have auxiliary verb US /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “To be sure I am no stranger to the place—I am Sergeant Troy, as I told you, and I have assisted your uncle in these fields no end of times when I was a lad.”

Having auxiliary verb US /ˈhævɪŋ/

the -ing form of “have”

From this reading “I step across now to beg your forgiveness a thousand times for having been led by my feelings to express myself too strongly for a stranger.”

Little noun US /little/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading ““Little did I think it was you I was speaking to the other night.”

Myself pronoun US /ˌmaɪˈself/

used when the speaker is also the object of the action

From this reading “I step across now to beg your forgiveness a thousand times for having been led by my feelings to express myself too strongly for a stranger.”

Step noun US /step/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “I step across now to beg your forgiveness a thousand times for having been led by my feelings to express myself too strongly for a stranger.”

Sure noun US /sure/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “To be sure I am no stranger to the place—I am Sergeant Troy, as I told you, and I have assisted your uncle in these fields no end of times when I was a lad.”

These determiner US /ðiːz/

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading “To be sure I am no stranger to the place—I am Sergeant Troy, as I told you, and I have assisted your uncle in these fields no end of times when I was a lad.”

Think noun US /think/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading ““Little did I think it was you I was speaking to the other night.”

Told noun US /told/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “To be sure I am no stranger to the place—I am Sergeant Troy, as I told you, and I have assisted your uncle in these fields no end of times when I was a lad.”

Yet conjunction US /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading “And yet, if I had reflected, the ‘Queen of the Corn-market’ (truth is truth at any hour of the day or night, and I heard you so named in Casterbridge yesterday), the ‘Queen of the Corn-market,’ I say, could be no other woman.”

All words in this reading · 82

Every word is available to listen to. 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 I step across now to beg your forgiveness a thousand times for having been led by my feelings to express myself too strongly for a stranger.

acrossprepositionUS /əˈkrɔːs/

from one side of something to the other

From this reading I step across now to beg your forgiveness a thousand times for having been led by my feelings to express myself too strongly for a stranger.

Ah

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

From this reading “Ah, Miss Everdene!” said the sergeant, touching his diminutive cap.

amauxiliary verbUS /æm/

the form of “be” used with “I”

From this reading To be sure I am no stranger to the place—I am Sergeant Troy, as I told you, and I have assisted your uncle in these fields no end of times when I was a lad.

AndconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading And yet, if I had reflected, the ‘Queen of the Corn-market’ (truth is truth at any hour of the day or night, and I heard you so named in Casterbridge yesterday), the ‘Queen of the Corn-market,’ I say, could be no other woman.

any

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

From this reading And yet, if I had reflected, the ‘Queen of the Corn-market’ (truth is truth at any hour of the day or night, and I heard you so named in Casterbridge yesterday), the ‘Queen of the Corn-market,’ I say, could be no other woman.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading To be sure I am no stranger to the place—I am Sergeant Troy, as I told you, and I have assisted your uncle in these fields no end of times when I was a lad.

assisted

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

From this reading To be sure I am no stranger to the place—I am Sergeant Troy, as I told you, and I have assisted your uncle in these fields no end of times when I was a lad.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading And yet, if I had reflected, the ‘Queen of the Corn-market’ (truth is truth at any hour of the day or night, and I heard you so named in Casterbridge yesterday), the ‘Queen of the Corn-market,’ I say, could be no other woman.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading And yet, if I had reflected, the ‘Queen of the Corn-market’ (truth is truth at any hour of the day or night, and I heard you so named in Casterbridge yesterday), the ‘Queen of the Corn-market,’ I say, could be no other woman.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading I step across now to beg your forgiveness a thousand times for having been led by my feelings to express myself too strongly for a stranger.

beg

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

From this reading I step across now to beg your forgiveness a thousand times for having been led by my feelings to express myself too strongly for a stranger.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading I step across now to beg your forgiveness a thousand times for having been led by my feelings to express myself too strongly for a stranger.

cap

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

From this reading “Ah, Miss Everdene!” said the sergeant, touching his diminutive cap.

Casterbridge

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

From this reading And yet, if I had reflected, the ‘Queen of the Corn-market’ (truth is truth at any hour of the day or night, and I heard you so named in Casterbridge yesterday), the ‘Queen of the Corn-market,’ I say, could be no other woman.

Corn-market

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

From this reading And yet, if I had reflected, the ‘Queen of the Corn-market’ (truth is truth at any hour of the day or night, and I heard you so named in Casterbridge yesterday), the ‘Queen of the Corn-market,’ I say, could be no other woman.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading And yet, if I had reflected, the ‘Queen of the Corn-market’ (truth is truth at any hour of the day or night, and I heard you so named in Casterbridge yesterday), the ‘Queen of the Corn-market,’ I say, could be no other woman.

day

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

From this reading And yet, if I had reflected, the ‘Queen of the Corn-market’ (truth is truth at any hour of the day or night, and I heard you so named in Casterbridge yesterday), the ‘Queen of the Corn-market,’ I say, could be no other woman.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading “Little did I think it was you I was speaking to the other night.

diminutive

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

From this reading “Ah, Miss Everdene!” said the sergeant, touching his diminutive cap.

end

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

From this reading To be sure I am no stranger to the place—I am Sergeant Troy, as I told you, and I have assisted your uncle in these fields no end of times when I was a lad.

Everdene

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

From this reading “Ah, Miss Everdene!” said the sergeant, touching his diminutive cap.

expressverbUS /ɪkˈspres/

to show or communicate a feeling or idea

From this reading I step across now to beg your forgiveness a thousand times for having been led by my feelings to express myself too strongly for a stranger.

feelings

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

From this reading I step across now to beg your forgiveness a thousand times for having been led by my feelings to express myself too strongly for a stranger.

fields

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

From this reading To be sure I am no stranger to the place—I am Sergeant Troy, as I told you, and I have assisted your uncle in these fields no end of times when I was a lad.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading I step across now to beg your forgiveness a thousand times for having been led by my feelings to express myself too strongly for a stranger.

forgiveness

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

From this reading I step across now to beg your forgiveness a thousand times for having been led by my feelings to express myself too strongly for a stranger.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading And yet, if I had reflected, the ‘Queen of the Corn-market’ (truth is truth at any hour of the day or night, and I heard you so named in Casterbridge yesterday), the ‘Queen of the Corn-market,’ I say, could be no other woman.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading To be sure I am no stranger to the place—I am Sergeant Troy, as I told you, and I have assisted your uncle in these fields no end of times when I was a lad.

havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/

the -ing form of “have”

From this reading I step across now to beg your forgiveness a thousand times for having been led by my feelings to express myself too strongly for a stranger.

heard

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

From this reading And yet, if I had reflected, the ‘Queen of the Corn-market’ (truth is truth at any hour of the day or night, and I heard you so named in Casterbridge yesterday), the ‘Queen of the Corn-market,’ I say, could be no other woman.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading “Ah, Miss Everdene!” said the sergeant, touching his diminutive cap.

hour

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

From this reading And yet, if I had reflected, the ‘Queen of the Corn-market’ (truth is truth at any hour of the day or night, and I heard you so named in Casterbridge yesterday), the ‘Queen of the Corn-market,’ I say, could be no other woman.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading “Little did I think it was you I was speaking to the other night.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading And yet, if I had reflected, the ‘Queen of the Corn-market’ (truth is truth at any hour of the day or night, and I heard you so named in Casterbridge yesterday), the ‘Queen of the Corn-market,’ I say, could be no other woman.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading And yet, if I had reflected, the ‘Queen of the Corn-market’ (truth is truth at any hour of the day or night, and I heard you so named in Casterbridge yesterday), the ‘Queen of the Corn-market,’ I say, could be no other woman.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading And yet, if I had reflected, the ‘Queen of the Corn-market’ (truth is truth at any hour of the day or night, and I heard you so named in Casterbridge yesterday), the ‘Queen of the Corn-market,’ I say, could be no other woman.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading “Little did I think it was you I was speaking to the other night.

lad

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

From this reading To be sure I am no stranger to the place—I am Sergeant Troy, as I told you, and I have assisted your uncle in these fields no end of times when I was a lad.

led

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

From this reading I step across now to beg your forgiveness a thousand times for having been led by my feelings to express myself too strongly for a stranger.

LittlenounUS /little/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Little did I think it was you I was speaking to the other night.

Miss

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

From this reading “Ah, Miss Everdene!” said the sergeant, touching his diminutive cap.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading I step across now to beg your forgiveness a thousand times for having been led by my feelings to express myself too strongly for a stranger.

myselfpronounUS /ˌmaɪˈself/

used when the speaker is also the object of the action

From this reading I step across now to beg your forgiveness a thousand times for having been led by my feelings to express myself too strongly for a stranger.

named

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

From this reading And yet, if I had reflected, the ‘Queen of the Corn-market’ (truth is truth at any hour of the day or night, and I heard you so named in Casterbridge yesterday), the ‘Queen of the Corn-market,’ I say, could be no other woman.

night

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

From this reading “Little did I think it was you I was speaking to the other night.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading And yet, if I had reflected, the ‘Queen of the Corn-market’ (truth is truth at any hour of the day or night, and I heard you so named in Casterbridge yesterday), the ‘Queen of the Corn-market,’ I say, could be no other woman.

now

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

From this reading I step across now to beg your forgiveness a thousand times for having been led by my feelings to express myself too strongly for a stranger.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading And yet, if I had reflected, the ‘Queen of the Corn-market’ (truth is truth at any hour of the day or night, and I heard you so named in Casterbridge yesterday), the ‘Queen of the Corn-market,’ I say, could be no other woman.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading And yet, if I had reflected, the ‘Queen of the Corn-market’ (truth is truth at any hour of the day or night, and I heard you so named in Casterbridge yesterday), the ‘Queen of the Corn-market,’ I say, could be no other woman.

other

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

From this reading “Little did I think it was you I was speaking to the other night.

place

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

From this reading To be sure I am no stranger to the place—I am Sergeant Troy, as I told you, and I have assisted your uncle in these fields no end of times when I was a lad.

Queen

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

From this reading And yet, if I had reflected, the ‘Queen of the Corn-market’ (truth is truth at any hour of the day or night, and I heard you so named in Casterbridge yesterday), the ‘Queen of the Corn-market,’ I say, could be no other woman.

reflected

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

From this reading And yet, if I had reflected, the ‘Queen of the Corn-market’ (truth is truth at any hour of the day or night, and I heard you so named in Casterbridge yesterday), the ‘Queen of the Corn-market,’ I say, could be no other woman.

said

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

From this reading “Ah, Miss Everdene!” said the sergeant, touching his diminutive cap.

say

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

From this reading And yet, if I had reflected, the ‘Queen of the Corn-market’ (truth is truth at any hour of the day or night, and I heard you so named in Casterbridge yesterday), the ‘Queen of the Corn-market,’ I say, could be no other woman.

sergeant

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

From this reading “Ah, Miss Everdene!” said the sergeant, touching his diminutive cap.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading And yet, if I had reflected, the ‘Queen of the Corn-market’ (truth is truth at any hour of the day or night, and I heard you so named in Casterbridge yesterday), the ‘Queen of the Corn-market,’ I say, could be no other woman.

speaking

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

From this reading “Little did I think it was you I was speaking to the other night.

stepnounUS /step/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading I step across now to beg your forgiveness a thousand times for having been led by my feelings to express myself too strongly for a stranger.

stranger

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

From this reading I step across now to beg your forgiveness a thousand times for having been led by my feelings to express myself too strongly for a stranger.

strongly

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

From this reading I step across now to beg your forgiveness a thousand times for having been led by my feelings to express myself too strongly for a stranger.

surenounUS /sure/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading To be sure I am no stranger to the place—I am Sergeant Troy, as I told you, and I have assisted your uncle in these fields no end of times when I was a lad.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading “Ah, Miss Everdene!” said the sergeant, touching his diminutive cap.

thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading To be sure I am no stranger to the place—I am Sergeant Troy, as I told you, and I have assisted your uncle in these fields no end of times when I was a lad.

thinknounUS /think/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Little did I think it was you I was speaking to the other night.

thousand

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

From this reading I step across now to beg your forgiveness a thousand times for having been led by my feelings to express myself too strongly for a stranger.

times

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

From this reading I step across now to beg your forgiveness a thousand times for having been led by my feelings to express myself too strongly for a stranger.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading “Little did I think it was you I was speaking to the other night.

toldnounUS /told/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading To be sure I am no stranger to the place—I am Sergeant Troy, as I told you, and I have assisted your uncle in these fields no end of times when I was a lad.

too

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

From this reading I step across now to beg your forgiveness a thousand times for having been led by my feelings to express myself too strongly for a stranger.

touching

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

From this reading “Ah, Miss Everdene!” said the sergeant, touching his diminutive cap.

Troy

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

From this reading To be sure I am no stranger to the place—I am Sergeant Troy, as I told you, and I have assisted your uncle in these fields no end of times when I was a lad.

truth

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

From this reading And yet, if I had reflected, the ‘Queen of the Corn-market’ (truth is truth at any hour of the day or night, and I heard you so named in Casterbridge yesterday), the ‘Queen of the Corn-market,’ I say, could be no other woman.

uncle

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

From this reading To be sure I am no stranger to the place—I am Sergeant Troy, as I told you, and I have assisted your uncle in these fields no end of times when I was a lad.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading “Little did I think it was you I was speaking to the other night.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading To be sure I am no stranger to the place—I am Sergeant Troy, as I told you, and I have assisted your uncle in these fields no end of times when I was a lad.

woman

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

From this reading And yet, if I had reflected, the ‘Queen of the Corn-market’ (truth is truth at any hour of the day or night, and I heard you so named in Casterbridge yesterday), the ‘Queen of the Corn-market,’ I say, could be no other woman.

yesterday

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

From this reading And yet, if I had reflected, the ‘Queen of the Corn-market’ (truth is truth at any hour of the day or night, and I heard you so named in Casterbridge yesterday), the ‘Queen of the Corn-market,’ I say, could be no other woman.

yetconjunctionUS /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading And yet, if I had reflected, the ‘Queen of the Corn-market’ (truth is truth at any hour of the day or night, and I heard you so named in Casterbridge yesterday), the ‘Queen of the Corn-market,’ I say, could be no other woman.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading “Little did I think it was you I was speaking to the other night.

yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading I step across now to beg your forgiveness a thousand times for having been led by my feelings to express myself too strongly for a stranger.