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Far from the Madding Crowd
Far from the Madding Crowd

Chapter XXIII · In the Sun—a Harbinger

In the Sun—a Harbinger, section 1: A week passed, and there were no tidings of Bathsheba; nor was there any explanation of her Gilpin’s rig. Then a note came for Maryann, stating that the business which had called h
Context Illustration Reading 1/32 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
A week passed, and there were no tidings of Bathsheba; nor was there any explanation of her Gilpin’s rig.
Then a note came for Maryann, stating that the business which had called her mistress to Bath still detained her there; but that she hoped to return in the course of another week.
Another week passed.
The oat-harvest began, and all the men were afield under a monochromatic Lammas sky, amid the trembling air and short shadows of noon.
Indoors nothing was to be heard save the droning of blue-bottle flies; out-of-doors the whetting of scythes and the hiss of tressy oat-ears rubbing together as their perpendicular stalks of amber-yellow fell heavily to each swath.
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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 XXIII · In the Sun—a Harbinger

Reading 1/32 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
A week passed, and there were no tidings of Bathsheba; nor was there any explanation of her Gilpin’s rig.
Line 2
Then a note came for Maryann, stating that the business which had called her mistress to Bath still detained her there; but that she hoped to return in the course of another week.
Line 3
Another week passed.
Line 4
The oat-harvest began, and all the men were afield under a monochromatic Lammas sky, amid the trembling air and short shadows of noon.
Line 5
Indoors nothing was to be heard save the droning of blue-bottle flies; out-of-doors the whetting of scythes and the hiss of tressy oat-ears rubbing together as their perpendicular stalks of amber-yellow fell heavily to each swath.

Learner Dictionary

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

Amid preposition US /əˈmɪd/

in the middle of; surrounded by

From this reading “The oat-harvest began, and all the men were afield under a monochromatic Lammas sky, amid the trembling air and short shadows of noon.”

Another noun US /ˈanother/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading “Then a note came for Maryann, stating that the business which had called her mistress to Bath still detained her there; but that she hoped to return in the course of another week.”

Began noun US /began/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The oat-harvest began, and all the men were afield under a monochromatic Lammas sky, amid the trembling air and short shadows of noon.”

Course noun US /course/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Then a note came for Maryann, stating that the business which had called her mistress to Bath still detained her there; but that she hoped to return in the course of another week.”

Nothing pronoun US /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading “Indoors nothing was to be heard save the droning of blue-bottle flies; out-of-doors the whetting of scythes and the hiss of tressy oat-ears rubbing together as their perpendicular stalks of amber-yellow fell heavily to each swath.”

Passed noun US /passed/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “A week passed, and there were no tidings of Bathsheba; nor was there any explanation of her Gilpin’s rig.”

Save preposition US /seɪv/

except for; apart from

From this reading “Indoors nothing was to be heard save the droning of blue-bottle flies; out-of-doors the whetting of scythes and the hiss of tressy oat-ears rubbing together as their perpendicular stalks of amber-yellow fell heavily to each swath.”

Short adjective US /ʃɔrt/

brief or direct in expression

From this reading “The oat-harvest began, and all the men were afield under a monochromatic Lammas sky, amid the trembling air and short shadows of noon.”

Still noun US /still/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Then a note came for Maryann, stating that the business which had called her mistress to Bath still detained her there; but that she hoped to return in the course of another week.”

Under preposition US /ˈʌndər/

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading “The oat-harvest began, and all the men were afield under a monochromatic Lammas sky, amid the trembling air and short shadows of noon.”

All words in this reading · 81

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 A week passed, and there were no tidings of Bathsheba; nor was there any explanation of her Gilpin’s rig.

afield

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

From this reading The oat-harvest began, and all the men were afield under a monochromatic Lammas sky, amid the trembling air and short shadows of noon.

air

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

From this reading The oat-harvest began, and all the men were afield under a monochromatic Lammas sky, amid the trembling air and short shadows of noon.

all

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

From this reading The oat-harvest began, and all the men were afield under a monochromatic Lammas sky, amid the trembling air and short shadows of noon.

amber-yellow

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

From this reading Indoors nothing was to be heard save the droning of blue-bottle flies; out-of-doors the whetting of scythes and the hiss of tressy oat-ears rubbing together as their perpendicular stalks of amber-yellow fell heavily to each swath.

amidprepositionUS /əˈmɪd/

in the middle of; surrounded by

From this reading The oat-harvest began, and all the men were afield under a monochromatic Lammas sky, amid the trembling air and short shadows of noon.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading A week passed, and there were no tidings of Bathsheba; nor was there any explanation of her Gilpin’s rig.

anothernounUS /ˈanother/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading Then a note came for Maryann, stating that the business which had called her mistress to Bath still detained her there; but that she hoped to return in the course of another week.

any

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

From this reading A week passed, and there were no tidings of Bathsheba; nor was there any explanation of her Gilpin’s rig.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Indoors nothing was to be heard save the droning of blue-bottle flies; out-of-doors the whetting of scythes and the hiss of tressy oat-ears rubbing together as their perpendicular stalks of amber-yellow fell heavily to each swath.

Bath

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

From this reading Then a note came for Maryann, stating that the business which had called her mistress to Bath still detained her there; but that she hoped to return in the course of another week.

Bathsheba

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

From this reading A week passed, and there were no tidings of Bathsheba; nor was there any explanation of her Gilpin’s rig.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading Indoors nothing was to be heard save the droning of blue-bottle flies; out-of-doors the whetting of scythes and the hiss of tressy oat-ears rubbing together as their perpendicular stalks of amber-yellow fell heavily to each swath.

begannounUS /began/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The oat-harvest began, and all the men were afield under a monochromatic Lammas sky, amid the trembling air and short shadows of noon.

blue-bottle

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

From this reading Indoors nothing was to be heard save the droning of blue-bottle flies; out-of-doors the whetting of scythes and the hiss of tressy oat-ears rubbing together as their perpendicular stalks of amber-yellow fell heavily to each swath.

business

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

From this reading Then a note came for Maryann, stating that the business which had called her mistress to Bath still detained her there; but that she hoped to return in the course of another week.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Then a note came for Maryann, stating that the business which had called her mistress to Bath still detained her there; but that she hoped to return in the course of another week.

called

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

From this reading Then a note came for Maryann, stating that the business which had called her mistress to Bath still detained her there; but that she hoped to return in the course of another week.

came

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

From this reading Then a note came for Maryann, stating that the business which had called her mistress to Bath still detained her there; but that she hoped to return in the course of another week.

coursenounUS /course/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Then a note came for Maryann, stating that the business which had called her mistress to Bath still detained her there; but that she hoped to return in the course of another week.

detained

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

From this reading Then a note came for Maryann, stating that the business which had called her mistress to Bath still detained her there; but that she hoped to return in the course of another week.

droning

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

From this reading Indoors nothing was to be heard save the droning of blue-bottle flies; out-of-doors the whetting of scythes and the hiss of tressy oat-ears rubbing together as their perpendicular stalks of amber-yellow fell heavily to each swath.

eachdeterminerUS /iːtʃ/

every one of two or more people or things, taken separately

From this reading Indoors nothing was to be heard save the droning of blue-bottle flies; out-of-doors the whetting of scythes and the hiss of tressy oat-ears rubbing together as their perpendicular stalks of amber-yellow fell heavily to each swath.

explanation

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

From this reading A week passed, and there were no tidings of Bathsheba; nor was there any explanation of her Gilpin’s rig.

fell

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

From this reading Indoors nothing was to be heard save the droning of blue-bottle flies; out-of-doors the whetting of scythes and the hiss of tressy oat-ears rubbing together as their perpendicular stalks of amber-yellow fell heavily to each swath.

flies

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

From this reading Indoors nothing was to be heard save the droning of blue-bottle flies; out-of-doors the whetting of scythes and the hiss of tressy oat-ears rubbing together as their perpendicular stalks of amber-yellow fell heavily to each swath.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Then a note came for Maryann, stating that the business which had called her mistress to Bath still detained her there; but that she hoped to return in the course of another week.

Gilpin's

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

From this reading A week passed, and there were no tidings of Bathsheba; nor was there any explanation of her Gilpin’s rig.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Then a note came for Maryann, stating that the business which had called her mistress to Bath still detained her there; but that she hoped to return in the course of another week.

heard

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

From this reading Indoors nothing was to be heard save the droning of blue-bottle flies; out-of-doors the whetting of scythes and the hiss of tressy oat-ears rubbing together as their perpendicular stalks of amber-yellow fell heavily to each swath.

heavily

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

From this reading Indoors nothing was to be heard save the droning of blue-bottle flies; out-of-doors the whetting of scythes and the hiss of tressy oat-ears rubbing together as their perpendicular stalks of amber-yellow fell heavily to each swath.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading A week passed, and there were no tidings of Bathsheba; nor was there any explanation of her Gilpin’s rig.

hiss

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

From this reading Indoors nothing was to be heard save the droning of blue-bottle flies; out-of-doors the whetting of scythes and the hiss of tressy oat-ears rubbing together as their perpendicular stalks of amber-yellow fell heavily to each swath.

hoped

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

From this reading Then a note came for Maryann, stating that the business which had called her mistress to Bath still detained her there; but that she hoped to return in the course of another week.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Then a note came for Maryann, stating that the business which had called her mistress to Bath still detained her there; but that she hoped to return in the course of another week.

Indoors

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

From this reading Indoors nothing was to be heard save the droning of blue-bottle flies; out-of-doors the whetting of scythes and the hiss of tressy oat-ears rubbing together as their perpendicular stalks of amber-yellow fell heavily to each swath.

Lammas

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

From this reading The oat-harvest began, and all the men were afield under a monochromatic Lammas sky, amid the trembling air and short shadows of noon.

Maryann

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

From this reading Then a note came for Maryann, stating that the business which had called her mistress to Bath still detained her there; but that she hoped to return in the course of another week.

men

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

From this reading The oat-harvest began, and all the men were afield under a monochromatic Lammas sky, amid the trembling air and short shadows of noon.

mistress

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

From this reading Then a note came for Maryann, stating that the business which had called her mistress to Bath still detained her there; but that she hoped to return in the course of another week.

monochromatic

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

From this reading The oat-harvest began, and all the men were afield under a monochromatic Lammas sky, amid the trembling air and short shadows of noon.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading A week passed, and there were no tidings of Bathsheba; nor was there any explanation of her Gilpin’s rig.

noon

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

From this reading The oat-harvest began, and all the men were afield under a monochromatic Lammas sky, amid the trembling air and short shadows of noon.

norconjunctionUS /nɔːr/

and not; used after a negative to add a second negative

From this reading A week passed, and there were no tidings of Bathsheba; nor was there any explanation of her Gilpin’s rig.

note

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

From this reading Then a note came for Maryann, stating that the business which had called her mistress to Bath still detained her there; but that she hoped to return in the course of another week.

nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading Indoors nothing was to be heard save the droning of blue-bottle flies; out-of-doors the whetting of scythes and the hiss of tressy oat-ears rubbing together as their perpendicular stalks of amber-yellow fell heavily to each swath.

oat-ears

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

From this reading Indoors nothing was to be heard save the droning of blue-bottle flies; out-of-doors the whetting of scythes and the hiss of tressy oat-ears rubbing together as their perpendicular stalks of amber-yellow fell heavily to each swath.

oat-harvest

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

From this reading The oat-harvest began, and all the men were afield under a monochromatic Lammas sky, amid the trembling air and short shadows of noon.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading A week passed, and there were no tidings of Bathsheba; nor was there any explanation of her Gilpin’s rig.

out-of-doors

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

From this reading Indoors nothing was to be heard save the droning of blue-bottle flies; out-of-doors the whetting of scythes and the hiss of tressy oat-ears rubbing together as their perpendicular stalks of amber-yellow fell heavily to each swath.

passednounUS /passed/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading A week passed, and there were no tidings of Bathsheba; nor was there any explanation of her Gilpin’s rig.

perpendicular

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

From this reading Indoors nothing was to be heard save the droning of blue-bottle flies; out-of-doors the whetting of scythes and the hiss of tressy oat-ears rubbing together as their perpendicular stalks of amber-yellow fell heavily to each swath.

return

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

From this reading Then a note came for Maryann, stating that the business which had called her mistress to Bath still detained her there; but that she hoped to return in the course of another week.

rig

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

From this reading A week passed, and there were no tidings of Bathsheba; nor was there any explanation of her Gilpin’s rig.

rubbing

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

From this reading Indoors nothing was to be heard save the droning of blue-bottle flies; out-of-doors the whetting of scythes and the hiss of tressy oat-ears rubbing together as their perpendicular stalks of amber-yellow fell heavily to each swath.

saveprepositionUS /seɪv/

except for; apart from

From this reading Indoors nothing was to be heard save the droning of blue-bottle flies; out-of-doors the whetting of scythes and the hiss of tressy oat-ears rubbing together as their perpendicular stalks of amber-yellow fell heavily to each swath.

scythes

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

From this reading Indoors nothing was to be heard save the droning of blue-bottle flies; out-of-doors the whetting of scythes and the hiss of tressy oat-ears rubbing together as their perpendicular stalks of amber-yellow fell heavily to each swath.

shadows

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

From this reading The oat-harvest began, and all the men were afield under a monochromatic Lammas sky, amid the trembling air and short shadows of noon.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading Then a note came for Maryann, stating that the business which had called her mistress to Bath still detained her there; but that she hoped to return in the course of another week.

shortadjectiveUS /ʃɔrt/

brief or direct in expression

From this reading The oat-harvest began, and all the men were afield under a monochromatic Lammas sky, amid the trembling air and short shadows of noon.

sky

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

From this reading The oat-harvest began, and all the men were afield under a monochromatic Lammas sky, amid the trembling air and short shadows of noon.

stalks

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

From this reading Indoors nothing was to be heard save the droning of blue-bottle flies; out-of-doors the whetting of scythes and the hiss of tressy oat-ears rubbing together as their perpendicular stalks of amber-yellow fell heavily to each swath.

stating

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

From this reading Then a note came for Maryann, stating that the business which had called her mistress to Bath still detained her there; but that she hoped to return in the course of another week.

stillnounUS /still/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Then a note came for Maryann, stating that the business which had called her mistress to Bath still detained her there; but that she hoped to return in the course of another week.

swath

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

From this reading Indoors nothing was to be heard save the droning of blue-bottle flies; out-of-doors the whetting of scythes and the hiss of tressy oat-ears rubbing together as their perpendicular stalks of amber-yellow fell heavily to each swath.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Then a note came for Maryann, stating that the business which had called her mistress to Bath still detained her there; but that she hoped to return in the course of another week.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Then a note came for Maryann, stating that the business which had called her mistress to Bath still detained her there; but that she hoped to return in the course of another week.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading Indoors nothing was to be heard save the droning of blue-bottle flies; out-of-doors the whetting of scythes and the hiss of tressy oat-ears rubbing together as their perpendicular stalks of amber-yellow fell heavily to each swath.

Then

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

From this reading Then a note came for Maryann, stating that the business which had called her mistress to Bath still detained her there; but that she hoped to return in the course of another week.

there

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

From this reading A week passed, and there were no tidings of Bathsheba; nor was there any explanation of her Gilpin’s rig.

tidings

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

From this reading A week passed, and there were no tidings of Bathsheba; nor was there any explanation of her Gilpin’s rig.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Then a note came for Maryann, stating that the business which had called her mistress to Bath still detained her there; but that she hoped to return in the course of another week.

together

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

From this reading Indoors nothing was to be heard save the droning of blue-bottle flies; out-of-doors the whetting of scythes and the hiss of tressy oat-ears rubbing together as their perpendicular stalks of amber-yellow fell heavily to each swath.

trembling

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

From this reading The oat-harvest began, and all the men were afield under a monochromatic Lammas sky, amid the trembling air and short shadows of noon.

tressy

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

From this reading Indoors nothing was to be heard save the droning of blue-bottle flies; out-of-doors the whetting of scythes and the hiss of tressy oat-ears rubbing together as their perpendicular stalks of amber-yellow fell heavily to each swath.

underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading The oat-harvest began, and all the men were afield under a monochromatic Lammas sky, amid the trembling air and short shadows of noon.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading A week passed, and there were no tidings of Bathsheba; nor was there any explanation of her Gilpin’s rig.

week

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

From this reading A week passed, and there were no tidings of Bathsheba; nor was there any explanation of her Gilpin’s rig.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading A week passed, and there were no tidings of Bathsheba; nor was there any explanation of her Gilpin’s rig.

whetting

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

From this reading Indoors nothing was to be heard save the droning of blue-bottle flies; out-of-doors the whetting of scythes and the hiss of tressy oat-ears rubbing together as their perpendicular stalks of amber-yellow fell heavily to each swath.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading Then a note came for Maryann, stating that the business which had called her mistress to Bath still detained her there; but that she hoped to return in the course of another week.