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Far from the Madding Crowd
Far from the Madding Crowd

Chapter XXVII · Coming Home—a Cry

Coming Home—a Cry, section 1: On the turnpike road, between Casterbridge and Weatherbury, and about a mile from the latter place, is one of those steep long ascents which pervade the highways of this undulating
Context Illustration Reading 1/20 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
On the turnpike road, between Casterbridge and Weatherbury, and about a mile from the latter place, is one of those steep long ascents which pervade the highways of this undulating district.
In returning from market it is usual for the farmers and other gig-gentry to alight at the bottom and walk up.
One Saturday evening in the month of October Bathsheba’s vehicle was duly creeping up this incline.
She was sitting listlessly in the second seat of the gig, whilst walking beside her in farmer’s marketing suit of unusually fashionable cut was an erect, well-made young man.
Though on foot, he held the reins and whip, and occasionally aimed light cuts at the horse’s ear with the end of the lash, as a recreation.
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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 XXVII · Coming Home—a Cry

Reading 1/20 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
On the turnpike road, between Casterbridge and Weatherbury, and about a mile from the latter place, is one of those steep long ascents which pervade the highways of this undulating district.
Line 2
In returning from market it is usual for the farmers and other gig-gentry to alight at the bottom and walk up.
Line 3
One Saturday evening in the month of October Bathsheba’s vehicle was duly creeping up this incline.
Line 4
She was sitting listlessly in the second seat of the gig, whilst walking beside her in farmer’s marketing suit of unusually fashionable cut was an erect, well-made young man.
Line 5
Though on foot, he held the reins and whip, and occasionally aimed light cuts at the horse’s ear with the end of the lash, as a recreation.

Learner Dictionary

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

About preposition US /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading “On the turnpike road, between Casterbridge and Weatherbury, and about a mile from the latter place, is one of those steep long ascents which pervade the highways of this undulating district.”

Beside preposition US /bɪˈsaɪd/

next to; at the side of

From this reading “She was sitting listlessly in the second seat of the gig, whilst walking beside her in farmer’s marketing suit of unusually fashionable cut was an erect, well-made young man.”

Between preposition US /bɪˈtwiːn/

in the space, time, or range separating two things

From this reading “On the turnpike road, between Casterbridge and Weatherbury, and about a mile from the latter place, is one of those steep long ascents which pervade the highways of this undulating district.”

Foot noun US /foot/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Though on foot, he held the reins and whip, and occasionally aimed light cuts at the horse’s ear with the end of the lash, as a recreation.”

Long noun US /long/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “On the turnpike road, between Casterbridge and Weatherbury, and about a mile from the latter place, is one of those steep long ascents which pervade the highways of this undulating district.”

One pronoun US /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading “On the turnpike road, between Casterbridge and Weatherbury, and about a mile from the latter place, is one of those steep long ascents which pervade the highways of this undulating district.”

Second noun US /second/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “She was sitting listlessly in the second seat of the gig, whilst walking beside her in farmer’s marketing suit of unusually fashionable cut was an erect, well-made young man.”

Those determiner US /ðoʊz/

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

From this reading “On the turnpike road, between Casterbridge and Weatherbury, and about a mile from the latter place, is one of those steep long ascents which pervade the highways of this undulating district.”

Though conjunction US /ðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading “Though on foot, he held the reins and whip, and occasionally aimed light cuts at the horse’s ear with the end of the lash, as a recreation.”

Whilst conjunction US /waɪlst/

an old and formal word for “while”

From this reading “She was sitting listlessly in the second seat of the gig, whilst walking beside her in farmer’s marketing suit of unusually fashionable cut was an erect, well-made young man.”

All words in this reading · 90

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 On the turnpike road, between Casterbridge and Weatherbury, and about a mile from the latter place, is one of those steep long ascents which pervade the highways of this undulating district.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading On the turnpike road, between Casterbridge and Weatherbury, and about a mile from the latter place, is one of those steep long ascents which pervade the highways of this undulating district.

aimed

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

From this reading Though on foot, he held the reins and whip, and occasionally aimed light cuts at the horse’s ear with the end of the lash, as a recreation.

alight

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

From this reading In returning from market it is usual for the farmers and other gig-gentry to alight at the bottom and walk up.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading She was sitting listlessly in the second seat of the gig, whilst walking beside her in farmer’s marketing suit of unusually fashionable cut was an erect, well-made young man.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading On the turnpike road, between Casterbridge and Weatherbury, and about a mile from the latter place, is one of those steep long ascents which pervade the highways of this undulating district.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Though on foot, he held the reins and whip, and occasionally aimed light cuts at the horse’s ear with the end of the lash, as a recreation.

ascents

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

From this reading On the turnpike road, between Casterbridge and Weatherbury, and about a mile from the latter place, is one of those steep long ascents which pervade the highways of this undulating district.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading In returning from market it is usual for the farmers and other gig-gentry to alight at the bottom and walk up.

Bathsheba's

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

From this reading One Saturday evening in the month of October Bathsheba’s vehicle was duly creeping up this incline.

besideprepositionUS /bɪˈsaɪd/

next to; at the side of

From this reading She was sitting listlessly in the second seat of the gig, whilst walking beside her in farmer’s marketing suit of unusually fashionable cut was an erect, well-made young man.

betweenprepositionUS /bɪˈtwiːn/

in the space, time, or range separating two things

From this reading On the turnpike road, between Casterbridge and Weatherbury, and about a mile from the latter place, is one of those steep long ascents which pervade the highways of this undulating district.

bottom

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

From this reading In returning from market it is usual for the farmers and other gig-gentry to alight at the bottom and walk up.

Casterbridge

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

From this reading On the turnpike road, between Casterbridge and Weatherbury, and about a mile from the latter place, is one of those steep long ascents which pervade the highways of this undulating district.

creeping

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

From this reading One Saturday evening in the month of October Bathsheba’s vehicle was duly creeping up this incline.

cut

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

From this reading She was sitting listlessly in the second seat of the gig, whilst walking beside her in farmer’s marketing suit of unusually fashionable cut was an erect, well-made young man.

cuts

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

From this reading Though on foot, he held the reins and whip, and occasionally aimed light cuts at the horse’s ear with the end of the lash, as a recreation.

district

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

From this reading On the turnpike road, between Casterbridge and Weatherbury, and about a mile from the latter place, is one of those steep long ascents which pervade the highways of this undulating district.

duly

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

From this reading One Saturday evening in the month of October Bathsheba’s vehicle was duly creeping up this incline.

ear

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

From this reading Though on foot, he held the reins and whip, and occasionally aimed light cuts at the horse’s ear with the end of the lash, as a recreation.

end

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

From this reading Though on foot, he held the reins and whip, and occasionally aimed light cuts at the horse’s ear with the end of the lash, as a recreation.

erect

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

From this reading She was sitting listlessly in the second seat of the gig, whilst walking beside her in farmer’s marketing suit of unusually fashionable cut was an erect, well-made young man.

evening

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

From this reading One Saturday evening in the month of October Bathsheba’s vehicle was duly creeping up this incline.

farmer's

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

From this reading She was sitting listlessly in the second seat of the gig, whilst walking beside her in farmer’s marketing suit of unusually fashionable cut was an erect, well-made young man.

farmers

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

From this reading In returning from market it is usual for the farmers and other gig-gentry to alight at the bottom and walk up.

fashionable

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

From this reading She was sitting listlessly in the second seat of the gig, whilst walking beside her in farmer’s marketing suit of unusually fashionable cut was an erect, well-made young man.

footnounUS /foot/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Though on foot, he held the reins and whip, and occasionally aimed light cuts at the horse’s ear with the end of the lash, as a recreation.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading In returning from market it is usual for the farmers and other gig-gentry to alight at the bottom and walk up.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading On the turnpike road, between Casterbridge and Weatherbury, and about a mile from the latter place, is one of those steep long ascents which pervade the highways of this undulating district.

gig

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

From this reading She was sitting listlessly in the second seat of the gig, whilst walking beside her in farmer’s marketing suit of unusually fashionable cut was an erect, well-made young man.

gig-gentry

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

From this reading In returning from market it is usual for the farmers and other gig-gentry to alight at the bottom and walk up.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading Though on foot, he held the reins and whip, and occasionally aimed light cuts at the horse’s ear with the end of the lash, as a recreation.

held

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

From this reading Though on foot, he held the reins and whip, and occasionally aimed light cuts at the horse’s ear with the end of the lash, as a recreation.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading She was sitting listlessly in the second seat of the gig, whilst walking beside her in farmer’s marketing suit of unusually fashionable cut was an erect, well-made young man.

highways

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

From this reading On the turnpike road, between Casterbridge and Weatherbury, and about a mile from the latter place, is one of those steep long ascents which pervade the highways of this undulating district.

horse's

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

From this reading Though on foot, he held the reins and whip, and occasionally aimed light cuts at the horse’s ear with the end of the lash, as a recreation.

InprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading In returning from market it is usual for the farmers and other gig-gentry to alight at the bottom and walk up.

incline

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

From this reading One Saturday evening in the month of October Bathsheba’s vehicle was duly creeping up this incline.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading On the turnpike road, between Casterbridge and Weatherbury, and about a mile from the latter place, is one of those steep long ascents which pervade the highways of this undulating district.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading In returning from market it is usual for the farmers and other gig-gentry to alight at the bottom and walk up.

lash

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

From this reading Though on foot, he held the reins and whip, and occasionally aimed light cuts at the horse’s ear with the end of the lash, as a recreation.

latter

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

From this reading On the turnpike road, between Casterbridge and Weatherbury, and about a mile from the latter place, is one of those steep long ascents which pervade the highways of this undulating district.

light

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

From this reading Though on foot, he held the reins and whip, and occasionally aimed light cuts at the horse’s ear with the end of the lash, as a recreation.

listlessly

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

From this reading She was sitting listlessly in the second seat of the gig, whilst walking beside her in farmer’s marketing suit of unusually fashionable cut was an erect, well-made young man.

longnounUS /long/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading On the turnpike road, between Casterbridge and Weatherbury, and about a mile from the latter place, is one of those steep long ascents which pervade the highways of this undulating district.

man

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

From this reading She was sitting listlessly in the second seat of the gig, whilst walking beside her in farmer’s marketing suit of unusually fashionable cut was an erect, well-made young man.

market

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

From this reading In returning from market it is usual for the farmers and other gig-gentry to alight at the bottom and walk up.

marketing

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

From this reading She was sitting listlessly in the second seat of the gig, whilst walking beside her in farmer’s marketing suit of unusually fashionable cut was an erect, well-made young man.

mile

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

From this reading On the turnpike road, between Casterbridge and Weatherbury, and about a mile from the latter place, is one of those steep long ascents which pervade the highways of this undulating district.

month

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

From this reading One Saturday evening in the month of October Bathsheba’s vehicle was duly creeping up this incline.

occasionally

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

From this reading Though on foot, he held the reins and whip, and occasionally aimed light cuts at the horse’s ear with the end of the lash, as a recreation.

October

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

From this reading One Saturday evening in the month of October Bathsheba’s vehicle was duly creeping up this incline.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading On the turnpike road, between Casterbridge and Weatherbury, and about a mile from the latter place, is one of those steep long ascents which pervade the highways of this undulating district.

OnprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading On the turnpike road, between Casterbridge and Weatherbury, and about a mile from the latter place, is one of those steep long ascents which pervade the highways of this undulating district.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading On the turnpike road, between Casterbridge and Weatherbury, and about a mile from the latter place, is one of those steep long ascents which pervade the highways of this undulating district.

other

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

From this reading In returning from market it is usual for the farmers and other gig-gentry to alight at the bottom and walk up.

pervade

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

From this reading On the turnpike road, between Casterbridge and Weatherbury, and about a mile from the latter place, is one of those steep long ascents which pervade the highways of this undulating district.

place

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

From this reading On the turnpike road, between Casterbridge and Weatherbury, and about a mile from the latter place, is one of those steep long ascents which pervade the highways of this undulating district.

recreation

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

From this reading Though on foot, he held the reins and whip, and occasionally aimed light cuts at the horse’s ear with the end of the lash, as a recreation.

reins

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

From this reading Though on foot, he held the reins and whip, and occasionally aimed light cuts at the horse’s ear with the end of the lash, as a recreation.

returning

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

From this reading In returning from market it is usual for the farmers and other gig-gentry to alight at the bottom and walk up.

road

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

From this reading On the turnpike road, between Casterbridge and Weatherbury, and about a mile from the latter place, is one of those steep long ascents which pervade the highways of this undulating district.

Saturday

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

From this reading One Saturday evening in the month of October Bathsheba’s vehicle was duly creeping up this incline.

seat

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

From this reading She was sitting listlessly in the second seat of the gig, whilst walking beside her in farmer’s marketing suit of unusually fashionable cut was an erect, well-made young man.

second

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

From this reading She was sitting listlessly in the second seat of the gig, whilst walking beside her in farmer’s marketing suit of unusually fashionable cut was an erect, well-made young man.

ShepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading She was sitting listlessly in the second seat of the gig, whilst walking beside her in farmer’s marketing suit of unusually fashionable cut was an erect, well-made young man.

sitting

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

From this reading She was sitting listlessly in the second seat of the gig, whilst walking beside her in farmer’s marketing suit of unusually fashionable cut was an erect, well-made young man.

steep

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

From this reading On the turnpike road, between Casterbridge and Weatherbury, and about a mile from the latter place, is one of those steep long ascents which pervade the highways of this undulating district.

suit

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

From this reading She was sitting listlessly in the second seat of the gig, whilst walking beside her in farmer’s marketing suit of unusually fashionable cut was an erect, well-made young man.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading On the turnpike road, between Casterbridge and Weatherbury, and about a mile from the latter place, is one of those steep long ascents which pervade the highways of this undulating district.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading On the turnpike road, between Casterbridge and Weatherbury, and about a mile from the latter place, is one of those steep long ascents which pervade the highways of this undulating district.

thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/

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

From this reading On the turnpike road, between Casterbridge and Weatherbury, and about a mile from the latter place, is one of those steep long ascents which pervade the highways of this undulating district.

ThoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading Though on foot, he held the reins and whip, and occasionally aimed light cuts at the horse’s ear with the end of the lash, as a recreation.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading In returning from market it is usual for the farmers and other gig-gentry to alight at the bottom and walk up.

turnpike

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

From this reading On the turnpike road, between Casterbridge and Weatherbury, and about a mile from the latter place, is one of those steep long ascents which pervade the highways of this undulating district.

undulating

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

From this reading On the turnpike road, between Casterbridge and Weatherbury, and about a mile from the latter place, is one of those steep long ascents which pervade the highways of this undulating district.

unusually

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

From this reading She was sitting listlessly in the second seat of the gig, whilst walking beside her in farmer’s marketing suit of unusually fashionable cut was an erect, well-made young man.

up

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

From this reading In returning from market it is usual for the farmers and other gig-gentry to alight at the bottom and walk up.

usual

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

From this reading In returning from market it is usual for the farmers and other gig-gentry to alight at the bottom and walk up.

vehicle

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

From this reading One Saturday evening in the month of October Bathsheba’s vehicle was duly creeping up this incline.

walk

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

From this reading In returning from market it is usual for the farmers and other gig-gentry to alight at the bottom and walk up.

walking

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

From this reading She was sitting listlessly in the second seat of the gig, whilst walking beside her in farmer’s marketing suit of unusually fashionable cut was an erect, well-made young man.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading One Saturday evening in the month of October Bathsheba’s vehicle was duly creeping up this incline.

Weatherbury

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

From this reading On the turnpike road, between Casterbridge and Weatherbury, and about a mile from the latter place, is one of those steep long ascents which pervade the highways of this undulating district.

well-made

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

From this reading She was sitting listlessly in the second seat of the gig, whilst walking beside her in farmer’s marketing suit of unusually fashionable cut was an erect, well-made young man.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading On the turnpike road, between Casterbridge and Weatherbury, and about a mile from the latter place, is one of those steep long ascents which pervade the highways of this undulating district.

whilstconjunctionUS /waɪlst/

an old and formal word for “while”

From this reading She was sitting listlessly in the second seat of the gig, whilst walking beside her in farmer’s marketing suit of unusually fashionable cut was an erect, well-made young man.

whip

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

From this reading Though on foot, he held the reins and whip, and occasionally aimed light cuts at the horse’s ear with the end of the lash, as a recreation.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Though on foot, he held the reins and whip, and occasionally aimed light cuts at the horse’s ear with the end of the lash, as a recreation.

young

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

From this reading She was sitting listlessly in the second seat of the gig, whilst walking beside her in farmer’s marketing suit of unusually fashionable cut was an erect, well-made young man.