Desperate Remedies: 40 words to know before you read it
The 40 words Thomas Hardy uses again and again in Desperate Remedies that are outside the 4,000 most common in English. Learn them first and the opening chapters read much more easily. Each comes with its pronunciation and a sentence from the book.
till/ˈtɪɫ/133× in the book
Glimpses of the sea now interested them, which became more and more frequent till the train finally drew up beside the platform at Budmouth.
steward/ˈstuɝd/112× in the book
‘Those are, more properly, a land or building steward’s duties—at least I have always imagined so.
maid/ˈmeɪd/60× in the book
Sweet, sweet Love must not be slain thus, was the fair maid’s reasoning.
rector/ˈɹɛktɝ/55× in the book
There’s the rector, Mr. Raunham—he’s a relation by marriage—yet she’s quite distant towards him.
whilst/ˈwaɪɫst/49× in the book
During her entry, and at various times whilst sitting in her seat and listening to the reader on the platform, her personal appearance formed an interesting subject of study for several neighbouring eyes.
instant/ˈɪnstənt/47× in the book
An instant of doubling forward and sideways, and he reeled off into the air, immediately disappearing downwards.
murmur/ˈmɝmɝ/42× in the book
When she had done murmuring the words her father indecisively laid hold of one of the scaffold-poles, as if to test its strength, then let it go and stepped back.
porter/ˈpɔɹtɝ/39× in the book
She asked one of the porters if he could find a lad to go with her and carry her bag: he offered to do it himself.
afterwards/ˈæftɝwɝdz/38× in the book
It was the last hour of experience she ever enjoyed with a mind entirely free from a knowledge of that labyrinth into which she stepped immediately afterwards—to continue a perplexed course along its mazes for the greater portion of twenty-nine subsequent months.
scarcely/ˈskɛɹsɫi/37× in the book
Thus Ambrose Graye’s good intentions with regard to the reintegration of his property had scarcely taken tangible form when his sudden death put them for ever out of his power.
madam/ˈmædəm/36× in the book
‘No, madam; in the next room.
inquire/ˌɪnˈkwaɪɹ/35× in the book
he inquired.
advertisement/ˌædvɝˈtaɪzmənt/35× in the book
The same day Cytherea drew up and sent off the advertisement appended:—
postman/ˈpoʊsmən/32× in the book
At breakfast time, just as Cytherea had again seen the postman pass without bringing her an answer to the advertisement, as she had fully expected he would do, Owen entered the room.
railway/ˈɹeɪɫˌweɪ/28× in the book
‘He’s gone across to the railway station, for certain,’ said another passenger.
fancy/ˈfænsi/28× in the book
… who had always sadly needed her, was already definitely pictured in her fancy, which …
parish/ˈpæɹɪʃ/28× in the book
‘Tis jest the house for a nice ghastly hair-on-end story, that would make the parish religious.
maiden/ˈmeɪdən/27× in the book
Among these later ones came an exceptional young maiden who glowed amid the dulness like a single bright-red poppy in a field of brown stubble.
softly/ˈsɔfɫi/27× in the book
The young man softly followed her, stood opposite the house and watched her come into the upper room with the light.
indoors/ˈɪnˌdɔɹz/24× in the book
I must go indoors now.
exclaim/ɪkˈskɫeɪm/24× in the book
she exclaimed.
spite/ˈspaɪt/24× in the book
In spite of evasions as an obstacle, and in consequence of them as a spur, he would put the matter off no longer.
heap/ˈhip/23× in the book
… grindstones, heaps of building stone and brick, explained that the spot was the centre of operations for the building work done on the estate.
conceal/kənˈsiɫ/23× in the book
… Miss Aldclyffe might perhaps have taken her into the household; yet her history she particularly wished to conceal from a stranger.
faint/ˈfeɪnt/23× in the book
“I have never heard that name mentioned since that time till to-night, and then there instantly rose to my eyes the vision of that young lady lying in a fainting fit.”
dread/ˈdɹɛd/22× in the book
… blinding herself to its meaning and only natural tendency, and appearing to dread his announcement of them.
carriage/ˈkæɹɪdʒ/22× in the book
The carriage of her head—motion within motion—a glide upon a glide—was as delicate as that of a magnetic needle.
linger/ˈɫɪŋɝ/22× in the book
Cytherea lingered till the very last, reluctant to follow, and looking alternately at the boat and the valley behind.
grey/ˈɡɹeɪ/21× in the book
She wore an elegant dark jacket, lavender dress, hat with grey strings and trimmings, and gloves of a colour to harmonize.
countenance/ˈkaʊntənəns/21× in the book
There was a severity about the lower outlines of the face which gave a masculine cast to this portion of her countenance.
manor/ˈmænɝ/21× in the book
‘No; that’s the old manor-house—or rather all that’s left of it.
lodge/ˈɫɑdʒ/21× in the book
She was to take up her abode in her brother’s lodging at Budmouth, when she would immediately advertise for a situation as governess …
fetch/ˈfɛtʃ/21× in the book
I am going to fetch her,’ said the attendant.
continually/kənˈtɪnjuəɫi/21× in the book
thought Owen continually.
colour/ˈkəɫɝ/19× in the book
Placid flocks of sheep reclining under trees a little way off appeared of a pale blue colour.
gloom/ˈɡɫum/19× in the book
I never forget that original disheartening blow, and how that from it sprang all the ills of his life—everything connected with his gloom, and the lassitude in business we used so often to see about him.’
utter/ˈətɝ/19× in the book
… the beautiful things of the earth become more dear as they elude pursuit; but with some natures utter elusion is the one special event which will make a passing love permanent for ever.
interval/ˈɪntɝvəɫ/19× in the book
… and thriving shopkeepers, in their intervals of leisure, stood at their shop-doors—their toes hanging over the edge of the step …
curiosity/ˌkjʊɹiˈɑsəti/19× in the book
… whenever occasion allowed, at Mrs. Morris with great interest and curiosity, to discover …
ruin/ˈɹuən/19× in the book
‘And once mamma said that an excellent woman was papa’s ruin, because he did not know the way to give her up when he had lost her.
Pronunciation: ipa-dict (MIT), from Wiktionary.
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